Balmain Dragon Belt

From the voluminous skirts of the post-World War II “New Look” favored by Hollywood icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich to the sleek, skinny jeans seen on Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi and every Kardashian, clothes from the House of Balmain have long been mainstays in celebrity wardrobes.

The son of a dressmaker and a drapery salesman, Pierre Balmain was born in 1914 in southeastern France and formed an interest in fashion at an early age. His mother wanted her son to be an architect — but the principles of design and structure Balmain learned in his brief studies at the École des Beaux Arts served him well throughout his career. 

Balmain founded his now-iconic label in 1945. Alongside fellow couture titans Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy, Balmain’s postwar take on luxe dressing featured bell-shaped skirts falling from slender waists, structured jackets over sheath day dresses and embellishments like fur trim; he called the look “Jolie Madame.” The Duchess of Windsor was an early fan, prompting an aristocratic following. 

Balmain was among the first to offer French looks to the American market. Since Pierre Balmain’s death in 1982, the design reins have been handed to luminaries such as Oscar de la Renta and Olivier Rousteing, an alum of Roberto Cavalli who was installed as creative director at the label in 2011.

Today’s Balmain has more in common with the master’s original haute couture than you might expect: sharply tailored blazers that nip in at the waist, delicate stilettos and ultra-feminine evening dresses are wardrobe basics for the 21st-century woman, too. Lovers of couture history will also prize the fluid, easy sketches from the master’s own hand they’ll find on offer here, while fashionistas clamor for the brand’s t-shirts, military-style jackets and skinny jeans. 

Whether you’re a colonel in Rousteing’s “glamour army” or you fancy yourself a “Jolie Madame,” a Balmain piece — from the 1960s or even last season — will add a bold, sexy note to your look. Daytime or night, Balmain feels right now.

Find vintage Balmain dresses, skirts, shoes and other garments and accessories on 1stDibs.

Belts are far more than practical. Vintage and designer belts can prove pivotal to your ensemble, elevating even the most basic outfit with a modest dose of flair or, alternatively, outright flamboyance.

On 1stDibs, an extensive collection of modern and vintage belts can be found in a variety of styles and materials, including everything from iconic Gucci logo belts, which, emblazoned with the legendary Italian brand’s “GG” insignia, are ubiquitous among fashion lovers today, to stylish Hermès belts, which are part of a wide range of covetable leather fashion accessories from the family-owned luxury goods company. The interchangeable gold-plated belt buckle, now available in innumerable variations, is revered by Hermès enthusiasts. The world’s legion of collectors hunting down rare Kelly bags likely know this belt buckle and its history, which extends all the way back to 1967. It was crafted by Hungarian-born French fashion designer Catherine de Károlyi, who worked for Robert Piguet and Christian Dior before landing at Hermès, where she also designed the house’s first women’s ready-to-wear collection.

More akin to fine jewelry than to a practical fashion accessory, a vintage chain belt by Chanel can add understated charm to a blazer, cocktail dress or most any other garment, while a wide Louis Vuitton belt, on the other hand, made in the celebrated brand’s signature bold Damier Azur canvas, will bring pizzazz and panache to your formal wear.

Whether you’re looking to accessorize with simplicity or potentially stop traffic, find a variety of vintage and designer belts on 1stDibs.