christophe decarnin leaves balmain
What will French fashion journalists wear now?
Christophe Decarnin, the man that took the shoulder pad from eighties relic to modern mode, has relinquished his position as creative director with French fashion house Balmain. The arch nemesis of the Phoebe Philos of this world, the term 'minimalism' was certainly not something that appeared in Decarnin's creative vocabulary. The designer's signature blend of rock 'n' roll glamour laced with a tough military edge made Balmain's shows a fashion-elite favourite . His snake-hipped models, clad in the skinniest tailoring and lashings of sequins, were frequently the toast of Paris Fashion Week.
The Autumn/Winter 2011 Balmain show was tainted by Decarnin's noticeable absence and it has been suggested that exhaustion and depression have played a part in his exit from the label. No successor has yet been announced, and we are left with nothing but questions. What will Decarnin do next? Who will take up his gloriously glitzy mantle? And where will Vogue editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt source her two-thousand dollar jeans now?
Words: Lillian McKnight
Oystermag
