Balmain
Christophe Decarnin stuck to his guns, staying true to the Balmain that we’ve come to know so well. Speaking of guns, there was an apparent military theme that borrowed elements from different war periods throughout history. The color palatte reflected the colors of the modern-day army, with the muddy greens. Yet, many of the jackets/coats were reminiscent of things that might have been worn in a revolutionary war, with Napolean-esque shoulders. Remember when we thought bold shoulders would be a one-season-wonder? Apparently, they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
The tattered/distressed tees and jeans were a perfect way to add to to the war idea, and it brought about an effortless cool a la Emmanuelle Alt (who, lets be honest, is the archetype of the Balmain girl, seriously).
Balenciaga
Nicolas Ghesquiére has always toyed with structure and is constantly trying to one-up what he’s done before. He has a way with packing in many different colors into one look, but manages to keep the focus on the shape and silhouette. This season is no exception. Even with the inclusion of vertical and horizontal stripes, piping and patchwork, the silhouettes stood out; for the most part he kept it lean. The way he used color was interesting, as it resembled spin-art, with colors furiously colliding with one another. It is evident that Ghesquiére is pushing the envelope a bit more this season, upping the ante on the edginess and injecting it with a bit of a futuristic vibe .
Bruno Pieters
Bruno Pieter’s collection was simple, and achromatic. The first few looks created the illusion of nudity, with nude-colored chiffon and tulle. The fabric was beautifully draped and wrapped around the body. Very clean and fresh, without distractions and elaborate design details. The range of colors were very limited: nude, white, black. This presented the essence of neutrality. As the collection progressed, Pieters showed that he can translate the same ideas of simplicity into geometric shapes and sharp lines, and still achieve this nymph-like effect.
