Blending two impressive heritages, the 2024 Balmain Resort Collections build upon the compelling legacy of Monsieur Balmain, melding his passion for American dynamism with the house’s mastery of French craftsmanship. 

For this podcast, Olivier Rousteing discusses how his decorative motifs channel the bold style of the American cowboy and how his collections reflect the true history of the Wild West, with designs celebrating the long-ignored diversity of the frontier.  

Rousteing walks us through the collections, explaining how they riff upon two distinct traditions, with the sharp cuts, impressive leatherwork and striking embellishments of Balmain’s latest designs looking to both mid-century couture salons and 19th-century frontier saloons.  

As you listen to this episode, we invite you to click here to open a special webpage, which will allow you to scroll through images of each collection, as Olivier Rousteing explains the inspirations, details and presentations of his designs. 

CREDITS L’ATELIER BALMAIN EPISODE 3.1 

GO WEST, BALMAIN! THE BALMAIN RESORT 2024 COLLECTIONS  

Balmain Creative Director: Olivier Rousteing 

Episode Direction and Production: Seb Lascoux 

Balmain Historian: Julia Guillon 

Episode Coordination: Jeremy Mace 

Webpage Layout and Coordination: Léa Bouyssou 

Olivier Rousteing was interviewed by John Gilligan 

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“My last runway surprised more than a few,” explains Olivier Rousteing. “Coverage of previous Balmain shows often focused on the fashion-week festivals and spectacles—but for our Fall 2023 Balmain Women’s designs, my team and I were determined to steer clear of the fireworks. Instead, we shone a single, perfectly directed spotlight upon the extraordinary possibilities offered to us whenever we celebrate this house’s rich heritage. We turned the volume way down, channeling the hushed atmosphere of Pierre Balmain’s intimate post-war couture salon presentations. By limiting the number of invitees, we allowed each guest the opportunity to better appreciate, close-up, just how our atelier’s impressive craftsmanship made possible the collection’s many surprising, fresh and modern spins on our founder’s signature silhouettes and this house’s most cherished codes. 

For this episode, Olivier Rousteing sits down once again with John Gilligan for a conversation about his Balmain Fall 2023 designs for men and women. Rousteing also explains the origins and inspirations for a special joint couture collection that he created in partnership with Beyoncé: The Beyoncé x Balmain Renaissance Collection. 

As you listen to this episode, we invite you to click here to open a special webpage, which will allow you to scroll through videos and images of each collection, as Olivier Rousteing explains the inspirations, details and presentations of his designs. 

CREDITS L’ATELIER BALMAIN EPISODE 2.7 

OLIVIER ROUSTEING: MY BALMAIN FALL 2023 COLLECTIONS 

Balmain Creative Director: Olivier Rousteing 

Episode Direction and Production: Seb Lascoux 

Balmain Historian: Julia Guillon 

Episode Coordination: Jeremy Mace 

Webpage Layout and Coordination: Léa Bouyssou 

Olivier Rousteing was interviewed by John Gilligan 

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, Vogue Writer and Editor Lynn Yaeger returns to explain why she is so inspired by the fascinating life of Josephine Baker. 

Born into a life of poverty, segregation and racial violence in Saint Louis, Josephine Baker managed to escape what seemed to have been her destiny—eventually transforming herself, through determination and talent, into the glamorous toast of Europe. She starred in successful movies, performed on the stages of the most important theaters and released a string of musical hits—some of which are now French classics. 

But, as Yaeger is very happy to let us know, Baker was so much more than a star. She was also a decorated war hero, bravely volunteering to work as a French spy during World War II. In later years, she would return to America to enlist in another battle: the Reverend Martin Luther King’s movement for civil rights. 

Josephine Baker was also a great inspiration for Pierre Balmain, who dressed Baker for several of her most legendary mid-century performances. Today, the house of Balmain is celebrated for its love of building upon the impressive power that results when music and fashion are connected. And that singular passion for weaving the two arts together began many decades ago, with Pierre Balmain’s stunning creations for one of the house’s original muses, Josephine Baker.

We invite you to click to open the episode’s special webpage, which will allow you to scroll through videos and images of Josephine Baker.

CREDITS L’ATELIER BALMAIN EPISODE 2.6

JOSEPHINE BAKER: SUPERSTAR, WAR HERO, ACTIVIST AND BALMAIN MUSE

Balmain Creative Director: Olivier Rousteing

Episode Direction and Production: Seb Lascoux

Balmain Historian: Julia Guillon

Episode Coordination: Jeremy Mace

Webpage Layout and Coordination: Léa Bouyssou

Episode researched, written and presented by John Gilligan

Special Podcast Guest: Lynn Yaeger

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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