Curator de Couture

After two product shoots in 2020, I was both exhausted and felt a great sense of accomplishment. It made me wonder, could I transition from my career in education to become a creative director?

It turns out I can!

As I looked into it, one of the most fascinating discoveries was that my theatre studies and enterprising mindset are perfect for creative directing. CD’s use their creativity to solve business problems for brands. My jaw dropped when I learned that French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing became the creative director of Balmain at the tender age of 25! Twenty-five!

Remember Beyoncé’s Coachella performance in 2018? The costumes were created in collaboration with Rousteing! From the moment the dancers cleared the platform revealing the intricate details of the Nefertiti-inspired look worn by Queen Bey herself, there was a collective rise of excitement and a sense of revolution in high fashion and Black musical culture.

Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

This was nothing new for Rousteing. As the creative lead Balmain, he has dressed Kim Kardashian-West and Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Beiber proving the versatility of couture from stadium performances to red carpet events.

It is Rousteing’s French roots, training as a designer, scholar of Balmain’s history, ability to collaborate, and intrigue with multiple art forms that make him an incomparable creative director for the 76-year old brand.

from Olivier Rousteing’s Instagram @olivier_rousteing

My consumption of articles and videos prove that Olivier Rousteing serves as both a guide and example of my own possibilities.