Balmain puts on a gourmet, bucolic picnic

An escapade in the heart of nature. At the heart of Paris Fashion Week, Balmain unveiled its ready-to-wear Autumn-Winter 2024 collection at the Pavillon Cambon in Paris’ 1st arrondissement on February 28. The show was delightfully bucolic, like an invitation to go and recharge your batteries in the countryside.

Once again, designer Olivier Rousteing – a virtuoso of the French fashion scene who has been at the helm of the label since 2009 – returned to the silhouettes sketched by the great post-war couturier Pierre Balmain. Last autumn, despite the spectacular theft of around fifty looks a few days before the show (the trial of the alleged robbers of the stolen collection takes place this Thursday), the house unveiled a floral collection with a resolutely retro feel, featuring beautiful red and cream roses. 

In the same spirit, for the autumn-winter 2024 season, the French designer continued his exploration of the house’s flagship looks from the 1950s and Monsieur Balmain’s passion for gardens and verdant landscapes.

A profusion of grapes

In homage to his native Bordeaux, Olivier Rousteing cultivated his green thumb with a collection punctuated by generous bunches of grapes. This cherished and essential fruit of the French wine region was featured in all-over prints covering jumpsuits and sheath dresses, in sparkling embroidery and even in 3D with a gold clutch and parme earrings.

The silhouettes, which incorporate the signature elements of Pierre Balmain’s ‘New French Style’ (such as the daring interplay of volumes between a very cinched waist, XXL shoulders and conical, fifties-style pointed bras) are inspired by the architecture and “classic” yet “elegant” charm of this coastal metropolis, in the words of the designer.

See catwalk

A must-have for rainy afternoons, the trench coat was ‘the’ signature piece in the 39-year-old designer’s Bordeaux wardrobe, thanks to the somewhat capricious weather. This garment of military origin was given pleated details, and metamorphosed into a kimono-like dress with epaulettes and hooded cropped jackets in a palette of earthy tones. Literally blending into the green meadow: an oversized coat in moss-coloured faux fur.

Another symbol of the city in Gironde: snails. A classic of the region’s gastronomy, these small terrestrial gastropods appeared – as if after rain – in many of the designs in this women’s collection: their hypnotic, spiralling, self-winding shell featured on a sumptuous gilded metal breastplate, as well as on buttons, jewellery and massive belts. 

The traditional black and white Vichy tablecloth redesigned 

The Vichy patterned tablecloth, an essential element of a picnic on the grass, was offered in a contemporary version with a tutti frutti dress – very gourmet – cut from a black and white sequined jacquard fabric. Perfect for planning the ultimate Balmain picnic. 

Most of the outfits were accessorised with the house’s latest leather goods creation, the ‘Jolie Madame’ handbag, a highly sculptural leather accessory with an isosceles triangle design – yet another nod to the founder’s stylistic heritage. Bags imitating traditional wicker baskets and poppy-coloured shopping nets were also used as tote bags.

See catwalk

In all, almost sixty silhouettes took to the runway under the glass roof of the Pavillon Cambon, in front of an audience of guests, editors and celebrities including French-Malian singer-songwriter Aya Nakamura, Californian singer Cher, Turkish actress and it-girl Hande Ercel and American Vogue icon Anna Wintour. 

“After several collections inspired by the beauty of my current place of residence, Paris, and a series of presentations channelling the spirit, craftsmanship and extraordinary motifs of the Africa of my biological parents, I am now returning to Bordeaux, the city that made me,” designer Olivier Rousteing points out in a label press release. 

A little over a month ago, at Paris Fashion Week in January, which was devoted to menswear, the Parisian label presented a menswear collection designed as a vibrant tribute to the African kings of sartorial design, with supermodel Naomi Campbell as a surprise guest.