Olivier Rousteing Named Creative Director of Rabanne, Bridging Fashion and Beauty

Olivier Rousteing has been appointed Creative Director of Rabanne. His first pre-fall collection for the house will debut in November, with a Paris Fashion Week runway presentation scheduled for March 2027.

He succeeds Julien Dossena at the Puig-owned fashion and fragrance house after 14 years as Creative Director of Balmain.

During Dossena’s leadership, Rabanne grew in international visibility while innovating with metallic materials and futuristic design languages.

Rousteing’s tenure at Balmain (2011-2025) solidified his reputation through celebrity collaborations, social media strategy, and fragrance development.

His November pre-fall collection will set the foundation for Rabanne’s new creative direction, preceding his first runway show in Paris in March 2027.

The 40-year-old French designer cited Paco Rabanne’s 1960s-70s experimentation—particularly his pioneering use of metal and PVC—as a key influence on his own design philosophy.

“What Paco Rabanne achieved in that era was revolutionary,” Rousteing stated to WWD. “Others were focused on gowns, but he redefined fashion by embracing unconventional materials.”

Rousteing’s appointment aligns with Puig’s strategy to integrate Rabanne’s fashion and beauty divisions under a unified brand identity, with plans to expand product lines and enhance cross-category collaboration.

Fragrance remains a core Rabanne asset, featuring collections like 1 Million, Invictus, Black XS, and Phantom. Rousteing also contributed to Balmain’s 2024 Estée Lauder-licensed “Les Éternels de Balmain” fragrance line.

Ana Trias, Puig’s President of Prestige & Fashion Brands, emphasized a “steady and sustainable” development approach for Rabanne. Priorities include cautious retail growth, partner support, international market expansion, and exploring new fashion categories.

Puig acquired Rabanne in 1987, rebranding it to Rabanne in 2023 to better align its fashion and fragrance operations under a cohesive identity.

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