Olivier Rousteing
Lands in the
Cuckoo’s Nest
Lands in the
Cuckoo’s Nest
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If you Google Olivier Rousteing, you'll find that there are more articles written on knowing close to nothing about him
than about knowing something. The 25 year old who has just been appointed as Creative Director of Balmain,
following Christophe Decarnin's departure from the French house, already has the fashion world frothing at the bit,
having chosen to withhold from interviews until his first collection as head designer is unveiled next October. In a time
when fashion is at its most kinetic (and seemingly unstable), with the fates of Haider Ackermann, Givenchy and Dior
all residing in limbo, Rousteing's appointment only adds to a whirlwind that's not going to let down till the next Fashion
Week season.
Here are the handful of facts that are known about the mysterious prodigy: Rousteing was born in France, adopted
and raised in Bordeaux. Having never known his biological parents, he believes he is mixed - half black, half white.
Like Decarnin, he graduated from Paris's ESMOD. He's only 25 years old and he has been leading Balmain's
womenswear since 2009 - and if that's not enough, by the time he became Decarnin's new right-hand man, he
already had 5 years at Roberto Cavalli under his belt, where he had been designing women's and men's
ready-to-wear.
And the known facts end there. Some say that Balmain's forthcoming spring 2012 collection shouldn't be anything to
be scratching your head about, since Decarnin has been said to have been an inactive participant in the production of
last season's run since as far back as January. Some also attributed fall 2011's new feeling to legendary stylist
Melanie Ward's touch. That said, she won't be involved in what comes down the runway in the fall, so an excited,
inquisitive feel is still most certainly warranted.
than about knowing something. The 25 year old who has just been appointed as Creative Director of Balmain,
following Christophe Decarnin's departure from the French house, already has the fashion world frothing at the bit,
having chosen to withhold from interviews until his first collection as head designer is unveiled next October. In a time
when fashion is at its most kinetic (and seemingly unstable), with the fates of Haider Ackermann, Givenchy and Dior
all residing in limbo, Rousteing's appointment only adds to a whirlwind that's not going to let down till the next Fashion
Week season.
Here are the handful of facts that are known about the mysterious prodigy: Rousteing was born in France, adopted
and raised in Bordeaux. Having never known his biological parents, he believes he is mixed - half black, half white.
Like Decarnin, he graduated from Paris's ESMOD. He's only 25 years old and he has been leading Balmain's
womenswear since 2009 - and if that's not enough, by the time he became Decarnin's new right-hand man, he
already had 5 years at Roberto Cavalli under his belt, where he had been designing women's and men's
ready-to-wear.
And the known facts end there. Some say that Balmain's forthcoming spring 2012 collection shouldn't be anything to
be scratching your head about, since Decarnin has been said to have been an inactive participant in the production of
last season's run since as far back as January. Some also attributed fall 2011's new feeling to legendary stylist
Melanie Ward's touch. That said, she won't be involved in what comes down the runway in the fall, so an excited,
inquisitive feel is still most certainly warranted.
By Alexander Patino
Balmain has a heritage and it is “French Heritage”. French heritage means opulence.
Opulence means thousand dollar price tags. Under Decarnin's direction, the house
established a solid paradigm of tight, short, disheveled and embellished. Those loyal
to the Balmain Decarnin has fashioned out of what was becoming an aged relic in the
early noughties will do what has to be done to own that piece of Balmain. It surely
doesn't deter editors either. That one $30,000 gold dress from the spring 2010 line
graced a grand total of six covers. For Rousteing, the anticipations will hit him from both
sides - from the fashion masses at large and from the big boys upstairs, expecting
those $5,000 t-shirts to keep selling like hotcakes.
As a real presence on the runway Balmain went into a considerable hiatus, following
Gilles Dufour's eventual sacking after sending t-shirts emblazoned with "Bitch" and
"Whore" down his fall 2000 runway show. What Decarnin soon came to offer the brand
was an extreme synthesis of sex and rock n' roll that generated instant devotees who
spared no expense, but the conceit had come to grow a bit stale as of late.
