Olivier Rousteing talks about his adventure with Beyoncé for Vogue France
There’s no ignoring the earth-shattering impact that Beyonce’s album, Renaissance, had when it dropped last summer. Her 300 million fans on Instagram certainly helped to raise the roof! After a six-year wait, they finally had some new music from the incomparable Queen B to dissect, remix, and listen to on repeat without ever tiring of it. Fresh out of its release, Renaissance almost instantly became a timeless classic. Fusing old school and modern sounds, disco and house, the album offers an homage to yesteryear’s masters, an awareness of our current world and a liberation of the senses. It acts as an invitation to a party. When the album dropped, Beyoncé said to her community, “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom..” Of course, in the meantime, a lot had changed, with a new president, a pandemic, and the murder of George Floyd, the mood of the United States had shifted. The new world envisioned by Beyoncé is one that is resilient, but certainly not forgetful. Renaissance, along with its music and its lyrics, had a particularly strong impact on Olivier Rousteing of Balmain, so much so that it inspired him to design a couture collection entirely dedicated to the record. This was an unprecedented, extravagant gesture, with no ulterior motive, other than declaring his love for his idol and muse. Hand in hand with Beyoncé, Olivier designed sixteen pieces, one for each track on the album, culminating in a collection expressing his incredible admiration – a love letter inscribed in thread and cloth. If we have been lucky enough to see the collection, it is only at the discretion of its inspiration, the Queen Beyoncé herself. Olivier Rousteing and Beyoncé have exclusively shared a number of these exceptional pieces with Vogue France. Here, the designer talks us through this crazy (in love) adventure.
How did this story begin?
I think that the album is incredible. As soon as it came out, I would play it on repeat. At that time, I was working on my pre-collection. I was sketching while listening to Beyoncé's songs. In the evening, at home, I just kept on listening! I soon realized that I was building a collection that was purely inspired by her songs. So, I decided to contact Marni, her stylist. This was at two o'clock in the morning in Paris, so in the afternoon in Los Angeles. I told her that I had a couture collection for Beyoncé. "She's gonna love the idea!" Later, I talked Beyoncé through the journey behind this collection made for her, whom I admire so much, and for this album, with its music that blew me away. "Go for it!" she said, and so this incredible experience began.
How do you turn a song into couture?
You have to let yourself be carried by its atmosphere. In the song with Grace Jones, I see something somber in it, because her voice is silky and dark. “Alien Superstar” reminds me of the crystal and silver of cyborg glam. For “America Has a Problem”, I thought of red, symbolizing the United States, mixed with gold, dreaming of a new representation of the Statue of Liberty. It’s a sort of therapy. Getting away from everything. Just sketching while listening. I think my therapist will be very happy with all the work I’m doing! Meanwhile, my team hates me because I can’t stop listening to the album! Even more so now that we have finished the collection. I’m paying tribute to Beyoncé with my couture, but she’s been paying tribute to fashion for a long time, and especially so in this album. She mentions the big brands and the luxury houses. She tells us that fashion is part and parcel of empowerment. It’s a type of therapy – a luxurious one, of course – but the thing is that fashion represents status. When you have a piece from one of the brands she mentions, you already feel like you’ve risen in society. It’s a couture album. As such, we’ve baptized this project, Renaissance Couture.
Why this album and not another?
In this one, Beyoncé advocates for freedom above all else, for freedom in today’s world. This is a powerful voice that resonates. She speaks of diversity, of every kind of diversity, and pays tribute to the queer community, honoring house music, ballroom culture and voguing balls. In the album, she has breathed new life into the music I love, like Grace Jones and Donna Summer. She’s now updated this whole music scene - one that really spoke to me when I was a teenager. Madonna’s “Vogue” is the hit of a generation! So, when Beyoncé sings “Break My Soul,” remixed with Madonna, it’s nothing short of incredible! In the original, Madonna mentions Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe, and now Beyoncé has added in Rihanna, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Solange Knowles, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj… She has built on the song. It’s an intelligent album.
Which songs touched you the most?
“America Has a Problem” stands out for me. She is simultaneously commenting on a certain reality and talking about the power of women, and the strength of diversity. In “Break My Soul,” a very ballroom song, she is essentially saying: you won’t break me down because I’m a woman, you won’t break me down because I’m Black. She is commenting on the ills of our society, in the form pop and hip-hop. “Alien Superstar” is one of my favorite songs because it’s just about self-love. It could come across like an egotrip but actually, it’s just saying, love yourself! If you feel like an alien because you feel different, that’s just another reason to love yourself. And because you are different, you will become a superstar. I don’t see any megalomania there, I see an affirmation of difference. It’s an invigorating album. Love yourself. Go forth and face it all. I listen to it in the morning, it gives me strength. It makes you want to believe in yourself.
