Celebrities have been stealing the show at the spring 2023 presentations—whether they’ve been sitting in the front rows, or walking on the actual runways themselves (did you notice Paris Hilton strutting her thing at the Versace? That’s hot!). But today in Paris, the newest Balmain collection by designer Olivier Rousteing featured arguably the best celebrity cameo of the entire month: Cher’s final walk. Yes, the legend herself.
The unexpected moment saw Cher, who remains stunning at 76, finish the show donning the French label’s spandex bodysuit design, which had sharp shoulder pads, a plunging neckline, and subtle marble pattern. It also wouldn’t be a Cher moment without a dash of theatricality, so she was sure to sport towering platform wedge heels, too—death-defying shoes that she walked in with total ease, of course.
And sure, Paris Fashion Week is far from over, with major shows from Chanel and Louis Vuitton still to come, both heavy on VIP guest lists. But it’s difficult to top the Cher sighting at Balmain. Her appearance on the catwalk demonstrated that tremendous elegance and confidence can be found in people of all ages, and that they only become better with time. The only thing that was missing was a microphone so she could belt out “Believe.” But that’s just getting greedy.
At Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday, French designer Olivier Rousteing went all out with his newest collection for Balmain, closing the show with American star Cher on the runway.
The concert opened with Cher on a screen, saying: “All of us invent ourselves. Some of us just have more creativity than others.”
But that was only a teaser before Cher made an appearance in person, her 1999 song “Strong Enough” filling the rugby stadium where the ceremony was taking place.
The “Balmain Festival,” as Rousteing’s designs were dubbed, saw the debut of his distinctly African-inspired creations as well as mythical allusions to Venus and Apollo.
Black models walked down the runway in a variety of textured dresses, some with the corseted look Rousteing favours, and Youssou N’Dour’s song with the lyrics “And when a child is born into this world, it has no concept, of the tone the skin is living in,” played during the show’s finale.
