Balenciaga restores salon in preparation for couture week

Balenciaga, in preparation for its return to the couture week runways this July, has fully restored the original couture salon that was the workshop of their legendary namesake founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga. The debut couture show also marks Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia’s first couture show.

The collection is scheduled to be debut on July 7 with an in-person fashion show at 10 Avenue Georges V, the address that one of Balenciaga’s perfumes was also named after. Balenciaga’s couture salon has been closed for over half-a-century. Balenciaga originally wanted to return to couture in July 2020, but COVID-19 delayed these plans.

After 53 years off the Paris Couture calendar, Balenciaga’s return is expected to be one of the most coveted tickets of the season. The show is expected to be very intimate to keep within COVID-19 restrictions and due to less international travel from editors, although Europe will be opening to vaccinated tourists this summer.