A new Balenciaga arrives. Pierpaolo Piccioli has entered the atelier, and he brings his favorite language with him: color.
For his Haute Couture F/W26 debut at the House, the Italian designer looked closely at Cristóbal Balenciaga’s legacy before adding his own sensibilities. Quite literally. He spent months studying the archives and getting to know the whole team.
Known for his expressive approach, Piccioli filled his runway with electric pinks, vibrant oranges, and unexpected shades that gave this couture outing a fresh sense of energy.
Behind the scenes, technology worked tirelessly through innovations such as 3D body scanning and experimental materials. But of course, nothing can replace the human touch. Thus, Piccioli shared his final bow with the rest of the atelier at the end of the show—a fitting tribute to the people who made it all possible.
The weight of Balenciaga’s name has challenged generations of designers, each expected to leave a mark without erasing the House’s past. Nicolas Ghesquière once famously said that the label “sucked him dry.” Even Demna is still shedding his old skin (as critics call it) over at Gucci. It makes sense, then, that Piccioli doesn’t seem interested in disappearing behind the label. He wears his new title comfortably, folding it into a vocabulary that has been his for years. And so, there’s little doubt who’s in charge now. For better or for worse, this is Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga.
Photos: BALENCIAGA
Frequently Asked Questions
Pierpaolo Piccioli is an Italian designer who previously served as creative director of Valentino. His Haute Couture F/W26 presentation marks his debut collection for Balenciaga, positioning him as the house’s new creative lead following Cristóbal Balenciaga’s founding legacy.
Piccioli spent months studying Cristóbal Balenciaga’s archives and building relationships with the atelier team before layering in his own design language, most notably his expressive, longstanding use of vivid, unexpected color combinations.
The collection featured electric pinks, vibrant oranges, and unexpected color pairings that gave the Haute Couture presentation a fresh sense of energy, consistent with Piccioli’s reputation as a designer known for expressive use of color.
Behind the scenes, the collection relied on innovations including 3D body scanning and experimental materials. Despite this technological support, Piccioli closed the show by taking his final bow alongside the atelier team, underscoring the primacy of craftsmanship.
Where designers like Nicolas Ghesquière described the Balenciaga name as demanding, Piccioli folds the house into a design vocabulary that has been his for years, signaling a confident, personal approach rather than disappearing behind the label’s legacy.
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