Last Sunday night at the 2026 Golden Globes, Tessa Thompson wore a bright green dress covered in glistening sequins by Balenciaga, designed for her by the house’s new designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who came from Valentino. (You may recall that his debut show was attended by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who looked fantastic in a head-to-toe white ensemble by the designer to the delight of her fans and the chagrin of her detractors.) Thompson sparkled amongst a sea of otherwise mostly dull black and white outfits. She made this magazine’s best dressed list for the night, and when we asked you, our readers, to vote for your favorite style moment of the evening for our new awards season leaderboard, you voted the Hedda star as your standout.
“She [looked] stunning because she was confident in what she was wearing,” says Piccioli, calling in from his office in Paris. The designer has a reputation for being contemporary fashion’s true romantic, in for both his deft use of color and the emotion with which he speaks of his designs. “This is something that we cannot underestimate, that being beautiful and being elegant has a lot to do with the way you feel,” he says.
Tessa Thompson at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Jonathan Bailey at the Paris premiere of Wicked: For Good
Olivier Borde
It’s this thesis around which he is building the new Balenciaga. When asked to define the look of his iteration of the house, he reverts to the community around it: “I would rather define the people that can belong to this new Balenciaga world,” he says. So far he’s most memorably dressed Thompson, Jonathan Bailey, and the musician Giveon—a well-rounded group of forward-thinking characters. “That’s how you create a kind of new Balenciaga, because when you manage a house like this, you cannot create a new world that is only made of garments,” he says. “It’s the people, the culture that blend together to become the new world of Balenciaga.”
Concretely, Piccioli wants his Balenciaga to reflect a contemporary definition of beauty. His new collection, which includes red carpet-ready gowns, athletic wear, and everyday clothing, has been photographed in the Parisian metro and next to gym equipment to bring this point across. “I love the idea of melding together moments as our life is today,” he says.
Piccioli wants to do away with the idea that “heels are for ladies whose lunch or ties belong in formal dressing.” Instead, he intends to place all of his clothing at the same level so that his customer sees a pair of leggings through the same lens they’d see a sequined car coat or a jersey gown. It’s why Bailey wore a bomber jacket and a semi-sheer t-shirt to a Wicked: For Good photo call, and why this collection features partnerships with both the NBA and Manolo Blahnik—formal now means “put together” rather than “dressy.”
Balenciaga, fall 2026
Courtesy of Balenciaga
Balenciaga, fall 2026
Courtesy of Balenciaga
Balenciaga, fall 2026
Courtesy of Balenciaga
It’s a tall order, and the collection accomplishes this to various degrees of success. A sequined car coat for your commute? Sure! Workout leggings with stilettos? Less so, and perhaps reminiscent of a pre-pandemic Kim Kardashian. Still, Piccioli has the right idea in that clothes, and the occasions for which we buy them, don’t mean what they used to. We no longer apply the “rule of thirds” when dressing or speak of “business casual” at the office and ban whites after Labor Day in the ways our parents once did. Millennials started to break down those definitions as we reached adulthood and the outbreak of Covid-19 helped bury them altogether.
Now people can buy luxury hoodies and tracksuits and find a decent suit or cocktail dress at Uniqlo or Zara—this is fashion’s new reality. And so Piccioli wants his new Balenciaga to speak to this new world order. “It’s an invitation to see garments with a sort of open-mindedness,” he says, “with the freedom to use garments as a tool to express yourself.” He wants the Balenciaga community, he says, to seek confidence in their sartorial choices, “because we try to protect ourselves in a moment where the world is not the best place to be,” he says.
Balenciaga, fall 2026
Courtesy of Balenciaga
Balenciaga, fall 2026
Courtesy of Balenciaga
Piccioli looked closey at the Balenciaga archives.
Piccioli’s clothes are engineered to feel light and easier to wear than they are at face value. It’s not only those popular Balenciaga sneakers, an invention of his predecessor Demna, that he’s made less clunky (“you can now run in them!” Piccioli says), but his ready-to-wear, be that jeans or peacoats, also feels weightless in a similar way technical athleisure does, mimicking the way Cristóbal Balenciaga made his couture lighter and more comfortable with the invention of a new fabric weave called gazar. “That is the key to a modern Balenciaga,” Piccioli says, “to have this feeling of shape and structure but with lightness, of incorporating air between body and fabric in order to get new shapes in the space.”
With the exception of a striped Ralph Lauren shirt, the capsule wardrobe features light colors, shades of brown, and black or dark blue garments—mostly solid colors rather than any patterns or patterns that could convey chaos rather than a feeling of harmony. “Quiet” is the adjective associated with this style, though the items’ hefty price tags are anything but.
It remains to be seen whether Meghan is, in fact, planning a personal rebrand and comeback, and what role fashion might play in that. Could a collaboration with a fashion house be in sight, or are clothes simply a canvas on which Meghan writes her values or, more simply, her personal tastes?
Meghan reportedly gave Balenciaga creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli a call and got invited to the Paris show, a move the creative director said was done without “any strategy or grand orchestration.” Curiosity about a fashion move from Meghan was further fueled by a meeting in New York.
Meghan was spotted conversing amiably with Chloe Malle, the new head of editorial content at Vogue. Is something brewing, or did the two just see each other for a chat since they were in the same city? There are no definite answers but Malle is in a position to put an offer of some kind on the table, whether a collaboration, a cover, or, who knows, maybe a column.
Let us now look in detail at the outfits Meghan has recently sported in New York and Washington. Among the speculation about her future, we finally have one certainty: Meghan’s outfits will not be for sale on ShopMy, the platform on which her selection of garments could be purchased. That initiative, which launched so much discussion last spring, seems to have waned. The duchess has closed up shop—pardon me—boutique.
The Giorgio Armani suit
To accept the “Humanitarians of the Year” award at the gala held in New York for the Project Healthy Minds festival, Meghan chose a suit, as if to nod to the series that made her famous and was set in the Big Apple. The suit in question, consisting of a fitted jacket and a pair of soft pants, was already in the duchess’s wardrobe. It’s designed by Giorgio Armani, one of Meghan’s go-tos.
