French Vogue Banned From Balenciaga Show in Paris

By Kendra Gilbert on March 9th, 2010

Carine Roitfeld is a front-row staple at all the major fashion shows, from New York to Paris. Except for one. It seems the editor-in-chief of French Vogue (as well as her staff) was banned from Balenciaga’s Fall 2010 runway show in Paris. Furthermore, Balenciaga no longer advertises in French Vogue or lends clothes to editorials in the magazine. What exactly is the story behind the feud?

The source of the bad blood is unclear. According to a blurb on WWD’s website, no one at Balenciaga would comment on the matter. Apparently, Balenciaga is super strict when it comes to the guest list for the label’s fashion shows. But the ban on French Vogue has everyone in the fashion world speculating as to the cause. This could be another example of a fashion designer trying to control the coverage of his collection. More specifically, trying to manipulate the guest list in an attempt to ensure that only positive reviews are written, much like Giorgio Armani did when he banned New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn after she wrote one-too-many negative reviews. But, as Horyn pointed out in her article about the whole situation, there’s always the Internet and no ban can stop her from reviewing Armani’s clothes.

There’s a reason these journalists are called “fashion critics.” If the egos of certain designers cannot withstand a little criticism, perhaps they should rethink their career choices. Although, there is no proof (yet) that this is what’s going on between French Vogue and Balenciaga.

Photo via NYMag