The Evolution of the Balloon Sleeve
One signature shape, three expressions.
Some pieces stay with a brand.
Our Balloon Sleeve Sweater has been part of Atelier Delphine for years, and over time, it has quietly become one of the pieces that define us. Season after season, we continue to make it, and you continue to come back for it.
The idea has always been simple: a sweater that feels easy on the body, but has enough shape to make the whole look. A softly cropped body, generous balloon sleeves, and an exaggerated proportion that feels romantic without becoming precious.
It is distinctive, but remarkably easy to wear.
And perhaps that is why it has lasted.
One Shape, Different Feelings
For Fall 2026, we began thinking about what else this familiar silhouette could become.
Rather than redesigning something that already works, we became interested in material — how completely a sweater can change when the yarn, stitch, weight, and texture change, even while its essential shape remains familiar.
The result is three interpretations of our Balloon Sleeve.
The original Supreme Everyday Alpaca, the new dimensional Wave Basket, and the extraordinarily light Plush Airy.
Same family. Three very different personalities.
The Original — Balloon Sleeve Sweater
This is the Atelier Delphine icon.
Knitted in our Supreme Everyday Alpaca, the original Balloon Sleeve has a softly cropped crewneck body with voluminous sleeves that taper gently toward the cuff.
The alpaca has a beautiful softness and slight bounce to it, giving the sweater warmth and substance while keeping the silhouette relaxed.
There is something romantic about the volume, something minimal about the simplicity, and something very everyday about how easily you can put it on.
It has been worn and loved for years — and remains the foundation of the Balloon Sleeve family.
SHOP THE ORIGINAL - BALLOON SLEEVE SWEATER IN SUPREME ALPACA
The Wave Basket — Texture & Dimension
For the Wave Basket version, we wanted to take the familiar Balloon Sleeve somewhere more textural.
Inspired by our signature hand-knit balloon shapes, we developed this version in a machine-knit construction using a lightweight, low-pilling alpaca yarn and a dimensional wave-basket stitch.
The stitch changes everything.
Light and shadow move across the surface, giving the sweater a graphic, almost handcrafted feeling while keeping it practical enough for everyday wear.
Finished with a crew neckline, our signature generous sleeves, and double-folded cuffs, it feels familiar — but visually much more expressive.
The Balloon Sleeve, with texture turned up.
SHOP TEXTURE - BALLOON SLEEVE SWEATER IN WAVE BASKET
The Plush Airy — Light as a Cloud
And then we wanted to go in almost the opposite direction.
The Plush Airy Balloon Sleeve is extraordinarily lightweight, knitted in alpaca with an open, airy stitch that creates a soft, fuzzy and slightly sheer surface.
Here, the exaggerated sleeves feel less substantial and more ethereal. There is volume without heaviness.
Wear it simply over a bralette, layer it over a shirt, or let another color or texture show softly underneath. Despite being alpaca, its lightness makes it surprisingly seasonless.
It is perhaps the dreamiest interpretation of our Balloon Sleeve yet.
Soft, sheer, fuzzy, and almost weightless.
SHOP PLUSH - BALLOON SLEEVE SWEATER in PLUSH AIRY ALPACA
Find Your Balloon
We love that these three sweaters begin with essentially the same idea and end up feeling so different.
Choose the Original for that familiar, soft everyday alpaca.
Choose Wave Basket when you want texture and a little more visual presence.
Choose Plush Airy when you want something featherlight, soft, and unexpected.
Or perhaps, after all these years, there is room for more than one Balloon Sleeve in a wardrobe.
Because for us, evolution doesn’t always mean leaving something behind.
Sometimes it means taking the thing you already love and discovering how many different lives it can have.
Balloon Sleeve Sweater Variations
