“I contain multitudes: the orphan adopted by the loving parents in Bordeaux, the passionate fan of the films, series and music of my youth, the designer devoted to the transformative power of couture, the vrai Parisien— and, now, I have learned that I am also an African,” Olivier Rousteing poignantly states in his resort collection’s press release. With this collection, the designer not only explores his own history, but that of Balmain’s heritage. The result is a quiet redefinition of the brand’s iconography, weaving together its Labyrinth Pattern with prints inspired by Africa’s rich textile history.
