Somewhere in Paris, a self-described "creative tribe" of graffiti artists, models, and the entire pre-Rousteing Balmain team (all of them) are busy cooking up Faith Connexion's next big thing. The brand, for those not familiar, is these days synonymous with a certain gung ho rock-and-roll glitz. And it should come as little surprise, given the label's supergroup status, that there's a goodly dose of Balmain's Decarnin-era glamour to the clothes. They clock in at a friendlier price point, and with an approachably grungy side that ensures you needn't be a runway Valkyrie like Anja Rubik to carry it off.
Spring saw the bold yin out to play in full force, in fluoro jackets and cutout bra tops, but for Fall things leaned decidedly—and happily—toward a more muted, Parisienne yang. Take the silk ruffled poet blouse. Easy, oversize, and a bit offbeat, it got to the core of Faith Connexion's proportion play: If there's a big dramatic top, chances are you'll find nearly painted-on jeans or a pelvis-grazing mini down below. Here, the former came in a lean moto cut, the latter in feathers and tulle (or, for a subtler touch, a style that mimicked knotting a slouchy jacket at one's waist). That skirt was teamed with a bustier, though party girls from Saint-Germain and Soho will no doubt be happy to pair it with the off-the-shoulder blazer, reminiscent of those hyper-fitted sculptural numbers, or one of the hand-tagged leather jackets and a boyfriend's tee.
Fall also marked the launch of Faith Connexion menswear. From the glittery trousers and skinny jeans all the way down to a gold lamé shirt, those pieces were a fitting complement to the existing girls' range. And while a high-shine, iridescent, shearling-trimmed topper isn't going to do it for some men, it was a hell of a lot of fun, like the bulk of this offering.
