Change is inevitable, it is a constant that is very dependable. And no industry reflects more than the fashion industry.
Still, change in the fashion industry usually appears in the form of new models, fashion brands that go in and out of style, or design silhouettes or styles that are no longer trending. Rarely does change in the fashion industry reflect a change in demographics or a beauty evolution.
Olivier Rousteing’s fall 2024 men’s collection for Balmain reflects that type of readjustment. And the change or readjustment in fashion is already here, not projection toward what future holds.
The most obvious expression of this change is Rousteing’s expansion of masculinity for the Balmain male consumer. Rousteing has always provided his male customer with beaded leather jackets, bold color, binary silhouettes, and glitz and glam. Consider his fall 2017 collection inspired by Queen with a medley of Queen’s greatest hits as the backdrop for the fall 2017 runway show.
In this outing, Rousteing expands his penchant for reimagining masculinity as seen through the lens of modernity and what some adventurous male consumers want to present in the world. That male consumer does not have a retiring presence or seeks to blend in. This consumer is bold, risk-taking, and extremely confident.
For that type of male consumer, this loud—but not ostentatious—collection more than fits the prescription. Yet, Rousteing, following the directive of iconic fashion editor Diana Vreeland, had a lot of next in this collection. In fact, at times, there is more next than now. Still, we need that right now in fashion. Collections that push the proverbial fashion envelope more than making consumers comfortable with their ideas of how they want to dress, giving them something to aim for.
What also stands out in this fall 2024 collection is how Rousteing realized several African themes in this outing. In the middle of the runway show there was a homage to Congo’s sartorial cult, the sapeurs.
There was also a print collaboration with Accra based Prince Gyasi. The Prince Gyasi image was screen printed on clothing, making for an interesting mix of pop art and expanded masculine silhouettes. Additionally, Rousteing used Cameroonian Ibby Njoya collaborative art on suitcases and other travel luggage.
Still, these infusions were not the only things that pushed this fall 2024 collection into the stratosphere. There was huge African and Asian model presence in this runway show. While in the past five years we have experienced a much larger model of color presence on runways and in fashion campaigns, Rousteing pushed that presence even further.
Images courtesy of Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com
Add to this expanded model of color experience, Rousteing employed wonderful high-waisted pants and padded shoulders married with an explosions color. And with Naomi Campbell closing the show in a padded beige cashmere coat with a surrealist belt whose fastening was two hands clasped to hold a golden bouquet of golden flowers, we assured that change and a new era is already here!!
—William S. Gooch
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