4. Balenciaga Embraces the Freedom of Expression
Mounds of mud were piled to make the runway during the Balenciaga Spring 2023 show. ‘The Mud Show’, featuring Kanye West, was a commentary on the issue of labour rights and was a response to the government unemployment-relief program which took place in the 1930s.
This juxtaposition of a setting embraced the idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Deciding to no longer explain his collections and verbalize his designs Denma, the brand’s Creative Director, approached the show as an expression of his state of mind. “The set of this show is a metaphor for digging for the truth and being down to earth. Let us let everyone be anyone and make love not war”, he noted. He further adds that “fashion is a visual art and all we need is for it to be seen through someone’s eyes. You either like it or not.”
Being environmentally conscious, Balenciaga stated that the peat bog mud used will be collected by its supplier, Florentaise and reused for actual landscaping and horticultural projects.
This installation within an instillation was truly a way forward in the development of the freedom of expression through art and design to promote a community where one can be and love themselves as they truly are.
