THE REIGN OF THE ROSE: BALMAIN’S CAPTIVATING SPRING SUMMER 2024 SHOW

Balmain’s spring-summer 2024 show was undoubtedly dominated by the rose. Some designs subtly incorporated roses, using them as button detailing, while other designs did so in a more extravagant way, such as the eye-catching scarlet patent leather dress, adorned with 3D roses. 

This usage of the rose draws heavily from Pierre Balmain’s designs from the 1940s and 50s where florals were often a primary feature. Rousteing’s creative process certainly shone through in these pieces. While staying true to elements of traditional Balmain attire through the use of roses, Rousteing successfully reworked it in a contemporary, futuristic way. Rousteing said during an interview with Vogue “I tried to really continue the legacy of the house, which I started last winter, and just reminding people of this house from 1945.” After watching the show he definitely fulfilled this objective and lived up to Balmain’s ongoing legacy.

While quiet luxury is all the talk at the moment Balmain’s show was nothing of the sort. Models strutted down the runway in diamond embellish dresses one resembling the shine of a disco ball, luxury was all that these garments were. The reasoning behind the high price point of these outfits can objectively be seen just by looking at them, the heavy detailing and exquisite tailoring scream luxury in the best way possible. This is something that quite luxury does not necessarily overtly portray.

The show commences with structured pieces, including blazers with broad shoulder pads and dresses with accentuated hips. The sharp, structured shoulder pads on the Blazers were very reminiscent of the 80s where shoulder pads were all the talk. Rousteing said to Vogue, “Maybe people know me more for my embroideries, but if I die tomorrow, I want to be remembered for my tailoring.” The pieces in this show certainly made this dream a reality. Each piece was structured to perfection and some more abstract tailoring was displayed, for instance, the black rose dress, which is a true work of art.

 Throughout the show, we see the garments become more flowing in shape and embody the freeing feeling spring and summer evoke. However, the structured tailoring does stay consistent throughout the show, the spring-summer feel is still illustrated through the use of flowers on every garment as well as fun patterns such as polka dots. This mix between structured and flowing silhouettes creates a fascinating dynamic contrast between structure and movement, depth to the collection.

Many of the pieces gave off a formal workwear aesthetic, particularly the more structured pieces. This made the collection exude confidence and power. The collection featured two blazers that particularly stood out one being the sunny yellow blazer with a black trim and gold rose buttons on each of the pockets. The second being the grassy green blazer which again had gold buttons detailing. Both these pieces while work wear inspired were fun and perfect assets to the collection in tying the spring-summer feel together.

Initially, the colour palette is mostly black and white with accents of gold and occasional pops of colour in the accessories, for example, the shoes and bags. As the show progresses, we witness the introduction of colour spill onto the runway with each garment that passes by, with pieces in shades of red, green, yellow, blue, pink, and peach. As the colours start to take over the runway the rose concept is exemplified more and it feels as if the roses are blossoming and taking shape. The colour pallet perfectly further displays themes of spring and summer and the garments are presented on a pale blue runway, adding to the overall stunning visual display of the show.

Ten days before the show fifty items were stolen after the van was hijacked during transportation from the airport in Paris to the Balmain headquarters. As a result, this led to the show featuring fewer looks than anticipated. Rousteing wrote on his Instagram subsequently “This is so unfair. My team and I worked so hard. We will work more, days and nights. Our suppliers will work days and night as well.”Luckily 70% of the looks managed to be recovered and this unfortunate event definitely did not affect the quality of the show. However, we will forever wonder how the missing items would have added to the show had they not been stolen.

To close the show the models strutted down the runway which extended onto the street in front of the Eiffel Tower. The famous landmark served as a breathtaking backdrop and reinstated the Parisian feel of the show. The dazzling lights and the model's fun energy created a magical moment and it was a lovely touch to the show. It allowed members of the public to see the outfits along with those exclusively invited to the show.

The Balmain 2024 S/S show was indeed a memorable one with a heavy floral influence. The intricate detailing and tailoring were truly phenomenal and it showcased why Balmain continues to be such a well-known fashion house. It has created excitement for what is to come next from Balmain.