Vetements

Vetements, French for "clothing," burst onto the Paris fashion scene in 2014 as a self-described design collective founded by Georgian siblings Demna and Guram Gvasalia. The brand's first collection, shown in a gallery for Autumn/Winter 2014-15, was an immediate sensation. By the third season, Demna had been poached to lead Balenciaga, a testament to the disruptive power of Vetements' oversized silhouettes, deconstructed garments, and deadpan appropriation of everyday items. The DHL T-shirt, a cult piece that sold for hundreds of dollars, perfectly captured the brand's satirical take on consumer culture.

Runway shows became legendary for their unconventional venues: a sex club (Le Dépot), a Chinese restaurant (Le Président), and the American Cathedral of Paris. For Spring/Summer 2017, Vetements showed on the first night of Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week at Galeries Lafayette, collaborating with 17 heritage brands including Brioni and Juicy Couture. The brand's post-Soviet aesthetic and ironic humor drew both praise and criticism, with some calling it gimmicky and others hailing it as fashion's most subversive force.

In 2019, Demna left to focus on Balenciaga, and Guram took over as creative director while remaining CEO. Under Guram, Vetements launched VTMNTS in 2022, a more accessible sub-brand that debuted with 100 looks featuring practical silhouettes, logos, and barcodes. The brand continues to release collections from its Zurich headquarters, with recent offerings including full cheetah print dresses for Spring/Summer 2024. Vetements remains a privately held company under Vetements Group AG, with financial details undisclosed. [edit]