Demna Gvasalia Welcomes the Apocalypse at Balenciaga’s FW20 Show

Each season, Balenciaga continues to put on a show to remember, and Fall/Winter 2020 was no different. The label invited guests into a room filled with water, giving the illusion of a submerged runway and crowd, before models entered and walked through the space. The show opened with 30-something all-black looks, focusing on tailoring, shape and silhouette, emphasizing Balenciaga’s exquisite craftsmanship alongside Demna Gvasalia‘s unconventional aesthetic and vision, welcoming the apocalypse.

The ceiling in the room projected different natural elements, reflected in the water, ranging from blissful blue to burning reds, commenting on the current state of our planet. The submerged stage wasn’t just a cool visual effect, it was a statement that captured a potential future not too far away. It wasn’t just a fashion show – this was the inevitable apocalypse.

As for the collection, Gvasalia expectedly debuted suits and coats featuring exaggerated shoulders and shape, but the designer also showcased figure-fitting dresses, as well as tight athletic-inspired gear, motocross outfits in head-to-toe leather, as well as draped gowns in colors like purple, red and green. For accessories, over-sized duffle bags, small hand-held clutches and iPhones were in focus as models paraded down the wet runway.

Take a look at a handful of looks from the Fall/Winter 2020 collection in the gallery above, and see the full show over at Vogue Runway. Peep the video below to get a look at the extravagant show set-up.