Olivier Rousteing Exits Balmain After 14 Years at the Helm
By Alexus Mosley
Photo Credit: Getty Images
After 14 transformative years, Olivier Rousteing has officially stepped down as Creative Director of Balmain, marking the end of a defining era for the French luxury house.
Rousteing, 39, was born in Bordeaux, France, and raised in an adoptive family. In 2011, at just 24 years old, he made fashion history as one of the youngest creative directors to ever lead a major Parisian house as well as the first Black designer to helm a storied French luxury brand in the modern era.
During his tenure, Rousteing reshaped Balmain into a global fashion powerhouse, designing high-impact collections worn by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Naomi Campbell, pioneering social-media-driven luxury marketing and embracing digital culture early, and infusing the brand with modern glamour by bringing sharp tailoring, military structure, and ornate embellishment back to the forefront of Parisian fashion.
Balmain has not yet announced a successor. For now, Rousteing leaves behind a glamorous, influential, and trend-setting legacy that shaped the visual language of luxury for over a decade.