Editing Pierre Balmain

{{short description|French fashion designer (1914–1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Pierre Balmain
| image              = Pierre Balmain, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, November 9, 1947.jpg
| caption            = Balmain photographed by [[Carl Van Vechten]], 1947
| birthname          = Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain
| birth_date         = {{birth date|df=y|1914|5|18}}
| birth_place        = [[Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne]], [[Savoie]], France
| death_date         = {{death date and age|df=y|1982|6|29|1914|05|18}}
| death_place        = Paris, France
| occupation         = Fashion designer
| known_for          = Founder of [[Balmain (fashion house)|Balmain]] fashion house
| credits            = [[Neiman Marcus Fashion Award]], 1955; Chevalier of the [[Légion d’Honneur]], 1962; knight of the [[Order of the Dannebrog]], 1963; [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design]] winner<ref name="Vogue PB history">{{cite web|title=Voguepedia:Pierre Balmain|url=http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Pierre_Balmain|work=Vogue|access-date=27 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122114239/http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Pierre_Balmain|archive-date=22 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

[[File:Queen Sirikit NYWTS.jpg|thumb|Balmain designed outfits for then [[Queen Sirikit of Thailand]] for her 1960 tour of the US.]]

'''Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain''' ({{IPA|fr|pjɛʁ balmɛ̃|French}}; 18 May 1914 – 29 June 1982) was a French fashion designer and founder of leading post-war fashion house [[Balmain (fashion house)|Balmain]]. Known for sophistication and elegance, he described the art of dressmaking as "the architecture of movement".<ref name="Elle Balmain"/>

==Early life==
Balmain's father, who died when the future designer was seven, owned a wholesale [[draper]]y business. His mother, Françoise, ran a fashion boutique called Galeries Parisiennes with her sisters.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/> He went to school at [[Chambéry]] and, during weekends with his uncle in the spa town of [[Aix-les-Bains]], his interest in couture fashion was inspired by society women he met.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/>

Balmain began studying architecture at the [[École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts|École des Beaux-Arts]] in 1933, also undertaking freelance work drawing for the designer [[Robert Piguet]].

==Career==
After visiting the studio of [[Edward Molyneux]] in 1934, he was offered a job, leaving his studies and working for the designer for the succeeding five years.<ref name="style sequel">{{cite web|title=Balmain Biography|url=http://www.stylesequel.com/designers/balmain/biography#|website=stylesequel.com|publisher=Style Sequel|access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref> He joined [[Lucien Lelong]] during [[World War II]] – where he met the young designer [[Christian Dior]].<ref name="Elle Balmain">{{cite news|url=http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Designer-Files/Balmain|title=Balmain|work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]|access-date=26 March 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812003951/http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Designer-Files/Balmain|archive-date=12 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="style sequel"/>

==Death==
Pierre Balmain died at the age of 68 of liver cancer at the American Hospital of Paris, having just completed the sketches for his fall collection.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/30/obituaries/pierre-balmain-is-dead-at-68-designer-of-women-s-clothes.html|title=PIERRE BALMAIN IS DEAD AT 68; DESIGNER OF WOMEN'S CLOTHES|last=Morris|first=Bernadine|date=30 June 1982|work=The New York Times|access-date=30 September 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Fashion house of Balmain==

[[Image:44 rue François Ier.jpg|thumb|right|Maison Balmain in Paris, 44 rue François-Ier]]
The fashion house of [[Balmain (fashion house)|Balmain]] opened in 1945.<ref name="style sequel"/> Initially, it showcased long bell-shaped skirts with small waists – a post-war style that was popularised in 1947 as Dior's [[Dior#"New Look"|New Look]].<ref name="style sequel"/> The first collection was showcased in ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' in the November issue and the reviewer's reaction was that Balmain delivered "beautiful clothes that you really want to wear." A positive write-up in the magazine from Balmain's friend [[Gertrude Stein]] helped to seal the designer's success – early celebrity fans included the [[Wallis Simpson|Duchess of Windsor]] who ordered from the collection.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/>

Balmain actively promoted himself internationally from the early days – touring Australia in 1947 and designing a line to be produced in the country.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/> He expanded operations to the United States in 1951, selling ready-to-wear clothes that earned him a prestigious [[Neiman Marcus Fashion Award]] in 1955.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/> He was, by this stage, designing clothes worn by [[Vojislav Stanimirović (criminal)|Vojislav Stanimirovic]] and stars, such as [[Marlene Dietrich]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]].<ref name="Vogue PB history"/>

Such was Balmain's reputation that he was chosen to design the wardrobe of [[Queen Sirikit of Thailand]] during her 1960 tour of the United States.<ref name="FE Seaman and Rhodes">{{cite web|last1=Seaman|first1=Margo|last2=Rhodes|first2=Nelly|title=Balman, Pierre|url=http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/Ba-Bo/Balmain-Pierre.html|website=fashionencyclopedia.com|publisher=Fashion Encyclopaedia|access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref> In 1968, he created outfits for the [[1968 Winter Olympics]] in [[Grenoble]]. He also designed outfits for both [[TWA]] and [[Malaysia–Singapore Airlines]]' (later [[Singapore Airlines]]) cabin crew in the 1960s and '70s. [[Air France]]'s first female pilot in 1975 wore a uniform by Balmain<ref name="Vogue PB history"/>

