In a post on Instagram, Olivier Rousteing explains that he hid his burns for a year, “perhaps for this obsession with perfection for which fashion is known”
Star fashion designer Olivier Rousteing (Balmain) recounted, shocking photo in support, having been seriously burned a year ago in the explosion of his chimney, and having hidden it out of “shame” in an environment where reigns “the obsession with perfection ”.
“I now feel ready to share this. I hid it for too long, ”writes the 36-year-old stylist from Bordeaux in a long message in English published Saturday evening on his Instagram account, which has 7 million subscribers.
The text is accompanied by a spectacular photo: his torso, arms and the top of his head are covered with gauze bandages and he has burn marks on his face.
“The chimney of my house has exploded”
“Exactly a year ago, the chimney in my house exploded. I woke up the next morning at Saint-Louis hospital in Paris, ”he says. “I did everything to hide this story from as many people as possible, trying to keep it a secret with my teams and my friends for too long,” he continues.
“To be honest, I don’t really know why I was so ashamed, maybe this obsession with perfection that fashion is known for, and my own insecurities,” he adds.
Rousteing, who now claims to be “cured” and even speaks of “rebirth”, says he “worked day and night to forget and create (his) collections”. He says he “hid (his) scars with masks, turtlenecks, long sleeves and even rings on all (his) fingers during numerous interviews and photoshoots”.
“I realized that the power of social media was to only reveal what you want to show,” he says. “” Allow us to create our own story, which avoids what we do not want to see or show: it is our new world “.
Rousteing, who has been Balmain’s artistic director for 10 years, made the revelation ten days after his last show, September 29, for Paris women’s ready-to-wear week, Fashion Week.
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