Olivier Rousteing says his pre-fall for Balmain is moving toward more fluidity, in his mind, the Parisian louchness of the seventies. Read floaty super-wide-leg jumpsuits in poppy prints of “the sort of wallpaper patterns you can still find in restaurants in Paris,” he laughs. It’s another step along the way in his mission to invent a look for Balmain that doesn’t have to do with short, body-con, hyper-embellished dresses. Not to say that element doesn’t still exist in the line, or the wide-shouldered, brass-buttoned sharply tailored blazers which have been around since before Rousteing took over from Christophe Decarnin. Both continue as Balmain sells.
True, times have changed for this brand. Rousteing’s found a new generational constituency, made friends with Rihanna and Kanye and Kim Kardashian West, and put them all in Balmain’s advertising. You can’t knock that global reach, in itself a rare thing for a Parisian house that doesn’t belong to a giant corporation. What next? Maybe working on showing some things that could count as casual daywear would add some energy, and some lower price tags, so that the kids who follow Balmain might be able to afford a piece or two.
Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories
Photo Credit/Source: Courtesy of BALMAIN
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