In a runway appearance at Balenciaga’s latest show during Paris Haute Couture Week, Kim Kardashian walked the catwalk in a full-length black gown with sweetheart neckline, built-in gloves and boots—a signature silhouette of the label. She was joined front-row by daughter North West and mother Kris Jenner.
Although she had previously walked for LA Fashion Week and her sister’s label Dash in the late 2000s, this was Kardashian’s first Paris Fashion Week show and her most prestigious modeling accolade yet. She was joined by a slew of A-listers in Balenciaga’s show, including Nicole Kidman, DuaLipa, Bella Hadid and Naomi Campbell. Supermodel icon Campbell burst through the salon’s curtained door frames in a voluminous high-shine black ball gown complete with tall structured collar; actor Nicole Kidman resurrected her modeling career from the 1980s for the occasion, appearing during the first half of the catwalk wearing glossy black full-coverage facemasks that highlighted their faces even further.
On Wednesday, Balenciaga unveiled a “couture store” inside the historic 1937 Parisian salon. The move may be part of the brand’s mission to open up the exclusive world of couture to the mainstream. CEO, CédricCharbit, said in a press statement he wanted to demystify the “very closed universe” of haute couture by allowing younger consumers to see exclusive pieces up-close and learn about the all-important ateliers.
This year, Kardashian’s relationship with the French fashion house reached new heights when she was announced as the face of Balenciaga in February. Previously, she had worn Balenciaga designs to a number of high-profile events, including a head-to-toe black masked look at the 2021 Met Gala and a hot pink spandex ensemble which she wore while presenting Saturday Night Live later that year. “Walked in my first Paris Fashion Week show and a couture show at that!” she wrote on Instagram stories. “OMG!A dream come true. Thank you Balenciaga and Demna.”