To make the outfit suitable for an evening event, Meghan chose to wear the jacket with nothing underneath, making her chain necklace by Anine Bing stand out. It’s a bold styling choice that casts her in the world of celebrities rather than the somewhat more collared world of Buckingham Palace. Her earrings are by Guzema, a Ukrainian brand that may have come to her through her husband Prince Harry, who recently visited Kyiv. It could be a way to emphasize the support the couple wants to show the warring country.
There is perhaps no city in the world more closely associated with fashion than Paris. The City of Light was the birthplace of haute couture in the 1800s, and its ever-so-chic history continues to this day. Paris Fashion Week 2025 is upon us, and the most fashionable celebrities, tastemakers, and industry VIPs are flooding the cobblestone streets to take in the shows and parties, see what’s heading down the runway, and be seen in the front row, dressed to the nines.
This edition of Paris Fashion Week is especially important thanks to a bevy of recent creative director changes, a veritable musical chairs in an industry where people tend to hold onto their jobs at the top for decades at a time. There’s Jonathan Anderson at Dior, of course, and Proenza Schouler co-founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez filling his vacant seat at Loewe. Matthieu Blazy took a new job at Chanel, and Demna went from Balenciaga to Gucci, with former Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli taking the reins at Balenciaga. There’s plenty of to see—and gossip about at cocktail parties—at this Fashion Week in particular.
Paris Fashion Week officially kicked off on September 29, and concludes October 7. From Chanel to Zimmerman, and everything in between, the world’s foremost fashion designers will be showing their latest collections, with the A-List topping their guest lists.
“I just launched the first Couture Prize in order to promote couture—and more couturiers—in Latin America,” said Busquets.
The avid couture collector is also selling off pieces from her treasured archive to fund her foundation with the proceeds, continue her legacy, and advance a circular economy.
“I’ve been working in fashion since I was 22, so [the collection includes designer pieces from] the ’80s, ’90s, and the 2000s,” said Busquets, name-checking the likes of John Galliano, Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana, Yves Saint Laurent, Alaïa, and Chanel as designers that have graced her closets. “It was always about getting the hard-to-get pieces.”
By rewearing her Balenciaga couture to the VIP Kering dinner, Busquets embodied her principles of couture craftsmanship and sustainable longwear and rewear. Plus, “the last time I wore it,” to a private birthday party, “I didn’t take a photo,” she said.
For the gown’s sophomore outing, Busquets opted for pared-down but still statement-making accessories: oversized blackened-gold hoops encrusted with glittering moval- and baguette-cut diamonds, designed by Nikos Koulis, and avant-garde knuckle-duster rings from Loree Rodkin. “I also love collecting jewelry,” added Busquets, who wore Balenciaga shoes as well.
Sofia Alvarez
The world traveler, who resides in Paris, London, and Switzerland, kept her glam session low-key with her trusted makeup artist Luis Guillermo Duque, whom she’s known for nearly 40 years. Instead of partaking in a Champagne-filled pregame party in a lavish hotel suite, they quietly went to work in the downtown Manhattan abode of her sports-media-executive boyfriend, John Skipper.
“I actually try to get ready with classical music or be in my own meditation bubble,” said Busquets, who’s followed the spiritual principles of George Gurdjieff since childhood. Besides, “when you are wearing couture, you have to be so careful with the dress. It’s not like when you go to a hotel.”
It’s important to remember that we’re talking about *the* Posh Spice, though. We’re not meant to question her sometimes daring fashion choices, even at the airport, where practicality almost always wins out over style. Clearly she made it onto her flight and to NYC just fine. More than fine, really, because we all know that heels and a good outfit are paramount to the Beckham matriarch’s happiness. Sure, I probably wouldn’t follow her lead in this exact instance, but more power to anyone who wants to try.
Scroll down to see Beckham’s TSA-defying in-flight look in full. In the off chance that you’re also not ready to press copy and paste on her Balenciaga bottoms but still want to mimic the overall airport ensemble, I went ahead and added a few pairs of leggings that don’t have heels attached to them for you to shop ahead of your next trip.
Anyone who’s visited Hailey Bieber’s Instagram feed during Halloween knows that the model and entrepreneur loves a good holiday, especially when it means dressing to a theme. And now that we’ve entered into December territory, it appears that her outfits have switched over to another holiday. “Christmas glitter,” she captioned an IG slideshow on Sunday, showcasing one of the chicest festive looks of the year thus far.
To celebrate the holiday season’s arrival, Bieber chose a long-sleeved minidress made of bone-colored satin from Khaite, which was paired with matching sparkly tights, a Prada top-handle bag, Balenciaga pumps, and a black velvet hair bow from Emi Jay. But while her accessories certainly finished off the look, her dress was no doubt the star of the show, especially given how on-trend satin is at the moment. After a buzzy showing on the spring/summer 2024 runways at Tory Burch, Altuzarra, Carven, Louis Vuitton, and more, the luxurious material was destined to become a major deal in the year ahead. Now that Bieber’s gone and stamped it with a Rhode Raspberry Jelly Peptide Lip Tinted kiss, any last doubts there were about the trend’s popularity in 2024 were squashed for good.
Below, check out Bieber’s on-trend holiday ‘fit and shop the fabric everyone will be talking about and wearing post NYE.
The East Coast might have the Met Gala, but us West Coasters have the equally starry LACMA Art + Film Gala, hosted at the famed museum in Los Angeles. Saturday night brought out an exceptionally well-dressed crowd of celebrities, most of whom wore Gucci, the sponsor of the evening. As you already know, Gucci is embarking on a new era with its freshly-installed creative director Sabato De Sarno, who introduced his first eveningwear and formal menswear collection at the gala this weekend.
