Fabsugar's 2009 Best Designer of the Year Is Balmain

Balmain! — it was unanimous. 2009 was sheer Balmainia and designer Christophe Decarnin was at the helm. Everywhere you turned, Balmain's bold shoulders, sequins, tatters, and sexy silhouettes were there. The French house was responsible for such massive trends as buckled boots, studded sandals, and the crystal-encrusted band jacket. The late king of pop Michael Jackson even got bitten by the Balmain bug. Click through to see the year in Balmain.