Balmain Celebrated Oliver Rousteing's 10th Anniversary with a Live Show at Paris Fashion Week SS22

French fashion house Balmain presented a live show at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week SS22 on Wednesday to mark the 10 years of its creative director Olivier Rousteing with the brand. And the show was not a regular one, not only did veteran models strut the ramp but there were some scintillating performances by Doja Cat and Jesse Jo Stark. Here are all the deets.

 

 

 

 

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In 2019, the 36-year-old debuted his first couture collection to become one among the few black designers to feature on the Paris schedule. Fast forward to 2021 and his latest show—a "Balmain Festival" featuring music, models, and over 1000 screaming fans at the Seine Musicale concert hall seemed to be the perfect celebrations for his 10 years at the helm of Balmain.

The show opened with a personal 2-page letter to friends of Balmain. Rousteing wrote in it about his new collection, calling  it all about "recovery and renewal," noting, "a year ago, I suffered some painful burns in an accident. Hospital rooms, bandages, and gauze wraps suddenly became a big part of my life—and as I began sketching, I found myself translating those months of doctors and physical therapy into today’s many bands, weaves, and dangling straps.” He also said: "Over the next ten years, I pledge to continue to push for more inclusion, more democracy and more openness. Here’s to the next decade of sharing our joy-filled signature mix of fashion and music with more and more of those who wish to enter into the Balmain universe.”

 Naomi Campbell opened the runway in a bronze embroidered gown. Supermodels of the 90s Milla Jovovich, Karen Elson, and Carla Bruni walked the ramp too along with millennial models Imran Hammam, Natalia Vodianova, and Soo-Joo Park, and catwalk favorites like Adut Akech and Precious Lee.

 

 

 

 

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Beyonce gave a an audio tribute to Olivier as Naomi walked. Beyonce has worn Balmain in videos, for her Coachella performance, and for “many personal moments”, praised Rousteing’s vision. And that’t not all Doja Cat and Jesse Jo Stark performed too. The fashion event ended with Sia's "Unstoppable" blaring as Rousteing and his #BalmainArmy took a bow.