Attendees included Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Julia Garner, Yara Shahidi, Emma Chamberlain, Laura Harrier, and plenty more A-list names. Scroll down to see what everyone wore to the LACMA Art + Film Gala.
Rachel Sennott has entered the Balenciaga cinematic universe. It’s Sunday afternoon in Paris, and the actor is on the phone, recounting her first time at one of the house’s mood-piece runway shows. That morning, for Demna Gvasalia’s spring 2024 collection, the setting was red-curtained grandeur layered with familial intimacy. “The casting was incredible because it felt personal,” Sennott says of a lineup that included the designer’s influential teachers from Antwerp Academy, longtime muse Eliza Douglas, and nightlife fixture Amanda Lepore. (The buxom performer—unmistakable in a décolletage-baring lace dress and trademark red lips in Sennott’s Instagram Story—cut a hyperfeminine figure next to the collection’s lurching silhouettes.) “His mother opened the show,” the actor continues in her effervescent rundown, “but on top of it there was just this range: different ages, all different types of looks. It felt like a movie because you were seeing a whole cast of characters.”
That industry is, of course, more Sennott’s comfort zone. Her breakout role arrived with Shiva Baby,Emma Seligman’s 2020 feature expanded from an earlier short. The A24 ensemble thriller Bodies Bodies Bodies followed in 2022. This summer’s Bottoms—a high school buddy movie, with Sennott and Ayo Edibiri playing the outcast lesbian captains of an all-girls fight club—helped cement both their places on the fashion month circuit, for much the same reason that Gvasalia cast near-and-dears as models: Sheer force of personality makes the moment, on and off the runway. Besides, one senses that Sennott and the man behind Balenciaga share a philosophy around getting dressed. “Fashion should be fun!” the designer told Vogue’s Sarah Mower in an interview about the collection. There’s joy in sidestepping expectations and shirking the top-down dictates of the luxury market, he explained: “What is often seen as quite provocative about me is—I do bottom up.”
Sennott wrangles the room service cart in a Balenciaga trench.
By Olga Varova.
That brings us, in a way, to Sennott’s styling for the day, those hybrid boot-pants demonstrating Gvasalia’s idiosyncratic way of getting a look off the ground. “I’m so drawn to Demna and Balenciaga because there’s a sense of humor and it’s subversive, but it also can make fun of fashion and call things out,” says the actor. (Indeed, he is the rare designer who can mount a one-off episode of The Simpsons in lieu of a runway presentation, as he did in 2021.)
The fact that Senott is in the front-row mix is a recent turn of events. “Honestly, it was never a world that I really imagined myself getting to be a part of,” she says, describing how her early fashion exploration took shape on social media—“being overtly sexual in a way that was sort of calling out the way women are expected to be on Instagram.” If Balenciaga is known for shaping a new wave of power androgyny, as seen in the exaggeratedly stiff-shouldered coats for spring, the house just as seamlessly trafficks in “dresses that are so snatched and fitted,” Sennott points out. She appreciates such versatility because it’s her mode too. For her 28th birthday party last month, she chose a plunging pink dress with a heart-shaped cutout at the belly button. “That’s power dressing for me,” she laughs. “I’m sure some people are like, ‘This is insane,’ but that’s what I feel good in.”
Still, between shows is where the fashion week pressure starts to mount. “Everyone in Paris is just so cool. It actually hurts to go downstairs,” she jokes, describing the humbling experience of a morning coffee run without the smooth glide of a borrowed look. (She credits her stylist, Jared Ellner, with his skills in bringing ideas to fruition: “I’m like, ‘It’s a milkmaid doing whatever,’ and he’s like, ‘Perfect, it’s this.’”) Stress-packing was inevitable. “I honestly brought so many clothes. I’ve worn basically none of them because on the first day I went shopping with my friends and I bought all this stuff.” The group’s original destination was a talked-about vintage shop with a strict occupancy cap, so they wound up at a young designers’ pop-up across the street, where Sennott picked up a matching lace top and shorts. “She’s like, ‘I made that out of my curtain,’ and I was like, ‘Of course. Of course you did.’ So I bought this girl’s old curtain.”
The actor and comedian makes herself at home in the hotel bar.
If you don’t already own or use a wallet, prepare for that to change. This small-but-mighty accessory is a must-have for those who prefer an organized and efficient way to tote around their cash, credit cards, coins, and receipts. There’s nothing worse than having to empty your purse before paying for anything. Instead, tuck all your valuables (the aforementioned cash, cards, and coins plus frequent-buyer punch cards, reward cards, business cards, etc.) in one safe place: a wallet.
Ahead shop our edit of some of the most stylish and practical wallets for every purse size. Whether you hold on to every receipt (you might prefer a billfold with many pockets) or you’re a true minimalist who only carries the essentials with them, this list has a wallet for every lifestyle. From clutch wallets to minis that fit into miniature handbags, these are the 27 best wallets.
The ascent of Taylor Russell is one many in Hollywood aspire to. The Canadian-born actress has been on the rise since starring in films like A24’s Waves and Escape Room in 2021, but it was with the 2022 Luca Guadagnino-directed film Bones and All that Russell officially arrived. The off-beat romantic horror (which co-stars Timothee Chalamet) received a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes and won big at last year’s Venice Film Festival including a win for Russell for best young actor. And while Russell’s acting chops are drumming up enough buzz, the actress has opened up a whole new lane through her fashion.
A good press tour largely goes unnoticed, but a great one can make a star. By the end of Bones and All‘s festival circuit, Russell emerged as a one-to-watch It-girl, serving up hit after hit on the red carpet. Styled by Ryan Hastings, she donned a series of one-of-a-kind looks, including archival Alaia and Vivienne Westwood, along with a slew of couture looks from Schiaparelli. Needless to say, the fashion industry has taken notice: Harper’s Bazaar and W Magazine covers quickly followed. Bookending such a big year, the actress became a Global Ambassador for Loewe last November. “I’ve never been so inspired by someone. It was the start of a very special friendship and I just thought, she has to open the show. I’m so proud she agreed,” said Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson of the appointment. If Anderson is obsessed with you, you’re definitely doing something right.
