Balmain may be seeking to expand its target audience, but there is one thing that is certain… Olivier Rousteing, the 31-year-old Creative Director of the esteemed French Fashion House, ultimately designs for himself. That was the overarching theme this season, as Rousteing’s personal style and essence ran through every single piece of his new collection.

The designer remained loyal to his skinny, square-shoulder silhouette and military, was one of the collection’s main themes. He also revisited house classics such as the short jacket, tight pants, military jacket and the marinière with metallic, black vinyl and sequenced-inspired embellishments. He concentrated on embellishments rather than on a utilitarian mood, with accents on the pockets, zips and lacing on a series of bombers, blazers and biker jackets. This direction was mirrored by the women’s looks along with the Balmain signature sexy, mini dresses.

Where the collection really stood out, however, was in the simpler, more minimalistic, all black looks, that enhanced the after-dark mood of the show. Black vinyl was also used a total look, creating some of the night’s strongest pieces. These looks provided a fresh take on house classics, while still maintaining the original Balmain glamour.