A stylish assembling of Shanghai’s finest.
Set in the Museum of Art in Pudong amidst a downpour, Balenciaga unveiled its hyped Spring 25 collection on Thursday. The scene resembled a sombre film scene with the black umbrellas and the slow BFRND music playing in the background, but make no mistake – the occasion was one of celebration and homage.
Shanghai is a bustling city of excellence located in China. It served as host for Balenciaga’s Spring 25, which duly paid tribute to the urban land. With the rain pouring heavily, it was an event from the heavens, one that looked as brilliant as the collection itself, with the Shanghai skyline in sight.
This was Creative Director Demna‘s debut in China, and the results were phenomenal.
Themes & Motifs of the Balenciaga Spring 25 Collection
Image courtesy Balenciaga
Balenciaga’s Spring 25 draws inspiration from its host city, with Shanghai’s high-rise buildings and sturdy silhouettes giving rise to the collection’s heightened and vertical borders and couture dresses. Oversized is the theme of the set, with the dresses and the rest of the accessories projecting an enveloping feel with their size. The very first look, for example, dazzled with extra-large lace-up platform boots and stompers with a staggering 16 cm lift. They were accompanied by sleek overcoats and down jackets repackaged into big side-sling bags.
Balenciaga chose to go with a more direct approach than a heavily-thematic one, but the shades of references impressed. Of particular note was the subtle agreement that the oversized theme was also hinting at industrial, developed sombreness, the kind of downbeat mood that is oddly only present in urban cities like Shanghai.
The presence of floral, all-black, and subverted classics was a nice touch, as was the collection of nods to the House’s illustrious legacy. The collection also pined for the future in earnest, with Balenciaga’s final reveal featuring a pink-feathered gown that was built with upcycled piece of old plastic bags, suggesting the need for practices like it to ensure the future of both fashion and the world.
The Faces
Balenciaga’s runway in Shanghai was graced by many top models from all around the world. The likes of Agel Akol, Ani Mccormick, Emma Pei, Gansukh Ganbat, Loïk Gomez, Minttu Vesala, and Simone Embrack walked for the brand during the memorable rainy event.
KHAMSA’s Top Looks
Final Note
Balenciaga stirred up its usual surprise at the Spring 25 Collection launch, this time announcing a collaboration with Under Armour. The partnership, which had been hinted at before the spectacle, had its own exhibition on the runway with a wide variety of caps, belts, and variants of the 3XL and the Speed Trainer.
This is not the first time the brand has visited Shanghai. However, many hailed the decision to hold the show at the Chinese city, citing a clear focus on expanding its footprint on the global market and catering to the many luxury buyers in China.
