5 things to remember from the Balenciaga show

By Léa Zetlaoui.

https://www.youtube.com/live/rOL20gYD78c?si=u33aWOQ0MwEultoZ

The Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show.

This runway show marked Pierpaolo Piccioli’s second act at Balenciaga. After a highly anticipated debut show last September, the artistic director reaffirmed his vision. This season, however, the proposal felt more intimate, almost introspective. “I am deeply interested in people, in the narratives they carry, in the complex, intertwining paths that shape their lives. That has always nourished and influenced my work and creative process. I am drawn to fragility and imperfection, because that is where I recognize the authenticity and beauty of life,” he stated in his show notes.

Oscillating between shadow and light, the Italian designer keeps exploring the human condition, both its vulnerabilities and strengths. As a result, he delivered a powerful show conceived as a sensitive fresco of our time.

A pictorial show inspired by chiaroscuro

For his Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show, Pierpaolo Piccioli dived into chiaroscuro, the Renaissance painting technique that reveals volume by contrasting light with darkness. On the runway, the idea becomes almost tangible through silhouettes moving like living paintings. Between flowing drapes, deep fabrics and sudden flashes of brightness, the looks constantly play with that visual tension. A deliberate metaphor for the human condition showing that fragility and strength can coexist.

An immersive scenography in collaboration with Sam Levinson

For the show, titled ClairObscur, the designer collaborated with filmmaker Sam Levinson, whose cult show Euphoria will unveil its third season soon. As the backdrop, monumental screens displayed interwoven visual fragments — cinematic portraits of the models, contemporary landscapes and exclusive excerpts from the upcoming season. Together they formed a hypnotic digital fresco.

“This is why I chose Sam’s work on Euphoria to be part of the ClairObscur collection narrative. For its ability to convey a sense of our realities, through a prismatic representation of human fragilities and strengths,” Pierpaolo Piccioli explained. The message is crystal clear, one can always find light in the darkness.

When clothes sculpt the body

Faithful to the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, the collection places the body at the center of its vision. High collars frame the face like portraits, while hoods and necklines carve out sharp lines. Draped and cut-out dresses sculpt the silhouette with elegance, while structured coats wrap around the body. We also see Balenciaga’s signature construction techniques. Garments reshape the body in order to enhance it, like rounded shoulders, rigid open collars and strategically placed pleats.

Colors and fabrics play with light

Echoing the exhibition “Clair-Obscur” currently on view at the Bourse de Commerce, this new Balenciaga collection looks like a painting. Here, the interplay between fabrics adds texture to this pictorial composition built around chiaroscuro. From supple leather and matte cashmere to fluid silk and sequin embroidery, each material absorbs or reflects light differently. The same goes for the color palette. Vivid, with reds, oranges and pinks at times, or muted with burgundy, forest green and deep brown hues.

Balenciaga’s contemporary and emotional vision of fashion

Beyond the artistic concept, the collection ultimately offers a real wardrobe. Cocoon-like volumes softly envelop the body, while intense colors emerge from the darkness like neon lights in the night.

At Balenciaga, fashion has become more than ever a visual language, especially under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli. The latter knows how to tell stories and translate emotions with remarkable finesse. After all, the Roman designer has been immersed in art since childhood. With this Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show, he reminds us that light can always be found, even in the darkest moments.