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While new names at Chanel and Dior have generated plenty of noise during this Paris fashion week, it was the inaugural presentation from the fashion house that truly captivated the public's attention. The presentation featured a stunning front-row presence: the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, making her initial European outing in a three-year period.

On Saturday night in the city of lights, the spectacle of Chanel, Dior – and even Lauren Sanchez – were all outshone with the overwhelming presence of the Balenciaga presentation.

Meghan added significant star power to Balenciaga’s Paris show.

Before this development, the overall atmosphere surrounding Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut had been rather peaceful. Balenciaga is a time-honored label, and the creative force is globally acclaimed as a master of his craft. Additionally, he is beloved for his status as the kindest personality in the business. It was widely believed that provocative runway antics had exited the Balenciaga building with the move of the edgy designer Demna to Gucci. However, sometimes the most gentle individuals pull off unexpected moves, and the appearance of royalty dramatically heightened the media frenzy.

Piccioli considers himself an master builder, building silhouettes that avoid direct contact with the wearer's physique.

Intriguingly, the central theme of what he called his manifesto, as he explained it after the show, was the empowerment of women. His initial inspiration was Cristóbal Balenciaga’s 1957 sack dress, a silhouette that maintains distance from the body, avoiding emphasis on nor constricting a female form. The designer explained that this design was a bold statement of a shifting zeitgeist that was shifting away from the post-war traditionalism towards the progressive 1960s. “It was about female empowerment. It freed women from the constraints of clothing that emphasize the physical form and talk about their body. The sack dress allowed women to exist unencumbered.”

The brand's legendary shapes were featured in the presentation, such as this enveloping coat.

Garments that maintain their own shape are at the heart of the identity of Balenciaga. Piccioli likened this design methodology to being an structural designer: building forms that avoid direct interaction with the body, while continuously keeping in mind the human beings who will wear and move in them. The original designer was obsessed with the human form and with textiles, and with a additional component – the air between the two.”

First onto the catwalk was a fresh take of the iconic dress, lengthened to an floor-grazing length, accompanied by elegant gloves – but also with oversized sunglasses that functioned as a clear homage to the futuristic edge of the brand's recent past.

Piccioli, who at 58 wears strings of beads and charms and exudes an air of hippie-ish serenity, is not interested in seeing fashion as an ego battle. He believes that it is more admirable for designers to acknowledge each other’s abilities. He expressed that he was seeking a “reconciliation” between the couture roots of the fashion label, and its more recent streetwear era. Classic designs from the house were showcased in the presentation: a voluminous outerwear piece, this time in a bold green hue, and a A-line dress in a intense purple color.

The phenomenon of Parisian style has become a lucrative industry. The American designer is an designer from the US, but he understands this aesthetic perfectly. He previously worked with the renowned designer during her tenure at the house, and then spent six years building the American brand into a symbol of approachable fashion. In his current role, he is introducing the welcoming philosophy of his previous work to Parisian style. So there were classic outerwear, straw baskets, and elegant scarves draped on handbags – the signature details of French-girl chic – presented in sunny colors, with an optimistic US influence. The brand is welcoming, or a brand that wants to exclude people,” he commented following the event. My desire is that everyone feels desirable in the brand. By choosing these pieces, you may not have the strangest thing, but you have the perfect garment, and you have the confidence to wear it.”