Olivier’s Your Guy

In a press release penned by the creative director himself, Olivier Rousteing explained that the source of inspiration for Balmain Resort 17 lay with the inimitable fashion photographer Guy Bourdin. Bourdin flourished in a provocative technicolour bloom in the 70s and Balmain’s sun-kissed, rainbow-hued collection (with as much skin on show as fabric) could slot straight in to an editorial from that hedonistic age. “Riffing on the uniquely sensual and confident style of the fashion icons that those photos immortalized—Bianca, Iman, Lauren and Verushka—,” said Rousteing, “this collection’s silhouette is both relaxed and body-conscious.” Taking colour swatches from the sea, sky and sand, the collection is straight out of Saint Tropez’s glory days, glowing in jewel tones and aquamarine denim.

All About Weave

Although the collection is resolutely summer-centric, textures come in all varieties, from the expected macramé and crochet and fine billowing jerseys to thicker knits along with classic tweed ensembles. Far from the traditional khaki and greys though, tweeds come boldly and loudly across the entire colour spectrum in fine threaded patterns as well as wide houndstooth check.

#BalmainArmy

While the unbounded glamour we’ve come to expect from Balmain is out in full force, the harsher masculine twist is still evident even in this tropical taste on the house’s style. There’s satin dropped hem bombers and caged corseted waist details cutting up loose shapes for starters. Denim comes savagely ripped to perfection with white frayed edges still showing or in sleeveless work tunics, matched with slight flare jeans or a waterfall coat with a belt clasp at the collar.