Knowing when to leave is always a keen decision to make when you have been somewhere for long enough. For Olivier Rousteing, it was exactly what he needed after giving Balmain 16 years of his life, 14 of which he spent being its creative director. 

“Today, I leave the House of Balmain with my eyes still wide open—open to the future and to the beautiful adventures ahead, adventures in which all of you will have a place,” he said in an Instagram post about his departure. 

On Nov. 5, Rousteing announced his resignation, declaring that it was a mutual agreement between him and the famous French fashion house.

Rousteing joined Balmain in 2009 as the head of studio design under Balmain’s previous Creative Director Christopher Decarnin. Just two years later, he was moved to the top position after Decarnin’s sudden departure.

The new creative director was only 25 years old when making these big moves in his career, showing he was under great mentorship when put to the task during Paris Fashion Week just six months later. 

Rousteing was adopted from an orphanage in Bordeaux as a one-year-old by a French couple. Believing he was a French biracial all his life, he later discovered his true Somalian and Ethiopian roots from his birth parents, which made him the first Black designer to lead a French luxury house. 

Rousteing grew up in Bordeaux and later moved to Paris to pursue his fashion studies. He studied at École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode, but dropped out after a year due to a lack of creative freedom.

In 2003, he was able to explore his passion at Roberto Cavalli as the label’s creative director of its women’s ready-to-wear collection for five years. His resume, though brief, caught the interest of Balmain’s chairman, which landed him a job at the organization in 2009.

Rousteing brought not only a fresh perspective to the brand but also a pop culture to its door. 

His connections with Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and other celebrities increased the brand’s exposure as well as the number of its followers.

Rousteing’s influence did not stop there. He grew Balmain’s revenue from 15% in 2012 to 20% in 2015, with men’s clothing accounting for 40%. 

With his connections and the two standalone stores in London and New York City, Rousteing made a tremendous impact. 

“Olivier’s visionary leadership has not only redefined the boundaries of fashion but also inspired a generation with bold creativity, unwavering authenticity and commitment to inclusivity,” Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Mayhoola CEO and Balmain chairman, told Harper’s Bazaar. 

Although Rousteing’s 14-year tenure has come to an end, his legacy at Balmain will live forever. The fashion house has not made any statements on a new creative organization yet, but one thing is for sure — whoever they choose will have some big shoes to fill.