Let’s begin with a disclaimer: I am not a Balenciaga scholar nor an haute couture scholar. These are just my opinions.

In the Balenciaga Couture item above, the boundaries have been pushed a little too far, in my opinion. The only two items invoking Mr. B are the gloves and the hat. At some point in his couturier life, Balenciaga did include oversized, monastic inspiration in his designs, but those were wearable and elegant. Then, (the point of this post) take a look at this example from the Fall 2024 Couture collection by the design house of Balenciaga. What??

I am gobsmacked. It appears that they are trying to make statements of sustainability, which is admirable in spirit. The execution is deplorable. The gown seems to be created by tacking on old clothing on a base — was there any thought put into this? I have no more words; except, there are a couple of legit couture items in the collection. Go ahead and take a look by clicking the link below. While you’re there, read the editor’s review of the collection; as always, the reviewer is looking at it through a rose-colored prism.

Balenciaga Fall Couture 2024

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My Valentino Couture Inspiration in 2020:

The Couture — as the fashion pundits refer to the biannual event in their industry — has occasionally been inspiration for my own versions of wearable clothing. Some haute couture collections, are simply exaggerations of the underlying design lines or surface embellishment. It’s the couturier’s job to push boundaries, and it’s our job to be inspired by them rather than take them literally.

Below is an example of one such wardrobe inspiration that came directly from the Valentino 2019 Fall Couture collection. I extracted the silhouette which appealed to my aesthetic and bodily contour (pear); then I adapted my version which is quite wearable in my casual lifestyle; do we get bolder in our sartorial choices as we age?

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Balenciaga Collection items from the 1940s and 1950s:

Just for fun, below are some images of vintage Balenciaga designed by the master himself.

All four vintage images from a book I own about Cristobal Balenciaga and his work.

So, let’s just have a laugh at le couture this time, but continue to be inspired by it in our sewing and fashion adventures.

Samina