Balmain, the saga of the brand
Pierre Balmain was born in 1914, in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in Savoy, into a family of fabric traders. He begins by studying architecture in Paris before being captivated by the world of fashion. He will become the assistant of two great figures of haute couture: Lucien Lelong and Edward Molyneux. They will teach him their know-how and, from 1945, he opens his first fashion house, rue François 1st in Paris.
He draws ambitious collections made for sophisticated and seductive women ...
At the beginning of the 50s, the French woman is in the image of this spirit that he wanted to breathe: cheerful, active, feminine and of course elegant.
In the 60s, Balmain becomes the stapled designer of great movie stars: Marlene Dietrich, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Katherine Hepburn ... but also crowned heads like Queen Sirikit of Thailand. During the same decade, he created costumes for the theater, his fame is already international. But its notoriety, the designer owes it especially to his famous evening dresses, unmatched glamor, which illuminated the great events of the time ...
In the 70s, like all major fashion houses, he began to make ready-to-wear.
Pierre Balmain died in 1982, Erik Mortensen, his first assistant since the 50s, will take over. For a few years, he perpetuates the spirit of the creations that made his success.
Hervé Pierre, Oscar de la Renta ... take successively the artistic direction of the sign. Since 2006, Christophe Decarnin is at the head of creations Balmain, he was able to give life to this great fashion house thanks to his talent.
Among the stars addicted to the brand Victoria Beckham and his shoulder leather jacket, Rihanna, among others ... It's also at Balmain that we owe the military fashion revival: khaki, trimmings and escutcheon.
