Nicolas Ghesquière knows just how to blend traditional French elements with unexpected pieces and details, including his distinctive draping, and he shows it in his pre-fall collection for Balenciaga. The designer, for example, combines a top Melanie Griffith might have worn in the 1984 film “Body Double” with gray flannel pants that are voluminous on top and pencil-thin all the way down, and he also came up with a new version of the parka. While the palette is neutral, the accessories are dynamic: knitted fox boleros, bold shoes and massive mittens.
