the independent spirit award

I didn't care for some of the vaguely Dynasty-ish dresses at the Balenciaga fall show, but I was captivated by pretty much everything else. Nicolas Ghesquiere managed to refine the shapes seen in his spring into something more wearable without losing the unique cuts and shapes and fabrics that makes his clothes so compelling.

I'm amazed by how Mr Ghesquiere has managed to take inspiration from the couture methods of the late Cristobal Balenciaga and made it relevant and modern and completely original. His own vision and the house's traditions have meshed together seamlessly in unobstrusive way to make simple and yet complex clothes I want to wear and study.

I love Mr Ghesquiere's work for Balenciaga because even his past designs look perfectly undated (to me) and classic even, but they're anything but the usual definition of classics (in contrast, see John Galliano's "classics from the early 60s" for Christian Dior).

Pictures from www.style.com

**Edit: Just got down to reading Cathy Horyn on NYT, and she says it so well - http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/the-balenciaga-line/index.html?ref=shows