Thursday, September 25, 2014

Balmain.. Paris ..spring 2015



All than one can say or do is tip the collective hat to Olivier Rousteing. Monsieur Balmain may not have had this in mind when he started his maison but if you have studied vintage Balmain there is DNA present in the 21st century incarnation.


Rousteing has found his niche and he plays it to the hilt. It saddens me that my mind went to KK here but it just happens and does not take away from the presentation and the overall conceptualization of the collection. This is 21st century hot stuff! This is a designer who designs and cares not a whit about cost. There is beading and piecing and skin and stripes and plaids and color and starkness and there is simplicity and over the top elements. Rousteing shows off his prowess without a problem.


Having handled the clothes personally, it only reinforces their quality and workmanship and surely is the reason these clothes are wildly expensive but who cares. If you are hot enough, ballsy enough and hopefully young enough, these clothes just scream out. The question is really this... “Is there anything new to say here?” the reply is simply it doesn’t matter as this designer follows his own path and steps to the head of the class by not caving to the sameness that is so pervasive in fashion and evolving his own particular signature.


Normally, reason gets the better of me and speaks of salability and affordability but then this comes along and it all flies out the window. The twisted midriff pieces are beautiful as are some of the very rigidly tailored pieces with their squared off shoulders but most what is so wonderful is the spirit of the collection. He is a master of special effects and overt sexuality. This is freedom. This is fashion.  This is a designer!

Rousteing built a cult and now he is feeding the hungry beast all they want and need and never knew they needed or wanted.

Carry on!

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