At approximately 3pm yesterday, our timelines practically imploded. With exaggerated court heels strutting across fresh cream carpets and moody tunes emanating from boxy handbags, every fashion lover out there stopped to watch Balenciaga’s 51st Couture Collection come to life — not least due to its star-studded cast of models. Acting as a seamless continuation of Balenciaga’s legacy, the collection embraces technology as a means of innovation: challenging the conventional boundaries of accessories while staying true to the traditional techniques synonymous with the House.

Comprised of an array of long-hemmed dresses, asymmetric capes and gathered skirts, the collection looks to natural sources to create unconventional textures. Contrasting raw edges with meticulous embroidery, cut silk with avant-garde silhouettes, the capsule effortlessly captures the spirit of transformation. Speaking to this narrative, over a quarter of the collection was constructed with up-cycled items. Whether it be neglected vintage bombers, parkas or jeans, the House turns the ordinary into a staple of its own — reconstructing antique wristwatches into statement chokers, repurposing wallets and belts as intricate yet eye-catching patchworks.

Yet Balenciaga’s metamorphic vision does not stop there. Calling upon the technology of Bang & Olufsen, the House designed a hybrid between a speaker and a handbag — anodised and hand-polished to create a simple yet sleek finish. Elsewhere, the Balenciaga Face Shield adopts the same approach: engineered by Mercedes – AMG F1 Applied Science, the accessory perfectly captures the charm of the House — one that does not require a face to be noticed.

Ensuring that the collection forges a new path, Balenciaga introduces the Japanese limestone-based neoprene to their couture vocabulary — completing the looks with elements of copper and aluminium to create 3D-printed padding and wetsuit-inspired zip closures.

As the likes of Naomi Campbell,Dua Lipa Nicole Kidman, Bella Hadid and ambassador Kim Kardashian style the pieces, Balenciaga demonstrate the multifaceted ways in which their pieces translate across every generation and style — allowing space for interpretation and expression while remaining authentic to their iconic DNA.

To explore the full collection now, head to balenciaga.com now…