Currently available across select global boutiques and the brand e-commerce platform, Balenciaga introduces its latest ClairObscur collection by Pierpaolo Piccioli, translating High Renaissance art contrasts into a modern wardrobe.
Documenting those architectural garments, photographer Robin Galiegue shoots the visual rollout. Models Dara Gueye, Liu Wen, and Anok Yai wear the heavy silhouettes. According to Balenciaga, the resulting imagery suggests "a romantic tension between darkness and light, envelopment and unexpected ease."
Structuring that physical envelopment, dramatically high collars and rounded shoulders alter traditional proportions. Hooded jackets and heavy peacoats hang alongside blousons. The manufacturing pipeline processes thick wools, exquisite leathers, and dense shearlings for the exterior shells. Paillette-embroidered satin silks break the matte finishes. Flashes of acid-bright colors interrupt dark neutral palettes. Per the brand, the specific color strategy nods to the clairobscur technique to create a finish that "immediately imbues its subject with emotional valence."
