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Piccioli Recalibrates Balenciaga With Archive-Driven Debut at Paris Fashion Week

The couture-focused collection signals Kering’s bid to steady the brand’s identity by returning to Cristóbal’s techniques through a contemporary sensibility.

A model walks Balenciaga's Spring-Summer 2026 fashion show at Paris Fashion Week. It's the first collection for the brand by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli.
Crop tops, flat shoes and billowing skirts: Backstage, the designer walked about prioritizing comfort.
The logos of French luxury group Kering and fashion house Balenciaga are pictured on Kering headquarters in Paris, France, April 20, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
... that seemed to take the brand back to its elegant roots.

Overview

  • Pierpaolo Piccioli unveiled his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear at Kering’s Laennec headquarters, opening a couture-informed chapter rooted in Cristóbal Balenciaga’s archive.
  • The show began with a new take on the 1957 Sack dress and explored “neo gazar” volumes, with vivid color and accessories including refreshed City bags and a new Bolero handbag.
  • Invitations were Walkman cassette players that played a heartbeat recording, which Piccioli confirmed was his own, underscoring a theme of shared rhythm and personal authorship.
  • Piccioli said he would work with “the Demna archetype” through his own sensibility, and critics noted references to both Demna and Nicolas Ghesquière alongside founder-era codes.
  • A starry front row led by Meghan Markle and broadly positive buyer reactions pointed to commercial potential, a timely reset as Kering’s “other houses” division reported a 16% comparable sales decline in Q2 2025.