Having now had ample time to delve into Balenciaga's archives, artistic director Alexander Wang believed it was time to weave knitwear into the French house's codes for his third season at its helm. Crafted for a jet-setting woman as busy as Wang, the designer's knitted shapes came as finished looks, rather than interloping layered pieces. Even his leather dresses were tightly needled together, while others were made of intricate laser-cut 'chain mail' jersey. Extending the theme to outwear were raincoats constructed from a cable-knit foundation and laminated in Latex - a trompe l'oeil effect that continued throughout the collection. Wang's interest in reinventing the pant also embraced new elements. Some were combined with asymmetrical skirts, as sleeker versions featured zippered hardware, used to create crosses on his trousers and rounded woollen dresses. Leaning more on the house's lineage were Wang's encrusted pearl and rhinestone sweaters, fused with duchess satin and inspired by a brooch that he found in the Cristobal Balenciaga archive. Not to be outdone were his colourful crocodile gloves that concealed built-in wallets - a perfect finishing touch for his globalised girl-on-the-go who often had her hands full with multiple Balenciaga shopping totes.
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
-
The ultimate beach accessory? The Fiat Topolino Vilebrequin is a true meeting of mindsFiat has teamed up with swimwear specialists Vilebrequin to create a Collector’s Edition of the pint-sized Topolino EV that pays homage to the glamour of Riviera life
-
Multi-functional furniture, integrated planting and a felt landscape shape this new officeZeller & Moye’s new HQ space for a German IT company has been designed to accommodate every kind of office working situation, from introverted cubicles through to flexible open-plan spaces
-
Step inside a Hollywood Hills home where European design meets Californian easeLA studio Broad Project takes us inside its cinematic renovation of a 1960s Spanish Revival home in the Hollywood Hills
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expectFive moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
-
Donna Trope celebrates the power of the Polaroid in Paris‘Polaroids used to be my rejects, and now they are my holy grail,’ says the beauty photographer, as she shows rarely seen images in a Paris exhibition
-
Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
-
From The Simpsons to the European Parliament: best Balenciaga show sets‘Ay, caramba!' In celebration of The Simpsons-inspired Balenciaga S/S 2022 runway show, which saw the residents of Springfield descend onto the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week, we present the best recent fashion show sets from the Parisian maison
-
Walk this way: navigating S/S 2021's Paris Fashion WeekHow the City of Lights looked to the sartorial realities of our much changed lifestyles
-
Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
