The metamorphosis (explained) of bags in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show in Shanghai With the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show, Demna's metamorphic bags surprise a rainy, nocturnal Shanghai. Here's how...

With the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show, Demna’s metamorphic bags surprise a rainy, nocturnal Shanghai. Here’s how…

In the pouring rain, amidst strictly black umbrellas and flashes making their way through the evening darkness, Balenciaga’s new spring summer 2025 collection parades in Shanghai, off the calendar. If the nightmare of a cloudburst grips any other brand in organizing an outdoor show, Demna has often shown us that he knows how to parade in extreme weather conditions in the past, albeit artificially recreated. It is certainly not rain, then, that could have been the show-stopper at the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show. Of show-stopper, in a good way, there were instead the bags on the runway: with a metamorphosis at the intersection of trompe l’oeil, on the shoulder of the models (or carried under the arm) we eyed familiar objects.

#1 The dress-covering bags.

At the fourth outing of the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show, the first metamorphosis of many: a dress-covering bag takes the form of a tote bag and accompanies total black looks on the pier of the Pudong Art Museum. A skilled protector of the most precious garments and faithful companion of the most seasoned travelers, the garment-covering bag transforms into a real bag in Demna’s visions. The handles lengthen to become straps to be carried over the shoulder, while the closure resembles the space that accommodates the hanger hook. The central zipper on the front of the tote is not missing, as in the familiar covers, in a perfectly successful trompe l’oeil game.

The dress-covering bag in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

The dress-covering bag in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

#2 The shoe box

Gray on the outside and cardboard-colored on the inside, like that of the shoes Balenciaga sells: the box transforms into a clutch under the arms of the models in the runway show of the brand’s spring summer 2025 collection. Entirely made of leather, the box becomes a luxury object along the mocking lines with which Demna has always approached her designs, and it multiplies in succession starting with the tenth look.

The shoe clutch box in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

#3 The knotted jackets.

Demna dredges up some archetypal garments from everyone’s wardrobe and makes them mutable, to the point of turning them into bags by exploiting the length of their sleeves or their collars. Knotted on the shoulder, long beige trench coats and black leather jackets, or even sporty sweatshirts, padded down jackets, checked shirts: a succession of items replicate the clothes worn by others in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show. Clutched in the hands of the models are parodies of the Georgian designer’s fashion.

Knotted jackets in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

Knotted jackets in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

Knotted jackets in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

#4 The trouser belt.

A trompe l’oeil in a small way is what takes center stage on the shoulder bags in the spring 2025 collection, which comes about (again) by exploiting another existing garment. From the trouser belts of Balenciaga’s house, the buckle becomes the focal point on the chain bag that arrived on the runway, with the leather stretching out of proportion to emphasize its centrality.

The belted chain bag in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

#5 The fishing net.

Shimmering in the darkness of the Shanghai evening, soaked by rain that polished its wire mesh: the fishing net becomes a net bag, a regular of the “country” style when made of certified organic cotton.

The mesh bag in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show

The mesh bag in the Balenciaga spring summer 2025 fashion show