BALENCIAGA Wet-Look Mesh Prototype Dress, SS 2024

A one-of-a-kind Balenciaga prototype from Demna’s Spring 2024 collection. Internal documentation identifies the garment as “Layering Glued Research 3 – Version 1” and Proto 1, preserving a unique stage of the house’s creative process.

Constructed from a double-layered design, the dress pairs a sheer stretch mesh overlay with a fluid black jersey base. Hand-glued strips create sculptural folds and an almost wet-look effect, giving the impression of fabric clinging and shifting across the body.

The glued layering becomes the design itself, creating distorted lines, shifting textures and an almost liquid appearance. Rather than concealing its construction, the garment celebrates the experimental process behind its making.

A one-of-a-kind Balenciaga prototype preserving a fleeting moment in the house’s creative process.