Big-Brimmed Balenciaga Hats Inspired by Irving Penn Images

It’s very easy to see how Nicholas Guesquiere, head-designer for Balenciaga, cites iconic images from the great Irving Penn as inspiration for the Super Over-Sized Hats/Visors he had sprinkled throughout their 2012 Spring Collection in Paris this week.  Although the original “Buzz” heard throughout the fashion-industry was about the benches that gave way at the Balenciaga show, sending many style-patrons crashing to the floor (happily none resulting in a “fashion-emergency”), and requiring the hot/tired audience to stand throughout the entire Runway Presentation.

However, this juicy tid-bit was all-too-quick a distant memory, as the “Jumbo/Dumbo-Hats” came stomping down the Runway with tiny models precariously balancing beneath them.  These Huge-Brimmed Accessories came in the form of hats/visors, with a tent-shaped dome that hung down covering the eyes of the brave “Cat-Walkers”, providing a cartoonish  silhouette that quite certainly dominated the entire show.  This interpretation of the Irving Penn’s “Hat Women” leaves much to the imagination, however, I can certainly see how these Severely-Chic black/white photographs could get your avant-garde juices flowing.  And while I wasn’t a huge fan of the Balenciaga Spring 2012 Line (including the “Dumbo” hats), they definitely made an impression, and will be referenced over/over again throughout the year.  And that my friends is what you call success (well that and the fact that every Socialite/Celebrity from L.A. to Miami salivates at anything Balenciaga puts out).