Balenciaga Re-creates Your Family’s Terrible Mall Studio Portraits for Spring

Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia is taking his signature normcore nostalgia to the next level for spring.

After sending a parade of dads and their tots down the runway for the spring 2018 men’s show back in June, the designer loaded up said dad models, hopped in a time machine, and landed squarely in the the 1980s, where he commissioned the men’s spring 2018 campaign. 

Reminiscent of the ubiquitous mall studio glamour shots that are ripe meme material (and also a major Napolean Dynamite plot line for walking side-ponytail, Deb), the portraits are delightfully awkward in a way suburban mall rats understand all too well. 

Robbie Augspurger, whose portfolio of glamour shots (and mustache, honestly) are truly something to behold, played photographer. In addition to dads, he photographed lethargic teens and a splendidly posed couple, whose shades are really outta sight.

According to Augspurger’s website, Balenciaga is his first very first fashion client, so kudos to you, sir. 

That being said, in light of the allegations against famed fashion photogs like Bruce Weber and Terry Richardson, looking outside the industry was probably a smart move on Balenciaga’s part.

 

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