Tag Archives: Balmain

Jean-Jacques Guével

Jean-Jacques Guével is the new CEO of Balmain

Jean-Jacques Guével has been announced as the new CEO of Balmain. Earlier this month, former CEO Massimo Piombini left the French brand for personal reasons after 2 years. Guével, who previously worked at Louis Vuitton and Celine, will begin working for the label in February.

 

“Like everyone else in the fashion world, I have been impressed with the remarkable growth of Balmain over the past few years,” Guével said in a statement. “Since the day that he stepped into the role of Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing has managed to build upon the singular heritage and savoir-faire of the 75-year-old house—while, at the same time, always knowing how to best respond to the needs and desires of the new and diverse generation that he is a part of. I’m looking forward to working closely with him and the rest of the Balmain team, as we build upon that unique vision to fully realize Balmain’s outstanding potential for future growth.”

massimo piombini

Balmain’s CEO Just Stepped Down

Balmain just announced that its CEO Massimo Piombini will be stepping down from his position. Piombini, who joined the company in 2017 after working as worldwide commercial director for Valentino, is reportedly leaving for personal reasons.

 

During his time at Balmain, Piombini, along with creative director Oliver Rousteing, helped reformat the French designer into a luxury powerhouse. “Here it is not a question of repositioning, but of positioning Balmain. It’s kind of a sleeping beauty that has never really been developed. If you think about it, it doesn’t have a retail business or an accessory business; and doesn’t have a presence in Asia. So when Olivier came he brought his vision, new ideas and a dynamic approach. Now with our plan, we can really make up ground,” he told Fashion Network in April.

 

“The house wishes him well on his future endeavors,” Balmain said in a statement. A new CEO will be announced in February 2020.

NikeTN

NikeLab Recruits Olivier Rousteing for Designer Football Capsule

NikeLab_x_OR_6_originalImage: NikeLab x Olivier Rousteing.

Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing adds to NikeLab‘s ever-growing list of fashion alliances with a new capsule collection, Football Nouveau, that modernizes the sports brand’s long-living football silhouettes.

NikeLab_Roshe_Tiempo_VI_x_OR_1_originalImage: NikeLab x Olivier Rousteing.

Including a new take on Nike’s N98 jackets and four silos of footwear—the Mercurial, Magista, Hypervenom, and Tiempo—the release renders the familiar pieces in Rousteing’s own styles using riri zippers, aglets, and eyelet in an all-black and gold palette. “It was really important for me to bring my aesthetic to the collaboration,” the designer said in a statement. “Black is sleek and timeless and the gold is about victory and winning. I really wanted to make the athletes feel like the new kings of the world.”

NikeLab_Free_Hypervenom_2_x_OR_3_originalImage: NikeLab x Olivier Rousteing.

The second in NikeLab’s Summer of Sport—a season-long release of fashion x sports crossovers—Football Nouveau adds a new, fashionable authority to the turf.

NikeLab x Olivier Rousteing will be available online and at select NikeLab stores starting June 2, 2016.

BalmainTNstore

SoHo Attracts Balmain’s First-Ever American Flagship

H16_5994Image: Balmain.

A location intentionally targeted by Creative Director Olivier Rousteing, the house of Balmain’s first American flagship has officially opened in New York’s SoHo and draws on the designer’s admiration of downtown Manhattan’s energy, creativity, and beauty.

H16_6009Image: Balmain.

In collaboration with the architectural firm Studio Ko, (who recently debuted AMI’s London flagship), the new space instills Balmain’s history and Rousteing’s strong, modern DNA into its glamorous insides. Separate to its Parisian sister’s classical design, the interiors riff on Villa Balmain, the beautiful vacation home on the Italian island of Elba that once served as Mr. Pierre Balmain’s retreat.

H16_6015Image: Balmain.

