“This collection is about happiness. I want to talk about joy and happiness, and that’s a bad thing in fashion where happiness is not the right word. Then you’re ‘superficial’. But what’s wrong with being happy and spreading joy and colour and print?” Oliver Rousteing asks British Vogue prior to his SS24 collection at Paris Fashion Week.
During a time where ‘quiet luxury’ has been dominating the runways over the course of this fashion month. Rousteing’s show was a reminder that, as he said; “there’s only one thing you shouldn’t lose no matter what the trends are, and that’s who you are.” The show serves as a reminder of this to anyone watching while paying homage to Balmain’s brand DNA through Rousteing’s design style. The show demonstrated Rousteing’s outstanding embroidery and tailoring skills intertwined with archival Balmain floral patterns.
Opening the show with a collection of impeccably tailored jackets that were free from high levels of decoration showcased Balmain and Rousteing’s expert cutting and tailoring techniques. Rousteing explained that people may know him for his embroidery techniques; but that if he were to be remembered for anything he would want it to be his tailoring. This opening set the intention for the entire show where we would see these tailoring techniques through every garment that went down the runway.
Following the opening sequence of Black and white garments, the show exploded into a world of colour and freedom. It transitioned with a yellow suit jacket, then into a custom made bustier with glass stems branching out from the model finished with glass rosebuds. From there we were transported into a different world full of colour, joy and avant-garde expression, a far cry from anything quiet luxury.
The archival flower motif was carried throughout the collection with models carrying various flower-filled-bouquet bags and walking on flower bouquet heels.
Corseting played a large role in many of the looks for this collection. It can be seen across various pieces such as jackets, skirts and tops. This was another way in which the collection showed how impeccable and diverse the Balmain atelier’s attention to detail is with regard to garment construction.
It's hard to believe that just 4 days prior to the show, a truck transporting some of the garments from Charles de Gaulle airport to the atelier was hijacked. The atelier managed to recreate around 70% of the stolen garments for the show on September 27th.
Following the show, some of the models and Rousteing walked outside to dance and dress the sizable crowd that had gathered outside of the venue. Another example of the joy Rousteing is trying to emit through Balmain.
All images from showstudio.com
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