BALMAIN SPRING 2014

BALMAIN SPRING 2014

Overalls at Balmain? Two years ago, when Olivier Rousteing stepped into his creative director role, it was bling, baby, bling. 

But after a Fall show that often landed on the wrong side of audacious, Rousteing is reconsidering the house's signature intense beading. "I wanted to explore something casual and sporty," he shared backstage. "It's less evening and more real. It's more me."

Cue Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax" on the soundtrack and the first look out—a cardigan, of all things, belted over a ruffled skirt that fell all the way to the knees.

True, it was black leather, but a skirt that grazes the models' knees qualifies as headline news at Balmain. And there was more where that came from, including quilted bombers, sweatshirts, and baseball tees.

We're not saying that Rousteing gave up entirely on glitz. Not at all. The silhouettes were more relaxed than usual, but there was still plenty happening on the surface of things.

For Spring, he likes pied-de-poule in black and white and Vichy prints in baby blue or pink, accented with necklaces and wrestler's belts. 

Denim got the deluxe treatment, quilted and trimmed in chunky gold chain, or reproduced in a silk print. 

Crystals came in at the end, but because they're so familiar at Balmain, they felt predictable. Best in show was a pair of those overalls fitted all the way up above the bust in glossy black leather.

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