PARIS (AP) — Designer Olivier Rousteing is stepping down as creative director of the Balmain fashion house, the designer announced Wednesday, after 14 years of success in blending the rigor of Parisian tailoring with the celebrity of the digital age.
“Today marks the end of my Balmain days,” Rousteing, 40, wrote on Instagram. “What an amazing story this was. A love story, a life story… I will always hold this precious time in my heart.”
Balmain confirmed Rousteing’s departure and said in a statement that a new creative direction would be announced “in due course.”
The label said: “Throughout his remarkable 14-year tenure, Olivier’s visionary approach and creative talent have propelled Balmain to unprecedented heights.”
Rousteing, who took over as creative director in 2011 at the age of 25 after two years at the label, has spent his tenure reviving the once-sleepy fashion house by combining couture craftsmanship with pop-era bravado.
He transformed Balmain into a headline-making brand with a vision built on sequins, power shoulders and the power of social media, reimagining French luxury for a generation raised on Instagram.
Under Rousteing, Balmain became as much about community as it was about clothes. He cultivated what he called his “Balmain Army,” a loyal circle of models and stars that included Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Kim Kardashian, embodying the glamor and visibility he championed.
Runway shows have become pop events, blurring the line between fashion shows and stadium concerts. The designer’s inclusive casting and celebration of diversity helped redefine the image of Parisian housing, often associated with old-world exclusivity.
Rousteing was born in Bordeaux and adopted as a child, but later learned that his biological parents were Somali and Ethiopian, a revelation he said deepened his sense of identity and creative mission. His collections are often woven with references to tradition, resilience, and belonging, offering a contemporary counterpoint to the Eurocentric norms that once dominated French haute couture.
The individual’s resilience was tested again in 2020 when there was a fireplace explosion at his home in Paris, leaving him with severe burns over most of his body. Rousteing kept the accident a secret for nearly a year, wearing bandages to hide his injuries from public view. When he opened up about his ordeal on Instagram, posting an image of his scarred torso, the gesture was both raw and defiant, a reminder that vulnerability and charm can coexist.
The designer’s candor about his trauma and recovery further humanizes a man once considered fashion’s ultimate showman. Rousteing said in an interview that the experience removed his fear and strengthened his belief in honesty and transparency. His subsequent collections, particularly the spring 2022 show commemorating Balmain’s 10th anniversary under his direction, were filled with themes of healing, strength and rebirth, with corset silhouettes and bandage motifs also serving as symbols of survival.
“Like all stories, this one has an ending,” Rousteing wrote on Instagram Wednesday. He thanked his team and colleagues but did not discuss next steps.
“Today, I leave my Balmain home with my eyes wide open. Open to the future and the beautiful adventures that lie ahead, the adventures in which you all have a place. A new era, a new beginning, a new story. Thank you.”
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Associated Press writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed to this report from New York.
