Mariam Nihal

Saudi Gazette

 

Member of the Chambre Syndicale de La Haute Couture, Stéphane Rolland spoke to Saudi Gazette in an exclusive interview to the Middle East region. The international sensation is a fashion icon, seen trending on runways, to dressing celebrities like Beyoncé and Sheikha Mozah of Qatar.

And what is Rolland’s fashion staple, his typical outfit of the day? You can never guess.  “A thob!!! I have plenty of them in every color that I accessorize with scarves.” His distinctive appeal lies in the truth of ingenuity and his ambition to achieve beyond rudimentary.

Lauded for his short movie during the Paris Fashion Week this year, Rolland is perhaps one of the few creatives still living to carve a niche bigger than the mediocre. “I don’t have any fashion dreams. All I want is to design in every discipline. Each Artistic expression enhances the another, from photography to sculpture or architecture to fashion.” Rolland said creativity plays the biggest part in his life. “Creativity and the desire to design new innovative creations is what has kept me motivated throughout the years.”



Parisian by birth, Rolland was raised in South of France, Argentina and the Caribbean. “I “fell into fashion” when I was four. Influenced by my two stylish grandmothers and my mother’s extreme femininity. They were my three icons at that age. I immediately knew designing would be my future.

It has been confirmed when I entered Balenciaga and became the youngest Artistic Director at 21,” he told Saudi Gazette.



The secret to the creative process is observation. Every single detail around you can be transformed into an Art Piece and as a dress too. You have to stay humble in front of the World and understand the needs of the industry and the consumer. The way the planet is managed, the way the economy is growing all of these factors influence our way of life and also the way we dress. The toughest part of my job is probably ensuring that our creative and artistic vision compliments the financial and commercial management. But paradoxically that’s the best way to remain realistic.”



Rolland attended École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and just nine months into an internship at Cristobal Balenciaga at the age of 21, the young prodigy earned his right to become the artistic manager for menswear. 



At the age of 31, Rolland was assigned haute couture artistic director at Jean Louis-Scherrer, again making him the youngest in the category. 10 years down the line he launched Maison de Couture at 10 Avenue George V, the exact address at which his career with Balenciaga began. In 2013, Rolland launched his Prêt-à-Porter line.



Known for luxurious aesthetic, with an exclusive range matching his client list he has achieved realms far greater than contemporary times. He was named official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, and twice nominated for Best Costumes at the prestigious Les Molières awards. In his latest runway collection at fashion week, he garnered international acclaim with his new short movie.



Rolland said he designed the FW 14/15 Haute Couture Collection picturing every dress as if it was featuring in a film scene. “I thought about a character embodied by the glamorous top model Nieves Alvarez and I started to build a script. “L’Echappée” is my first movie illustrated by my gowns and I would love to continue mixing cinema and fashion in the future.”



Arabs tend to focus more on haute couture collections by Rolland because of his attention to detail and the same mind set when creating lush and extraordinary pieces. “I always keep a massive respect for women in mind and never fall into vulgarity.”



He said one of his favorite pieces and the most successful of the season is the “rose dress” he described as “a burgundy velvet long skirt with petals revealing a bust simply covered with a delicate lace. An ode to a woman.”



When asked about his idols, he said there is not just one. But the one thing they have in common is the fact they are all women. “During my career I have met the most fascinating women and each of them have enhanced my Artistic vision and my life philosophy.”



When asked if there was a particular landmark he planned to achieve, he said: “Definitely, my fragrance. It’s such a long process and simultaneously going on developing my RTW and the accessory lines.” And where does he find inspiration and the patience? “It’s just a matter of time, all things come to those who wait.”