Iconic fashion designer and Creative Director of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing sat down with Vogue to recount a life changing journey to South Africa, to film a fashion film and documentary debuting the visionary collection with Disney for The Lion King.

Olivier speaks candidly about the journey of self-discovery, tracing his roots back to Africa and what it meant to him to connect with the continent of his birth heritage.

In an emotional interview, he shares a moment with our very own Carmen Hickman that resonated deeply with him and which he will carry with him forever.

Carmen is not only a model, she is a mother and inherently maternal figure; and so it was a natural improvisation in a tender moment with Olivier that led her to share words that shaped his experience whilst filming.

Herewith a few exerts from the interview with Vogue.

"The Disney x Balmain: The Lion King collection has been immortalised in a short film by Nigerian director Femi Oladigbolu. Shot across the Western Cape region of South Africa, Rousteing takes on the leading role. The film stars a selection of models wearing his designs that were cast from all over Africa; countries including Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and Tanzania. As Rousteing puts it, this furthers the cultural impact of the collaboration, “giving local people the chance to shine”. The film itself focuses on the concept of destiny - and in a similar vein to the narrative of The Lion King - Rousteing experienced a personal full-circle moment while filming.

Actor Carmen Hickman, when playing the wise older Black woman who’s supposed to reveal his future, decided to improvise on set. “She said to me: ‘Don’t forget this is your continent, this is where you come from, and you are loved here. You will always be loved,’” Rousteing explains, hand on heart. “It was magical.”

We are incredibly proud of Carmen, not only for a career defining campaign, but for sharing a part of herself with Olivier, adding depth and purpose to his experience in Cape Town.

Carmen's daughter and Future Face Jordan Hickman also features in the short film and campaign images, as well as accomplished fashion model Sisipho Ntsabo.

A client of this calibre shooting in our Mother City was not only uplifting to the careers of the models at ICE, but also to the film and fashion industry in Cape Town as a whole.

For the full article please visit https://www.vogue.co.uk/bc/disney-and-balmains-the-lion-king-collection

As well as the Balmain website https://us.balmain.com/en/experience/disney-x-balmain-the-lion-king

This project was proudly cast by Cape Town based casting director Iain Milne of Casting Co and facilitated by Groundglass production company.

Paul Mark Harris

Paul Mark
Harris