Creative Director Of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing, Fighting For Rights Of Adopted Children

After the filming of his new documentary ‘Wonder Boy’, designer Olivier Rousteing will be speaking at a conference in aid of revising adoption laws in France. 

The 33-year-old was appointed his Creative Director position at Balmain back in 2011, when he was just 25, making his name by designing one-off pieces for names like Kim Kardashian and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Remarkably, he was the youngest creative director working in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent. After successfully crafting his own distinct style over the Balmain fashion house, Rousteing has gone back to his roots, filming a documentary about his own lost heritage. 

The film premieres in Paris on Saturday 28th. The story focuses on his life as an adopted person, following his journey as he explores the history of his biological family, and defeats obstacles that he and many other people believed would limit his career. Fighting the industry assumptions, the film reveals that Rousteing’s glamorous lifestyle may not be all that it seems. “I just thought it was so unusual for this mixed-race guy to succeed like this,” claimed Anissa Bonnefont, director and producer of the film, “to hear his story would be very necessary for our country because of all the issues around immigration. People need to see the reality of how you can achieve a dream and come from nothing. That’s the American story, but it’s not the French story. In France where you come from, what family, what school — that is who you are.” 
The making of the film has inspired Rousteing to fight for the rights of adopted individuals in France, to give them more power in understanding where they came from. 

“There’s all this talk about inclusivity and diversity, and I’m the first to fight for it, but how could I fight for it without knowing myself where I was from?” Rousteing explained in a New York Times article ahead of the film premiere.

The designer is due to speak at a conference which has been organized by the French Government, which will take place later this year. 

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