They Did What: Balenciaga
Balenciaga’s use of music is not simply an enhancement to their brand experience—it’s an integral part of the narrative that shapes how audiences connect with the brand.
Under the creative direction of Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga has developed a distinctive sonic identity that permeates every touchpoint, from in-store soundscapes to ad campaigns and runway shows.
1. Stores: In Balenciaga stores, music is an integral part of the customer experience. It ranges from ambient, trip-hop, and electronic, mirroring the store’s sleek, industrial aesthetic and creating a cohesive sonic identity that blends with the physical space. This curated soundscape is designed to match the energy of the collections and the store’s cutting-edge design.
2. Ad Campaigns: In ad campaigns, dark electronic music complements the futuristic and virtual reality-driven themes, blending seamlessly with the narrative of technological and societal reflection. These soundtracks provide emotional depth that enhances the visual storytelling and mirrors the music used in the runway and store environments.
3. Runway Shows: Balenciaga’s runway music uses dark, minimalistic, and experimental electronic sounds to heighten the dystopian, avant-garde visuals of the collections. The music not only sets the emotional tone but also aligns with themes of alienation, technology, and futurism central to Gvasalia’s vision for the brand.
This cohesive approach to sound not only aligns with the brand’s avant-garde aesthetic but also deepens the emotional and sensory engagement of anyone who encounters Balenciaga.
Curated In-Store Music and Soundscapes
At Balenciaga, music curation within their stores reflects the brand’s avant-garde, edgy style and is a key part of the in-store experience.
1. Unique, Avant-Garde Custom-Made Soundscapes
The music in Balenciaga stores is carefully selected to reflect the brand’s ethos of subversive luxury and innovation. The avant-garde soundscapes typically feature a blend of dark electronic music, industrial sounds, and classical influences, complementing the brand’s fashion-forward, often dystopian aesthetic. This experimental sonic palette aligns with Demna Gvasalia’s vision, creating an immersive and reflective environment that resonates with the boldness of the collections on display.
Balenciaga’s in-store soundscapes can be seen as a form of music curation but with a more intentional and immersive approach. Instead of relying solely on existing playlists, they often feature custom-designed soundscapes, particularly curated or created by BFRND. These soundscapes evoke the brand’s futuristic, industrial vibe, blending ambient electronic tones, minimal melodies, and atmospheric effects. While playlists might occasionally be used, the emphasis is on creating a unique, tailored auditory environment that reflects the brand’s identity.
2. Playlists by BFRND and Collaborations
Balenciaga stores feature curated playlists that align with the brand’s identity. Many playlists are created or inspired by Demna Gvasalia, who has a strong connection to music. These playlists often blend dark electronic and classical influences, mirroring the experimental and innovative fashion pieces displayed in-store. Gvasalia personally designed a 13-hour playlist that reflects his daily musical inspirations, offering a journey through eclectic sounds that define Balenciaga’s cultural atmosphere.
Balenciaga’s signature music is shaped by BFRND, the in-house composer responsible for producing original soundtracks for Balenciaga’s fashion shows since 2017. BFRND’s compositions are a key part of the in-store experience, often featuring atmospheric, dark, and minimalistic beats that evoke a futuristic, cutting-edge vibe. His music is a genre-bending mix of dark wave, electronic, and classical elements, reinforcing the brand’s modern yet abstract aesthetic.
In addition to BFRND’s influence, Balenciaga collaborates with various artists to develop in-store playlists, aligning music with the fashion on display. For example, Jay-Jay Johanson and Archive have curated exclusive playlists for the brand, featuring experimental tracks and longer compositions that sync with the shopping experience.
Balenciaga regularly collaborates with various musicians for their Balenciaga Music Series. This initiative includes in-store playlists and extends to events and product launches, with music tailored to each release. Collaborators have included artists Mina, Aya Nakamura, and Angelo Badalamenti, whose works feature in dedicated playlists created exclusively for the brand.
3. Energy Shifts & BPM Control
The BPM (beats per minute) of the tracks played in the store is tailored to match the flow of the day:
• Calmer, slower tracks (~80-100 BPM) are played during quieter morning hours, creating a relaxing, reflective atmosphere for early shoppers.
• As the day progresses, especially during peak shopping hours, the music’s BPM may increase to 110-130 BPM, incorporating more rhythmic and energetic beats like minimal house or techno. This energy shift encourages engagement and aligns with the faster pace of customer interactions later in the day, creating an immersive shopping experience aligned with Balenciaga’s cutting-edge and often theatrical retail spaces.
