Balenciaga Spring 2015

How did Alexander Wang fare on the runway in Paris with his fourth collection chez Balenciaga? Exceptionally well. Ready for a brilliant new riff on netting? How about some killer off-the-shoulder action? Perhaps some seriously chic takes on pastel that are anything but passé? Check, check, and check. And never mind that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were front row, with their adorable progeny North West in tow, because there were plenty of other details to drink up. For a collection that had a definite eveningwear vibe, it was surprising to find that Wang culled inspiration from the Tour de France. But yet there were subtle hints of bike-friendly accessories: gleaming sunglasses that were secured to the head, teeny shorts, and opulent shirts that oozed an athletic air. Bien sûr there were codes of the Balenciaga maison to uphold, and they arrived in the form of sporty zippered cocoon jackets and a black floor-sweeping take on the iconic balloon jacket. And as for that glossy runway? The clear and black tiles that revealed swirls of mist from dry ice housed underneath, a definite tongue-in-cheek reference to the fantasy world of fashion itself.