French label Balenciaga takes a novel approach with a summer 2020 campaign visual, which is as fascinating as it is stressful.
Directed by American artist Will Benedict with music by Detroit-based experimental music group Wolf Eyes, the visual takes inspiration from cable news broadcasts as viewed through a dystopian lens replete with soulless anchors and crawling tickers covering high stress topics.
Headline news stories include “Planets Realign” “No More Traffic Jams!” “Where Is All The Water Going?” and “Pedestrians Are Back.” Meanwhile the news ticker is full of oft-repeated and empty statements like “It’s always fashion week somewhere” and “Cats can’t taste sweetness.”
Of course the anchors are wearing Balenciaga’s summer 2020 collection, as are the pedestrians and people involved in on the street reporter interviews.
And while it’s dark and barely watchable, it further elevates Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia’s reputation as a creative willing to lead by dipping his toes into sometimes unpalatable-feeling design waters.
Check out Balenciaga’s summer 2020 campaign below.