Inside Offset’s Paris Fashion Week, From Modeling for Balenciaga to Shopping With Cardi B

For Demna Gvasalia’s spring 2022 Balenciaga show in Paris earlier this week, the designer eschewed a traditional runway in favor of a campy red carpet. Models and stars alike—Amber Valletta, Dev Hynes, Elliot Page, and Isabelle Hupper among them—struck poses wearing his new, bold-silhouetted designs for staged paparazzi. The rapper Offset modeled Look 60, Balenciaga’s slouchy leather jacket, a long plaid shirt, and baggy trousers. “It was an honor,” Offset tells Vogue. “Balenciaga is a beautiful brand and Denma personally casted me. The production was next level. It felt more like a film premiere than a fashion show with red carpet vibes, and I’m familiar with that.” 

As a fan of the label, the rapper says he admires Gvasalia’s youthful, singular vision for such a prestigious brand. “Demna continues to take Balenciaga to the next level,” he says. “His creativeness and vision for the brand is a beautiful thing. It’s a big luxury brand, but it still caters to the youth. I like that it continues to push the boundaries in fashion, and I’m excited to be a part of their history now.” But walking for one of the buzziest shows of the season wasn’t all that Offset did during Paris Fashion Week. He also took Vogue inside his eventful, fashion-filled itinerary, where he sat front row at the shows and even did some shopping with wife Cardi B.

Offset in Balenciaga's spring 2022 collectsionPhoto: Courtesy of Balenciaga

Offset wanted to take in all the luxury collectsions while in town, so he also sat front row at Givenchy and Lanvin—an opportunity that is not lost on him. “I remember in 2015 and 2016 not having a lot of access to the shows,” he says. “Now, I’m being personally invited to sit front row and experience the art and see what’s next in fashion.” He also enjoyed seeing some familiar faces at these presentations. “I ran into Edward Enniful, Marni Senafonte, Evan Mock, Kid Kudi, and other dope artists,” he says. “It felt good to be back.”

Knowing he would be photographed plenty, the rapper made sure he had stellar fits to go with each appearance. “My fashion mood for Paris Fashion Week was timeless, but forward,” says Offset. “I stepped out in runway looks each day, but I wasn’t trying too hard. I got dressed in pieces that fit my mood for the day.” At Lanvin, for instance, he wore a leopard-print faux fur coat with the gloves to match. For Givenchy, he styled a shaggy, hooded coat with all-cream pieces for a clean, crisp finish. In between, he also experimented with pieces from Margiela and Rick Owens. No label or look is off limits. “My style is forever changing, and I’m not scared to try new things,” he says.

It wasn’t all fashion week shows and fittings, however. Not only did he shop with his wife—“Paris shopping is always exciting; They set trends.”—but he also found time to go viral. “Dancing to a street band while they played was fire,” says Offset. “That actually became a viral moment. I was just having a good time catching the vibe.”

Offset says he’ll be taking all of the fashion he’s seen this week as inspiration to apply to some new projects. “I want to do a little bit of everything: More music, movies, fashion,” says Offset. “I really want to showcase my design skills more, so maybe some collaborations will come soon. I took some meetings while in Paris, so hopefully I get to continue using my gift of art to change the world. I owe that to my kids. If they see me do it, they’ll know they can do it too. I want them to be inspired to dream out loud.”

Below, a closer look at Offset’s Paris Fashion Week.