Balmain’s newest handbag has a superstar partner: none other than Cher. The Grammy Award-winning icon has teamed up with the French luxury brand to debut its newest handbag: the Blaze.
In a new campaign video and imagery, Cher takes center stage in a sleek leather jumpsuit — the very same attire she wore on the runway while closing Balmain’s spring 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week. Her ensemble, as previously seen, features glossy bodycon arms and legs rounded shoulder accents and molded paneling. Though her handbag changes twice — photos find her carrying both the black and white leather versions of the Blaze — Cher’s footwear remains the same: a set of gleaming black patent leather boots with rounded toes and a chunky platform base. Set against swirling lights, the imagery instantly channels the futurism of “Tron” with the modernity of Balmain’s viral collections.
Casting Cher in the campaign was a no-brainer for creative director Olivier Rousteing, given the musical icon’s trailblazing legacy across numerous genres of music and film.
“She’s been a daring pioneer for six decades, never slowing down and always pulling us along with her, as she marches forward,” Rousteing said in a statement. “‘Style Icon’ doesn’t come close to describing her achievement of defining more than a half-century’s worth of fashion trends. And, in this challenging era, when we are compelled to fight for long-overdue changes, Cher’s impressive, long-term commitment to dedicated activism is definitely an example to all of us.”
The Blaze handbag was inspired by the power to become a trailblazer — similar to Balmain’s own founder Pierre Balmain, who launched the brand in 1945 during Paris’ liberation from Germany, as well as Rousteing’s own revival of the label since becoming its creative director at 24 years old in 2011.
The handbag features an elongated curved silhouette, accented by a short handle in both rectangular and squared shapes. Varying in texture and size, the style’s first black, white and two-toned iterations all include gold metal buckles, zipper and stud details topped with Balmain’s own retro-inspired logo clasp.
“More than anything else, I wanted the Blaze to be a bag that was definitely going to be noticed,” Rousteing said in a statement. “As I explained to my team, I imagined these bags as being key components of the boldest entrances. 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.”
You can discover Balmain’s Blaze handbag collection, retailing from $2,450- $3,495, on its website.
PHOTOS: Discover Balmain’s Spring 2023 collection at Paris Fashion Week in the gallery.
