Balenciaga, Balmain, and Nina Ricci - Paris Fashion Week

A look from the Fall 2009 collection for Balmain.

Bonjour!

As soon as I recovered from New York Fashion Week, Paris was upon me. But I won't complain because the clothes have been marvelous. Things were off to a great start on Thursday, and I imagine the clothes will only get better. Let's take a look.

Balenciaga: Nicolas Ghesquiere was having a Yves Saint Laurent moment during his Fall 2009 show in Paris. Set in the sunny salon at the Hotel Crillon, satin draping and strong shapes evoked a very 1940s vibe. While it wasn't my favorite collection, he did manage to create some wearable items relevant to These Economic Times.

Balmain: Christophe Decarnin drew a disco fevered crowd to see his collection at The Ritz on Thursday. While I wasn't loving the Dancing with the Stars inspired mini dresses, his separates were impeccably cut. Skinny trousers hugged every curve, and peaked shoulders looked very "now" on cropped jackets. While the Swarovski embellishments might work in Paris, I don't know if an American audience is quite ready. Maybe in Vegas.

Nina Ricci: While rumors swirl over Olivier Theysken's departure from Nina Ricci, the show still went on. And it was beautiful. "I was thinking of a nocturnal mood," he said backstage, trying to explain how he'd orchestrated it. "Not nightclubbing at all. Something moonlit—a bit magical." And magical it was. The models soared - literally, in incredibly tall lace-up ankle boot platforms. Adding to the magic was the strangely perfect pants, dresses, and jackets. Strange, because they were unlike anything ever seen before.

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