Despite the untimely departure of Christophe Decarnin for "health" reasons, 26-year-old Olivier Rousteing took the spring 2012 reigns earlier today almost without fault. The collection, though Rousteing's inaugural attempt at the helm of the French fashion house, was everything I expected — perfectly executed minidresses that are sure to make it to the red carpet, a myriad of gold-encrusted separates, and sometimes a little over-detailed (a jacket can survive a near-infinite amount of embellishment, but the same most certainly doesn't hold true for pants, but Rousteing tried anyway). Both lace-veined texture and hints at a western influence were plentiful and floor-skimming leather skirts were paired with studded button-downs for good measure. Though little much at times, I agree with Natalie Massenet of Net-a-Porter that Rousteing mastered the "model-off-duty in a nightclub" look. Take a look at the full collection below.
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Read more of . . . Balmain Spring 2012 RTW: Western Embellishment from: Holly Dawsey. Click here.
