Sophie Marceau. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On May 30 last year, Balenciaga released a short film for its 2024 Spring Collection in Paris. Set to the music of French song Sous le ciel de Paris by Edith Piaf, it depicts Parisians basking in the bright sunlight. Suddenly, a heavy downpour ensues, yet people continue to go about their daily activities unperturbed, clad in their shimmering, expensive evening gowns.

Nobody could predict, a year later, the downpour from the film would turn into reality, this time in Shanghai instead of Paris.

Michelle Yeoh. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Balenciaga had planned to unveil its Spring '25 show on May 30 at the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai. During the rehearsal the day before, the outdoor runway on the terrace of the museum along the Huangpu River offered a view of Shanghai's now iconic skyline, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. However, nature had other plans, as rain fell on the evening of May 30. With the sunset obscured, 800 guests flown in from around the world had to wait in the museum lobby for the rain to stop, or for a Plan B. The rain did not stop, and there was no Plan B. After a delay of about half an hour, everyone entered the venue with umbrellas in hand, including Sophie Marceau and Michelle Yeoh. To the soundtrack by BFRND, models walked through the rain.

Chris Lee. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Initially, there was disappointment at the rain disrupting the meticulously prepared show. However, as the models walked calmly through the deluge, the clothes took on a special allure. Gradually, everyone forgot about the rain prompting the brand's Artistic Director and designer Demna to comment: "This is an uncontrollable, unexpected delight."

From everyday wear to evening dress, the Spring '25 show featured the full gamut of Demna's signature designs, from the broad-shouldered suits, oversized leather jackets, shirt dresses, brightly colored printed dresses and distressed denim, to form-fitting bodysuits, oversized trench coats, sequined evening gowns, visually deceptive sock boots, asymmetric bucket hats, and statement chunky footwear.

Du Juan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Some super-elongated, vertical silhouettes were apparently inspired by the high rise buildings in Pudong.

Balenciaga always carries a hidden sense of playfulness. Intentionally torn stockings make people no longer feel embarrassed about their condition, and "fake two-piece" jeans were introduced to make the trend of low-slung jeans revealing the wearer's underwear more comfortable. White evening gowns that appear to be made of white tissue paper up close, and pink feather haute couture dresses that, upon touch, reveal they are actually made of recycled ocean plastics also featured.

Xi Mengyao. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In the end, there was no traditional curtain call. The models did not walk back onto the runway, but instead disappeared into the distance of the art museum one by one, each leaving behind a large silhouette, like a puppet on the huge white wall. Guests had to stand up and gaze into the distance, feeling a sense of unfulfilled anticipation.

When asked if the models would have returned if it hadn't rained, the answer was no — it was designed to be this way all along.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

It is only the third time Balenciaga has held a collection's debut show outside France, with both the previous two held in the United States. The Parisian house chose Shanghai this time, because the brand has been enjoying significant success in the Chinese market. China boasts more Balenciaga stores than any other country in the world.

To truly understand the lifestyle of consumers who purchase at least one-third of the brand's products, Balenciaga decided the simplest way was to fly over and see for itself. The fashion show is no longer just a product launch; it serves as a communication opportunity.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shanghai – where tradition meets modernity and classic values blend with innovative energy – epitomizes China's current economic and cultural prosperity. The show is also a highlight of the 2024 "FIRST in Shanghai" season of new global product launches. FIRST in Shanghai is a new strategy launched by the Eastern China metropolis, aimed at enhancing the city's significant position in the global consumer market, and promoting consumption upgrades and high-quality economic development in the city.

Museum of Art Pudong is an artistic landmark of the city. Designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, the renowned French architect, it stands as a beacon of decades of cultural exchanges between China and France.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The show also presented the Balenciaga/Alipay washed black oversized fit T-shirt, which combines a white Balenciaga logo paired with that of Alipay's. Alipay is the world's leading digital payment and lifestyle service platform, serving over one billion users. In the digital era, Alipay has evolved into an open platform that connects businesses, institutions, service providers and other partners with consumers.

The T-shirts are now exclusively available at Wechat mini-program, bal.cn, Tmall and selected Balenciaga stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong province's Shenzhen and Zhejiang province's Hangzhou, where Alipay is headquartered. The item will remain exclusive to Chinese Mainland customers.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

To pay tribute to local cuisine and culture and commemorate its first show in Shanghai, Balenciaga also collaborated with the famous local food trademark, NuXiangMuDou. Xiaolong mudou is a typical local steamed bun and NuXiang is the restaurant that's most famous for refining the century-old dish, originating from the Nan Xiang County of Shanghai. From May 29 to June 2, NuXiang Mudou at Xintiandi offered exclusive xiaolong mudou made with French black truffle and customized takeaway packaging.