Can you talk us through the creative process of working with Beyoncé?
I really wanted us to create this collection together. She said to me, “before we work together, I want you to express the vision that you have of me, of these songs. Take inspiration from the songs, from my voice." It’s a beautiful thing, the act of sketching, guided only by rhythm, music and lyrics… just by ear. During the first few months, she gave me carte blanche, and I had total freedom of expression because she wanted to know what I understood about her, what was in my imagination. I had 40 potential looks. She was moved to see the emotion that her songs had inspired in me, and how I had transcribed them into the clothes. We chose 20 of them, and then 16 in the end, one for each song on the album. It was really her songs that created the couture. From November onwards, our full process fell into place. We had zoom meetings every three weeks. She would suggest colors, discuss maybe adding wings to an outfit, and pay particular attention to the accessories. She corrected me on lengths, and on volumes. She added hats and accessories and gave input on the right kind of earrings and shoes. She had so many ideas when it came to embroidery. Which embroidery for which song... And then we finalized it all together, a few weeks ago in Los Angeles. When I arrived at her recording studio, there was this huge empty room where all the outfits were displayed on Stockman mannequins and we both found ourselves standing before the collection. We had been transported to a world of couture in this big, dark space. She said, "this is a museum, couture pieces... This will stay forever." I have been working with Beyoncé for seven years, on many tours. She knows my style, but that didn’t stop me from being scared. I was so afraid of the result, that the real thing would not live up to the sketch.”
This whole other anxiety was completely self-imposed, then?
Anxiety is intrinsic to being a creative director. With or without Beyoncé, it’s a permanent worry. I can sketch something, but I never know how it’s going to look in the end! I know that, about 90% of the time, it’ll be alright, thanks to the right supplier, and to the right processes, etc. But how will the fabric react? The embroidery? There could be a problem with the plane! What’s DHL doing? And what if there’s a flood in the workshop? All of this goes through my mind! Plus, you can only make so many looks due to their individual complexity.
Is that not the fundamental concept of couture?
Yes, only couture allows for that. Just as couture has allowed me to write my love letter to Beyoncé and write it my own way. This collection will not be sold. I don’t want anyone to wear it. No one but her. Unless she decides to share it with her loved ones. This is the decision Balmain and its artistic direction. So, it’s my decision. I’m not interested in seeing it on the red carpet. I don’t care about it being seen, and it won’t be sold to other clients. It’s a collection for her. It’s something shared. It’s a love letter.
Talk about the ultimate designer-celebrity relationship!
Let’s not pretend otherwise, designers need celebrities. We’re all obsessed with the stars sitting front row, the ones who will post on Instagram and carry the visibility of the brand. Not to be pretentious, but I was a forerunner in terms of this kind of relationship, and I accept that it has its merits and its pitfalls. Very early on, people associated me with celebrities, and sometimes, people would forget that my passion was tailoring. I see myself as a tailor above anything else, while others see me as a best friend to the stars. It’s both a strength and a weakness, I’m aware. However, I’ve always respected the celebrities that I dress. There’s nothing forced on my end. I work with people who both happen to be celebrities and with whom I can go out for dinner, talk about my fashion, their work, about life. You’ll never see a star that I’m not a fan of at my shows. Often, people try to get close to celebrities because of their follower count. But what is this star bringing – truly, profoundly – to my work? Do they motivate me? Energize me? Inspire me? What I gave to Beyoncé is something no other house would offer her today.. as there’s no interest in it. It’s a gesture. Just like that. Overall, it’s more about thanking these figures who inspire us rather than using them as storefronts for our houses. Of course, Beyoncé will wear Balmain, but she will do so in the way that she wants to. This collection will never be reproduced. It is unique. And that's the true beauty of couture.
We’re coming back to the idea of an artist and his muse here, aren’t we?