4. Curated Store Atmosphere & Multi-Sensory Integration
In-store music is curated to align with the store’s spatial and aesthetic layout. Balenciaga stores often feature minimalistic, industrial interiors, and the music complements this design. The playlists typically oscillate between ambient, trip-hop, industrial beats, and minimalistic house, creating a moody, immersive atmosphere that envelops shoppers as they explore the collection. This approach is effective in creating an emotional connection to the brand, enhancing the overall sensory experience.
Balenciaga’s music also ties into their larger, multi-sensory retail strategy, integrating visual, auditory, and tactile elements. For instance, the Balenciaga Show Music Playlist is often played at high volume during new collection launches, giving the shopping experience the feeling of stepping into one of Balenciaga’s runway shows.
This seamless blend of curated playlists, artist collaborations, and sound design makes the music in Balenciaga stores a strategic tool for conveying the brand’s cutting-edge, rebellious identity while enhancing the shopping experience through sound.
Runway Music
For Balenciaga’s runway shows, BFRND has been the primary composer since 2017, crafting soundtracks that align deeply with Demna’s vision. His work often merges dark, synthetic, and industrial sounds with classical influences, creating an intense emotional experience for the audience. BFRND’s music adds an emotional layer to Balenciaga’s visual spectacle, deepening the conceptual impact of Demna’s collections.
1. Sonic Palette
BFRND’s music frequently juxtaposes the technological with the human. Many compositions begin with cold, synthetic sounds, representing a machine-like quality, before transitioning into symphonic, emotionally rich elements. This contrast reflects Balenciaga’s themes, such as the interplay between human and machine-made design.
2. Genres and Instruments
His soundtracks typically incorporate electronic and orchestral elements, using synthesizers and occasionally real strings to blend futurism with emotional depth.
Some memorable Balenciaga runway shows in recent years:
Fall 2018 Show
The soundtrack transitioned from bubbling electronic tones into a soaring string arrangement, underscoring the fusion of machine-made fashion with traditional craftsmanship.
• Sonic Palette: Synths, bass, and drums and percussive elements, as well as minimalist sound design that complements the fashion’s stark, futuristic aesthetic
• Instruments/Genres: Ambient and industrial electronic music
Spring 2022 Show
This runway show featured an AI-generated cover of “La Vie en Rose,” blending classical and futuristic soundscapes to emphasize themes of digital clones and manipulated realities. Known as the “Clones” collection, the runway used this BFRND cover with an AI voiceover to explore virtual vs. real spaces.
• Sonic Palette: Futuristic, digitally inspired soundtrack with classical references in a modern, digital aesthetic
• Instruments/Genres: Electronic music with a retro-futuristic touch, merging classical influences with synth-driven sci-fi soundscapes
Fall 2023 Show
A comeback show after Balenciaga's recent faux-pas, BFRND's score for the show featured a beautiful passacaglia, a musical form characterized by a repeating bass line pattern, which provided a steady and contemplative foundation for the runway presentation. This musical approach complemented the collection’s minimalist and refined aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience of the runway show.
• Sonic Palette: The piece prominently featured an acoustic guitar, closely mic’d to capture its rich tonal qualities. The composition was primarily acoustic, with minimal electronic elements, if any. The focus was on the acoustic guitar and the passacaglia structure, creating a serene and immersive atmosphere. This choice emphasized the organic and intimate nature of the music, aligning with the collection’s aesthetic.
• Instruments/Genres: Minimalist with classical and contemporary influences
Music in Campaigns
Under Demna Gvasalia’s direction, Balenciaga’s advertising campaigns use music to reflect their bold, avant-garde ethos.
BFRND’s compositions create a distinctive sonic palette that complements the brand’s futuristic and often dystopian aesthetic. His sound is defined by:
1. Industrial and Electronic Elements
Heavy use of electronic and industrial textures, with synthesizers, distorted beats, and metallic sounds. This aligns with Balenciaga’s avant-garde and post-apocalyptic themes, adding a futuristic, sometimes unsettling atmosphere to the brand’s identity.
2. Ambient and Minimalist Tones
BFRND often employs ambient soundscapes and minimalist arrangements to create a sense of space and emotional tension, mirroring the starkness of Balenciaga’s visual presentations.
3. Dark and Melancholic Atmosphere
The music tends to evoke a dark, melancholic mood, blending deep, droning bass lines with eerie melodies. This sonic landscape complements Balenciaga’s exploration of themes like alienation and societal breakdown.
