BALENCIAGA - Future Is Now

A wind of renewal is blowing through fashion. After the renaissance Guccirenaissance, masterfully led by Alessandro Micheleit's Balenciaga's turn to restore its reputation thanks to the talent of Demna Gvasalia, its artistic director appointed in October 2015. In a handful of seasons, the work of the young Georgian designer - and that of the VETEMENTS collective of which he is one of the representatives - has been able to polarize the eyes and minds, to the point that the influence of their silhouettes is felt a little more each season.

The focus of this collection Fall/Winter 2016 is more on the cuts than on the colors. The silhouettes, without hesitation, say everything about the austerity inherent to the house of Balenciaga. Brown sweaters are paired with plaid skirts for a trapeze silhouette, suits dare the demarcated waist and exaggerated hips - give power to business women, and floral dresses cover shoulders - and knees.

Assuming a call to luxury version popu, the down jacket leaves the snowy slopes to come and warm up a dress with sequins, the silk rubs with polyester and vinyl, and the striped tote bag, oversize and fiercely Barbès, dares to fry with the Place Vendôme. Down jackets, again, but also trench coats, gain in elegance, flare up and uncover the throats. Balenciaga refuses the ostentatious and redefines the vision of the woman in 2016: a strong woman, with shoulders thrown forward, having for other purpose that to please herself.

Gvasalia is clearly enjoying infusing Balenciaga with some of the sass that characterizes the VETEMENTS DNA. The mixture of genres, materials, as a way to question what is good taste, with this idea, this desire for a fashion that would not be exclusive but inclusive ... and deeply modern.

The Balenciaga fall-winter 2016 collection is available at Leclaireur Sévigné.