PFW: Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2009

Balenciaga is one of the shows I - and I'm sure a lot of you - anticipate the most from Paris, and the best thing about it is, you never know what to expect from Nicolas Ghesquière. For fall, the designer presented a luscious feminine Parisian inspired collection of draped icy color mixed satin tulip skirts, paired with satin blouses, or silver shimmering long-sleeved tops with accentuated shoulders. The manipulated fabrics were extraordinary, as was the color play and tailoring. The few silhouettes shown were almost all centered on hip focused draping. Lovely jackets were also shown, with bold sharp shoulders over sari pants or classic trousers. After much of the emphasis on draping, a group of printed dresses were inveigled, a lot of them which turn out to not be prints at all. But actually were elaborate, intricate embroidery. The shoes looked fantastic from the front, I
only wish I could find detail shots from other angles.
Although there was a slight futuristic edge to the collection, It wasn't heavy on the sci-fi tendencies. The collection was much more softer and feminine. Before the show he even stated, "High-Tech is Over,". The constructions in this collection were obviously more relaxed and I'm sure this will attract a larger commercial appeal.

Here's some first row fixtures , Salma Hayek with her husband, François-Henri Pinaul. Also at the show was French Vogue's Editor-In-Cheif Carine Roitfeld in a Balmain lace blouse and a Balenciaga coat. With Emmanuelle Alt, French Vogue's fashion director. American Vogue's Anna Wintour and Vogue Nippon's Fashion Editor and Creative Consultant, Anna Dello Russo were also at the show of course.