Olivier Rousteing leaves Balmain: A look back at his era-defining legacy

A true visionary in the world of fashion, who lifted Balmain to the stage it is today, Olivier Rousteing has announced his departure from the brand after 14 years as creative director.

At the age of 25, back in April 2011, Olivier Rousteing was appointed creative director of the French brand Balmain, which was founded in 1945. This became quite a big deal at the time, as it was the first time a major brand had a director this young since Yves Saint Laurent at Dior. Not only that, but Rousteing was also the first Black person to serve as creative director at a French fashion house. Announcing his leave, he said in an official statement,

"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. 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."

As a young novice, Olivier Rousteing joined the House of Balmain in 2009 and worked closely with Christophe Decarnin, who was the French fashion house's creative director back then. However, he started his career in fashion in 2003 at the age of 18, working at Roberto Cavalli, after dropping out of Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode (ESMOD) in his first year due to a lack of creative freedom.

Olivier Rousteing's legacy at Balmain

In the span of these 14 years, Olivier has had multiple exemplary career-defining moments and has truly left a mark in the industry. Maintaining the vision of elegant and dramatic femininity created by the founder, Pierre Balmain, Olivier found a balance between the modern and bygone eras of the brand by combining pop culture and vintage flair.

Rachid Mohamed Rachid, chairman of Balmain, said,

"Olivier’s visionary leadership has not only redefined the boundaries of fashion but also inspired a generation with bold creativity, unwavering authenticity, and commitment to inclusivity. We are immensely proud of all that has been achieved under his direction and look forward to seeing the next chapter of his journey unfold with the same brilliance and passion."

Over the years, he has redefined the luxury brand, brought in Mayhoola, a major Qatari investment group, and even relaunched Balmain beauty. At the beginning of his stint as the creative director, he created #BalmainArmy, which brought in fashion icons like Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, and Rihanna.

What people end up talking about most is his contributions to the Runway. In 2024, he decided to pay homage to his African roots - his parents come from Ethiopia and Somalia - and celebrate 30 years of "The Lion King" by releasing an inspired capsule collection.

He explained, "When I watched The Lion King as a child, the message I saw was: choose your own destiny. Thirty (30) years ago, there wouldn’t be a collaboration [like this] with a Black designer because the reality in the French luxury world back then was that that person didn’t exist [within that world]."

While the Balmain Spring 2024 collection made headlines for different reasons, right before Paris Fashion Week, the collection was stolen, leaving the designer in a bind. He announced on his Instagram that their delivery was hijacked and 50 pieces were stolen. Though the Paris police did end up recovering some of the boxes, the designer and his team had to rustle up last minute and pulled pieces from the House's archives in a method to celebrate Pierre. Roses became the subtle, minimal, quiet-luxury-induced collection's main motif, another homage to Pierre, who loved the flowers. Olivier Rousteing wrote in his show notes,

"It's clear that it's the spirit of the rose — the joy, beauty and love associated with that flower — that's driving this collection. Because we all could use a whole lot more joy, beauty and love today. Love is complex — every rose, after all, comes with its thorns."

And as of recently, Olivier Rousteing has managed to bring Balmain back into the beauty scene. Last year, with Dove Cameron as the face of it, he launched a gender-neutral perfume range called “Les Éternels de Balmain," inspired by the brand's founder's Parisian Legacy.

In the press release of the launch, Olivier Rousteing stated,

"Balmain Beauty gives you the freedom to live your truth, free and powerful. Beauty is about being yourself and having the confidence to embrace who you are. Fashion cannot exist without beauty, and beauty cannot exist without fashion. Beauty is part of your silhouette, who you are, just like the way you dress. I want to represent all the beauties of the world and welcome everyone without exception."

For his Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, Olivier Rousteing went for a more subtle approach. Staying ever faithful to Pierre Balmain's culture, he created a controlled modernity-inspired collection, which was presented at the Grande Halle de la Villette. The collection was a compilation of 3D crocodile-effect dresses made of resin tiles and micro-pearl embroidery; textures like the softness of mohair and the boldness of leather; and silhouettes such as Cabans, parkas, and pants, creating a beautiful symphony between classicism and innovation, a perfect reflection of the current transition in the fashion industry.

Olivier Rousteing, throughout his career at the House, has tried to create a balance between two separate identities, his own and that of Pierre, who ebbed and flowed between the 50s-60s and the 80s. Balmain has not yet stated who will be Olivier Rousteing's successor, and at the same time, the 40-year-old has also not yet announced his next step, though he is in fact looking forward to what's next in his journey.

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