*By Jesse Scott *
Balenciaga is back, baby! In the wake of an outstanding opening collection that saw Pierpaolo Piccoli nod to Demna while referencing Cristobal’s designs from the 1960s, Fall/Winter 2026 saw a more clearly defined vision for the Maison take shape. There was an ample amount of leather and edge. However, there was also impeccable tailoring that defined the brand some 50 years ago and distinctly contemporary colors that firmly anchored the collection in our 21st century flashpoint.
Close-up details of bold colors in Pierpaolo's latest FW26 collection for Balenciaga (Images courtesy of Balenciaga)
Anticipation for the show, which took place just off the Champs-Elysees in a sultry venue that would host a buzzy after-party just hours after, was as high as for any this season. Love or hate Demna, his presence was the elephant in the room heading into Pierpaolo’s debut for the brand. Now, with the ex-Valentino designer having established separation from his predecessor, it was our first opportunity to fully consider his Balenciaga vision without any of the outside noise. And a celebrity-studded front row turned out in full force in anticipation of the moment. Anna Van Patten, star of the smash hit Tell Me Lies which just launched its third and final season, stole the show in a fatally chic black gown. Bill Skarsgård, wearing a leather jacket over a classic white shirt/black tie combo, was the best-dressed man. Meanwhile, Afra Saracoglu, Erwan Konate, Lola Bute, and Jean Campbell were among the other stars in attendance. Together they watched a no-miss show that contained something for everyone and was distinctly wearable even while possessed of a cohesive and artistic narrative.
Hugo Hekitke, Anna Wintour, Winoma Ryder, Harry M, Bill Skarsgård, Alida M, Priscilla Delgado, Sam Levinson (Images courtesy of Balenciaga / German Larkin)
Luxurious Layers Define “Clairobscur” Collection
That aforementioned narrative was anchored in the High Renaissance technique of ClairObscur, which grappled with the tension between dark and light and ultimately found harmony within this timeless duality. For Piccoli, both are “defining elements of the human condition,” and this season he employed them to “create portraits of people, evoked through cloth.” The collection opened with a sleek black leather coat emblematic of the urban swagger that has recently informed both the brand’s men’s and women’s recent designs. A few more black looks gave way to complex color blocking, as quasi-blurred images of a speeding car and a woman pulling back a curtain danced across Looks 7 and 8. Light then appeared in full force, as the vivid oranges of Looks 10 and 11, almost blinding against the blacked-out runway emerged like Renaissance frescoes bringing joy to a dark byzantine church.
Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 7, 8, 10, 11 (Images courtesy of Balenciaga)
It was coats, in sumptuous while discerningly chosen colors, that provided the collection’s highlights. My personal must-have piece was in Look 13 where a double-breasted leather coat appeared in a rich shade of Bordeaux. Close competitors were in Look 28 where a slouchy-shouldered and elegantly draped coat walked in a particular shade of emerald green while an asymmetrically detailed raspberry pink number walked in Look 53. Simple yet dramatic details gave many coats exaggerated structure, for example the exaggerated popped collars layered into Looks 67 and 69 and the feminine yet fierce hood on Look 68. Dramatic cut-outs also highlighted some of the collection’s best dresses, for example on shimmering show-closing Look 81 and on seductive Look 27, which seemed made for a mysterious heroine from a fantasy novel due to its ingenious draping, over-the-elbow leather gloves, and forest green color palette mirrored by dazzling flared eyes.
Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 13, 27. 28. 53. 67, 68. 69. 81 (Images courtesy of Balenciaga)
Euphoria Collaboration Highlights Delightful Spectacle
At a time when many designers are performing mental gymnastics to make a show, well, not a show, Pierpaolo Piccoli is still embracing the catwalk as an immersive spectacle in the best conceivable way. In the high-flying spirit of the collection, Pierpaolo brought Euphoria creator Sam Levinson on board to manage the cinematography, soundtrack, and backdrop for the show. In advance of Euphoria’s third season, which will be released April 12, never-before-seen footage from the beloved franchise danced across the screens of the show space. Images from the show were even printed on certain pieces in the collection. Recognizing that almost nothing in our world is black and white (but rather five hundred shades of grey), the Balenciaga designer explained his collaboration with Levinson by commenting that the filmmaker’s work “has an ability to convey a sense of our realities through a prismatic representation of human fragilities and strengths. This show is a way of weaving stories together, leaving space to imagine a multitude of possibilities.” For his part, Levinson explained that while Pierpaolo is inherently driven by the heart, his challenge as the designer is to move from the personal to the universal to articulate foundational emotions for a large audience.
Balenciaga, succeeded in that this season. By curating a show and a collection that resonated across a diverse audience while continuing a conversation with Cristobal’s early works and, of course, being just plain FUN, Pierpaolo has emphasized that a new Balenciaga era, for a new Balenciaga client, is here to stay. And it’s going to be a great journey.