Victoria's Secret is partnering with Balmain on a new capsule collection. The American lingerie brand is gearing up to unveil its annual runway spectacle, which will be taped for broadcast around the world on 28 November, in Shanghai, China. While 2017's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will no doubt look to the Far East for inspiration, there will also be some French flair, as brand executives have announced that Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing will be working on looks for the show as well as a limited-edition collection.
Black and white images were posted to Instagram on Wednesday, which were scrawled with graffiti-like graphics and the words, "Balmain loves VS". No other details have been released about the line as yet, though it is set to be available from Victoria's Secret stores and the brand's website.
However, Rousteing will certainly feel comfortable working with the brand, as many Victoria's Secret stars, including Alessandra Ambrosio, Elsa Hosk, Sara Sampaio and Doutzen Kroes, have previously been cast in Balmain's runway shows and print advertisements.
The Victoria's Secret venture marks the second major partnership Paris-based Balmain has entered into this year. In May, Rousteing revealed that he was working with L'Oreal Paris on a make-up line which would open up the luxury brand to a whole new demographic.
With 12 lipstick colours on offer, plus three "jewels" where the lipstick will be encased in a wearable accessory, the fashion designer wanted diversity to be the focus of the line. "I want to speak to different girls," Rousteing previously mused to Business of Fashion. "Colour is not just in the palette of my clothes, it's also in the girls. Some (shades) are really good on white skin, some are really good on Asian skin, some of them on black skin. Each group (of Balmain women) is really powerful but in different ways. This Balmain Army will become the L'Oreal Paris army as well."
