Balmain (Paris, France)

If there's one label you can credit (or blame) for the abundance of strong shouldered jackets, sequined dresses or shredded and studded pieces you see in every magazine or high street store, it's probably Balmain. As the world was swept up in Balmainia and - despite my initial fascination with the SS09 collection - I was starting to get a little bored of the look, it was hard to escape the coverage of the latest 'it' pieces from the brand. Like many, I would pore over the celebrity shots, runway images or editorials... all of which are perfect settings for the flashy statement outfits. Then I moved to Paris where Balmain became a reality. I still remember being slightly shocked at my first sightings: the overly embellished military jacket on an elderly socialite exiting a cafe in broad daylight, then in Printemps where rows of jackets hung from unassuming racks near the escalators. In the harsh midday sun and halogen glare of the store light respectively, the clothes looked a little 'too much'. Too shiny, over the top and quite tacky. Of course since these pieces are designed for the typical French party girl, they aren't necessarily appropriate for daywear anyway. Like most evening pieces, the majority of Balmain outfits deserve an event or special occasion.

A selection of SS10 looks (images: Balmain).

Despite Christophe Decarnin's current sexy and bold signature look for the brand, his first four collections included flowy gowns, pleated skirts and other pieces marked by an elegant simplicity... something that more closely resembled Pierre Balmain's aesthetic of draped and figure-flattering tailoring and a style I personally prefer. Even though the shoulders and sequins don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon and I wasn't the hugest fan of his last few collections, I was glad to see elegant pantsuits and brocade pieces in the FW10 range, a more fitting tribute to Mr. Balmain's legacy than the army look or disco bling from the last two seasons... which were unfortunately almost too easily copied on the high street. And though it might be the victim of far too many knockoffs, Balmain knows exactly who its target group is: the affluent, the aristocrats, young girls stemming from important and influential families, the fashion industry crowd and celebrities. With clients that range from Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Eugénie Niarchos to Beyoncé and Rihanna, Balmain's only flagship in the world is used to accommodating the rich and famous. Unlike some of its competitors like Louis Vuitton or Gucci it doesn't bother trying to draw in the Average Jane so she'll drop some cash on a scarf or a pair of sunglasses. This boutique wants to represent old-school luxury and as such, it's probably one of the most intimidating designer stores you'll ever come across.

The flagship only has one store window as seen during FW09 (left) and SS10 (right).

The ground floor of the boutique with its sleek white design from last year.

Even though I rarely have issues just waltzing into a designer boutique I must admit, my first trip to Balmain took a bit of courage. Back then, the store was kept in stark white, it was a Saturday yet completely empty except for four SAs who were all very focused on my every move. It was way too quiet (for the first time I wouldn't have minded some elevator music) and because of the simple modern interior, the items looked even more bold and scary than they usually do. But what annoyed me the most, was the store itself. The SA who ended up glued to my side was very friendly and helpful, but the interiors lacked any personality. While most designers inject a little of their own trademark look into a store design, Balmain's was just a little too plain. I didn't really expect Decarnin to hang a giant disco ball from the ceiling or stud the walls with crystals, but the whole boutique was so bland it resembled a showroom rather than a place you'd greet wealthy customers - something that seemed quite ironic considering Balmain's love for architecture.

More views from the ground floor in the old boutique design. All items from FW09.

I guess Decarnin himself must have gotten fed up as well (or somehow heard my complaints): in November 2009 the flagship closed its doors for two months and after a two million Euro makeover, the elegant setting was revealed. One inspired by Pierre Balmain himself, who had found the location in 1945 as it was being vacated by German soldiers after the war and who promptly signed a lease for the first floor apartment where he ended up designing the first collection under his eponymous label.

The flagship in its new look, including the revamped staircase (top) and lower level customer area (bottom right). As a comparison, a view of the stairs from above, taken last year (bottom keft).

The store now consists of two floors, the lower of which is relatively small and serves as the entrance and greeting area, along with the cash desk if you do decide to spend a small fortune. It's here you can also catch a glimpse of the first few looks ranging from iconic statement pieces to simple t-shirts. The current setting, which combines a range of Louis XIV inspired furniture, antique busts, a mix of stone and parquet floors, elaborate wall and ceiling details and warm lighting, mixes traditional Balmain elegance with Decarnin's more edgy modern look. Most importantly, it's a lot more welcoming than the previous design - did I mention they now have music? And like the FW10 collection, it has a more luxurious vibe. As it's interesting to see the transformation from simple white to majestic private home, I will include shots from the old store interior as well.

First floor as viewed near the stairs. The old design showcased the sparkly FW09 dresses nicely but was otherwise very bare.

More shots of the previous interiors, which included one large room displaying racks of clothes. I wasn't too fond of the chairs, which reminded me of the ones I see in office conference rooms.

The renovated first floor as viewed from near the stairs again (left) and a shot of the remaining rooms as seen from the front revealing different sections (right).

