Balmain’s New Eveningwear Line is Extremely Red Carpet Ready

The number 44 on rue François in Paris was where a young Pierre Balmain first set up shop when he founded his namesake label in 1945. In the 7 decades that have passed, Balmain has gone through many transformations. The label was the first to hire Karl Lagerfeld after he won a German design competition in 1954, and the brand went from dressing the Queen of Thailand to rock’n’roll royalty when Christophe Decarnin revitalized the house in 2006 with his slithery rhinestone-and-shoulder pad designs. Now, the label is opening its first demi-couture line, aptly named after the location where it all began.

44 François Premier, designed by Olivier Rousteing, is a 10-piece eveningwear capsule collection that elevates Balmain’s hard-edged chic into the realms of eveningwear. The dresses feature plunging décolletages, peekaboo mesh panels and Balmain’s deep affinity for sparkles. While the gown are not quite couture – they’re not made to order – their extreme formality wouldn’t look out of place on a red carpet.

“Working on this collection is a bit of a palette cleanser for me — a chance to return to the beginnings of this house, with the single driving goal being that of creating unique and exquisite pieces, far removed from editorial and runway pressures,” Rousteing said in a statement released by the house.

Here’s hoping we see a little shimmer and shine on Oscar red carpet this year, courtesy of Balmain.

The post Balmain’s New Eveningwear Line is Extremely Red Carpet Ready appeared first on FASHION Magazine.