The creative director musical chairs continued on Thursday as Balenciaga announced that Demna would be leaving his position to become the new artistic director of fellow Kering-owned luxury brand Gucci.

The announcement, which followed mere hours after Donatella Versace said that she would be stepping away from the creative helm of the house her brother founded at the end of the month.

But ever since Demna took the creative helm at Balenciaga ten years ago, he has made it his business to create viral shoe moments. Some of his first releases were seen everywhere including the Speed sock sneaker, the Triple S and the Track model. More recently, Demna is opting for oversized shoes like the 3XL and 6XL sneaker silhouettes.

Following today’s Balenciaga news, FN is looking back at some of most groundbreaking shoes he has created for the house during his tenure.

Speed Sock Trainer

The Speed debuted in November 2016 and quickly became a hit. The slip-on silhouette featured a knitted bootie fit and chunky segmented midsole that later came in a lace-up version. The style quickly rose in popularity and was a must-have shoe in 2017. Retailers couldn’t even keep them in stock.

Triple S Sneaker

The chunky shoe trend really took off with the introduction of this style. The style was ranked no. 1 by Lyst as the hottest sneaker of 2018 and were the ultimate streetwear status symbol — with their retro-futuristic silhouette, recognizable colorway and ultrathick stacked rubber soles.

Track

First seen on the fall 2018 runway, the Track sneaker collection was a follow up to the Triple S silhouette. But while the Triple S, with its triple layers, was all about the sole, the design focus of Track line is centered on the upper itself with overlays of high-performance hiking and running fabrications.

Pantaleggings

The hybrid boots-pants silhouette first debuted in Demna’s spring/summer 2017 collection. Since its debut, celebrity spokesperson Kim Kardashian took the spandex style to the masses when she was spotted wearing the style on the red carpet and in several campaigns for the brand.

Knife Boots

First seen in Demna’s inaugural Balenciaga collection for autumn/winter 2016, the now signature shoe shape has since seen several reiterations over the designer’s tenure at the house. The silhouette can be seen across pumps and boots as well as the aforementioned Panataleggings.

Le Cagole Boots

Riffing on Le Cagole bags, the knee-high style was first seen in the brand’s summer 2022 Red Carpet collection and features the same stud and buckle hardware seen on Balenciaga’s iconic handbag.

Crocs Collabs

Demna first linked with Crocs for Balenciaga’s spring 2018 collection, sending models down the catwalk in colorful Crocs featuring giant stacked platforms and cartoonish Jibbitz charms that included flowers, shooting stars, peace signs, and the Balenciaga logo. The styles sold out in record time. Since then, more polarizing comfort shoes debuted including clunky rainboot styles, pool slides and Kelly green high-heeled clogs.

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Born in Georgia, Demna studied international economics at Tbilisi State University before he enrolled in Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, which spawned the original Antwerp Six in the early Eighties.

He graduated with a master’s degree in fashion design in 2006, later that year collaborating with Walter van Beirendonck, one of the Six, on his men’s collections.

He joined Margiela in 2009 after the maverick Belgian founder retired and was responsible for the women’s collections. In 2013, he moved over to Louis Vuitton, where he was senior designer of women’s ready-to-wear collections, initially under Marc Jacobs and briefly under Nicolas Ghesquière.

But it was his Vetements project — cofounded in 2014 with his brother Gurum Gvasalia — that thrust him onto the international radar with an impassive, alternative brand of cool.

In 2015, he joined Balenciaga and did not change his stripes, gleefully and openly appropriated signposts of consumer culture, taking a sociological approach to analyzing what triggers consumer desire, and stretching the boundaries of what is considered luxurious and chic.

In a press release issued Thursday after the close of trading on the Paris Bourse, Kering chairman and chief executive officer François-Henri said: “Demna’s contribution to the industry, to Balenciaga, and to the group’s success has been tremendous. His creative power is exactly what Gucci needs. As I thank him for everything he has accomplished over the past 10 years, I look forward to seeing him shape Gucci’s new artistic direction.”

For his part, Demna said: “I am truly excited to join the Gucci family. It is an honor to contribute to a house that I deeply respect and have long admired. I look forward to writing together with Stefano and the whole team a new chapter of Gucci’s amazing story.”

Which twenty-six Reds will we see?

A good bit has changed about the nature of the Cincinnati Reds roster mix since last we gave our best guess at who might be included on it come Opening Day.

