Saturday, March 5, 2011

Best of Paris Fashion Week

Balmain FW11

by Grace Gordon

The 1970s fared well in the hands of Balmain. However, Balmain designer Christophe Decarnin had little do with it. Rumors raced around Paris Fashion Week that the designer was either too depressed or exhausted to show up to his own show, and had in fact turned over most of the designing duties to others on the team. This collection put the brakes on the extreme proto-punk edginess of previous seasons, and roped in some glam rock influence for inspiration instead.

Embellished blazers, shiny suits, cropped trousers, and plunging v-neck sweaters with goat hair shoulders were among some of the standout looks. Gone were Decarnin’s signature slashed-up tees and studded motorcycle jackets, which was actually a good thing because this collection came across as more accessible and mature because of it.

Edgy subversion and city chic played a game of leapfrog on the Balmain runway this season. Previous collections, though stunning, appealed only to a certain niche of style mavens – the more rough and tumble crowd perhaps. However, the crystal catsuits and Lurex blouses aimed to please Balmain’s rock and roll base. The collection was balanced between wearable mosaic dresses and jackets and more hip, revealing numbers. Even without Decarnin at the helm, Balmain managed to show a confident collection that treads a fine line down the middle of glossy glam and subdued sophistication.