Scene setting: The venue for Paris' most anticipated show of the season was a television studio. Complete with grey padded walls, the space was well wired for sound, and to a penetrating beat new artistic director Demna Gvasalia broadcast his vision for the house of Balenciaga to the world.
Mood board: This show was all about form as Gvasalia successfully captured Cristobal Balenciaga's couture methodology within a modern sportswear context. This was evident from the light padding of his opening, C-curve plaid looks, which emphasised the hips via ardent construction, to his oversized outerwear pieces (anoraks, trenches, puffers, denim and leather biker jackets included), which were styled with a nod to the streets, each piece cut to structurally slip back off the shoulders.
Finishing touches: Elongating the couture silhouette, platformed leather boots in a range of hues from cobalt blue to punchy florals (the latter worn with his coordinating floral brocade looks) will be the hot ticket footwear choice for winter. Gvasalia also debuted a whole host of boxy shoulder bags, which will no doubt refresh Balenciag's bag business along with his super striped Laundromat totes that tied back to his more utilitarian Vetements vision.
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An ocean-facing Montauk house is 'a coming-of-age, a celebration, a lair'A Montauk house on Hither Hills, designed by Hampton architects Oza Sabbeth, is wrapped in timber and connects its residents with the ocean
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Chef Matt Abé steps out solo with Bonheur in MayfairA former fine-dining institution is transformed through a study of light, tone and materiality, courtesy of Russell Sage Studio
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A forgotten history of Italian artists affected by the HIV-AIDS crisis goes on show in Tuscany‘Vivono: Art and Feelings, HIV-AIDS in Italy. 1982-1996’, at Centro per l'Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato delves into the conversation around the crisis
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
