All-In Delivers a Sexy Sparkly Showgirls-Inspired Collection

Last night, our senior editor slipped backstage at a seedy Parisian nightclub to speak with Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbo, the creative directors behind the city’s hottest young brand, All-In. The duo, clad in custom pop-princess-inspired looks, had just debuted ALLINA, a slinky, Showgirls-inflected collection featuring crystal encrusted latex, leather thigh high boots, and high-femme deconstructed dresses styled by Lotta Volkova. Post show, while fielding kisses from friends and fans, the designers reveal the mythology behind their imaginary in-house popstar and the inspiration behind her Nomi Malone-inspired strut.

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TAYLORE SCARABELLI: Who is Allina?

BROR AUGUST VESTBØ: Allina is a fictional pop star that we created and the collection is about her 15 seconds of fame. So it’s about her rise, but mostly her fall. We’re watching her unravel throughout the course of her life. The collection pulls a lot from themes of aging, like with the sequin mini dresses with sagging boobs. Allina is a bit undefined, but she does have her own, very real music—

BENJAMIN BARRON: All of the music from the show is original music created by Smerz. It will be released in a month.

TAYLORE SCARABELLI: It’s a full 360 experience. I really felt her downfall with the deconstructed ’80s nightgown look, which was really fab. I have to say, I was sitting in the front row and I was like, “This is the POV of being at a strip club.” You’re on that level, looking up at fierce girls doing their thing.

VESTBØ: That’s inspired by Showgirls.

BARRON: It’s a bit Nomi Malone. She’s never giving up on being her—she just keeps adding onto her aesthetic. Everything is falling apart, but you just add on more.

SCARABELLI: I definitely got a Nomi Malone vibe from the rhinestone makeup and some of those walks. The casting was amazing. Who did it?

BARRON: Julia Lang. We worked with her team and—

VESTBØ: They’re incredible.

SCARABELLI: All the girls turned it out in a crazy way. You just don’t see walks like that these days.

BARRON: Yeah, that’s also Eric Christison’s work [the show’s movement director]. He’s been so dedicated to getting this right.

VESTBØ: We worked with trying to get some of the girls to be giving the full energy while some girls were a bit more, drunk girl walking home, I guess.

SCARABELLI: Sam [Penn, a photographer and model] was looking a little dejected in her rose latex top. I love that for her. And Lotta [Volkova] styled the collection, how involved was she in your design process?

BARRON: This is the first project we worked together properly, but she joined us on this very early on in the summer when we hadn’t defined much of the collection and she’s been really instrumental in making this show. It’s been an amazing experience working with her.

SCARABELLI: I bet. Well congratulations, I’ll let you two get to your champagne. Thanks for chatting with me. 

BARRON: Thank you so much.

VESTBØ: Thank you!