Balmain
Pierre Balmain was a member of the elite group of visionary designers that guided French fashion to its renaissance after World War II. He was born in 1914 in St Jean de Maurienne. To please his mother, Pierre Balmain studied architecture, but shortly after, he began his career in fashion as an assistant to master Parisian couturier Lucien Lelong, working alongside the fashion legends Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy.Shortly after, in the autumn 1945, he decided to leave Lelong to establish his own house. Pierre Balmain opened his first studio at 44 Rue Francois 1er, and presented his first collection on October 12th of the same year. The simplicity of the green, brown, red and lavender with refined lines had everyone fall in love. Four years later, in 1949, he launched his perfume, Jolie Madame, which immediately sparked the idea of his haute couture collection under the same name, which launched in the fall through winter of 1952-1953.
The style of “Jolie Madame” offered a relaxed, sensible, and practical look of the day. This became very popular, that the French women saw this as an opportunity to free themselves from the last bit of remaining wartime hardship and embrace Balmain’s wealthy, boldly, feminine offering. Since Jolie Madame became so quickly popular, all of the great actresses from Hollywood royalty such as Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Brigitte Bardot, Josephine Baker, and Katherine Hepburn, would want Balmain to design all of their gowns for any event.
Even after Balmain’s passing in 1982, the house has remained true to their vision as a fashion industry, so the trailblazing and legacy of Pierre can keep growing. Different strong designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Herve-Pierre, Laurent Mercier, and Christophe Decarnin have also guided the House. All of them were inspired by the aesthetic and elegance of Jolie Madame, that they were able to balance their modern style while still keeping the respect of the traditions and foundation of The House.
In 2011, Oliver Rousteing was named the label’s designer and his collections have been able to push the brand forward on its way to rapid growth. Olivier Rousteing has incorporated the house’s tailoring, embroidery, and the traditional classic couture along with today’s modern style with the work of the designers who have guided Balmain before him. Olivier Rousteing’s aim is the same as Pierre Balmian’s was, “to always dress women in the right look for the right moment.”