When Cher made a surprise cameo appearance for the finale of the Balmain SS23 fashion show in Paris in September, the crowds of Balmain devotees who’d scored a ticket (all 10,000 of them) went wild, while fashion insiders wondered… could there be a partnership in the works?
On Monday, Balmain confirmed our suspicions, revealing imagery of Cher – wearing the same futuristic catsuit she had on the runway in September – as the face of its new handbag line: Balmain Blaze.
“Obviously, Cher’s history of successes, records, awards, activism and culturally defining moments makes it clear that she perfectly embodies the term trailblazer,” said Rousteing in a release. “She’s been a daring pioneer for six decades, never slowing down and always pulling us along with her, as she marches forward.”
The 76-year-old artist, who has also hit headlines this week for her relationship with 36-year-old producer Alexander Edwards, stars in a video for the campaign in which she’s depicted as a futuristic superhero, descending from an otherworldy throne. In a voiceover she said, “All of us invent ourselves — some of us just have more imagination than others.”
The Blaze bag design rifs on the protective armour of trailblazing superheroes while the sculptural silhouette nods to the brands sharp tailoring. Heavy on the exposed hardware, the bag comes in black, white and a monochrome combination of the two.
“I wanted the Blaze to be a bag that was definitely going to be noticed,” explains Rousteing. “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.”
