BALMAIN | OLIVIER ROUSTEING

Interview by Filep Motwary

For the first time in over six months, fashion designers were forced to step away from their usual rhythms, surrendering to the unpredictable flow of time. Though the calendar for fashion weeks remained unchanged, the pandemic obliterated any certainty—plans could unravel in an instant. The fashion industry faced a profound identity crisis, urgently re-evaluating its core values. Yet, beyond the initial shock, this unexpected pause sparked something rare and vital: a fresh surge of creativity breaking through what once seemed like futility.

No one embodies this renaissance better than Olivier Rousteing, the 34-year-old French visionary at the helm of Balmain. From a young age, Rousteing was captivated by the transformative power of beauty. After graduating from the prestigious ESMOD (École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode), he swiftly ascended the ranks—starting as a junior designer at Roberto Cavalli, before taking the reins of the women’s line. In 2009, Balmain beckoned, and by 2011, at just 25 years old, he became the creative director, making history as the second youngest designer to lead a major fashion house—following only Yves Saint Laurent, who was 21 when he took over Dior in 1949.

What followed was nothing short of a revolution. Within a decade, Rousteing injected Balmain with a bold, baroque spirit that the house desperately needed. Awakening from its slumber, Balmain emerged as a defining force of contemporary fashion, expertly navigating the digital age with over 10 million Instagram followers and counting. Rousteing’s refined style and progressive vision paved the way for high-profile collaborations with industry giants like H&M and Puma, while dressing icons such as Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z.

But what truly sets Balmain apart is the dynamic signature of its creator. Rousteing’s global acclaim stems from more than just artistic flair—it’s a savvy business acumen paired with an uncanny ability to listen. “I strive to be open to criticism and hear the people,” he shares. “Together, we can achieve so much. That’s why I launched #BalmainEnsemble. To make great sales, we need a vision the audience can embrace with joy.” By coining the term Balmain Army, he cultivated an online cult following, embracing streetwear not just as fashion but as a mindset.

“There are many who oppose what we propose,” he admits, “but that just means our voice is powerful.” He believes many designers falter because they fail to capture the zeitgeist or their ideas don’t align with the brand’s philosophy. “At Balmain, I have the freedom to be myself, and I take full responsibility for that. Our entire team—from the CEO to shareholders—is bold. We embrace the present while keeping our eyes on the future. That’s why I’m still here: I enjoy every day and look ahead without fear.”

Reflecting on his meteoric rise and the immense responsibility he shouldered at just 25, I realize what shielded him was the youthful audacity that comes with naiveté. From his very first collection, Rousteing made it clear—minimalism was never his language. “Yes, my goal was to create the most striking impact,” he confesses. “Living in Paris, my inspirations were icons like Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Pierre Balmain, Versace, and Tom Ford—their maximalist approach to fashion and their extravagant lifestyles. Sure, I could have staged a minimalist show, but it wouldn’t have captured the luxury that Paris embodies. When I started, the city was somber. We’d just emerged from the economic crisis, and ‘less is more’ was the prevailing mantra. I wanted to change that. In this climate, I presented my debut collection—one that was embraced for its vibrancy. After three years, I felt the chapter of designing purely luxury pieces had closed. I began creating clothes with a vision, aiming to fill the void of diversity in fashion.”

What does he mean by vision? “I struggled to understand the weight of being a Creative Director until I actually stepped into the role,” he reveals. “I thought it meant being a fantastic designer, and that was enough. But that’s a misconception—albeit close to the truth. Yes, I dreamed of being a great designer, mastering craftsmanship and delivering successful shows—those are the basics of my role. But a Creative Director must see beyond the clothes; they must be agents of change. To truly convey your message, you need vision—and I’m not talking about fashion trends.”

Success walks hand in hand with risk, though that risk looks different for everyone. “For me, my boldest moves have been threefold,” he explains. “First was my relationship with social media. I was the first designer to open an Instagram account and often faced criticism for self-promotion, which some saw as unbecoming and at odds with what Balmain stands for. I responded that my aesthetic embraces all perspectives. Second was my insistence on diversity in my work. I requested models of every ethnicity and skin tone, but agencies simply didn’t have enough with diverse features—it was taboo. Third was my association with Instagram celebrities in my collections—another concept that took time to gain acceptance. Now, it’s commonplace.”

