Have you ever cozied up for a Harry Potter marathon and found yourself pondering how those Hogwarts robes are in desperate need a couture redesign? Do you ever wonder how Breaking Bad would have played out if Walter White pursued modeling instead of meth? Are you haunted by the fact that Darth Vader’s killer runway walk never impressed anyone throughout the Star Wars universe … or any galaxy, far, far away?


Advertisement

Enter “Balenciagaificaton,” the internet’s latest revisionist pop culture obsession.  



Centered on deep fake technology, Balenciagaficiation is the high-fashion cousin of “yassification,” with AI creators reimagining what our favorite films and television series would look like if all the characters stepped off one of the once-disgraced brand’s famously avant-garde runway shows.


“You are Balenciaga, Harry,” a high-couture Hagrid commenced self-described “AI Nostalgia” creator demonflyingfox’s viral “Harry Potter by Balenciaga" video, one of the first Balenciagaificaon clips to garner viral traction online.


Pairing model-esque reimaginings of Hogwarts’ students and staff with high fashion takes on some of the series' most iconic lines – “What is the difference, Potter, between H&M and Balenciaga,” an unusually chic Professor Snape asks at one point during the clip – the video’s stylish absurdism garnered the attention of AI enthusiasts, amassing upwards of 4.4 million views.


But the Wizarding World is far from alone as the Balenciaga capital of the fictional universe. Following its viral success, several other tech-savvy fans have hopped on the trend, creating deep fakes placing series like Star Wars, Breaking Bad, and Lord of the Rings into the world of Balenciaga.





As Natalie Wynn (a.k.a. ContraPoints) so aptly put it: “Balenciagafication is the new yassification.”  I guess that’s one way to emerge from a scandal.