Excerpt: BALENCIAGA. PRE-FALL 2024 - LOS ANGELES.

 

"Demna Gvasalia has returned with gusto on the back of his celebritydom and excessive indulgence, that truly is an American 'Hollywood' affair, in all of its simulacrum and contradiction.  As noted in many of my reviews of Demna's shows.  To pinpoint philosophically, why a East European Georgian has a kitsch fascination with American excessiveness, would be almost futile in its observation.  Any more or less than being a strange critique of Western consumerism.  But, alas Demna has reworked Balenciaga into what could be deemed the most garish luxury brand within the industry today, underlining every parody of excess one could wish for, and after his slight fall from grace with the dreadful ad campaigns for his Christmas 2021 and Spring 2022 collections. It was obvious that Demna was not facing a complete loss of respect.  Kering, Balenciaga's holding company, is a financial powerhouse and Balenciaga holds that line of desire for Shanghai's 20 somethings to own a  pair of Balenciaga sneakers, whom for the most part, controversy or not, are captivated by Western luxury fashion brands and their American celebrities via the Chinese owned TikTok (strange Cold War is it not?)..."

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Full review:  chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/2023/12/balenciaga-pre-fall-2024-los-angeles.html 

(A.Glass 2023)