2009年よりバルマン（BALMAIN）のデザインを担当しているオリヴィエ・ルステン（Olivier Rousteing）が、「BALMAIN」の新デザイナーに起用と4月26日付けで発表された。クリストフ・ドゥカルナン（Christophe Decarnin）によって人気メゾン入りした「BALMAIN」。オリヴィエ・ルステンは、ロベルト・カヴァリ（Roberto Cavalli）で5年間働いていた経験もあり、とても期待されているようだ。デビューコレクションは2012年春夏コレクションの10月予定。また、2011年9月にはフラッグシップストアをオープン。
After an amazing hit jacket BALMAIN has spent the past few years charging over the odds prices for safety pin encrusted T-shirts. When Emmanuelle Alt left her position as brand stylist to take up her role as VOGUE PARIS editor in chief it was apparent change was coming, then in February Christophe Decarnin was absent backstage at Paris fashion week with rumors suggesting he was somewhere between exhausted and suffering a full mental breakdown. By early April Decarnin was out, and just three weeks later Olivier Rousteing (pictured above) head designer of womenswear at BALMAIN, was promoted to the position of Creative Director for both mens and womens. He will make his debut this October during the S/S 2012 collection show in Paris.
Balmain is a top French brand which became predictable, one hopes this new appointment brings much needed to change to the brand. That aside, we also wish the best for Christophe Decarnin, the latest victim in fashions game of musical chairs. The pressure put on designers seem to be mounting to the point that they can no longer function, just look at Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. Good luck to Olivier Rousteing in his new role, BALMAIN is set to open a flagship store in Tokyo this September.