Fire Walk with Balenciaga

On December 12, 2022, David Lynch declared a day of no music. Unbeknownst to viewers of the acclaimed filmmaker and visual artist’s Weather Report YouTube series at the time, the announcement came after being notified of the death of Angelo Badalamenti, a master composer as well as one of Lynch’s long-time collaborators. Now, a little over a year after his passing, Badalamenti’s legacy is being commemorated in a multi-faceted collaboration with luxury fashion house Balenciaga that launched early last week.

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An acclaimed composer known for his hauntingly beautiful pieces that evoke a sense of mystery and melancholy, romance and terror, Badalamenti possessed both a fierceness as well as an undercurrent of tenderness. Widely regarded as one of the best film and television composers of all time, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 from the World Soundtrack Awards. The composer was perhaps most known for the scores he composed and arranged for Lynch’s films, including Blue Velvet (1986), Mulholland Drive (2001), as well as Twin Peaks. Badalamenti’s work on iconic television series earned him an award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 32nd Annual Grammys. His contributions extended to the series’ accompanying prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), from which his song “Torch Theme” is specifically honored in Balenciaga’s limited-edition clothing release, which features Badalamenti’s handwritten score emblazoned across a light beige oversized T-shirt or crewneck. “Torch Theme” also had a role in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain—the late composer’s daughter Danielle Badalamenti, 54, warmly recalls her father rushing to the piano in a bout of inspiration, after a long battle with writer’s block, to pen the momentous Flaming Arrow melody.

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As part of the new collaboration, an original playlist of songs hand-picked by the late composer is available to stream or download on the brand’s website. The playlist, which serves as an entry point into Angelo’s discography, includes pieces from the composer’s multiple collaborations with esteemed musicians, including Nina Simone, Julee Cruise, Nancy Wilson, and Marianne Faithfull. Danielle recalls how her father wanted to include tracks from all stages of his career, with the haunting melodies of Simone’s “I Hold No Grudge” and Jimmy Scott’s “Sycamore Trees” among her favorites. The young Badalamenti adds that her father intended to showcase the versatility of his work as well, and references Thought Gang’s “A Real Indication” as insight to the late composer’s “funny side.” Danielle remarks, “I know that he and David Lynch had some fun in the studio laying that one down.”

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Along with the audio selection, Angelo’s music is celebrated with limited edition merchandise as well as an exclusive program with the Manhattan School of Music—the conservatory where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This partnership includes a masterclass with composition department head Dr. Reiko Fueting that inspires the conservatory’s students to compose original works inspired by Angelo’s pieces.

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The campaign spotlights the Manhattan School of Music with students from the conservatory, who don the T-shirt and crewneck alongside young members of the Badalamenti family. “My father always loved to encourage young composers,” Danielle muses. “He would advise them to never give up, and to keep writing.”