Brand storms onto scene

On May 30 last year, the French fashion house Balenciaga released a short film for its 2024 Spring Collection in Paris. Set to the music of French chanson Sous le Ciel de Paris by Edith Piaf, it depicts Parisians basking in bright sunlight.

Suddenly, a heavy downpour ensues, but people continue to go about their daily activities unperturbed, clad in their shimmering, expensive evening gowns.

Nobody could predict, a year later, the downpour from the film would turn into reality, this time in Shanghai instead of Paris.

Balenciaga had planned to unveil its Spring 2025 show on May 30 at the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai. During the rehearsal the day before, the outdoor runway on the terrace of the museum along the Huangpu River offered a view of Shanghai's iconic skyline, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

However, nature had other plans, as rain fell the next evening. With the sunset obscured, 800 guests flown in from around the world had to wait in the museum lobby for the rain to stop, or for a Plan B.

The rain did not stop, and there was no Plan B.

After a delay of about half an hour, everyone entered the venue with umbrellas in hand, including world-acclaimed actresses Sophie Marceau and Michelle Yeoh, as well as Chinese celebrities and stars.

To the soundtrack by French musician BFRND, models walked under the rain.

Initially, there was disappointment at the rain disrupting the meticulously prepared show and the uncomfortable feeling of wet seats. However, as the models walked calmly through the deluge, the clothes took on a special allure.

Gradually, everyone realized that it was typical of Balenciaga, whose artistic director Demna had made the runway slippery with water. After all, he had once simulated blizzard-like conditions in previous shows to create tension. Now, there was this natural curtain of rain in Shanghai.

The passing cruise ships on the Huangpu River, the majestic Oriental Pearl Tower, the dazzling Bund landscape, the guests holding up black umbrellas, and the meticulously crafted soundtrack by BFRND, all served as indispensable but vivid features of the show.

Standout pieces

From everyday wear to evening dress, the Spring 2025 show featured the full gamut of Demna's signature designs, from broad-shouldered suits, oversized leather jackets, shirt dresses, brightly colored printed dresses and distressed denim, to form-fitting bodysuits, oversized trench coats, sequined evening gowns, visually deceptive sock boots, asymmetric bucket hats, and chunky statement footwear.

Balenciaga always carries a hidden sense of playfulness. Intentionally torn stockings no longer made people feel embarrassed, and "fake two-piece" jeans were introduced to make the trend of low-slung jeans revealing the wearer's underwear more comfortable.

White evening gowns resembling delicate tissue paper up close and pink feather haute couture dresses, which upon closer inspection reveal their innovative construction from recycled ocean plastics, took center stage.

Among the standout pieces were a cocoon-shaped dress crafted from upcycled travel bags, a shimmering gold foil skirt evoking the elegance of gift wrapping, and a luxurious black velvet skirt inspired by the opulence of jewelry boxes.

These creations harmoniously weaved together classical and contemporary aesthetics in a mesmerizing display where environmental sustainability converged with cutting-edge fashion design.

In the end, there was no traditional curtain call. The models did not walk back onto the runway, but instead disappeared into the distance of the art museum one by one. Each model left behind a large silhouette, resembling a puppet on a huge screen.

Guests had to stand up and gaze into the distance, feeling a sense of unfulfilled anticipation.

"Shanghai is the beginning of a new trilogy for me. This collection creates a new precise equilibrium within my vision for Balenciaga: Elegance, formal and casual, modern wardrobe and heritage are all in a balanced mix in this show," says Demna, the 43-year-old artistic director.

"It's a new chapter and direction where I'm taking Balenciaga: Streetwear, formal-wear, evening-wear and couture have a certain elegance between all these different facets of my aesthetic and my style. I love that it starts here in Shanghai, a city that feels like the future."

When building the Spring 2025 collection, he aimed to create a style and aesthetic that would resonate in Shanghai.

"There was a quite complex development on silhouettes and shape using innovative techniques and materials. In the first part of the collection, we explored vertically stretching the silhouette making looks that are monumental in their volume inspired by Shanghai Pudong high-rises," he explains.

It's the first time that Demna visited China. He says he loves the idea of having a dialogue with a Chinese audience.

"They are very forward in their appreciation of fashion and have a very modern view on it. I know that people who wear Balenciaga in China are very daring when it comes to fashion, and I really love that. I am super curious about how they see fashion and the work we do," Demna says.

"Everything interests me about China, and the first impression it made on me is the intense diversity. There is such a mix of different things and so much going on here and so much energy compared to Switzerland or Paris where I live and work. I've never been to a place like this before."

Important city

This marks Balenciaga's third hosting of a collection debut outside of France, with the two previous shows taking place in the United States. The Parisian house opted for Shanghai this time due to its notable success in the Chinese market.

China hosts more Balenciaga stores than any other country globally, with numbers growing from seven in 2016 to over 60 currently. Its social media following in China has surged, with the brand's CEO, Cedric Charbit, noting an eightfold increase compared to five years ago.

"Shanghai is such an important city that resonates in many fields. China is where the connection with our clients, the brand followers and fans is the most impressive in terms of support and commitment to the brand," Charbit says.

"When we do a show abroad, we want to create an experience that goes beyond the show itself. … Our show in Shanghai is an opportunity for Balenciaga to know more and interact more locally. We are aiming to humbly connect, interact, and pay respect to local icons."

The show also presented the Balenciaga/Alipay washed black oversized fit T-shirt, merging the iconic white Balenciaga logo with that of Alipay, a leading digital payment and lifestyle service platform.

The T-shirts sold out in a week after the show.

In homage to local cuisine and culture, Balenciaga partnered with the renowned Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant. From May 29 to June 2, the restaurant in Shanghai's Xintiandi shopping area offered a special steamed bun infused with French black truffles, accompanied by personalized takeaway packaging.

The Balenciaga show was also a highlight of the 2024 "FIRST in Shanghai" season of new global product launches. "FIRST in Shanghai" is a new strategy launched by the metropolis, aimed at enhancing the city's significant position in the global consumer market, and promoting consumption upgrades and high-quality economic development in the city.

Balenciaga's retail presence in China started about 10 years ago when Demna had just joined the brand, hence China was a very early adopter of Demna's aesthetic.

"Chinese clients were among the first to truly understand Demna's vision and the first to deeply embrace it," says Charbit, who visited China three times on average every year for 15 years before the pandemic.

"I'm happy and impressed every time I come to China as the enthusiasm around the brand is immediately visible."

In all neighborhoods and across all age groups, he has seen individuals wearing Balenciaga or embodying a distinct Balenciaga style that bears the hallmark silhouette created by Demna, he adds.

"China is a strong market that is both solid and extremely dynamic. … We are committed to and confident in our future development in China. Balenciaga plans to further strengthen our presence in the Chinese market with a steady, strategic approach in terms of expanding our retail network with store openings at Beijing's Sanlitun and Shanghai Taikoo Hui Store later this year," he says.