BalmainFall/Winter 2007/2008

It’s with escalating smugness with which we boast about the lack of a prescribed silhouette in 00s fashion, but this season may see us sticking our foot in our mouths. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For Balmain Fall/Winter 2007, Cristophe Decarnin continued on the body-con minidresses springing up all over London and Milan. Even if the stagnancy of it all riles your inner creative, there is something surely refreshing about seeing curves again. At Balmain, the results were an amalgam of some sort of neo-armored 80s and 70s foundations (which primarily consisted of generously flared trousers not seen on runways since the late 90s.) But weren’t the 90s all about the 70s anyways?

For evening, there were silver leaf foiled dressed with sweetheart-necklines, while a slew of black numbers came cap-sleeved, trimmed with plumage, and studded to perfection. If on-trend and undeniably sexy, I couldn’t help but pine for the lightness, the romance of his previous work. Both with acknowledged fault, and confining idealism, I continually recall that ethereal vision of Audrey Tatou in the angelically draped, one-shouldered white mini. I contend that even if the Balmain woman is to battle, surely naught is more potent than paraded virtuousness.

That said, the talent of Decarnin means it will be interesting to see what happens to the Balmain woman when – not if – she returns from battle.

Credit Photos: Style.com