In February, Demna, Balenciaga’s mononymous wonder, gave an exclusive interview to Vogue addressing the house’s recent ad campaign scandal. He addressed the issue head-on, apologized, and talked about how the experience returned his focus to design and his original love of dress-making. So, on the heels of that, Chioma and I were eager to hear more about the man beyond the myth-maker and fashion maestro. We invited him to the studio the day after the Met Gala and were delighted to get a window into Demna off-duty—including life with his two chihuahuas, Cookie and Chiquita, and his daily routine (he meditates every morning, starts working at noon, and listens to Diana Krall on a rainy day).
We also chatted with our colleagues Mark Holgate, Vogue’s fashion features director, and Allie Michler Kopelman, Vogue’s director of fashion initiatives, about all the fashion and culture news of the week, most notably the announcement of the 2023 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalists. Allie, whom Chioma describes as the den mother of the Fashion Fund, and Mark, who was there almost from its inception, tell us all about how the nearly 20-year-old fashion incubator was founded and how it works. Chioma is one of the judges on the panel, so she and Mark and Allie share which moments from the finalists’ presentations resonated with them most. We also ask Mark about the origin of the traveling cruise show, discuss the beginning of the Cannes film festival (the world’s largest red carpet), Rihanna’s baby’s name, and Chioma’s journey from fan to stan for Timothée Chalamet.