Balenciaga’s Spring 2025 Debut in China: A Nightfall Showcase at Shanghai’s Museum of Art Pudong

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Demna’s first runway show in Shanghai was a unique event marked by a summer shower that lasted for the duration of the show, adding an element of “uncontrolled poetry.” The rain, which began falling in the late afternoon and continued into the evening, did not deter the crowds, including celebrities like Michelle Yeoh, Sophie Marceau, Liu Haoran, Chris Lee, and Yang Chaoyue, in fact the black umbrellas added to the drama of the setting plus it kept the eyes on the catwalk and not on the front row.

The coed Spring 2025 collection was staged on an elevated walkway at Shanghai’s Museum of Art Pudong, the building was designed by Jean Nouvel. The show was Balenciaga’s third destination series after New York and Los Angeles. Key elements of Demna’s aesthetic were highly visible: ultra-oversize fits, comic oversize sneakers, streetwear, elegant ballgowns with unorthodox details like trompe l’oeil feathers made from recycled plastic and a gold foil bubble dress were highlights.

Several models, including Thailand star and brand ambassador PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn, came out wearing platforms even higher than my own, coupled with super elongated silhouettes meant to echo the high rises along the Pudong waterfront. Demna stretched the silhouettes vertically as much as possible, inspired by the tall buildings of the Pudong area.

Although Demna didn’t make literal references to Shanghai or its street-style scene, many runway looks hinted at local style signifiers. These included the classic Chinese woman with the permed hair styles from the 1980’s and 90’s, cinematic trench coat, pussy-bow dresses, the too cool for school kid, and the cute “rich baby girl” in a loose baby doll dress.

The show also featured a collaboration with American sportswear brand Under Armour, with its logo mark stacked against Balenciaga’s and imposed on zip-up hoodies. Rendered in black and red, the capsule featured oversize sweats, sock shoes, and more. The collaboration with China’s leading online payment platform Alipay produced a T-shirt labeled by Chinese netizens as “one of the best references to Chinese-styled consumerism.” The mainland China-only item went live on various platforms and in selected stores.

Balenciaga is focused on the Chinese market where they are opening new stores and upgrading existing ones. A four-story stand-alone store will open at Beijing’s Sanlitun Taikoo Li, while another large-scale flagship at HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai is under construction. Balenciaga’s MixC store in Shenzhen relocated to the first floor and was expanded to its “raw architecture” format. The brand is now present in 24 first- and second-tier cities in mainland China.

A sidebar collaboration with Nan Xiang Mu Dou, a Shanghainese steamed bun eatery, featured an ancient Chinese money-shaped “win-win cake,” perpetuating the message.

The brand’s first runway show in  China focused on the Pudong skyline directly behind the runway with its super-elongated, vertical silhouettes. Extreme platform boots were worn with overlong coats, while an eclectic mix of clean hourglass skirts, clinging digital print bodysuits, and garments like a little trench dress cut wide at the shoulders and belted low along the hips were showcased. This season’s bags included shoes transformed into lunch bags, and puffer jackets and trench coats made into tote bags. A checked shirt was also transformed into a functional handbag slung over one shoulder through its collars, playing on trompe l’oeil.

With this show Balenciaga’s ambition  is to connect directly with the Chinese audience and to drive its growth story in China.

Later,

Diane

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