Pierre Balmain

Pierre Balmain would be the following most famous fashion designer from France. Despite studying architecture and hailing from a family of shop and drapery entrepreneurs, Pierre Balmain was destined to work in fashion. His career began in the years preceding WWI, when he worked in a variety of fashion firms. In 1945, after the war, he decided to start his own business, establishing Maison Balmain as a couture enterprise.

The company saw rapid expansion, owing mostly to its dedication to high-quality evening clothing. Balmain's designs drew the attention of some of the brightest stars of the time, including Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Katharine Hepburn, and others. Balmain is also notable for being one of the first French designers to achieve major success in the American market.

Balmain has always proudly maintained faithful to its founder's groundbreaking spirit over the decades. Since Pierre Balmain's death in 1982, his house has been led by a succession of excellent designers, each of whom has balanced current products with the need to maintain the house's foundations and traditions. Oscar de la Renta, in particular, led a decade of collections in the 1990s that were inspired by Balmain's hallmark "Jolie Madame" aesthetic's colors, fluidity, and elegance.

Born: 1914
Died: 1982
Nationality: French
Brand: Balmain