The Front Row

The interior resembles a barren catherdral, candles caressing the walls with minimal embraces of light. A deep mood is set as the unorthodox echo of 50 Cent remix by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake plays throughout, which symbolised a merge of nineties and now (Vogue 2014).

 

The fashion show begins as Jourdan Dunn  appears to be walking upon a dark black river, the runway being the only object lit. The first outfit has a utility approach with pocketing detailing on a revere collared jacket. I also noticed flared peplum details on pencil skirts paired with an outdoor inspired cropped anorak. The colour palette remained in the woods, with khaki, green and black making an elevating appearance. Thick chunky belts reinforced a military approach which is signature to Olivier Rousteing the head designer

 

The haute couture fashion house, Balmain, was founded by Pierre Balmain, who was born in France in the year 1914. His father owned a drapery business, Balmain attened the ‘Ecole des Beaux Arts with the intent to study architecture but instead ended up studying spending the majority of his time designing dresses. Balmain served in the French air force which later influneced his first collection in 1945 (Fashion Encyclopaedia 2001).

 

The first five looks of the 2014 collection creates the silhouette croqui for the remaining forty looks, the successive looks have contrasting colours and added gold detailing but the construction and design is similar. There is no other word to describe Rousteing’s work other than works of art painting themselves along every runway. His attention to detail in phenomenal.

 

With regards to this collection Rousteing states

 

“I’m screaming it loud. It’s all about ethnicity and freedom,” (Vogue 2014).

 

The ethnicity was incorporated with a Maasai influence evident in the adorning of the neck and wrists, almost as if the models were on a safari in the middle of Africa. Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress (East Africa Living Encyclopaedia 2002).

 

All in all the collection gave way to sleek tailored pants and intricate tops with textures and prints all together creating a mirage of a modern ethnic women, free in their home land.

 

 

 

Reference List

Text

• Vogue (online). 2015. Available: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-week/861797/balmain-fall-2014/ (Accessed 20th December 2014).

• Fashion Encyclopaedia (online). 2015. Available: http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/Ba-Bo/Balmain-Pierre.html (Accessed 20th December 2014).

• East Africa Living Encyclopaedia (online). 2015. Available: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/NEH/kethnic.htm (Accessed 20th December 2014).

Video

• Balmain. 2014. Balmain Fall/Winter 2014 Womenswear Show (online). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqIZuvWZYHs (Accessed 20th December 2014).