Balmain (fashion house) facts for kids
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| Société Anonyme | |
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | Pierre Balmain |
| Headquarters |
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France
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Olivier Rousteing, Head Designer |
| Products | Haute couture, ready-to-wear, perfume, jewellery |
| Owner | Mayhoola for Investments |
Pierre Balmain S.A. (French: [balmɛ̃]), known as Balmain, is a famous French luxury fashion house. It was started by Pierre Balmain in 1945.
Balmain has more than 50 stores around the world. Its main store is in Paris, France, on Rue Saint-Honoré. Other important stores are in Tokyo, New York City, London, and Milano. In the United States, there are six stores, including locations in New York City, Bal Harbour, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
In 2016, a company from Qatar called Mayhoola for Investments bought Balmain. Before this, the company was mostly owned by the family of Alain Hivelin. Balmain's sales have grown a lot over the years. The company focuses on selling clothes to other businesses (wholesale) and also directly to customers in its own stores.
History of Balmain
Pierre Balmain's Vision (1945–1982)
Pierre Balmain was born in France in 1914. His father owned a fabric shop, and his mother and sister had a fashion boutique. Pierre often helped out there after his father passed away in 1921. He went to art school to study architecture but spent most of his time designing dresses.
After working for other designers, he opened his own fashion house in Paris in 1945. He showed his first collection in October 1945. His first perfume, Jolie Madame, came out in 1949.
After World War II, Pierre Balmain became a very important figure in French fashion. He dressed many famous people, including Ava Gardner, Brigitte Bardot, and Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Even Marlene Dietrich wore Balmain clothes in her movie No Highway in the Sky (1951).
New Leaders Emerge (1982–1992)
After Pierre Balmain passed away in 1982, Erik Mortensen took over the fashion house. He had been Balmain's assistant since 1951. Mortensen worked hard to keep the brand's classic style while also bringing new ideas to fashion. He won two Golden Thimble awards for his amazing haute couture collections. He left Balmain in 1990.
After Mortensen, designer Hervé Pierre led the ready-to-wear and haute couture collections until 1992.
Oscar de la Renta's Influence (1993–2002)
One of the most famous designers to lead Balmain was Oscar de la Renta. He was in charge from 1993 to 2002. Oscar de la Renta was already a well-known designer before joining Balmain. He was born in the Dominican Republic and lived most of his life in New York City.
He fit perfectly with Balmain's style, focusing on details and classic shapes. Like Pierre Balmain, he preferred simple and elegant designs. He took on the challenge of leading Balmain during a time when haute couture was becoming less popular.
Modern Era of Balmain (2005–Present)
Christophe Decarnin's Bold Style (2005–2011)
After Oscar de la Renta, Christophe Decarnin joined Balmain in 2005. Decarnin wanted to bring the brand into the 21st century. He created expensive and flashy pieces, which was a big change from Balmain's usual classic and luxurious designs. He became a "star designer," and the brand became known for his unique style.
Olivier Rousteing's Vision (2011–Present)
In April 2011, Olivier Rousteing became the new head designer for Balmain. Rousteing had joined the company in 2009. He liked Decarnin's modern look but wanted to bring back more of the fine French couture style.
When he was first appointed, Rousteing was not very well known. He brought a fresh perspective to the brand, which is still seen today. He is known for adding an Asian influence to the clothing, as many of Balmain's customers are from Asia.
In April 2016, Balmain opened a new main store in New York City. In June 2016, Mayhoola Investments officially bought Balmain.
In 2017, Rousteing launched Balmain's first line of accessories. On December 4, 2018, he introduced a new logo for the brand. In 2019, Balmain worked with Cara Delevingne and Puma to create a collection of athletic wear called Puma X Balmain.
In September 2023, Rousteing shared that a van carrying over 50 designs for the fall 2023 show was robbed. Despite this challenge, he made sure the show went on. He presented a beautiful show filled with flowers, sharing a message that "love is all."
Other Activities
Balmain also earns money from licensing its name for various products.
Special Collections
In 1994, Balmain allowed another company to make and sell a simpler, more affordable collection of women's ready-to-wear clothes.
In 2011, Balmain launched its own special collection called Pierre Balmain for men and women. This line was stopped in 2018.
In November 2015, Balmain worked with the Swedish retail store H&M to create a special one-time collection.
Fragrances and Beauty
In 2012, Balmain made a deal with Interparfums to create and sell perfumes. However, this agreement ended in 2017. In 2022, Balmain announced a new long-term agreement with Estée Lauder Companies for fragrances.
In 2013, Balmain introduced its Care and Styling for Hair Couture products. In 2017, Balmain worked with L’Oreal to create a lipstick collection. In 2019, Balmain announced a makeup collection called KYLIE X BALMAIN, working with Kylie Jenner. Jenner also became the Artistic Director for Makeup for the Spring-Summer 2020 Runway Collection. In 2023, Balmain Hair celebrated 50 years and was praised by Vogue for its luxury hair products.
Lingerie and Jewellery
In 2017, Balmain launched a special collection with Victoria's Secret. In 2022, Balmain introduced its first collection of fine jewellery.
Head Designers of Balmain
- 1945–1982: Pierre Balmain
- 1982–1986: Peggy Huynh Kinh
- 1982–1990: Erik Mortensen
- 1990–1992: Hervé Pierre Braillard
- 1993–2002: Oscar de la Renta
- 2002-2003: Laurent Mercier
- 2003–2006: Christophe Lebourg
- 2006–2011: Christophe Decarnin
- 2011–Present: Olivier Rousteing
From 1947 to 1976, Ginette Spanier was the director of Balmain. Alain Hivelin was the chairman and main owner of Balmain from 2004 until he passed away in 2014.
Giving Back
In 2018, Balmain teamed up with (RED) to sell custom-made outfits from the Met Gala. All the money raised went to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which helps fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Balmain has continued to work with (RED) on other projects since then.
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Balmain para niños
