The Balmain 44 François Premier Fall 2018 collection pays  homage to the house for people who love the timeless feel of Balmain gowns. 44 François Premier refers to the original address, which the company has outgrown but still maintains.

The gowns radiated glamour, their vivid colors going strong on the va-va-voom with one-shoulder draped styles, moulded shoulders, asymmetric lengths that delineate the body, and surfaces slick with micro strass—he has deliberately played into a certain Parisian ideal that was established by Pierre Balmain and continued through to Oscar de la Renta. “Right now, I’m really, really into bringing back the tradition of the house more than ever,” he said. “Since everyone is wondering about the future of fashion, I think it’s good to step back and remember where we come from without appearing conservative—what made all the strong Paris houses shine around the world.”

The collection is made to stand the test of time. “Now that I have 14 collections a year, I can play with all those collections. Couture is not looking to be modern, to be a trend,” he said. For the fluid draping that takes over the collection, the designer was inspired by “spending time with Beyoncé at the Louvre shooting the video,” he explained. “It was interesting for me to see all the statues and this became the point I wanted to focus on in the atelier—all those Venuses you see with the drape. But still, it couldn’t be over-exaggerated because I want these dresses to be worn on the red carpet.”