Vetements has just revealed its new collection for AW22, and it’s giving money, affluence, and… Balenciaga. This time around, Guram Gvasalia showcases tonal outfits on fully masked models, reminding us of both morph suits and Kim Kardashian‘s now-infamous Balenciaga look from the Met Gala. 

This collection sees Vetements embrace some updated technology – constructing tailored pieces from jersey, and utilising traditional pattern making as well as digital 3D techniques in order to emulate couture silhouettes. The finishing touches of the pieces have been stitched, sewed and pinched to create dramatic and exaggerated shapes.

Speaking about the inspiration for the collection, Guram Gvasalia omits any Balenciaga influence, instead citing 21st-century social media and Bitcoin millionaires as the core inspiration for the collection which he hopes will “redefine couture for the new generation”. Catering to the modern day demand for versatility, Vetements has created transformable pieces where jeans and trousers can be edited to different lengths for separate occasions. Coats can be turned into jackets by removing padding, whilst velour tracksuits have been transformed into gowns.

With a backdrop made of a million Vetements-printed dollar bills, we can see where they were going with the theme of affluence and wealth… but the main takeaway from this new collection is how much it resembles Balenciaga’s recent collections.

From the neon pink crushed velvet that has become synonymous with Balenciaga thanks to Kim Kardashian’s SNL week and beyond, to the extravagant jewels adorning each masked model, to the pink and red colourways and even the silhouettes, the collection has left us wondering as to whether Demna Gvasalia is still involved in Vetements’ creative process.

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