Overview

• The Museum at FIT’s annual luncheon at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater honored Rousteing with the 2025 Couture Council Award in a fundraiser sponsored by Bloomingdale’s.
• Actor Jeremy Pope introduced the designer with a tribute to his trailblazing impact as an audience of industry figures, including Martha Stewart and Gabriela Hearst, looked on.
• In his remarks, Rousteing recalled taking Balmain’s helm at 24 as the first Black leader of a major French house and stressed the value of risk-taking and perseverance.
• He planned to meet with FIT students following the luncheon, distilling his advice to three points: be yourself, don’t give up, find your own wisdom.
• The recognition coincides with Balmain’s 80th anniversary, highlighted by a Printemps New York exhibition that situates Rousteing’s couture revival, beauty expansion and high-profile collaborations within the house’s heritage.