1945 – after the war, Pierre Balmain was the first of the great couturiers that would put Paris back at the center of the fashion world to open his own fashion house. At 44 rue François 1er, the stylist would introduce his first collection on October 12 of that same year. As one did back then, he introduced his latest pieces to the audience within the couture house’s salons. Among a number of hand-picked buyers, clients, and journalists, Pierre Balmain initiated the beginning of a series of haute couture collections that day which would delight elegant types around the world. The Balmain woman always reflects the image of her public, and her runway bears this resemblance as well. On October 12 1945, Pierre Balmain made known his fashion equation: ease and youth. Soon, the one nicknamed “the youngest of the greats” would earn a loyal following of some of the world’s most prestigious clientele.
The archived images of Balmain’s runways don’t lie: in March 1952, the first runway for his legendary Florilège collection took place in the Bourgeois grand salon, closed off by heavy curtains. While girls went down the runway in creations that left the crowd dumbstruck, large classic paintings denoted the couturier’s inspiration: the Balmain woman was like a beauty in a painting, parading through baroque scenes of Parisian neo-romanticism. It was a festive era in Paris; there were balls aplenty, like the one at the Opéra Garnier. When Oscar de la Renta took over as creative director of the brand in the early 90s, the American designer repositioned the label back into the fantastical pomp and classicism of haute couture. Upon exiting a runway one day, he confided: “Haute couture can only consist of women falling madly in love with the dresses they see.” Balmain’s runways are the definition of what can be done in couture: with live classical music and chic beauties, their presentations are spectacles that reflect all the splendor of haute couture.
Then the arrival of Christophe Decarnin followed by Olivier Rousteing brought Balmain out of its comfort zone. With gusto, this duo plunged the label in the reality of the 2000s. No more gallant soundtrack; the time had come for rock and roll, cool character, and even more incendiary runways. On the catwalk, straight silhouettes fit marvelously with a new elegance that was avid for sensations in mini-dresses highlighted with sequins and oversized shoulders. Without forgetting any of the codes that brought the Balmain label its success – cinched waists, belts, and shoulder pads – the new creative director simply brought the brand in line with the times. In record time, the new Balmain aesthetic garnered praise from the highest circles. When Olivier Rousteing found himself alone at the head of the brand, he brought his runways into the fastidious salons of the Hôtel Potocki in Paris’ 8th arrondissement. His self-affirmed creations could be found on the most popular top models of the day, modern warriors like Doutzen Kroes, Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Kendall Jenner, and Anja Rubik. Today, Balmain’s runways are also frequented for the after show. Put together like an event in and of itself, Olivier Rousteing reaffirms his positioning as being in perfect line with the times – held in some of the French capital’s most legendary locations, such as the Moulin Rouge, these are occasions to see all the attitude of a brand as luxurious as it is easy to wear in action.
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