Olivier Rousteing presented his Spring 2017 collection for Balmain on Thursday at Paris Fashion Week. Like any Balmain show, the affair had no shortage of A-list celebrities (hi, Kim!), supermodels (hi, Alessandra and Doutzen!), and no shortage of slinky dresses for Balmain Army members to swoon over either. While you wait for Nicole Phelps s review of the collection, get a play-by-play of Balmain s Spring 2017 fashion show here.
- It s a jungle out there—literally. Rousteing and co. turned Paris s Hôtel Potocki into a verdant space with foliage hanging over the runway. As has been the case for several seasons now, a small orchestra was assembled in a corner of the room to soundtrack the show.
- Would it even be a Balmain show without Kim Kardashian West? Not only did Rousteing s perma-muse sit front row with her sister Kourtney and mother, Kris, but her likeness was also printed on the show s invites.
- Natasha Poly opened the show in a copper number signaling a new direction for Rousteing. Instead of a dress or micro-mini, Poly wore leggings under sport-like shorts and an asymmetrical bra top. In the show notes, Rousteing said he "stripped back all nonessential armor" this season—consider this the result.
- The full spectrum of Balmain muses appeared on the runway today, including Gigi Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, Sasha Luss, Isabeli Fontana, Josephine Skriver, Doutzen Kroes, Josephine Le Tutour, Nadja Bender, Jourdan Dunn, and Stella Maxwell.
- The trend toward underboob-revealing tops continued at Balmain. The most revealing might be the cut-out number in cobalt snake that made up part of Look 24.
- Snake print also made up a large portion of the show, arriving in jewel tones and as dresses, coats, and flared trousers.
- Rousteing continued to develop the rainbow crocheted pieces he first introduced during the men s Spring 2017 show on the runway today, making column gowns in shades of pink, and robe jackets in a full rainbow of colors.
Balmain | Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear: