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SS21; Major Moment | Balmain
Hello lovelies,
Another day, another collection.
And, another strong one at that.
It is not often that I *really* like a Balmain collection.
…strong house codes, and a unique aesthetic….but more often than not, something seems lacking for me.
Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain has become showy – “excessive elegance” may be the best term to describe it – and in a way, that is where its relevance comes from.
Rousteing knows what sells….and who sells it….and has really tapped into the next generation of high-end, social media savvy shoppers.
And while Balmain is a large house, with many, many resources available….maybe in the past I have found some collections lacking substance to back up the look.
This one, however, is a hit – at least in my eyes.
Rousteing showed 100 looks; a massive, massive collection – especially when one thinks of how much effort it takes for smaller labels to put on a production one-third the size.
But this collection seemed well thought out; a solid offering of the house’s strengths.
I always say that a great collection is like a symphony – there should be a strong opening, a solid middle passage, and a punchy closing.
And that’s not to say the beginning and end should outshine the meat of the collection, but all the pieces should be cohesive and sing in harmony.
This collection achieved that.
Rousteing knows how’s just to turn up the drama…and to create enough highs and lows in a collection to be both practical and interesting – which in a saturated industry, is no easy feat.
The Balmain muse is strong and rebellious….a spirit encapsulated in these garments.
It was colourful. It was spring. It felt fresh; part retro and part modern.
From the 70s inspired bellbottoms to the artfully draped neon dresses – of course, all with a touch of Balmain and the strong pagoda shoulders.
There was everything in this collection.
Menswear? Check.
Tailoring? Check.
Colour? Check.
Print? Check.
And the fabrics? Endless.
From light and airy jersey to slick lookalike-latex to tough and sustainable denim, ending with black velvet and some sequins and recycled crystals for eveningwear…
…everything one needs for a cool and sexy Spring wardrobe.
