Photo: Getty Images South America
Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing shared a very vulnerable photo of himself one year after suffering severe burns from a fireplace explosion in his Paris home in 2020.
The French fashion house creative director, 36, had bandages covering his entire upper body and head as well as burn marks on his face in a photo he posted on Saturday along with a lengthy caption about the scary ordeal.
Olivier:
I finally feel ready to share this. I’ve been hiding this for too long and it’s time for you to know.
Exactly a year ago, the fireplace inside my house exploded.
I woke up the next morning in Paris’ Hôpital Saint Louis. The talented staff at that famous hospital, which was dealing with an incredible number of COVID cases at that same time, took amazing care of me. I cannot thank them enough.
I did everything to hide this story from as many people as possible and trying to keep the secret with my teams and friends for too long .
To be honest I am not really sure why I was so ashamed , maybe this obsession with perfection that fashion is known for and my own insecurities…
As I recovered, I just worked days and night to forget and creating all my collections , trying to keep the world dreaming with my collections and at the same time hiding the scars with face masks, turtlenecks, long sleeves and even multiple rings on all my fingers through many interviews or fotoshoots.
And I truly realized that the power of social media is to reveal only what you want to show !
Kind of allowing us to create our own special narrative that avoids what we do not wish to see or show: this is our new world.
Now, a year later—healed, happy and healthy.
I realize how truly blessed I am and I thank GOD everyday of my life..
My last show was about the celebration of healing over pain and I thank all the models the productions my team the models my Balmain family ,my friends that came and supported not only my 10 years of Balmain but my rebirth .
Today, I feel so free, so good and so lucky. I’m beginning a new chapter with a smile on my face and a heart full of gratitude.
To the doctors and nurses at Saint Louis, and to all those who helped me during this long recovery and kept my secret : a profound thank-you. I love you.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL ♥️ and again never never give up ! There is always the sun after the storm .
Glad he survived 🙏🏽