Balmain goes to the Ballet

I was just as surprised as you were when Balmain announced that Olivier Rousteing would be creating a number of outfits for the Paris Opera Ballet. Balmain, all glitz, glamour and celebrity compared to the refined, traditional ballet couldn't be more dissimilar, yet Rousteing's collection for the Paris Opera is nothing short of spectacular. Jewelled matador jackets, nude leggings, encrusted leotards that cling to the body - all the pieces are beautiful and I can imagine, a little difficult to dance in. Nevertheless, the costumes are wonderful and forge a link between the worlds of ballet and fashion.

"I think what you feel in these clothes is that it’s really couture, which for me was important," Rousteing said in a statement. "When you have the chance to sketch for the Opéra de Paris, you know that there may be a young designer in 30 or 40 years who will be like, 'Oh, that was Balmain!’ It’s what I feel today when I see the Christian Lacroix costumes." In the past designers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian lacroix have all designed costumes for the Opera de Paris, with Chanel famously working with the Ballet Russe.

The below photos are taken during dance training at the ballet, with the dancers showcasing their new Balmain outfits. Really stunning photographs, with all credit going to Luc Braquet.

PFW HIGHLIGHTS: Chloe, Balmain, Loewe and Lanvin

BALMAIN

Kim Kardashian tried desperately to shift attention to herself, perched on the Balmain front row in a very revealing black lace dress. But Olivier Rousteing outshone Kim and sister Kourtney, also present on the f-row, with another stunning collection. From the burnt orange shades which opened the show, to the stripy metallics, cut out dresses and sweeping silhouettes of the long capes, this spring/summer 2017 show was very stylish, strong and drop dead gorgeous. And what a cast was assembled. Natasha Poly opened the show, followed by Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Constance Jablonski, Isabelli Fontana, Doutzen Kroes, Alessandra Ambrosio and Josephine Skriver. When you've got that many supermodels on the runway, its hard to look away.

CHLOE

This show didn't particularly inspire or excite me. Feminine, sweet and fresh, Clare Waight Keller delivered a very saccharine outlook for Chloe next season. From the ruffled mini dresses in layers of chiffon to the minimal navy and whites, paired together on dresses, trousers and tops, this collection was simple yet effective. I liked the use of stripes and the florals at the end of the show as well as the thick straps on dresses and tops. A different look for next season from the Bardot neckline which ruled this last summer.

ISABEL MARANT

Classic with a sporty twist is how I would describe Isabel Marant's lastest collection. Gigi Hadid opened the show in a belted dress which resembled a longer version of a hoody, while belts really did reign supreme here. I loved the utility look with the oversized denim and the Victorian ruffles - two things which shouldn't go together but did. I did spot some similarities to Celine's spring/summer 2016 collection, such as the use of zippers and balloon sleeves tops. But I'm sure this is more coincidence than direct copying.

LOEWE

JW Anderson continues to rule the roost at Loewe. I'm not really a fan of his own label what he does for Loewe is so cool, modern and unique. I loved the Victorian influences, the orange stripes on trousers and sleeves, the all black Matrix kind of looks and the oversized jewellery. Also, those bags were pretty amazing too as was the orange/brown colour pallet.

 
CARVEN

What drew me to Carven this Paris Fashion Week was the sporty influences that ran throughout the collection. I loved the mini skirts which looked more like kilts, paired with knitted jumpers reminiscent of the awful tops golfers wear - but in a good way. Black and navy stood out against oranges and reds while white was used a breath of fresh air.

LANVIN

I was a little apprehensive before the Lanvin show this week. First of all, Lanvin has been one of my favourite brands since I was about 14, mainly due to the designs of the now legendary Alber Elbaz. Every season I waited with baited breath for what beautiful creations he would send down the catwalk, and was rarely disappointed. Secondly, with Bouchra Jarrar now in creative control, I wanted her to do a good job for the sake of the fashion house. And I can happily report that she did.

Monochrome looks were effortless, sheer skirts and draped tops looked amazing together, ostrich feathers worn around necklines added a touch of glamour while the influence of the classic men's dinner suit was adapted in grace and ease. I loved the slickness of the whole show. The quality, as you would expect of Lanvin, was amazing and the style of clothes did very much remind me of all Elbaz did for the house. A wonderful show with so many lovely pieces to wear in the evening.