So when one does the math, what have we already seen that Olivier Rousteing is
responsible for? Instead of barely-there, moth-eaten tanks, did Rousteing offer this
fall's sexy skewed tops? We’ve certainly seen that sexy little trick so strategic slicing
and dicing at Roberto Cavalli before. And are those golds we've known in Roberto
Cavalli the analogues to Balmain's recent golden monochromes? It's difficult to trace
Rousteing's touch, despite the resume, but there are a few details from Balmain’s
latest collection that stand out, for they do touch upon new territory for the brand.
Opulence means thousand dollar price tags. Under Decarnin's direction, the house
established a solid paradigm of tight, short, disheveled and embellished. Those loyal
to the Balmain Decarnin has fashioned out of what was becoming an aged relic in the
early noughties will do what has to be done to own that piece of Balmain. It surely
doesn't deter editors either. That one $30,000 gold dress from the spring 2010 line
graced a grand total of six covers. For Rousteing, the anticipations will hit him from both
sides - from the fashion masses at large and from the big boys upstairs, expecting
those $5,000 t-shirts to keep selling like hotcakes.
As a real presence on the runway Balmain went into a considerable hiatus, following
Gilles Dufour's eventual sacking after sending t-shirts emblazoned with "Bitch" and
"Whore" down his fall 2000 runway show. What Decarnin soon came to offer the brand
was an extreme synthesis of sex and rock n' roll that generated instant devotees who
spared no expense, but the conceit had come to grow a bit stale as of late.
So when one does the math, what have we already seen that Olivier Rousteing is
responsible for? Instead of barely-there, moth-eaten tanks, did Rousteing offer this
fall's sexy skewed tops? We’ve certainly seen that sexy little trick so strategic slicing
and dicing at Roberto Cavalli before. And are those golds we've known in Roberto
Cavalli the analogues to Balmain's recent golden monochromes? It's difficult to trace
Rousteing's touch, despite the resume, but there are a few details from Balmain’s
latest collection that stand out, for they do touch upon new territory for the brand.
First and foremost are the jumpsuits. This
latest collection sent out a whopping eight
jumpsuits and two separate jump-suited
skirts. This is unchartered territory for
Balmain since Decarnin took the helm. The
inspiration for just such an expansion in the
vernacular of the brand surely had to come
from somewhere. Just as notable was the
generosity in the clothes that imbued a
healthy slackening to the body-con rigor that
had started to make the brand into a
serious bore as of late. The extra helping of
silhouettes, volume and texture that had
allowed Roberto Cavalli to trace over a more
expanded fashion ground under Rousteing
has been trickling into Balmain little by little,
and we can’t help but foresee even more
jumpsuits come September.
The main difference between Roberto
Cavalli and Balmain is that while the latter
has become instantaneously intertwined
with covetous sexuality, the former can
tackle sexuality without dismissing
sensuality, and that’s at the core of what we
think Rousteing will deliver in September -
more flow, more volume, more plays on
texture. The embellishments will stay (it is
Balmain after all), but we can’t help but feel
that there will be an added dose of romance
in the new mix. We shall see. We won't
know anything for certain until October, after
the last model comes out and it's Rousteing
this time who takes the bow.
latest collection sent out a whopping eight
jumpsuits and two separate jump-suited
skirts. This is unchartered territory for
Balmain since Decarnin took the helm. The
inspiration for just such an expansion in the
vernacular of the brand surely had to come
from somewhere. Just as notable was the
generosity in the clothes that imbued a
healthy slackening to the body-con rigor that
had started to make the brand into a
serious bore as of late. The extra helping of
silhouettes, volume and texture that had
allowed Roberto Cavalli to trace over a more
expanded fashion ground under Rousteing
has been trickling into Balmain little by little,
and we can’t help but foresee even more
jumpsuits come September.
The main difference between Roberto
Cavalli and Balmain is that while the latter
has become instantaneously intertwined
with covetous sexuality, the former can
tackle sexuality without dismissing
sensuality, and that’s at the core of what we
think Rousteing will deliver in September -
more flow, more volume, more plays on
texture. The embellishments will stay (it is
Balmain after all), but we can’t help but feel
that there will be an added dose of romance
in the new mix. We shall see. We won't
know anything for certain until October, after
the last model comes out and it's Rousteing
this time who takes the bow.
