First Reactions to Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga Couture Debut

For his couture debut at Balenciaga, Pierpaolo Piccioli revisited Cristóbal Balenciaga’s rich archive, infusing the house’s heritage with his own signature style — most notably through his masterful use of color.

Piccioli’s appointment at Balenciaga in May 2025 came a year after the Italian designer stepped down from Valentino, but only became effective in July 2025, following the final Balenciaga couture show of his predecessor, Demna. The Kering-owned house only presents couture once a year, each July, meaning Piccioli had nearly a full year to prepare for the debut. At Valentino, the Italian designer impressed the fashion world with his skills as a couturier.

Demi Moore, Naomi Watts, Hudson Williams, Cynthia Erivo, and Isabelle Huppert were among guests at the star-studded, sun-drenched outdoor show staged at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, a sprawling mid-20th century student campus. The venue marked a departure from Demna’s couture shows, which were held annually in the house’s couture salons at 10 Avenue George V.

Standout pieces from the new collection included the iridescent black rooster feather headpiece conceived with Philip Treacy and worn by Gigi Hadid, reminiscent of a Cristóbal black cape dubbed chou headpiece; an interlocked bustier flared gown in grass green silk gazar; a hand-painted tank dress; and a emu feather-embroidered trench coat. “It’s a privilege working in couture, because you can experiment and innovate. The way you achieve [a couture collection] is a journey you share with people, and it is the most important treasure you can have,” Piccioli explained during a preview on Tuesday.

Photo: Daniele Oberrauch/ Gorunway.com

What are the specificities between Parisian ateliers and Roman ateliers? “Each person can bring something different, but it’s not [about] Italians or French. The most important thing is knowing each other, sharing ideas. In the end, it’s a common journey,” the designer said. On Wednesday, Piccioli took his bow with his team, all dressed in white blouses. The house wiped its Instagram account, and now has just three posts comprising headshots of members of its creative studio and atelier, featuring their first names. The caption reads: “These are the people, the human beings who built this collection with me…” Bruno Sialelli, who was creative director of Lanvin between 2019 and 2023, is among them; he quietly joined the studio recently.

Balenciaga is not immune to the wider luxury downturn. Parent company Kering doesn’t break out sales of individual houses, besides those of its biggest brand Gucci, but according to Morgan Stanley estimates, Balenciaga sales hit €1.47 billion in 2025, down from €1.65 billion a year prior. During his tenure, Demna more than quadrupled sales, which sat at €360 million in 2015 when he joined. According to Kering, the house has returned to growth. “Balenciaga delivered another quarter of growth, supported by sustained demand in leather goods, building on the success of the City and Rodeo [leather goods] lines,” Kering said during its Q1 earnings.