French fashion and luxury company Kering announced Oct. 7 that Demna Gvasalia would be taking on the role as artistic director at Balenciaga, days after Alexander Wang took his last bow. Gvasalia is currently the primary designer at Vetements, and will be designing for both fashion houses effective immediately.
The 34-year-old has previously lead the design teams for Maison Martin Margiela and Louis Vuitton and studied at Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in Belgium. When Gvasalia was appointed at Vetements, he was able to push the success of the brand even further and Vetements was named as one of the finalists for the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize in 2015.
Gvasalia’s latest collection for Vetements, shown at Paris fashion week, was held at a dim sum parlor with front row celebrities such as Kanye West. Elizabeth Paton of the New York Times said, “Vetements has made its name through deconstructionist designs centered around reimagined urban streetwear. The proportions are often oversize, and there are quirky twists and unconventional materials that subvert expectations.” The question on whether Gvasalia will be bringing this motif to Balenciaga is still in the air.
Balenciaga’s President and CEO Isabelle Guichot spoke with Business of Fashion on the iconic fashion brand’s new appointment saying, “[Gvasalia] has quickly emerged as the best choice for the new artistic direction of the maison. With his mastery of techniques, his expertise and fashion knowledge, in conjunction with his innovative and carefully considered approach, Gvaslia adopts a unique vision of the designer’s role today and thus recalls Cristobal Balenciaga’s own vision.”
Gvasalia’s debut collection for Balenciaga is scheduled for March 2016 during Paris fashion week.