Brand: Balenciaga
Season: FW20
Key Pieces: That depends if you identify as a dog or a cat person, but there's a range of colorways including black, white, and pastel pink.
Release Date: Available now
Buy: Balenciaga and in select Balenciaga stores
Editor’s Notes: Fashion is nothing without its furry companions. Simon Porte Jacquemus has his appropriately on-brand miniature dachshund, and of course, there was no Karl Lagerfeld without Choupette (the late designer's beloved cat, said to be the sole heir to the $300 million dollar fortune).
Anyway, Balenciaga knows this, but Balenciaga is also aware that buying animals from selective breeders is seldom in an animal's best interest. Appropriately, a new Balenciaga capsule and ’90s-inspired web campaign called "I LOVE PETS" has launched with 10 percent of the proceeds going to La SPA, an animal protection agency promoting animal welfare since 1845.
The capsule includes jewellery, tote bags, and two tees with "I LOVE CATS" / "MEOW" and "I LOVE DOGS" / "WOOF" on the back along with information on safe animal adoption and a link to the Balenciaga website. Speaking of the website, the new campaign pays charming homage to early internet web hosting services such an Angelfire and GeoCites with Comic Sans MS and low-res gifs aplenty. There's also a cute gallery of rescued pets owned by Balenciaga staff themselves.
Is it ironic that Balenciaga is owned by Kering, a company known for using fur in its products is launching a campaign supporting animal welfare? Who's to say. Perhaps this is a balance.
It's not the first time a brand has leveraged the animal companions of its staff for a campaign. Acne studios' FW20 lookbook featured staff posing with their dogs.