Just as Monsieur Balmain himself had Josephine Baker as a muse, today, for me, it’s Beyoncé. We have come full circle. Who could not be inspired by her? One of the most impressive things about her is her sheer longevity. We all saw her at the Grammys – she has the record for the most awards in a single career. She is relevant to every generation, as much to mine as to teens today. She was one of my first Black contemporary inspirations – a woman with power, long before the topic of empowerment become so talked about. Most of all, she reminds me of where I’m from, back when I was 15, listening to her songs in my tiny room near Bordeaux. Dangerously in Love was one of the first albums I ever bought and I was far from ever thinking of working in fashion one day. Nor that I’d ever be a creative director, nor be meeting you here in my black and gold marbled office! A lot of her songs are part of key moments in my life, which has reached its peak. Now, I’ve been photographed by her side, in Los Angeles for Vogue France. I wouldn’t have dared, by the way, but at the shoot, she called me over: “Please, come. People need to know what we did together.” I am very proud to share this adventure in this magazine. It’s my country. Vogue France is important, and I’ll remember this all my life.
How did this story begin?
I think that the album is incredible. As soon as it came out, I would play it on repeat. At that time, I was working on my pre-collection. I was sketching while listening to Beyoncé's songs. In the evening, at home, I just kept on listening! I soon realized that I was building a collection that was purely inspired by her songs. So, I decided to contact Marni, her stylist. This was at two o'clock in the morning in Paris, so in the afternoon in Los Angeles. I told her that I had a couture collection for Beyoncé. "She's gonna love the idea!" Later, I talked Beyoncé through the journey behind this collection made for her, whom I admire so much, and for this album, with its music that blew me away. "Go for it!" she said, and so this incredible experience began.
How do you turn a song into couture?
You have to let yourself be carried by its atmosphere. In the song with Grace Jones, I see something somber in it, because her voice is silky and dark. “Alien Superstar” reminds me of the crystal and silver of cyborg glam. For “America Has a Problem”, I thought of red, symbolizing the United States, mixed with gold, dreaming of a new representation of the Statue of Liberty. It’s a sort of therapy. Getting away from everything. Just sketching while listening. I think my therapist will be very happy with all the work I’m doing! Meanwhile, my team hates me because I can’t stop listening to the album! Even more so now that we have finished the collection. I’m paying tribute to Beyoncé with my couture, but she’s been paying tribute to fashion for a long time, and especially so in this album. She mentions the big brands and the luxury houses. She tells us that fashion is part and parcel of empowerment. It’s a type of therapy – a luxurious one, of course – but the thing is that fashion represents status. When you have a piece from one of the brands she mentions, you already feel like you’ve risen in society. It’s a couture album. As such, we’ve baptized this project, Renaissance Couture.
Why this album and not another?
In this one, Beyoncé advocates for freedom above all else, for freedom in today’s world. This is a powerful voice that resonates. She speaks of diversity, of every kind of diversity, and pays tribute to the queer community, honoring house music, ballroom culture and voguing balls. In the album, she has breathed new life into the music I love, like Grace Jones and Donna Summer. She’s now updated this whole music scene - one that really spoke to me when I was a teenager. Madonna’s “Vogue” is the hit of a generation! So, when Beyoncé sings “Break My Soul,” remixed with Madonna, it’s nothing short of incredible! In the original, Madonna mentions Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe, and now Beyoncé has added in Rihanna, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Solange Knowles, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj… She has built on the song. It’s an intelligent album.
Which songs touched you the most?
“America Has a Problem” stands out for me. She is simultaneously commenting on a certain reality and talking about the power of women, and the strength of diversity. In “Break My Soul,” a very ballroom song, she is essentially saying: you won’t break me down because I’m a woman, you won’t break me down because I’m Black. She is commenting on the ills of our society, in the form pop and hip-hop. “Alien Superstar” is one of my favorite songs because it’s just about self-love. It could come across like an egotrip but actually, it’s just saying, love yourself! If you feel like an alien because you feel different, that’s just another reason to love yourself. And because you are different, you will become a superstar. I don’t see any megalomania there, I see an affirmation of difference. It’s an invigorating album. Love yourself. Go forth and face it all. I listen to it in the morning, it gives me strength. It makes you want to believe in yourself.
Can you talk us through the creative process of working with Beyoncé?
