Balmain creative director (and one of GRAZIA USA‘s Fall 2022 issue Game Changers), Olivier Rousteing, is expanding his empire at the heritage legacy brand. After launching fine jewelry for the house earlier this year, Rousteign’s next venture is in an all-new category: beauty. Coming together with Estée Lauder Companies, which has a prestigious roster that includes Tom Ford Beauty and recently acquired Deciem Group, the two powerhouses are set to conquer the world of skincare, makeup, and perfumery.
After creating a diverse community in luxury fashion with his inclusive designs and “Balmain Army” that includes A-listers from Winnie Harlow to Kim Kardashian and Naomi Campbell, Rousteing hopes to do the same in the beauty world. (The brand has already gotten into the haircare game with Balmain Hair Couture, which Beauty Inc. notes is run separately.)
“For over ten years, my Balmain team and I have been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in fashion,” Rousteing said in a press release. “We’ve been determined to reflect the way that today’s diverse generation wishes to live and dress. So, obviously, there was no way that we were going to expand into beauty without ensuring that we had found the partner who understood and shared our outlook.”
“From the very beginning, the team at The Estée Lauder Companies made it very clear that they support Balmain’s distinctive vision, as well as our goal of disrupting the global luxury beauty paradigm,” the designer continued. “Knowing that — and knowing that Estée Lauder is the paragon of excellence — well, I can’t wait to start working with them.”
Although the exact range of products have yet to be disclosed, the launch is set for fall 2024. The natural progression into beauty will follow the same standard of quality and vision the 37-year-old designer puts into his ready-to-wear collections. In fact, to provide the highest quality of product, Rousteing mentioned in an Instagram post that he will be going to school to study being a “nose” (a.k.a. a French perfumer).
In his social media post, Rousteing recalled his injuries from a fireplace explosion in 2020 and how that changed his outlook. “After my accident 2 years ago, the meaning of beauty had changed for me. I see beauty in such a different way,” he wrote, adding that he wants to discover what beauty means today.
“BALMAIN BEAUTY Is my new chapter. My new journey is starting facing my dreams, my fears, my love and passion for Beauty. I can’t wait for you to discover what I am working on.”
We can’t wait to try them out.
Read GRAZIA USA’s Fall issue featuring cover star Nicola Peltz Beckham:
