For his fall 2021 campaign, the French creative director Olivier Rousteing partnered up with Channel 4 on a show starring Jesse Jo Stark, Tommy Dorfman, Charles Melton, and Ajani Russell wearing some jaw-dropping looks.
From Drama and Music to Fashion—Balmain Is Launching a Miniseries and It’s Glamorously Gritty
“After 10 years at Balmain, I realized I’m more than just a designer,” says creative director Olivier Rousteing. “I’m excited by storytelling beyond fashion.” So, of course, for Balmain’s fall 2021 campaign, the French designer partnered up with U.K. television network Channel 4 to create a drama series entitled Fracture starring singer-songwriter Jesse Jo Stark, 13 Reasons Why’s Tommy Dorfman, Riverdale’s Charles Melton, and Skate Kitchen’s Ajani Russell.
Content
With Rousteing himself serving as creative director, the five episode miniseries will be the first time a brand has collaborated with a television broadcaster in this way. “What made this project so exciting is that we didn't think much about fashion, the focus was on the characters and their experiences,” says the 35-year-old designer. “I cried when I saw some of the scenes and forgot about the clothes entirely.”
Set on the outskirts of Los Angeles at Le Rêve Motel, a desolate but charming hotspot for colorful characters, the show is led by Mya (Stark) a struggling singer-songwriter who’s fled her privileged life in New York. Apart from the cast dressed in dazzling Balmain fall 2021, what else can we expect? “You’re going to see a mix of strong personalities that represent a new generation fighting for their freedom,” says Rousteing. “I wanted to show that fashion cannot exist without the realities of our world.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Alex Kessler
