I thought I would wrap up Paris Fall Fashion week with one of the most talked-about shows of the season, Balenciaga.
Nicolas Ghesquière of Balenciaga demonstrated that drawing from a label’s richly-established design tradition provides the necessary structure through which a designer can incorporate contemporary trends without having them overshadow the label’s signature style. Ghesquière used the pervasive trends of the season, such as British influence, naval/military inspiration and a muted color palette, and injected them into the Balenciaga institution, rather than trying to add Balenciaga to them.
Brit chic was prominent in the collection, dictating the fabrics and expanding them into Balenciaga’s voluminous style. The riding caps not only helped define the Brit look, but also elongated the already tall models to visually offset the horizontal volume of the outfits. Modern touches such as ballooned sleeves and oversized lapels further enhanced Balenciaga tradition.
The collection represented the fusion of the unique personal vision of a designer with the larger cultural context of the fashion world.
-Ali
One Comment
I read a lot of great reviews, but it just doesnt seem very wearable? perhaps the stores will have something else?