Balmain: Daria Werbowy

Following last season’s direction, the Balmain campaign follows the basic route but with Daria. If it isn’t Kate or Anja, it must be Daria. The three are the epitome. Kate wears Balmain flawlessly, and Anja and Daria are the living breath of what the Balmain girl is.

You know, forget that Decarnin’s designs are evolving at the rate of a snail, but I really love Balmain past its Pirate-chic. What I really love is that Balmain is the problem with the fashion industry. While the leather jackets and pants are constructed so precisely and exquisitely, the Paris house has the luxury of charging its customer $1500 and higher on cotton T-Shirts, albeit those with holes. The high-shouldered, gold and sequined gowns are also loaned out to so many  magazine covers and editorials, it became a farce. You better believe sales are favorable, even if Pierre Balmain himself is rolling violently in his grave. It’s truly magnificent, but nothing new and enlightening to anyone. Put all of that aside and I really can’t wait to see what Christophe has in store for us in a month.

Balmain S/S 2011 : Daria Werbowy by Inez and Vinoodh

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From Menswear to Couture

Our favorite times of the year always include the runways. Menswear just completed and some of our favorites include the pops of color at Bottega Veneta, the layers at Balmain, perfect coats and skinny trousers at Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana’s sequined jackets, the brilliance of Dries Van Noten, the Amish and David Lynch inspirations at Louis Vuitton, and I’m always a sucker for Lanvin and YSL.

The Thierry Mugler show, renamed Mugler, had a lot of hype with Nicola Formichetti , but as someone else had pointed out, it took three people to create that. A lot of the hype surrounding the show was from the soundtrack, a new release and remixed song from Lady Gaga. After all of the hype, I and many, were thoroughly disappointed by what was brought to the table. The masculine take on pearls were the highlight to me, but the rest could be thrown in the garbage to be honest. It was more spectacle and show and in the end bland. Not that I was expecting anything different.

Now to the glorious haute couture. Monday started off terribly boring and as the week progressed everything got more exciting. Galliano’s drama for Dior was ever present. Although it seems he’s been designing the same thing for quite a while now, his detailing is beautiful and the silhouettes are referential to the New Look and innovative within themselves. Chanel was a crystal dream, but do I really need to speak upon Lagerfeld’s behalf? Armani Privé was more futuristic than Mr. Armani has ever been, but no matter how far he goes in the future, it still seems slightly tired. Maybe it’s safe to say Anne Hathaway won’t be wearing Armani Privé at the Oscars. She’s co-hosting, so I’m sure she’ll have numerous changes, but it’s probably a safe bet that it won’t be in one of these.

Moving on. Valentino continued to grow with slightly less ruffles and lighter designs while Elie Saab rolled out another show of beautiful, yet yawn-inducing gowns, all with red carpet potential. Academy Awards viewers, if you pay attention to the red carpet, please place money somewhere that an Elie Saab gown will make it on the red carpet more than once. At least they’re pretty and not Oscar de la Renta. Finally, my beloved Givenchy. I don’t  care what anyone ever says about Givenchy, but the detailing is so intricate and exquisite, there’s more to appreciate than really meets the eye. One of the dresses with the red, hand-cut sequins took roughly 6,000 hours to create. The Japanese-influenced collection makes my mouth salivate and is such a fluid evolution from last couture season. Swoon.

[Photos: Style.com]

Purple Magazine: 7 Favorite Pieces

What will we ever do with you, Wixson? Every time I see an image of you, I’m either terrified or intrigued. You have the lips of a blow-up doll that is more than ready to do her damage, teeth that give Georgia May and Bugs Bunny a run for their money, but you have such interestingly beautiful eyes and pretty hair. Let me call this confused. I’ll admit you have been looking less like a starving prostitute on recent runways, in fact, kind of good, but how is it you can look perfect in a minidress by Miu Miu or Balmain? There are many mysteries: Does life exist on another galaxy? Why doesn’t Britney get a proper weave? Now, I think your purpose has been added to that great, obviously important list, my dear.

