Where is your favourite destination and why?
New York. I think first of all, New York is full of creativity. The inspiration when you look around, it’s everywhere and it’s a city where the sky is the limit. The skyscrapers are huge, everything feels tall and dramatic, but in the right way because you feel everything is possible. I think that’s where I feel like the American dream exists and dreams can happen. That’s the beauty of New York. As a countryside kid who grew up in Bordeaux, discovering the city was a dream. The first time I went to New York was when I became the creative director of Balmain aged 25 [in 2011]. From that day on, it was love at first sight.
When was the last time you were there, and who were you with?
Two or three weeks ago, for an event with my clients. I will be back this weekend for the Met Gala which is such a special weekend — I mean this is one of the most iconic weekends that you will always remember. First because I am working so hard on the collection we’re presenting there — I know it is something that is not only for the night, but that will stay forever at the Metropolitan Museum. The incredible night that you spend with the most iconic people that it was your dream to meet. There’s all the energy, glamorous fun, the craft, and you forget everything for one night. We’re all together and there’s no competition between designers. We all work so hard to make this night iconic with the clothes that we are doing. It will be even more spectacular this year as I am hosting my own dinner and party on Saturday with Johnnie Walker to celebrate my recent collaboration with the brand.
What are your favourite Met Gala memories?
One of my favourites was last year with Tyla. I loved going with her. Everybody was thinking [the security guards carrying her up the steps] was staged but it wasn’t. At the fitting I said, “Love, you cannot walk in that dress, do you want me to cut it?” She didn’t let me. I was stuck in traffic and couldn’t help her, so those guys took her by the waist. Afterwards I had to cut the dress — Kris Jenner was there and Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos. It was really fun, but cutting in front of all those people was a bit of a Project Runway Met Gala challenge. I also had a lot of fun with Justin Bieber in 2016 — we stopped for pizza all dressed on the way. I loved going with Kim [Kardashian] and Kylie [Jenner] as well.
Where do you like to stay there?
The Soho Grand Hotel. It’s family. I’m always checking if the same people are loyal to the hotel, and it’s been almost 10 years that I’ve been going there and I see the same faces. It shows the hotel is nice, it’s an incredible crowd and the people working there are like family. I feel good, safe, it’s a cocooning situation. Lots of people stay at The Mark Hotel for the Met, but I stay loyal to the Soho Grand — I don’t want to see the entire craziness of fashion when you wake up and want to have breakfast.
What has been your favourite meal there?
My favourite restaurant is Indochine, the French-Vietnamese fusion which I love. It’s really a great mix. I’m a bit like a kid, but I am obsessed with my mac and cheese in the Soho Grand Hotel — with all my team, when we go there, it feels like a reunion. It’s to die for.
What would you do if you only had 24 hours there?
Something that I have done that I’m obsessed with, which is really like a tourist, is taking the boat, being on the river. This is the thing I love: when it’s spring, and you can see the sunset. I have a friend who has a house in Chelsea, and we love to spend time taking the boat and just talking for hours on it. In the winter, you have to take all the coats and scarves.
What is the one unmissable thing you recommend doing?
You have to go vintage shopping. Nowhere in particular, just head into the stores you see. I love the vintage in New York because there’s a lot of American culture that you don’t find obviously in Paris. Cowboy boots always catch my eye. I love them. And cowboy hats.
Where do you like to let your hair loose?
I like to go to the Boom Boom Room, at the top of the Standard Hotel. But again, my favourite place where I can have a drink with my friends is at the Soho Grand, where I spend a lot of time. I can enjoy incredible whiskey at the bar or sometimes on the rooftop or terrace.
Who do you call to have a good time there?
I have to say not a lot of people from fashion. It’s really kind of a different crowd there. I have friends working in architecture, one in event production or painters. Some of my friends are singers — I’m not gonna mention the names — but New York is good because it’s really private. We just have a dinner at night and sleep in their house.
Favourite shops?
I love to go to the Apple store. This is my favourite thing, because I think what they have there in New York is better than I have in Paris.
The one thing you would bring home as a souvenir?
An “I Love NY” T-shirt. It’s the most beautiful thing and it’s really accessible. New York is New York — we all love New York, and we should all be proud to wear the T-shirt.
Which building you would like to live in?
I don’t have a specific building, but I would love to wake up every morning with Central Park in front of my eyes. It’s so iconic and reminds me of the series that I was watching as a kid.
Your dress code for New York?
What I love about New York is the sense of freedom that sometimes you don’t find in different cities. New York is about an attitude, it’s about confidence; you can dress the way you want. You can be more streetwear, you can wear more tailoring. At the end of the day, it’s the balance of the attitude that I think is cool. You can see the bankers in New York and they have super-normal suits on, but they have crazy socks on. Or you will see the university style, or the more cowboy style. The beauty of New York, and the reason I love it, is that you cannot define New York for one style. Paris, for example, is about nonchalance and a chicness. I think that’s a cliché, but there is no cliché in New York. You just be who you want to be.
Olivier Rousteing is creative director at Balmain, Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing Couture Expression will pre-launch at Harrods from 5th May, £16,000, launches May 26
