Balmain Parts Ways with Olivier Rousteing After 14 Years as Creative Director

The former child prodigy of Parisian couture leaves the first line of luxury. Fourteen years after taking the reins of Balmain at the age of 25, Olivier Rousteing is leaving the creative direction of the iconic Parisian maison. His departure, announced on Wednesday, marks the end of one of the longest, most mediatic and transformative stages of contemporary luxury.

“I am deeply proud of all that I have achieved and grateful to my team, my chosen family,“ said the designer in a statement. For his part, the CEO of Balmain, Matteo Sgarbossa, stressed that his contribution “will leave an indelible mark on the history of fashion”.

Rousteing was appointed creative director of Balmain in April 2011. He was 25 years old, had been working in the house’s studio since 2009 and was, until then, a complete unknown. His appointment made him the youngest designer to head a major Parisian label since Yves Saint Laurent and the first black creator to lead a French heritage house across all its lines.

Under his leadership, Balmain went from a turnover of €30.4 million in 2012 to nearly €300 million by 2024 . But his influence transcended numbers. Rousteing redefined the relationship between fashion, fame and social media. From his studio on rue François 1er, he created the so-called Balmain Army, a global community that celebrated diversity, visibility and a powerful aesthetic. In 2015, his collaboration with Swedish giant H&M became a phenomenon of unprecedented democratization of luxury fashion. Queues went around the block and the collection sold out in a matter of hours, cementing the phenomenon around the maison.

Balmain put Olivier Rousteing in charge of creative direction in 2011

Following the acquisition of Balmain by the Qatari hólding Mayhoola in 2016 for €500 million, Rousteing expanded the house’s ambition. He introduced media-festival fashion shows open to the public, brought back Haute Couture in 2019 and launched accessory and beauty lines in collaboration with Estée Lauder.

The designer cultivated a close relationship with popular figures such as Rihanna, Kim Kardashian or Gigi Hadid and made Balmain synonymous with exuberant, recognizable and emotional luxury. His personal story, narrated in the documentary Wonder Boy, and the domestic accident he suffered in 2021 marked a more introspective evolution in his work and creative discourse.

Rousteing presented his last runway show on October 1st at the Intercontinental hotel in Paris, the same venue where he debuted in 2011. “Everyone talks about new eras, but you can also build yours by staying in the same house and challenging yourself,“ he assured then, in the face of the acceleration of creative director signings in the luxury industry.

Today’s announcement confirms the closing of a decisive stage in Balmain’s recent history. Under his leadership, the brand increased its business tenfold and positioned itself at the center of the cultural conversation. “He has redefined the boundaries of fashion and inspired a generation with his authenticity and commitment to inclusivity,“ stressed Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Chairman of Balmain and CEO of Mayhoola. The company, which has entered a new phase under the leadership of Matteo Sgarbossa, is now preparing to choose his successor and define the creative direction of its next stage.