Luxury fashion house BALMAIN presented the Blaze Bag 2022 campaign starring the iconic Cher. Following the singers finale appearance at Balmain Spring Summer 2023 runway, Olivier Rouesting invites the singer once again for creative director’s newest object of desire which blazes a trail into the future and invites his daring army along for the ride. As its name makes clear, Balmain’s new Blaze collection of luxury leather bags mirrors the house’s singular trail-blazing superpower. For, ever since its earliest days, Balmain has been intent on boldly forging its own exceptional way forward. Focusing on Cher’s impressive powers, the video for the Blaze campaign reimagines the Goddess of Pop as a futuristic goddess, perched high atop her throne. Dressed in the same sleek and shimmering Balmain catsuit that she recently premiered on the house’s Paris Fashion Week runway, Cher presents the new Blaze. The campaign was captured and directed by An Le, with art direction by Victoria Pavon, casting by Sean Patter and production by Ella Cepeda. In charge of hair was Serena Radaelli, with makeup by Francesca Tolot.
More than anything else, I wanted the Blaze to be a bag that was definitely going to be noticed. As I explained to my team, I imagined these bags as being key components of the boldest entrances. For me, these designs evoke the impressive shields carried by the fearless superheroes of my youth – and I really love the idea of our Balmain Blaze adding an empowering sensation of invincibility as the perfect final touch for every ensemble. – Olivier Rousteing
Obviously, Cher’s history of successes, records, awards, activism and culturally defining moments makes it clear that she perfectly embodies the term trailblazer,” explains Rousteing. “She’s been a daring pioneer for six decades, never slowing down and always pulling us along with her, as she marches forward. She may have been crowned as the ‘Goddess of Pop,’ but she’s shown us that she can rule every possible musical genre—from folk to stadium rock—while somehow managing to move us to tears in her dramatic roles and, when she opts for comedy, making us laugh like nobody else can. ‘Style Icon’ doesn’t come close to describing her achievement of defining more than a half-century’s worth of fashion’s trends. And, in this challenging era, when we are compelled to fight for long2 overdue changes, Cher’s impressive, long-term commitment to dedicated activism is definitely an example to all of us. – Olivier Rousteing
Riffing on the protective armor associated with trailblazing superheroes, the Balmain Blaze collection relies on a dramatic silhouette, impressive exposed hardware, strong juxtapositions of colors and textures, and an overall modern-Baroque spirit. The energetic force of the designs is underlined by the collection’s many couture-inspired embellishments and an abundance of very visible, gleaming hardware, helping to ensure Rousteing’s goal of creating a uniquely powerful and eye-catching accessory. – from Balmain
