PFW: Let's go for the punk ones

Balenciaga SS11









Balmain SS11

Here we have two of the most expected shows of Paris Fashion Week. At least I was expecting them anxiously considering Balenciaga’s A/W 2010 block party and the worldwide known Balmania. So you can see why I was mildly disappointed. Both of them used the punk revelation as source of inspiration, but the canalization of this influence was expressed in extreme and opposed ways. While Ghesquière channeled the collection to the “teddy-boy-meets-punk” (style.com) Balmain did a sexy-over the top-punk looks for today’s women. It’s true, Balmain is known for the overexposed sexuality in clothes and the sexual allure in them, but after the baroque collection of last season we were expecting something fresh and new, not the same daring woman who would spend thousand of dollars in pinned holed t-shirts just to look sexy. Balenciaga in the other hand, presented the androgynous look, almost too masculine, using plastic to freshen up the rough graphic patterns. Some might have liked Balenciaga a lot, some might have hated Balmain. Truth is, faithful buyers and fans of these brands will find them safe, consistent and most important, wearable.