Loïc Prigent unveils original documentary to mark Balmain’s 80th anniversary

On October 25, director and journalist Loïc Prigent unveiled his new documentary “La Création de la Maison Balmain“, an exclusive exploration of the origins of the couture house founded by Pierre Balmain.

Through previously unseen archival footage, interviews, and Prigent’s signature narration, the film revisits a founding moment: September 18, 1945, at 3p.m., when Pierre Balmain presented his debut haute couture collection in the Salon de la Rotonde at 44, rue François 1er, Paris. The house still occupies that address today.

This documentary forms part of Balmain’s 80th-anniversary celebrations, already marked by the “One Night, Eight Decades” exhibition at Printemps New York and the Continuum catwalk show during the latest Paris Fashion Week. True to his inquisitive, incisive eye on the fashion world, Prigent traces the birth of a pillar of Parisian fashion, built on the bold vision of a designer driven by innovation and modernity.

Since its inception, Balmain has embodied the “New French Style”, synonymous with elegance and sophistication. Today, under the creative direction of Olivier Rousteing, the house balances modernity with an 80-year heritage. Alongside its women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and accessories collections, the brand is expanding into beauty with Balmain Beauty, a line developed in partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies, inspired by iconic fragrances from the 1940s and 1950s.

La Création de la Maison Balmain is available on Loïc Prigent’s YouTube channel.