Pierpaolo Piccioli Strikes a Balance Between the Balenciaga of Old and New
From streetwear to eveningwear.
Pierpaolo Piccioli has a tough job at Balenciaga. Heading a brand as big as this one comes with responsibilities that include pleasing shoppers who, prior to his arrival, were buying a very different aesthetic than the one the house is traditionally known for and satisfying buyers who desire a return to the Balenciaga of yore, when its founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga, established the house's codes. Piccioli's work is elegant, refined, and sophisticated, which is why so many Balenciaga traditionalists praised the brand's choice to bring him on. Demna—who left in 2025 and is now the creative director at Gucci—followed a more alternative direction during his decade-long tenure at the brand, leaning into streetwear and grunge-forward style. This is what makes Piccioli's task at hand such a difficult one. He has to meet the demands of both groups, not isolating those who've been shopping from the brand these last 10 years while also bringing in new and returning customers who desire a look that's more in line with Cristóbal Balenciaga's original vision.
Piccioli, who debuted his sophomore collectsion for Balenciaga this weekend during Paris Fashion Week, did just that, easing into his still-new position by checking off both customer bases' core boxes. According to the collectsion notes, "the centrality of and focus on the human form" for fall 2026 expanded the methodologies of Cristóbal Balenciaga, with "the body itself [becoming] the structure inside garments." The couturier's influence continued in the formal gowns that were strewn throughout the 81-look offering, ranging from beaded and sequined numbers that glittered with every step to equally elegant but less intricate draped-jersey options that revealed bits of skin and hugged the body in all the right places. Also featured, though, were casual, laid-back ensembles with leggings and cigarette jeans as focal points styled with furry outerwear and voluminous leather bomber jackets in bright, daring shades—nods back to the streetwear many have come to associate with Balenciaga.
"Different generations walk together in clothes created to symbiotically fuse them as a collectsive power yet celebrate them as individual forces united in being," the collectsion notes state. The Balenciaga of old and new found a home in the fall/winter 2026 offering, ushering in an entirely new era for the house Cristóbal Balenciaga built that blends both.
Scroll down to read and see more about Balenciaga's F/W 26 collectsion.
What is ClairObscur?
This aforementioned sense of duality also showed itself in an entirely different way in the collectsion. The fall/winter 2026 offering was titled ClairObscur, in reference to a High Renaissance art technique of the same name that explores the tension between darkness and light. "Light defined by its shadow, darkness always relieved with light," the collectsion notes describe. "The collectsion finds an interplay in these inherent antinomies, the certitude and truth that one cannot exist without the other." Clair-obscur effects can be seen on handbags, like the Midnight City and HG Avenue bags as well as d'orsay sneakers and expertly draped gowns.
Euphoria x Balenciaga
Anyone excited about the long-awaited new season of Euphoria got a hint of what's to come at the Balenciaga show. Piccioli teamed up with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson for the event, creating a backdrop for the collectsion's reveal that included clips from the forthcoming third season. To add emphasis to the collaboration, the soundtrack for the runway show featured tracks by one of Euphoria's newest cast members, Rosalía, and Labrinth, the singer-songwriter responsible for some of the show's most iconic scores. Another newcomer to the series, Danielle Deadwyler, sat front row and was featured on prints throughout the collectsion. Deadwyler also read out a line of text to kick off the show: "The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail, but for shadow—shadows are created by light."
It's 2012 Again
It's true: 2010s fashion is back, and Balenciaga's F/W 26 show is the final piece of proof we needed to make the era's sartorial return official. Let us explain. First, there were the apparel and accessories references, including ombré throughout, particularly on handbags, as well as leggings, cigarette jeans, platforms with cheeky peep-toe details, and sleek leather bomber jackets in bright shades like fuchsia and red. Then, of course, there was Josh Hutcherson, aka Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games (2012), sitting in the front row. (Granted, he was there with the rest of his I Love LA costars, but we can't help but to think of him in THG first.) Micro minidresses and thigh-high moto boots only added to the 2010s aesthetic.
All-New Bags
Balenciaga's handbag selection has been especially buy-worthy over the last few seasons, and the Rodeo, specifically, has dominated in a landscape that's stocked with beautiful options. But the brand isn't resting on its laurels. Instead, Piccioli used the fall/winter 2026 show as an excuse to up the ante, debuting a handful of new styles and updated takes on existing ones, all of which will be spotted around the fashion world in a few months. The new Balenciaga bags include the HG Avenue bag and the George bag, two instant classics. Piccioli also showcased the Midnight City bag, a fresh take on the brand's iconic City bag that features the clair-obscur effect.
Hudson Williams: Balenciaga's New Face
Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams has been making the rounds during fashion month, popping up in New York, Milan, and now Paris for the Balenciaga show. In February, the Canadian actor appeared alongside Harris Dickinson, Winona Ryder, and others in the brand's summer 2026 campaign, with Balenciaga calling him a "friend of the house" in a press release. A month later, he's sitting front row alongside both of his aforementioned costars in the campaign as well as the cast of I Love LA. Oh, and Piccioli's pup. For the occasion, Williams wore all black, including a smooth-leather bomber jacket and a matching handbag. Will he be announced as an official brand ambassador before the fall 2026 collectsion debuts in stores? Only time will tell.
