These Lips Might Sink Ships...: Balenciaga

For as long as I have followed fashion, I have been in love with Nicolas Ghesquière's work at Balenciaga. That may be a bit surprising given my personal style (or not depending on how much you know about Nicolas), but I think that's part of what draws me to the designer's work. Ghesquière offers up a surprise every season, changing the way I see things. I think there's something beautiful about art that needs to be processed in order to be appreciated. Sometimes creators make it too easy, but Nicolas is certainly not one of these creators. This season, unlike last season's punk collection, the overall concept was not so ascertainable. Ghesquière mentioned a "game of proportion" and "shifting points of view" to style.com, but did not note a thematic idea. Having said that, the clothes were no less impressive. There was a certain clarity to the collection that was absolutely lovely. It wasn't minimalism—yawn—but there was something restrained about it. It was certainly less severe than Balenciaga tends to be, but it still pushed the limits of what one might consider beautiful. The bulky, woven pleather jackets at the beginning of the show were probably the most extreme pieces on the runway. Naturally, I found myself in love. The jackets were paired with fluidly draped skirts featuring a fantastic floral print, providing for a more balanced silhouette. Similarly intriguing play with proportions continued throughout the show. Many of the looks included a mid-length leather hemmed skirt that has left me inexplicably enticed. The collection continued with a highly sculptural point of view, with shell-like sweaters and pieces that had folds dancing about them. What emerged was a leaner silhouette that included a long tunic length and a trim pant. The length appeared in an assortment of garments, from simple mid-weight coats to tops that looked almost like armor created from a black disco ball. At Balenciaga, there is often a strength and protection attributed to clothes, but also a deeply personal, more vulnerable point of view alongside it. I personally love to feel enveloped by my clothes, often putting on an oversized leather jacket that serves as a psychological protection from the outside world. The shoes contributed yet another layer to the collection, taking shape as a sick stiletto Mary Jane, which looked perfectly naughty in its height and pointedness. The unification of ideas doesn't seem even feasible, but Ghesquière executes it with grace, alongside Marie-Amelie Sauve, his talented stylist and right hand woman. Together they are making leaps and bounds, pushing fashion forward to an ever-inspiring place.

Aline Weber