Russell’s sleek and cool-girl glamour has certainly generated some excitement over here, too. Below, see some of her pivotable red-carpet moments, along with 6 outfit ideas we’re unashamedly borrowing from the rising star.
There’s no Fashion Week like Paris Fashion Week. Maybe it’s thanks to French fashion houses like Dior, Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton that go above and beyond for each runway show, outdoing themselves and each other, year after year.
And if you’ve been paying attention, maybe you, too have been wondering what everyone packed for Paris FW, and who landed the likes of Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid on their runways. Regardless, Paris determines the ultimate trends of the upcoming seasons.
We cycle through so many decades of trends that it feels like we’re already back to romanticizing the 2010’s – something we escaped only a few years ago when it was still that decade. Look no further than the rise of chevron recently: both ominous and harrowing that we’re cycling so quickly.
However, this Paris Fashion Week gave me a bit of hope with all of the trends emerging. We aren’t going insane with huge pops of colors, but sticking to neutrals yet again. Camels, taupes, cocoas, and blacks will still dominate the colorways. But what else?
It’s time to talk about Paris. The future trends, the standout brands and the celebrity fashion that we love to chew apart with our friends in group chats.
The Trends, According To WWD
Balmain model
Gil-Gonzalez Alain/ABACA/Shutterstock
The world has fallen in love with a neutral palette, and it looks like it’ll stay that way moving forward. Fashion houses stuck with monochromatic moments, but Women’s Wear Daily notes that red is the pop of color brands like Balmain and Valentino chose.
Perhaps the best news received from the runway is that skirts are very much in. And lengths don’t matter at all. No longer does the micro-mini low-rise skirt dominate the market, maxis and midis have been invited back to the party. Which means there’s more of a variety in outfits varying from person-to-person.
One of the biggest messages from Paris Fashion Week 2023 is that we’re back to dressing to impress. Less of a focus on your classic oversized streetwear – looking polished and put together in tailored skirt sets is the move of the summer.
It’s back to the classics for our favorite brands. Designs are looking sleeker and elegant once again. There’s less of an avant-garde “wow” factor, but the simplicity speaks for itself. Almost everyone who attended Paris FW talked about a tailored look: suits, pinstripes, blazers, vests. The revival of the pencil skirt is among us, ladies.
According to Victoria Dartigues, merchandising director of fashion and accessories for Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf, almost every fashion line had an oversized fur coat of sorts. That’s right, femme fatale fashion is here and ready to rule 2023.
Let’s Talk About Loewe
Emily Ratajkowski for Loewe
Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Women’s Wear Daily credits Loewe as being the It Girl of Paris Fashion Week this year.
“Victoria Dartigues, Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf’s merchandising director fashion and accessories, called it a “demonstration of pure beauty.” Many cited Jonathan Anderson’s inventive use of confetti cubes inside the Château de Vincennes as one of the best show sets of the week and the brand’s new tote was ticked off as a “must have” on many lists.”
The show itself nodded to fashion trends throughout the world: a wallpaper-esque stick-on sweater that could only be worn once was a major dig at the fast fashion world in which most people often only wear the garments one time before throwing them in the trash.
They played with visuals through fabrics like vacuum-molded leather to look like plastic and images of dresses on t-shirt dresses made of satin. The show was conducted in a brightly lit room, contrasting most fashion houses who prefer nighttime shows often shrouded in darkness for added drama and flare.
EmRata’s leaf shirt, for example, is all about playful textures and out-of-the-box thinking. It’s taking camp to a new level by playing with fabrics you already know and transforming them into something that almost makes you uncomfortable to look at.
All Eyes On The Front Row
Balenciaga’s show
Steve Wood/Shutterstock
The front row of these shows are always telling. It’s a conglomeration of highly regarded celebrities who are often representing the brand. Think Kylie Jenner with Schiaparelli and Anya Taylor-Joy with Dior.
In the wake of a monumental scandal, Balenciaga under Demna tried to pick up the pieces. Their show featured a runway without the famous Balenciaga logo emblazoned anywhere, and also without celebrities in the front row. While this collection was the favorite of few, its simplicity shows Demna’s message: fashion doesn’t need to be a show.
Thom Browne swears he doesn’t plan on going viral when putting together his fashion shows; he doesn’t even think about how they might play on the internet.
Instead, he crafts his shows—which, really, are much more like pieces of theater—to tell a story to those attending in real life. “For me, it’s more interesting that you get this more intimate experience in regard to what the collection is saying, or what I want to say through the collection,” Browne says.
Still, when you cast Golden Globe-winning actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as a modern-day Cinderella and send her down the runway in a pink tulle Cadillac to close the show, as Browne did for his spring 2023 collection, you’re bound to attract more than a few eyeballs online. And on TikTok, there are a lot of eyeballs to be had: The hashtag #fashionmonth alone had a staggering 228 million views in September 2022.
A pixelated look from Loewe spring 2023 nodded to the digital world.
Peter White/Getty Images
Fashion has always found its way onto social media, whether through archive-obsessed Tumblr accounts or the in-depth analyses found on high-fashion Twitter—and, of course, Instagram, with its reputation for glossy images, has been the reigning platform of choice for many years. But, armed with a video-forward ethos, TikTok is poised to take over.
“Instagram almost feels like it’s very controlled, like a traditional media outlet,” says Alyssa Mosley, a stylist and content creator who has found an audience as a TikTok creator (@alyssamosley_). “[TikTok] is like the people’s platform.”
Intentional or otherwise, the spring 2023 season was packed with eye-catching moments perfect for the kind of bite-size videos that find success on TikTok. Courrèges created a giant sandpit for its runway, while Balenciaga’s catwalk took the form of a dystopian mudslide. Gucci’s twin parade, with a cast of 68 pairs of identical twins revealed in a surprise finale twist, was a huge hit on the app, too. “I definitely think the larger brands with the budgets have been trying a little bit harder to achieve those viral moments,” Mosley says. “A lot of brands are really having fun with their production and set design to draw attention.”
