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PARIS, France — The Balmain men, all unbridled decoration, flash 'n cash and burgeoning physical presence, is utterly unapologetic. His no-holds-barred approach to maximalism becomes if possible more and more maximalist as times passes. Like it or not, creative director Olivier Rousteing has a vision, and goes for it all the way down, without feeling any need to edit himself down — in fact, today's show was literally infinite.
Deliberately tacky, and borderline vulgar, it was also very enjoyable: a visually ebullient parade of peococks in various states of theatrical dress up. It started with slouchy knitwear and ended up with densely embroidered tunics. Overdressed to the brim, the Balmain posse looked once again like a tribe of retired rockstars from another era — the 1980s — because Rousteing has a thing for the period — the style, the music, the excess. Is there room for such a take on glamour today? Probably. Anyway, according to Freddie Mercury on the soundtrack, the show must go on.