After he dressed Nicaraguan first lady [[Hope Portocarrero]], she appeared on the 1968 International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gO9nBwAAQBAJ&dq=Pierre+Balmain+portocarrero&pg=PA56 | title=World Clothing and Fashion: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence | isbn=9781317451679 | last1=Snodgrass | first1=Mary Ellen | date=17 March 2015 | publisher=Routledge }}</ref>

[[Erik Mortensen (designer)|Erik Mortensen]], a student of the Danish designer Holger Blum, began as a design assistant at Balmain in 1948. He and Balmain worked well together, and Mortensen quickly went from assistant to collaborator. He and Balmain worked together for the rest of Balmain's life.<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Women's Wear Daily
| last = Canatsey
| first = Christopher
| date = 13 November 1987
| work = p. 10
}}</ref> [[Margit Brandt]] worked as a young designer with Pierre Balmain in the early 1960s. Balmain also spotted the talent of [[Karl Lagerfeld]], hiring him in 1954 after judging a fashion competition that the young German designer won.<ref name="Vogue PB history"/>

Balmain's vintage couture gowns remain popular, and have been worn by [[Angelina Jolie]], [[Penélope Cruz]], [[Alexandra Kerry]], [[Tatiana Sorokko]], [[Kate Moss]], [[Kristin Davis]] and [[Zendaya]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/08/31/style-closets-celebrities-forbeslife-cx_ls_0831fashionpak.html |title=Inside Hollywood's Closets |date=31 August 2007 |work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=26 March 2011| first=Lauren| last=Sherman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703380104576015983886845422| title=Botanical Garden's Gall|date=13 December 2010 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=26 March 2011  | first=Priya| last=Rao}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-week/a6006/tatiana-sorokko-glenda-bailey-1010/ |title=Join Glenda Bailey & Tatiana Sorokko for Exclusive Couture Symposium |date=20 October 2010|magazine=[[Harper's Bazaar]] |access-date=26 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2010/05/09/best-dressed-of-the-week-jennifer-lopez-in-zuhair-murad-couture-kristin-davis-in-vintage-balmain/|title=Best Dressed of the Week – Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad Couture & Kristin Davis in Vintage Balmain|date=10 May 2010 |publisher=Redcarpet-fashionawards.com |access-date=26 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/4784572/Oscars-2009-Stars-disappoint-in-the-fashion-stakes.html |title=Oscars 2009: Stars disappoint in the fashion stakes |date=23 February 2009 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=26 March 2011| first=Hilary | last=Alexander}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/zendaya-naacp-awards-vintage-balmain|title=Zendaya Goes for True Vintage in 1956 Balmain|last=Eckardt|first=Stephanie|date=28 February 2022|magazine=[[W (magazine)|W]]|publisher=W Media|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>

===Costume design===
Balmain was nominated for the [[Tony Award]] for Best Costume Design and won the [[Drama Desk Award]] for Outstanding Costume Design for ''[[Happy New Year (musical)|Happy New Year]]'' (1980). Additional Broadway theatre credits include costumes for [[Sophia Loren]] in ''[[The Millionairess]]'' (1960) and [[Josephine Baker]] for her [[:wikt:eponym|eponymous]] 1964 [[revue]]. He also was a costume designer for 16 films, including the [[Brigitte Bardot]] vehicle ''[[And God Created Woman (1956 film)|And God Created Woman]]'' and ''[[La Parisienne (film)|La Parisienne]]'', and designed on-screen wardrobes for the actresses [[Vivien Leigh]] and [[Mae West]]. He made a lot of dresses for [[Dalida]].{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

===Perfumes===
Pierre Balmain also created [[perfumes]]. His first scent – ''Elysees 64-83'' (1946, perfumer [[Germaine Cellier]]). ''Vent Vert'' (1947, G.Cellier) – one of the best-selling perfumes of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Other scents included ''Jolie Madame'' (1953), ''Monsieur Balmain'' (1964), ''Miss Balmain'' (1967) – perfumes of Germaine Cellier, ''Ivoire'' (1979).<ref>yestendaysperfume.com</ref>

==Publications==
Balmain, Pierre, ''My Years and Seasons'', Cassell, London 1964

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Pierre Balmain}}
*[http://www.balmain.com/ House of Balmain]
*[http://headtotoefashionart.com/pierre-balmain-1914-1982/ Vintage designs and adverts by Pierre Balmain]
*{{fashiondesigner|id=pierre-balmain}}
*{{IBDB name|24649}}
* {{cite web |publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]
 |url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1486_couture/exhibHighBalmain.php
 |title= Pierre Balmain – Dress & Petticoat
 |access-date= 13 November 2007}}
* {{cite web |publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]
 |url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1486_couture/explore.php
 |title= Interactive timeline of couture houses and couturier biographies|date= 29 July 2015
 }}

{{DramaDesk CostumeDesign 1976–2000}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balmain, Pierre}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne]]
[[Category:French fashion designers]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award winners]]
[[Category:LGBTQ fashion designers]]
[[Category:French LGBTQ artists]]
[[Category:20th-century French LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Deaths from liver cancer in France]]