Haute Couture designer Stéphane Rolland started his eponymous brand almost two decades ago.

After a successful stint at Balenciaga, where he was the creative director of menswear, at the at the age of 24, he left to start his own label. Today, he is one of Paris’s most sought-after couturiers, and his consistency and impeccable design means that he is popular with women all around the world. His popularity in fact, reached the Middle East over 30 years ago when he first came to the region to design dresses for private clients and this part of the world remains very close to his heart.
Stéphane Rolland is one of the few brands that remains independently owned and it is perhaps this that’s the secret to the brand’s long-lasting success. As the designer prepares for his next haute couture show in January, discuss design, architecture, emotion and the importance of always being open to learning more.
How would you describe the universe of Stéphane Rolland today?
My world: It’s a large subject! Everything is about art and movement, and my inspiration comes from architecture and modern art. Since I was a child, I’ve been extremely interested in how the structure of a building, a house, or nature comes together. There are icons like Oscar Niemeyer and Zaha Hadid, who have built some of the most incredible buildings in the world. When you see the city of Brasilia, it’s the wrong shapes, but the structures come together, and this is really me. You can feel and see that in the construction of my clothes. I always translated this in my haute couture designs, and a few years ago, I found it was time to develop other lines, so we launched a bridal collection, which has been very successful. We also have a line of ready-to-wear evening gowns, and last year we launched jewellery.
What is your current focus and direction for the brand?
What I love the most is creating collections, and the experience of the big shows and presentations. I love this artistic part and creating something very emotional and spectacular at the same time. Currently, we are preparing a very big show for January – we will have almost 2,000 guests. Most of the seats will be sold for the benefit of the foundation of French hospitals and a part of the venue will be open to the public. I love this idea of being able to help or give back through what I do, whether from a charity angle or by giving my knowledge to those who need it. Everyone wants to be in fashion but what I am trying to explain is that fashion is not all about the glamour. What’s important is knowledge and culture, and so, I try to open the eyes of the younger generation and tell them to forget about their mobile phones and go to the museum or the theatre or the opera, and they will see and understand why music, light and design are so important and why we need to bring emotion to our work. I also try to help a lot with kids and students as much as I can by doing masterclasses around the world.
Tell us about the Fall/Winter 2024 collection – the inspiration, the silhouette, the materials etc.
It’s very Parisian. Everything is black and white – I wanted to show who I am and my DNA – in the structure and graphic lines – so we are in Paris in the forties. The theme is one thing, but the mood of the show was very important. I used very old songs with the voices of great French artists in the soundtrack.
It’s difficult for me to talk about this show strangely because it is probably the one that is a perfect reflection of who I am. Many people have told me it’s probably one of my best collections ever – so there is a big challenge now for the next collection…
What can we look forward to with the Fall/Winter 25 collection that will debut in January?
This collection is about my creative process, although I don’t know if we would call it a process. There is a story, of course. It’s about transmission, tolerance, peace, and fusion of different cultures – words and topics that are very important today when we read the news. The spiritual Godmother of this show is Josephine Baker. She was a fantastic woman, an extremely modern artist. She was the first black star to come to Europe in the twenties, and she performed almost naked on stage; with such modernity, she was ahead of her time, and she did a lot for our country. She became a huge icon in France. She adopted 14 children from countries around the world, and she built an international family, showing that many different cultures could live together. So in this show, we are celebrating 100 years of her birth, and her children will be attending the show. It will be a very emotional moment. In the collection, I will mix the cultures of France and Africa, as well as the vibe of the American Jazz culture. It will be very emotional.
How would you assess the industry today and how it has evolved?
I think people have started to learn and understand that it’s better to buy clothing that’s a bit more expensive but also better quality—buying less but better. I think we are now at the end of the culture of wasting products and exaggerating consumption. People have consumed too much, and I think they are now starting to understand that it’s a tragedy for the planet. So, I do think the system is starting to change. I don’t exaggerate when I say that real luxury, like Haute Couture, is good for the planet. OK, clients are still buying clothes, but they don’t dispose of these clothes like they do with fast fashion items. They will be kept for generations. I can start to see the change, and I hope this will continue.
What’s the biggest challenge you face as a designer today?
There are so many challenges! My challenge is not to repeat myself, always bring new ideas, and surprise myself. This is the biggest challenge.
For the new generation, the biggest challenge is to be an artist, and also be aware of the business and have marketing and commercial formation.
How do you balance finding new ideas but not being too different each season to ensure your loyal clients remain loyal?
I think the advantage of being my age is that you know who you are and you don’t have anything to prove. You have to be honest in how you express yourself and honest with yourself. And to transmit and to give what you really are. Don’t create to seduce the media or follow trends. Remain true to who you are, and success will come.
Tell us about your brand in the Middle East.
My story with the Middle East is a very old story. I have been going to the Middle East for 30 years. I was probably the first couturier to visit Saudi Arabia, when it was undeveloped, and it felt like a secret world, which I loved. 30 years ago, when I arrived in Riyadh at the small airport, everything was very quiet, and I loved it. I was the first male designer to be allowed access to the female palaces and I really discovered a new world. I started with Riyadh, where I designed for some clients, then went to Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. I met the daughter of Sheikh Zayed, it was really amazing.
What made you come to the region at that point?
The royal family invited me as I was designing a wedding dress for a Saudi princess. I actually designed her wedding dress without knowing who she was at this point. After I designed the dress, she became my publicity in the Middle East because she was the granddaughter of the king of Saudi Arabia. I met the daughters of the founder of Saudi Arabia, and they told me some incredible stories. They really showed me the roots of the country and I learned a lot with a lot of respect. I was living a dream. When I come to the Middle East today, I feel like part of the family. I have a very special relationship with many people there, including members of the royal family, and it means a lot to me.
What are your thoughts on the fashion industry in the Middle East today?
The industry is booming. I’m glad that fashion designers and brands are arriving and blossoming in the Middle East. Ashi Studio is probably one of the best examples of this, and I am very proud to have seen a Saudi designer on an international platform. [Mohammed] Ashi is a very modern designer who shows very interesting things.
Of course, the countries in the region have money and power, but they know how to use it smartly, which is not always the case everywhere. Everything they do is impressive, and I can see this happening in the fashion industry too. I’m very happy for the countries.
Tell us something about Stephane Rolland, the person.
The designer and the person is the same because designing is ninety per cent of my life. I’m a dreamer, I’m a lover, and a part of me is very oriental. I love to give, and when I give, I receive even more. I like to observe and always say I will finish my life in the desert. Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser once told me I am a Bedouin, and I think I am; I take it as a compliment. I’m a Bedouin in the sense that I have no boundaries. I like to move, I like to discover new cultures. I had the chance to travel a lot in my childhood so my eyes and brain have been trained to observe and live with different cultures. That really made me who I am today.
Now my life is about transmission. But there are many things I want to do. I want to spend time developing more artistic skills – I want to sculpt, paint, and take photos – and I create more and more costumes for cinema and opera. I love to collaborate with artists.
Being independent and not having a group behind me is difficult, but it gives me freedom. Freedom has a price to pay, but I prefer to pay. Sometimes I feel like a dinosaur as there are not many brands continue to be independent and have success. It’s important to continue to express yourself and develop and make sure my team are happy.
What is a message you would send to our readers?
I think the readers know what they want, and they will understand my message when they read. Open your eyes, open your ears. Observe and accept and open your arms to learning. The most beautiful thing in life is to learn.