Kim’s Balenciaga Ads, Balmain and Poke?mon, Zion Moreno Wears Philosophy
KIM ON ICE: Kim Kardashian, who wore a packing-tape catsuit to Balenciaga’s fall 2022 fashion show in Paris, slipped into the finale look for the brand’s advertising campaign.
She gives a backward glance in the clingy blue fishtail gown with built-in gloves as lightning forks flash above a bleak, icy landscape.
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Berlin-based photographer Daniel Roche? depicts Kardashian and the other campaign faces — Alexa Demie, Big Matthew, Khadim Sock and Kim Yeon-koung — against a variety of backdrops, from balmy beaches to snowy forests.
Balenciaga built a giant snow globe for its fall runway show, the models leaning into the wind as they circled the stormy set. Creative director Demna had imagined an overheated world where winter would have to be simulated.
In addition to the still images are videos by Barcelona-based director Mau Morgó. These depict environments that quickly change seasons thanks to time-lapse photography.
Kardashian frequently wears Balenciaga. She accompanied Demna to the Met Ball in 2021, and walked the runway during the house’s couture show last July. — MILES SOCHA
PLAY TIME: Poke?mon can now be found on French luxury goods — winking on wallets, waving from jacket pockets and collapsed on T-shirts, the character’s lightning-bolt tail jutting skyward.
Balmain has partnered with the Japanese creator of the kooky creatures on a Trainer Fashion Set that will live in both physical and digital worlds. It includes hoodies, jeans, sneakers and backpacks, too.
“Poke?mon’s bright pop aesthetic and captivating creatures have always appealed to me,” Rousteing said. “Today, they make me think of an earlier, simpler time, when we all shared a rosy vision of all the positive changes that we were certain that digital innovations would make possible.”
Rousteing reprised some silhouettes first seen on the Balmain runway, spiking them with bright colors, cartoon characters and the house’s signature Labyrinth motif.
The limited-edition collection debuts on Thursday at Harrods in London and the following day at Balmain boutiques in Paris, New York, Las Vegas, Shanghai and Chengdu, plus balmain.com. Prices range from 395 euros to 1,390 euros.
Fans of Poke?mon Unite, the team battle game, will no doubt be tickled to download a virtual version of the fashion set for one week’s use free when they log onto the game between Friday and Sept. 30.
In addition, from Saturday, Balmain is offering 15 distinct NFC-enabled badges that will be available for purchase at nine physical Balmain stores in the U.S., Europe and Asia. These badges, created in partnership with tech firm SharpEnd, offer access to digital content and the chance to win prizes, including VIP tickets to the Balmain fashion show and music festival during Paris Fashion Week.
Kenji Okubo, president of The Poke?mon Company international, lauded Balmain’s “inspired designs and elevated creativity” and argued that “the key to our success has been our ability to drive innovation.”
Launched in 1996, the Poke?mon franchise has spawned video games, an anime television series, books, comics, trading cards and assorted merchandise.
Balmain has also done collaborations with Barbie, Puma, H&M and Beats by Dre. — M.S.
TALKING ABOUT BALMAIN…: Get ready for a Balmain takeover.
The French luxury house is taking over the store at The Surf Lodge in Montauk through Monday. The shop will feature an assortment of women’s, men’s and accessories products from the pre-fall 2022 collection with blue monograms, pinks, white, reds and graffiti. The B-It slides will also be highlighted.
This will be Balmain’s first store takeover in the Hamptons and the first retail venue for the brand in the area. — LISA LOCKWOOD
BOWING IN VENICE: American actress Zion Moreno is making her debut at the international Venice Film Festival, which runs until Sept. 10.
To walk the red carpet on the opening night, Moreno turned to Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini.
The Italian designer created a custom-made plissé gown crafted from mint green silk Lurex with a liquid effect, cut shorter on the front, and with a V-shape detail on the back highlighted by a delicate bow.
“I’m very happy with this dress, which has quite a tricky construction, even if it is infused with a modern effortless vibe,” said Serafini. “I think it embodies very well the spirit of the Philosophy brand: feminine and delicate, but at the same time fearless and confident. In addition, I liked to play with a shimmering fabric, echoing the beautiful light effects of the Venetian lagoon.”
Born in 1995 in El Paso, Texas, from Mexican parents, Moreno grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A trans woman, she began her transition while she was still at school, moving to New York at 19 to pursue a modeling career.
Moreno has been playing the role of Luna La in the HBO Max reboot series of “Gossip Girl,” now in its second season. Prior to that she played Isabela de la Fuente in the Mexican Netflix teen drama “Control Z.”
“It was really great working with Zion on the creation of this special dress for her debut at the Venice Film Festival,” explained Serafini. “I got to know her through her character in ‘Gossip Girl’ and when I learnt more about her and her personal path, I thought she is definitely the type of woman that I want to dress today: aware of her strength, proud of what she is and what she has achieved, armed with a very peculiar personal style, sweet but audacious.”
