Pink Martini’s Merch, Designed by Balenciaga, Is Tender, Spunky, and Chic

Balenciaga tapped the 14-member orchestra Pink Martini to create a playlist for Apple Music, and in turn made spunky, uplifting merch to match. The Demna-designed hoodies and the long-sleeve shirts are tender and personal. Rendered in soft baby pink and white, they feature the colorful name of the band and the hometowns from where each member hails, spanning from “a plant farm in rural Indiana” to Sofia, Bulgaria. “It’s got little details about the band all over it in an illustrated fashion and the hometown list is just so touching that we are all on [it],” says lead singer China Forbes.

Fans will also recognize that of all of the songs that the group has put out since 1997, they picked two to highlight on the clothing. “Balenciaga is iconic and therefore we had to pick our iconic songs,” says Forbes. At the bottom of the hoodies and shirts are the names of two of their biggest hits “Sympathique” and “Hang on Little Tomato”.

Pink Martini’s 39-song playlist is an eclectic, multilingual selection reflecting the polyglot nature of the orchestra, which sings in 25 languages including English, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Arabic. Their playlist includes “Dance Me To the End of Love” by Leonard Cohen, “Samba Saravah” by French musician Pierre Barouch, and “Tango Notturno” by Polish singer Pola Negri, all of which feels right in step with Balenciaga’s global relevance.

The collaboration between Balenciaga and Pink Martini is the latest in a long line of partnerships between the French House and musicians. It began in 2020, when Deanna first partnered with Apple Music and launched a 13-hour playlist titled “Demna’s Playlist.” Over the past few years, he has worked with electronic group Acid Arab, French pop artist Aya Nakumara, the German metal band Rammstein, and drag star RuPaul to curate playlists. Each time he creates merch that sees each artist or group through the lens of Balenciaga.

For Pink Martini, which was formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994, working with Balenciaga is touching. “The thing that attracts me to Balenciaga is that, as beautiful as the clothing and bags and shoes are, they’re completely edgy in a way that is always unsettling,” says Forbes, who is known for her sultry performance style. “We’re a band from Portland, Oregon and we sing in 25 different languages and we have remained independent for 28 years, so to have the fashion house Balenciaga be a fan of our music is incredibly flattering and exciting.”