Demna news and archive

Demna confirms date for debut Gucci show

Designer Demna has revealed that his debut show for Gucci will take place in March 2026. This removes the spring/summer womenswear show, typically held at the end of September, from this year's calendar. "I need more than two months to develop a vision," Gucci's new chief design officer told fashion journalist Suzy Menkes. This was revealed in a...

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Fashion

Balenciaga bids farewell to Demna with a couture collection rooted in craft, not controversy

Demna’s final bow at Balenciaga arrived not with spectacle but with subtlety, a word rarely associated with the designer who has redefined the house over nearly a decade. The maison's 54th haute couture collection, shown Wednesday in Paris, was both a personal farewell and a statement of return: to construction, to silhouette, and to the...

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Fashion

Balenciaga names Pierpaolo Piccioli Creative Director amid strategic overhaul at Kering

Kering has appointed Pierpaolo Piccioli as the new creative director of Balenciaga, marking a pivotal moment in the French luxury conglomerate’s broader effort to stabilise and reposition its flagship fashion houses after a challenging 2024. The group reported a 12 per cent drop in annual revenue for 2024, with widening losses at Gucci, as well...

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Fashion |Opinion

Kering faces crossroads as Gucci’s identity crisis deepens

Following a disappointing quarter, Kering is under increasing pressure as its crown jewel, Gucci, struggles through a challenging transition. Industry analysts warn that the global luxury sector is entering a period of stagnation, and Gucci, once Kering’s fastest-growing brand, appears especially vulnerable. Gucci’s 25 percent drop in Q1 sales...

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Business|Opinion

Kering’s Gucci faces investor doubts after Demna appointment

Kering’s long-anticipated announcement of Demna as Gucci’s new artistic director was met with a tepid response from investors, falling short of the market confidence the luxury conglomerate had likely hoped for. Shares in Kering closed 10 percent lower on Friday, underscoring concerns that the appointment alone is not enough to signal a decisive...

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Fashion |Opinion

Demna’s unexpected move to Gucci: A new era for the Florentine house

The shock announcement on Thursday of Demna’s appointment at Gucci was a fashion marriage many did not see coming. After months of speculation about who would replace Sabato De Sarno—would it be Hedi Slimane, who had reportedly already gone real estate shopping in Milan, or another number two who had been flying under the radar, like the earlier...

Culture

Demna honoured with France’s Arts and Letters award

Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna, has been named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, recognising his impact on fashion and culture. The award, presented by France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, comes as Demna marks a decade at the house. The ceremony, attended by Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault and actress Isabelle...

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Fashion

At Paris Fashion Week Balenciaga gave us a sense of deja vu

When a shoulder is so bold it challenges convention, how can it be made bolder? When a silhouette is already so oversized, and the wearer appears shrunken in proportion, how can this be scaled up? Balenciaga's Spring Summer 2024 show made a resounding statement by embracing significantly more bolder and oversized propositions. Creative director...

Fashion

Balenciaga unarchives its Instagram posts

Balenciaga is back. On Instagram. The original executor of the Instagram fashion tabula rasa, or blank slate, Balenciaga has removed images and posts from its official account nearly every season, or at best after every launch, or anything newsworthy, over the past two years. Balenciaga first deleted all of its Instagram posts 15th July 2021....

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Fashion |Opinion

Did Demna re-set Balenciaga?

A clean white space devoid of décor except the canvas clad walls marked Balenciaga’s blank slate catwalk on Sunday during Paris fashion week. The show, despite its pared back surroundings, was held in the majestic halls of the Louvre. For all the talk of a brand re-set, Demna, Balenciaga’s artistic director, chose to forego the theatrics of...

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Fashion |Opinion

Balenciaga to focus on collections and heritage, not hype

Ahead of Paris fashion week, Balenciaga creative director Demna has let it be known the house will not seek to create buzz via controversy for its upcoming show, instead focusing on product, heritage and craftsmanship. After a series of high profile faux pas, from a campaign that featured children, props that included a Supreme Court ruling...

Culture

Balenciaga designs charity t-shirt to raise funds to rebuild Ukraine

Balenciaga is supporting the United24 platform for helping refugees. A charity t-shirt is available on its website of which 100 percent of the net profits will be donated to the humanitarian efforts for the Rebuild Ukraine direction. Costing 200 euros, the organic cotton tee features a Ukrainian flag on the front and a QR code on the back....