Summary
- Olivier Rousteing is stepping down as Balmain’s creative director after a 14-year tenure.
- His legacy includes becoming the youngest creative director in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent and the first Black person to lead all divisions of a French fashion house.
Balmain creative director, Olivier Rousteing, has announced that he will step down from his role at the French house. The designer’s monumental 14-year tenure saw him become the youngest creative director in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent and the first Black person ever appointed to lead all divisions of a French fashion house.
“I am deeply proud of all that I’ve accomplished, and profoundly grateful to my exceptional team at Balmain, my chosen family, in a place that has been my home for the past 14 years. My thanks go to Mr. Rachid Mohamed Rachid and Matteo Sgarbossa for their unwavering belief in me and for entrusting me with this extraordinary opportunity. As I look ahead to the future and the next chapter of my creative journey, I will always hold this treasured time close to my heart,” said Rousteing in a statement originally provided to Vogue.
Before Balmain, the designer studied at Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode in Paris until 2003 and worked at Roberto Cavalli, where he headed womenswear. Rousteing’s leadership was nurtured by predecessor Christophe Decarnin, who took the designer under his wing when he joined the women’s ready-to-wear division in 2009.
By 2011, Rousteing was appointed the new creative director of Balmain at the age of 24. Under Rousteing, the house entered a new era characterized by superstar muses like Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé, as well as influential collaborations, including a viral partnership with H&M in 2015. Now 40 years old, the designer’s final Balmain show took place in October, marking the brand’s 80th anniversary.
In a statement from Vogue, Balmain CEO Matteo Sgarbossa shared, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to Olivier for writing such an important chapter in the history of Balmain House. Olivier’s contribution and passion over the past years will leave an indelible mark on the history of fashion.”
As of the time of writing, a successor has not been confirmed. Stay tuned to Hypebeast for the latest fashion industry insights.
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