Balenciaga’s latest ‘horror’ runway show caused an uproar on social media

Strip away the Balenciaga branding and the plethora of seated celebrities and the brand’s  SS23 show  is something you’re more likely to find in an unsettling A24 horror flick than the glitz and glamour of a luxurious fashion runway. Denma’s SS23 show managed to transform the sophistication of Wall Street into a cultish nightmare with an army of models donning latex masks stalking their way down the runway.

Users on Twitter were quick to point out the uncomfortable unusualness of the show with one user stating “The Balenciaga runway is a pure horror show. Everyone is dressed like Matt Reeves Riddler.”

The show explored themes of consumerism and capitalism in the one building fuelled by it most. The invitation for the show was a stack of $100 bills and screens behind the models displayed glitching images of Disney, Twitter and Visa logos amongst others. It was as if the Stock Exchange was host to an apocalyptic revolution. Most pieces presented were  dystopian takes on corporate wear with eerily exaggerated wide shoulder heavy trenches amongst those on display. When discussing the show Denma simply said “Money is the biggest fetish in the world”.

Nightmare fuel aside, we also got to see the much anticipated Adidas collab which included highlighted Balenciaga-fied billowing tracksuits, oversized bomber jackets, denim and bags – including backpacks, duffle bags and top handle bags. For all those interested in the rise of ‘blokecore’ recently, you’ll now be able to take your looks onto the runway as a football jersey was also revealed.

Scroll below to see how the internet reacted to Balenciaga’s ‘American Horror Story’.