The final collection from the 44-year-old -- who is switching to fellow Kering-owned brand Gucci -- was watched by celebrities from Nicole Kidman to Katy Perry.

The austere Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 collection featured women modelling garments in mostly black and white with exaggerated shoulders and padded hips, while men wore oversized jackets and trousers so long they gathered on the floor.

The use of male models was a typically convention-breaking move from the showman, with Couture Week usually dedicated to handcrafted, one-of-a-kind creations for female celebrities and VIPs.

Veteran French actor Isabelle Huppert also made an appearance on the catwalk as did 1990s supermodel Eva Herzigova.

The designer from the war-torn region of Abkhazia in Georgia, who is known by a single name, has made regular headlines at the Paris-based Spanish heritage brand during his decade in charge with his $2,000 "Ikea" bag and a $1,800 so-called "trash pouch".

Demna was also behind a much-criticised 2023 advertising campaign that appeared to reference child abuse, leading to a rebuke from billionaire Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, who watched Wednesday's show with his wife Salma Hayek.

Fellow designer Franck Sorbier, who presented his own collection inspired by Inca culture on Wednesday, praised Demna's impact on Balenciaga in an interview with AFP.

"It's a brand that has managed to find its footing again, that forged its own path and succeeded in returning to the forefront of fashion -- which was far from guaranteed, given that there were many attempts along the way, and not all of them worked," Sorbier said backstage.

Demna appeared at the end of his show to acknowledge the applause while wearing a black hoodie and cap paired with combat trousers.

- Big shoes -

Later on Wednesday, Belgian designer Glenn Martens was also set to find himself in the spotlight for his first collection for Maison Margiela, following his appointment in January to succeed British designer John Galliano.

Martens has big shoes to fill, with the house's last couture show under the eccentric Galliano in January 2024 considered a huge success by critics.

The day also saw Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf and Hong Kong's Robert Wun, as well as France's Sorbier unveil their latest work.

Wun drew inspiration from the world of cinema and theatre for his spectacular show at the Theatre du Chatelet, which opened with a model with dramatic bloodied lips wearing a thick white dress adorned with red handprint stains.

Viktor & Rolf once again used humour in their collection, featuring 15 pairs of eccentric black dresses, full of pleats and layers of fabric -- tulle, crinoline and more -- in a style reminiscent of 19th-century gowns.

- Downturn -

The luxury and fashion industry as a whole is suffering a downturn in sales due to weaker demand in China, fears about inflation and global instability.

Having multiplied sales at Balenciaga over his decade in charge, Demna's next task of reviving the flagging fortunes of under-performing Gucci is seen as a huge challenge.

Shares in luxury conglomerate Kering, which owns both Balenciaga and Gucci, fell around 12 percent on the day his nomination was announced in March and have sunk further since.

Some analysts have questioned whether Demna's recipe for success at Balenciaga -- which leant heavily on provocation and showmanship -- can be replicated at the more classic Italian house, which generates most of Kering's profits.

He was seen as having returned to a winning combination on Wednesday with Kardashian, a friend and brand ambassador.

The duo attended the Met Gala in 2021 together dressed in his head-to-toe black shrouds which obscured their faces.

"If Demna and Kardashian were good at one thing, it was making headlines," wrote fashion bible Vogue.

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