“Being in Venice at the Film Festival is just a dream,” said Moreno. “I’m so happy to mark this special moment with Philosophy that gave me the chance to participate to one of the most important events in the film industry. I love the dress that Lorenzo designed for me: it makes me feel special and sensual, but comfortable at the same time. The color and light effects are beautiful, I felt like a real star on the carpet.” — LUISA ZARGANI
ORANGE YOU GLAD: Le Bon Marché is celebrating its 170th anniversary with a burst of color, unleashing its signature orange color throughout the store in playful pop-ups filled with exclusive limited-edition products.
Visitors entering the Paris department store are greeted by an orange Mini Moke electric car with black seats, although with a price tag of 29,900 euros, it can be customized in any color. Further along is a ping pong table by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek that will set you back just over 15,000 euros, though customers have been enjoying the odd game on it for free.
Indeed, it seems the bright Pop Art-style sets, designed by street artists Toqué Frères, lifted spirits the moment the temporary space opened to the public on Saturday.
“There was a great mood in the store. Customers were smiling and I think that everyone suddenly wanted to be around the color orange. That vitamin D connotation really gives everyone a lift,” Jennifer Cuvillier, style director at Le Bon Marché, said on a guided tour of the exhibition, which runs until Oct. 16.
The retailer, owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has extended the spirit of celebration throughout the store, with a banquet table featuring colorful tableware designs by brands including Caroline de Benoist, Popolo, Willemien Bardawil and Fragonard.
“The scene here after the opening on Saturday was nuts,” said Cuvillier. “We even heard a man telling his wife, ‘Honey, we’re going to have to move apartments because we need a bigger table.’”
Brands including Acne Studios, Roger Vivier, Cartier, Chloé and Moynat have designed orange ready-to-wear, bags and shoes especially for the event.
Animations include a La Fabrique a Popcorn stand and a coffee bar run by Le Café Nuances; a second-floor games space featuring a maze and a tombola; a Kure Bazaar nail art bar, a Kevin Murphy hairstyling station, and a makeup bar featuring a rotation of brands including La Bouche Rouge, By Terry and Bobbi Brown.
But the highlight no doubt will be the weekly immersive theater performance staged across the store on Friday and Saturday nights from Sept. 2 through Dec. 30. Some 30 actors will recreate the story of founders Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut, which famously helped to inspire French author émile Zola’s 19th-century novel “Au Bonheur des Dames.”
Tickets for the two-hour performance can be booked on lebonmarche.com and partner ticketing platforms. — JOELLE DIDERICH
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: Future Academy, the talent incubation program founded by The Face magazine with Moncler last year, will increase to four from two the number of paid office-based working opportunities at both organizations.
During their time working at either The Face or Moncler, the recipients will embark on a program of bespoke modules, hosted by industry leaders and designed to give them a crash course into the world of media and design. They will work toward the end goal of a published project for The Face.
The program will also come with a virtual mentorship for 50 young European talents from underrepresented backgrounds provided by The Face and its network of creatives.
The scheme is backed by the employability program Create Jobs and the nonprofit organization A New Direction, which both aim to champion individuals who are underrepresented in creative industries, including people from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups, people who are deaf and disabled, people from the LGBTQ community, neurodiverse people and people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
Brooke McCord, digital director at The Face, called the Future Academy “a much-needed crash course into an industry that often feels near impossible to access by so many individuals who haven’t had the privilege to grow up in this world.
“Following the success of its first year in 2021, we now have a brilliant pool of young creatives around us who we are actively working with,” she added. — TIANWEI ZHANG
LOVE IN THE AIR: Coach is getting all lovey-dovey for its fall advertising campaign.
The company tapped photographer Juergen Teller and artistic duo Mint + Serf to create images showing “spontaneous moments of affection between friends and lovers,” Coach said, in a move to encourage viewers to embrace their loved ones.
The campaign, which was envisioned by Coach creative director Stuart Vevers, features the brand’s fall 2022 apparel and accessories collection including shearling and leather outerwear, dainty lace and crocheted dresses, pops of neon, and leather ready-to-wear inspired by leather bars of the ’70s. The campaign also serves to spotlight the company’s Rogue and Bandit bags.
The fall collection also introduces pieces created in collaboration with Mint + Serf printed with the duo’s artwork that is inspired by the energy and attitude of New York. Mint + Serf also collaborated with the company to create original artwork for the campaign.
The cast of faces featured in the images were selected through street casting and through an open call on Coach’s social channels and includes Ashton Dey, Alexis Rivera, Charlie McCoy, Betsy Gaghan, Alaska Riley, Cassie Wong, Antonio Stephon, Rahm Bowen, Leah Ying Lin, Hong Lin, Josi Diaz and Alex Garcia. — JEAN E. PALMIERI
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