Pierre

Balmain
McKenzie Kuhn
Fashion Designer Presentation

Pierre Alexandre
Claudius Balmain
BACKGROUND
Born: May 18, 1914
Death: June 29, 1982
Pierre Balmain died of liver cancer
at the American Hospital of Paris.
He was 68 years old and had just
completed the sketches for his
fall collection
Father: The owner of a wholesale
drapery business.
Mother: Owner a fashion
boutique

A little about Balmain

- Balmain was a
very influential
person on
Broadway and
designed ready
to wear clothes
- Balmain created
outfits for the
1968 winter
Olympics
- Nominated for
the Tony award
for best costume
design.

- His interest in couture

fashion was inspired
by women in society
that he met this
made him very
influential
- Expanded operations
to the US.
- Pierre Balmain carried
the style of slimming
waist lines and higher
end fashion design.
The lines and textures
were beautiful. He
created fashion

Balmain Fashion
House
1982-Today
Unlike some couture houses that
have turned their back on what
they once were, Balmain has
always proudly remained true to
the vision and trailblazing spirit
of its founder. Since Pierre
Balmains death in 1982, the
house has been guided by a
series of strong designers, each
balancing modern offerings with
the need to respect the
foundations and traditions of the
house. These designersErik
Mortensen, Herve-Pierre, Oscar
de la Renta, Laurent Mercier and
Christophe Decarninwere all

1952 Spring
Collection

Pierre Balmain, Spring 1952. ('Soie

Pirate'). Photo: Andre Ostier

1960
The royals global
tour in 1960 was
a tremendous
success and the
Queens stylish
elegance was
widely acclaimed,
helping to put a
spotlight on
Thailand and Thai
fashion

Balmain was
chosen to design
the wardrobe of
Queen Sirikit of
Thailand in 1960

PhraRajaniyom(Royal Favour). The styles were all named by Queen

Sirikits aunt ThanpuyingManeeratBunnag based on important royal
locations in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

1952
Katharine
Hepburn in Pierre
Balmain, in the
play The
Millionairess _
Photo by Angus
McBean, 1952.
Pierre Balmain
Designed
clothes for the
stars, such as
Katharine
Hepburn

Air Frances first female pilot

wore a uniform by Balmain in
1975
At the Roissy-en-France
airport, the first female pilot
of Air France, Danielle
Decure, wearing her new
uniform while standing with
its creator, the fashion
designer Pierre BALMAIN on
June 18, 1975. This first
French uniform was
conceived and created by
the fashion designer Pierre
Balmain upon the request of
Air France. It is made of
navy woolen cloth and

Pierre Balmain1947
David Jones Factory Fashion Show

A model walks the

catwalk during the
Pierre Balmain
fashion parade at
David Jones Factory
on September 13,
1947 in
Sydney,Australia.
Toured in
Australia in 1947
then designed a
line to be
produced in the
country

1983 Collection

Pierre Balmain
Spring/Summer
1983 collection

1954

Model in a Balmain
double-breasted suit, tie,
and wide brimmed hat in
1954

1955 Vogue Collection

This new clarity of colour, of

cut - changes for the prettier
in the 1955 costume. Here, a
coat and sheath dress, swept
clean of detail, striped clearblue on white (white linen),
neatly buckled; by Pierre
Balmain - New York

References
http://www.balmain.com/en_tr/heritage /
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/at-t
he-roissy-en-france-airport-the-first-female-pilo
t-of-news-photo/
104406866
http://en.vogue.fr/vogue-list/thevoguelist/balmain/
965
http://20thcenturydesignersfinalproject.weebly.co
m/pierrebalmain.html
http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/designers/