What's going on at Balenciaga?

In the last few hours, Balenciaga's Instagram profile has been swiped off all its posts, remaining a blank canvas still followed by 11 million people. 
A similar operation, but greater in proportions, involving all the brand's social channels, had been successfully carried out a few months ago by Bottega Veneta, a surprise move that was the prelude to the launch of Issue by Bottega, the digital magazine that has become the brand's only communication channel. 

The Maison led by Demna Gvasalia, also part of the Kering Group doesn't seem to have such an ambitious and sophisticated strategy in mind. The total cleanliness of the profile seems in fact a simple prologue to what will be the most important event for the brand this year, the haute couture show, the first in 53 years. In fact, the only Story featured in the profile refers in fact to the high fashion show, which will take place on July 7. 

It's not the first time that a fashion brand's social profile has been cleaned of all its content, usually with the aim of representing a new beginning, such as the arrival of a new creative director, or a total change of direction. However, it's surprising that it was Balenciaga who did it, not because Gvasalia's first couture show is not such an important event, especially given the attention around the brand after the Gucci hack, but because the brand had always distinguished itself in the use and in the way it approached social media, always against the tide, always outside the box, finding communication and aesthetics comparable - not surprisingly - only to Vetements. And despite being a corporate profile, of a historic fashion house part of a large luxury group, Balenciaga had somehow given the profile the connotations of a community, a charm and a strength that could have been lost with such a commercial and predictable move.

It's not clear, however, what Balenciaga will post after the show, if we will see the classic shots of looks from the catwalk, or if Gvasalia will move towards a more mood board-style profile, with inspirations, images, and inspo not necessarily closed to the collection, entering that trend of fashion brands that don't post clothes.