The Balmain x H&M Reviews Are in (Before the Collection Even Hits Stores)
The official campaign images for Balmain’s collaboration with H&M were released this week in all their glitter glory. There are embellished dresses, satin drop crotch pants, beaded blazers, and so much more. Designer Olivier Rousteing is really looking forward to delivering a collection at a lower price point to some of his biggest fans, and has worked hard to take pieces that have made him popular with the Kardashian-Jenners and his army of famous friends, and translated them in a more affordable way. "The allover beaded dress comes from my very first Balmain collection, so it’s like I’m literally giving to H&M the beginning of my story,” the 30-year-old Frenchman told Vogue. “There’s something emotional for me about how this dress was born, and now through H&M I’m giving it to the world.“
But is Rousteing’s enthusiasm equivalent to that of his consumers? With nearly ever site across the world wide web posting stories on the 20 photos, it seems the consensus on the line, which will hit stores on November 5 and retail from $17.99 and go up to $699, are already in. On a sparkle scale of 1 to 5 (one being bland and five being a dress completely covered in sequins), here are the reviews before the reviews even really come in from across the Internet.
Vogue.com Sparkle Level: 5 (Editor’s note: The site got the exclusive story, so it comes as no surprise that the writer’s enthusiastic.)
The writer insists that the items at H&M are “all as chic and distinctively Balmain as the collections Rousteing shows on the runway season after season.”
Commenters: 5 out of 5 are really excited.
“First designer collaboration I’ve seen that really hones in on both aesthetics and successfully combines them without being overpowering,” FALLOUTGIRL28 wrote.
E! Online Sparkle Level: 4.5
There’s an exclamation point in the headline so you know they’re pumped. Upon seeing all the looks with “ample beading, intricate stitching and skin-tight silhouettes galore,” they’re pretty sure the goods won’t stay on shelves for long.
Commenters: 0 out of 0 are not as enthusiastic as the writer.
DailyMail.com Sparkle Level: 3
The site declared the collaboration the “most highly-anticipated collection of the year” and the images are “whetting shopper’s appetites”
Commenters: Out of 85, most don’t agree that it’s going to be glorious.
“A $600 dress for "fans on a budget?” A dress made obviously of polyester satin in a creepy color with inferior tailoring that hangs worse than cheap draperies. All this collection offers is cheap knock-offs of last year’s Balmain runway,” Bonni000008 from Chicago, Illinois, wrote.
Virginia from Toronto, Canada thinks it’s “cheap, trendy looks to wear to the office Christmas party. That’s about it.”
PhoebeBuffay believes it “literally looks like a knock off. Nice try. Not for me.”
Refinery29.com Sparkle Level: 4.5
R29 staffers have been anxiously awaiting Balmain for H&M’s big reveal and the suspense has literally been killing them. They suggest their readers begin plotting shopping plans of attack now for when it all drops.
Commenters: 6 out of 8 are in love, one was annoyed the article didn’t include the men’s looks, and another was hoping there would be more ready-to-wear pieces.
“I need this in my life,” D. Broussuard wrote and Deja Raymond echoed the enthusiasm with excessive exclamation points: “Ahh, I love it!!!!”
Fashionista.com Sparkle Level: 3.8
Fashionista writer Chantal Fernandez is definitely looking forward to #HMBalmainNation but she was calm, cool, and collected in her prose. “The look book only confirms what the leaked images revealed much to the Internet’s approval: Balmain for H&M looks just like real Balmain, at least in pictures.”
Commenters: 10 out of 13 either WANT IT ALL, are dying, or can’t wait! The others are skeptical of the quality and pricing.
“I highly doubt the stuff that they actually sell in the stores will have the intricate details and fabrication that they show in these pictures otherwise it would cost a fortune,” Joni Stewart wrote. “They are just going to redo these looks using cheap fabrics like polyester, faux fur, and faux leather, which hundreds of people are going to buy just because it says Balmain.”
One commenter fought back saying his hairstylist worked on a photoshoot for Elle where they used the women’s clothes from the collection and he said that the quality was very good.
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