Balenciaga Storms Paris Fashion Week

Night fell for yesterday's dark and brooding Balenciaga show, but I have a feeling the Spring 2015 collection may have been eclipsed by North West's front row seat. Alexander Wang debuted his fourth collection for Balenciaga in Paris, and from the looks of it, the spring forecast is slightly overcast. Wang wanted to evoke a new mood for this collection, so with a black tent and swirling vapors under the runway, the models stormed the catwalk in shades of black, lilac, and even some gray. And I'm so ready for the downpour.

A departure from the floral prints and bohemian vibes we've seen thus far, Wang returned to his New York style, infusing sport and street into the collection, with geometric embroideries, streamlined and skintight silhouettes, athletic net tunics, and microshorts. And sport takes a somewhat literal meaning for the designer, who was inspired by the Tour de France, which was going on while he was working on the collection in Paris this summer. He wanted fashion's opulence to blend with the functionality of the cyclist's clothing. Wang's girls are a far cry from the '70s flower child; they are strong, austere, and powerful — on a forward trajectory that the aerodynamic cuts, and lean, athletic silhouettes help accelerate.

It looks like spring is going to have a few more options for those who want to deviate from the standard floral/flowing/light-and-airy motif that generally goes hand-in-hand with the season. But whether you prefer the ethereal or the functional, Wang has shown us that you don't necessarily have to lighten up when winter comes to an end.

Images: StyleHaul/Twitter, tmagazine/Twitter; Getty Images (1)