When it comes to my favorite designers and brands, I know only one thing: nothing compares to Christophe Decarnin's designs for the House of Balmain. Thus, I decided I had to do a special piece on the brand which would feature an introduction on the label and then follow it up with a collection of my favorite looks and pieces that Decarnin has created for it along with his designer profile.
Balmain has always been a brand that has been highly regarded in the fashion industry and since its inception [by Pierre Balmain] in 1945, the label has dressed the likes of Sophia Loren and Briget Bardot in ultra-elegant and super-feminine evening wear.
However, Balmain started facing difficulties in 2002 when the company's Creative Director of 10 years, Oscar de la Renta left the fashion house to start his own label. The brand tried to replace de la Renta but after two years and two creative directors, it was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2004.
Investors decided to revive the legendary fashion house in 2005 and brought in Christophe Decarnin as the label's new creative director. Decarnin, who had spent seven years leading the prestigious Paco Rabbane label was exactly what the doctor had prescribed for Balmain.
Decarnin single-handedly transformed Balmain from being a "safe" brand that created elegant evening wear with a focus on draping and pleating to one that is now considered to be one of the sexiest and edgiest brands out there. Decarnin's designs are made with the quintessential French party-girl and are loaded with a certain je ne sais quoi. From tight thigh-grazing, ripped minidresses encrusted with crystals to body skimming embellished leather pants and jackets, Balmain has perfected the edgy, tough-chic look that adds an aura of mystery and danger to its wearers in the most appealing of ways.
Season after season, Decarnin has delivered audiences with one astounding show after another. The designs are exquisite, lavish and very expensive (plain Balmain t-shirts are priced at a whopping $1,500). The hefty price tags simply add to the dark, sexy charm of Balmain by making them and their wearers seem more elusive and out of reach than ever before.
Watch the Spring 2009 & Fall 2010 Balmain shows (my favorite Balmain collections to date) below:
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