“I want to talk to my generation: this is my main purpose as a designer.” Olivier Rousteing about HMBalmaination
The Parisian fashion house of Balmain is H&M’s 2015 autumn guest collaboration. On May 17, 2015, Rousteing and his friends Kendall Jenner and Jourdan Dunn walked the red carpet at the Billboard Music Awards, revealing the first pieces of the collection made in partnership with Swedish multinational retail-clothing company. Available from November 5, Balmain x H&M collection will feature clothing and accessories for both women and men.
“I want to talk to my generation: this is my main purpose as a designer. H&M allows me the unique possibility of bringing everyone into the world of Balmain, getting a piece of the dream and creating a global #HMBalmaination: a movement of togetherness, fueled on a hashtag. The collaboration felt extremely natural to me because everybody can connect with the H&M brand. It calls for unity, and I am all for it”, says Olivier Rousteing.
Founded in 1945, Balmain has always remained true to the vision and spirit of its founder, expressing energy, fun, amusement and freedom, with appeal for everyone. Rousteing has created a unique identity for the house, at once respectful of its couture DNA and rooted in the moment, but with a showbiz flair. It was a natural decision to highlight the signature Balmain pop charm through collaboration with H&M.
“We are excited to have Balmain as our guest designer at H&M and create a truly involving experience for everybody. With its mix of couture spirit and street wear attitude, Balmain owns a unique style, at once opulent and direct, sensual and energetic. It is also closely linked to the show business and music worlds, which adds another element of surprise,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M.
H&M’s guest-designer collaborations include collections made by Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Dutch designers Viktor & Rolf, Madonna, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garçons, and Lanvin.
