Balenciaga SS14

Initial reaction:

New sensibilities in Wang’s highly anticipated first SS14 collection for Balenciaga, which saw him fuse innovative surface details with the house’s famed architectural approach.

Set:

A tangle of overgrown tree branches inside an observatory in Paris.

Atmosphere:

The show opened to complete silence and harsh spotlights. A technical problem, perhaps, but the latter half of the show was sound tracked by I Chase the Devil, by Max Romeo (the reggae track sampled by the Prodigy in Out of Space.)

Design identity:

Sportswear codes from Alexander Wang’s own collection filtered through in running shorts and cropped tank tops – references from his childhood he frequently draws on.

First looks:

Sculptural Raffia-like tweed biker jackets zipped tight to the waist, and stiff A-line mini skirts.

Fabric innovation:

Black spidery embellishments over pale paneled mini dresses, asymmetric cut and architectural capes attached to the waist trousers.

Unexpected details:

Leather headbands bent into floppy bows behind the head, and wide cuff-like neck chokers in gold, also worn on each wrist.

Viral moment:

Daria Werbowy closing the show in an off shoulder gown with metallic embellishment and a sheer skirt.

Model behaviour:

Jourdan Dunn in a cape-like deconstructed black baby doll dress with leather trim, and Hanne Gaby in pastel blue shoulder frills with satin skirt.

How they wore it:

Clean, centre-parted hair tucked behind the ears, and a subtle sweep of red bronze under the eyes.

Models: Lexi Boling (@lexiboling), Ine Neefs, Leva Palionyte, Zoe Huxford (@zoehuxford), Suvi Koponen (@SuviRiggs), Tiana Tolstoi (@tianatolstoi ), Mariina Keskitalo (@MariinaKes), Joanna Tatarka, Nova Malanova (@novamalanova), Hedvig Palm (@hedvigpa), Sam Rollinson (@samrollinson), Edie Campbell (@ebcampbell), Carolin Loosen (@carolinloosen), Caroline Brasch Nielsen (@caroline_brasch), Iran, Ashleigh Good (@ashinstagood), Kati Nescher, Meghan Collison (@meghancollison), Irina Kravchenko, Fei Fei Sun (@FeiFeiSunSun), Lisa Verberght (@lisaverberght), Estella Brons (@estellabrons), Hanne Gaby (@hannegabysays), Mariska van der Zee, Malwina Garstka, Julia Stegner (@juliastegner1), Jourdan Dunn (@officialjdunn), Anna Ewers, Ophelie Guillermand (@ophelieguillermand), Bette Franke, Joan Smalls (@Joansmalls), Maartje Verhoef (@maartjeverhoef), Josephine Le Tutor (@JosephineLT_), Elisabeth Erm, Daria Strokous (@DariaStrokous), Kasia Struss (@kasiastruss), Julia Nobis, Kate Goodling (@kategoodling1), Daria Werbowy