For the first time ever, Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing wants to outfit his #BalmainArmy with more than bandage dresses and sharply-tailored blazers. On Tuesday, the French fashion house announced it will be launching a 10-piece collection of evening wear, which Vogue notes is akin to couture. “I think the brands that are the most timeless are the ones that speak about luxury,” the designer told the publication.
The collection, named 44 François Premier, is dedicated to the location of the brand's atelier. It's also, as Rousteing put it in a statement, “a palette cleanser for me — a chance to return to the beginnings of this house, with the single driving goal being that of creating unique and exquisite pieces, far removed from editorial and runway pressures.” Quite the opposite of what we’ve seen from the designer, as he’s been known to champion a more form-fitting dress and most recently, lingerie fit for Victoria’s Secret model, thanks to the retailer’s first-ever fashion collaboration.
For the designs, Rousteing reportedly dug through “archives for inspiration and wanted to evoke the spirit of Pierre Balmain as well as the extreme rock aesthetic established by [the man who preceded Rousteing at] Balmain, Christophe Decarnin,” Vogue writes. “I’ve gone from a dress of armor to a dress of glamour,” Rousteing says. And 44 François Premier, is a throwback to Balmain in its Hollywood era heyday, combined with the glitz and glamour Rousteing has brought to the line (and all of the Kardashian/Jenner family’s wardrobes). Oh, and expect a lot of feathers. “It’s important to have a lot of humility in our work. I think the work involved is visible — an enormous amount of strass, an enormous amount of feathers. I think that the elegance is not to say.”
As for Rousteing’s new capsule of gowns, he hinted to Vogue that we could get a glimpse of the new offering as early as the Oscars’ red carpet in March. Consider us placing bets on which actress will have the honor. Any takers?