Balmain’s New Collection Stolen Before Paris Fashion Week
This Sunday, Olivier Rousteing announced that 50 of Balmain’s women’s wear pieces intended for the Paris Fashion Show have gone missing.
Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing made an official announcement regarding the distressing event on his Instagram Sunday. The caption read, “This morning I woke up with the smile, starting the fittings for my next show at 9am and this is what happened…50 Balmain pieces stolen. Our delivery was hijacked. The camion got stolen.”
Timeless reinvention, time and time again.
— Balmain (@Balmain) September 14, 2023
Bare witness to silhouettes that intricately fuse Balmain’s legacy with the @ORousteing’s bold modernism, as captured by #ThibautGrevet. pic.twitter.com/JR3ahLtyri
Although the news of this event is devastating, not only to Rousteing but also to the entire staff whose dedication and hard work went into making this collection a reality, he has no intention of letting this setback derail the show. Rousteing stated that he and his team refuse to let the stolen pieces go unnoticed, as these items are the stars of the show.
The signature silhouettes of @ORousteing's latest menswear offering come to life through #ThibautGrevet's intriguing syncopated compositions – recalling compositions of legendary avant-garde jazz artists of the mid-60s. pic.twitter.com/VD8U68jWx9
— Balmain (@Balmain) September 14, 2023
In Rousteing’s Autumn/Winter 2023 collection, the designer emphasized Pierre Balmain’s concept of the “new French style.” Vogue writer Anders Christian Madsen stated, “He approached the Balmain archives with a contemporary sense of comfort, adding his own generational values of de-constriction and relaxation to the silhouette without compromising its chicness.”
Blurring lines to sharpen our focus.#BALMAINFW23 pic.twitter.com/T2RO9DMBZq
— Balmain (@Balmain) September 13, 2023
The back-to-basics concept included a guest list of 200 and a total of 52 pieces within the collection. There was no extra frills or exaggerations. Rousteing allowed his couture masterpieces to be the sole focus for his guests.
For the Fall-Winter 2023 campaign, the house of Balmain taps photographer Rafael Pavarotti, combining the rich, vibrant color palettes of his photographs with Pierre Balmain's enduring, bold "new French style”.#BALMAINFW23 pic.twitter.com/FPaKm98Vx2
— Balmain (@Balmain) August 31, 2023
If Olivier Rousteing’s previous collection indicated what we could expect for his upcoming show, the theft of the collection’s 50 pieces could be a significant setback for the designer and his team. “He said they made off with the last pieces he had been expecting for the 27 September womenswear show – more than 50 items in all. He did not give a breakdown of the stolen items,” reports The Guardian editor Betsy Reed.
Exploring timelessness: The #BALMAINFW23 collection bridges past and present with @ORousteing's iconic silhouettes, accompanied by #Thibautgrevet's innovative eye and fuzzy, jazzy style. pic.twitter.com/wdaSLDOxm9
— Balmain (@Balmain) September 12, 2023
The news of the missing pieces has left many wondering about the fate of these items. Will luxury brand forgers attempt to replicate and sell them as originals? Was the theft a real incident, or was it another clever marketing tactic by the social media-savvy designer? Regardless, it appears that Balmain already captured the spotlight even before Paris Fashion Week began. For further information about Balmain’s stolen pieces, please refer to Besty Reed’s article from The Guardian.
