Pierre Balmain founded his now-iconic label in 1945. Alongside fellow couture titans Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy, the French designer's postwar take on luxe dressing featured bell-shaped skirts falling from slender waists, structured jackets over sheath day dresses and embellishments like fur trim; he called the look “Jolie Madame.” The Duchess of Windsor was an early fan, prompting an aristocratic following.
From the voluminous skirts of the post-World War II “New Look” favored by Hollywood icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich to the sleek, skinny jeans seen on Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi and every Kardashian, clothes from the House of Balmain have long been mainstays in celebrity wardrobes.
The son of a dressmaker and a drapery salesman, Balmain's founder was born in 1914 in southeastern France and formed an interest in fashion at an early age. His mother wanted her son to be an architect — but the principles of design and structure that Pierre learned in his brief studies at the École des Beaux Arts served him well throughout his career.
Balmain was among the first to offer French looks to the American market. Since the death of the founder in 1982, the design reins at the company have been handed to luminaries such as Oscar de la Renta and Olivier Rousteing, an alum of Roberto Cavalli who was installed as creative director at the label in 2011.
Today’s Balmain has more in common with the master’s original haute couture than you might expect: sharply tailored blazers that nip in at the waist, delicate stilettos and ultra-feminine evening dresses are wardrobe basics for the 21st-century woman, too. Lovers of couture history will also prize the fluid, easy sketches from the master’s own hand they’ll find on offer here, while fashionistas clamor for the brand’s t-shirts, military-style jackets and skinny jeans.
Whether you’re a colonel in Rousteing’s “glamour army” or you fancy yourself a “Jolie Madame,” a Balmain piece — from the 1960s or even last season — will add a bold, sexy note to your look. Daytime or night, Balmain feels right now.
Find vintage Pierre Balmain dresses, skirts, scarves and other garments and accessories on 1stDibs.
Pierre Balmain Paris 346 Zig Zag
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Bristol, CT
Original Pierre Balmain (1914-1982) couture fashion hand-coloured plate with 3 fabric swatches attached designed for New York society icon Nan Kempner (1930-2005) circa 1970s Plate ...
Fabric
$2,100Sale Price|71% Off
H 36 in W 48 in D 0.875 in
"Dancer's Dream" Large Original Oil Painting by Robert White, Frameless Display
Located in Encino, CA
“Dancer's Dream,” an original oil on canvas by Robert K. White, is a piece for the true collector. White’s careful attention to detail and vivid use of greens, browns, and whites project from the painting, immediately capturing the viewer's attention and highlighting the artist's keen ability to capture emotion and life - all in a brushstroke. White's talent for depicting light and shadow provides the foundation for him to deliver subjects and scenes to the viewer's eye. This masterful work would make a great addition to an art collection and enhance most any home, perfect for those who have an affinity for dancers, the ballet, portraits, and color-rich works of art. In the artist’s own words, “I don’t paint what is inside of me; I paint what I see outside of me. I’m an observer. If I see something and I feel an affinity for it, something just clicks in my head. I’ll make the decision right then and there to paint that particular subject during that particular moment. It’s a perfect moment. Once something has caught my eye and I’ve heard the “perfect” click, it’s like a photograph has been taken in my mind’s eye. I only have a few days of clarity with that image. I have to start the painting quickly or else it will be gone and I will lose that image forever.” Artist: ROBERT KENNETH WHITE...
Oil, Canvas
$2,650
H 13.78 in W 10.63 in
Circle Teniers, Flemish Art, Peasants smoking and drinking in a Tavern Interior
By David Teniers the Younger
Located in Greven, DE
Circle or Follower of David Teniers, Peasant in a Tavern Inn, drinking and smoking. Oil on canvas, Framed: 39 x 47 cm. Typical Flemish Baroque Interior...
Canvas, Oil
$1,020
H 21 in W 17.13 in D 1.25 in
Peter Robert Keil Gold Framed Painting on Canvas Signed and Dated with COA
By Peter Robert Keil
Located in Hudson, NY
Peter Keil's textured painting on canvas. Signed and dated 1997. This one is stunning in person. Background paint is textured on the canvas. Amazing gilt frame with a textured fabric...
Gold Leaf
$37,497Sale Price|21% Off
H 25.79 in W 20.28 in D 1.97 in
17th Century by Giuseppe Assereto Portrait of an Elderly Woman Oil on Canvas
By Giuseppe Assereto
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Giuseppe Assereto (Genova - 1626 ca – Genova 1656/57) Title: Portrait of an elderly woman, possible portrait of Maddalena Massone, wife of Gioacchino Assereto Medium: Oil on canvas D...
