AUDACIOUS FROM DAY ONE
An Audacious, Architectural Silhouette
Ever since Pierre Balmain’s first couture show, in 1945, the house of Balmain has set itself apart with a distinctive attitude that melds together rebellion, audaciousness and incredible optimism.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the house’s beginnings, Olivier Rousteing sent a peniche boat—filled with dancers, music and iconic couture designs of Pierre Balmain—down the Seine river, through the very center of Paris. The celebration was entitled Balmain-Sur-Seine. As Rousteing explained to the fashion press, the celebration was not only the safest way to celebrate the re-opening of Paris after months of lockdown—it also managed to set the focus squarely on the house’s unique DNA. “Pierre Balmain fought every day to make his dream happen,” noted Rousteing. “He literally risked everything, during an incredibly difficult time. He took an enormous gamble, but he remained convinced, at every step along the way, that his audacious risk was worth it. This house has remained true to his impressively bold optimism ever since.”
It's not just the archive’s vast collection of Pierre Balmain’s greatest New French Style designs that inspire Rousteing’s collections today. The founder’s audacious optimism and powerfully rebellious spirit have also greatly influenced the designs that Olivier Rousteing has created for the house over the past decade—as was very clear to all who watched the recent retrospective celebration of Rousteing’s decade of Balmain leadership.
Balmain Fall 2019:
In Praise of Troublemakers
“We don’t praise female trouble-makers nearly enough—that’s why this runway celebrates today’s joy-filled rebelles. For inspiration, my team and I looked to the self-assured women of my generation, who demand both control and changes. This new attitude might have had its origins in the recent necessity of donning new defensive armor for battles that we had hoped were already won, but it has rapidly evolved, as these troublemakers grow increasingly aware of their own great power, celebrate their strong voices and demand to be heard.”
Balmain Fall 2020:
Open Doors And Open Minds
“Paradoxically, my collection adapts those symbols of upper-class exclusion and twists them to turn the focus on a wider and no-longer closed-off world,” Olivier Rousteing explained to the press. This is an offering of open doors and open minds. My team and I have subverted the old and restricting class codes of previous generations. We are rethinking and modernizing them — in order to offer something fresh and very much of today. So now you have an array of designs that is now open to all, one which reflects the inclusive values of today’s Balmain and the beautiful diversity of a truly modern France.”
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Balmain Couture
Spring 2019
Olivier Rousteing’s first Balmain Couture presentation made very clear that couture can be very much of today. While relying on the legendary craftsmanship, tailoring and embellishment of the Balmain atelier, Olivier Rousteing also made sure to include the mindset of a new generation in the offering. Graffiti-inspired patterns, modern takes on tailoring and mixes of denim with luxury fabrics were among the surprisingly bold elements that Rousteing brought to that special house runway.
Balmain Spring 2019 Campaign
The embodiment of the Balmain rebelle
“It’s clear to everyone that Cara Delevingne is the embodiment of the Balmain rebelle—the self-assured troublemaker with an invigorating, new type of rebellious spirit. Cara reflects the strong and confident attitude of the women of my generation, women who are not content to simply push back—instead, they revel in pushing forward, (while making sure to push every single button along the way).”
Building Upon
A Strong Foundation
An Audacious, Architectural Silhouette
