Balmain Flashes Back to Miss Jackson

Supermodel Cara Delevingne, 26, channeled a 90s-era Janet Jackson in a new spring 2019 campaign for French fashion company Balmain. The French fashion house dropped three photos from its upcoming campaign Thursday. The “first look” black and white images caused fans’ jaws to drop — as Delevingne posed completely nude, sitting on what appears to be a granite block with a large “B” in the frame.

But it was her tribute to Jackson that drew the biggest response.

A photo featuring French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing covering Delevingne’s bare chest gave fans some serious nostalgia. Many were quick to point out it resembled Jackson’s famous 1993 “Rolling Stone” cover, which was published when she was 24 years old.

“Iconic,” Rousteing said of Jackson’s vintage picture, which he shared on Instagram a day before releasing images from his 2019 spring campaign. The post garnered more than 75,000 likes.  “It references all the iconic album covers of the Nineties, which were big pop culture moments of our childhood,” Rousteing, 33, told Women’s Wear Daily. “The campaign shows the reunion of two skin tones, one black — or mixed race — and one white.”

To Rousteing, it was important to stay “authentic.” That’s why the designer said he chose to have Delevingne pose nude. “We’re going back to basics: I wanted something pure and transparent,” he added.

The flawless photo clearly struck a chord with fashionistas across the globe.

Rousteing said Delevingne’s look — including her signature thick eyebrows — was even more captivating stripped down and she didn’t need to sport any of his clothing.“I love her so much that I don’t want to see any clothes on her,” Rousteing said. “Her gaze is so strong and magnetic, it’s nearly an item of clothing in itself.”

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Photo Credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com