The relationship between Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Balenciaga, and his younger brother Guram Gvasalia, CEO of Vetements, has long been the subject of close attention of the fashion industry. The rivalry between the brothers, expressed in harsh statements and the juxtaposition of their brands, has been the subject of news articles more than once.

However, a question arises:Is this feud real or is it an elaborate PR stunt designed to draw attention to both brands?

Proponents of the PR theory believe that the brothers' shared past and work on many projects brought them closer enough to use their differences for marketing purposes. The juxtaposition of Balenciaga and Vetements draws attention to both brands, increasing their recognition and sales. But where did it all start?

Demna and Guram Gvasalia at The Fashion Awards 2016

Gvasalia's brothers, Demna and Guram, broke into the fashion world not so long ago, but they have already made themselves known. In 2014, their brand Vetements suddenly became a sensation. Conceived as a collective project, it quickly attracted attention due to its rebellious style and original designs. Demna, as it turned out, was the main brain behind this "operation". His creative approach and innovative solutions made Vetements one of the most sought-after brands of that time. Guram, in the shadow of his brother, served as CEO and managed commercial affairs. This fact about Guram is curious and will play a role in the future.

In 2015, Demna's talent did not go unnoticed. Kering Group, one of the largest fashion concerns, offered him the post of creative director of Balenciaga. Demna accepted the offer, partially leaving Vetements under the leadership of Guram.

The 2016/2017 season has become significant for the fashion industry thanks to Vetements. Gvasalia's brothers, Demna and Guram, turned the fashion world upside down, challenging conventional notions of beauty and style.

Vetements proclaimed the era of "antiglamour" or "new ugly", rejecting the traditional values of elegance, sophistication, and created a stir for the so-called ugly fashion. T-shirts with simple prints and inconspicuous company logos, blue tote bags resembling products from IKEA.

Vetements spring-summer 2016

But in 2016, after the stunning success of Balenciaga, the shadow of this success fell on Vetements. Many assumed that the brand would not be able to compete with its "big brother" and would soon sink into oblivion.

In 2018, Vetements moved from Paris to Zurich, which further reinforced these rumors.

In 2019, Demna Gvasalia, having finally left Vetements, devoted all his time to Balenciaga. This event could have been a point of no return for Vetements, but Guram Gvasalia did not give up.

He relaunched the brand, introducing the autumn-winter 2022-23 collection, and also launched a new VTMNTS division.

Balenciaga autumn-winter 2016/2017

The story of Guram's conflict with Demna's vision at Balenciaga resembles a long-known plot that Vetements began to use, introducing him as part of its brand. This is a story about war refugees who started life with a clean slate, became key for Vetements and is now prominently featured in Balenciaga. Fashion critics quickly embraced this story, as well as the idea of introducing elements of the working class and marginal youth subcultures into the world of luxury. If you want to stand out by wearing an unusual T-shirt or worn sneakers, you will have to pay for it. Some consider it a bad joke and find it tedious and even unacceptable.

Balenciaga. Left, autumn-winter 2022/23; right, spring-summer 2023

In fact, what appears to be a quarrel between the Gvasalia brothers has not turned into an open confrontation on social media. Moreover, this is not even a full-fledged quarrel, since Demna has not yet reacted to Guram's alleged attacks. Despite this, media headlines speak of a conflict between the brothers, the story of which has been hyped through popular platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This has added a share of gossip to the otherwise forgotten Paris Fashion Week Pret-a-Porter.

To understand this situation, it is necessary to take into account that the confrontation under discussion has not yet moved into the online space. It all started before Guram published posts in which he expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that he was not invited to the Balenciaga show (spring/summer 2024 collection, October 1), and where he hinted that Demna could copy him by comparing dresses with similar elements. However, back in early July, the current creative director of Vetements said in an interview with The New York Times that his brother's era was ending, and now his time was coming, thereby questioning his brother's achievements and bringing his talents to the fore.

Guram shared this image of his mother, at the Balenciaga show, on Instagram (banned in the territory of the Russian Federation). The photo was accompanied by a message for his brother: "Proud that my mom is opening the Balenciaga show. It is very sad that I was not invited to witness this. I pray for my brother's soul. God bless him"

The issue of alleged plagiarism: on the left is a design from the Vetements spring/summer 2024 collection (presented in June last year), and on the right is from the latest Balenciaga collection ("another brand" as Guram called it in an Instagram post (banned in the territory of the Russian Federation), which has since been deleted)

Demna, adhering to the policy of silence, spoke publicly only out of necessity, while Guram created the image of a reckless guy enjoying life among the stars and demonstrating his closeness to celebrities. He actively used social media to announce that Madonna had chosen Vetements clothes for her tour, and was seen at many events during Paris Fashion Week, besides his brother's show. Thus, the attention paid to the younger brother inevitably attracts interest in Demna.

Returning to the issue of Guram's commercial activities, we can note his skill in creating information guides, and how he purposefully played a performance with musical performer Dodge Kat on the eve of the Met Gala ceremony. It was so fake that it seems they had no plans for anyone to believe them in this venture, and we recall that their scandalous exits with a ring fitting in a jewelry store, where Dodge was wearing only a sheet, accompanied by a Guram - everyone immediately recalled the exits of another popular couple now — Kanye West and Bianchi Censori.

But who cares about plagiarism when all possible tabloids are writing about you, and recognition is growing in proportion to the sales of your brand's clothes?

We cannot rule out the possibility of sincere hostility between the brothers. Disagreements could arise due to differences in creative vision or a struggle for influence in the fashion industry

Regardless of the true reasons, the rivalry between Balenciaga and Vetements benefits both brands. The controversies and discussions surrounding their confrontation draw attention to fashion houses, making them more recognizable and desirable.

Do you want to keep up to date with the main events in the fashion industry and brand news?