On June 26th, 2024, Balenciaga premieres a short film in its savoir-faire series that documents the original techniques applied in making its 53rd Couture Collection. The series focuses on innovative approaches to craftsmanship that exemplify how the House’s legacy of invention inspires today’s Couture by Demna. In this video, a garment is painted by hand to evoke the typical full-front artworks of music merch such as metalhead T-shirts and gothic hoodies with screen printed photographic designs. The pieces are crafted in the couture ateliers in cotton terry molleton, cut, sewn, stonewashed, and faded entirely by hand. First, a portrait of Balenciaga models is staged and photographed for the painting’s reference. Then, using a canvas backing to contain the paint, a skilled trompe l’oeil artist paints an intricate rendition in layers, using the shadow and highlight techniques of the masters, adding detail as the work dries. The painting takes about 70 hours to complete. The hoodie is next reinforced with bolivar, canvas, and aluminum, then lined in Italian scuba satin. Its assembly time is in total about 100 hours.