Balmain’s Newest Ultra Sustainable Collab To Be Unveiled At Paris Fashion Week

A Balmain collaboration generates hype like it’s going out of fashion and the latest is no exception. Hot on the heels of this year’s successful partnerships with Barbie and Pokémon Balmain is teaming up with fashion favorite thirst quencher, evian water.

On the more commercial side, the two French giants will launch a 75cL Balmain X evian limited edition glass bottle from next month while a haute couture dress being unveiled as part of the Balmain Festival during Paris Fashion Week puts sustainable innovation and creativity front and center.

The dress has been created by Balmain artistic director Olivier Rousteing, woven in a fine monofilament yarn crafted from recycled evian plastic bottle waste.

Drawing inspiration from the magnetic pathway of a whirlpool, Rousteing harnessed the sculptural possibilities of this innovative recycled fabric, playing on volumes and using pleating techniques to multiply its ever-changing, aquatic shimmer.

Using Balmain’s considerable publicity generating clout as a platform to call attention to the environmental impact of plastic waste makes a powerful statement.

“As we all know, the fashion industry needs to honestly face past shortcomings and finally admit that we can no longer postpone long-delayed changes. That’s why I’ve pushed for inclusive runways that reflect the real beauty of our world and more sustainable materials that respect the need to preserve that incredible beauty,” said Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing in a statement.

“And that’s why I am so happy to announce Balmain’s new partnership with evian, one of France’s most iconic brands. evian has helped make clear to all of us that an embrace of the values of integrity and beauty can help form the basis of refreshingly honest communications, as well as carbon-neutral, sustainable products.”

The limited-edition glass bottle features an ice blue lace-like motif recalling water droplets and the ornate Baroque details synonymous with the house of Balmain that are inspired by the architecture of Paris.

“When I walk the avenues of Paris, I am constantly drawn to the examples of Baroque ornamentation set atop this city’s most impressive monuments and structures – and that distinctive beauty is often echoed in my work… I cannot think of a better pattern to highlight the precious contents of evian’s bottles: incomparably beautiful, crystal-clear mineral water,” Rousteing added.

As for the dress, 46% of the fabric relies directly upon recycled plastics, meaning it easily meets the exacting standards of the GRS4.0 which requires that at least 20% of a product be created from recycled materials.

Just like Balmain, evian has a long legacy in collaborations which include those with Alexander Wang, Kenzo, Moncler and the late Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-White and generally revolve around reusable glass water bottles.

“At evian, we are constantly looking to identify forward-thinking partners who share our values and with whom we can pioneer together to go beyond and discover thought-provoking solutions. Building on our strong existing presence in global fashion partnerships, it has been an incredible experience working with Balmain and Olivier Rousteing, celebrating legacy, optimism, and a shared determination to push forward sustainable innovation in the industry,” says evian Global Director, Dawid Borowiec.

“Our evian x Balmain gown is a shining example of something striking and unique that can be achieved at the intersection of innovation, design, and sustainability, which we hope will inspire many.”

The public facing Balmain Festival takes place September 28th at the Stade Jean Bouin during Paris Fashion Week. The evian x Balmain limited-edition 75cl bottles launch in October at selected global retailers.