My first response when I saw Balmain’s Spring/Summer 2011 images from Paris Fashion Week was surprise, as in, wow, they’re going there again?? And at the prices they charge? But my opinion was mild compared to one of the industry’s fiercest critics, Cathy Horyn, whose review I just read on Racked:

“The clothes were great for showing off the models’ long bodies, and so will produce sexy photographs, but punk is now a style cliché. That Balmain is one of the most expensive labels, with a plain undershirt (without holes) costing around $450, makes the notion of a safety-pinned jacket something of a joke—and not even a very clever one.”

Some of the garments Balmain showed are obviously gorgeous and totally covetable (lush punk if you will), however, ever since the appearance on the scene of “that” tee shirt, the recipe for a backlash began to be mixed and this seemingly lazy runway was the final ingredient. How far the ripples extend from this ugly little moment is always hard to say without an inside track.

New York Times’ Cathy Horyn’s bread and butter has always been her willingness to go there when it comes to critiquing the fashion industry. It wouldn’t be THAT big of a deal except of course that we’re talking about fashion, which is notoriously all kissy-kissy to your face, but the meanest industry in all the land the very second you turn your back. So I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that Cathy did (a long overdue) scathing attack of Vogue, except that it IS Vogue for crissakes and at one point she is gonna have to face La Diabla herself, Anna Wintour, who everyone knows still wears fur cuz it’s great for concealing various and sundry razor blades and extra long knives.

Here’s one juicy excerpt (from an article that ran on New Year’s Eve–way to bury the story, oh-great-ballsy editors of the Times!):

Hat tip: NY Magazine, which, what the heck happened over there? Suddenly they’re posting more than twice a week and the tone is, ummm, I don’t a tad more fashion-industry-esque?