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Olivier Rousteing Steps Down as Balmain Creative Director After 14 Years

The house says it will outline a new creative structure soon.

Overview

  • Balmain and Rousteing said they mutually agreed to part ways, with chairman Rachid Mohamed Rachid and CEO Matteo Sgarbossa praising his contribution in formal statements.
  • Named creative director in 2011 at age 24, Rousteing became the youngest non‑founding designer to lead a major Paris house since Yves Saint Laurent and the first Black creative director at a major French heritage brand.
  • Under his tenure, revenues reportedly rose from €30.4 million in 2012 to about €300 million, alongside a couture revival and expansion into accessories, beauty and fragrance under license.
  • Rousteing amplified Balmain’s cultural profile through the “Balmain Army,” high‑visibility celebrity partnerships and early digital initiatives, including Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella costumes and a 2015 H&M collaboration.
  • Rousteing expressed pride and gratitude as he looks to his next chapter, while the Mayhoola‑owned house prepares to announce its new creative organization and his future plans remain undisclosed.