Balmain Brings Eccentric Tailoring to Paris
Photo: Vianney La Caer Via Mountian View Today
Balmain came back to Paris with a runway show at Le Carreau du Temple. The show was more intimate and was set in a simple black and white setting, making the clothing center stage. The brand presented an eccentric tailored collection that was clearly inspired by 80s glam fashion and tailoring with bright colors, sparkles and wide shoulders. The front row was full of celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Ashley Graham wearing the classic 80s attire and tailoring that matches the collection. Creative director Olivier Rousteing was also inspired by the brands infamous founder Pierre Balmain’s designs from the past.
Photo: Vianney La Caer Via: Newser
About the collection, Rousteing said, “I wanted something intimate. To enjoy a moment, after five months’ hard work. Back to origins, the new French style by Monsieur Balmain, and also to me what is passion—luxury and quality. We are surrounded by fireworks and all this craziness—social media—but at the end of the day we go back to quality… to understand the future you must understand the past, and this collection is clearly an homage to the house that I am working for.” Rousteing was able to modernize the classic designs from Balmain himself and of his past collections. He used modern garment making techniques and craftsmanship to create the iconic designs the brand is known for. The collection is a homage to its iconic founder and is a love letter to the brands influence.
Photo: Imaxtree Via: Fashionista
Along with the collection being a homage, it also was an ode to classic womens tailoring and workwear. Models came down the runway to Frank Sinatra in formal ready-to-wear looks that brought a new take on tailoring styles. Rousteing redefined and has his own take of workwear and powersuiting. The powersuit was a popular iconic symbol in womens fashion in the 80s as women began to take over the workforce. It was a symbol in feminist fashion that is still worn and styled today. Rousteing was able to highlight this important garment in his collection. The garments were sculptural and showed excellent craftsmanship of the french fashion house. Rousteing also added accents like pearls, crystals, sequins and fur with various fabrics, adding detail and texture to the garments.
Photo: Filippo Fior Via: Vogue
This collection was timeless, featuring garments that will never go out of style or trend. Womens tailoring has cemented itself in the fashion world since its initial popularity in the 80s and will always be worn. The collection also pulled the designs and craftsmanship from Pierre Balmain’s past collections. Rousteing was able to show modern renditions of the styles that Balmain is known for. With over 52 looks, Olivier Rousteing has created a collection that was unique and styled beautifully. This will certainly be a collection that the industry will remember this Paris Fashion Week.
Here are the best looks from the show:
