Existential anxieties bubble over in Balenciaga’s latest SS22 campaign, replete with cybernetic face coverings, exoskeleton suits, and Matrix-esque headpieces designed by Ikeuchi Hiroto. Balenciaga’s robots are dystopia and post-humanism dressed in couture.
Bearing in mind, it’s certainly not the first time that Demna Gvasalia has prophesied doomsday, the designer oft sends post-apocalyptic garb down water-soaked catwalks recruiting deep fake news anchors to present TV coverage and theming his collections after Capitalism itself.
But in a culture obsessed with techno-dystopias, like the metaverse, CGI Mark Zuckerbergs, deep-fakes, and whatever else it is that lurks in the depths of the dark web, Balenciaga isn’t necessarily digging up a nihilist aesthetic here, rather moreso a gesture towards the inevitability of trans-humanism.
Cody is the Editor in Chief and senior contributor at liminul.
He is a photography aficionado, fashion enthusiast, avid Lana Del Rey fan, and lover of all things aesthetically pleasing.
Follow him on 
and 