Dressing Miss Dolly: Balmain

I don't know about you, but I was kind of feeling like my head was just about clearing from the rush of Balmania, that fell upon us in autumn. Not to say that Decarnin's spring/summer 2010 collection wasn't as capable of achieving this again, but spring/summer 2010 just brought us a greater multitude of season defining looks. However, that time of year has come again and for me at least, autumn/winter belongs to Balmain.

The best pieces, unsurprisingly, came in the short and well-shouldered form he does best. This season thankfully moved away from the rock-chick look, clad in black leather and silver studs (how out of date does that look already?), and more into the land of a lady. Of course, whoever is lucky enough to be able to afford Balmain, is more than likely to be a lady who can afford a lot of luxury, so this collection will suit her just fine. It came in rich, sumptuous colours: gold, amethyst, deep sapphire blue and threads of ruby red. Brocade detailing gave those Balmain classics: second skin trousers, structured blazers, and ragged edged, thigh-skimming dresses, a new lady-luxe feel. These elements reminded me of Elizabethan court dress, moving the style of the collection forwards, whilst still maintaining all of the fundamental factors, that keep the ladies going back to Decarnin for more.

The long gowns held a lot of impact, maybe even more than the gems that were the short styles. That one far left below, looks like it flows like liquid gold. Stunning to say the least.

There were a few odd bits and pieces throughout the collection; the second look had a skinny fit pair of navy blue trousers, which looked too casual - almost like a jegging - which just lacked the magical twist of Balmain. Similarly, a couple of pinstriped suits looked out of place. They picked up on the luxurious feel of the rest of the collections, with golden veined threads running through them, but compared to everything else which oozed opulence, they look detached.