Balenciaga x ‘Euphoria’ trips over its own hype
Balenciaga’s Fall/Winter 2026/2027 show, titled “ClairObscur,” felt like a carefully curated pop culture display. Pierpaolo Piccioli’s second ready-to-wear collection at Balenciaga drew straight from HBO’s “Euphoria,” a show that has become a cultural touchstone for its portrayal of teen life, identity, and self-expression.
The collection leaned into the show’s visual language, incorporating prints drawn from its upcoming season. At the same time, Sam Levinson filled the space with video installations—“Euphoria” season three teasers spliced with cinematic California landscapes—staged inside Paris’s Hôpital Laennec.
Outerwear dominated the runway with oversized caban coats, leather jackets, and dramatic silhouettes that referenced the sculptural heritage of founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. Many looks were built around large coats worn over streamlined layers such as leggings or tailored trousers. Alongside these pieces were draped evening gowns and short cocktail dresses that reflected Piccioli’s longstanding affinity for fluid couture silhouettes.
Streetwear codes still appeared throughout the collection in an apparent effort to maintain continuity with the era shaped by Demna Gvasalia. Hoodies and graphic prints were incorporated into the lineup, some of them directly featuring the aesthetic connected to the series.
A collab that misses the mark
Despite the concept’s ambition, the response to the collection has been sharply divided. While some acknowledged that Piccioli brought his emotional and artistic approach and paid homage to the house’s architectural traditions, many of the comments have focused on how the collection feels forced and derivative.
Recurring criticism on social media notes that the references throughout the show feel less like an authentic cultural perspective and more like borrowed signals of cool. And the thing is, the series’ aesthetic has long been debated, with allegations that Levinson stole it from the work of photographer Petra Collins.
That said, Sam Levinson’s involvement in the collection has certainly raised eyebrows. The director has repeatedly faced accusations of misogyny and criticism for his portrayal of women, making this collaboration a controversial choice for a house already navigating its own recent controversies. For some, it simply does not make sense, given the pop culture moment the collection aims to tap into.
Collaborations like this rely heavily on perception. Their success often depends on how effectively they reach their target demographic and how strongly they enter the broader cultural conversation beyond the traditional fashion audience. In this case, the “Euphoria” partnership appears to be aimed squarely at the show’s fanbase, a young demographic with sufficient discretionary income to engage with luxury fashion.
Yet the reaction suggests that many observers were not convinced by the concept itself, with some questioning who the collaboration was really meant to serve, especially as the “Euphoria” aesthetic and the show itself seem to be losing their impact. In fact, there are reports that HBO has been dissatisfied with the marketing momentum surrounding the third season of the series.
Balenciaga’s identity in limbo
Piccioli has frequently demonstrated an interest in positioning himself within the broader sphere of entertainment and pop culture. But building that kind of cultural authority or cult base requires more than visibility.
During Demna’s tenure, Balenciaga became one of fashion’s most culturally dominant houses, translating irony, internet culture, and provocation into a powerful brand language. Even the most unconventional pieces generated attention and commercial success. Any successor stepping into that shadow was bound to face an impossible balancing act.
Piccioli, by contrast, has yet to establish a comparable cult around his vision for Balenciaga. Without that same gravitational pull, attempts at pop-culture collaborations can feel less like defining cultural moments and more like marketing gestures.
Fashion journalist Louis Pisano captured this sentiment on his X account, posting, “Balenciaga x ‘Euphoria’ is what you get when you have a creative director obsessed with mythologizing himself in pop culture and being a Hollywood celebrity.”
The Balenciaga x “Euphoria” collaboration highlights a house in transition, revealing that the brand’s identity is still in flux and its attempts to appear ‘cool’ again ultimately fall short.
