Balmain’s Jolies Mesdames

A heavy downpour and unbearable traffic jams complicated the arrival of guests at the National Dance Theater, where Olivier Rousteing presented the Balmain women's collection for the spring-summer 2025 season and unintentionally shifted the show time. It seems that during Fashion Week, the permanent time crunch makes every fashion insider dream of the imminent appearance of the Uber Teleport App, rather than the updated capabilities of artificial intelligence.

The main guest of the show was the First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, after whose arrival the show officially began.

“For Spring 2025, we’ve set our sights on a much more recent history as we improvise on the codes, themes and now iconic styles of 21st-century Balmain,” explained Olivier Rousteing backstage. “And reference many of the looks I first began sending down the catwalk thirteen years ago.” With the new collection, the designer continued to evolve his unique vision that defines the House of Balmain. Drawing inspiration from an incredible eight decades of design and the House’s rich archives, Olivier and his team channelled the timeless, bold power of Monsieur Balmain’s iconic “Nouvelle Française” and the architectural savvy behind his signature “Jolie Madame” silhouette into the design of the new collection.

All 45 silhouettes in the collection contain key threads of the DNA of modern Balmain. The atelier has perfected the precise cut, structure and tailoring, transforming the signature powerful shoulders, further enhancing the angular hips, and adding contrast with cropped jackets and skirts.

Olivier Rousteing’s passion for intricate embellishments is reflected in complex pearl patterns, paintings and portraits. Some impressive photorealistic creations require hundreds of thousands of beads and weeks of artisanal work. Balmain has also reimagined the trademark marinière and used tweed to create fresh ensembles.

An unexpected source of inspiration for the team was Olivier Rousteing’s personal wardrobe: the combination of skinny leather pants and a DB jacket thrown over a simple T-shirt or a tank top has been Olivier’s go-to look for closing catwalks and meeting the press for over a decade. And now It’s been adapted to form part of this season’s extensive daywear offerings.

With the collection replete with signature details, codes and icons of the House’s contemporary vision, it’s the perfect moment to introduce the new Anthem bag. Held together by the same wide belt that the designer often turns to for the finishing touch, the new collection of leather bags is inspired by the cinched-waist silhouette of Monsieur Balmain’s mid-century couture designs. The bag’s name, of course, underlines Balmain’s deep connection with musicians and their compositions.

Many accessories and clothing designs channel the angular lines and graphic components of another classic design, the historic Balmain perfume bottle, which was first introduced in 1946 for the Vent Vert fragrance, - the very same bottle is now adapted for the new line of Balmain Beauty scents, Les Éternels. There are several other designs that playfully reference the packaging, palette and powders of the house’s recently launched Balmain Beauty collection, including a final runway grouping, with a range of minimalist silk sheaths reflecting the multitude of tones within the Balmain Beauty palette. “And it’s those last looks that spotlight what is, without any doubt, my favourite modern Balmain icon: the inspiring diversity of beauty that is constantly celebrated inside our inclusive Balmain Army,” adds Olivier with his signature smile.

Courtesy: Balmain

Text: AN