Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2026: Pierpaolo Piccioli debuts in search of a middle ground

In the dance of creative directors that has taken place at the major fashion houses in recent months, the chair at Balenciaga was empty with the departure of Demna Gvasalia, a vacancy filled by Pierpaolo Piccioli, who came from Valentino. Expectations were high as we awaited whether the Italian would turn his gaze toward the exquisite couture of the great Cristóbal or follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, who has often had to read the phrase "if Balenciaga were to raise its head..." but who established the brand as one of the most desirable in the fashion universe, 100% Instagrammable. Well, in his Spring/Summer 2026 offerings, the Basque maestro's presence is felt in the silhouettes and liberation of the female body, in the use of gazar that is now matte, just as beneath them, a trace of Gvasalia (the sunglasses) lurks. And a lot of Piccioli...