Gucci’s spring 2023 show featured 68 pairs of identical twins.
Gucci via Pixelformula/SIPA/Shutterstock
But perhaps no show illustrates the power of going viral quite like Coperni’s. In August 2022, the #coperni hashtag was doing admirably, clocking some 1.9 million views. Then, at the end of September, the brand closed its spring 2023 fashion show with a bang. Bella Hadid stepped onto a platform and was promptly sprayed down with a white material. With a few minor tweaks—a tug at the shoulders, a cut up the front to reveal some leg—Hadid took her finale walk in a dress literally created on her body less than a minute before.
The moment went viral just about everywhere, but on social media, the proof is in the numbers: On TikTok, #coperni jumped to 7.3 million views in September, and then an astonishing 123 million views in October. (Hadid saw her name gain power, too, with #bellahadid going from 272 million views in August to 524 million views in October.)
Another quick route to viral success? Tapping into celebrity, of course. Famous people have been a mainstay in fashion for decades, but brands looking to make extra headlines know an A-list name goes a long way. Dolce & Gabbana partnered with Kim Kardashian for its spring 2023 collection, while Balmain and Versace featured famous faces on their runways (Cher and Paris Hilton, respectively). For his production, Browne tapped actress Gwendoline Christie to play “Charming” alongside Rodriguez’s “Cindy.”
And, because TikTok has minted so many celebrities, designers are now inviting popular creators to sit front row at their shows, whether it’s Addison Rae at Givenchy or Wisdom Kaye at Ralph Lauren. “A lot of brands are really utilizing that celebrity, especially youth—so TikTok stars who wouldn’t traditionally be in the fashion space are being invited to a lot of different shows because they do draw attention,” Mosley says.
True fashion fanatics need not fret, though: The focus is still on the clothes. Loewe’s punchy, trompe l’oeil pixelated pieces cut through the noise, as did Maximilian Davis’s red-tinged debut at Ferragamo. Going viral on TikTok is just another way that designers can spread their message to an entirely new—and, apparently, eager—audience.
“I love putting provocative ideas in front of people. I think it is important to open people’s minds, open them up to really thinking differently about clothing or, culturally, what’s going on,” Browne says of his own viral moment. “I like that there’s a reaction. I do. I’m not doing my job if there’s just a mediocre reaction.”
This article appears in the February 2023 issue of ELLE.
Freelance Writer
Tyler McCall is a writer whose work has appeared in The Cut, GQ, Porter and more. She is the former editor-in-chief of Fashionista.com.
In fashion, the top headlines of 2022 were brimming with excitement and chaos.
Scandals swept Balenciaga and any brand associated with the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Legislation offered a new pathway for sustainability in fashion. A new guard of creatives took the helm at some of the world’s most stories houses, while a recession loomed over the whole industry.
Ever since the pandemic struck in 2020, the years have felt as though they’ve all bled together. That’s certainly true for fashion news — so, we’re recapping the biggest headlines in the industry from 2022, from the biggest controversies to the most notable moments of progress.
Designers Act Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine
Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/Getty Images
In a major escalation of a longstanding conflict, Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, kicking off an intensified war that hasn’t stopped. The fashion industry responded with letters, donations and posts on social media. Vogue Ukraine called designers to action, while Granary — the fashion education platform founded by Ukrainian Central Saint Martins graduate Olya Kuryshchuk — shared an open letter urging the community to condemn Russia.
Groups like LVMH and Kering donated to aid groups like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), while some brands suspended business in Russia altogether. Meanwhile, designers like Demna took to the runway for messaging against the war (before the brand was embroiled in scandal).
Balenciaga ended the year not with a celebration, but with a series of apologetic statements.
The Kering-owned luxury brand released its Balenciaga Gift Shop campaign on Nov. 16, showing a range of new giftable items from the brand, “staged around children dressed in the Balenciaga Kids line” — however, it soon started trending, with many criticizing the photos showing children next to wine glasses, holding teddy bears in BDSM-reminiscent harnesses.
#BalenciagaGate only got more heat when people turned attention to its Spring 2023 campaign, released just a few days after on Nov. 21. The Joshua Bright-photographed imagery was set in an office, and among a variety of props strewn across a desk, there was a printed copy of the 2008 United States v. Williams decision on child pornography laws. More controversy ensued.
Every era in fashion has had its big names. Now, the industry is moving forward with a new guard of creatives taking seats at the helms of the world’s biggest, most influential houses.
Meanwhile, we’re seeing some of the most powerful names in fashion step back. Riccardo Tisci showed his final Burberry collection in September, and has been replaced by Daniel Lee. Alessandro Michele, who ushered in a new era of extravagance at Gucci, stepped down in November, after seven years at the helm and two decades at the brand. That month, Raf Simons also announced the closure of his eponymous label after 27 years in business.
Known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the industry and larger-than-life presence, Talley was creative director and then editor-at-large at Vogue, responsible for some must-read columns that inspired the next generation and becoming one of the first Black editors to reach the top of the masthead.
Raised in the Jim Crow South, Talley detailed his ascension in fashion and the racism he had to work against in his memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches.” He peeled back the curtain with language as entertaining as it is profound, welcoming wonder in a world often guarded by walls. He ushered in a new guard of dreamers, building his audience and developing close ties with educational institutions like SCAD.
As Fashionista reported, size diversity on the runway regressed in 2022, with the number of New York Fashion Week shows featuring non-sample-sized models dwindling from past seasons, after this issue had become such a talking point pre-pandemic. With runways often being in the market of what’s in and what’s cool, the exclusion of different bodies served as a disappointment.
Sustainability’s next frontier
Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The fashion industry is notoriously under-regulated, but a new chapter is on the horizon in the U.S., with legislation presenting a path forward for the conversation around sustainability.
