Balmain Presents Its New Fall-Winter 2024 Women's Collection

Just as we always do, my team and I began preparing for this collection by combing through Balmain’s extensive archives. We were all in agreement—after shining our spring runway’s spotlight on Monsieur Balmain’s beloved rose, it seemed only natural to maintain the focus on our founder’s green thumb and build our fall designs upon his unique history of incorporating the fruits from his many gardens into his couture offerings.

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But from the moment I began sketching, I found myself injecting more and more of my own history into this runway. For example, instead of Monsieur Balmain’s more familiar apple, nut and strawberry embellishments, I went all out with prints, embroideries and 3D representations of bunches of grapes—the symbol of the most famous product of my hometown, Bordeaux.

And the truth is that it felt very right to tweak our plans slightly and look southwest for additional inspirations. After several collections riffing on the beauty of my present home, Paris, and a series of presentations channeling the extraordinary spirit, craft and patterns of the Africa of my birth parents, today I’m returning to Bordeaux, the city that formed me. Admittedly, I may be just the tiniest bit biased, but I do believe that my childhood home is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. The two adjectives that we Frenchies tend to pair with Bordeaux are “classical” and “elegant”—for the provincial capital definitely sets itself apart with a singular refinement. So, this season combines the bold architectural lines and precise tailoring of Pierre Balmain’s ‘New French Style’ with the graceful dignity of Bordeaux—resulting in a collection that I believe reflects the timeless style of savvy French women of all ages.

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Beyond its celebrated allure, Bordeaux has a whole lot of rain. Which explains why the trench is an essential component of every garde-robe bordelaise. My team and I played with the many possibilities of the classic piece, updating the familiar lines of some of Pierre Balmain’s most notable trenches and extending that recognizable style into a range of skirts, dresses, pants and short jackets. And, since I usually associate the trench with the outdoor market scenes that I witnessed daily as a kid, I’ve accessorized my designs with an array of new spins on traditional French shopping bags, converting routine string, panier and wicker market styles into some surprising and unexpected luxury offerings.

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On those days when it doesn’t rain, Bordeaux’s enviable combo of southern sun and mild climate makes for some incredible weather. Some of my favorite memories are of late-season picnics with family and friends. Recalling those moments, we’ve turned to Monsieur Balmain’s beloved Vichy print and, just as he used to do, we’ve blown that pattern up to some unexpected proportions. And, after adding our clusters of fruits to the mix and creating a coat of embroidered green viscose threads that evokes an idyllic park setting—we’ve managed to reference all the ingredients needed for the ideal Balmain pique-nique.

And there’s one additional element that I’ll always associate with Bordeaux’s grapes, cuisine and gardens: the beautiful escargot. My team and I have found several unexpected ways to include the snail shell’s mesmerizing spirals inside this collection, including coiled stitching, a golden metal breast plate and a wide array of coquille-inspired buttons, jewels and ornaments.

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Throughout today’s runway, the artisans of the Balmain Atelier make very evident their mastery of traditional Parisian couture techniques, with impressive draping, perfect pleating, stunning embellishments and skilled leatherwork. To fully appreciate their finesse, I suggest taking the time needed to make some close inspections—for what might appear at first glance to be a pattern, print or cross-stitch, may reveal itself to be a remarkable, intricately beaded creation. In addition, we’ve continued to combine this house’s historic savoirfaire with innovative techniques and materials, while also turning to talented artists to create some exceptional additions, including a snail-shell golden metal breastplate and a pair of hands clasping a bouquet.

Olivier Rousteing

The Jolie Madame

During the collection’s presentation, the house spotlights an elevated version of its recently introduced Jolie Madame bag. Named for Pierre Balmain's legendary mid-century silhouette, the Jolie Madame is available in two sizes. The luxury leather bag’s sleek and distinctive shape is inspired as much by the bold vision of Monsieur Balmain as by modern Balmain’s love for continually combining the most surprising materials and the latest innovations with the best of traditional Parisian artisanal savoir faire.