Disney x Balmain : The Lion King
"I was only nine years old when 'The Lion King' first released, but even now, almost three decades later, I can close my eyes and replay that incredible mix of music, images, and emotions. The lessons I absorbed, as I sat transfixed by the giant screen, have stayed with me for life." - Olivier Rousting.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of “The Lion King,” Balmain has partnered with Disney for a special, limited-edition collection designed by Olivier Rousteing. Those designs are featured in a film shot by Femi Oladigbolu in South Africa, which blends together striking designs and breathtaking scenery, as it focuses on a Rousteing-led Balmain Army, composed of models from all across Africa.
The collection is featured in a short film shot in South Africa by Femi Oladigbolu, which weaves together the collection’s designs, incredible scenery and the story of a Rousteing-led Balmain Army, composed of models from all across Africa, making its way toward a joyous homecoming celebration.
Working on this collaboration was a dream come true. I was only nine years old when “The Lion King” was first released, but still today, almost three decades later, I only need to close my eyes to replay that incredible mix of music, images and emotions. The lessons that I absorbed, as I sat, absolutely transfixed by what was happening on the giant screen in front of me, have remained with me for my entire life.
The collection incorporates key ingredients of Balmain’s DNA. While guiding the house for the last thirteen years, Olivier Rousteing has consistently riffed on three essentials : a deep reverence for Balmain’s singular heritage, a passion for the incomparable savoir-faire of Parisian couture, and a willingness to build upon intimate reflections about his own distinctive voyage through life.
“That statement really says it all for me. It is, of course, a key theme of “The Lion King.” It also explains my design process at Balmain, where I constantly reference the house’s extraordinary history. But, more personally, it reflects my own long search for answers about my origin. And that’s why returning to Africa to work on this film was such an incredibly moving experience for me. It released that same wave of emotions that I experienced when I first viewed “The Lion King,” all those many years ago—for, as you can imagine, watching that solitary lion cub construct his own unique and chosen family, while searching for truth about his heritage, hit me, an adopted child, particularly hard.”
This collaboration also shines a spotlight directly upon a new generation of young African talents. Both Disney and Balmain are proud of their long traditions of championing emerging artists and this new collection builds upon that shared history, introducing a grouping of fresh and appealing visions to a global audience.
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