French fashion designer Pierre Balmain was born on May 18, 1914, in Savoy, France. His father worked in the men's clothing wholesale business, and his mother ran a boutique, so he developed a strong interest in fashion from an early age. After studying architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he pursued a career in fashion and founded the haute couture house Pierre Balmain in 1945. He is known as one of the designers who built the golden age of Paris haute couture. After Pierre's death in 1982, Eric Mortensen and Oscar de la Renta took over as designers. The brand temporarily suspended its shows in 2004, but resumed ready-to-wear collections for the Fall/Winter 2006 season, welcoming Christophe Decarnin. Then in April 2011, Olivier Rousteing, who had been working on the design team since 2009, was appointed as the new designer for both men's and women's wear.

Currently, as "Balmain," in addition to men's and women's wear, the brand offers the Balmain watch line and an accessories line.

Image provided by: Getty Images