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While new names at Dior and Chanel sparked plenty of noise during this Paris fashion week, it was the first show from the iconic brand that truly captivated the media spotlight. The event featured a unexpected guest: the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, making her first European appearance in three years.

That Saturday night in Paris, the spectacle of Dior, Chanel – and even the notable attendee – could not compete with the overwhelming presence of the Balenciaga show.

The Duchess added an extra layer of razzle-dazzle to the Parisian runway.

Prior to the event, the overall atmosphere surrounding the designer's first show had been rather peaceful. This esteemed brand is a time-honored label, and the creative force is widely recognized as a world-leading designer. Moreover, he is admired for his image of the kindest personality in the business. Many assumed that provocative runway antics had departed the house of Balenciaga with the departure of the edgy designer Demna to Gucci. However, sometimes the most gentle individuals can deliver surprises, and the royal benediction greatly increased the overall excitement.

He considers himself an design visionary, creating silhouettes that avoid direct contact with the body.

Intriguingly, the central theme of Piccioli’s “manifesto”, as he explained it behind the scenes, was the empowerment of women. His starting point was the iconic sack dress from 1957, a silhouette that stands away from the body, not highlighting nor limiting a woman’s curves. The designer explained that this design was a radical expression of a shifting zeitgeist that was starting to transition from the conservative norms of the 1950s towards the progressive 1960s. This was focused on female empowerment. It freed women from the weight of clothes that sit on their body and talk about their body. That garment enabled women to exist unencumbered.”

Some of the house's famous designs were included in the runway, such as this enveloping coat.

Garments that maintain their own shape are fundamental to the the brand's ethos. He compared this creative process to being an architect: building forms that never make contact with the body, while constantly considering the people who will inhabit and move within them. The founder was deeply interested in the human form and with materials, and with a third element – the gap separating them.”

The opening look was a fresh take of the loose-fitting garment, lengthened to an longline silhouette, accompanied by opera gloves – but also with oversized sunglasses that served as a obvious reference to the futuristic edge of the previous designer's tenure.

The designer, who at fifty-eight sports ornamental accessories and exudes an air of hippie-ish serenity, does not view seeing fashion as an ego battle. He states that it is more admirable for designers to acknowledge each other’s skills. He mentioned that he was aiming for a successful fusion between the couture roots of the fashion label, and its more modern casual influences. Classic designs from the house were included in the show: a structured coat, this time in a vibrant poison green, and a flared dress in a dramatic violent purple.

The archetype of Parisian style has become a modern money-spinner. This creative talent is an transatlantic figure, but he speaks this fashion language fluently. The designer previously worked with a fashion icon during her period as creative director, and then worked for several years developing the American brand into a symbol of approachable fashion. Currently leading Céline, he is infusing the welcoming philosophy of his previous work to French fashion. He presented trench coats, straw baskets, and elegant scarves tied around bags – all the motifs of Parisian elegance – executed in sunny colors, with an positive transatlantic vibe. The brand is welcoming, or a brand that wants to exclude people,” Rider stated post-presentation. “I hope that everyone feels desirable in these clothes. In this clothing, you may not have the wildest design, but you have the best coat, and you have the attitude to wear it.”