Useful lockdown: Balmain showed a new cruise collection produced during self-isolation

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20.06.2020

Balmain showed the Resort 2021 collection designed during the lockdown. The Balmain team had to look for available suppliers around the world as well as select materials via Zoom. Olivier Rousteing was inspired by the fashion of the 90s from such iconic movies as “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Pretty Woman.”

The designer admitted that it was not easy, but was pleased with the result. “The embroideries were done by old ladies working in their kitchen in the south of Italy. In Japan, they were working in their living room. It was tough,” he said. “It was just a new world, but we made it.”

Olivier Rousteing also assured that the brand managed to survive the pandemic with minimal financial loss. “The sales were going really well before the closure of the wholesale and the retail. Our e-commerce quadrupled during the last two months,” Rousteing noted.

“The idea was to make sure that our wholesalers and retailers can have a collection that is dynamic, really strong. There is still the bourgeois, because I think that kind of ‘bourgeoisie française’ is something that they love at Balmain,” he added.

According to WWD, Balmain produced more than 400 models for women and 300 for men. The collection was presented on June 15 at the brand’s online showroom where a digital version of Olivier Rusten met fans of the brand. In July, Balmain is going to showcase the collection at an offline presentation in Paris. It is still unknown in what it will be held.

“We need to bring some joy, because right now the fashion world is kind of sad. Everybody is worried about the future, but instead of being worried, instead of words, put some action,” Rousteing said.