Balmain Fall Winter 2025-2026 “Ghost-Designing Or Where’s Waldo?” Story by Eleonora de Gray, Editor-in-Chief of RUNWAY MAGAZINE. Photo Courtesy: Balmain.
By now, Olivier Rousteing has proven that he is a man of many talents. Copy-pasting? Check. Chasing trends? Check. Ghost-designing? Oh, now that’s a fresh twist.
The Concept: Where’s Olivier?
This season, Balmain unveiled its Fall Winter 2025-2026 collection with a groundbreaking new approach: Olivier Rousteing’s signature touch…completely missing. Like a game of Where’s Waldo, we’re left wondering if he even designed a single piece of this collection or if he simply hired another team of ghost-designers to do the heavy lifting while he graciously took credit. But don’t worry, it’s not copying if you just outsource the plagiarism, right?
Indeed this collection is one-of-a-kind, deeply original, and totally unique. A true labor of love, carefully crafted over 2-3 whole years by his incredible team of… anonymous creatives. Ah, yes, the same time span it usually takes actual designers to build a signature aesthetic. But here we are, with a collection that looks suspiciously like a luxury brand moodboard regurgitated onto the runway.
The “New Go” & The Art of Ghost-Designing
Olivier has made it abundantly clear in today’s interviews that this is his “New Go.” What is “New Go,” you ask? Oh, darling, it’s a linguistic accident in search of meaning.
But wait—it gets better. He’s also looking for “Acceptance.” Yes, acceptance of a reality where Balmain is no longer a fashion house but an outsourced design service operating under his name.
If you think this whole “ghost-designer” situation sounds oddly familiar, you’re right. Remember his Disney x Balmain “Lion King” collection in July 2024? The one he personally raved about, only for it to be revealed that he didn’t actually design it? Instead, a group of African designers did the work while he stood in front of a camera and called it his.
He graciously “worked alongside” African artists Nika Mtwana, Enfant Précoce, and Cassius Khumalo, allowing their authentic visions to shine through while he played the role of the benevolent beneficiary. This experience must have been enlightening, as it paved the way for his current exploration into the realm of ghost-designing.
The sheer audacity of liking the concept so much that he decided to turn it into a long-term business model? Iconic. Lazy, but iconic.
The Collection: A Ghost of Its Own
The collection itself? Well, let’s give credit where it’s due—to the actual designers who put it together.
Rousteing’s interpretation (if you can call it that) of soft gray knits was quite the departure from Balmain’s usual stiff, armor-like structures. Not because of any personal creative growth—just because someone else did it.
And then there was the burgundy leather jumpsuit with a shawl collar-hood, which would have been revolutionary…if we hadn’t seen nearly identical pieces at Rick Owens and Givenchy years ago. But originality is a spectrum, right?
The zebra-patterned looks? Zebra, zebra, cow in the middle? Didn’t we see them last year for Balmain x Disney Lion King? Yep, exactly these.
The crocodile-embossed dresses were, of course, “for exactly those girls.” You know, the ones who are too busy getting tagged in paparazzi shots to notice that their outfit looks eerily.
“I’m proud of this collection because, for me, it is the beginning of a new era.”
Oh, Olivier, of course, you are! A new era where ghost-designers do the work, and you just “represent” them. An era where originality is entirely optional.
So, bravo, Balmain! You’ve officially entered the era of fashion without designers. The ghost-designers will be thrilled to know that Olivier Rousteing has their backs—as long as they stay in the shadows.
See All Looks Balmain Fall 2025
