Nicolas Ghesquiére Goes Soft On Us For Fall

Recessions are not the time to push the envelope. Hence, Nicolas Ghesquiére showed a rather soft and feminine collection for Balenciaga this season, a marked departure from his fembots and sci-fi cool girls of seasons past. Fluid silk skirts looked so sumptuous they could probably double as pillows, and satin blazers were pinched in with lush, colorful belts embellished with bows. There were also luscious velvet coats and a multitude of colorful printed dresses that are the equivalent of swathing your body in silk scarves. In short: These are clothes that you could take a Rip Van Winkle nap on. Comforting in dire economic times? The answer is—literally—yes.