01BALMAIN'S NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR IS, ON PAPER, THE OPPOSITE OF
BALMAIN. ANTONIN TRON, WHO SUCCEEDS OLIVIER ROUSTEING, IS KNOWN FOR
QUIET, SCULPTURAL DRAPING, NOT RED-CARPET BLING. IT IS A DELIBERATE,
INTRIGUING SWERVE FOR THE HOUSE.
02HE IS A DRAPING OBSESSIVE. TRON'S OWN LABEL, ATLEIN, BUILT A CULT ON
ONE THING: THE WAY JERSEY FALLS AND TWISTS ON THE BODY, ARTISANAL,
ARCHITECTURAL, ALMOST LIQUID. A CRAFT VERY FEW OTHERS BOTHER TO
TRULY MASTER.
03HE LEARNED IN SERIOUS ROOMS. BORN IN PARIS, TRAINED AT ANTWERP'S
ROYAL ACADEMY, TRON SPENT YEARS ON THE DESIGN TEAMS OF LOUIS
VUITTON, GIVENCHY, BALENCIAGA AND SAINT LAURENT BEFORE FOUNDING HIS
OWN LABEL ATLEIN IN 2016.
04AND HE WON THE RIGHT PRIZES QUIETLY. ATLEIN TOOK ANDAM'S FIRST
COLLECTIONS PRIZE, THE AWARD THAT OFTEN MARKS OUT FRANCE'S NEXT
SERIOUS TALENT. THE INDUSTRY KNEW HIS NAME LONG BEFORE THE HEADLINES
DID.
05THE APPOINTMENT IS A STATEMENT. AFTER FOURTEEN YEARS OF ROUSTEING'S
POP SPECTACLE, PICKING A CEREBRAL DRAPING PURIST SAYS BALMAIN WANTS
CREDIBILITY AND CRAFT, NOT JUST VOLUME. A HOUSE BETTING ON THE HAND,
NOT THE HASHTAG.
06THAT IS THE REAL INTRIGUE. TRON HAS THE HARDER JOB: KEEP
BALMAIN FAMOUS WHILE MAKING IT SERIOUS. IF HE PULLS IT OFF, THE
QUIET DRAPER COULD REWRITE WHAT THE NAME BALMAIN MEANS TO A WHOLE
NEW AUDIENCE.