DISNEY x
BALMAIN : THE LION KING
JULY 2024
Disney And Balmain Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of “The Lion King” With A Limited-Edition Collection Designed By Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing
Credits :
All images © Disney
The collection is featured in a short film shot in South Africa by Femi Oladigbolu, which weaves together the collection’s designs, incredible scenery and the story of a Rousteing-led Balmain Army, composed of models from all across Africa, making its way toward a joyous homecoming celebration.
Disney x Balmain: The Lion King collection, an offering of ready-to-wear designs and accessories for men and women, finds inspiration in Africa’s artisanal traditions, while celebrating a new generation of African talents.
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Credits :
All images © Disney
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios’ classic “The Lion King” and the upcoming theatrical release of “Mufasa: The Lion King” in December, the Disney x Balmain: The Lion King collection will be released across the globe on July 8th. For the limited-edition offering, Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing and his team have created a collection of ready-to-wear pieces and accessories for men and women. The striking designs build directly upon Disney’s acclaimed storytelling, as well as the powerful themes and unforgettable cast of characters that distinguish Disney’s “The Lion King.” This collection marks the first collaboration between Disney and the historic French fashion house.
THE COLLECTION
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Credits :
All images © Disney
Working on this collaboration was a dream come true. I was only nine years old when “The Lion King” was first released, but still today, almost three decades later, I only need to close my eyes to replay that incredible mix of music, images and emotions. The lessons that I absorbed, as I sat, absolutely transfixed by what was happening on the giant screen in front of me, have remained with me for my entire life.
The collection incorporates key ingredients of Balmain’s DNA. While guiding the house for the last thirteen years, Olivier Rousteing has consistently riffed on three essentials : a deep reverence for Balmain’s singular heritage, a passion for the incomparable savoir-faire of Parisian couture, and a willingness to build upon intimate reflections about his own distinctive voyage through life.
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Credits :
All images © Disney
This collaboration also shines a spotlight directly upon a new generation of young African talents. Both Disney and Balmain are proud of their long traditions of championing emerging artists and this new collection builds upon that shared history, introducing a grouping of fresh and appealing visions to a global audience.
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South African painter Nika Mtwana created a compelling Afrofuturistic portrait for the collection—cleverly managing to incorporate a scene from “The Lion King” into his work, via a reflection on the lens of his subject’s sunglasses. Rousteing adapted Mtwana’s design into the colorful prints that cover some of the limited-edition collection’s tees, tops and dresses.
Cameroonian painter Enfant Precoce’s concentrates on Disney’s Simba, with his artwork showing “The Lion King” star navigating through a dreamlike landscape filled with an array of African wildlife. Precoce’s design—in an array of black-and-white and multi-colored variations—covers totes, coats, suits, tees and gowns.
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South African painter Cassius Khumalo relies on a striking mix of vivid blue, deep black and gold-foil to create an eye-catching portrait of Disney’s Nala, the film’s strong and independent lioness. Khumalo’s powerful image has been adapted for a series of totes, tees and hoodies.
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THE COLLECTION
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“That statement really says it all for me. It is, of course, a key theme of “The Lion King.” It also explains my design process at Balmain, where I constantly reference the house’s extraordinary history. But, more personally, it reflects my own long search for answers about my origin. And that’s why returning to Africa to work on this film was such an incredibly moving experience for me. It released that same wave of emotions that I experienced when I first viewed “The Lion King,” all those many years ago—for, as you can imagine, watching that solitary lion cub construct his own unique and chosen family, while searching for truth about his heritage, hit me, an adopted child, particularly hard.”
The Disney x Balmain: The Lion King collection will launch on July 8th, online at balmain.com and across the globe at Balmain addresses and the world’s leading fashion boutiques.
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Credits :
All images © Disney
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of “The Lion King,” Olivier Rousteing and the team at Balmain created a vibrant and powerful collection, beautifully capturing the heart and essence of the iconic film and the spirit of Africa. This collaboration continues Disney’s lasting legacy of working with global visionaries and spotlighting future generations of creatives.
BALMAIN X DISNEY :
THE LION KING