… All the while, Kardashian was laughing her way to the bank, by way of Skims, which reached a $3.2 billion valuation in 2022, thanks to new funding and ever-loving fans.
“This latest round will allow us to focus on bringing more innovations and solutions to our customers and become even more of a trusted resource for them,” Kardashian told Fortune.
Since launching in 2019, Skims has found rapid success in shapewear and loungewear, with the pandemic catapulting its cozier categories. This year, the brand also took home the inaugural CFDA Innovation Award presented by Amazon at the trade organization’s annual ceremony.
Patagonia literally gave itself away as a company in the name of environmental preservation and sustainability: This year, American rock climber-turned-businessman Yvon Chouinard transferred ownership of the brand he founded to a trust and nonprofit. The company said it was “going purpose” instead of “going public,” making Earth its main shareholder — a first-of-its-kind move.
The year of the ‘nepo baby’
Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
For the (somehow) uninitiated, “nepo babies” are relatives of successful, famous or otherwise well-connected people who then end up successful, famous or otherwise well-connected. In 2022, they got called out on online and on the front pages of magazines, with the connections that may have helped them reach their heights of career success being called into question.
Of course, fashion has always lovednepo babies, from Hadids to Jenners to Gerbers. And every year, there’s a new class to look out for in campaigns or sitting in the front row at a Miu Miu show.
Rihanna’s maternity style
Photo: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Rihanna has changed any and every new space she’s entered, so it’s no surprise she had the same effect on maternity style as she flaunted her pregnancy in the first half of 2022.
Rather than opting for clothes that covered up her growing bump, the Fenty founder refused to tone down sexiness or her own style. That meant: beaded halter tops, vintage Chanel, diamond belly chains and more. She even got “maternity crop tops” to trend.
Even after their split, Fox continued serving looks, becoming a TikTok star and highlighting emerging designers. She opened LaQuan Smith’s Fall 2022 show and was crowned one of Fashionista’s best dressed celebrities in 2022. She took the cake in ambitious dressing, daring any fan to take it up a notch and dream bigger through their clothes.
They’re also behind the $600+ Crocs Stiletto – just to provide deeper insight into how Balenciaga will do anything for the bag.
And while sometimes $2,000 bags that look like paper and $300 barrettes warrant eye rolls and ‘that’s showbiz baby,’ this time around Balenciaga’s most recent campaign passed from morally grey to morally nonexistent.
TL;DR: Balenciaga is facing major backlash for two separate ads: one featuring children with BDSM teddy bears, the other displaying a newspaper headline about a court case that asserts that child pornography isn’t protected under the First Amendment. Oh, and Kim Kardashian and Julia Fox are there, too.
Their holiday ‘22 campaign went viral for all the wrong reasons. Children were posed with teddy bears flaunting leather harnesses and bondage-style fishnets. And in front of them were flasks, chain necklaces, and drinking glasses.
Balenciaga has since apologized for the images, stating that children shouldn’t have been in the ad. But not before they dropped a separate ad for their upcoming SS23 collection in collaboration with Adidas. You know Adidas – the brand that ‘would never drop Kanye’? Well . . . they did. And the brand stood to lose them $650 million dollars but lost Kanye $2 billion dollars – just something to keep you warm at night.
While on the surface the images for the SS23 weren’t nearly as horrific as children with BDSM teddy bears, it’s what’s behind it. The photo was recently deleted from the Balenciaga site as well as the entire internet. But in it, a Balenciaga bag rests on several newspapers – one headline refers to United States v. Williams – a 2008 Supreme Court case, which held that it’s not unconstitutional to forbid the promotion of child pornography.
Balenciaga has since also apologized for the ad featuring the court case, noting that they had no idea it was going to be in the ad, while simultaneously saying they believed the newspapers to be fake headlines.
While they’ve acknowledged they allowed several risque and tasteless situations slip through the cracks of their entire fashion house – and marketing and legal and every relevant department – Balenciaga has sued North Six, the production company that created the ad for $25 million. Balenciaga claims that North Six included the documents “without Balenciaga’s knowledge or authorization.” And that the production company associated the brand’s good name with “the repulsive and deeply disturbing subject of the court decision.”
However, North Six and the set designer for the campaign, Nicholas Des Jardins, will not go quietly into the dark night. Following the lawsuit, Des Jardins’ attorney shot back to Balenciaga:
“Moreover, representatives from Balenciaga were present at the shoot, overseeing it and handling papers and props.” Brankov’s statement continued “and Des Jardins as a set designer was not responsible for image selection from the shoot.”
While North Six states that they, “did not have creative input or control over the shoot. North Six was not on set during the final set arrangements.”
And in a non-related quote, and regarding even more non-related people:
“And why is it, when something bad happens, it’s always you three?”
Kim. Julia. Kanye. I’m begging.
People have begun calling on Kim Kardashian and other female faces of Balenciaga like Nicole Kidman and Bella Hadid, to denounce the brand and its most recent outrages. But not on Julia Fox’s watch – or her TikTok.
Julia Fox took to her TikTok to defend Kim Kardashian, saying that asking Kardashian to speak against Balenciaga is internalized misogyny. Confused? Same. See below.
Whether or not it’s internalized misogyny to hold Balenciaga and the entirety of their organization – including ambassadors – culpable is clearly up for debate. What’s not up for debate is allowing major fashion houses – and those who profit from them – to skirt social and moral responsibility in the name of ‘cutting edge, high fashion.’
Welcome to our column, “Hey, Quick Question,” where we investigate seemingly random happenings in the fashion and beauty industries.
Over the past few weeks, Balenciaga has released two campaigns that spurred online controversy, faced accusations of child abuse, trended on Twitter (not in a good way), filed a lawsuit and issued a multitude of statements. So… what happened? The answer is long and a little bit complicated, but we’re breaking down the timeline of the luxury fashion house’s latest controversy.
