What is Alexander Wang doing showing at Paris fashion week? This was the first thought that sprang to mind when Balmain show kicked off this afternoon. Filled with slick ‘80s references—from leather pants and loose tanks to super-tight mini-dresses—as well as beaded zebra and leopard prints, the fall collection possessed an edgy, downtown cool not often associated to the storied French house.

On the surface, the fall line seemed tres Christopher Decarnin—the current creative director who has been whipping up abbreviated, body-skimming styles since he took his post in 2006—and a tad removed from his predecessor’s aesthetic. “Dressmaking is the architecture of movement” Balmain (who trained as an architect before opening his fashion house) is often quoted as saying; Decarnin’s dresses seem to restrict the wearer to short and decidedly sexy strides. However, some research shows that in addition to his masterful draping skills, Balmain had a wild side himself—and Decarnin did a great job of referencing both. See?

*Snaps: Wireimage, someplace random online, & Viewimages

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