Balenciaga Cruise Spring 2025 Resort in Shanghai: A Comedic Catastrophe from Horrible to Dull. Story by Eleonora de Gray, Editor-in-Chief of RUNWAY MAGAZINE. Photo Courtesy: Balenciaga.
When Balenciaga announced their Cruise Spring 2025 Resort collection would be showcased in Shanghai, the fashion world buzzed with anticipation. Little did we know, we were in for a display that would redefine the phrase “fashion disaster.” Grab your popcorn, folks—this is a runway show that will go down in history as a comedic masterpiece.
Demna’s Disastrous Debut
Demna Gvasalia, the so-called “creative” director of Balenciaga, must have been on a quest to redefine the word “dull.” Under the iron fist of Kering, he delivered a collection so uninspired it could put an insomniac to sleep. Imagine oversized garbage bags and cocktail dresses so classic they make a nun’s wardrobe look scandalous. This wasn’t fashion—it was a public service announcement for narcolepsy.
A Fashion Show Without a Clue
Picture this: a runway collection with all the cohesion of a toddler’s finger-painting session. The theme? Nonexistent. The story? As compelling as watching paint dry. It was as if Demna threw a bunch of designs into a blender and hit “randomize.” If his goal was to appeal to the modern Chinese market, he missed the mark by a continent. This wasn’t cultural appreciation; it was cultural confusion.
Copycats on the Catwalk
Let’s sing alone “Suddenly I see” (song KT Tunstall)… In the midst of the fashion apocalypse, a few pieces managed to catch our eye—mainly because they looked suspiciously familiar. One gown, bedazzled in jewelry, seemed to have been plagiarized directly from Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Spring 2020 collection. Another look screamed Jeremy Scott for Moschino, and another Pierepaolo Piccioli for Valentino (Valentino The Beginning Haute Couture Fall Winter 2022-2023). If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Demna was positively gushing. Originality? Who needs it when you have a photocopier?
Is this Valentino or Balenciaga?
Is this Schiaparelli of Balenciaga?
Shanghai Shenanigans
Balenciaga’s takeover of Shanghai was a masterclass in absurdity. It started at Pudong International Airport, where giant photos of actress Yang Chaoyue and her Le City bag greeted weary travelers. At the Regent hotel on the Bund, room keys came in Balenciaga sleeves. The highlight? A four-day stint at Nu Xiang Mu Dou restaurant, where diners could indulge in Balenciaga-branded vegan xiao long bao filled with French black truffle. Because nothing says haute couture like overpriced dumplings.
The Rainy Runway Fiasco
The show took place at the Museum of Art Pudong, designed by Jean Nouvel. As if on cue, rain began pouring down, perfectly matching the gloomy mood of the collection. Spectators, armed with black umbrellas provided by Balenciaga, huddled together like mourners at a funeral. Inside, the sea of black clothing and accessories was punctuated only by the occasional yawn.
High Fashion Meets Low Comedy
Demna’s infamous blend of high and low fashion was on full, unfortunate display. The collection included everything from ripped tights to a leather shoe box clutch. The pièce de résistance? Dresses made from travel bags, gift wrap foil, and Tyvek paper, and of course streetwalkers ripped stockings . The closing gown, a monstrosity pieced together from pink plastic bags, looked like a tragic DIY project. Couture made from recycled trash—because nothing says “luxury” like yesterday’s garbage.
The end
Balenciaga’s Cruise Spring 2025 Resort collection in Shanghai was a tragic flip, a showcase of what not to do in fashion. Demna Gvasalia’s latest effort was less a runway show and more a stand-up routine, minus the laughs. “Demna is dead, everything is possible”? More like Demna is out of ideas, and nothing new is possible. If fashion is an art, this was a finger-painting class gone horribly wrong. The only thing this collection inspired was a collective facepalm. Bum – the end!
See All Looks Balenciaga Cruise Spring 2025 Resort