Mid-November: Release of holiday and Spring 2023 campaigns — and subsequent backlash
On Nov. 16, Balenciaga released the Balenciaga Gift Shop campaign, photographed by Gabriele Galimberti, to showcase a range of new gift-able products including homeware, petwear, scent, collectibles and furniture, all “staged around children dressed in the Balenciaga Kids line,” per the brand. The press release said it was an extension of Galimberti’s existing Toy Stories series, which is centered around children.
As images started circulating online, many on social media called out the styling, which included children carrying handbags of teddy bears wearing harnesses and posing among empty wine glasses, accusing the brand of sexualizing minors and putting them in inappropriate positions. That led people to Balenciaga’s office-themed, Joshua Bright-lensed Spring 2023 campaign — released on Nov. 21 (and coveredbya range of outlets) — which, among a variety of props strewn across a desk, included a printed copy of the 2008 United States v. Williams decision on child pornography laws.
Soon, Balenciaga and #BalenciagaGate were trending online, with controversial figures such as Andrew Tate and Oli London, plus conservative commentators like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, bringing even more attention to both campaigns.
Nov. 22: Balenciaga apologizes for both campaigns
Following the backlash, Balenciaga pulled the Galimberti-shot holiday campaign on Nov. 22 and issued an apology on Instagram Stories, which has been saved in a “Highlight” on its Instagram page, titled “Statement.”
“We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused,” the brand wrote. “Our Plus Bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms.”
A second apology followed, specifically for its Spring 2023 campaign — which, according to the Washington Post, was photographed in July: “We apologize for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign. We are taking this matter very seriously and are taking legal action against the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for our Spring ’23 campaign photoshoot. We strongly condemn the abuse of children in any form. We stand for children safety and well-being.”
Nov. 23: Gabriele Galimberti issues a statement
Galimberti, the photographer behind the holiday campaign, posted a statement to his Instagram account. In it, he writes that he had no say in the products featured or how they were styled and reiterates that he had no involvement in Balenciaga’s Spring 2023 campaign.
Read the full text below.
“Following the hundreds of hate mails and messages I received as a result of the photos I took for the Balenciaga campaign, I feel compelled to make this statement.
I am not in a position to comment Balenciaga’s choices, but I must stress that I was not entitled in whatsoever manner to neither chose the products, nor the models, nor the combination of the same.
As a photographer, I was only and solely requested to lit the given scene, and take the shots according to my signature style.
As usual for a commercial shooting, the direction of the campaign and the choice of the objects displayed are not in the hands of the photographer.
I suspect that any person prone to pedophilia searches on the web and has unfortunately a too easy access to images completely different than mine, absolutely explicit in their awful content. Accusations like these are addressed against wrong targets, and distract from the real problem, and criminals.
Also, I have no connection with the photo where a Supreme Court document appears. That one was taken in another set by other people and was falsely associated with my photos.”
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Nov. 25: Balenciaga sues production company and set designer for Spring 2023 campaign
On Nov. 25, Balenciaga filed a lawsuit against North Six and Nicholas des Jardins — the production company and set designer, respectively, that worked on its Spring 2023 campaign — in the New York State Court, stating that the “inexplicable acts and omissions [were] malevolent or, at the very least, extraordinarily reckless” and done without the brand’s knowledge, Washington Post’s María Luisa Paúl reported. It’s seeking at least $25 million in damages as a result of the “false association” between Balenciaga and the “repulsive and deeply disturbing subject of” the 2008 Supreme Courtdecision.
Gabriela Moussaieff, des Jardins’ agent, told the Washington Post that his client was “being used as a scapegoat,” and that “everyone from Balenciaga was on the shoot and was present on every shot and worked on the edit of every image in post production.”
In its analysis of the case, The Fashion Law suggests that, while it’s likely that Balenciaga did approve the campaign — and maybe even sent it through multiple rounds of approval, as it often is in large companies — it’s just as likely that “in approving and subsequently releasing the campaign, the Balenciaga team missed the relatively hard-to-spot document that appears to be at the heart of Balenciaga’s suit and its damages claims.”
Nov. 27: Kim Kardashian issues a statement
As the backlash against the brand mounted, many awaited a response from Balenciaga’s frequent collaborators and ambassadors — specifically Kim Kardashian, who walked its haute couture runway this summer and has appeared in its campaigns. On Sunday, Nov. 27, she posted a statement to social media and confirmed she was “re-evaluating” her relationship with the house.
“I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened,” she wrote. “As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.”
“I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again,” she continued. “As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — [and] the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
Nov. 28: Business of Fashion cancels Demna’s appearance at annual Voices conference
Balenciaga’s creative director Demna — who has been the public face of the brand since joining in 2015 and heralded as a visionary within the industry, but who has largely stayed silent on this controversy — was set to appear at Business of Fashion’s 2022 Voices conference, taking place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, and receive the Global Voices Award. However, on Nov. 28, the publication announced it would no longer present him the honor, and that it had “asked the leadership of Balenciaga to come to Voices to take responsibility for releasing these images and offer an explanation” — but that the brand declined.
Nov. 28, part two: Balenciaga issued another statement
The brand issued a second statement to press and to its followers on social media.
“We would like to address the controversies surrounding our recewnt ad campaigns. We strongly condemn child abuse; it was never our intent to include it in our narrative. The two separate ad campaigns in question reflect a series of grievous errors for which Balenciaga takes responsibility.
The first campaign, the Gift Collection campaign, featured children with plush bear bags dressed in what some have labeled BDSM-inspired outfits. Our Plush Bear bags and the Gift Collection should not have been featured with children. This was a wrong choice by Balenciaga, combined with our failure in assessing and validating images. The responsibility for this lies with Balenciaga alone.
