What's Old Becomes New Again

Several fashion houses have attempted to return to their roots, but none has showcased it as precisely in its execution as Balenciaga. Its Winter 23 collection has heritage and history running through its core, but the brand chooses to steer it towards a new generation of thinkers

- Manfred Lu

Every artist eventually returns to their roots. Pablo Picasso did so for a brief while in 1918, where it was theorised that the effects of World War I influenced a realism moment for the known surrealist artist. Madonna took it against label executives’ warnings and produced a laid-back, country-inspired album at the height of her high-profile career. But what did Picasso and Madonna have in common that transpired the need to return to their roots? A sudden sense of self-discovery.

When a certain result or quality is expected of you — after years of cultivating and refining it to your name — stumbling upon a need to start again is a chance to restart things. It is a fresh take on your abilities to remove the noise surrounding your name and your work, and eventually find something new to talk about. Then there is Balenciaga — specifically its Winter ’23 collection — where creative director Demna did away with the meta, camp-induced click baits he has induced the brand towards for years. Instead, he leaned his attention towards stripping back to design fundamentals — a feature that will trickle down even to his most recent 52nd Couture collection in July.