SAINT LAURENT

Anthony Vacarello and Hedi Slimane are very similar I've decided. This Saint Laurent show could have easily been designed by Slimane, now departed from the house, such were the rock star influences and LA grunge style. But Vacarello looked into the Yves Saint Laurent archives and pulled upon pieces from the 1980s synonymous with the fashion house. The big shoulder pads, a-symmetric dresses, skinny black suits and of course, the leather jacket thrown casually over the shoulders. It was sexy with lots of sheer lace details on dresses with lots of legs on display too, but also very glamorous. The black stilettos with the letters YSL embedded into the heel were particularly cool. I think Vacarello is a good fit for Saint Laurent. Let's hope he doesn't make the same mistakes Slimane made and mixes things up for next season.

Here Come the Girls: Givenchy vs Balmain

Forget about battle of the bands - it's all about battle of the brands. It may not be obvious, but underneath all the glitz, glamour and catwalk shenanigans, luxury fashion brands are on a constant quest to out do each
other at fashion weeks. If Dior decide to base their next show at the majestic Blenheim Palace, Gucci then jump onto the bandwagon and choose the epic Westminster Abbey as the location for their cruise show. If Karl Lagerfeld creates an eccentric set for Chanel one season, the next Louis Vuitton has gone that much bigger and better, with a front row to match. There is a constant struggle to secure a powerful front row too, or should I say f-row, such is the importance of sitting arrangements these days. If you have the likes of Rihanna, Rita Ora, Kylie Jenner, Kanye West and Lady Gaga in full view of the catwalk then massive kudos to you Alexander Wang. Or how about Burberry, where Kate Moss, Suki Waterhouse, Naomi Harris, Alexa Chung, Cara Delevingne and Sienna Miller all squeeze comfortably side by side onto the packed front row, all for the eager photographers keen to put their photos on Mail Online.

This past week has been Mens Spring 2017 fashion week in Paris, and just about everyone has popped up at one show or another. From Lanvin, Dior Homme and Kenzo to Hermes, Junya Watanabe and Dries Van Noten; the mens shows have attracted only the elite. Two of the biggest brands in the world, Olivier Rousteing's Balmain and Ricardo Tisci's Givenchy showed off their latest mens designs this week, drawing in a huge amount of interest. But it wasn't so much the clothes or the male models who stole the shows, but the handful of beautiful girls who stalked down the runway for their chosen 'team.' You see, the bigger names you have walking for you, the more cool (and powerful) you are. It's all a battle of power play, really.

Irina, Kendall and co at Givenchy ss2017

So lets meet the teams, starting with Givenchy. Ricardo Tisci famously has his set of famous girls whom he uses for everything, from the ad campaigns to the shows. They all have certain qualities about them, whether that be dark beauty, grungy looks, a strong stare or natural cool factor. Joan Smalls is the leader of the pack, with Tisci favouring the model above practically anyone else. She walked alongside Natalia Vodianova, Greta Varlese, Irina Shayk, Mariacarla Boscono and Yasmin Wijnaldum. Not to mention tw of the biggest faces in fashion, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. Dressed head to toe in Givenchy Couture with slicked back hair and ghostly make up, all of Tisci's girls looked sexy and strong with beautiful tailored jackets and jeweled column gowns. With simple black and white as colours of choice, the Givenchy girls did Tisci proud with their demure and elegant walks.

Next came the Balmain army; a term coined by Rousteing for his throng of the most beautiful models in the world. A Balmain show is always high in glamour, big with sparkle and strong with sex appeal, and Rousteing chose just the girls to walk alongside the men for his spring/summer 2017 show. Russian model Natasha Poly was first followed by an ethereal Doutzen Kroes in a khaki off the shoulder jumpsuit. Then it was pretty much a role call of who's who's. Sasha Luss, Cindy Bruna, Valery Kaufman, Katya Ledneva and Joséphine Le Tutour all took a turn down the catwalk, before Brazilian bombshell Alessandra Ambrosio sauntered along in a black sheer dress with a green bow at the waist. You have to have a certain look at Balmain, and you have to be stunningly beautiful too.

“The beauty of the girls has to be matched with the boys,” explained Jess Hallett, casting director of Balmain to Vogue.com. “There’s a very definite beauty with the girls. They’re all very different, and they’re from all over the world. It’s very democratic in that way. But there’s a beauty and a confidence and a sexiness about them." Let's just say, if you're lucky enough to be accepted into the Balmain army, you've done very well. Just make sure you have a fab body, luscious locks and a smouldering stare, not to mention a huge social media following too.

When it comes to the battle of Givenchy vs Balmain, its a pretty close call. Whose the overall winner? I'm going to take a democratic vote on this and call it evens, with both brands leading with amazing models. I have to say though, this season Joan Smalls has been the overall winning girl at Givenchy having worked with Tisci for so long. While at Balmain, Allesandra really did steal the show in that daring black number, closely followed by fellow veteran model Natasha who amazed in a sequined mini dress. So, who's your favoruite? Do let me know before next months epic Round 2 battle, featuring Chanel vs Dior. Believe me, you won't want to miss it!

