Dozens of Balmain pieces were stolen ahead of the fashion house’s Paris Fashion Week show later this month. The brand’s artistic director, Olivier Rousteing, shared the unfortunate news in a candid Instagram post on Sunday. He said that a truck carrying the pieces was “hijacked” from an airport to Balmain’s Paris headquarters and that the robbery was “disrespectful.” The designer noted that his team had been working day and night to prepare for the runway presentation set to take place on September 27 near the Eiffel Tower.
The French house is preparing to debut its spring ’24 collection during the high-end event that draws crowds of fashion insiders and celebrities. The brand, owned by Qatari investment fund Mayhoola, is known for its glamorous and edgy women’s ready-to-wear designs.
Rousteing, who joined the brand in 2009 and became its creative director in 2011, is credited with modernizing the label by making it more attractive to younger generations by embracing hip-hop and various social media platforms. He’s also renowned for his extravagant runway shows, which in the past have featured more than 100 looks that played more like music festivals than fashion presentations. However, the designer downsized earlier this year to a more intimate show with just 250 guests and 52 looks.
In his Instagram post, Rousteing said that a group of people hijacked his delivery driver from an airport to Balmain’s Paris headquarters. He didn’t specify which truck the truck was coming from, but he noted that he had a new look for the upcoming show, including dresses and tops with lace and leather details, plus thigh-high boots.
He said he’d worked “day and night” with his team to assemble the collection and was “incredibly sad that so many of the pieces were taken,” adding that he would redo the entire show. He also wished a speedy recovery to the driver.
Vehicle thefts in France spiked last year, and the French government warned that the issue is becoming a national emergency. In response, the government is deploying more police officers on the road and working to increase the number of cameras at strategic points in the country.
