Fashion’s creative director reshuffle continues. Just months after departing Balmain following a transformative 14-year tenure, Olivier Rousteing has officially been named the new creative director of Rabanne. He succeeds Julien Dossena, who led the French house for 13 years, and will debut his first collection for Fall/Winter 2027 during Paris Fashion Week next March.
For Rousteing, the appointment marks more than a new chapter, it’s a homecoming to a house whose fearless approach to fashion has long inspired him.
“Joining Rabanne is a tremendous honor,” he shared in a statement. “This is a house that has always challenged convention, transforming bold ideas into creations that have shaped fashion history.” He also paid tribute to his predecessor, praising Dossena for redefining Rabanne for a new generation while honouring the house’s pioneering legacy.
Few designers have shaped modern luxury quite like Rousteing. Appointed creative director of Balmain at just 25 years old, he became one of the youngest designers to lead a major Paris fashion house. During his tenure, he transformed Balmain into a global cultural force, introducing the now-iconic “Balmain Army” while dressing everyone from Beyoncé and Rihanna to the Kardashian family. His bold aesthetic, intricate embellishment and celebrity-first approach helped drive remarkable commercial growth for the brand.
His appointment feels particularly fitting for Rabanne, a house synonymous with metallic chainmail, sculptural silhouettes and experimental craftsmanship. The pairing promises a natural evolution of the brand’s distinctive visual language, blending Rabanne’s futuristic heritage with Rousteing’s unmistakable glamour.
The announcement arrives during one of fashion’s busiest seasons of creative shake-ups, signalling yet another significant shift among luxury’s biggest houses. All eyes will now be on Paris Fashion Week, where Rousteing’s highly anticipated Rabanne debut is expected to usher in a bold new era for the French maison.
