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Demna’s sublime final Balenciaga haute couture show
On Wednesday, July 9th, 2025, in the historic salons of the house, Demna presented his sublime final couture show for Balenciaga to a soundtrack listing the names of the Georgian designer’s collaborators. A moving farewell that marked the end of a ten-year chapter.
By Léa Zetlaoui.
Demna bids farewell to Balenciaga
Emotions were running high at Balenciaga on July 9th, 2025. At noon, Demna unveiled his last haute couture show as creative director of the house since 2015. The next day, his successor Pierpaolo Piccioli will take over the studio, while the Georgian designer will begin a new adventure at Gucci.
Rarely has a fashion house so thoroughly celebrated the work of a departing artistic director. In addition to a testamentary collection enriched by a surprise collaboration with Britney Spears, Balenciaga is also commemorating this decade with an exhibition open to the public.
A moving final haute couture show
Over his ten years at Balenciaga, Demna has demonstrated having a rare gift for grasping the zeitgeist and society’s most contradictory desires. Yet, behind his contemporary vision lies a deep respect for tradition. He has never betrayed the spirit of Cristóbal, the founder of the house. As a matter of fact, he translated it into his own creations, especially in his haute couture creations.
It was in 2021 that Demna revived Balenciaga’s haute couture lines, fifty-three years after the founder’s 49th and final show. On June 7th, 2021, in the couture salons located on Avenue George V, Demna paid tribute to the man nicknamed “the couturier of couturiers,” with his signature boldness. His silhouettes read like couture interpretations of the contemporary wardrobe and showcase exceptional craftsmanship.
Keeping that in mind, the Georgian designer now closes this chapter. “This collection is the perfect way for me to finish my decade at Balenciaga. I have come as close as possible to being satisfied in this endless pursuit of impossible perfection – the defining ethos of Cristóbal Balenciaga,” he explains in his show notes.
The setting of the 54th haute couture show
Following the tradition, Demna presented the 39 silhouettes of his final couture show in the historic salons of the house. Among the guests were Michelle Yeoh, Nicole Kidman, Aya Nakamura, and his successor, Pierpaolo Piccioli.
Rather than playing music, the soundtrack of the show was an enumeration of the names of his team members, who have worked with him over the past ten years. The 54th Balenciaga haute couture collection was simultaneously photographed in the streets of Paris. A “tribute to the city where I made my fashion debuts,” Demna explained.
Demna’s tribute to Cristóbal Balenciaga
Demna’s critics are probably quick to reduce his creative vision to provocation or an aversion to compromise – as seen in his maximalist or constricted silhouettes. Yet, his unwavering determination deeply aligns with that of Cristóbal Balenciaga, as shown in the sculptural, minimalist cuts.
Approaching fashion with an almost sociological lens, he revamps the dress codes of the “Bourgeoisie“, pushing every boundary to the extreme. The looks are strict, like this 1967-style tailored suit or the men’s suits with sharp cuts.
Another key theme of the Balenciaga haute couture collection is the golden age of Hollywood (1910–1920). Here, it takes shape through tribute looks to Elizabeth Taylor, worn by Kim Kardashian, or Marilyn Monroe, channelled by Naomi Campbell. Though the designer’s references are retro, the cuts remain quite modern.
Demna also applies couture techniques to daily clothing, or what he calls “archetypal garments.” Take the bomber jacket in technical silk, trompe-l’œil corduroy trousers using 300 kilometers of tufted embroidery, or long coats cut like biker jackets. Not to forget the sequined skirt suit and handbag, whose 1957 floral pattern reminds him of his grandmother’s kitchen tablecloth.
High jewellery by Lorraine Schwartz
For his final Balenciaga show, Demna called on Lorraine Schwartz, a close friend of Kim Kardashian. Inspired by Elizabeth Taylor’s love of jewellery, the American jeweller created over 1,000 carats of custom high joaillerie. Going big – and shiny – she adorned these exceptional pieces with white diamonds, natural emeralds, Padparadscha sapphires, pink diamonds, and canary yellow diamonds to accessorize the collection.
Balenciaga’s haute couture accessories
The looks are paired with many accessories, which is unusual in haute couture. We find two fans recreated from the Duvelleroy archives – perhaps the most eccentric couture accessories. Floral brooches were crafted from tissue paper by Maison Lemarié and William Amor. And in a full-circle moment, the designer who elevated streetwear introduced the first-ever Balenciaga Couture sneaker. While the design may seem standard, it is handmade using traditional shoemaking techniques. Finally, briefcases are revamped as dazzling jewellery boxes.
