DEMNA Gvasalia’s raved over reinterpretation of Balenciaga for the fashion history books was instigated again for SS17 by the Georgian designer. Looking back, and then fundamentally forth, to Cristobel’s couture-based relationship with the body, on steroids, best describes Gvasalia’s direct way of making the brand his own Vetements side project at this current point in his career. Which, by the way, has taken off since last season’s offering took over jaded fashion minds.
To excite those minds again, Gvasalia gave us American football shoulders but placed them dead seriously upon clothing which seemed simple enough – yet concealed complexity in the bold gestures of folded blocks of fabric and potent prints seen head to pointed toe. More than the clothing, this was all about Demna’s attitude. Explaining that he is designing fashion that is happy, or in his own words post-show “smiling is the new black”, proves that these are the designs of someone who is genuinely doing their own thing. Gvasalia should thus be commended for pointing out that this is needed.
From the obvious fabulousness of the oversized bags, the random brooch, the pops of colour pitting fire engine red and tangerine against magenta to the audacious sculpting of silhouettes with forceful proportions, and lest we even mention the fetish cape that closed the show, he is doing what is considered so obviously off the wall that it is brilliant. Every look has its own unique zeal and isn’t simply a procession of looks from a collection destined to waste paper in an asinine look book.
Balenciaga has found a true enfant terrible of our times in Gvasalia – the first in a long time. Not concerned with labouring over how appreciated his clothing will be for this or that prepossessing quality means the result is inspiringly instinctual.
by Livia Feltham
Images courtesy of Balenciaga