Balmain FW16

As many of you have probably realized, I have been a bit slow with show reviews for this season. I have decided to spread them through March and April, so please do bare with.

Today's Balmain show caused yet again a social media frenzy. As soon as Kendall Jenner appeared in a blonde wig, followed by Gigi Hadid and Jourdan Dunn, we all knew there would be a dramatic influx in both sales and popularity.
This season marked a new change in Olivier Rousteing's seemingly modernistic aesthetic. Instead of producing a collection solely oozing with raw sexuality, he created something that one could consider as 'minimal' for the house of Balmain. He approached softly, with a Baroque reference point held in mind.

Of course being Balmain we still had seductive, however it was mitigated by a pretty pastel colour palette- from subdued lilacs and mint green to baby pinks and dove greys. This colour palette perfectly complimented the new silhouettes introduced to us today. For example those pouf skirts and suede corsets amplified rich opulence, as well as the reprisal of those jewel embellished mini dresses with silk tassels we saw in the pre-fall collection.

 

Gigi Hadid in a suede corset

Jourdan Dunn ft. pouf skirt

Hints of previous seasons were also made dominant by Rousteing. Take the brocade dresses with cinched in waists, the tiered ruffles which lay on the sides of lace jumpsuits (Spring 2016) and lastly the oversized musketeer jackets in the softest of fabrics.



Karlie Kloss in lace ruffled jumpsuit

 



Oversized musketeer coat

 



I love the regalia element that fluctuated through the collection. My favourite pieces included: the gold and black encrusted bodice which exemplified the fine artistry of the house's DNA, the thigh- high suede boots and also the closing botanical dress with an interior corset structure.(Worn by Kendall).

Regalia details

Thigh-highs

 

 

Kendall in the closing look

PLEASE NOTE: I do not own any of these images, courtesy of Vogue.co.uk

Balmain Spring/Summer 2016

With the Paris Fashion Week Board banning super-skinny models from the catwalks and designers diminishing the infamous 'sample sizes', it would only seem right that Olivier Rousteing would celebrate women and curves in his latest Spring/Summer collection for Balmain.  

Of course being Balmain we saw an extremely opulent colour palette- from warm toffee suedes and chocolate browns to crisp whites and bewitching beiges.
This colour palette also represented a new richer, textural dimension that we were yet to see in Balmain clothing. For example those cut-out skirts layered over harnessed bodysuits reminded me of last season's heavily metallic deluge of crimped lamé bondage dresses, instead these were just a mitigated version of those. Perhaps this muted palette and fabric choice was Rousteing's way of slowly introducing his newly changing silhouettes to us.

 

We were presented to an array of cut-outs, jewelled lattice work and figure-hugging spandex on models of all different body shapes. (Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Alessandra Ambrosio, to name a few)

                                  Alessandra Ambrosio

                                   Kendall Jenner

                                     Gigi Hadid

My personal favourites were the tiered ruffle trousers (clown pants), the voluminous suede which perfectly complimented the darker skin-tones, as worn by Jourdan Dunn and the weaved macramé which coated the floor-length gowns.
The pieces themselves had lightness and fluidity, accompanied by this fierce sexiness which Balmain will always continue to radiate.

Doutzen Kroes in a white cropped blazer and cascading ruffles

 

 

Jourdan Dunn

                                        
                                detailed macramé work

I have to say that this collection was not my favourite. I felt it lacked that electrifying glamorous nature of which we usually associate with Balmain. However, I do understand that Rousteing has been focussing solely on the much anticipated H&M X Balmain collaboration which will be out next month.

   Please note: I do not own any of these images, picture courtesy of Vogue.com

Balmain Fall 2015 PFW

I have always admired Olivier Rousteing's work for Balmain. He knows how to dress women and make them look young, edgy yet totally glamorous. Glamour was the main theme at Balmain today, a long side the hype which surrounded Queen Kim Kardashian and her new platinum locks.

It is safe to say that every piece in the collection, Kim would wear or has already worn in some incarnation. From the billowing pleated skirts to the tight-fitting bandeau tops submerged under a sheer chiffon day dress. She was the muse for the entire collection and we all knew that.

We had a sense of opulence; perhaps the vintage-toned riche colour palette, consisting of the most luxurious colours- metallic mustard, a bronzey orange, forest green and fiery fuchsia.
The iridescent fabrics were a marvel, especially in pleats. We had the most volumizing balloon trousers which sat below a tailored blazer.

It was out with the 80s (last season) and in with the 70s- well,  as much as possible. Flares were still a big feature throughout: saw in lace, pleats and with 10x added volume.  In the last half of the collection, lighter than light chiffon jumpsuits in all manner of prints (florals in particular) graced the scene- contrasting to the fierce, strong and seductive woman as seen in the first segment.

The casting for the show screamed sass. Victoria Secret Angels left right and centre: Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Karlie Kloss; combined with the model greats of the moment, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Donaldson, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. It was evident why he chose these girls to convey his sexy, glamorous Balmain goddess.

We had less of the skin and more of the cover up. Less sex appeal but more business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture courtesy of Style.com