Tassels, Shells, and Beads! Oh My!
Charlotte Bayne, 10/30/25
Vogue 2025
At Paris Fashion Week, Balmain presented their boho spring/summer 2026 menswear collection called “Continuum”, giving the perfect endless summer vibes. The combination of tassels, shells, fringe, and macrame really helped to showcase what Rousteing was going for, which was freedom and nature. Rousteing said, “To me, real luxury today is freedom and enjoyment.” These looks perfectly match this statement as they are more of a quiet luxury with the tactical and flowy look.
These looks are veering away from Balmain’s usual aesthetic, as they have not really dabbled into the beachy style of menswear. Balmain combined two different styles, and they seamlessly blended into one another. They took inspiration from certain military styles, which is very straight cut and doesn’t have much movement. They combined this with some very flowy pieces, contrasting one another beautifully.
Vogue 2025
Balmain made it clear that tassels have the chance to make a comeback in our everyday looks. In the outfits, they gave the models belts that looked like ropes and had tassels, which definitely adds texture to contrast the silk and leather fabrics. Balmain also incorporated a lot of shells, making the looks much more attractive to people who may be planning on vacationing to the coast this summer. Even with the rope sandals, Balmain proves that you don’t need the fanciest pieces to contribute to luxury.
Balmain’s use of layered jewelry really elevates the show as a whole. We don’t always see a lot of jewelry in menswear looks like this, so it feels very fresh and fun. The gold accents bring elegance to the table, in a show full of more rugged and loose looks.
Vogue 2025
We can infer that some of the looks may pay homage to the styles of different cultures around the world with the use of the tassels and shells. This makes the show feel special, like Balmain is acknowledging they can break away from the usual style of luxury and designer brands.
When booking your flights or cruises for this spring and summer, make sure to keep Balmain in mind. These timeless looks are perfect for tactility and style, making them the perfect outfits when visiting the beach or strutting down the boardwalk.