Oil, Canvas
$17,158Sale Price|23% Off
H 16.54 in W 12.41 in D 1.97 in
18th Century by Antonio Mercurio Amorosi Portrait Little Girl with Cat
By Antonio Mercurio Amorosi
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Artist: Antonio Mercurio Amorosi (Comunanza, Italy, 1660 - 1738) Title: Portrait of a little girl with cat Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 42 x 31.5 cm – with frame 5...
Canvas, Oil
$29,978Sale Price|20% Off
H 19.89 in W 29.93 in D 0.6 in
17th Century by Il Padovanino Mary Magdalene or Young Woman Oil on Canvas
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Alessandro Leone Varotari, known as Il Padovanino (Padua, Italy, 1588 – Venice, Italy, 1649) Title: Mary Magdalene or Young Woman Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: Without frame 50.5...
Canvas, Oil
$26,701Sale Price|20% Off
H 25.6 in W 28.35 in D 1.97 in
17th Century By Johann Carl Loth Saint Mark Oil on Canvas
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Johann Carl Loth (Munich, Germany, 1632 - Venice, Italy, 1698) Title: Saint Mark Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 65 × 72 cm - with frame 82.5 x 88 cm Not signed Expertise by Professor Dario Succi Publications: Lo studiolo...
Canvas, Oil
$20,535Sale Price|22% Off
H 37.8 in W 28.15 in D 1.97 in
17th Century by Giovanni Battista Beinaschi Saint Bartholomew Oil on Canvas
By Giovanni Battista Beinaschi
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Giovanni Battista Beinaschi (Fossano, Italy, 1636 - Naples, Italy, 1688) Title: Saint Bartholomew Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 9...
Oil, Canvas
$41,738Sale Price|20% Off
H 15.95 in W 23.63 in D 1.97 in
18th Century by Giuseppe Bonito The Painter's Studio or Allegory of Painting
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Giuseppe Bonito (Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, 1707 - Naples, Italy, 1789) Title: The Painter's Studio or Allegory of Painting Medium: Oil on canvas ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,500
H 27 in W 23 in D 1.5 in
Framed Hand Painted on Canvas Life History of Buddha Thangka 24K Gold
Located in TRUMBULL, CT
This framed "Life History of Buddha" thangka is hand painted on canvas with 24K real gold. Shimmering gold brush strokes on vibrant red color and illustrative work makes it a stunni...
Mixed Media, Canvas
$149,989Sale Price|20% Off
H 46.86 in W 70.48 in D 4.73 in
17th Century by Giacomo Sementi and Pier Francesco Cittadini Danae Oil on Canvas
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Giovanni Giacomo Sementi (Bologna, Italy, 1580 - Rome, Italy, 1636) - Pier Francesco Cittadini (Milan, Italy, 1616 - Bologna, Italy, 1681) Title: Danae Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 119 x 179 cm - with frame 140 x 200 x 12 cm, weight 35 kg Expertise by Professor Giancarlo Sestieri, art historian Publications: Carne - la materia dello spirito, exhibition catalogue curated by Father Alessio Geretti, project of the scientific catalogue curated by Father Alessio Geretti, Nicole Pravisani and Giulia Toffoletti, (21 May - 22 October 2023), Illegio, Casa delle Esposizioni, pp. 56-59; Body, Love and Feelings - Works of Ancient Masters from the 16th to the 19th century. In the paintings of Giorgio Baratti private collection, Milan, exhibition catalogue curated by Alessandro Marchi, (27 July - 18 September 2011), San Marino - Historical Centre, pp. 38-39; Giorgio Baratti Collezione. Selezione di opere d’arte antica (Giorgio Baratti Collection. Selection of ancient works of art), curated by Professor Giancarlo Sestieri and with the participation of Professor Andrea Emiliani, Grafiche Veneziane, Venezia 2011, pp. 22-23. It is a gentle and graceful Danae the one portrayed by Giovanni Giacomo Sementi. A painting in which the Milanese painter Pier Francesco Cittadini also collaborated by painting the golden basin filled with flowers to the left of the scene. The work shows various pictorial influences; from the Bolognese Emilian style, to that of Ludovico Carracci (1555 - 1619) and Guido Reni (1575 - 1642), to the Baroque and Roman style. The work features an elegant red drapery which serves as the background to the entire scene, but the real protagonist is the young woman with long red hair who is lying on a bed covered by a white sheet. The girl is naked except for a lapis lazuli blue mantle...
Canvas, Oil
Campbell's Chicken Rice Soup Box
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Andy Warhol Campbell's Chicken Rice Soup Box, 1986 Acrylic and Silkscreen on Canvas 14 x 14 inches 35.6 x 35.6 cm
Acrylic Polymer, Screen, Canvas
"Pierre Balmain Paris 122 Chantilly"
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Bristol, CT
Chic original watercolour couture fashion sketch replete w/ lace fabric swatch & note attached (LL) from the Paris atelier of Pierre Balmain c1960s Plate Sz: 12"H x 8 1/4"W Frame...