Behind the restored 19th century black façade, a variety of mid-century art and design is acknowledged through features of thick plaster walls, recalling the signature styles of Luis Barragán and Oscar Niemeyer, black marble-lined archways that channel the spirit of artist Giorgio de Chirico, and a replica of a classic Greek statute that crowns the Mediterranean palazzo-inspired space.

H16_5973Image: Balmain.

H16_6016Image: Balmain.

H16_5989Image: Balmain.

Detailed in marble, repeated touches of gold, brass, and surrounding mirrors, the store adjusts to an overall ambience of lightness and clarity, aligning collections and accessories.

Balmain is now open at 100 Wooster Street, NYC.

LanvinTN

From Our View: PFW AW16 Part III

The front row in the fast lane.

From first looks backstage to post-show details, Fashion Month is a rampant, non-stop race from runway to retail. As we continue to bring you our favorite snaps in media res on Instagram, here we back away and take pause to present a curated look at the best moments of the season.

Balmain

Designer Olivier Rousteing continued his signature styles, modernizing the traditional Balmain aristocrat with accentuated velvets and drop-crotch pants in the Autumn/Winter 2016 collection.

Dior Homme

Skate culture and an amalgamation between past and present emerged in creative director Kris Van Assche’s Dior Homme Autumn/Winter 2016 collection.

Lanvin

Lanvin opted for a more seductive undertake in Autumn/Winter 2016 with the general idea that all clothes should be lived in and gain a sense of roughness in their beauty.

Y-3

Inspired by a space journey, the Y-3 Autumn/Winter 2016 collection is a combination of the reserved, athletic, and constructive in its layers and decoration.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.
HMBalmainTN

Get Excited: Balmain x H&M Lookbook

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Images: Balmain x H&M.

Global fashion retailer H&M continues its co-piloted designer legacy with Olivier Rousteing’s fresh point of view, as the Creative Director guides the highly-anticipated Balmain x H&M collaboration, set to release next month. An embodiment of the haute couture house‘s loud signature fashion, the capsule translates Rousteing’s personal style into rich pieces of menswear designed for a new and global audience. As seen in the full lookbook above, the collection is crafted from fine materials—from velvet with black cord to leather with hand-embroidered patches—and heavily influenced by sportswear with a Parisian mood that runs from the streets to the sports field. Key pieces included two-way zip leather jackets, slim-fit and cropped blazers, and knit track pants with a stripped leg and dropped gusset. But despite all the iterations, the attitude of every item is of an effortless and universal cool. “It’s for all of the men in the H&M Balmain Nation, no matter who they are or where they are from,” said Rousteing.

The Balmain x H&M collection will be available in selected stores worldwide and online on November 5, 2015.

Kanye

A.P.C. x Kanye FW14: You Might As Well Get in Line Now

Kanye

Image: A.P.C.

There are roughly two finger-biting and emotionally exhausting weeks until Kanye West’s second collection for A.P.C. hits sales floors on Thursday, July 17, or what the world will soon come to recognize as Kanye Dependence Day. Last year’s release from the French brand and superstar rapper sold out immediately, and with the amount of anticipation surrounding this one, we’re sure it’ll fly out just as fast.

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Image: A.P.C.

The new A.P.C. x Kanye collection features a range of pieces inspired by the producer-turned-rapper-turned-designer’s personal style, including outerwear, sweaters, t-shirts, and pants. Many of which, such as the green parka and navy bomber jacket, feature faux fur linings, emulating West’s fondness for luxurious material and the “Good Life.” Also of interest is a pair of navy biker-influenced pants. They aren’t Balmain, but they do feature zip pockets and are made of faux suede.

 

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Image: A.P.C.

However, the collection’s most successful items may be its simplest. West often utilizes face coverings in his live performances, and though it isn’t as theatrical as his famed jeweled piece from Maison Martin Margiela, this new wool mask (above) is certainly more functional for the street. A controversy of the collaboration’s previous season, West’s plain white “Hip Hop T-shirt” became infamous last year for selling out despite a $120 price tag. Now another plain white tee will undoubtedly repeat that success—as will its camo counterpart—so ready your credit card if you just need Kanye’s name on your neckline. We know we kind of do.