Though these shifts seem recent, the public often only saw what happened in front of the cameras. Rousteing wanted to reveal the rest—the behind-the-scenes, the grueling process of collection creation, the unsung heroes working behind the lights. Above all, he aimed to spotlight fashion beyond its controlled narrative, inviting us to see it through his eyes.

Every season, he plays a delicate balancing act—between maintaining his signature aesthetic and introducing fresh ideas that keep Balmain’s allure alive and inspire new clientele. When describing the brand’s essence, he looks to the past, starting with Pierre Balmain himself. “Our idea of creativity is broad. A black Balmain tailored suit is a high-end masterpiece because of its cut—even if its most striking feature is the gold buttons,” he emphasizes. “Pierre Balmain dressed women as diverse as Josephine Baker, Audrey Hepburn, Dalida, and Brigitte Bardot. That’s what I do today. I can dress the French First Lady, Michelle Obama, Cindy Crawford, and Kim Kardashian alike. I approach an evening gown with the same care as a double-breasted blazer. These values are prerequisites to entering Balmain’s world.”

The weight of his responsibility truly hit him in late 2013, when he began dressing Rihanna. He recalls the public’s hesitancy around blending fashion with hip-hop culture. This shift was liberating—a freedom to be himself. “Pleasing our industry was never the goal,” he admits. “My priority has always been to satisfy our clients.” He also reveals moments of feeling besieged—from his youth, his embrace of pop culture, his friends, and his lifestyle, all fueling commentary and attempts to pigeonhole him—commonplace in France. “But I’ll keep reminding them I’m French—perhaps a different kind of French than they expect—and what I do is rooted in the country where I grew up. France is more than just a striped sailor shirt and jeans, and the prevailing mindset is not useful for future generations,” he insists.

On a personal level, Rousteing continues searching for answers about his roots and the right to belong. This journey led him down new artistic paths with remarkable success: just days before last March’s Fashion Week, his autobiographical film Wonder Boy, starring himself, won the César Award for Best Documentary. As a Black child adopted by white parents and raised in conservative Bordeaux, he began searching for his biological mother—a quest that adds profound depth to the visionary behind Balmain’s glamour.

“For 34 years, I knew nothing about my origins or why my mother abandoned me as a baby. Later, I learned she was only 14 when I was born. That search reminded me I was living on autopilot. Instinctively, I felt things, but I wasn’t sure what my true story really was,” he reveals. “During the two years it took to film, I got to know myself better. I felt pride in my heritage—I’m half Ethiopian, half Somali. I grew up as a Frenchman, and that’s the culture I know, love, and belong to. At the same time, I’m curious to learn more about Ethiopia and Somalia. It gives me a chance to use my voice and answer questions I’d never asked myself before—questions that matter to others too—about what it means to be a French designer today, while still searching for your roots. This film isn’t about fashion, but about a person who works in fashion. It’s a deeply emotional true story.”

At the presentation of his latest winter collection, the essence of his work was unmistakable. Alongside a stunning cast of women of every age and ethnicity—the fierce Helena Christensen, Julia Stegner, Esther Canadas, Erin Wasson, and a new generation of Black and white models making up this year’s Balmain Army—his signature details took center stage. Silhouettes swirled in layered draped satin jersey, while others were cinched by leather corsets sculpted to the models’ bodies, evoking the iconic Yves Saint Laurent and Claude Lalanne collaboration of 1969. Cashmere coats, oversized takes on the legendary Le Smoking tuxedo, quilted capes, sharp square shoulders, and bold printed knits all carved out the designer’s central vision for the season.

The photographer’s space was bathed in rich hues of burnt orange, Indian pink, fuchsia, and Sahara beige—an ideal backdrop to highlight creations that decode the French tailoring legacy of the ’80s. Rousteing’s approach deliberately breaks hierarchy, with most pieces flirting provocatively with haute couture. “Yes, I love pronounced shoulders because I believe in strong women and men,” he confesses. “One of the reasons I turn to craftsmanship is to ensure that in the future, people will remember this brand. But skill alone isn’t enough to be timeless. Our house is always evolving.”

When Pierre Balmain crafted the Jolie Madame collection in 1945, the world was in turmoil. The values that have since shaped Balmain’s philosophy—an expansive understanding of savoir-faire and a relentless fight for survival, with freedom as an ally—are what Rousteing wants his collections to embody. “I’m not ashamed to say it. I create clothes that push the boundaries of haute couture, and I like the idea that one day they might be exhibited or published as works worthy of study and admiration. I’m not sure a hoodie or a T-shirt is quite enough to make history.”