The second, separate campaign for Spring 2023, which was meant to replicate a business office environment, included a photo with a page in the background from a Supreme Court ruling ‘United States v. Williams’ 2008 which confirms as illegal and not protected by freedom of speech the promotion of child pornography. All the items included in this shooting were provided by third parties that confirmed in writing that these props were fake office documents. They turned out to be real legal papers most likely coming from the filming of a television drama. The inclusion of these unapproved documents was the result of reckless negligence for which Balenciaga has filed a complaint. We take full accountability for our lack of oversight and control of the documents in the background and we could have done things differently.
While internal and external investigations are ongoing, we are taking the following actions: – We are closely revising our organization and collective ways of working – We are reinforcing the structures around our creative processes and validation steps. We want to ensure that new controls mark a pivot and will prevent this from happening again. – We are laying the groundwork with organizations who specialize in child protection and aims at ending child abuse and exploitation.
We want to learn from our mistakes and identify ways we can contribute. Balenciaga reiterates its sincere apologize for the offense we have caused and extends its apologies to talents and partners.
We will continue to update this story as it develops.
I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.
The SKIMS mogul wrote, “I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.”
She continued, “As a mother of four, I have been shaken by those disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it should have no place in our society — period.”
Concluding the thread, Kardashian added, “I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.”
Meanwhile, Balenciaga has filed court papers announcing a $25 million lawsuit against the production company behind the ad campaign
“We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign,” the company said in a statement posted to its Instagram story. “We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms.”
Alessandro Michele is officially exiting his role as creative director of Gucci, a position he has held for seven years, though he’s been at the brand for a total of 20 years. The brand’s parent company confirmed the news on Wednesday afternoon.
“There are times when paths part ways because of the different perspectives each one of us may have. Today an extraordinary journey ends for me, lasting more than twenty years, within a company to which I have tirelessly dedicated all my love and creative passion,” Michele said in a statement shared by Kering and posted to Instagram. “During this long period Gucci has been my home, my adopted family. To this extended family, to all the individuals who have looked after and supported it, I send my most sincere thanks, my biggest and most heartfelt embrace. Together with them I have wished, dreamed, imagined. Without them, none of what I have built would have been possible.”
“[Michele’s] passion, his imagination, his ingenuity and his culture put Gucci center stage, where its place is. I wish him a great next chapter in his creative journey,” Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault said in a statement. Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri also expressed his gratitude: “I would like to thank [Michele] for his 20 years of commitment to Gucci and for his vision, devotion, and unconditional love for this unique House…”
Rumors of the designer’s departure began to circulate on Tuesday. An anonymous source told WWDthat Michele was “asked to initiate a strong design shift,” which he had failed to meet. Another source revealed that Gucci’s parent company, Kering, simply wanted a change of pace with the brand and to revamp its image.
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Michele was promoted from within the company in 2015 to succeed Frida Giannini. Before the appointment, he oversaw leather goods, shoes, jewelry and home collections at the brand. Under Michele’s leadership, Gucci has embraced a younger and more diverse demographic. His novel, quirky and gender-fluid point of view pushed Gucci to the forefront of cultural conversation. Since 2015, the brand has also taken on highly successful collaborations outside of its traditional jet-set aesthetic, such as HA HA HA with Harry Styles, Gucci x North Face and Gucci x Balenciaga — cementing the house’s status as one of the buzziest luxury brands. Last Spring, Michele continued to surprise fans by sending 68 sets of identical twins down the runway, in a bizarre yet effective way to grab the public’s attention.
Brand building aside, Michele’s direction also profoundly impacted the company’s bottom line. During the designer’s tenure, Gucci’s growth exceeded 35% for five consecutive quarters. However, more recently, the brand reported underperforming sales in comparison to other brands under the Kering umbrella. According to WWD, estimates had projected a 10% increase in comparable sales, and the brand came up short of that at 9%.
This isn’t the first time that François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, has made an unexpected decision in terms of ousting creative leadership. Just last November, the company replaced designerDaniel Lee with Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta, despite Lee’s outstanding performance and short three-year tenure.
So far, Gucci has not announced a successor to Michele, leaving the brand’s design office to lead in the interim.
Only Rihanna could get away with wearing a robe out to dinner. Granted, it is a four-thousand dollar robe from the newest Balenciaga x Adidas collab, but still—the outfit demands attention.
Paired with Balenciaga’s signature knife shoes and XS bag with Adidas’ iconic three stripes, Rihanna was clad in the collab from head to toe. We’re not sure what’s more striking: the bright blue voluminous robe or the matching thigh-high boots.
If this bright monochrome look is now officially on your vision board, you’re in luck: this season, blue is the warmest color, appearing in a variety of shades, coats, jackets, and accessories. Keep scrolling to find your perfect ‘fit, and give “winter blues” a stylish new meaning.
Is there a chic new cat burglar in town? Nope, that’s just the actress and Pattern Beauty founder Tracee Ellis Ross’s latest spotlight-stealing look.
Clad in from head to toe in black (gloves and shoes included) and paired with silver Balenciaga sunglasses and the brand’s Hourglass XS Handbag with Rhinestones, Ross posted several shots of the outfit to her Instagram with the caption “it was a future party” to which Ross’s stylist, Karla Welch, commented, “This is the future I’m into.”
We’re not 100% sure what this dynamic fashion duo has up their sleeves as we head into the final month of 2022, but one thing’s for certain: we’re copying this look today, tomorrow, and at all future parties.
Keep scrolling to browse a few of our favorite versatile turtleneck bodysuits—and of course, some out-of-this-world accessories, too.
Lest we forget, Madonna reminded us once again that she is the quintessential Material Girl, and we are still living in a material world.The music icon has been experimenting with her personal style as of late, showing off different looks on her Instagram. Recently, Madonna was spotted wearing the controversial shoe of the moment: the Balenciaga Crocs.
Madonna has been a trendsetter for decades, so we have no doubt this style is about to take off. Whether you’re all in on the Balenciaga x Crocs collab, or prefer to experiment with platforms heights in other recognizable styles, we’re here for it. Browse through other fun platforms below, and when you’re done, don’t forget to strike a pose in honor of the Queen of Pop and her ever-evolving style.
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