IN the words of Queen Bey, cuff (and cop) it. That is, if you’ve got the budget.
Balmain, a luxury fashion brand beloved by Beyoncé, has launched their latest Lion King pieces.
The “Balmain X The Lion King” collection features over 20 Disney-inspired designs in honor of the movie’s 30th anniversary, from black-and-white sketch jackets to maximalist tote bags and dresses splattered with character art.
Balmain Creative Director and designer Olivier Rousteing told Highsnobriety that he was merely a cub when The Lion King stoked his inspiration.
“”From the first time I saw the Lion King when I was nine years old, I have felt a parallel, as an adopted child, to the solitary lion cub constructing his own unique and chosen family, while searching for truth about his heritage,” he said.
Rousteing explained that his desire to form authentic connection with his African culture coincided perfectly with his vision for the collection.
The French designer, whose parents are originally from Somalia and Ethiopia, partnered with African artists for the collection’s artwork.
“We traveled to Africa to shoot the beautiful campaign and it was a dream come true,” Rousteing told Highsnobriety.
“After years of study, celebration and love for Africa’s wide array of cultures, landscapes and artistic traditions, to be there with the amazing Balmain and Disney teams in celebration of this labor of love was a true honor.”
Labor, especially labors of love, often come with a hefty price tag.
The retail value of the pieces are not for the faint of heart, with prices starting at $550.
A relaxed T-shirt, with a print designed by artist Enfant Précoce, will cost fans $790.
A cerulean blue sweatshirt, featuring a print designed by African artist Cassius Khumalo, is more than double that, at $1,590.
Other pieces include $8,000 dresses, including a two-toned zebra sequin dress, and $3,000 bags, like the Précoce-designed B-Buzz Dynasty Bag.
Balmain, a go-to collaboration for megastar Beyoncé, has previously taken the creative lead on her projects.
The brand co-created Beyoncé’s couture collection, inspired by her Renaissance album, released in 2022.
The pair’s relationship goes back even further than that, however.
Beyoncé also relied on hundreds of the designer’s outfits for her headline Coachella show in 2018, which marked her making history as the first Black woman to headline the iconic festival.
“Beyoncé, her stylist Marni Senofonte, and I worked closely together for several weeks to, yes, perfect this collaboration — and I loved every second of it,” Rousteing said at the time.
“I will be forever grateful that I had this opportunity to briefly click off from collections and concentrate solely on how best to mix what I can offer with the amazing talent, drive and vision of Beyoncé.
“I doubt that I will ever forget the joy of working with her and her team—or the awe I felt watching Beyoncé masterfully direct her on-stage troops or the beauty of listening to that extraordinary voice as she rehearsed.”
The Disney x Balmain collection releases July 8 on Balmain’s website, Balmain stores, and select retailers like Saks.
