Balmain S/S 2010 / PFW / Day two

Just like the Reagan administration and “Dynasty,” the Eighties excess at Balmain had to end sometime. And surely by now, house enthusiasts need a new reason to drop a small fortune on a spangled jacket. So for spring, Christophe Decarnin declared war on his signature silhouette — shoulders, stovepipes and microscopic minis — taking a supersexy route into military mode. Was he ever on a mission. No soldierly motif was left unturned. Those jackets, now in army green cotton and tailored leathers that cut away into tails, were a perfect fit for the theme. There were thick leather belts studded with ammo. Outsize epaulets, knotted and fringed, were mounted on jutting shoulders. Chain mail was cut like medieval armor on flashy dresses with hems so short and savage they could best be described as loincloths. Joan of Arc at the disco came to mind. As for more modest fare, Decarnin strategically tattered T-shirts and shredded skintight denim with cargo pockets, proving he’s at the top of the faux-distressed designer food chain. As a look, it was extreme. But for women who like their fashion that way, Decarnin has enough skill and production savvy at his disposal to pull it off.

































































© by WWD / Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

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