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For the presentation of the Balmain Pre-Fall 2025 collection , Olivier Rousteing invited the press to the house’s showroom in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The designer moved between sections of the collection, talking to journalists.
“After 15 years at Balmain, I appreciate the DNA of the brand more and more and I am more and more convinced of how important it is to continue to deepen and develop it. Because as soon as you stop, someone else tries to take it away. Also, I think trends are no longer relevant: as soon as a trend appears, everyone jumps on it and it immediately becomes meaningless. It is much better to be yourself.”
The originality and otherness of the brand’s DNA is immediately apparent as soon as you cross the threshold of the showroom – there is a sense of contradiction between the aristocratic pomp of Versailles and the democratic modern Parisian style. This contrast is also visible in the Pre-Fall 2025 collection : classic Balmain jackets become mini-dresses, luxurious leopard covers the look from head to toe, evening dresses are friends with fur slippers, and denim – with stiletto heels.
Balmain Pre-Fall 2025
A good third of the looks feature Parisian newsboy caps from the 1940s to the 1970s, giving them a retro-futuristic edge with a truly French feel.
Balmain Pre-Fall 2025
Leather (sometimes quilted) is embellished with gold hardware, oversized outerwear is either covered in leopard print or accessorized with predatory accessories, and tweed, which Rousteing says accounts for about 30% of casual wear sales, is kept current in color, cut, embellishment, and pairing with leather.
Balmain Pre-Fall 2025
Accessories generally occupy a special place in the collection: crystals worthy of Versailles, gold chains fastened with a padlock, designer buttons, keychains and belts with large buckles on bags and outfits.
Balmain Pre-Fall 2025
Evening wear, Rusten’s strong point, is ready to go to the Fashion Museum right now. I personally noted the looks assembled from large crystal drops; mini-dresses seemingly cast from precious metal; corsets with gold embroidery and draped tops and dresses made from unusual fabric reminiscent of mineral stones, which makes them look like weathered classical statues.
Balmain Pre-Fall 2025
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