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Olivier Rousteing Exits Balmain After 14 Years as Creative Director

Balmain says a new creative organization will be named in due course.

Overview

  • The house said the departure was a mutual decision, with Mayhoola’s Rachid Mohamed Rachid and CEO Matteo Sgarbossa praising Rousteing’s impact.
  • No successor or interim structure was announced, and Rousteing’s next move has not been disclosed.
  • Named in 2011 at age 25, Rousteing was the youngest non‑founding designer to lead a major Paris house and the first Black creative director across all categories at a French heritage maison.
  • Under his leadership, annual revenue rose from about €30.4 million in 2012 to an estimated €300 million last year, according to industry reports.
  • He revived couture, expanded accessories and beauty through an Estée Lauder license, and built the celebrity‑driven Balmain Army that amplified the brand’s pop‑culture presence.