Well, it’s another great week for European white men in fashion! Following last week’s news that Olivier Rousteing would be exiting Balmain after 14 years as the French house’s creative director, French designer Antonin Tron is stepping in to fill the position.
A little about Tron: This is his first big luxury appointment, having helmed his own brand, Atlein, since 2016. The 41-year-old Royal Academy of Fine Arts graduate’s resume includes the beginnings of his career designing menswear at Louis Vuitton, before moving over to the womenswear teams at Givenchy and then Balenciaga. At Balenciaga, Tron worked alongside Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang, and former Royal Academy classmate, Demna, before moving over to Saint Laurent most recently to work on the design team there.
I have no doubt that Tron has the experience to lead a larger design team, given his track-record, but as usual, there is a small sense of disappointment that yet another seat at the table has been handed to someone lacking the diversity that was so important to Rousteing’s legacy at Balmain. This isn’t to say that Tron isn’t a skilled designer, and the executives at Balmain seem to have high hopes for his tenure. Fingers crossed for Balmain’s future!
Ludovic De Saint Sernin Collaborates With Zara
In other creative director-adjacent news, the Belgian designer of the world’s sexiest dresses, Ludovic De Saint Sernin, has collaborated with Zara for an exclusive collection inspired by New York City, his “perfect wardrobe,” and high impact glamour. The campaign starring Alex Consani and Amelia Grey has already gone viral on Instagram earlier this week, and for all of the girlies who covet LDSS but are on their cost of living crisis budget, it makes sense why!
Balenciaga Debuts Football Series
The worlds of sports and fashion continue to intersect: Balenciaga is the latest brand to tap into the football universe with their debut “Football Series,” a capsule dedicated to the American football aesthetic. I love a sporty reference as much as the next girl, and with the growing popularity of football jerseys in the fashion trend landscape, I have no doubt the capsule will be snapped up by brand loyalists. How this fits in with Pierpaolo’s new vision is to be revealed.
Vivienne Westwood Taps Anime For Their Latest Collaboration
Vivienne Westwood has debuted a Vivienne Westwood X NANA collection this week, inspired by the popular anime that built each character's costumes based off of Vivienne Westwood’s signature silhouettes. To mark NANA’s 25th anniversary, the brand has released a limited run of pieces that reference the beloved anime’s iconic outfits. Anime fans are going berserk in the comments section of the Westwood Instagram page because the collection immediately sold out, and I understand the sentiment.
Jacquemus Taps Charlotte Le Bon For Latest Bag Release
As Simon Porte Jacquemus continues to experiment with more refined brand codes, the French house debuts the Valérie Bag and taps “White Lotus” star Charlotte Le Bon for the campaign. Named after Simon's late mother, Valérie, the silhouette reportedly celebrates his childhood in the South of France, his family's rural heritage, and the quiet poetry of everyday life. In a sweet campaign film, a series of videos capture Le Bon in a vaguely humorous way, making her way about her Paris apartment with the bag in tow. Will the shape be a new house signature? It might be just about time!
Miu Miu Rings in the Holidays with Gigi Hadid and Angela Hill
It’s a very Miu Miu Christmas, indeed. Shot by Angela Hill and captured on Super 8 and film, the holiday campaign stars Gigi Hadid, Dede Mansro, Viola, and Ju Xiaowen. Set in a dreamy Elizabethan manor in the British countryside, the cast gathers for the holidays decked out in signature Miu Miu silhouettes (loafers! slippers! ballerinas galore!). Honestly, it’s making us want to kick back in fur-lined moccasins with a steaming cup of spiked hot chocolate. Who’s joining?
