Main menu
Balmain by Olivier Rousteing
Olivier Rousteing has been appointed artistic director of Balmain in 2011. Although abundantly embroidered, his famous military looking short dresses are produced in ready-to-wear. Indeed, the house no longer presents haute couture collections since Oscar de la Renta's departure in 2002.
However, in January 2019, Rousteing will revive Balmain haute couture for a unique collection that aims to revive the typically Parisian luxury production that has made the house famous since its creation in 1945.
The pearl, a recurring motif in the collection, is omnipresent on this silhouette, from the mother-of-pearl colour to the shape of the pvc bag, with three perforations like a bowling ball, and the many plastic pearls woven into the bodice.
The house's technical heritage can be seen in the organza pleats dear to Pierre Balmain since the 1950s. The richness of the materials and the embroidery can be seen on the bodice and especially on the skirt made entirely of frayed jeans braiding and floating chains. The sophisticated shape of the sunglasses is inspired by opera glasses.
This haute couture collection is a creative manifesto freed from the industrial constraints of ready-to-wear. With its historical references, the care of its embroidery and its hybrid silhouette, this silhouette illustrates the talent of Olivier Rousteing and the influence of the house of Balmain in the late 2010's.
Notice's author : Alexandre Samson