The most imposing element is the grand staircase which leads you to the main boutique area on the first floor. A key look can usually be seen on a mannequin as you reach the mid-level on your way up. When I went a few weeks ago, I spied a very bizarre crocodile jacket (as worn by Daria in the above runway collage, middle image), which as the SA later told me retailed for around 45 000 EUR. Yikes. If you're not willing to spend what some might consider an annual salary or the price of a car on dead animal skin, there are slightly cheaper items of course, but beware that even the less pricey goods, such as the torn jeans or the cotton tops will still set you back at least 900 EUR. As I reached the top floor, where one rack showcased more military khaki green looks from SS10, I could see that what was once a big area had been sectioned off into individual rooms which were connected by two large entryways on either side.

The first room with its large table displaying shoes and perfume. The dress on the wall retails for approx. 16000 EUR and a small changing room can be found conveniently next to it (bottom right).

Overview of the first floor (top). New furniture and antique busts complete the look (bottom row).

Approaching the middle room with its comfortable seating area. Menswear is available as well (right).

While the first room only contained a few shoes on a big marble table and some very expensive items (including a 16 000 EUR sequined dress) on the wall, the next few spaces resembled large sitting rooms or lounges. Comfortable sofas, elegant sideboards and modern coffee tables made everything look quite sophisticated but also warm. A private boudoir changing room could be found near the front and clothes on gilded racks were placed along the walls to allow for easy browsing. The clothing, while not always my taste, was definitely well made. The jackets felt sturdy, heavy and fit perfectly. Did that justify the high price tag? Perhaps not, but if you're going to get a Balmain, I'd probably recommend you get an iconic piece rather than the cotton t-shirts with the faux shrapnel holes which many might just end up mistaking for the Zara version. The jeans weren't my favorites either, but the sleeveless gold lamé dresses were quite beautiful and I'll never forget the evening gowns with the typical long back but short front I sighted from the previous season.

A good way to not spend money here is to just sit down and read the coffee table book...

Some of my discoveries. SS10's military 80s chic and blinged up army outfits, including the very Ed Hardy-esque studded jacket (the over-the-top illustration on the back isn't very visible in the pic), military coats, torn knits and a very tough bullet belt.

More feminine items from last season... the evening gowns and more simple blazers (left). Other views of the old design in the main room include the changing rooms (top right) and an oval room towards the back with more evening looks (bottom right).

Footwear and bags used to be hidden away, but they can now be found in the last room where they get their own shelf space. As expected, the Zanotti shoes are edgy and make quite a statement, though the canvas khaki versions are a little more low-key than you'd expect. I spied a bullet belt (800 EUR for those interested) and smaller bags which still looked like last season's pieces. Menswear, nothing as eye-catching as the women's collection, could be found on various racks as well but didn't seem to have their own section. At the very end of the floor a place once reserved for the more elaborate gowns now houses two very spacious changing rooms. As before, I had an SA who accompanied me throughout the store but tried to be more subtle by keeping a distance. This isn't really a place for window shoppers, as the staff are used to having regular buyers, so if you're wary about high-end boutiques, you might want to drop by the department stores instead. I will say that the makeover was worth it and it's probably one of the more beautiful flagships out there, so it's definitely worth a visit if you love the brand.

The store as viewed from the back (left) and another rack with more khaki SS10 gear (right).

The last room with more seating possibilites and a very tempting shoe shelf (right).

If you prefer bags and belts, there's a closet for that as well, which also includes a small TV displaying the current season runway show (left). One of two very large changing rooms where the evening wear section used to be (right).

Insanely high pricing is just a marketing strategy to keep the label exclusive and having only one flagship in the world limits the distribution somewhat, but I will point out that you can still get Balmain in plenty of boutiques throughout Paris and of course also online. The one thing that has tainted the exclusivity of the brand (for me at least), aside from my frequent Balmain sightings both in-store and on the streets, was seeing all the jackets and dresses during sale season, where they were piled on racks and you'd end up browsing through dozens of the same pieces for half the price or less. A dilemma most designer brands face when they're trying to remain select but still need to earn a decent profit and get rid of old stock.

The Balmain flagship during sale season last summer when temporary racks invaded the floor space in order to display all old stock.

Gotta love licensed products... care for a Balmain weave? (left) Or perhaps some bedsheets and a few pens? (right) Get them now before Decarnin burns them himself...

As a side note, Balmain offers even cheaper products - a result of too many licensing agreements during the 80s and 90s, so imagine my surprise when I one day spied Balmain extensions in a hair salon, not to mention the 30 EUR pens that are available in airports or the bed sheets you can get in Asia. I'm sure this causes the brand a few headaches, but revamping the boutique is another great step in getting some of that glitz back. Even if you're not in Paris to see the ultra-chic store yourself, Balmain will be launching an official online store soon, so start saving your hard-earned pennies now...

A few looks from FW10 (images: Balmain).

Address: 44 rue François 1er, 75008 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:30-19:00
Balmain Homepage