“OK, now, this... this is fashion!” exclaimed Olivier Rousteing, when he first slipped on the initial prototype of the Balmain Creative Director’s eponymous frame. That defining moment was the result of months of brainstorming, effort and meetings. Starting from the designer’s initial circle- meets-rectangle sketches, through riffs on French surrealist inspirations and experiments with signature elements of Balmain’s heritage, Rousting and the Akoni Group team managed to deftly utilize the heft of thick polished Japanese acetate to ultimately surprise with unexpected proportions. Echoing the spirit of Balmain’s precision-tailored “New French Style,” clean and sharp geometries immediately command attention, with the substantial temples set at oblique angles against the front of the frame, where perfectly rounded lenses are joined by a pyramidal nose bridge. Embossed with the house founder’s initials, squared rivets embellish both the front and temples. Color choices mirror familiar runway tonal pairings a frame in classic Balmain black-and- gold sports grey lenses; a pristine white silhouette holds grey-to-clear degradé lenses, temples on rich brown designs intrigue with the addition of the recently re-issued classic alternating motif that Monsieur Balmain first introduced in the early eighties. Handmade in Japan. Includes Balmain box, hard case, soft case, cleaning cloth, and 1-year manufacturer warranty.

 

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