Spencer Steer’s shoulder maintained its issues, and he received a cortisone shot back on March 1st. Andrew Abbott, though, has seen his shoulder progress well enough that he threw a pair of IP in a AAA game just yesterday. Rhett Lowder is still behind schedule, unfortunately, but at least it looks like he’s moving forward and not backwards. Speaking of ‘back,’ Tyler Stephenson headed for an MRI after lingering back pain.

Rule 5 draftee Cooper Bowman was sent back to the Oaksacvegas Athletics, while former top prospect Noelvi Marte was officially sent down to AAA.

That’s a lot to process, as are the risks of losing players in camp as non-roster invitees if they aren’t selected to start the season. Same goes for players with no options remaining, as they very well could be scooped up on waivers if not placed on the roster from day one.

With Opening Day now less that two weeks away (!!), here’s our latest, greatest estimate of which Reds will make up the Opening Day roster.

Catcher

I’ve got Tyler Stephenson (1) still on here alongside Jose Trevino (2), as all initial reports on Ty Steve’s back are that his issue is minor. It may mean we see more of Jose in the lineup early on, so far there’s nothing to suggest these aren’t the two backstops they’ll carry from day one.

Infielders (5)

Elly De La Cruz (3) and Matt McLain (4) are the cornerstones of this team, and they’ll form the middle infield. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (5) and Jeimer Candelario (6) seem to be locks in the corner rotation, while Santiago Espinal (7) has solidified his spot as the do-it-all infielder in reserve.

Gavin Lux

Gavin Lux (8)! He’ll see time at 3B, 2B, LF, and even at DH when the time is right. Since I’ve got Spencer Steer beginning the year on the IL, Lux’s versatility will help offset that usually created by having Steer on the roster for the time being.

Outfielders (5)

TJ Friedl (9) is back and healthy and poised to be the everyday CF and leadoff man all 4-WAR style once again. He’ll be flanked by Jake Fraley (10) and Austin Hays (11) most days, with Stuart Fairchild (12) a RHH option on days when Terry Francona wants to stack those up against southpaws. That brings us to Blake Dunn (13), whose RHH ability wins out in this mix over Will Benson since Lux, a LHH, is filling the ‘move anywhere when it’s time to switch’ role previously occupied by Steer, a RHH. In other words, I think Francona will choose to have one more righty bat around than another lefty.

Starting Rotation

Hunter Greene (14) will start on Opening Day, as well he should. He’ll be flanked in some order by each of Nick Martinez (15), Brady Singer (16), and Nick Lodolo (17) for sure at this point. Since the season is long as all heck, I just don’t think the Reds will rush back Andrew Abbott at anything less than ‘full stretched out,’ so I expect him to begin on the IL and miss a turn or two through the rotation - if anything, that may make him even more valuable down the stretch in August/September. I think the Reds carry Carson Spiers (18) as something of ‘starter on an expected bullpen day’ for the time being.

Bullpen

I don’t believe Graham Ashcraft (19) starts the year in the minors - rather, I think he’s carried as the piggyback guy for Spiers’ turn through the rotation with the expecation that he can fill-in for multiple IP when needed in a role akin to how Martinez began last year. Brent Suter (20), Sam Moll (21), and Taylor Rogers (22) form the LHP corps in the ‘pen, while Alexis Díaz (23) will resume his role as the closer. RHP options Emilio Pagán (24) and Scott Barlow (25) have guaranteed money on their deals, so they’ll be down there until they prove ten times they shouldn’t be, leaving one final spot that I’m expected to be filled by Tony Santillan (26) - he pitched well enough last year to deserve it and he’s out of options, so that’s a no-brainer.

Notes

Steer and Abbott are the two notable omissions here. Despite how dismal the Reds have begun seasons in recent memory (and how much that has folded any and all optimism entering those years immediately), I just think they’ll play it safe with them (and Lowder). Abbott getting ~27-28 starts is still very much viable, as is Steer surpassing 550 PA.

Ian Gibaut being back in camp is cool, and he’s fanned 8 against a lone walk in 7.0 IP so far this spring. He’s not on the roster, however, as a NRI on a minor league deal, so I don’t expect him to beat out the rest of the options above. That said, I do think he’s showing enough right now to firmly be in the mix as the first bullpen arm promoted when the inevitable dings happen to the rostered names ahead of him.

Chase Petty has looked really, really solid so far in camp, and at this rate he’ll make his debut (and more) as a Red at some point this year...just not on Opening Day or in the first few turns of the rotation, assuming all goes well elsewhere.