Interview : Cara Delevingne et Olivier Rousteing about the Puma and Balmain collaboration

NUMÉRO: Olivier, what convinced you do this collaboration with Cara Delevingne and Puma? 

Olivier Rousteing: To be honest, I didn’t really need convincing. It was perfectly obvious to me. I have always loved Puma and the world they have built and Cara is my great friend so it just made total sense to do it. Of course, Cara and I have always talked and we’ve spoken about what we believe in.

Who’s idea was it to do the collaboration?

Olivier Rousteing: It was Cara’s idea. She's got the balls!

Cara Delevingne: It was Puma’s idea to do a collaboration with me and someone else. To me designing a collection seems amazing and crazy and I knew I needed to work with someone I feel comfortable with. And someone who is incredibly talented and clever, and who can obviously do everything I can’t. Which is most things when it comes to designing!

How did you work on the collection?

Olivier Rousteing: Cara had the vision and I was the one to build her vision. I really want to mention the fact that as a designer, I’m also the art director of my designs but with this collaboration, she's been the art director too. She also has a clear vision of fashion and of her generation. She has a very creative mind.

Cara Delevingne : It would have been a complete waste of time if Olivier and I hadn’t worked together, it would have been just another collection. I just can’t even imagine that happening, in any way. We wanted to do something different, something we’ve never seen before. It’s not a massive collection, it’s a small one, but this was the opportunity to do something small with a massive idea behind it. 

What's the idea behind the collection and what does Balmain bring to it?

Balmain's clothes are meant for a woman who is going to stand for what she believes in. It would be a shame to work with Olivier and a brand like Balmain and not show what they represent in terms of strong, independent and free-thinking women.

What is your favourite piece?

Cara Delevingne: I like the reversible jacket, because the black and white side is Olivier…

Olivier Rousteing : and the red and blue is Cara !