Founded by Pierre Balmain in 1945, Balmain is a French luxury fashion house. Better known for its classic and luxurious designs, it has undergone a resurgence under its youthful creative director Oliver Rousteing who joined in 2011 and who has brought cultivated a high-profile celebrity following and a new approach for the Instagram generation with his "#BalmainArmy". Rousteing is also a technological innovator and the brand created waves in 2018 with an advertising campaign featuring a case of CGI models.
Qatar’s royal family, via its Mayhoola for Investments vehicle, acquired the brand from the heirs of its late, former CEO Alain Hivelin in 2016 for €485m.