Beloved Balmain: Military Meets Street Glam... Again? (+ Little Bit of Jungle Fever)

Balmain's Fall/Winter 2009/2010 VERSUS Balmain's Spring/Summer 2010

With London Fashion Week at a close, all designer framed sunglasses, pointed toes and fashion compasses turn toward Paris. Fashion bloggers, reporters and socialites are documenting their arrivals to the City of Light. The collection I was MOST looking forward to browsing through online (after the fact and from the comfort of middle class Canadian suburbia- I shed a tear...) is most certainly Balmain, bejeweled hands down, on the glass top of my whitewashed vanity! Last winter, the label showed unbelievable originality in pieces such as their bedazzled, shoulder-conscious military inspired jackets that swung open revealing an almost impossibly cool white tee or effortlessy baggy crystallized undershirts. Paired with their infamously (over?)priced whiter wash jeans ripped in all the right places, the collection rounded out with the hottest sparkling mini dresses- think Jennifer Connelly in green and head to toe Balmain for the "He's Just Not That Into You" film premiere.
Jennifer Connelly in forest green Balmain (Feb. '09)
Like come on, even if you have not born witness to last year's line- just imagine the insane cool factor radiating from the swagger of the models last season in Paris while rocking this now iconic collection.
Now, enough of the old, and on with the new- day two of Paris -yesterday, September 30. This new line comes across to us fashion lovers who may not really receive many show invites or have a plethora of designers begging us to attend their shows- YET. As fresh as fresh Parisian bread and a cafe au lait on a terrace of a cafe on a Samedi matin, we the Internet community can have fresh access to one of Paris Fashion Week's most anticipated shows only one day after Christophe Decarnin himself debuts his spring/summer 2010 collection. Equally lovable baggy cut-out tops (cut-outs ridiculously hot maintenant!). Focus is still very much on the strong shoulder. (See photo of our very own and Flare Magazine's fave girl Daria Werbowy) Man all those years I would try on my Mum's clothes as a child only to be annoyed by all of the big, padded shoulders and grimacing at her as she convinced me that they were actually once the coolest thing around. Today it seems I have bought several items including a new leather jacket- with severe shoulders. Back to the collection: feathers are used for accents... we saw a lot of feathers during London. The colour pallate is almost jungle-esque with soft sands, shimmering gold lame, rugged browns and even laced and braided detailing through metal loops on leather pants which gives off a look of crocodile-like scales. All pieces any 20-somethings would dub swoon-worthy and must-haves... er- maybe 20-somethings with $8,900 to spend on a jacket. My point is that Balmain does young very well. It is a trendy label which seems to cater to the young, fearless, fashionista all-night party girl with a chequebook. "Balmainia" (not my term) has certainly given us another collection which although not completely original (it borrows some of the military inspiration from its previous collection) should do well in sales to the young adult set and will most definitely keep me salivating and dreaming of one day owning any one single piece from this house.

For a more thorough review from an actual spectator, as well as a noteworthy comparative piece on Balmain and Balenciaga, two POWERHOUSE labels revered by everyone who considers themselves a part of the right now, seriously check out Fashion and Style writer for the New York Times, Suzy Menkes' piece "Balmain vs. Balenciaga" -->

And, for the ravenous keeners like myself, view the entire strikingly sexy collection by clicking here: and yes, the models are strutting to "Rapper's Delight". Amazing.
Balmain Spring/Summer 2010


Photo Credits:
Balmain's Spring/Summer 2010- Daria: Chris Moore/Karl Prouse
Collection of Balmain Spring/Summer 2010 photographs: AP/AFP