Balmain

A native of the Savoie in France, Pierre Balmain was born on May 19, 1914. He graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superiure de Beaux-Arts in Paris with a degree in Architecture in 1934. He worked as a freelance illustrator and assistant designer after graduation.

The winds of war were in Europe during the 1930s, and like most young men during that time, Balmain served in the military (1936-1940). After World War II (1945) he founded Maison Balmain and was its Director until 1982, the year he died.

Balmain’s background in architecture played a big role in his designs. He saw clothes in terms of architectural elements brought to life in human forms. He believed in elegance brought by simplicity. Balmain’s elegant, super-feminine looks were favorites among European royalty and Hollywood fashion plates like Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren.

After Balmain’s death, the company continued to exist. In 1992, Oscar De La Renta took the role as Creative Director, a position which he would hold for 10 years. His last collection for Balmain was Haute Couture Fall 2002. In Nov 2001, Laurent Mercier was hired to design the ready-to-wear collection for Balmain. He debuted in Paris during the Fall 2002 ready-to-wear fashion season and received rave reviews from fashion editors. The Swiss-born Mercier then debuted at Paris Haute Couture Show during the Spring 2003 season with mixed reviews.

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