A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

A Guide to All Creative Directors

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Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers?

Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues

Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues

Although the practice of photographing celebrities without their consent, both in public and private, would only later receive the name paparazzi in the 1960s, thanks to Italian cinema and Federico Fellini's cult film La Dolce Vita, we can consider that this discipline emerged with the arrival of the first photographers, already seeking muses and celebrities to capture through their, albeit rudimentary, lenses. While the art of snooping on stars reached its golden age in the 2000s, when trashy photos of Lindsay Lohan's missteps or outings with Paris and Nicole dominated magazine covers, 2025 seems determined to put this discipline back in the spotlight. Fashion campaigns only reinforce this trend. Mixing bittersweet nostalgia, feigned innocence, and deliberate staging, major brands like Balenciaga—with its latest campaign for the iconic City bag—have skillfully tapped into their audience's emotions without any ill intent.

Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553061
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553067
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553062
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553065
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553060
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553066
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553063
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553064

In late January, Balenciaga unveiled its latest campaign featuring paparazzi-style photos from the early 2000s, digitally altered to include its current Le City bag. Dressed in head-to-toe pink, Paris Hilton is shown clutching her trusty flip phone alongside iconic supermodels of the era, including Alek Wek, Alessandra Ambrosio, Amber Valletta, Claudia Schiffer, Malgosia Bela, Natasha Poly, and Tyra Banks. The brand even added a clever watermark resembling those of official celebrity photographers like Getty Images to place its It-bag in the hands of icons from that period. Through subtle strategies like this, the brand unapologetically tugs at the heartstrings of nostalgia and the sentiment that "things were better back then,” when donning a Juicy Couture tracksuit made you the coolest, and rose-tinted sunglasses offered a carefree outlook on life. But that’s not the point—because while this iconic campaign makes us want to relive the past, binge Hillary Duff's music, and rewatch all episodes of The Simple Life, let’s focus for a moment on its main subject: the art of paparazzi photography.

As early as 2018, for its spring-summer collection, Demna crafted an Oscar-worthy scene for Balenciaga, where models appeared to flee threatening and curious photographers in a dramatic exodus. Balenciaga, which with every campaign continues to redefine its core identity—be it through iPhone-shot visuals with obstructed views or fake front-row images—isn't alone in playing the role of gossip-hungry paparazzi to showcase its collections. In October 2023, Bottega Veneta, under Matthieu Blazy's creative direction, presented its pre-spring 2024 collection in one of the smartest ways possible. After dressing ambassadors A$AP Rocky and Kendall Jenner head-to-toe in Bottega Veneta, they sent them on casual but calculated outings—morning jogs, shopping trips, or dog walks on the streets of Los Angeles—resulting in inevitable but carefully orchestrated paparazzi-like photos that went viral online.

Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553080
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553078
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553079
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553083
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553081
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553076
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553082
Are paparazzi the new fashion photographers? Apparently so, according to Balenciaga and some of its colleagues | Image 553077

This campaign, or perhaps experiment, leads to one conclusion: the public seems to pay more attention to candid photos of celebrities in their “real lives” than to studio-shot images within sterile white walls. A welcome change, showing that consumers are shifting their focus toward spontaneity and real-life moments—though even these representations might not be entirely authentic. Another phenomenon confirming this theory is the rise of behind-the-scenes campaigns, which break the ice between models and consumers by revealing the backstage reality. As noted by NSS in October, "the real show happens behind the scenes." Perhaps consumers are tired of seeing images depicting an unattainable ideal, or perhaps it's easier for them to imagine themselves in oversized knitwear if Kendall Jenner is wearing it on a grocery run. Or maybe, seeing Tyra Banks strutting through New York streets with a City Bag inspires customers to channel their inner off-duty model hopping into a cab.

In any case, whatever drives this newfound love for authenticity, Balenciaga’s City Paparazzi campaign—with its falsely current but strikingly realistic photos and meticulously crafted strategies—proves that even the most candid shots and natural-looking posts are not reflections of reality. We were reminded of this a few days ago when Ryan Reynolds staged a fake paparazzi crowd to distract from drama surrounding his wife. While we doubt Fellini's paparazzo would have been interested in Paris Hilton's escapades, Balenciaga’s campaign and those that preceded or will follow it serve as reminders that even the most convincing photos can be a web of lies—or over 20 years old.