Kanye2

Image: A.P.C.

The A.P.C. x Kanye collection will be available in A.P.C. stores and online starting July 17, 2014.

Rihanna copy

Rihanna Says “No Thank You” to Shirts

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Rihanna is no stranger to embracing her womanhood, and neither are her 87 million fans, all of whom got an eyeful earlier this year when badgalriri attended a Balmain after-party during Paris Fashion Week in a mesh long-sleeved top with a high-waisted leather skirt. If that didn’t quash your Unapologetically exposed fix, perhaps Vogue Brazil will. The magazine stripped the Barbadian songstress of her top in a number of photos revealed on RiRi’s Instagram. The sexed up shots were taken in Ilha Grande Beach, Rio de Janeiro for the magazine’s 39th anniversary special — which Rihanna will be gracing the cover of twice (because is one version of Rihanna-anything ever enough?). Here’s some of the highlights:

Update: Minutes after this article was first posted, even more toplessness (this one hastily removed by Instagram):

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Images courtesy of DailyMail and Instagram.

Chinese New Year Year Of the snake designer buy sale purchase snakeskin cool hip best python ipad case sneakers shoes cufflinks cardigan sweater scarf

Essentials: Year of the Snake

Chinese New Year Year Of the snake designer buy sale purchase snakeskin cool hip best python ipad case sneakers shoes cufflinks cardigan sweater scarf
We won’t pretend to be all Zodiac-inclined over here, but we did read that people born in the Year of the Snake (which arrives in on Sunday, February 10th) are gracious, analytical, hard working and…love material things. So, naturally, we relate. We don’t, however, relate to cheesy snake style, which slithers past us way more than it should. Hold the boots please! 2013’s version of snake is debonair, stately and also colorful! Lanvin turned out a stellar collection of snake inspired wares (some of which you’ll see after the jump), but so did a few other designers like Gucci, Balmain and Christian Louboutin. To see our favorites for sale…Glissade on though right here!

  • shoes2

    The Shoes: Lanvin
    $1195 at ssense.com
    Classic, but dangerous with genuine snakeskin derbys. 

  • christianlouboutin-rantus-1130273_cm09_1_1200x1200

    The Sneaker: Christian Louboutin
    $2,395 at christianlouboutin.com
    He was the most stylish python around before he became your sneakers.
  • Balmain-farfetchThe T-shirt: Balmain
    $463 at luisaviaroma.com
    Balmain for The Nature Company? Not a bad idea!

  • TateossianThe Man Jewelry: Tateossian
    $475 at tateossian.com
    A reverse intaglio image engraved on a crystal cabochon and set on top of the lustre of mother of pearl with Tateossian's signature diamond pattern on the case. Magic!

  • Horiyoshi-the-thirdThe Scarf: Horiyoshi the Third
    $450 at mrporter.com
    Snakes on a plane! Well, a scarf really.

  • 83D08FBLK_largeThe Shirt: Topman
    $56 at topman.com
    An all over snakeskin print shirt is pushing it, but the blue obscures and gives it a modern computer print out vibe.

  • 10326039_1653114_1000The Cardigan: Insight
    $98 at amrag.com
    First, it's a cardigan that wears kind of like a blazer. Second, the snakes have been shot and killed by arrows. So totally safe.

  • LanvinThe iPad Case: Lanvin
    $880 at luisaviaroma.com
    So, you might have to fill out some kind of registry-customs form in order to have this shipped...which makes us want it even more!

  • Screen-shot-2013-02-05-at-10.00.32-AMThe Man-Bag: Gucci
    $4,500 at saksfifthavenue.com
    A pouch befitting of a python's expansive belly.

  • BGN1U33_mkThe Boots: YSL
    $895 at bergdorfgoodman.com
    If you insist on snakeskin boots...(although these are only embossed).

Related: Essentials: Back to the Gym in Style