TEAM BALMAIN

TEAM GIVENCHY

Paris Fashion Week Highlights

Balmain
Live streaming the Balmain fall 2016 show live, I knew we'd be in for a treat once the orchestra started playing. Haunting and beautiful, it was not long until Kendall Jenner opened the show with shocking blonde hair, followed by Gigi Hadid who had been dyed brunette for the occasion. In fact a lot of models in the show had their hair switched to opposite shades. Lily Donaldson looked different with brown hair, while natural brunettes Alesandra Ambrosio and Candice Swanepoel looked amazing with blonde locks. I hardly even recognised Rosie Huntington Whiteley!

The colours were pastel and pure. Baby blues and soft pinks were worn head to toe, featuring on highly embellished mini dresses, corset style tops with high necklines, knee high boots, suede high waist trousers and feathered skirts. Goodness knows how much these decadent pieces cost, but they were all very Balmain. Towards the end of the show, monochrome and touch of khaki were introduced on ruffled sheer skirts, velvet trousers and blanket coats, which were all designed with Kim Kardashian in mind, no doubt. I loved every second of this show, and herald Olivier Rousteing for once again delivering a Balmain Army of amazing pieces. My favourite look? It had to be that amazing blue jacket with fur along the arms and draped material around the neck. Simply divine.

Chloe
What a beautiful show Chloe presented us with this morning at the Grand Palais. From the beige poncho which opened to the show, the colourful fringed coat paired with a classic black dress, this was Chloe through and through. I loved the use of the tan aviator jacket worn with brown leather trousers and smart neckerchiefs, as well as the long, loose skirts worn with tight roll necks. There was a 70s theme, as always with Chloe, but this season it was more subtle, focusing more on long silhouettes and a relaxed vibe. Girls walked with loose, slightly curly hair adding to the Parisian chic feel, yet all the poncho shapes nodded more towards Navajo territory rather than the city streets of Paris.

Paco Rabane,
I don't usually pay much attention to Paco Rabane, even though its such a well known brand. But there was something about the fall 2016 collection which really appealed. Maybe it was the grunge aesthetic, or the combat trousers and sandals, but whatever it was it looked seriously cool. With hair pulled tightly back and clipped behind the head, models strode onto the catwalk in black boots and chunky sandals, wearing combat style gilet vests and plain tank tops with tailored trousers. There were swirls of colour on silk pyjama-style pieces, but black really was the basis of this collection, and you don't get much cooler than black.

 H&M
It seems that its not only Versace and Balmain who can draw in a role call of the worlds biggest supermodels, as retail giants H&M clearly showed today. From Natasha Poly opening the show, to Amber Valletta, Jourdan Dunn, Jamie Bell, Anja Rubik, Kate Mara and Freja Behe Erichson who closed the show, this was a seriously good lineup. H&M even had 65 year old Pat Cleveland walk in the show, one of the first black supermodels. As for the collection itself, there were lots of delicate slip pieces, Pharrell style hats, long harem pants, 70s bandannas and velvet jackets. It was very bohemian, with loose shirts tucked into trousers and very long hair extensions adding to the hippie feel. It was a surprise to see Valletta striding down the runway in a striped dress and navy boots, even if she did look a little like a pirate! But overall, it was stylish and quite glamorous for H&M.

Vionnet
Vionnet is one of the oldest and most respected fashion brands. Established by Madeline Vionnet at the turn of the 20th century, this house is known for its beautiful sweeping dresses and delicate attention to detail. It has been tossed to the side by a number of years, passing from one creative director to the next, but it looks like they are finally making a well deserved come back. Goga Ashkenazi is the person to thank for this collection, which was fluid and elegant. Long, lean lines in red and khaki were given a tough twist with black leather straps on the arms and waist, while the a-symmetric designs so loved by Madeline made an appearance. Knits were paired with billowing trousers, jumpsuits looked majestic and the overall feel was extremely grand.
 
Dries Van Noten
This has to be one of my favourite collections ever by Dries van Noten! Leopard print - check. Fur stoles - check. Tailored blazers - check. Lovely colours- check. This show really had it all, with the strong leopard motif running casually through the collection. I loved all the sporty stripes on trousers, and on ties, which looked very much like a private school uniform. Mustard yellow was paired with navy, red satin trousers looked surprisingly good with a green fur stole while the use of white and black were added to tone down all the patterns and bold colours. Slick hair and dark make up looked just as appealing and added to the sophisticated style of the show.

