So, Who Is Antonin Tron?
Antonin Tron | Image from Balmain/Instagram
The fashion designer has worked at big named luxury brands and even has his own fashion brand, Ateline
He’s French, he’s 41, and he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He cracked his teeth in fashion by designing menswear at Louis Vuitton and from there he moved to womenswear at Givenchy. Next was womenswear at Balenciaga, where he worked under Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang, and Demna Gvasalia. From Balenciaga, Tron did a stint with Saint Laurent’s creative team. Oh, did I mention he is the co-founder and designer of French fashion brand Atlein, which he will pause from to be the creative lead at Balmain.
While Tron isn’t the first creative director to have founded a brand, it certainly does help that he has that know-how of building a fashion brand from scratch and building wholesale clients, which he did with Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, and others. And it also helps that he has worked with big named brands and collaborated with well-known names like Kylie Jenner, creating a capsule collection for her brand Khy.
“I’m deeply honored to be joining Balmain,” Tron wrote in a statement today. “I wish to express my gratitude to Olivier Rousteing for building Balmain into the global brand it is today.” Last week Olivier Rousteing announced his exit. His legacy for the brand includes his celebrity reach, bold creativity, and inclusive elements. Tron went on to praise Balmain’s savoir-faire, culture, sensuality, and elegance- all traits that he “resonates” with.
Balmain’s CEO Matteo Sgarbossa and Mayhoola CEO and Chairman of Balmain, Rachid Mohamed Rachid expressed their excitement for Tron’s entrance into the brand. “His [Tron] thoughtful approach to design, rooted in craftsmanship and artistic sensitivity makes him an exciting talent for the House,” says Rachid.
When Tron isn’t knee deep in all things sartorial, he can be found surfing or in nature, where he finds inspiration for his design work. In fact, Atlein takes its name from the ocean. “The name itself refers to the Atlantic Ocean, to this sensuality, this movement,” said Tron in a Paris Fashion Week interview back in 2022.
Tron’s first collection for Balmain will be in March 2026 during Paris Fashion Week.
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