Balmain names Antonin Tron as creative director

Balmain has named Antonin Tron as its new creative director. Tron succeeds Olivier Rousteing, who up until recently had been at the creative helm of the French luxury house for 14 years.

In a statement shared on Balmain’s official Instagram page, Tron said it was an honour to join the fashion label, expressing his gratitude to Rachid Mohamed Rachid, the brand’s chairman, and CEO Matteo Sgarbossa for entrusting him.

“Balmain has a truly inspiring history,” he continued. “At its heart, the house embodies savoir-faire, culture, sensuality, and elegance – fashion that is radiant, precise, and bold. This resonates deeply with me, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to build on this incredible legacy.”

In his own statement, Sgarbossa said: "Antonin's approach to design, rooted in the art of draping and the physicality of fabric, marks a continuation of Pierre Balmain's foundational belief that 'dressmaking is the architecture of movement'.

"Like Balmain, Antonin sees fashion as a spatial art, building around the human form with precision and emotion. Antonin will build on the house's heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, elegance, and profound human values."

Balmain undergoes upheaval

The French designer, who will make his debut for Balmain’s autumn/winter 2026/27 collection in Paris, March 2026, garnered international recognition following the launch of Atlein in 2016.

The womenswear brand earned Tron the First Collections Prize at the 2018 ANDAM awards and has previously shown at Paris Fashion Week, the most recent season being AW25.

Prior to Atlein’s launch, Tron had been among the design teams of esteemed fashion houses like Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Balenciaga, taking up such positions following his graduation from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

His appointment at Balmain comes as the fashion house continues to move into a new chapter under the direction of Sgarbossa. The executive took up the helm in April and was tasked with accelerating the brand’s international global presence, improving its product offering and elevating its retail experience.

Rachid added that, alongside Sgarbossa, Tron would "lead Balmain into a compelling new future". "One that honours its storied history while confidently shaping a future defined by creativity, modernity and elegance."