Balenciaga Unveils World’s Largest Flagship in Beijing

Balenciaga has opened its largest flagship in the world, unveiling a four-story, 1,200-square-meter space in Beijing’s high-profile Taikoo Li Sanlitun shopping district. The store marks a new milestone for the Kering-owned house in mainland China, blending commercial ambition with historical storytelling.

To mark the opening, Balenciaga is presenting “Women Behind the Dress”, a rare archival exhibition that pays tribute to five iconic women from the worlds of film, art, and society—through the garments they wore during their most unforgettable moments. Staged on the third floor of the store, the showcase brings original haute couture pieces crafted by Cristóbal Balenciaga himself to mainland China for the first time.

Among the standout pieces is a dramatic black velvet gown worn by Princess Grace of Monaco at the 1969 Scorpion Ball—Look 145 from the Winter 1966 collection. The gown’s refined draping and understated glamour made it a defining moment in the princess’s fashion legacy. The house reimagined the piece in its 2023 couture show, once again worn by original house model Danielle Slavik, in a striking homage to Balenciaga’s mid-century mastery.

Other garments include Marlene Dietrich’s wild silk suit from Spring 1962—worn in the film Paris When It Sizzles—and Ingrid Bergman’s pale pink-sequined satin gown from Anastasia, which marked her screen comeback in 1956.

Also featured are two gowns worn by Parisian socialite Francine Weisweiller, one in cotton floral ruffles and the other in structured black lace, as well as a 1958 evening ensemble worn by Annabel Buffet to the Cannes Film Festival—an embossed lace jacket and grand tulle-backed skirt that exemplify the drama and precision of Balenciaga’s couture legacy.

Each piece in the show is preserved by the house’s archive department, established in 2001 to safeguard and celebrate Balenciaga’s artistic legacy. With over 900 works in its collection, the department plays a critical role in shaping the brand’s dialogue between past and present.