Atlein Designer Antonin Tron Is the New Creative Director of Balmain
French designer Antonin Tron is stepping in as the new creative director of Balmain following Olivier Rousteing’s departure last week. He’ll start work this month and is set to show his first collection in March as part of the fall 2026 presentations in Paris.
“Balmain has a truly inspiring history,” Tron said in a statement. “At its heart, the house embodies savoir-faire, culture, sensuality, and elegance—fashion that is radiant, precise, and bold. This resonates deeply with me, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to build on this incredible legacy.”
Fashion insiders will know Tron as the 41-year-old designer behind Atlein, a Paris-based label he founded in 2016. The brand’s wearable but elegant draped jersey dresses garnered early acclaim. Named for the Atlantic Ocean and inspired by Tron’s love of surfing and nature, Atlein became an instant hit, gaining wholesale clients including Bergdorf Goodman, Galeries Lafayette, and Net-A-Porter. In 2016, Tron was awarded the ANDAM Prize for his work with the brand, and a year later, he was named a finalist for the LVMH Prize. He has continued to release new collections each season while simultaneously collaborating with other labels. That includes a 2024 capsule collection with Kylie Jenner’s Khy. Though he is now putting Atlein on pause in order to focus on Balmain.
Tron presenting his collection as part of the 2017 LVMH Prize.
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts graduate has an impressive resume outside of Atlein as well. He began his career designing menswear at Louis Vuitton. He then moved over to the womenswear teams at Givenchy and then Balenciaga. It was at the latter house that we worked with three subsequent creative directors—Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang, and his former Royal Academy classmate, Demna. Most recently, he was working with the design teams at Saint Laurent.
The executives at Balmain have high hopes for Tron and his future at Balmain. “Antonin’s approach to design, rooted in the art of draping and the physicality of fabric, marks a continuation of Pierre Balmain’s foundational belief that ‘dressmaking is the architecture of movement,” said Matteo Sgarbossa, Balmain’s Chief Executive Officer. Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Mayhoola CEO and Balmain Chairman, added, “We are exceptionally pleased to welcome Antonin Tron to the group and to Balmain. His thoughtful approach to design, rooted in craftsmanship and artistic sensitivity, makes him an exciting talent for the house.”
Tron following Atlein’s spring/summer 2025 collection.
It will be interesting to see how Tron translates his expertise into the house codes of Balmain. Under Rousteing, the House became known for maximalist, embellished styles that often resembled modern armor (frequent customers were known as the Balmain Army, after all), but Tron is known to have a softer touch. “Restrictive construction is something from another century,” he told W back in 2017. “A woman should always feel free.”
Tron has quite a legacy to live up to. Rousteing spent 14 years at Balmain, turning it into a cultural touchstone. As for Rousteing’s next move, that is still up in the air. The designer posted on Instagram following his departure announcement, writing, “Today, I leave the House of Balmain with my eyes still wide open—open to the future and to the beautiful adventures ahead, adventures in which all of you will have a place.” As of now, though, those “beautiful adventures” remain undefined.
