I am positive that Olivier Rousteing will go down as one of the greatest creative directors of all time, and how he’s commanded his house throughout the pandemic only strengthens this feeling. His Balmain Spring/Summer 2020/21 presentation built upon Rousteing’s previous foundations of revolutionizing the runway – creating shows that can be enjoyed just as much digitally as IRL, nurturing the concept of fashion as community art, and emphasizing its value in creating cultural identity.
There’s a lot to be said in an 8-minute presentation, y’all – that’s the magic of the visual arts, right? Rousteing brings up questions of age and value, youth and evolution, aggression and joy, and a firm yet flexible identity.
This guide is designed for you to look over either before or after you watch the video, linked below. It’ll help you frame your own feelings (not mine) about the collection, how it sits in fashion history, and – more interestingly – how it relates to current events and to you as an individual.
If you want to go whole-hog, I recommend also watching and going through the Prada Spring/Summer 2020/21 Viewing Guide, as that show expresses similar feelings, yet through a completely different lens.
Balmain Spring/Summer 2020/21 Viewing Guide
- There are three sections to the show, each with models of different age groups. Rousteing uses this structure to frame the state of fashion, where it’s going, and who is shaping it
- The beginning features the voice of Pierre Balmain waxing poetic in French and English about the power and elegance of the French woman. How are “power and elegance” transmitted throughout the show? How do these traits re-invent themselves as the show evolves?
- Note that Balmain describes black as a quintessentially youthful, sensual color, and Rousteing has his older models in black as the voiceover plays. This is on purpose. Why? How is he embracing the Balmain heritage and challenging it at the same time? Do you find this uplifting? Offensive? Progressive? Archaic?
- Rousteing sits on stage for Part One, as with confering with his models. It’s informal, yet totally sophisticated, relaxed yet confident. What is he’s saying about the value of aging, experience, and wisdom? What is he saying about beauty?
- You can’t NOT notice the energy change from Part One to Part Two. Neons, dance music, scores of younger models flocking on stage, the digital onlookers ignited on screens beside the runway – it’s more commercial, less intimate, yet filled with adreneline, right? There’s IMMEDIACY in Part Two. How does this read to you? Exciting? Anxiety-provoking? A bit “wannabe”? Or totally powerful?
- Let’s talk pagoda shoulders – yes, that’s actually what they’re called. The pointy, Disney-villian shoulder pads that run through the collection are aggressive for a reason. Rousteing is designing in a country where lockdown has been lifted and the push for accelerated living is all-consuming. There’s talk about values, about the “new normal,” and about how business should be done. How does the tailoring reveal Rousteing’s attitudes and perspective on the current situation? I find the pagoda shoulders very revealing. If not a bit terrifying.
- LOGOS! They’re everywhere! Logos are used to legally protect designers from knock-offs – basically, they’re a form of intellectual property. But they also confer a sense of identity, creating a “uniform” of sorts. In this age of isolation, polarization, and introspection, why might Rousteing be going all-out on logos?
- THE YOUNGINS! Part Three is more of a punctuation, perhaps a heavy-handed one, than an entire section to itself. However, Rousteing having the kiddos walk out does indicate a sense of optimism about the evolution of the industry – where do you think fashion is headed?
Are you seeing how we can consume fashion differently by asking questions, getting reflective, and staying curious? It has SO MUCH TO OFFER if we take a moment and give it a chance.
What’s your takeaway from this show?
love,
Stig
PS. A HUGE thank you to my mom for decoding Pierre Balmain’s voiceover at the beginning of the show!! Bisou bisou!
PPS. Cover photo: Balmain via Vogue
