Thirty-year-olds whose lives have already been the subject of a biopic, who travel in a Bentley driven by a chauffeur, who own the “06” of Rihanna and Beyoncé are rare. One could also assume that they are not very accessible. To get there so early in life, don’t you have to be ruthless, a frozen monster of efficiency like Anna Wintour (who only had her biography at 73)?
“I’m so happy to be here!” », enthuses Olivier Rousteing when he arrives at the Parisian restaurant Anahi, empty on this Friday afternoon in December. He kisses Carmen, the boss, like a kiss, says yes to the Bloody Mary, Instagrams the photogenic cocktail as soon as it’s served. When Beyoncé resonates in the restaurant’s speakers, Olivier Rousteing leaves his pose of a handsome, incandescent boy, his arms rise in the air, his body lets himself be carried by the beat of Summer Renaissance. “No but, seriously, we love it! »
Olivier Rousteing, 38, is friendly and outgoing – two rare qualities for an artistic director of a major fashion house. Since 2011, he has managed Balmain, a Parisian label founded by Pierre Balmain in 1945, bought in 2016 by the Qatari group Mayhoola. Such longevity in this position is exceptional, with most designers having the habit of waltzing in after a few years.
“We don’t give them time to express themselves, and that’s a shame”deplores Olivier Rousteing, now seated quietly, who asked for Beyoncé to be turned off for the comfort of the interview and put away his cell phone. “We are praised one day, forgotten the next. There is no longer the kindness of the past for couturiers that I see in fashion history books. »
Maximalist stylistic proposal
He expresses himself by regularly touching his long, braided hair which falls in front of his eyes but which he refuses to tuck behind his ears. Anglicisms punctuate his sentences, he apologizes for them, tries to remedy them. He answers questions in a structured way, dividing his thoughts into two or three points which he announces before detailing them. He is so focused that he doesn’t notice when a slice of lemon escapes from his bloody mary and lands on his arm.
According to him, his professional stability comes from the fact that Balmain leaves him free, and therefore happy. “I’m lucky, because it’s become rare today. Designers are afraid to take risks. It’s a shame, because it’s the risks that make the history of fashion. » Its maximalist, pop, colorful stylistic proposal contrasts with the biotope where it is deployed, the “good Parisian taste” who prefers the conceptual to the baroque, the false casualness of a raw cashmere to the preciousness of an embroidered jacket with shoulder pads. “People sometimes say that my fashion is light, but I want to bring joy. I don’t want to be the spokesperson for torment. »
You have 65% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.