Welcome to the 109th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we take a look at the wildly over-engineered Face Shield by Balenciaga in collaboration with Mercedes AMG.
Back in July, Demna Gvasilia made headlines as he revived Balenciaga’s long discarded haute couture line. Abandoned over five decades ago under direction of Cristóbal Balenciaga, the maximalist showing would prove successful as celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa walked the runway.
The event was beautiful and widely praised, but focus strayed from the bellowing gowns and bodysuits. Each model was wearing a helmet that would later be revealed as a collaboration in part with Mercedes, titled the “F1 Face Shield ''. Coming in a fully black pigment, the mask features a polished and ink coated polyurethane tint, allowing wearers to see outwards, but obstructs any exterior line of sight. Precisely fitted to its owner, the helmet is seamless and rather sleek, with an option for engraving on the back.
Clearly, the mask sits far above the surgical counterpart we’ve become all too familiar with, but what exactly does it do? Engineered by Mercedes’ AMG F1 Applied Science team, a division dedicated to aerospace and motosport technologies, the covering was “engineered to optimize air flow, improve performance metrics, and ensure a stabilized CO2 intake, while considering the effect of temperature for fogging,”
In short, the covering is a dystopian racing helmet on crack, rigorously tested by the Mercedes team for wildly optimal performance. Its sleek shape is complemented by an extraterrestrial price tag of $5,600 USD, available exclusively in Balenciaga’s Paris location by appointment only (obviously).
Some may say the shield is ridiculous and rightfully so, but in the world of couture, anything goes. By pulling manufacturers and creatives from around the artistic sphere, Gvasila opens the door for more promising partnerships in the nearing months as we eagerly await the Spring 2023 collection.
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