Between organizing the show itself, casting models, stitching an entire line, and making sure that industry insiders will hopefully laud your work once D-day has passed, few things are more stressful than Fashion Week for all those involved— especially when a whole collection goes missing mere days before the main event.
In a heartfelt message posted on Instagram over the weekend, Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain since 2011, revealed that over 50 items were stolen from a truck that was transporting the Maison’s spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection from an airport in the French capital to the luxury label’s headquarters in Paris.
According to the post, the Bordeaux-born designer explained that he received a call from Balmain’s appointed taxi driver on Saturday morning who claimed having been “hijacked by a group of people” which led to the subsequent loss of an entire line less than two weeks ahead of its presentation during Paris Fashion Week.
“So many people worked so hard to make this collection happen,” Rousteing wrote on Instagram, before emphasizing that the show must go on.
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Leaving the whole team in a state of shock and dismay, despite the setback, the part-Somali artistic director revealed working “day and night” towards rebuilding the line from scratch, hoping to channel his frustration and transform it into a driving force for creativity.
In a surprising turnaround of events— especially in such an edge-cutting scene— the fashion world rallied behind both Rousteing and Balmain, demonstrating the resilience and solidarity that can sometimes define the industry. Designers, fellow fashion houses, and loyal fans offered their support, with many sending kind words and warm wishes to one of the most influential houses this past decade.
In the meantime, a spokesperson confirmed that Balmain’s show would go on as planned on Sept. 28, can the stolen pieces be retrieved or not although no further information has transpired on a pending investigation.
