Tag: Olivier Rousteing

Favorite “Fashion is Art” Met Gala 2026 Looks

Hey y’alll, how are you doing? Did you watch some of the Met Gala looks featured on the carpet last night? The gala’s co-chairs—Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour—were joined by a host committee that included Zoë Kravitz, Doja Cat, and Sabrina Carpenter. Jeff Bezos and his wife sponsored the event as well to much controversy. Either way, according to the museum CEO Max Hollein, the Met Gala broke its fundraising ceiling with a whopping $42 million. ‘Fashion is Art’ has been a trend for some time now and, as a visual artist, I just loved some of the looks.

Eileen Gu wore a bubble dress by Iris Van Herpen that took 2550 hours to make. The dress actually also blew real bubbles as a nod to the ever-evolving fashion technology scene. Sabrina Carpenter wore a Dior slit tulle dress accented by rhinestone film strips inspired by the 1954 film Sabrina. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter wore a skeleton dress by Olivier Rousteing, the former head of Balmain. I’ll just say this- women’s bodies should never be considered some kind of plaything. Women of African descent are often still seen as the “Jezebel,” even in the face of domestic violence offenders and rapists. 

Anyway, check out some other notable looks from Demi Lovato, Emma Chamberlain, a beautiful AI image proposed for Lady Gaga and another from Toyin Lawani below. Toast to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute!

 

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Farewell Olivier Rousteing: Fave Balmain Looks from Recent Years

Good morning! How are you doing? I caught wind of the news that Olivier Rousteing would be stepping down as Creative Director of Balmain and instantly felt a loss. His looks have been some of my favorite looks on the runways for the last few decades. He pushed the limits, reimagined silhouettes, gave garments structure and definition that hadn’t been seen before. I’m sure that his work will be influencing our culture and imagination for years to come. Farewell Olivier. And, well, we can’t wait to see what you do next.

Below are some of my favorite Balmain looks of recent years. What are yours?

     

Photo Credit: Various, Vogue.com

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Faces and Beauty at Balmain Spring/Summer 2025 Show

So, Olivier Rousteing of Balmain thinks that “…the face is the sexiest part of a woman’s body…” and it shows in the latest runway show for Spring/Summer 2025. From the bold lines and silhouettes to the beading and accessories, Balmain’s spring/summer 25 show is one of my favorites of the season. Some of the accessories have lipstick and perfume bottles incorporated into the design. What a genius collection, see more below.

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles