The Italian designer makes his haute couture debut for the iconic fashion house, blending sculptural shapes, dramatic styling and a modern take on the codes that defined Cristóbal Balenciaga.
Haute couture is where fashion reaches its most demanding and uncompromising form. Each garment is the product of extraordinary patience and skill, with hours of meticulous handwork devoted to achieving a level of precision that cannot be replicated by ordinary production. For designers, it is a discipline that demands absolute commitment—and not everyone is equipped for its intensity.
Pierpaolo Piccioli has always appeared to be one of those rare designers who thrives under those conditions.
For his first couture collection at Balenciaga, Piccioli immersed himself in the drama and artistry of haute couture, presenting a lineup filled with exaggerated proportions, striking color and intricate craftsmanship. At the same time, he began exploring his own interpretation of the legacy left behind by Cristóbal Balenciaga.
The debut represents an important moment for Piccioli, who previously spent years at Valentino developing a reputation for emotionally charged fashion and extraordinary craftsmanship. His tenure there was defined by romantic collections, spectacular gowns and a talent for creating clothes that could command attention on the runway and the red carpet alike.
He understood the power of fashion as spectacle, but also its ability to create emotion.
Now, at Balenciaga, Piccioli is taking that sensibility into a house with an extraordinary history of its own.
Cristóbal Balenciaga is regarded as one of the most influential couturiers of the 20th century. His groundbreaking approach to construction and silhouette changed the possibilities of fashion, particularly through his innovative use of volume and sculptural shapes.
His influence was so significant that Christian Dior famously described him as “the master of us all.”
Piccioli has long been drawn to this legacy. Balenciaga’s work appeared frequently among the references that informed his creative process at Valentino, making his arrival at the house feel like an opportunity to explore an aesthetic that has interested him for years.
The couture collection was presented at La Cour d’Honneur de la Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, where the historic architecture provided an appropriately dramatic backdrop.
From the opening look, Piccioli made his intentions clear.
Anok Yai appeared in an ensemble that took inspiration from pieces associated with everyday wardrobes: loose trousers, a white top and a bomber jacket. But in Piccioli’s hands, those familiar garments became something entirely different.
The trousers were made from flowing beige silk and given an exaggerated silhouette. The white top expanded into a rounded, sculptural shape, while the bomber jacket wrapped dramatically around the body and was covered in vivid tangerine feathers.
It was an immediate demonstration of the collection’s central idea: couture can begin with the ordinary and transform it into the extraordinary.
That principle continued throughout the show.
There were, naturally, plenty of classic couture fantasies. Feathers, sequins, lace and satin appeared across a series of dramatic gowns and evening looks. Yet Piccioli’s most intriguing statements often emerged from the tension between these extravagant creations and simpler wardrobe staples.
A white tank top was styled with black trousers. A voluminous white shirt was paired with a striking violet feathered skirt. A tailored black blazer was worn over a long white blouse and trousers decorated with feathers that flowed dramatically toward the floor.
The effect was both luxurious and unexpected.
Piccioli seemed to be suggesting that the essence of couture does not necessarily lie in creating garments that are completely removed from everyday life. Instead, couture can change the way familiar pieces are perceived.
A basic tank top can become glamorous when paired with opera gloves. A tailored blazer can create an unexpected contrast when worn over a sweeping ball gown. The transformative power comes from the styling, the proportions and the attitude.
This approach feels especially relevant for Balenciaga.
Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his couture house in 1968, famously declaring that there was “no one left to dress.” Nearly six decades later, Piccioli appears to be looking at contemporary wardrobes and asking how the clothes people wear today might be elevated through the techniques of haute couture.
The answer is found in exaggerated proportions, luxurious materials and elaborate craftsmanship.
Everyday references are pushed beyond their usual boundaries. A bomber jacket becomes a sculptural statement. A white shirt becomes a dramatic centerpiece. Familiar tailoring is transformed through unusual fabrics and unexpected textures.
Piccioli’s treatment of color adds another layer to the conversation.
The designer is known for his confident use of vibrant shades, while Cristóbal Balenciaga was celebrated for his sophisticated and powerful use of black. Throughout the collection, Piccioli brought these two approaches together.
Bright and expressive colors appeared alongside a series of all-black looks, creating a visual contrast between his own creative instincts and the heritage of the house.
Some silhouettes were also repeated in different variations, allowing the collection to explore how the same shape could take on entirely new personalities through color, fabric and embellishment.
The strategy gave the show a sense of cohesion while highlighting Piccioli’s ability to experiment within a defined framework.
Rather than simply borrowing from the Balenciaga archive, Piccioli appears to be examining the principles that made Cristóbal Balenciaga’s work so influential.
The importance of silhouette, the manipulation of volume and the relationship between clothing and the body remain central to the collection. But these ideas are interpreted through Piccioli’s own creative perspective, resulting in a collection that feels connected to the past without being trapped by it.
That balance may ultimately become one of the defining characteristics of his tenure.
Piccioli is working with a house whose history is almost impossible to ignore, yet his debut makes it clear that he is not interested in becoming a curator of the past. He is using the legacy of Balenciaga as a foundation for something new.
The couture runway also offers an early indication of what could come next. Many of the ideas explored through haute couture—from dramatic proportions to unexpected combinations—could eventually influence Balenciaga’s ready-to-wear collections.
How those concepts will translate into the wider fashion world remains to be seen. But the potential is clear.
For now, Piccioli’s first couture collection delivers a confident introduction to his vision for Balenciaga.
It is a celebration of craftsmanship and extravagance, but also a study of how fashion can transform the familiar. By combining his own romantic and colorful sensibility with the architectural spirit of Cristóbal Balenciaga, Piccioli has created a collection that looks both backward and forward.
His message is ultimately simple: the past can provide a foundation, but it does not have to determine the future.
At Balenciaga, Pierpaolo Piccioli is beginning to write the next chapter—and he is doing it with plenty of drama.
