Balmain Fall/Winter 2017-18 by Olivier Rousteing

This is the intimate Paris Diary by Fashion designer and crateive thinker Olivier Rousteing, a classic Balmain but the execution is good. Creative Direction by Pascal Dangin. Starring by Natasha Poly and Lara Stone, but leading male models by Marlon Teixeira, Jon Kortajarena, Presley Gerber (son of Top model Cindy Crawford) and Ton Heukels.

“The most incredible experience, more than a campaign, an emotion, more than a picture an unforgettable memory” Olivier quotted on Instagram a few weeks ago when the shot took over in Paris “my amazing city of lights”.

After a success on Paris Fashion Week with menswear, Rousteing celebrated this week launching a collaboration with Beats and Balmain for a pair of extravaganza studio wireless earpods, leading the campaign by Kylie Jenner. Timed with the opening the Balmain Flagship at 8421 Melrose Place in Los Angeles, Balmain and @beatsbydre launch today a new collaboration featuring two exclusive custom designs of Beats’ popular Powerbeats3 Wireless and Beats Studio Wireless headphones.

“My days are like everybody’s: they start too early and end too late. And, in between, it sometimes feels like all I do is rush from one meeting (late) to the next (late). With a schedule like that, the beauty of Paris—which made such an impact upon me when I arrived here as a young student—has too often been reduced to a blur outside a taxi window, a simple backdrop for daily routines, something that no longer even registers. But, things have changed recently for me. Since our elections, like so many others, I’ve been focusing more on what it means to be French and why we choose to be here—and as part of that examination, I’ve been rediscovering what has always been here, including the magnificence of the streets surrounding me.

This campaign, the most personal that I’ve presented to date, is my Paris Diary. A few weeks ago, over two long days and one never-ending night, my team and I covered the city, trekking from arrondissement to arrondissement. Beginning at 44, rue François Premier—Balmain’s historic home—and pausing our journey at some of the French capital’s iconic addresses (Palais Royal, Saint Sulpice, Pantheon, Place des Victoires…), we captured Balmain’s Fall-Winter offerings, setting members of the diverse and strong Balmain Army in front of the timeless beauty of our Ville Lumière.

I’ve always explained that part of the draw that social media has for me is its unique removal of any filters or middlemen—allowing me to communicate directly with those who are interested in what we are creating. I wanted to photograph this campaign for the same reasons: to have the images directly reflect my vision of Balmain’s latest creations, as well as my love for the singular beauty of the city I call home. I hope you are as happy with the results as I am.”