Olivier Rousteing is the 29-year-old creative director of Balmain, the storied French luxury brand known for its ornate opulence, founded by Pierre Balmain in 1914. With his sculpted cheekbones, racially ambiguous model looks and a rolodex of celebrity friends, Rousteing has turned Balmain into the kind of personality-driven brand in the vein of Tom Ford, Isaac Mizrahi and Gianni Versace.
This cult of couture personality translates into over 1 million Instagram followers for the French-born designer. Rousteing is also bringing his Gaelic glamour to the traditionally quieter men’s runway —men’s wear now accounts for 40 percent of Balmain’s business — staging his debut collection late last month.
With New York Men’s Fashion Week kicking off, let’s take a look at a few reasons to follow Mon. Rousteing.
1. If you’re a lover of fashion and are all about that backstage life
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2. If you’re a lover of celebs figuratively — or literally — sucking each other off
CASUAL SUNDAY DINER ???????? @mariahcarey #paris #theoneandonly #fun #love #glamour #thebest A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
3. If you’re a fan of male models — and really, aren’t we all?
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
4. If you’re a lover of cheekbones that could cut glass
SUN IN THE HOUSE ?? #homesweethome #paris #sunnyselfie #sundayfunday #woking #sun #love #chill #foroncenofilter ???? A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
5. If you’re a lover of an ass that won’t quit, as Rousteing displayed earlier this year on the cover of gay mag Têtu
>6. If you’re in need of a different kind of hump day
MISSING HOLIDAYS AND THIS FRIEND ???? #mydubai #takemeback #holidays #memories #aladin
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
7. If you’re a fan of all black everything
THE BALMAIN ARMY #thisisFASHIONbaby #menswear #paris @balmainparis #frenchluxury #myboysrockedit A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
8. If you’re a fan of artistic gym selfies
GETTING READY FOR THE FIGHT ???? #fashionweek #menswear #june27th @balmainparis #balmainarmy #weareback #balmainChampions #thanku @mtcoaching #personaltrainer A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
9. If you’re keeping up with the Kardashian-Wests
10. If you love social media schtick
???????? A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
11. If you love a good ole-fashioned Rihanna sing-a-long
12. If you want to wake up next to Olivier Rousteing
MORNING SUN ??#paris #bed #morningselfie #itsfriday #yeahhhhh A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on
Les Fabian Brathwaite — putting the ‘ball’ in Balmain.
Blackceo
Olivier Rousteing is the only person on Instagram I regularly check. I am so proud of him for becoming Creative Director of Balmain in his mid 20s and for having racially diverse runway shows instead of just throwing in a token model of color. He openly discusses racism in fashion and has the clout to get people to listen. He is a very smart businessman and uses social media to expand the Balmain brand, and his brand. He is strikingly handsome and my fiancé laughs at how I’m such a “stan” of his.
s312g
He’s one of the worst designers out there. He panders to celebrity which I’m sick of in fashion. he’s pretty gorgeous though. I just wish he’d stop sucking in those cheekbones.
I prefer Thom Browne in terms of looks and fashion. Talk about sex god.
Kangol
He’s hot. His clothes are hit or miss. But I’m happy he’s succeeding. More power to him.
Bob LaBlah
His looks reminds me of the guy from Fine Young Cannibals. But I think his choice of pictures for this article should have been rethought. It looks as though he is wearing a vail of some sort, which is why I didn’t even bother to read it at first. It turns out the “vail” was a shadow. I still don’t like that picture but hey, it was his choice.
I wish him luck though. I am all for any gay person getting up off of their ass and getting a business started.