PARIS – Balenciaga is no stranger to spectacle, and its lauded Demna has built his reputation on theatrics and grandiosity. But this season he dialed down the drama, opting for precision, control, and quiet defiance. His fall collection at Paris Fashion Week, “Standard,” stripped away the excess, examining the essence of familiar dress codes with subtle distortions.

But was this a masterstroke of restraint, or just a retreat into the ordinary?

The black-curtained labyrinth at the Cour du Dôme des Invalides felt like stepping into Balenciaga’s backstage, where garments twisted in and out of the ordinary. The models stormed through the narrow pathways, inches from VIP guests Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Jessica Alba, their stiletto-heeled stomp set to the brooding strains of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

Twisting the basics

Demna toyed with businesswear—suits meticulously pressed or seemingly abandoned in an overhead bin, moth-eaten pinstripes unraveling tradition. The show’s “sexy secretary” thread played out in denim pencil skirts and corset-laced button-downs, offset by floor-sweeping coats and hooded puffers with Victorian bustier detailing.

The provocation felt measured, the rebellion subdued — was it refinement or restraint? Denim, treated to hold its wrinkles like a well-worn memory, and bombers lined in molleton softened Balenciaga’s usual edge. The Balenciaga x PUMA collab introduced distressed Speedcat sneakers, leather tracksuits, and bathrobe-style coats, a move that divided critics.

A muted spectacle

No apocalyptic mud pits or political jabs—this season, the drama was in the details. Some saw it as a deliberate reset, others as a lack of vision. The collection’s clean lines and thoughtful draping carried a quiet confidence, but with Demna’s past penchant for disruption, was this really enough?

Demna’s new standard

This display appears to be more saleable than radically approachable. While Demna has scaled back the provocation, the emphasis on businesswear, streamlined outerwear, and luxury-inflected sportswear suggests a strategic pivot toward a more commercially viable Balenciaga. The reversed quarter-zip reframed the neckline, and a bathrobe coat blurred loungewear and luxury—subtle twists on familiar forms. Jewelry, like horoscope necklaces and faceless watch bracelets, played with the idea of status symbols without their traditional functions.

Is Demna reshaping Balenciaga’s future, or just hitting reset?