Watercolor
Sold
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Vintage Balmain French Fashion Sketch - Couture Coat, c. 1960
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Original haute couture sketch of a blue and yellow coat by Parisian designer Pierre Balmain, circa 1960, featuring fascinating design details, suc...
Paper, Ink, Gouache
Sold
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Vintage Balmain French Fashion Sketch - Couture Tennis Dress, c. 1960
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Original haute couture sketch of a tennis dress by Parisian designer Pierre Balmain, circa 1960, featuring a striking visual contrast between bold...
Paper, Ink, Gouache
Pierre Balmain Paris 433 Bangkok
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Bristol, CT
Chic original couture fashion plate by Pierre Balmain designed for the New York socialite, Nan Kempner (1930-2005) replete w/ two silk swatches circa 1970s Plate Sz: 12.25"H x 8.25"...
Gouache
Pierre Balmain Paris 122 Chantilly
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Bristol, CT
Chic original watercolour couture fashion sketch replete w/ lace fabric swatch & note attached (LL) from the Paris atelier of Pierre Balmain c1960s! Plate: 12 1/4"H x 8 1/4"W Frame: 16 3/4"H x 13"W Fashion Designer Bio: Perre Alexandre Claudius Balmain (1914-1982) was a well-known designer from France and the founder of Balmain fashion house. He was and still is known for his elegance and sophistication. Balmain studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts, but he spent most of his time designing apparel. From 1934-1939 Balmain worked with Edward Molyneux (fashion designer) who offered him a trial. Balmain then worked after the War with Lucien Lelong and established his own fashion house that displayed bell-shaped and small waist skirts. This was a look that became famous later on through the brand Christian Dior. A family friend, Gertrude Stein wrote a commemorative piece on Balmain for Vogue magazine and following this an order was placed by the Duchess of Windsor. By 1951, Balmain opened various branches of his label across America to sell his prêt-a-porter collections. During this time, he popularized some unique trends such as stoles, evening wear and he made sheath dresses with jackets a fad in the fashion market. He was talented in creating both simple and extravagant clothes, all with the similar aesthetics of graceful and slender lines. Pierre Balmain also created fragrances. For his astounding creations and designs, he was nominated for Best Costume Designer by the Tony Award and Balmain received the Drama Desk Award for designing outstanding costumes for Happy New Year Broadway production in 1980. He designed costumes for Sophia Loren for The Millionaires, 1960 and Josephine Baker for her eponymous revue, 1964. He designed costumes for sixteen films and designed clothes for actresses Mae West and Vivien Leigh. His classic couture dresses are still chic and sought after among international movie stars and socialites such as Kristin Davis...
Watercolor
Balmain Fashion Sketch
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
French haute couture sketch by Balmain fashion house, circa 1960. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Mat fits...
Watercolor, Pencil
Sold
H 16 in W 0.1 in D 20 in
Vintage Balmain Fashion Sketch - Navy Dress Suit
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage gouache and pencil French fashion sketch of a elegant cress suit in navy blue by the famed Balmain Fashion House of Paris, circa 1960. Original artwork on paper displaye...
Gouache, Paper, Pencil
Sold
H 16 in W 0.1 in D 20 in
Vintage Balmain French Fashion Sketch - Lime Green Summer Dress
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage gouache and pencil French fashion sketch of a casual summer dress in a bold lime green hue by the famed Balmain Fashion House of Paris, c...
Gouache, Pencil
Vintage Balmain Mini Dresses Fashion Sketch
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Excellent one-of-a-kind gouache and ink fashion sketch of several variations of a casual mini dress by the French haute couture Balmain Fashion house of Paris, circa 1960. Origina...
Gouache, Paper
Sold
H 16 in W 0.1 in D 20 in
Vintage Balmain Spots & Stripes Fashion Sketch
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Charming one-of-a-kind gouache and ink fashion sketch of three variations of a sleeveless navy top by the haute couture Balmain Fashion House of Paris, circa 1960. Fabric swatch atta...
Gouache, Ink, Paper
Sold
H 16 in W 0.1 in D 20 in
Vintage Balmain Fashion Sketch - Lime Green Blazer
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage one-of-a-kind French watercolor and ink fashion sketch of a sporty, short sleeve blazer in lime green by the Parisian Balmain fashion house, circa 1960. Original artwork ...
Ink, Paper, Watercolor
Sold
H 12 in W 0.1 in D 16 in
Vintage Balmain Gouache Fashion Sketch - Red Dress Suit
By Pierre Balmain
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage one-of-a-kind haute couture gouache fashion sketch of a vivid red dress suit by the Parisian Balmain Fashion House, circa 1960. Original artwork on paper displayed on a wh...
Gouache, Paper