Title: Seven favorite pieces of the season
Magazine: Purple Fall/Winter 2010
Model: Lindsey Wixson
Photographer: Olivier Zahm
Stylist: Yasmine Eslami

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Balmain Fall 2010: Kate Moss

Sweet titties, we have campaign landing. Kate Moss for Balmain, shot by Inez & Vinoodh, and it makes so much sense. Kate is often spotted wearing Balmain leather pants among others, maybe it’s time to move on from being focused on Anja Rubik. Maybe?  I need HQ photos now of my goddess and I’m sure they’ll come in within the coming weeks.

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Modern Love

I almost deleted this editorial from my computer when I realized I never even posted the set. Talk about close call and one added attempt to battle premature Alzheimer’s and dementia, but such is life.

Freja and Dan look pretty fabulous in their fictional rocker romance, but the real focus, or at least to my eyes, are those absolutely ravishing, gold sequined Balmain pants that Dan is wearing. I remember Natasha Poly wore those stunners down the runway in March and now really need a pair. Where will I wear them you ask? Simply to wash the dishes, do my grocery shopping, or possibly while watching some delicious crazy “satchels of gold” on Bravo. One really doesn’t know the outcome of sequined pants, but the outcome obviously doesn’t come short of fucking fantastical.

Interview August 2010
‘MODERN LOVE’
Ph: Craig McDean
Styling: Karl Templer
Models: Freja Beha Erichsen, Dan Kling
Scanned by behansu

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Rihanna + Balmain = Elle Cover

While her hair is looking more like Two-Face and less peacock lately, I’m actually liking this cover. She’s wearing a fall 2010 Balmain minidress and I loved it the first time I saw it on Sasha Pivovarova back a few months ago. All of that sequins and shine. What I don’t like is the way her body is contorted. It feels she is posed that way to look thinner and less curvy. While the rest of the editorial consists of animal print, I still like it.

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Gisele Bundchen – Vogue Korea

See American Vogue, this is how you do an editorial. The cover may have been the wrong choice, but this what I want to see. I’m loving the military trend, I’m dying for the sunglasses, and only Gisele and maybe Wilhelmina Slater could make a jumpsuit happen. With the high prices of Balmain, girlfriend certainly makes the price look very appetizing. It’s nice to see her back to work after the child, but for a model that’s at the top of her game, who would have thought otherwise? To see the rest of the editorial, CLICK HERE for the sexy pics.

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Balmain ♥

How I’ll always cherish Balmain. The label is so sexy and highly detailed. What woman doesn’t want to look this sexy on a night out on the town? You tell me, because dammit, if I were a woman and could afford Balmain’s pricey tags, it would be my first choice. Cleavage + Legs = Balmain, the equation that only Balmain can do best, my friends.

This season, Christophe Decarnin, kept the exaggerated shoulders in play, a trend that is actually out the door, but it’s fine with me. The shoulder is still hot here. From my favorite century in fashion, the seventeenth century to the nineties, there is a mixed historical influence from brocade, gold lamé, laced boots, pantsuits, and paillettes, Decarnin covered it all, and oh so well.

I’ve fallen for the elaborate purple and gold dress that Sasha fiercely came down the runway in. It’s a dress one could only dream of. Purple fur that opened the show, swoon. The rest of the fur, to die for. Oh, Balmain, must you tease me with such striking wonders? The military inspired jackets are kept in trend and yet I still haven’t gotten my hands on one to this day. Something similar will due. I believe that is my goal for when I shop in Chicago for spring break. Must find the perfect military jacket.

Onto the models. Love. From Anja Rubik, Sasha Pivovarova, Magdalena Frackowiak, and Maryna Linchuk, the casting was on point. I would have loved to see Jessica Stam or even Karlie Kloss working this intense line, but I think the cast along with the clothes carried on with similar themes from seasons before. Balmain receives my round of applause, although maybe next season we’ll see something completely different. Eagerly awaiting.

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