Cardi B Explains Her Sudden Exit From Balenciaga’S La Runway — She Feared She’D Faint

Cardi B explains her sudden exit from Balenciaga runway

Cardi B has finally opened up about the baffling moment at Balenciaga’s Los Angeles runway last December when she abruptly walked off the catwalk. The rapper revisited the incident in Vogue’s new "Life in Looks" video, Cardi B Breaks Down 18 Looks, From WAP to the Met Gala, and revealed it wasn’t staged — she was feeling dangerously unwell.

In the clip, Cardi walks through some of her most headline-making fashion moments and gives the behind-the-scenes truth about that chilly night in LA. What looked like a dramatic fashion exit, she says, was actually a quick decision made out of concern for her health.

What went down on the LA runway

The moment she left

Cardi recalled that she was battling a fever before she even stepped onto the closed-off residential street where Balenciaga staged its Pre-Fall 2024 show on December 2, 2023. She tried to power through, thinking she was tough enough to make it — but the combination of sun, the heavy coat and her fever began to take a toll.

"I thought I could push through — the heat and the coat were too much, and I was scared I’d pass out. I didn’t want people to think it was part of the show when it wasn’t."

Instead of risking a collapse midwalk, Cardi spotted a small, odd exit midway along the runway and used it to leave the stage. At the time, the moment read like high-fashion theater, and many onlookers assumed the disappearance had been choreographed as part of Balenciaga’s dramatic presentation.

Aftermath and public reaction

Instagram, the after-party and her follow-up

Soon after the runway moment, Cardi posted to her Instagram Story to let fans know she was feeling rough — saying she felt like she was "dying" and that she’d lost her voice after the show. Still, the night didn’t end there for the star.

Even while under the weather, Cardi went on to host Balenciaga’s after-party later that evening. Her explanation in Vogue adds context to why an exit that looked intentional turned into a mini internet mystery for fashion-watchers.

Why the exit looked like theater – the Balenciaga context

Her role with the brand and the LA debut

Cardi has been a Balenciaga face since 2020 and made a notable runway debut with the house at the Pre-Fall 2024 presentation. The show marked Balenciaga’s first big production in Los Angeles, bringing a dose of high-fashion spectacle to a closed-off residential street on December 2, 2023.

The presentation drew a star-studded audience that showcased LA’s own celebrity pull — Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, Kendall Jenner, Salma Hayek and Tracee Ellis Ross were among the high-profile guests in attendance. Given the eccentric, theatrical vibe of Balenciaga shows, Cardi’s sudden exit easily read as part of the creative staging.

For the look that night, Cardi wore a dramatic cobalt-blue faux-fur coat over a black bodysuit and Balenciaga Knife boots — an ensemble that fit right into the label’s moody, statement-making aesthetic.

Where she’s been seen since

Off the runway, Cardi continues to be visible on LA’s scene. She attended MISTR’s National PrEP Day at The Abbey on October 09, 2025 in West Hollywood, California, keeping her ties to local events and causes while balancing her international fashion profile.

That West Hollywood appearance is a reminder that Cardi’s life keeps moving between the glossy spectacle of fashion week and the more grassroots moments of community engagement around Los Angeles.