Balenciaga has never been a house that I've closely watched, but Nicolas Ghesquiere's collection for Spring // Summer 2012 clutched my interest. Hearing early in the day that the benches had eerily collapsed, and everyone was forced to stand in attendance, to view the church of Balenciaga. Shapes used in the clothing created a reference that felt both vintage and modern, evoking the colors and cuts of the 1950s and 1970s, but being brought together to look completely modern. The slick, shiny pants & shorts were belted high on the waist, and pleated for fuller thighs. T-Shirts were a highlight, and were done in a foamy fabric and asymmetrical cuts, which look flattering and create an interesting shape on the body. Clothing seems to be floating right of the models, and in suspended new shapes. The visor helmets used were another highlight of the collection, evoking DARTH VADER circa 1970, even if they were borrowed from the famous Irving Penn photograph. The use of alternating black and nude lip colors made the models look bionic and modern. The use of the Twin Peaks soundtrack playing before the show, and the tracks used provided an unsettling, eerie, feel to the show. Balenciaga this season felt vintage & modern, and very Cristobal Balenciaga. We can all say AMEN at this church.
key elements: 1950s, 1970s, slick, shiny, belted, high on the waist, pleats, asymmetrical, visors, Irving Penn, bionic, modern, vintage, Twin Peaks, eerie, unsettling, church.
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