Balmania—the excessive craze for anything contrived by fashion house, Balmain. Last spring, Christophe Decarnin of Balmain served up some exquisitely tailored, shoulder augmented jackets spirited by a Michael Jackson meets militaristic élan. No less than a season after Balmain’s SS09 show, did the jackets reappear in a crazed manner. Literally, Balmain coats were on the backs of close every dainty female who were, quite frankly, “head over shoulders” for Balmain.

Now what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, but sadly not this time around. Snapshots from Balmain’s AW09 collection pour le homme are out and the gargantuan shoulders that sent women the world over batty is strangely absent. What we do get are some rather average motorcycle jackets (the zipper detailing is not shabby though, I’ll give them that) and a distressed leather trench (yes, the leg work is done). I know, I know…beggars can’t be choosers, then again, I would have loved to get in on the Balmania epidemic and experience some of this shoulder region accentuation. Till next season I guess…

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