Okay, so only two words come to mind when I think about the upcoming release of the long-awaited Balmain x H&M collaboration: absolutely fabulous. The reason for this may or may not be because I have been obsessed with Balmain Paris’ current creative director, Olivier Rousteing, and his work for a while now. As if the fresh, extravagant pieces in the collection were not enough to make it an instant success, the official ad campaign featuring Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn and, of course, Kendall Jenner confirms that there is, in fact, nothing NOT to love about it.
Before I uncontrollably start raving about the brilliance of this collab, let me start by providing some vital information on the actual launch of the 99 gorgeous pieces of apparel, accessories and outwear. In case you were planning on becoming part of the Balmain Army, you quite literally had to be prepared to go to war, because these guys were not playing. To further add to the already apparent exclusivity of the collection, item purchases online were limited to one per customer. The collection was made available online on H&M’s US e-commerce site at 8am, November 5th and the mayhem it caused was so massive that the site crashed minutes after the launch. Of course, everything was sold out by the end of the day. No surprise there. However, for those who were not lucky enough to get their hands on any of the pieces, some are already selling on sites such as eBay for prices, which, interestingly enough, appear to be higher than those of some of the original Balmain models.
Now, let me rave uncontrollably. Sorry guys, it has to be done. First, the collection itself. Oh my goodness, the formfitting dresses, the heavily embroidered tops, the structured blazers, the gorgeous, unique, undeniably stylish pieces and with a sparkle that gives them the perfect amount of ‘a little too much’. Being a mixture of feminine sensuality and rock’n’roll chic, each and every item from this collection screams Balmain. Second, the ad campaign. There is definitely a reason for the massive amount of hype that was generated even before the campaign was officially launched. This is anything but your typical, bland fashion advertisement. The scenario includes upbeat music, eye-catching dance moves, with Olivier Rousteing calling the shots, naturally, while the pieces are being introduced in a fun and tasteful manner by some of the most prominent members of the #BalmainNation.
All in all, it’s safe to say this highly anticipated collaboration was everything it should have been and more. Not that anyone doubted its success even for a second.