Demna Gvasalia closed a decade-long chapter at Balenciaga on 9 July with his 54th haute couture collection, presented during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. The show, staged largely in black, served as the Georgian designer’s farewell before he assumes the top creative post at Gucci later this month. Kim Kardashian made an unannounced runway appearance, wearing an ivory slip dress, a feathered faux-mink coat and Elizabeth Taylor’s own diamond earrings—worth more than $375,000 and weighing over 250 carats. She was joined on the catwalk by Naomi Campbell, while the front row featured Katy Perry, Cardi B, Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek among other A-listers. The collection revisited Demna’s hallmarks—oversized tailoring, sculptural gowns and pop-culture references—underscoring his influence on the house since 2015. His exit sets up one of the industry’s most closely watched handovers, with Balenciaga seeking a successor and Gucci preparing for Demna’s debut.