following Pierpaolo Piccioli’s runway debut as Balenciaga’s Creative Director, the fashion world was introduced to his inaugural campaign for the storied house. And if anyone expected shock and spectacle, Piccioli quietly upended those expectations. The campaign is quieter than we ever thought it would be, clean, considered, and surprisingly safe.
Set against the sunlit elegance of l’Hôtel de Maison, Pozzo di Borgo in Paris, the campaign introduces a new woman for Balenciaga: one defined by quiet strength, sensitivity, and self-possession. Captured in moments of ease across grand beds and soft interiors, she embodies a soft power, a confidence rooted in authenticity rather than artifice.
Models Mona Tougaard and Sandra Murray reinterpret modernity through the lens of humanity, while Piccioli’s silhouettes, fluid yet architectural, intimate yet imposing, articulate a renewed femininity: modern, wearable, and deeply Balenciaga. The shapes feel deliberate, the poses unforced, and the overall mood is one of calm command rather than theatricality.
In an era where fashion often prizes provocation and extremes, Piccioli’s measured approach may feel understated, almost tame. Yet sometimes, playing it safe is exactly what a brand needs to recalibrate. This quieter, more introspective vision could very well be a transitional phase, a moment for Balenciaga to redefine its identity under new leadership before reintroducing its signature audacity.
In this campaign, Piccioli reminds us that power and elegance don’t always shout, sometimes, they whisper, and that whisper can be revolutionary in its own subtle way.
ALSO READ: GRACE WALES BONNER TAKES THE HELM AT HERMÈS MENSWEAR.
