BALMAIN FALL 2022

The Saint-Exupéry message on the wall summed it all up perfectly: “It is much more difficult to judge yourself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself correctly, then you are truly a wise person.”

Facing the poisonous power of anonymous posters’ scornful judgements, Olivier Rousteing came to realize that the only possible response to the incredible shaming potential of social media is to confront it, head-on—addressing it directly with honesty and clarity, while drawing courage from the support and love of others. That was a breakthrough moment for the designer, a radical change of behavior that he describes as being “truly liberating.”

That experience explains why so many pale colors—whites, creams, light pastels, soft denims—were so prominent on that runway.

In the Balmain universe, these are not the tones of sweetness and vulnerability—no, instead they serve to remind us that there is a special type of affirmative clout that comes with truth and transparency.

That surprising freeing power also explains the unlikely pairings of lace and other seemingly light and fragile fabrics with metal and neoprene.

The collection’s distinctive silhouettes riff on safety—playing with powerfully protective wraps, shields and gilets.

A Balmain Couture Finale

The third act of that special night spotlighted a powerful group of gowns that masterfully melded the newest codes of the season with iconic signatures first shown in 1945, during Pierre Balmain’s first couture presentation—when his startlingly fresh and feminine “New French Style” made it very clear to all that Paris was destined to soon regain its title as the world’s fashion capital.

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PALE TONES

Pale colors were prominent on the runway. In the Balmain universe, these tones remind us that there is a special type of affirmative clout that comes with truth and transparency.