Paris Fashion Week 2022: How Balmain called for peace and truth in its autumn/winter collection show, kicking off with a tribute to Ukraine and with VIP guests like Serena Williams

Mar 5 , 2022

Models present creations from the autumn/winter 2022-23 women’s collection by Balmain fashion house during the Paris Fashion Week. Photo: EPA-EFE

Designer Olivier Rousteing called the show a resistance ‘against lies, hate and aggression’ as celebrity guests looked on from the front row

Inspired by Rousteing’s own battle with secrecy, the collection featured armoured breastplates and shields, plus more looks in light colours to represent truth

Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing capped the second day of Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday, March 2, with provocation – and a thought for Ukraine.

VIPs such as Serena Williams looked on as a battalion of dancers resembling soldiers in helmet-style hats put on a strange performance in the Le Marais venue to start the show. They seemed to fight one another depicting a battle – until the two lead soldiers dramatically kissed.

A model presents a creation for Balmain autumn/winter 2022-2023 collection fashion show during the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week in Paris, on March 2. Photo: AFP

Rousteing linked the display, which featured warlike drum music, to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, even penning a note in which he said collection was a resistance “against lies, hate and aggression” – referencing the “anxiety-inducing headlines of the past week”.

Yet the collection itself dealt with the idea of honesty and transparency in a metaphorical way: through colour.

The show was conceived as a response to Rousteing’s own personal battle with secrecy after he was burnt and left ashamed at being permanently scarred by an October 2020 explosion in his home, but he felt that the collection theme unfortunately dovetailed with the events in Eastern Europe.