Balmain‘s creative director Olivier Rousteing and Beyoncé teamed on a collection inspired by the hitmaker’s “Renaissance” album, released in July 2022.
The Renaissance couture collection was announced today and it features 16 looks inspired by the 16 tracks on Beyoncé’s hit album.
Instead of finalizing details of his spring 2023 collection, Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing sat down and listened to “Renaissance,” stirring him to sketch out 50 new silhouettes that riffed on “the rhythm, spirit and voices of Renaissance,” according to a statement from the luxury house.
With help from the “Break My Soul” songstress and her team, the pair whittled those 50 sketches down to 16, converting them into couture creations that embody the brand’s identity and Beyoncé’s musical vision.
Watch on FN
“From the beginning, we knew that this collaboration was going to be unlike any of the others that either of us had worked on before,” Rousting said. “We jumped in, headfirst, with no commercial game plan—for this is a collection that is based completely on our shared passion for melding together music and fashion.”
Beyoncé has already worn 2 out of the 17 looks in the collection to the Grammys and the Brit Awards earlier this year.
Each garment drew inspiration from a certain track, embodying the lyrics and vibes of songs like “Cozy” and “America Has a Problem” to the fullest extent. Each work is exceedingly glamorous and regal, exuding a sort of opulence that only Balmain and Beyonce‘s teamwork could bring.
The collection came to fruition following Balmain’s most recent Paris Fashion Week runways and presentations, which were strongly focused on the founder, Pierre Balmain’s incredible legacy. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been so focused on history lately, but I can’t help but be thrilled by the history-making aspects of this collaboration,” said Rousteing. “This appears to be the first time that a Black woman has overseen the couture offering from a historic Parisian house.”
PHOTOS: Beyoncé & Balmain: All the 16 Looks Dedicated to ‘Renaissance’ Songs
