Until yesterday (June 24), it was commonly believed that Demna’s journey with Balenciaga began 10 years ago, in 2015, when he was first appointed creative director of the house. In actual fact, his relationship with the brand began back in 2007, when the young Georgian designer was a fresh graduate from Antwerp Academy, trying to get his foot on the fashion ladder by scoring an internship at a luxury label. 

He’d applied for an intern role with Balenciaga’s menswear team but was coldly rejected via email. “In fashion school, everyone wanted to be an intern at Balenciaga, myself included,” he told Cathy Horyn previously. “I tried for menswear, but they didn’t take me. I went for an interview and, like, five minutes later, they said, ‘No, we’re not interested.’” 

If Balenciaga wasn’t interested then, it certainly was eight years later, when Demna replaced Nicolas Ghesquière as creative director, following his success at Vetements. Now, as he prepares to take the helm at Gucci, he waves goodbye to his decade at Balenciaga with a retrospective exhibition of his time at the brand, held at Kering’s headquarters and open to the public by appointment from today. 

The first thing you see upon arrival at the exhibition? The aforementioned rejection email, blown up and printed out for all to read, marked the start of his journey with the brand. In a new interview with British Vogue’s Sarah Mower, Demna explains that he feels fortunate that Balenciaga initially rejected him: “Of course! Because my professional journey would have turned out completely different if I’d been accepted.”

The exhibition is open now and will run until July 9 – the day of Demna’s final show for Balenciaga during Paris couture week. He is expected to show his first collection for Gucci in September.

Scrolly through the gallery above for Demna’s final ready-to-wear collection at Balenciaga