Following the success of its music-playing hoodie, bags shaped like chip bags, and hybrid pants that combined jeans and cargo shorts, Balenciaga has returned with a new and equally quirky idea, but this time it's more intriguing and forward-thinking: a jacket made of fermented fabric. It appears to be a standard leather jacket in the Matrix aesthetic at first glance, but it's actually made of a fabric that was sourced sustainably and created especially for the House. It took the San Franciscan company Gozen at least two years to develop and introduce the fabric, known as LUNAFORM, to the general public. It's clear that the wait was worthwhile because the outcome is both visually appealing and unexpected.
The fabric's use of no animal byproducts lowers the wearer's and the brand's carbon footprint. In actuality, the fabric is a biomaterial derived from microorganisms that, following fermentation, produces a crumpled effect that Demna, the creative director of the House, is known to like. A tiny step for sustainable fashion, but a huge leap for Balenciaga, which has always been a big supporter of textile experimentation (see, for instance, the Gazar, a fabric created by Cristobal Balenciaga himself). However, Balenciaga is not the first or last fashion house to offer a piece that blends sustainability, science, and fashion.
Stella McCartney, on the other hand, has undoubtedly established an unwavering reputation for using unique and environmentally fascinating materials in her creations. As a result, she has earned the distinction of being a cruelty-free brand and the ability to proudly display remarkable reductions in her carbon footprint. Because of a close partnership with Protein Evolution, a company that recycles biological materials, she was actually the first brand to offer a sustainable jacket—the first clothing item ever made using biological recycling. The brand is not behind the times when it comes to leather goods; it has been selling vegan bag collections for years that are made from vegan mushroom leather that is grown in a lab and looks just like real leather.
It would be unnecessary to mention the Falabella bag, which has been a mainstay for style-conscious high school students for decades and is likewise composed entirely of vegan leather.