Balmain and The Biker Jacket
Way back in the ‘50s when Marlon Brando stepped out in a biker jacket for the first time, we were reminded of the bad boys our mothers often warned us about. Now, Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, a true 80’s kid, brings back the badass biker jacket. It’s no surprise his runways are awash with acid denims and bold shoulders, the models strutting to an ‘80s playlist featuring Metallica and Bon Jovi. The MVP in all of this? The Balmain leather jacket.
The not-so-grunge leather jacket
Far from the kohl-rimmed, louche layer, Rousteing’s jacket is snug at the shoulders, but loose around the torso. A few reiterations later, from the unconventional silver one with mint green detailing to the democratic and made for everyone in his March 2015 Balmain x H&M drop, the leather jacket has seen its fair share of revolutions.
A feminist jacket?
Forever muse: Kim Kardashian has been spotted sporting the bold jacket with North in tow. He told US Vogue of the Balmain woman: “She’s got attitude; she’s a troublemaker, and she doesn’t care. She’s defiant, but she is a paradox: She can be sweet and romantic too; she can be an angel . . . or she can be a devil. She cannot be categorized.” How many of you just pictured a couple of KarJenners reading that? His army, made up of Rihanna and Gigi Hadid alike is a testament to empowered women all around.
A few good spikes
There is no denying that Balmain is a believer of love at first spike. Known for his affinity for the typically grunge aesthetic, Rousteing manages to find a way to put them on everything possible, think accessories, tops and even all-over on pants. And just when we ponder the act of sitting in said item, Rousteing serves up a juxtaposition of hard and soft. Think a spiked Balmain skirt paired with a crisp white shirt or lavender long sleeved top studded with spikes from fall/winter 2019. Think of it as personal protection, as everyday armor.
Shop Balmain exclusively at Le Mill, Colaba, Mumbai.
