Few designers receive a sense of closure that truly encapsulates their time at a fashion maison if and when they decide their time there has concluded. But Demna, former creative director of Balenciaga, has that very opportunity with Balenciaga by Demna now on display until July 9 by appointment only at the Kering headquarters in Paris. The exhibition is autobiographical in a sense, beginning with a selection of objects that served as invitations for Balenciaga collections followed by 101 exhibits curated by Demna. Spanning 30 different collections from the decade that Demna had been with the house from 2015 to 2025, these exhibits include complete ensembles, individual garments, accessories, and footwear that embody the designer’s body of work. 

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where he received the ITS Collection of the Year award in 2004, Demna’s innovative approach to luxury fashion transformed Balenciaga into a reflector of cultural critique fusing street and sportswear aesthetics with couture craftsmanship. In his time at the fashion house, Demna worked with the Balenciaga House archives to maintain the authenticity and integrity of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s original cuts, shapes, and materials, whilst fusing his own approach to fashion into the brand’s identity. Prior to his tenure with Balenciaga, he launched his own label VETEMENTS, known for the same subversive and deconstructivist attitude that Demna perpetuates in all of his fashion pursuits.

Balenciaga by Demna explores the key concepts and signatures Demna developed at the maison, including his reinterpretations of the original codes and rethinkings of fashion’s pre-established rules. The exhibit features an audio system accompanying 50 of the works, narrated by the designer himself and discussing his creative processes and the significance of each piece. Each display is equally as curated as the garments themselves, with specialized mannequins, hyperrealistic sculptures of the original models, dry cleaner-style hangers, and custom double-sided mounts that display a comparative view of the piece and its archival inspiration.

Artists who previously contributed to the Balenciaga Art in Stores project are also featured in select exhibits. Mark Jenkins’s reinterpretation of the closing look from the Balenciaga Summer ‘22 “Red Carpet” collection presentation is displayed as one of the humanoid sculptures. Additionally, works from Andrew J. Greene’s Timeless Symbols series are integrated into a curation of shoes and accessories in the exhibit.

The exhibit serves to document Demna’s innovation by offering a look into the artist’s mind through his exploration of the contemporary wardrobe, questioning what and how are clothes worn and where the line between fashion and luxury lies.

‍Balenciaga by Demna is on display from June 26 through July 9, open to the public by appointment registration, accessible via exposition.balenciaga.com.