Discovering Balenciaga’s Original Silhouettes at PFW SS26
Recent updates from FashionUnited spotlight a significant moment at this season’s Paris Fashion Week: Pierpaolo Piccioli’s introduction as the new creative director of Balenciaga. Moving away from Demna’s streetwear influence, Piccioli has drawn inspiration from Cristóbal Balenciaga’s iconic designs, such as sack dresses, balloon shapes, and cocoon silhouettes. His goal is to craft sophisticated yet unrestricted garments.
A standout piece, look 34, featured a vibrant magenta off-the-shoulder dress crafted from a silk/wool blend. Its voluminous, cocoon-like form created a striking architectural silhouette, accentuating the torso with a wide neckline and a short hemline.
The back design of the dress revealed a bold contrast, inspired by the Balenciaga ‘peacock train’ first introduced in 1958. This feature included a dramatic trailing panel, creating a flowing, cape-like effect as the model walked the runway.
Accompanying look 34, two accessories paid homage to Nicolas Ghesquière, a previous director at Balenciaga. The high-crowned riding hat was reminiscent of one introduced in Ghesquière’s 2008 line.
Additionally, the handbag resembled Ghesquière’s original ‘City’ bag from 2001.
The ensemble was completed with velvet platform flip flops.
Throughout the Milan showcase, Piccioli also highlighted a theme of weightlessness, aligning with Cristóbal Balenciaga’s vision when he created the sack dress in 1957 to liberate women from restrictive silhouettes.
