Balenciaga reveals 11 new 'Friends of the House'
Balenciaga has announced 11 new brand ambassadors in a single campaign reveal, including Winona Ryder, Harris Dickinson, and Hudson Williams. The move eschews a gradual rollout in favor of a high-impact, collective casting approach. The selection focuses on actors with authentic, cross-generational appeal to enhance the brand's cultural cachet.
- The full roster also includes South Korean actor Roh Yoonseo as a Brand Ambassador, alongside actors Danielle Deadwyler and Havana Rose Liu, composer Labrinth, and models Mona Tougaard and Loli Bahia as new Friends of the House. - This marks the first major campaign under new creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, shot by photographer David Sims to showcase the upcoming Summer 2026 ("The Heartbeat") and Fall 2026 ("Body and Being") collections. - In a statement, Piccioli noted his focus was on "individuals, not characters," aiming to create a new community connected by values like respect and freedom rather than sameness. - The strategy of appointing official ambassadors is very recent for the house; Balenciaga only named its first-ever brand ambassadors, Isabelle Huppert and PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn, in July 2023. - This rapid expansion of celebrity partnerships follows the brand's efforts to rebuild its image after the late 2022 advertising controversies, which led to a public re-evaluation of its relationship with longtime muse Kim Kardashian, who was later officially named an ambassador in January 2024. - The approach contrasts with that of former creative director Demna, who often cast his personal community, including his mother, husband, and former professor, in official campaigns.
