FARFETCH - The Global Destination For Modern Luxury

Balmain’s fashion muses

To celebrate US Black History Month, FARFETCH has collaborated with Nataal — the media platform dedicated to African fashion, art, music and culture — and Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, to hero the Black muses, past and present, who continue to inspire him today. ‘[Rousteing’s] choices were translated by photographer Kenny Germé and stylist Edem Dossou into this rebellious shoot, expressing how the groundbreaking spirit of these artists remains an enduring influence on modern luxury today,’ explains Nataal’s co-founder and editorial director, Helen Jennings. Here, Jennings speaks to Rousteing about these trailblazing muses, the cultural significance of Black style, and his vision for Resort 2021.

On Prince

‘Like Grace Jones — who was one of the first female artists to play with androgynous dress codes — Prince melded men’s and women’s wardrobes together at a time when too many people were quick to judge others for their unconventional choices. Prince never stopped pushing boundaries — he made it clear he didn’t care what others thought. What was important was always staying true to himself, above anything else. In many ways, today’s gender-fluid spirit in fashion can be traced back to iconic images of Prince. For example, I remember those incredible Avedon shots of Prince from the 1980s and 1990s. And, of course, I adore his music. He was beautiful and everything he did was on point.’

On Will Smith

‘I grew up watching ‘The Fresh Prince’ — or, as we say in France, ‘Le Prince de Bel-Air’. Will Smith’s character had such a bold style and those looks were actually a big influence for the designs in Balmain’s recent Resort 21 collection. Plus, Smith’s character lived a life that was all about having a dream come true, which made me believe that anything could happen to me, too. Will Smith has a strong point of view, a great sense of humor and he’s an excellent actor in all of his films. Beyond his acting, he’s shown himself to be someone who has always been pushing for a better world.’

On the cultural significance of Black style

‘Janet Jackson, Donna Summer, Diana Ross — I originally discovered my obsession with fashion through these singers. And now I count Pharrell Williams, Rihanna and Kanye West among the icons who inspire me, too. Last summer my couture show was a concert on the Seine with Yseult, who is one of the most important artists in France today. Mixing her aesthetic with couture dresses from the 1940s and 1950s — a time when fashion was not inclusive — demonstrates that we are creating our own history. This is me saying I’m a Black designer with a Black singer putting on a show for the world that we are living in today. It’s hope for a better, changed future.’

On being a role model for diversity

‘This role comes with a lot of responsibility, since in my own small way, I believe I can help the fashion world to change. When I was younger, I didn’t have Black designers to look [up] to, but today, I can try to be an inspiration to young kids. But this is not really any sort of chosen battle or campaign; for me, championing diversity is just what’s natural. It’s not a choice, it’s just what should be the norm. In spite of that, today we still need to fight to make it happen, so I’m happy to talk about it. Of course, I’m asked a lot about diversity, but the truth is, sometimes I want to say: this is a question that should be directed to others in the fashion system, those who for some reason don’t believe in inclusion. After all, they are the ones who need to be challenged.’

On the impact of Black Lives Matter on fashion

‘It’s obvious that it’s still awkward for some brands to talk about anti-racism, because it’s still not genuine. Black Lives Matter deserves more than three Black screens on the Instagram feed. We need to do much more than simply put two or three models on the runway. We need to reflect a true vision of the world, rather than always simply trying to please some current mood or trend. It’s unfortunate that true change in fashion is something that we still need to fight for. Yes, change is happening — slowly, slowly, slowly. There’s still a lot of work to do.’

On designing Resort 2021 in lockdown

‘This was the toughest collection of my life. My team and I are like a family, always working closely together — and then, suddenly, we had to find an entirely new way to work, apart. It made me realize how much I depend on a talented team who share my vision and understand this house. We were forced to experiment and find new ways to make it work for us — working hard to exchange ideas and sketches, from morning to late in the evening. We shared a lot of emotion building that collection during that unusual, challenging time, and all our extra efforts resulted in an optimistic collection full of craftsmanship, color and joy.’