24 hours with OLIVIER ROUSTEING
“I think fashion is like sex … when you do the show, that’s the orgasm,” says the Balmain designer.
I wake up and put on super strong music, like Britney Spears’s Work Bitch or Beyoncé’s last album. When I saw the Partition video, I said, “I need to move like that”. Then I watch TV on my couch, sometimes cartoons, sometimes MTV, The Simpsons, South Park, American Dad, or the E! channel. Joan Rivers was hilarious on Fashion Police. Sometimes they laugh about my dresses. I drink my milk and eat frosted cornflakes, trying to keep my eyes open. I check my e-mail to see what’s going on. I live in Paris, so I say goodnight to my friends in LA, like Kim [Kardashian], by Skype, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or Instagram. The first person I call is my right-hand man, my assistant, to check my schedule. He’s one of my best friends, so we also talk about the night before and funny pictures. I love Michel Gaubert’s Instagram. He posted a picture where he called me “Rihanno”. I read mostly on my phone or iPad. I love Women’s Wear Daily, Just Jared, and Perez Hilton. My coach comes twice a week—I love him. I work out in Nike shorts and sneakers, and I wear a hat because my hair is so curly when I wake up. My coach is impressed when he sees me dressed up in the press or at my fashion shows because when he arrives at my house I look like shit. I do exercises like crunches and squats to super-loud music with big beats, but honestly it’s so hard. I shower for 15-20 minutes, also with super-loud music. I love dancing in my shower. Have you seen The Truman Show? I’m really scared that if there were cameras in my house and shower I would look crazy. Then I put on my cream—I love Vichy and La Mer—and brush my hair, and do Clarisonic on my skin. Afterward my face looks amazing, and I take my selfie. I wear a tank top because I’m always warm, a leather jacket, and leather pants; I have 10 pairs. I like my uniform—the only thing I change is my shoes. When I feel sporty I wear Nikes, and when I don’t I wear Balmain boots. If I feel like a pyjama day, I wear joggings and a hat; if you’re going to wear joggings, it’s best to wear Balmain. Sometimes I feel like I’m in LA more than Paris, but I don’t care. Clothes can make me feel like I’m in jail—I have to have part of my skin showing. There was a big article about me, and the first thing my mom texted was that I didn’t button my shirt in the picture. I wear Balmain a lot, but I have no problem wearing other designers. I’m crazy for Chanel, and I collect vintage Versace. I have maybe 35 pieces. I also collect T-shirts and ’70s tailored jackets that are very French—I love a really tight jacket. I have old Harley-Davidson boots and about 30 pairs of sneakers, but I lose them every time I travel. I call the car and rush to the office. I used to Rollerblade to work in the summer, but I moved and now it’s too far. In the car I call my mom and my grandparents. It’s the best time because I’m kind of chilled. When I arrive my assistant has a Starbucks chai tea latte waiting for me. In my studio it’s almost all girls, so we chat. They tell me what they did last night, what guys they
found. It’s pretty funny.