Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of French fashion house Balmain, is the focus of a new documentary. The designer – who was adopted, is openly gay and made history when he received the top job at Balmain aged just 24 – says the film will focus on both his personal and professional journeys.
"It's going to be a beautiful message, it's going to be a big thing," Rousteing told WWD, adding: "[It will focus on] some of the struggles encountered in getting to where I am, the work that has gone into it and the critiques."
Having a documentary made about your life when you are just 32 years old is certainly unusual, Rousteing admits, but when you consider how much he has achieved at such a young age, you realise there is a big story to be told.
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When Rousteing took the helm of Balmain in 2011, he became the youngest creative director in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent and the second-youngest in history. With 4.9 million followers, he is also the most-followed French designer on Instagram and has used social media and the power of celebrity (particularly of his #BalmainArmy) to the house's advantage.
"A documentary about my life when I’m only in my 30s, it’s a bit like when I had to do the collaboration with H&M based on Balmain’s DNA when I’d only been at the house for like four and a half years. I’ve been at Balmain for eight years now, it’s not like Mr. Valentino or Pierre Cardin, but that’s interesting as well because I feel sometimes that my life is like a [fashion paradox]; I feel misunderstood sometimes."
The documentary is being produced by the same team behind Valentino: Last Emperor and is set for release early next year.
Balmain autumn/winter 2018
