On Nov. 5, Olivier Rousteing announced that he would be leaving his role as creative director of Balmain after 14 years.
When Rousteing was named creative director in 2011 at age 25, he was the youngest and first Black leader ever at the Parisian fashion house. Throughout the 2010s, he took Balmain to new heights and transformed it into one of the most recognizable and commercially successful luxury brands in the world. According to Business of Fashion, Balmain annual sales grew from €20 million when he joined the brand to €300 million in 2023.
Whether it was popularizing Biker Denim with the masses and turning it into a pivotal piece of the hip-hop uniform in the 2010s or outfitting Beyoncé for some of his most memorable on-stage performances, Rousteing’s tenure had no shortage of signature moments. Following the announcement of his exit, we wanted to take A Look Back at Olivier Rousteing’s Biggest Moments at Balmain.
The Biker Denim Trend
One of Rousteing’s biggest mainstream hits came early in his tenure with Balmain. The Biker Denim was a key piece in establishing his vision for Balmain, blending classic rock-and-roll elements with the elevated execution of Parisian fine tailoring. The jeans stood out for their accordion-like ribbed knee panels that referenced leather biker pants; this functional design element is meant to give more flexibility to riders.
Rousteing did not invent Balmain Biker Denim. That honor belongs to the brand’s then-artistic director Christophe Decarnin in 2009. But he had a huge hand in popularizing it. The style became a signature piece of the hip-hop uniform in the 2010s, worn by everyone from Kanye West to Kid Cudi to Migos.
The jeans became so popular that the accordion knees were adopted by brands like H&M and PacSun.
The H&M Collab
Not everyone could afford Rousteing’s Balmain. For those that couldn’t, there was the H&M collaboration in 2015. The collection looked back on Rousteing’s first eight years at the house and recreated some of his signature designs at a more attainable price point. It commanded lines around the world and sold out with ease. Placing Rousteing’s designs in malls around the world is yet another indicator of the impact that he had during his tenure with the fashion house.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian at the 2016 Met Gala
Rousteing dressed plenty of stars for red carpets around the world throughout his time at Balmain, but few made as many waves as Ye and Kim K’s looks from the 2016 Met Gala. In typical Ye fashion, he bucked the night’s formal dress code in favor of a pair of distressed Fear of God jeans and brown suede Chelsea boots. He stood out even more, thanks to an embellished denim jacket covered in crystals and pearls, courtesy of Rousteing. Kim K stood next to him in a shimmering dress designed to look like a suit of armor that was made using pieces of real disco balls. The looks have lived on as some of their most iconic outfits.
The Kardashians Lead the Balmain Army
Another big reason that Rousteing’s Balmain achieved such mainstream success is through the Kardashians. He maintained a close relationship with the entire clan during his time with the brand. Kendall Jenner has walked in runway shows. Kylie Jenner collaborated with him on a special cosmetics collection in 2019. Kim broke the internet in custom looks, from skin-tight brown latex to dresses meticulously crafted out of beads and crystals. Rousteing even designed virtual pieces and made a cameo in Kim’s mobile game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. And who could forget all of the Balmain ensembles that the family wore to the Yeezy Season 3 show at Madison Square Garden? The Kardashians were at the frontlines of the Balmain Army.
Beyoncé's Tour Looks
Beyoncé puts on arguably the best live show in music and her nightly ensembles add that much more to the spectacle. Rousteing has created multiple custom Balmain looks for Beyoncé across various tours, including Cowboy Carter in 2025 and her iconic Beychella performance in 2018.
The most ambitious project came in 2023, in the form of the “Renaissance Couture” collection. Rousteing created 17 looks that were inspired by each of the 17 tracks on Renaissance. At the time the collection was revealed, she acknowledged the work that Rousteing and her were able to bring to life on Instagram writing, “Designing alongside you was freeing—thank you for allowing me to celebrate the human form, to take artistic risks, to push boundaries and to freely express myself.”
A Nike Collaboration
While this isn’t affiliated with Balmain, this project is still worth noting. Dressed in Rousteing’s signature black and gold color palette, the French designer worked with Nike in 2016 on a soccer-inspired collection of footwear, like the Magista, and apparel that included jerseys and warmups. Rousteing’s collabs haven’t had the impact or staying power of some of Nike’s other luxury projects, but the fact that the brand tapped Rousteing is proof of the heights that he reached.
Zendaya's Venice Film Festival 2021 Look
Zendaya’s run of red carpet looks throughout the Dune II and Challengers press tours in 2024 achieved legendary status. But the A-list actress had her fair share of memorable looks before that, too. One came at the 2021 Venice Film Festival, while she was promoting the first Dune film. Dressed in a custom leather dress that clung to her torso, she arrived looking like she was soaking wet. The one-of-one, sand-colored dress was meant to nod to the setting of the sci-fi adaptation. This was as much a piece of art as it was an article of clothing.
Tyla's Sand Dress at the Met Gala
For her first Met Gala in 2024, Tyla showed up in a custom Balmain dress that looked like it was made entirely out of sand. It’s hard to say what was more mind-boggling: how Rousteing and his team pulled it off, or how Tyla was able to walk in it. It was so delicate that the singer had to be carried up the Met steps by a group of men in suits. The result is one of the best Met Gala looks in recent memory.