Olivier Rousteing to Reboot Balmain's Haute Couture Line

[Benn98]

Why? The mainline is already lacking in creativity!

Balmain Returning to Couture

Olivier Rousteing broke the news at the WWD CEO Summit on Tuesday.

By Rosemary Feitelberg on October 31, 2018

Look for Balmain on the couture calendar in January. Olivier Rousteing revealed this morning at WWD’s Retail & Apparel CEO Summit that he will be leading that charge.

Rousteing is “looking to bring back the Parisian DNA,” he said.

The prospect has a lot of business potential considering 80 percent of Balmain’s sales stem from ready-to-wear.

Accessories, fragrance and cosmetics are also on his wish list.

It’s a return to couture for Balmain for the first time in 16 years, since the departure of Oscar de la Renta in 2002.

Rousteing sounded as though he is up for the task. In the course of the discussion, he mentioned the importance of timelessness, quality and knowing your customers — or in his case, Balmain army.

WWD.com

 

[GivenchyHomme]

ar15.com, freshome.com

 

[anlabe32]

I read "Olivier Rousteing to..." and I hoped it would say "leave fashion for good"

 

[rip_ian curtis]

While it’s nice that there seems to be some sort of resurrection and new interest happening in haute couture, it’s still disappointing that most of the newcomers seem to produce something that should not see the daylight. What does Rousteing think he has to offer beyond his rtw collection, which already is full of looks that could probably be classified as demi-couture? I think it’s going to be even more embellished and glitzy version of what he is already doing.

The gap between HC and RTW has narrowed so much in the last 10 years (thanks to demi-couture, which was so fashionable a few years back - also at Balmain), that this feels rather unnecessary. Rather than Balmain-style embellished glamour, I think today HC should be more about historical elements mixed with new technology, new textiles and amazing tailoring.

 

[jeanclaude]

More 80s clothes rip-offs...his last collection was copied from Mugler. For his HC debut I expect Montana fakes...

 

[GERGIN]

Is still baffles me how he took Balmain in to this direction and if I recall there was a glisten of hope as soon as he had taken helm over Christophe.

Never the less, this will not go well for not only the TFS community but for all other knowledgeable people in the fashion biz. I know it’s probably going to do well since, well, yea...

Olivier lacks an innovative vision for this brand sadly, I won’t give him crap for being a talented designer because I genuinely believe he is talented, but his offerings for Balmain are terrible re-hashes of other designers we’ve already seen done to death but better by other designers in the biz.

I think he needs to invest more time finding a creative, original design formula. But sadly like most other designers of the up and coming are no better than him in the originality department (I’m not speaking on behalf of all the new up-and-coming designers by the way, so chill.)

 

[Lola701]

As if we needed another brand doing bodycon dresses with sequins or paillettes and Swarovski...

Couture works when you decides to use it as a laboratory or as a way to elevate your aesthetic.
And I don’t see that with Olivier because he is limiting himself and because his taste has gotten worse over the years.

I think we already saw a glimpse of it with his Red carpet line.

 

[Scotty]

Hopefully this means the RTW line stops being so heavy.

 

[Salvatore]

I do love the fact that a resurgence of haute couture is happening in a way, as it is dying art form, but I am skeptical for some reason. He's talented, but has become lazy and his eye/level of taste has declined. I don't know, maybe he will surprise us, but I doubt it.

 

[orchidee]

Is still baffles me how he took Balmain in to this direction and if I recall there was a glisten of hope as soon as he had taken helm over Christophe.

Never the less, this will not go well for not only the TFS community but for all other knowledgeable people in the fashion biz. I know it’s probably going to do well since, well, yea...

Olivier lacks an innovative vision for this brand sadly, I won’t give him crap for being a talented designer because I genuinely believe he is talented, but his offerings for Balmain are terrible re-hashes of other designers we’ve already seen done to death but better by other designers in the biz.

I think he needs to invest more time finding a creative, original design formula. But sadly like most other designers of the up and coming are no better than him in the originality department (I’m not speaking on behalf of all the new up-and-coming designers by the way, so chill.)

The first couple of collections he did were great in my opinion. But that could be because he was still using Christohpe's blueprint to some extent. Now he just "designs" with K*rdashians in mind.

 

[mistress_f]

cause what fashion needs right now is more overly embellished uber tacky clothes!