BALMAIN

When he founded his eponymous brand in 1945, Pierre Balmain was already well on becoming an icon of French fashion, routinely dressing debutantes and celebrities of the day with his exquisite designs for women. His fresh and unique style, characterized by opulent embroidered fabrics, sculpted lines and impeccable tailoring, was central to creating the postwar era's "New French Style." Today, designer Olivier Rousteing — Balmain’s creative director since 2011 — is loyal to the brand’s storied aesthetic with tailored blazers and glamorous evening dresses and rounds out the line with elevated everyday staples for women and men, from T-shirts and sweatshirts to sunglasses and sleek sneakers.