PFW: Like A Fine Wine At Balmain Fall/Winter 2024 Show

Having grown up in Bordeaux, France, Olivier Rousteing‘s childhood was punctuated by memories of his mother’s trench coats, picnics on the grass and the region’s renowned wines—all of which he paid homage to in Balmain’s Fall/Winter 2024 show.

In a fun nod to his upbringing, grapes we in abundance among printed silk dresses, bead and crystal work, chandelier earrings, bag charms, brooches, woven in tapestry fabrics, embossed on leather, and, a personal favourite, in glossy metal clutches that looked ripe for plucking.

A kaleidoscope of textures brought life to every look, from velvet and plissé to furry sleeves and glass bodices. There was also the coil of snail shells throughout, a tongue-in-cheek reference to escargot, highlighted in statement earrings, fastenings on belts and shoes, and even as a gilded breastplate.

The nostalgic throwback to childhood picnics through basket bags, cork leather, and gingham—crystalised in a floor-length dress, printed on silk, and blown up in fluffy and puffy outerwear—was particularly clever. Elsewhere, his mother’s influence was felt with varied iterations of trench coats, but he stamped them with power shoulders and glamorous hardware as Pierre Balmain would.

But beyond the more literal insights into his childhood was another thematic tone to this collection that celebrated ageing. Not just in the grapes that adorned clothing and accessories or the diverse range of models he tapped for the runway, but the collection as a whole, whether intentionally or not, spoke to the idea that beauty comes over time.

In a time where creative directors are chopped and changed, and we pick up and toss trends around at a whim, Rousteing, supported by one of his best collections with the house to date, instils a powerful message that there’s no rushing a good thing. Just like the most coveted wines, the years can only deepen us.

This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.