I really wanted us to create this collection together. She said to me, “before we work together, I want you to express the vision that you have of me, of these songs. Take inspiration from the songs, from my voice." It’s a beautiful thing, the act of sketching, guided only by rhythm, music and lyrics… just by ear. During the first few months, she gave me carte blanche, and I had total freedom of expression because she wanted to know what I understood about her, what was in my imagination. I had 40 potential looks. She was moved to see the emotion that her songs had inspired in me, and how I had transcribed them into the clothes. We chose 20 of them, and then 16 in the end, one for each song on the album. It was really her songs that created the couture. From November onwards, our full process fell into place. We had zoom meetings every three weeks. She would suggest colors, discuss maybe adding wings to an outfit, and pay particular attention to the accessories. She corrected me on lengths, and on volumes. She added hats and accessories and gave input on the right kind of earrings and shoes. She had so many ideas when it came to embroidery. Which embroidery for which song... And then we finalized it all together, a few weeks ago in Los Angeles. When I arrived at her recording studio, there was this huge empty room where all the outfits were displayed on Stockman mannequins and we both found ourselves standing before the collection. We had been transported to a world of couture in this big, dark space. She said, "this is a museum, couture pieces... This will stay forever." I have been working with Beyoncé for seven years, on many tours. She knows my style, but that didn’t stop me from being scared. I was so afraid of the result, that the real thing would not live up to the sketch.”
This whole other anxiety was completely self-imposed, then?
Anxiety is intrinsic to being a creative director. With or without Beyoncé, it’s a permanent worry. I can sketch something, but I never know how it’s going to look in the end! I know that, about 90% of the time, it’ll be alright, thanks to the right supplier, and to the right processes, etc. But how will the fabric react? The embroidery? There could be a problem with the plane! What’s DHL doing? And what if there’s a flood in the workshop? All of this goes through my mind! Plus, you can only make so many looks due to their individual complexity.
Is that not the fundamental concept of couture?
Yes, only couture allows for that. Just as couture has allowed me to write my love letter to Beyoncé and write it my own way. This collection will not be sold. I don’t want anyone to wear it. No one but her. Unless she decides to share it with her loved ones. This is the decision Balmain and its artistic direction. So, it’s my decision. I’m not interested in seeing it on the red carpet. I don’t care about it being seen, and it won’t be sold to other clients. It’s a collection for her. It’s something shared. It’s a love letter.
Talk about the ultimate designer-celebrity relationship!
Let’s not pretend otherwise, designers need celebrities. We’re all obsessed with the stars sitting front row, the ones who will post on Instagram and carry the visibility of the brand. Not to be pretentious, but I was a forerunner in terms of this kind of relationship, and I accept that it has its merits and its pitfalls. Very early on, people associated me with celebrities, and sometimes, people would forget that my passion was tailoring. I see myself as a tailor above anything else, while others see me as a best friend to the stars. It’s both a strength and a weakness, I’m aware. However, I’ve always respected the celebrities that I dress. There’s nothing forced on my end. I work with people who both happen to be celebrities and with whom I can go out for dinner, talk about my fashion, their work, about life. You’ll never see a star that I’m not a fan of at my shows. Often, people try to get close to celebrities because of their follower count. But what is this star bringing – truly, profoundly – to my work? Do they motivate me? Energize me? Inspire me? What I gave to Beyoncé is something no other house would offer her today.. as there’s no interest in it. It’s a gesture. Just like that. Overall, it’s more about thanking these figures who inspire us rather than using them as storefronts for our houses. Of course, Beyoncé will wear Balmain, but she will do so in the way that she wants to. This collection will never be reproduced. It is unique. And that's the true beauty of couture.
We’re coming back to the idea of an artist and his muse here, aren’t we?
Just as Monsieur Balmain himself had Josephine Baker as a muse, today, for me, it’s Beyoncé. We have come full circle. Who could not be inspired by her? One of the most impressive things about her is her sheer longevity. We all saw her at the Grammys – she has the record for the most awards in a single career. She is relevant to every generation, as much to mine as to teens today. She was one of my first Black contemporary inspirations – a woman with power, long before the topic of empowerment become so talked about. Most of all, she reminds me of where I’m from, back when I was 15, listening to her songs in my tiny room near Bordeaux. Dangerously in Love was one of the first albums I ever bought and I was far from ever thinking of working in fashion one day. Nor that I’d ever be a creative director, nor be meeting you here in my black and gold marbled office! A lot of her songs are part of key moments in my life, which has reached its peak. Now, I’ve been photographed by her side, in Los Angeles for Vogue France. I wouldn’t have dared, by the way, but at the shoot, she called me over: “Please, come. People need to know what we did together.” I am very proud to share this adventure in this magazine. It’s my country. Vogue France is important, and I’ll remember this all my life.
