Balmain

Paris - French Unique Luxury Fashion House since 1945

A Unique History

Pierre Balmain was only 30 years old in August 1944 at the liberation of Paris. Having regained his freedom, Balmain decided that the time had to come to found his tailoring maison, quickly setting up his atelier in a recently vacated space, at 44 Rue due François Premier, which had been requistioned by the Nazis during the long occupation.

The Année Zero

In the designer's memoirs, his feeling of impatience in changing his life is clearly outlined, and at the time he was certainly not the only Parisian who wanted a new beginning. All around the designer the green gems of cultural renaissance were boldly sprouting. France was inaugurating what was later called the year zero, the year zero. After so much destruction, the force of rebirth is not long in making itself felt. The remarkable talents of the time bring forth new, exceptional and surprising points of view in the world of music, literature, theater and cinema: an explosion of creativity triggered in Paris immediately after the war and which continued for decades and decades.

The liberated Paris was indeed hungry for change, original ideas and hope ... but it was also hungry in the true sense of the term. These were very difficult times for many inhabitants of the capital, in an era of rationing, scarcity, instability and fear. Nonetheless, Pierre Balmain, just like other daring talents of liberated France, looked to the future with eyes of optimism and confidence.

In October 1945, Balmain's passion, audacity and original point of view led to his first collection, which presented an extraordinarily fresh and feminine approach, welcomed by Alice B Toklas as the "New French Style". His unique and instantly popular vision secured Pierre Balmain a place among the rare and daring designers responsible for the historic fashion renaissance in France in the postwar period, consecrating Paris as the fashion capital.

The Maison Balmain

Today's Maison Balmain combines the rich heritage of the historic Parisian tailoring house with the unique optimism of Pierre Balmain as well as the modern and inclusive approach of Olivier Rousteing, creative director of the Maison for over ten years. Since 2011, when he started working as a supervisor of the Maison's collections at the tender age of 25, Olivier Rousteing has been determined to design clothes that reflect the way his generation wishes to dress today. The result is a unique and immediately recognizable silhouette, style and approach, which are based on the great savoir-faire of the brand's ateliers, which makes their fame, as well as on the legacy of the founder Pierre Balmain, known, just like Olivier Rousteing, because he was not afraid to challenge established conventions.

With its long tradition of seeking inspiration in engaging art, revolutionary music and the powerful voices of today, Balmain is also the undisputed leader in inventing new and exciting ways to address its audience directly. Balmain's marketing (surprising and often unorthodox) as well as his communication and strategic choices manifest the desire both of Olivier Rousteing and of the entire Maison to democratize and modernize the world of fashion, too often turned in on itself, at the same time openly declaring that Balmain never stays on the sidelines when it comes to pushing the boundaries.

Balmain Today

Since 2016, Balmain has been controlled by Mayhoola For Investments LLC. This allowed rapid growth and a wide range of new possibilities for the historic Maison.

The unique and global vision of Balmain's style is expressed each year in a series of new proposals and creations, with collections for men, women and children, eyewear, leather accessories and luggage.

Rachid M. Rachid is the current president of the Global Holding Group and of AlSara International.

In addition, Rachid M. Rachid is chairman of the Board of Directors of the Italian company Valentino and of Balmain in France.

As CEO of Mayhoola for Investments LLC, Rachid is an investor in the universe of luxury goods and the founder and president of Bidayat, a multinational investment company that supports the formation of creative communities and the organization of businesses around the world.

Rachid is a board member of Katara Hospitality based in Qatar, a hotel owner company that also deals with international hotel development. Previously, since 2004, Rachid was Egypt’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment. He also held the position of executive chairman of Unilever Middle East & Africa.

Rachid holds a BA in Mechanical Engineering from Alexandria University's School of Engineering. He has participated in numerous management management courses, including the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. He is also a member of the Harvard Business School Alumni. He was awarded by the President of the Italian Republic with the honor of "Knight of the Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic".

Clothing

Olivier Rousteing celebrates the richness of Balmain's tradition and history in every woman’s collection he creates. Filled with unique and exclusive designs, the archives are a rich source of inspiration, while the atelier, with its sartorial craftsmanship, continues to be an object of admiration. Rousteing blends this tradition with his own modern sensibility.

Balmain Hair Couture

As an integral part of the Balmain Paris fashion house, Balmain Hair boasts more than 45 years of experience in combining hairstyles with the most innovative trends on the catwalk. The collections are inspired by the secrets of the backstage and offer everything a woman needs to create catwalk looks. Over these 45 years, Balmain Hair has consolidated its presence in the luxury sector. We pay a great deal of attention to detail and the continuous search for perfection, from which always new application techniques derive that guarantee the best possible quality of the products, respecting our glorious and thriving heritage.

All collections consist of a complete range of best-selling products. Our design, manufacturing and retail teams continually increase the excellence of Balmain products. The long-term perspective, based on heritage, creativity and innovation, drives the success of Balmain Hair and guarantees it a promising future.

Excellence in Products and Services

Balmain Paris Hair Couture selects and transforms the best hair in the world. This continuous pursuit of excellence allows the company to offer a 6-month guarantee on all real hair products and only with the use of Balmain maintenance products. Excellence does not only concern the quality of the products, but also refers to the selection and placement of our "Partners", who must be able to present Balmain products in the best possible way, making their customers experience the world of Hair Couture.

The greatest session stylists and influencers from around the world have embraced the Balmain Paris Hair Couture style, now present internationally in both the press and online media. No other brand has such a high connection with the fashion world. The arrival of Olivier Rousteing really pushed Balmain into the spotlight: since his appointment as Creative Director, Balmain has gained worldwide visibility and a large number of heterogeneous followers. Balmain Paris Hair Couture is developing its success, respecting the historical heritage that has lasted for over 45 years.

Products Balmain

Products Balmain Eyewear