Balmain Begins a New Chapter as Olivier Rousteing Steps Down After 14-Years

Setting the Stage: A Cultural Revolution at Balmain Rousteing’s rise began in 2011, when he was named creative director at just 25 years old—becoming both the youngest designer to lead a historic Paris house since Yves Saint Laurent at Dior and the first Black creative director to helm a major French brand across all categories.

He inherited a house with a rich, if faded, heritage, and—over the next decade and a half—utterly transformed it.

Milestones: Modernizing and Expanding the Balmain Empire Major highlights of the Rousteing era include: Reviving Couture: After an absence of 14 years, Balmain returned to the couture calendar in 2019 under Rousteing.

His debut collection made headlines for its bold, Paris is my inspiration ethos, dramatic silhouettes, and decadent embellishments. Building the #BalmainArmy: Rousteing coined the term that would become synonymous with celebrity and influencer endorsement…