Pierpaolo Piccioli unveils softer, sport-influenced Balenciaga fall line including menswear

Pierpaolo Piccioli on Thursday unveiled his fall collection for Balenciaga, his second collection for the house and his first offering that includes Balenciaga menswear.

Two New York Times critics, Vanessa Friedman and Jacob Gallagher, debated the collection’s tone, saying Piccioli keeps signatures from his predecessor Demna while softening the edges and making pieces more accessible. The show mixed activewear elements with tailoring: sneakers presented as performance shoes, loafers engineered like sneakers, leggings, and a collaboration-linked jersey among more traditional coats and dresses.

Critics highlighted specific pieces: a daffodil-yellow leather jacket with a cocooned, waterproofed back; jersey gowns described as twisted and draped (worn by Laufey at the Golden Globes); peacoats with rounded shoulders and large polka-dot-like buttons; and barrel jeans paired with drop-sleeve coats and loafers. Gallagher called the sporty-formal mix pragmatic but said designer athleisure “reeks of 2011,” while Friedman praised the collection’s ease and refinement.

Both critics saw the collection as a more palatable, mainstream Balenciaga that sands down former extremes. Piccioli, they reported, told them he “didn’t want things to feel cynical.” It remains unclear how shoppers who expect the label’s past theatricality will respond to this more restrained direction.

Key Topics

Culture, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Balenciaga, Demna, Laufey, Golden Globes