If your mood could do with a little lifting right now, choosing something fun to wear might help. And from the looks of it, Balmain and Maluma’s newest collaboration offers lots of vibrant heat.
This limited-edition collection, now available in Balmain stores and on its website, is the first time the French luxury house has worked with a celebrity to design pieces together. The offering includes chunky high-top sneakers, relaxed blazers and trousers, bold printed tees and other high-end ready-to-wear pieces. The eccentric collection will also be available at Saks Fifth Avenue on April 15th.
From left to right: Nylon bomber jacket with multicolor printed; Black knit lace-up B-Bold high top sneakers Courtesy of Balmain
The brand has a long history of working with A-Listers, though these partnerships haven’t created products you can buy. In the past, Balmain has primarily featured celebrities like Rihanna in its advertising campaigns or created high-impact wardrobes for their tours or concerts (see: Beyonce at Coachella in 2018, Bjork’s Cornucopia tour, et al). In fact, that’s where this collaboration started: as outfits for Maluma to wear on stage during his 2020 concert series. But when the pandemic derailed those plans, the singer and Balmain creative director Olivier Rouesting turned it into a limited-edition menswear offering.
“The collaboration with Maluma is obviously [adding] to Balmain and pushing the aesthetic more internationally,” Rousteing told Billboard. “Maluma, more than being an incredible singer, is bringing a lot to the fashion community with his joy and his happiness and the fact that he’s always playing his style from different kinds of houses from around the world, mixing different cultures as well.”
From left to right: Black and white striped cuprammonium blazer with double-breasted buttoned fastening; Black and white striped cuprammonium harem-cut pants Courtesy of Balmain
In a statement, the singer said it’s been a long-time goal to work with a fashion house on creating a collection. “But this journey was more exciting, as Olivier pushed me to design with him and sketch looks that I personally will wear off the stage and showcase high couture with a bit of Papi Juancho,” he said, referring to his alter ego.
If you’re looking to liven up your spring wardrobe with prints and vivid pops of contrasting colors, this collaboration is a good place to start. Prices range from $495 for a logo t-shirt to a $2,550 for a nylon bomber jacket.
