Despite a star-studded front row, featuring Kristen Stewart, Salma Hayek and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nicolas Ghesquière took his autumn/winter inspiration from the more typical working woman.
Heavily influenced by the women he sees working alongside him in the Balenciaga studio every day, Ghesquière reinvented the 80s power wardrobe for the next generation of office workers. Top-heavy silhouettes were favoured, with oversized grey suit jackets worn with knee-length A-line skirts and chiffon sheer dresses in shades of raspberry and violet dwarfed by boxy woollen coats in camel and grey.
Colours were reminiscent of the boom era with neon yellow and fuchsia set against tarnished metallic and regulation black. The most distinctive ensembles featured kitsch sweaters with transfer-printed designs of retro science fiction films, worn oversized with metallic trousers boasting peplum hips. The look was smartened for the office with pointed-toe, cone-heeled stilettos and leather gloves, while all-out glamour was saved for mini dresses with armour-like embellishment – certain to be a red carpet favourite among the A-list attendees.
Click here for more images from Balenciaga's autumn winter 2012 show
