nicolas ghesquiére went on a folkloric expedition for balenciaga, continuing the suiting he showed for spring, and the military jackets and slim khakis from pre-fall. although i wasn’t crazy about the styling and makeup, the pieces themselves are very wearable (much more so than spring), and the collection reminded me of some of ghesquiére’s earlier work for the house.
the looks included fur trimmed parkas, multitweed cropped jackets, skinny “track” pants, cotton khaki jodhpurs, schoolboy blazers in solid wool or rugby stripes, argyle sweaters, and striped turtlenecks. some jackets were cinched tightly as the waist with a wide, corset-style 3 buckle belt.
the dresses and skirts were an interesting patchwork that were part aztec, part velvet and stringy metallics. some dresses had twist halter necklines, others had drop waists, boatnecks, and sleeves in kimono styles or pleated chiffon. skirts had asymetrical hems and fell to mid-thigh.
the shoes were a crazy mix of snowboarding bindings, complete with multicolor mesh plastic sections and nylon buckle straps, worn with charcoal ribbed socks and tights. there were also open toe stiletto boots, with speed lacing and calf buckles in camel leather and black patent.
pics from catwalking and vogue.fr
