Rachid Mohamed Rachid, CEO of Mayhoola and Chairman of Balmain, was also keen to salute Rousteing’s exceptional career, which has helped make Balmain one of the most high-profile houses of the last decade.
“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,” he said in a statement. “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.”
The triumph of the Balmain Army
During his 16 years with the house, 14 of them as artistic director, Rousteing transformed Balmain into one of the most talked-about houses on the international fashion scene. His taste for sexiness and embellishing outfits with pearls, embroidery, and metallic trimmings was one of the strongest trends of the 2010s, even if the New York Times marveled back in 2011 that the ensembles had “so many embellishments in the form of intertwined crystals and beads, not to mention embroidered flowers, that it’s impossible to imagine anyone sitting in one of her creations.” Celebrities immediately fell under the spell of his flashy collections anyway, giving rise to the “Balmain Army” of stars, including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Carla Bruni, and models Binx Walton and Joan Smalls. Though in the past he’s drawn on both ethnic and military references in his designs, Rousteing recently took Balmain into more tender territory.
A taste for mega-shows
Adored by his fans (and customers), Rousteing was also one of the first designers to understand the importance of social media and how it would forever change the landscape of contemporary fashion. He also knows how to tell his own story, recounting, for example, his experience searching for his biological parents after being adopted as a baby, as told in the 2019 documentary Wonder Boy.
