Balmain Dreams: 10 OR Cover Design BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR is a collection of illustrated stories, inspired by Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing's most important creations.

The press release follows:

Media Release -- Z2 Comics, the Los Angeles and New York publisher that merges comics with trailblazing musicians and entertainers, has partnered with legendary Parisian fashion house Balmain for a new graphic novel, BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR. Containing more than a dozen illustrated short stories, with each tale focused on one signature Balmain runway design, BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR is a graphic novel that builds a series of dreamscapes and fantasies directly upon the key inspirations behind iconic Balmain pieces. Z2 Comic timed the release of this new work to coincide with Balmain's celebrations marking Olivier Rousteing's ten years as the house's Creative Director.

"Balmain has long relied on telling stories in new and daring ways, ever since Pierre Balmain showed his first collection in 1945," notes Olivier Rousteing. "And I am determined to continue to build upon that unique heritage. That is why I am so thrilled to see our designs inspiring some of today's most talented graphic storytellers. Each creation my team and I put forth every season has an inspiration behind it—and I love seeing how those ideas and visions have been used to imaginatively construct some very compelling adventures."

BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR interior art by David MackThe resulting tome features stories by such artistic and comic industry luminaries as David Mack (Jessica Jones, Daredevil, American Gods), Colleen Doran (The Sandman, A Distant Soil), Alitha E. Martinez (Nubia, Omni), Dani (Coffin Bound, Arkham City), and Bengal (Overwatch, Death or Glory).

"Balmain is the quintessential face of Parisian couture, and I loved collaborating with Olivier and a brand that's continually defined fashion for three-fourths of a century," Z2 Publisher Joshua Frankel explained. "This book lies at the intersection of fashion, music, and sequential art, and I'm delighted that it also benefits (RED), a charity that's passionately aided so many crises on an international scale."

A percentage of BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR's proceeds is dedicated to Balmain's longtime partner, (RED). The house has collaborated with (RED) on multiple projects and products over the years, in order to help raise needed monies for the Global Fund in the fight against HIV/AIDS. With new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths on the decline, and more people accessing life-saving treatment than ever before, the efforts of (RED) and The Global Fund have been critical to the incredible progress that has been made over the past two decades.

However, the recent emergence of COVID-19 puts much of that hard-won progress in jeopardy. It is feared that the impact of COVID-19 on health programs could result in an increase in AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections, as health and community systems are overwhelmed, treatment and prevention programs are disrupted and resources are diverted. (RED) and The Global Fund are working to ensure that urgent funding and resources are sent to the countries that need it most, helping to protect the years of gains made in the AIDS fight.

BALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR interior art by BengalBALMAIN DREAMS: 10 OR is available directly from https://z2comics.com/ and participating retailers.

About Balmain

75 years ago, when Pierre Balmain first introduced his "New French Style," it immediately became clear to all that his eponymous house was offering a distinctly fresh, bold and feminine conception of haute couture, one which broke with many of the well-established conventions of the era. His audaciousness paid off. Pierre Balmain was to become one of the handful of young French talents who ushered in the mid-century's golden age of couture and helped to re-establish Paris as the world's fashion capital.
For the last decade, Balmain's Creative Director Olivier Rousteing has been inventively building upon Pierre Balmain's extraordinary legacy, while always remaining true to his own determination to design clothes that reflect the way his inclusive, powerful and global Balmain Army wishes to live today. The result is a unique and instantly recognizable BALMAIN silhouette, style and attitude that highlights the singular craftsmanship of the house's celebrated ateliers, while consistently referencing a rich Parisian heritage.

About Z2 Comics:
Z2 Comics is the premier destination for official music-related graphic novels, created in partnership with top-tier artists, musicians, directors and pop-culture icons. Distributed globally via Simon & Schuster, Z2 has collaborated with such diverse artists as Blondie, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Joan Jett, Gorillaz, Machine Gun Kelly, Sublime, Yungblud, Cypress Hill, Babymetal, Major Lazer, Rico Nasty and Alter Bridge as well as debut comic works by Grammy-nominated artists Sturgill Simpson and Poppy, as well as essential album tie-ins by The Doors, Anthrax, Public Enemy, Ronnie James Dio, King Diamond, and All Time Low. Additionally, the company has tapped top talent for the official graphic biographies of such pop-culture legends as The Grateful Dead, Beethoven, John Lee Hooker and Charlie "Bird" Parker.