MEET THE DESIGNER: Demna Gvasalia, Creative Director of Balenciaga

In this week’s designer profile, we will be checking out the creative director of Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia, and his evolution as a fashion designer and a creative director.

Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia is the current creative director of Balenciaga and has worked as the creative director of the fashion house since 2015.

Demna Gvasalia

Demna Gvasalia was born in March 1981 in Georgia to a Georgian Orthodox Christian family. He studied international economics for four years at Tbilisi state university and later attended the royal academy of fine arts in Antwerp where he graduated in 2006 with a master’s degree in fashion design.

After his graduation in 2006, Gvasalia collaborated with Belgian fashion designer Walter van Beirendonck on his men’s wear collections. In 2009, Gvasalia moved to join Maison Martin Margiela where he was responsible for the fashion house womenswear collection until 2013. In 2013, he moved to Louis Vuitton and was appointed as the senior designer of the Fashion house women’s ready-to-wear collection.

In 2014, Demna Gvasalia moved to cofound his fashion house Vetements with his brother Guran Gvasalia along with a small group of anonymous friends. In 2014, Vetements presented its first women’s ready-to-wear collection during Paris fashion week. The fashion house was also nominated for the LVMH Young designer prize after producing 3 collections.

Demna and Balenciaga

Gvasalia in 2015, became the creative director of Balenciaga succeeding Alexander Wang. Pursuing a new artistic venture and having accomplished his goal with the company, Gvasalia left Vetements and in 2021 collaborated with Kanye west as the second creative director of the Donda Album.

Gvasalia designs are known to have a unique style and inspiration. Recently, Demna Gvasalia set the internet abuzz after debuting a trash bag worth £1500 per piece.

Balenciaga Resort 2023 Collection

Demna Gvasalia’s latest collection for Balenciaga debuted in New York City’s historic stock exchange building. The collection features full-body latex fetish suits and stark black clothing. The collection also set the internet abuzz with its unique and creative designs.