Maison Martin Margiela
For those of you who read this blog regularly, you'll know that I am an avid supporter of John Galliano. I cannot begin to tell you how glad I am that he is back designing again after a few turbulent years and his shows for Margiela keep on getting better and better. Galliano chose to stay with the military theme which has featured throughout all fall 2016 fashion weeks so far, with models wearing large black belts around their waist cinching in khaki buttoned jackets and shearling coats. Tights were worn under metallic dresses, ruched black boots were shiny against models bare legs while the feminine shapes help to give the clothes more substance. A really great show, from a great man.

Paris Fashion Week: Best in Show

Balmain
Oh how I love Olivier Rousteing! Today's eagerly anticipated Balmain show was nothing short of fabulous, powerful, sexy, strong and majestic all rolled into one. Starting with bright orange suede looks, paired with deeper beige, the classic boxy jacket and skinny trouser combo were immediately introduced, as well as fierce shoulder pads and cinched in waists. Dresses were as clingy and form fitting as ever, with emphasis on leotards worn underneath sheer midi skirts - the kind you can imagine Kim Kardashian spilling out of in a couple of months time. I also loved the sporty punches of colour and geometric pattern.

It was indeed the return of the 'Balmain Army' or in basic talk, the most beautiful, in demand models in the world. Doutzen Kroes, Alessandra Ambrosio, Isabeli Fontana, Costance Jablonski, Binx Wilson, Magdalena Frackowiak, Lindsay Wixon, Joan Smalls, Ginta Lapina, Kendall, Gigi, Bella.... the list literally goes on. But lets just say its quite an impressive ensemble which reflects the current prestige of Balmain in the show-off world of fashion. I loved all the power dressing and ruffled skirts, as well as the amazing mesh dresses and lace up booties. The whole feel of the collection was as slick as the models perfectly gelled back hair which hung in a high ponytail, with plenty of glamour and spice thrown into such a collection which we all know will sell out almost immediately when it hits stores. Another fantastic, energy charged, exhilarating show from Mr Rousteing who is literally turning the fashion world on its head.

  
Lanvin
I have to admit, this was not one of my favourite Lanvin collections, but it still was beautiful. Alber Elbaz, one of the most talented designers in the world, went for lovely prom dresses, jewel colours and chic monochrome looks this season, with plenty of accessories and amazing shoes. All the models rocked cropped hairstyles, while the shirt and trouser combo worked really well for such an elegant, luxury brand. It was a more gritty than previous Lanvin shows, but still had that sparkle. 

Chloe
I always looks forward to the Chloe shows at Paris Fashion Week. They are always light, pretty and wearable with key looks which later turn into much loved go-to editorial pieces. This season, Chloe went a little sporty but still stayed true to the delicate, carefree spirit it is known for. Tracksuits, hoodies,  vests and colours such as red and blue were a kind of grown up sporty chic, which gave way to mini dresses and paisley patterned jackets and trousers. I loved the white and pastel, lace dresses at the end of the collection, which were beautiful and a little 70's with all the silk ruffles.

Dries Van Noten
It was all 1950's glamour but with a 21st century twist at Dries Van Noten. Of course, there were plenty of prints, clashing colours, bold patterns and an added, imperial shine, but above all that, this was actually a very wearable and exciting collection. There was an eastern traveler vibe through all of the silk trousers with kimono style belts and metallic fabrics, as well as a sense of fun with black and white patterned tights, paired with high wedge sandals. If you are indeed planning on traveling the world, be sure to pack Noten somewhere in your suitcase as he understands this look so well.

Maison Martin Margiela
If you are a reader of this blog, you will know that I am one of John Galliano's most biggest fans! I'm not going to delve into the past and get all gushy about his return to fashion, but thank goodness he did. Margiela is a fashion house known for anonymity, new concepts and minimal tailoring, three things which Galliano did perfectly. It was seeped in historical references and beautiful geisha like kimono dresses, while the models wore beehives in their hair, adding a touch of 60s nostalgia. A wonderful collection from an amazing designer.

Anthony Vaccarello
Fresh from his amazing collection for Versus Versace at LFW, Vaccarello kicked things off across the water at Paris Fashion Week with a great collection, packed full of all his sexy classics. Mini dresses, daring flashes of leg, cut-out dresses, super skinny jeans... it was all in there. Models were cool and understated in khaki coloured jackets and short/skirts while I loved the tough love feel to the show. Who doesn't need a bit of Vaccarello magic in their lives?