5 headlines from Balenciaga's Los Angeles show

IN JOURNALISM, there is a word for a particularly sensational headline that is designed to get a reaction from readers. It’s called a screamer, and I’d argue that these days, it gets wheeled out on front pages and social media more often than not. But when thinking about Balenciaga’s Autumn 2024 show—and the internet’s reaction to it—‘screamer’ feels like an appropriate word to use. Demna is a master of many things, yet engineering moments of shock value is right up there with the designer’s most formidable talents. Even if you don’t follow fashion, you’ve likely seen a meme about the brand’s $1250 towel skirt or its comically large sneakers. 

Balenciaga’s runway shows, however, tend to be where the most compelling screamers are born. 

Staged on a boulevard in the glitzy Los Angeles enclave of Hancock Park to a backing track composed by BFRND, Balenciaga’s latest show wasn’t just held beneath the Hollywood sign—it was inspired by the city’s infamous fashion codes. It opened with an ‘activewear’ chapter before progressing into a series of ‘neo-grunge’ looks that Ben Affleck might’ve been photographed wearing when dodging the paparazzi in 2003. There were plenty of attention-grabbing moments here, both on and off the runway, from a teased collaboration with an cult L.A. health food chain to a few notable celebrity cameos.

Here, we round up five of the most talked-about moments from a very talked-about show. 

1. Cole Sprouse wore the $1,250 towel skirt

When Balenciaga unveiled its terry cotton ‘towel skirt’, which was part of the brand’s Spring 2024 collection, it became an overnight meme. The sentiment of most memes revolved around the question of: who would purchase and wear such a thing? (Also, multiple commentators suggested heading to your local Target or Ikea if you really did want to get the look for less.)

Turns out, Cole Sprouse is the kind of person who would wear such a thing. From the front row, the child star turned Riverdale alum posed in the skirt, which was styled with a pair of beige chinos and an oversized leather jacket. While we remain convinced that anyone wearing this IRL would look like they’ve come from the aquatic centre (either that, or they’re trying to hide an unfortunate accident), Sprouse really committed. And that’s what wearing Balenciaga is all about.

2. Balenciaga’s comically big sneakers got even bigger

Everything is bigger in America, so it makes sense that Demna would take the brand’s already supersized sneakers and blow them up even more. According to Balanciaga, the 10XL sneaker “amplifies a sense of exaggeration in proportion”. We’ll say. The brand’s Triple S sneakers look like petite ballet slippers in comparison.