At Kering's historic Laennec headquarters in Paris, the exhibition "Balenciaga by Demna" presents a self-curated retrospective of the designer's decade-long tenure at the house, from 2015 through 2025. Open by appointment through July 9, the show features 101 objects including complete looks, accessories, and provocations drawn from 30 collections, alongside audio narration using an AI rendering of Demna's voice. The exhibition serves as a capstone before Demna transitions to his new role as creative director of Gucci, while Pierpaolo Piccioli prepares to take over at Balenciaga. Highlights include a metallic gold ballgown shaped like a Ferrero Rocher candy, a hyperrealistic mannequin of muse Eliza Douglas, and the Spicy Chili Chips Bag clutch.
The exhibition matters because it marks a pivotal moment in luxury fashion, documenting Demna's radical redefinition of the house's identity through subversive, conceptual designs that challenged traditional notions of luxury. As Demna prepares to lead Gucci, the show offers a definitive statement on his influence and legacy, while signaling a new direction for Balenciaga under Piccioli. The use of AI narration and the inclusion of ironic elements like a rejection email from 2007 underscore Demna's ongoing engagement with technology and institutional critique.