4. Orchestral Infusions
BFRND integrates orchestral or classical elements with electronic music to build a sense of grandeur and drama, particularly in runway shows.
5. Heavy Use of Reverb
Reverb is often used to create expansive soundscapes that resonate deeply with the avant-garde spaces Balenciaga occupies, heightening the immersive effect.
Some notable Balenciaga campaigns in recent years:
Fall 2021 Campaign
Music by Nima Fakhrara, blending orchestral elements with electronic and industrial influences. Fakhrara’s composition, rich with cinematic depth, uses unconventional instruments and film-scoring techniques to complement the campaign’s dystopian narrative.
• Sonic Palette: Cinematic, with grandeur and eerie minimalism
• Instruments/Genres: Orchestral strings with synthetic elements, dark ambient undertones, and reverb for a cavernous feel
Fall 2019 Campaign
BFRND’s soundtrack highlights themes of isolation by blending dark, minimalist soundscapes. The campaign juxtaposes urban and natural settings, reflecting on social commentary.
• Sonic Palette: Industrial elements and atmospheric textures
• Instruments/Genres: Synthesizers and processed soundscapes, industrial electronic music with minimalist beats for a sense of unease and drama
Spring 2022 Campaign
Minimalist piano rendition of Beethoven’s “Für Elise,” contrasting the ad’s futuristic visuals. The music combines CGI and robotic elements, adding unease to Balenciaga’s exploration of identity and technology.
• Sonic Palette: Classical with futuristic twists
• Instruments/Genres: Minimalist piano with electronic undertones
Winter 2023 Campaign
Instead of traditional music, this campaign used industrial sound design, set against construction noise at Balenciaga’s Avenue George V address. The foley sounds, such as drilling and hammering, emphasize themes of progress and transformation.
• Sonic Palette: Natural, on-location sounds instead of composed music
Summer 2024 Campaign
BFRND’s soundtrack captures a balance between nostalgia and futurism, aligning with the brand’s ongoing exploration of virtual vs. reality.
• Sonic Palette: Bright, electronic, slightly melancholic
• Instruments/Genres: Synthwave with electronic pop and ambient
Across these campaigns, Balenciaga’s music straddles the line between classic and avant-garde, enhancing the emotional and conceptual depth of their storytelling.
Curated Music in Digital Products
Balenciaga’s limited-edition digital product launches often come with exclusive soundtracks, showcasing the brand’s innovative intersection of fashion, sound, and technology. These projects include the use of wearable NFC chip soundtracks and a unique collaboration with Bang & Olufsen:
NFC Chip Soundtrack
Balenciaga incorporated NFC chips into their garments, allowing customers to access exclusive music by scanning the chip.
For example, they collaborated with the trip-hop band Archive to create an 8.5-minute track, “Patterns,” exclusively for Balenciaga. The playlist, spanning seven hours, features music that aligns with Demna’s vision of dark, atmospheric sounds. The NFC chip embedded in garments like T-shirts and hoodies enables wearers to access this playlist through their smartphones, blending fashion and technology for a fully immersive auditory experience.
Bang & Olufsen Collaboration (Speaker Bag)
Balenciaga partnered with Bang & Olufsen to create the Speaker Bag, a luxurious fusion of fashion and high-fidelity audio.
Launched at Balenciaga’s 51st Couture show, this bag functions both as a sculptural handbag and a portable speaker with up to 18 hours of battery life. Users can play their own music via Bluetooth, making it versatile for different settings—on the go, at home, or during a social gathering.
Crafted from a single block of aluminum and featuring top-quality sound engineering, the Speaker Bag exemplifies craftsmanship and technological innovation. The speaker grill and control buttons are seamlessly integrated into the bag’s design, serving as both a fashionable accessory and a high-performance speaker.
These projects highlight Balenciaga’s commitment to merging music, technology, and fashion, creating multi-sensory, interactive experiences for their customers.
Balenciaga’s commitment to integrating sound across every facet of the brand experience demonstrates how music and sound can shape perceptions, evoke emotions, and strengthen brand identity.
From custom soundscapes in stores to avant-garde compositions for runway shows and ad campaigns, Balenciaga uses music not just as background but as an active, vital part of its storytelling.
This consistent, immersive approach underscores the brand’s boundary-pushing ethos and reflects its deep understanding of how sound can amplify its visual and conceptual narratives.