Balenciaga takes stock of its kinks

Demna’s vision of capitalism is sexy.

Demna’s vision of capitalism is sexy.

Fetish-mask clad models, armed with briefcases and coffee cups, walked through the stock exchange to nauseating techno as stock monitors glitched in the backdrop.

Amid the highest inflation in the United States since the 1980s, and the looming fear of a recession, Balenciaga descended on Wall Street for its first American show in 20 years.

“Money is probably the biggest fetish in the world,” said Balenciaga’s creative director Denma Gvasalia backstage.

Demna’s vision of capitalism is sexy. Far removed from the flavourless, ‘we’re just like you’, v-neck garb served by Silicon Valley CEOs. It had the trappings of ‘80s New York power dressing: voluminously fitted suits (though conservative by Balenciaga’s standards), blazers with emphasised shoulders a lá American Psycho, silky pussy-bow blouses and trench coats.

Unnerving as it may be, the show no critique of capitalism. “The most important kind of challenge for any kind of creative is to make a product that is desirable, to create desire. That’s what fashion should do,” Demna said. Therein lies his singular strength: the ability to capture the mood of the now, chilling, and fraught — and make something t hat we all want to buy.

"That’s what we are trying to do everyday, in a way. Sometimes it creates less desire, sometimes more, but I think the commercial success of a product is linked to that desirability, whether it’s a bag shoe or a consumer dress or whatever it is.”

The show was divided into three sections: the first, marked the launch of Balenciaga’s new line, Garde-Robe, a take on the “classic wardrobe.” Unbranded, masterful tailoring, using materials like wool, wilk, and gabardine. “At Balenciaga, we cater to different types of clients and the Garde-Robe part is really something new,” Demna said backstage.

“I would say [these] are upscale, classic garments, as opposed to our usual seasonal fashion that we do.” 

The second part of the collection, was “extra-formal” evening wear, elegant sequinned owns, and silky trenches. Part three was Demna’s collaboration with Adidas (who have been partnering with everyone, Prada in 2019, Grace Wales Bonner in 2021 and Gucci in March.)

And the kinky masks? They “helped me style the collection,” says Demna. “Because otherwise I would find it a little bit too classic.”

Fetish dressing has had a chokehold (sorry!) on fashion post-pandemic. Madonna at the VMAs in an Atsuko Kudo latex ensemble, Kim Kardashian in a Vetements gimp mask, followed by her void-like Met Gala Balenciaga look — the same event that saw Evan Mock in a studded, Thom Browne kink mask. Actress (and former dominatrix) Julia Fox has worn a number of head-to-toe leather ensembles, and, at the Vanity Fair Oscars after party, a necklace shaped like a hand choking her. 

Fashion is cyclical and kink subculture has served as an inspiration for designers for designers like Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Martin Margiela for decades. In 2022, it's having another moment: with runway collections from Vaquera, Richard Quinn, Coach and Dion Lee all teeming with sadomasochist aesthetics.

Vivienne Westwood, Jordan, Chrissie Hynde, writer Alan Jones, unknown, and Sex Pistol Steve Jones at Vivienne Westwood's 'SEX' boutique, on Kings Road, London in 1976.

Trend forecasters at e-commerce store Lyst noted an uptick in ‘fetishcore’ queries. Searches for “harness” have increased 132% month-over-month, “leather choker” has increased by 100% since the beginning of the year, and there’s been a 26% increase on page views for latex products since February. 

Professor Andrew Groves, who curated Undercover, an exhibition that examined pandemic mask wearing, believes that “The re-emergence of fetish fashion is in part a reaction to lockdown.” 

“For the last 18 months, we’ve all been in a strange BDSM relationship with the government,” he told The Guardian, “Adopting fetish clothing as fashion can be interpreted as a desire to switch the relationship, take back control and show them who is really in charge.”