Olivier Rousteing Softens, Streamlines Balmain for Pre-Fall 2025
While continuing to dazzle VICs with gilded and sculptural designers, Olivier Rousteing is beckoning a wider customer base for Balmain by plying softer, simpler options, too.
His pre-fall collection was brimming with gold buttons: an agglomeration of hundreds on a minidress that would look sensational on South African singer Tyla, or just a handful lined up neatly on terrific cotton poplin shirts, and on cropped tweed jackets so light they have a bit of swing.
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Rousteing plied a mostly neutral palette, offering such wardrobe builders as perfectly tapered black trousers; a blanket-like, bat-wing camel opera coat; a meaty black leather parka with four military pockets, and those strong-shouldered blazers that have become a house signifier, here done up in black lace for a frothier effect.
“Back to the roots, bringing a new softness to the brand…and with more of a clean silhouette,” Rousteing said, explaining he focused on the brand’s core categories of tailoring, knitwear and tweeds. “We are really opening to another world.”
The designer led a visitor through its busy showroom as models whisked by in an array of eye-catching looks, from a tuxedo jacket that jutted out with a tutu-like peplum, miniskirts with sculptural, built-out hips and mannish trenchcoats softened with flocking in animal-esque patterns.
There was an undercurrent of Versailles grandeur, felt in the gold earrings shaped like madeleines, the ruffled jabots and cuffs, and a strapless gown outlined with bold braid, its skirt dripping with chandelier prisms.
Bullion embroideries, silk tassels and padlock hardware added richness to the menswear, hinged on cropped and slim tailoring, or generously oversize great coats.
Among novelties were biker boots and soccer sneakers with the back hacked off to make them fur-lined slides. “I’m obsessed with them,” Rousteing said, cleverly anointing the soccer-inspired style “halftime.”
Launch Gallery: Balmain Pre-Fall 2025 Collection
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