Pierre BALMAIN evokes his evolution towards ready-to-wear. According to him, the old haute couture houses have all been "victims of looters"... "without any impact on the designers".
Lise ELINA talks with Ginette SPANIER, director of the Pierre Balmain fashion house. She has just written a story, "The Truth in a mink coat", in which she evokes the great stars she met during the essays at Balmain: Marlene Dietrich, "very difficult as a client", just like Sophia Loren. It also evokes Marie Bell, Edwige Feuillère and Brigitte Bardot, "a love"... His words are illustrated by photos of the celebrities mentioned.
On the occasion of the parades of Prêt à Porter Printemps Eté 1986, visit Balmain to meet its stylist Peggy Huynh Kinh, who evokes the differences between ready-to-wear and haute couture. According to her, the ready-to-wear must adapt to each woman. "It must be both neutral and take a personality with every woman".
The stylist of the house Balmain, Gilles DUFOUR, evokes the importance of fashion shows: "it is mandatory to show clothes on a human being who moves". He wants a collection "cheerful, spicy" and models "who smile, happy, who like what they wear...". He no longer wants the fashion trend "dramatic, post drug...". Claudia SCHIFFER evokes "a portable collection".
The fashion designer in the United States, Oscar de la Renta, has just been appointed artistic director at Balmain. Oscar DE LA RENTA claims to have accepted for the "challenge" and not for the money. He hopes to bring something important to the Balmain house. He decided to look at the collections of the last forty years to be in line with the brand’s tradition. Mrs Eliane, Balmain’s first studio blur, hopes that the new artistic director will keep the "Balmain" label.
At the age of 27, Olivier ROUSTEING was artistic director of Balmain. Things have changed for this adopted child. He evokes the abandonment of his parents who push him to seek recognition: "by creating clothes, by being known, one tries to be loved to fill a certain lack".
Pierre BALMAIN presents his new model, Danièle, which symbolizes one of Balmain’s current trends: youth. He draws on a panel a silhouette that embodies the main aspects of this new fashion.
The 25-year-old stylist, Hervé Pierre Braillard, created Haute Couture and Prêt-à-Porter at Maison Balmain in a sluggish economic climate. Madame ELIANE, first of Balmain’s vague workshop, evokes the decrease in the number of Haute Couture workshops in the house and the talent of Pierre Balmain. Hervé PIERRE tries to respect the tradition of the latter.