The Unbelievable Scenes At Olivier Rousteing's 10th Anniversary Balmain Show
Just when you thought nothing could rival that Fendace show, Balmain pulled it out of the (designer) bag.
The luxury brand made sure Olivier Rousteing’s 10th anniversary show was a night to remember at Paris Fashion Week, with a posse of supermodels taking to the multi-coloured runway.
Things kicked off with a music festival, with special performances from Doja Cat and Franz Ferdinand - setting a new barometer for show openings.
Then, Imaan Hammam, Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Natalia Vodianova, Adut Akech, Lara Stone and Edie Campbell were just some of the A-List faces who modelled Rousteing’s signature designs, donning cut-out dresses, heavily embellished jackets and bead-encrusted shorts.
There was also an audio tribute to Rousteing by none other than Beyoncé, a close friend and longtime fan of the brand, who praised the designer and called Balmain an ‘amazing tool for beauty and change’ under his direction.
It made for a fitting accompaniment to a collection rooted in Noughties pop culture: Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, TLC, and Janet Jackson, who made a few appearances on the soundtrack.
The show closed with Naomi walking hand-in-hand down the runway with Rousteing, flanked by the other models.
The front row was no less starry than the catwalk, with Alessandra Ambrosio, Elena Perminova and Brazilian footballer Neymar leading the arrivals of a hundreds-strong crowd.
‘It’s a collection that talks about the freedom to be yourself, about having the confidence to move forward into a new world, both with the clothes and for myself. It’s been 10 years so I wouldn’t say I’m opening a new chapter. I’m opening a new book,’ Rousteing said.
The Balmain Festival raised funds for his long-time charity partner (RED) in the fight against AIDS and Covid-19, and to aid women in third-world countries. ‘It’s something that means a lot to me. I’m adopted,’ he said. ‘Without help like that, my mother probably wouldn’t have been able to go from Africa to here.’
A jaw-dropping collection, a history-making night and a charity effort? It’s fair to say that for his 10th anniversary, Rousteing has scored a 10/10.
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