Luxury Sandal Replica for Balmain

Custom Inflatables created custom pool floats designed to replicate Balmain's iconic sandal design for a high-profile photoshoot campaign. Balmain, the renowned Parisian luxury fashion house, sought to elevate its visual storytelling with a bold, one-of-a-kind promotional piece. Working closely with Brett Kane, Director of Merchandising & Client Experience at Balmain, the goal was to produce a stunning, true-to-brand float that would serve as a centerpiece for an important photoshoot in Greece.

The Challenge

The project presented several significant challenges that required exceptional precision and coordination. The design itself was highly complex, replicating the exact shape and proportions of a luxury sandal at pool float scale is an inherently difficult task, and as a general rule, the smaller the inflatable, the harder it is to faithfully reproduce fine details and accurate proportions. Multiple sample rounds from our expert sample artists were needed to get the design just right. Adding to the complexity, samples had to be shipped internationally to Paris, France, for review, while the final production floats needed to arrive in Greece in time for the scheduled photoshoot. The tight deadlines left no room for delays, requiring seamless coordination across multiple locations and time zones.

Project Scope

• Design and Production of Custom Pool Floats: The custom floats were designed to replicate Balmain's sandal with meticulous attention to detail, capturing the proportions, shape, and aesthetic of the original product to meet the standards of a luxury fashion brand.

• Sample Development and International Shipping: Multiple sample rounds were produced and shipped to Paris, France, for review and approval by the Balmain team, ensuring every detail met the brand's exacting standards before moving to final production.

• Timeline and Delivery: The final production floats needed to be delivered to Greece on a tight schedule to align with a pre-planned photoshoot, requiring precise logistics and rapid turnaround.

Our Approach

To bring Balmain's vision to life, we took several steps to ensure the custom pool floats were delivered on time and met the brand's luxury standards:

• Iterative Design Process: Our team worked closely with Brett Kane and the Balmain team through several rounds of sampling to perfect the sandal replica. Each iteration refined the shape, proportions, and finish until the design faithfully captured the essence of the original product. Our sample artists brought deep expertise to the challenge of reproducing intricate details at inflatable scale.

• International Coordination: With samples shipping to Paris and final production headed to Greece, our logistics team managed a complex international delivery schedule. Every shipment was carefully tracked and timed to keep the project on pace with the photoshoot calendar.

• Efficient Production Timeline: With firm photoshoot dates driving the schedule, we implemented an accelerated production process. Our team ensured that once final sample approval was received, production moved swiftly without compromising the level of quality a luxury brand like Balmain demands.

Results

The project was a success, with the custom pool floats arriving in Greece on time and ready for the photoshoot. The sandal replica floats delivered the bold visual impact Balmain was looking for, serving as a striking and memorable element in their campaign imagery.