Balenciaga has announced that after 99 years, it will put on its first-ever men's runway show. Even though menswear is not new for Balenciaga, this is the first time it will be presented to an international audience.
According to a statement issued by the French fashion house, it will "debut the masculine vision of Balenciaga's new artistic director Demna Gvasalia, showcasing his first men's collection for the historic maison."
Balenciaga's choice to stage a separate men's show is a surprising one, considering the industry appears to be moving towards putting on less shows. Recently, Public School and Gucci announced that they would be combining their men's and women's collections into one presentation. The decision to rid the gender divide is something many designers are already doing, including Gvasalia. The designer debuted a menswear collection under his own label Vetements earlier this year, but chose to present it with his womenswear—a system that seemed to work well for him.
The Balenciaga men's show is set to take place during Paris Fashion Week: Men's on June 22.
