Important city
This marks Balenciaga's third hosting of a collection debut outside of France, with the two previous shows taking place in the United States. The Parisian house opted for Shanghai this time due to its notable success in the Chinese market.
China hosts more Balenciaga stores than any other country globally, with numbers growing from seven in 2016 to over 60 currently. Its social media following in China has surged, with the brand's CEO, Cedric Charbit, noting an eightfold increase compared to five years ago.
"Shanghai is such an important city that resonates in many fields. China is where the connection with our clients, the brand followers and fans is the most impressive in terms of support and commitment to the brand," Charbit says.
"When we do a show abroad, we want to create an experience that goes beyond the show itself. … Our show in Shanghai is an opportunity for Balenciaga to know more and interact more locally. We are aiming to humbly connect, interact, and pay respect to local icons."
The show also presented the Balenciaga/Alipay washed black oversized fit T-shirt, merging the iconic white Balenciaga logo with that of Alipay, a leading digital payment and lifestyle service platform.
