photo cred. buro247.com
A little under 20 years ago, we lived in an era where most women wanted to be princesses, madames or danzels in distress waiting for their knight in shining armor to come and rescue them. Women dressed accordingly, with soft pink gowns and frilly dramatic trains. However, over the years things have defiantly changed as women are now stepping out onto red carpets clad in exotic leathers and fierce animal prints. In a sort of backlash as if they’re saying “I don’t need to be rescued, I can slay this dragon myself and look flawless while doing so.” Surprisingly, the designer behind the trend isn’t a tight-lipped feminist woman but is in fact a pouty faced feminist man that’s making a generation of women, FIERECE DRAGON, SLAYING, WARRIORS. If he was a part of a fairytale he would probably spend most of his time at the top of the Eiffel Tower churning out chic leather gowns like this sort of bad boy Picasso. Of course we’re talking about the man behind Balmain, Olivier Rousteing.
Born and raised in Bordeaux, in the south of France, Olivier Rousteing studied fashion at the ESMOD (I’Ecole Superieure Des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) in Paris. However, his passion for fashion wasn’t built on a yellow brick road as he dropped out of law school at the dismay of his adoptive parents. “I didn’t want to lead a quiet life,” says Rousteing, whom has dressed the likes of a-list celebrities such as Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian, women who are known for their almost forceful sense of self and sexuality. After graduating in 2003, Rousteing worked for Roberto Cavalli establishing himself as head of design for both the men’s and women’s collection.
In 2009, Olivier moved back to Paris to work as an assistant to then Creative Director of Balmain, Christophe Decarnin. When Decarnin stepped down in 2011, due to internal feuds with Balmain’s CEO, Rousteing was quickly promoted to creative director. Suddenly, the young man who labored quietly behind the scenes was pushed to the fore front almost overnight, with an entire fashion house resting on his spike studded shoulders. With hardly any demur, Rousteing’s transition was effortless, as he was embraced by men and women for his daring, wild and refreshing take on French fashion. Olivier Rousteing, like the mass of his clientele, is a rock star, but he isn’t stuck in the past nor dreaming of the future. Olivier is a rock star of the now spontaneously whipping out designs such as sheer mesh tops and peek-a-boo leather skirts, which is reflective of women’s fight to freely embrace their sexuality.
The man behind Balmain is making a generation of women stronger, edgier, and more ferocious. With an army of loyal fans that include the likes of Rihanna and Kate Moss, Olivier Rousteing will continue to be a fiery beacon in the fashion world for years to come.
Slay on Rousteing, slay on.
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