Balmain
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PARIS, March 3, 2011
By Nicole Phelps
The story that will inevitably linger about the Fall Balmain show is that its creative director, Christophe Decarnin, failed to show up. The designer is under doctor's orders to rest after being treated for an unconfirmed illness, alternately rumored to be depression or exhaustion. But there was news on the runway as well. Decarnin and his new stylist, Melanie Ward (who replaced Emmanuelle Alt after the latter was elevated to the editor in chief role at Paris Vogue), traded the punk influences of last season for glam rock, swapping Sid's version of "My Way" for David Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul" off Aladdin Sane. Bowie's Thin White Duke was all over the Fall men's collections, but it was Ziggy Stardust in his spangled glory who seemed to be the inspiration behind today's crystal-encrusted jumpsuits. The all-in-ones were a first for Decarnin's Balmain, hard as that may be to believe given how thoroughly the designer has plumbed the seventies for ideas.There has been much speculation about the extent of Ward's involvement (she is best known for her work with the nineties fashion god Helmut Lang). Her influence perhaps accounted for the loosened-up silhouettes of the house's signature minidresses (this season painstakingly hand-embroidered with mosaics of mirrors and ribbons) as well as for the borrowed-from-the-boys proportions of bib-front tuxedo shirts. Decarnin kick-started the current craze for nineties-era boot-cut flares a year ago. The new pant is deeply cuffed and cropped below the knee and above a lace-up boot; what's more, it's not second-skin tight. When this collection hits the stores, some of the first pieces to go will be the metallic leather peaked-lapel blazers, one ice blue, the other yellow gold. They delivered the trademark house sizzle, but in a fresh, powerful way. And without all the embroidered glitz, they'll ring up quite a savings at the register. As questions swirl, it's a new day at Balmain.
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Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim -
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Edun Elie Saab Elie Tahari Elise Øverland Emanuel Ungaro Emilio de la Morena Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
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Farah Angsana Fashion East Felder Felder Felipe Oliveira Baptista Fendi Francesco Scognamiglio Frank Tell -
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Gabriele Colangelo Gap Gareth Pugh Gary Graham Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Graeme Armour Gregory Parkinson G-Star Gucci -
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Haider Ackermann Hakaan Halston Helmut Lang Hermès Hervé Léger by Max Azria Holly Fulton House of Holland -
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Iceberg Imitation of Christ Isaac Mizrahi Isabel Marant Issa Issey Miyake -
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Karen Walker Kelly Wearstler Kenzo Kevork Kiledjian Kimberly Ovitz Kinder Aggugini -
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L.A.M.B. L'Wren Scott Lanvin Lela Rose Libertine Limi Feu Loewe Louise Gray Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luisa Beccaria Lyn Devon -
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Naeem Khan NAHM Nanette Lepore Narciso Rodriguez Neil Barrett Nicholas K Nicolas Andreas Taralis Nicole Farhi Nicole Miller Nina Ricci No. 21 Norma Kamali -
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Ohne Titel Organic by John Patrick Oscar de la Renta Osman -
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Paul & Joe Paul Smith Pedro Lourenço Peter Jensen Peter Pilotto Peter Som Philosophy Piazza Sempione Ports 1961 PPQ Prabal Gurung Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
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Sacai Sachin + Babi Salvatore Ferragamo Sass & Bide Sharon Wauchob Sonia Rykiel Sophie Theallet Sportmax St. John Stella McCartney Stephen Burrows Steven Alan Suno -
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Undercover United Bamboo -
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Valentino Vanessa Bruno Vena Cava Vera Wang Véronique Leroy Versace Versus Victoria Beckham Viktor & Rolf Vionnet Vivienne Tam Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood Red Label VPL -
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Wayne Wes Gordon Willow -
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Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo Z Spoke by Zac Posen
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