The House continues its 80th-Anniversary celebrations with an exclusive documentary by Loïc Prigent, I following the ‘One Night, Eight Decades’ exhibition in New York and the SS26 Fashion Show in Paris.
The thread weaving through Balmain’s 80-year history was first unfurled on September 18, 1945, at 3 p.m. – the date Pierre Balmain unveiled his very first haute couture collection in the Rotonde Salon of the same historic Parisian building that still houses the Maison today, at 44 Rue François 1er.
Director and producer Loïc Prigent dedicates an exclusive documentary to that landmark day and that premier défilé, so rich with stories and meaning, taking us back to the origins of an ambitious and extraordinary venture. It was a mission built on very modest means but fueled by a visionary and pioneering spirit that would continue to define Balmain’s aesthetic for all decades to follow, creating an ever-lasting dialogue between heritage, innovation, and modernity.
Part of the House’s 80th-Anniversary celebrations – which kicked off with the ‘One Night, Eight Decades’ exhibition at Printemps in New York and the Continuum runway show during Paris Fashion Week – Prigent’s documentary offers an evocative journey through images, memories, and testimonies from a legendary era that forever changed the course of fashion. For the first time, unpublished archives from the early years of the House of Balmain are being revealed to the public.
“La Création de la Maison Balmain” will be released on October 25th on Loïc Prigent’s YouTube channel. A renowned chronicler of the fashion world, Prigent is esteemed for his behind-the-scenes films that capture the creative essence of the most prestigious Maisons, having directed acclaimed profiles of influential designers and the work of the industry’s most celebrated houses.