Balmain celebrates 30 years of The Lion King with apparel collection

Balmain is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King with a limited-edition range of apparel and accessories.

It marks the first collaboration between Disney and the French fashion house.

“Working on this collaboration was a dream come true,” said Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing.

“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 features signature Balmain silhouettes as well as designs inspired by Africa’s weavings, patterns and embroideries. The creative process behind the line has been informed by Rousteing’s own journey and fascination with African creativity, craft and artistry. The theme has influenced his Paris Fashion Week runways since the discovery that his birth parents were originally from Somalia and Ethiopia.

“By celebrating where we come from, we can clearly see where we are headed – that statement really says it all for me,” added Rousteing.

“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 the collection’s short 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.”

This collaboration also shines a spotlight directly upon a new generation of young African talents. South African painter Nika Mtwana created an Afrofuturistic portrait for the collection – incorporating a scene from The Lion King into his work, via a reflection on the lens of his subject’s sunglasses. Rousteing then adapted Mtwana’s design into the colourful prints that cover some of the 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 covers totes, coats, suits, tees and gowns.

Finally, South African painter Cassius Khumalo created a portrait of Nala that has been adapted for a series of totes, tees and hoodies.

Tasia Filippatos, President of Disney Consumer Products, said: “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.”

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 leading fashion boutiques.