There’s an impressive power that comes from putting pen to paper. I don’t think anything crystalises our thoughts and emotions better than structuring that mix of feelings, hopes, joys and fears into written words.
Over the past several seasons, my own thoughts and emotions have been increasingly focused upon love: the love that I have for this incredible profession, for the inspiring heritage of this historic house, for my talented colleagues, and for the collections that we craft, together season after season—because, yes, I do realise just how lucky I am!
So, a few months ago, I convinced myself that now is the perfect moment to give voice to those sentiments. That’s how it came to be that every Balmain Resort 2025 design can trace its origins back to one specific moment: when I sat down to pen my love letter to this house and the transformational power of fashion’s skilled craftsmanship.
I’ve reproduced that handwritten note on the next page, and it’s those words that guide every element of this offering, making it very easy to sum up this collection as my lettre d’amour to the singular blend that defines today’s Balmain.
My team and I began our work in a very literal manner: we were determined to find a wide variety of pathways to incorporate the letter’s actual letters, words, and phrases into this season’s designs.
Golden accessories replicate handwritten pronouns, key nouns are blown up to unexpected scales, sentences morph into the stripes of marinières, ensembles play on contrasting sizes and colours of text, and line spacing is compressed and expanded to create one-of-a-kind ombré gradients.
But – as with every profession of love – words are never enough. I quickly saw a need to move beyond simple written symbols to focus on more concrete examples that help illustrate why I feel the way I do for the intricacies of this craft.
That’s why the essential daily tools of the Balmain atelier are highlighted throughout this offering, with ribbons, spools of thread, pins, and pin cushions given a surprising luxury spin as they are transformed into golden embellishments.
The season’s many remarkable trompe l’oeil creations help focus the eye on the often-hidden, expert interior constructions that make possible this house’s confidence-boosting tailoring and sculptural shapes. Unexpected placements of realistic photographic prints as well as skilled textile mixes help to smoothly incorporate 20th- and 21st-century house signatures into this season’s tees, jeans, and jackets.
Throughout, Pierre Balmain’s original postwar couture label is often given front and centre placement, making very clear our determination to constantly build upon the heritage of our founder’s audaciousness.
That defining Balmain boldness can be clearly recognised in this resort collection’s reliance upon precise Parisian tailoring, including multiple riffs on the legendary Jolie Madame silhouette, with the house’s signature bold shoulders mirrored in the powerfully structured skirts.
Coming full circle, the house’s artisans have managed to masterfully meld their skilled construction with my proclamations of praise for that saviour-faire, as words from my lettre d’amour are deftly integrated with the collection’s sharp cuts and bold lapels.
