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The Heartbeat: Pierpaolo Piccioli's First Collection for Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2026

Oct 7, 2025

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The essence of Balenciaga lies in its methodology, where the act of creation becomes an ideology, an identity, and an expression of humanity and human innovation. In this first collection presented by Pierpaolo Piccioli as the brand's Creative Director, this essential element of Balenciaga is both honored and redefined for the present. It is not a tribute, but a recalibration, a continuation of an ongoing creative dialogue that began with Cristóbal Balenciaga himself.

Cristóbal placed the human being at the heart of his creative practice. Beneath the aesthetic austerity and structural rigor lies an inherent lightness, garments designed to move with the dynamic body. There is a vivid exchange between body and fabric, as the space between them becomes a third dimension, a vital force that gives the pieces rhythm and life.

In this collection, Piccioli reinterprets the past through the lens of the future, reviving elements from Cristóbal Balenciaga’s legacy that provoke instinctive reactions. The house's iconic architectural silhouettes reemerge in bold and unexpected proportions, on leather jackets, chino trousers, T-shirts, knitwear, and accessories, forming a contemporary wardrobe that bridges heritage with innovation.

A highlight of the Spring 2026 collection is the introduction of "New Gazar," a modern evolution of the original Gazar fabric created by Cristobal Balenciaga in 1958. This material retains the sculptural quality of the original, enabling extraordinary volume through cut alone, while maintaining fluidity and lightness.

Gazar is a double faced fabric woven with two warps and two wefts, two textiles that merge into one cohesive structure. The first layer, a type of gauze, creates a living texture marked by intentional irregularities, while the second layer of soft organza provides structure without rigidity. In "New Gazar," Piccioli enriches this construction with an additional weft thread made from a silk and wool blend, softening the traditional stiffness of organza and enhancing the fabric's drape and versatility while preserving its signature volume and weightlessness.

Innovation extends to the knitwear as well, where archival fabrics are reinterpreted with modern materials. The iconic gazar is reimagined in ways that transform decorative motifs, florals and feathers, into architectural elements that redefine the body through pure form and precision of cut.

Inside the show space, a Parisian style salon was brought to life, delicately infused with Balenciaga's "Getaria" perfume, named after Cristobal's birthplace. The fragrance permeated the atmosphere, invisible yet ever present, completing a sensory experience that echoed the collection's poetic dialogue between tradition, innovation, and the essence of humanity.