Instagram user: Balenciaga
Alexander Wang presented his last show for Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week, and the design house didn't waste much time before announcing his successor. This morning, it was confirmed that designer Demna Gvasalia will take the reins as artistic director.
Demna's name might not be familiar to many, but he's much buzzed about in France. He's been at the helm of Vetements, which has been called "The Anti-Fashion Brand Waking Up the Industry" and "The Most Talked About Brand at Paris Fashion Week."
So who is Demna Gvasalia? Here are six quick facts to know:
- What's his bio? Demna is from Georgia, in Europe, and is 34 years old.
- How long has he been a designer? He studied at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts then launched his own line in 2007. Next, Demna joined Martin Margiela in 2009. Leaving Margiela in 2013, Demna did a stint at Louis Vuitton. Along with other Margiela alumni, Demna launched Vetements in 2014.
- Is he leaving Vetements? No. Demna will continue at Vetements and hold both jobs.
- Why did Demna get picked? It seems like the bosses at Kering want to shake things up. In a statement, Francois-Henri Pinault, whose Kering company owns Balenciaga, praised Demna's "radical" style. "Demna Gvasalia embodies a unique approach to the profession, marked by a sociological observation of the wardrobe's essentials and the way he remains humble and rigorous in his creative work," Francois-Henri said. "I am convinced that he will lead Balenciaga to a successful future."
- Does he have celebrity fans? Rihanna and Kanye West have worn Vetements hoodies. And Kanye drove his matte black Porsche to the Vetements Spring 2016 show.
- When is Demna's first show? According to Balenciaga's Instagram page, Demna "will present his first collection for the brand at the women's ready-to-wear Autumn/Winter 2016-17 show in Paris."
We have a few months to wait until we see Demna's designs for Balenciaga. In the meantime, see for yourself Demna's radical designs from Vetements's Spring 2016 show.
