After 16 years with Balmain, and 14 years serving as its creative director, Olivier Rousteing is saying goodbye to the house he helped revive and redefine for an entire generation.
“Today marks the end of my Balmain era,” Rousteing wrote on Instagram. “Sixteen years ago, I began this Balmain adventure without knowing what the future would hold. What an extraordinary story it has been — a love story, a life story.”
Rousteing, who was adopted from an orphanage in Bordeaux at five months old, became the first Black designer to lead a major French luxury house. His Somali and Ethiopian roots, combined with his French upbringing, shaped a unique perspective that dared to bring culture, color, and community into spaces that often prided themselves on exclusivity.
When he took the creative director seat at Balmain at just 24 years old, the brand was barely on life support, on a path to becoming a relic in the fashion world. Rousteing’s edgy approach injected new life not only into the fashion house but also the luxury landscape as a whole.
“I left my fashion school after six months,” he shared in a candid moment. “I fought because I had no school or background behind me, just determination and desire. I came to Paris, and it’s now 10 years since I’ve been creative director at Balmain. It’s always a battle against yourself.”
Rousteing transformed Balmain into a cultural movement. He introduced the world to his “Balmain Army,” a glamorous battalion that included icons such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Iman, and Naomi Campbell. His design signatures—skin-tight silhouettes, cinched waists, military-style jackets, bold shoulders, and lavish gold embellishments—were unmistakable. Yet, what made his work special was that he didn’t just design for models but for the culture itself.
“For me, it’s been very important to use clothes to talk about subjects such as diversity and ‘pop’—pop culture, population,” Rousteing mentioned in a 2021 interview. The importance of connecting fashion with real-world issues was clear. When he began his Instagram in 2013, he faced skepticism from industry insiders who struggled to see the value of luxury on social media.
As one of the most followed designers on social media, Rousteing harnessed the digital space as a runway long before influencer culture became mainstream. His cultural impact crystallized in 2015 when the Balmain x H&M collaboration sold out in minutes, even leading to wild brawls in stores as fans clamored for pieces from the collection.
Rousteing didn’t just craft stunning looks; he redefined an era. He championed diversity long before it became a mainstream commandment and brought pop culture into the polished halls of haute couture. His journey proved that a Black orphan could transform Parisian fashion into a vibrant playground. He even expanded Balmain into couture and launched Balmain Beauty, demonstrating that his vision transcended the runway.
“I arrived at 24 with my eyes wide open and the determination to persevere, always,” Rousteing reflected. “Today, I leave the House of Balmain with my eyes still wide open—open to the future and to the beautiful adventures ahead, adventures in which all of you will have a place.”
While it’s difficult to envision Balmain without Rousteing’s unique touch, the fashion community stands ready to support this trailblazing designer as he embarks on “a new era, a new beginning, a new story.”