Balmain Cocktail Reception
On May 12, Afsaneh Akhtari, a prestigious socialite, invited me to a very exclusive cocktail reception to honor Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of fashion house Balmain. We spent the evening in an intimate affair at her New York apartment to see the new special Balmain collection and I had the privilege to spend the afternoon with the Balmain Army, the men and women who admire Balmain and his designs. This event was filled with many beautiful designs, people, and stories, including the talented Olivier Rousteing and his story of humble beginnings and climb to the top.
Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain was a French fashion designer and founder of the leading post-war fashion house Balmain. His designs are known for sophistication and elegance, making him a historian in the fashion world. Fast forward to many years later, Olivier Rousteing was appointed to the helm of Balmain in 2011 at the age of 24, making him one of the youngest creative directors in Paris. Rousteing is known for many things, one being for mastering the art of bridging together social media and fashion, the other being for his unique story. He took over Balmain at age 25 and is now one of the hottest designers in the world - working alongside the Kardashians, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and many more - but it wasn’t always that way.
At the age of 1, Rousteing was adopted by a French couple in Bordeaux. He grew up believing he was of mixed race, specifically black and white, because of his skin color. It wasn’t until Rousteing was in his 30’s that he realized he is Somalian and Ethiopian. He had to work extra hard to prove himself in a traditional French couture home and had to overcome many obstacles to persevere and become the hottest designer for the young generation of these days.
Since this realization, Rousteing has been at the forefront of not only fashion design, but has become passionate about speaking on the concept of identity and using it as part of your story.
Putting aside the exclusivity of the event and his designs, I think Olivier Rousteing could very well be the next Alexander McQueen. He is a true artist at heart and his work reflects the modern atheistic of today’s society.
