Demna Gvasalia confirmed as Alexander Wang’s Balenciaga replacement

François-Henri Pinault, president and CEO of Kering, added: ‘Demna Gvasalia embodies a unique approach to the profession, marked by a sociological observation of the wardrobe’s essentials and the way he remains humble and rigorous in his creative work.

Balenciaga have finally put us all out of our guessing game misery and revealed that Demna Gvasalia, the lead talent behind the Parisian collective Vetements, will replace Alexander Wang as Artistic Director of the Kering-backed, Balenciaga. Founded in 1917 by Cristobal Balenciaga and established in Paris in 1937, the brand has launched a few of the greatest trends in fashion.

But without the constant channel-hopping to New York that Wang faced, Paris-based Gvasalia should be setting himself in better stead.

The 34 year-old German national of Georgian origin Demna Gvasalia graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp.

Their design philosophy plays to the strengths of real clothes, an attitude of cool and individuals who have their own style. Saint Laurent and Gucci have recently been shaken up by young designers who have ripped up the rule book and created a whole new look for their house. “Previous fashion was about making a dream”. The straightforward, no-frills aesthetic of the brand piqued the interest of the industry, but the designers behind Vetements were unknown and referred to as a collective for the longest time.

It’s the brand’s lateral thinking that in a tight and storied Paris landscape has seen their momentum gain – winning over leagues of fans in just three short seasons. “The approach is all about methodology”.

So what should you know about Gvasalia? VETEMENTS’ first women’s ready-to-wear collection was presented at Paris Fashion Week in 2014. He said of his new role: “I am extremely honored and excited to be given the opportunity to bring my creative vision to Balenciaga, a house with such an exceptional history of pushing the boundaries of modernity in fashion”.