More Flash Than Trash: Olivier Rousteing At Balmain
December 12, 2011 12:30 pm
...[Balmain] appointed an impossibly young, all but untested designer to take [Decarnin's] place: The then-25-year-old Frenchman Olivier Rousteing, who’d worked under Decarnin at the height of Balmain’s moment.
Rousteing, a veteran of Roberto Cavalli under Peter Dundas and Balmain under Decarnin, presented his first collection for Resort 2011 and followed it up with a well-received first show for Spring that kept the glitz and glamour but lost some of the rock ‘n’ roll trashiness that had given previous collections their edge. Critics and buyers—even those who had been Decarnin’s boosters—responded. On a recent trip to New York, Rousteing spoke with Style.com about his vision for the house, the high pressure of the industry, and why you won’t see any shredded T-shirts on his watch.
—Matthew Schneier
You joined Balmain in 2009, at a time when there was so much excitement around the label—Balmainia, as it were. What was that like?
I went there when it was Balmainia…I understood when I came to the house that it was a really small house with a really big name. But there wasn’t all the structure. It was super-interesting—there was not a lot of people. What is nice at Balmain is not only this part, the Balmainia, but even before; you have access to amazing archives. That was a good thing too with this house. It’s a really French house; it [has] old history.
Is that what you still look back to for your own collections?
When I arrived, I loved the rock ‘n’ roll sex appeal that was in the house, [and] I loved to work with Christophe, obviously. But what I learned from this house is that there is a real DNA, something from the past that I want to bring back. I want to bring the couture feeling that I tried to during the summer [for Spring 2011].
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Tell me about the studio. I understand you have a very young team.
I tried, honestly, to keep everyone from the studio. I love everyone where I work; they all have Balmain in their heart. After [Decarnin left], many went away, [to have] new experiences, [and] I hired new people to add new energy, too. From different countries. If you come into the office, you will see, there are people from everywhere. Puerto Rico, Denmark, New York, London, French people, German…it’s a mix of cultures. I like to mix. I’m mixed [race], so…
Yes—and speaking of that, you’re one of the only designers of color at a major French house. Is it something that impacts you?
No. For me, what’s important is to show my work and what I am about to do. I’m really proud for my parents, for the education they gave to me. About the color—I don’t see my color. It’s fine. I’m happy with what I am.
If we have to speak about it, if I have to be honest, why I’m really proud is because I’m adopted. I don’t know my real parents, my biological parents. More than the color, what I think is important for me is to show that, if you don’t have a good start, you can still fight for what you love. My parents are white; I am black, or mixed. I don’t know where I’m from. But what they teach me is this, too: It’s [to] love. I love everyone.