Balmain (French: [balmɛ̃]) is a French luxury fashion house that was founded by Pierre Balmain in 1945. It currently operates 16 monobrand stores, including locations in New York, London, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, and in Milan's Via Montenapoleone.
In 2016 Mayhoola Investments acquired Balmain for a figure reported as close to €500 million ($548 million). Balmain was 70 percent controlled by heirs of Alain Hivelin. Balmain does not regularly release financial information, but Les Echos estimated its revenue in 2015 at €120 million (about $136 million), growing from an estimated €30 million (about $34 million) in 2012. Balmain expected to reach a revenue of €150 million in 2017, 90% of which is generated by the wholesale channel, and is also putting more effort into direct retail.
History[]
Balmain was born in 1914 in France. His father owned a drapery business and his mother and sister owned a fashion boutique where he often worked after his father's death in 1921. He attended the École des Beaux-Arts in 1933–1934, with intent to study architecture but instead ended up spending the majority of his time designing dresses. After working for atelier Robert Piquet as a freelance artist and spending time with Edward Molyneux, he left school to work for Molyneux.
In the late 1930s, he served in the French air force and the army pioneer corps. After peace was declared, he worked at Lucien Lelong and opened his own fashion house under his name at 44, rue François 1er in Paris. He released his first collection in October 1945 and his first fragrance, Jolie Madame in 1949.
In the period following World War II, Pierre Balmain was "a king of French fashion" and outfitted stars including Ava Gardner and Brigitte Bardot, the Nicaraguan first lady Hope Portocarrero, and Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Marlene Dietrich wore Balmain clothes that she selected in "No Highway in the Sky" (1951).
In 1969 the singer/songwriter Peter Sarstedt hits the top 40 with the song " Where do you go to my lovely". In the first couplet he sings about Balmain: "You talk like Marlene Dietrich And you dance like Zizi Jeanmaire Your clothes are all made by Balmain And there's diamonds and pearls in your hair, yes there are.
"In 2013, Balmain introduced their Care and Styling for Hair Couture. In November 2015, Balmain released their collaboration with the international Swedish retail store H&M.
In April 2016, Balmain opened its New York flagship store in Soho. On June 22, 2016, Balmain announced that their new owner will be Mayhoola Investments.
In 2017, Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing debuts Balmain’s first accessory line.
On September 1, 2017, Balmain introduced their lipstick collection which was collaborated with L’Oreal.
On November 29, 2017, Balmain launched a capsule collection with Victoria's Secret.
On December 4, 2018, Olivier Rousteing introduces Balmain’s new logo.
On September 24, 2019, Balmain announced the capsule makeup collection, KYLIE X BALMAIN, a collaboration with cosmetics entrepreneur, Kylie Jenner. Jenner was also named Artistic Director for Makeup for the Spring-Summer 2020 Runway Collection.