Born and raised in Bordeaux, in the south of France, Olivier Rousteing studied fashion at the ESMOD (I’Ecole Superieure Des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) in Paris. After graduating in 2003, he landed a job with Roberto Cavalli and moved to Italy where he worked with Cavalli for five years, establishing himself and working his way up to Head of Design for both the men’s and women’s collections. Rousteing moved back to Paris in the spring of 2009 to join Balmain as assistant to Christophe Decarnin, the designer credited with re-energizing the house with his signature rock ‘n’ roll style and bringing the label back to profitability and luxe power house status. See the latest Balmain show for women here.
In the spring of 2011, when Christophe Decarnin was a no show for his Fall 2011 collection due to an internal feud with Balmain’s CEO, Alain Hivelin, Olivier Rousteing was quickly announced as the new designer. Olivier, a veritable unknown, quietly laboring behind the scenes at Balmain suddenly had some awfully big shoes to fill in order to sustain Balmain’s fast growing luxury status. The young designer was now tasked with being the caretaker of a major French fashion house established by Pierre Balmain in 1945, as a favorite of royalty, no less. Check out the men’s Balmain show here.
Balmain Spring Summer 2016 Menswear Paris
Many in the French fashion industry looked upon Olivier’s appointment as the new designer for Balmain as a big disappointment. Many questioned his qualifications for the job due to his lack of experience, not to mention his age, which at 25 years old was quite young for such a major position. The fashion industry is not the most diverse, particularly in France and the news that a top fashion house had hired a black man as creative director was very controversial. A sign, no doubt, that the rarefied world of French fashion is changing.
Olivier’s ethnic background sparked great controversy in the fashion industry as a whole. An African or bi-racial young man at the top of a prominent fashion house is a rarity that few black men have held. Among the few are Patrick Robinson and Edward Wilkerson, who have held high-level positions at Giorgio Armani and Donna Karan, respectively. Lawrence Steele honed his impeccable design skills at Prada, while designer Max Wilson infused Ralph Lauren with it’s undisputed aristocratic flair. Rousteing is an example of the kind of generational changes that are now taking place in French society.
In recent years, top fashion houses would search for a highly sought after designer with star power and an impressive resume. For example, Kris Van Assche’s appointment to Dior Homme when he helmed his own line, Karl Lagerfield for Fendi, a fashion power house in his own right with his eponymous line was appointed at Chanel, and Marc Jacobs was installed by LVMH at Louis Vuitton after the success of his own line.
Olivier Rousteing for Nike Labs and more designer sneakers here.
The House of Balmain chose a very different path eschewing a designer from the top echelon of society with an established reputation. The decision seems to have sparked a new shift within the industry with many top fashion houses now choosing a designer from within their own ranks. After the death of Alexander McQueen, the house appointed his right hand person, Sarah Burton as the new creative director instead of a designer already at the helm of a luxury company.
Rousteing is the new face of the changes occurring in the fashion industry. With the success of Balmain riding in his hands, French fashion; who creates it, who defines it, and who participates in it will inevitably mean something very different in the future. Rousteing’s prominent rise at Balmain is a moment worth celebrating.
Balmain Spring 2012 Runway Show
Joan Smalls & Olivier Rousteing at the Met Ball invited by Anna Wintour, Editor & Chief at Vogue America
Balmain Resort 2012 Collection
Balmain Fall 2012 Menswear
A detail shot from Fall 2012 Collection for the house of Balmain was simply riveting and jaw dropping in it’s Baroque richness. Oliver Rousteing’s line up had it all from ultra-rich ornamentation, including needlepoint design embroidery with pearls and crystals.
Balmain Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear
Balmain Fall 2012 Read-to-Wear
See the latest Balmain Women’s Fall 2017 show here with backstage beauty here, along with the Men’s Fall 2017 show here.
