HM with AFP February 27, 2024 at 8:52 p.m
Six men will appear in court this Wednesday, February 28, accused of stealing 50 pieces from the Balmain house just days before the Paris Fashion Week show in September 2023.
The famous fashion house still hasn't recovered. In September 2023, a van carrying pieces from star stylist Olivier Rousteing's new collection was attacked by gunmen who had fled between Roissy airport and the luxury house's headquarters in the capital.
Six men suspected of stealing 50 pieces of the prestigious brand a few days before the fashion show in Paris will appear in court in Bobigny this Wednesday, February 28th. Between the ages of 23 and 32, they will appear before the 18th Correctional Chamber, one of the two immediate appearance chambers. Of the six, three are in custody.
The rest after this ad
A misadventure worthy of a thriller
On the day of the mishap worthy of a thriller, it was Olivier Rousteing who announced the theft of his next collection on his Instagram account nine days before the in-house exhibition. The driver transported the goods “safe and sound” aboard a truck that was traveling “from the airport towards Balmain headquarters” and which was “stolen”, he reported, stating that it was on the premises of the house and was waiting for delivery when the driver called.
The rest after this ad
“My team and I worked very hard. We will work even harder day and night, just like our suppliers, but this is so disrespectful. “I wanted to share this with you to remind you to never take anything for granted,” wrote Balmain’s artistic director since 2011.
Parts found during search
According to a police source, the vehicle was robbed by armed people at the exit of the DHL zone at Roissy airport. They picked up the driver and fled in the truck before abandoning it in Mitry-Mory (Seine-et-Marne). The exuberant and flowery parade was held nine days later at the Théâtre de Chaillot.
The rest after this ad The rest after this ad
Four months later, arrests occurred in the Paris region. “A team was identified that made it possible to trace internal complicity within the van,” a police source told AFP. An employee of a supplier company was among those arrested. Several Balmain pieces were found during house searches. The trial of the six men was originally scheduled for January 23, but the case was postponed due to the complexity of the file, which runs to more than 1,600 pages.