Balmain is seemingly addressing a post-covid world through the latest show presenting their fall/winter 2021 women and men collection. Olivier Rousteing, the current creative director of the fashion house expressed in few words to accompany the final show, “I don’t know where we’re going, but I do know that we are going somewhere. The point is not the destination but the actual going; the journey, the leaving—and the escape.”

The impacts of Covid-19 on society, and those having lived through the turmoil of events impacting the year 2020 and 2021, are both tangible in the sense of hospitalisation, isolation, economic recession, yet equally intangible as presented in social comportment and mental health.

The collection references utilitarianism. Trend reports in WGSN indicate that utilitarianism in fashion will increase as we move towards an egalitarian society which equally believes in environmentalism. It is predicted by future trend research articles to increase in popularity in 2030. Utilitarian clothing is about functionality and having what is needed without overusing resources. With a new society, it is likely that the clothing will reflect the impacts created by Covid-19. The future effects caused by the pandemic on society will be reflected in utilitarian clothing. In a future scenario, the garment coverage and multi-use purpose could combat the spread of diseases; through its unification of wearers visually, society and the sense of community will be enabled. 

The pandemic has re-centered our perspective on travel allowing us to see the luxury of escape. The location of the show being in Charles de Gaulle Airport indicates a conscious message to the public that this show is about escapism and travel. 

During the course of the show, Rousteing’s interpretation of our journey moving forwards from the pandemic is developed. Commencing with traditional fabrics and organic colours on utilitarian clothing the viewer is lead to a futuristic extraterrestrial world. This utilitarian style can be compared to that of numerous post-apocalyptic dystopias represented in modern film such as the Divergent movie saga, The Hunger Games, The 100 tv series.

The style is a reference to uniforms thus giving the impression of a readiness for combat.  It is interesting to see the army green trousers paired with a brown leather and shearling jacket on the models before the more futuristic space combinations. During the Second World War these jackets were worn by fighter pilots, Rousteing could be communicating that first humans must face war before taking to the stars. 

The collection, which had begun on the wings of a grounded Air France 777 aircraft as if representing a post-pandemic image without travel yet with a yearn for escapism. As we follow the models, the audience is transported into an outer space set, indicated by a lunar backdrop. The change in set is followed by a shift in design. The collection embraces an outer space theme with metallic materials and additional chemical colours such as burnt orange and vibrant yellow to break from the initial pallet. The style, on the other hand, is constant, as the garments’ structure and overhead theme does not stray from the utilitarianism and escapism. Rousteing successfully represented his vision for the future a parallel from today’s events in tomorrows society.