Olivier Rousteing, who has spoken frequently about his life as an adopted person, is now using his platform to attempt to give more power to children seeking out their biological parents. Following the filming of his new documentary Wonder Boy, which explores the secrets surrounding the 35-year-old designer’s birth, Rousteing will speak at a conference about revising the national adoption laws in France.
Set to premiere in Paris this Saturday, the film focuses on the life of the Balmain designer rather than his work in the fashion industry, and follows him as he tries to understand his heritage. “There’s all this talk about inclusivity and diversity, and I’m the first to fight for it, but how could I fight for it without knowing myself where I was from?”, he explained in a New York Times article ahead of its launch.
Despite always believing he was mixed-race, due to his light skin, it is revealed during the film that his mother is actually Somalian and his father Ethiopian.
The revelation of finding out he is not mixed-race in the way he believed has encouraged the French designer to speak at the upcoming conference. Organised by the French government, it will take place later this year and look into how more powers could be given to adoptive children trying to understand where they came from.
“To hear his story would be very necessary for our country because of all the issues around immigration,” Anissa Bonnefont, the film's director and producer said in the New York Times article. “People need to see the reality of how you can achieve a dream and come from nothing. That’s the American story, but it’s not the French story. In France where you come from, what family, what school – that is who you are.”
Wonder Boy, which will premiere the day after he presents his SS20 Balmain collection, offers a different perspective of the designer’s life that we usually see. Known for his famous friends, glamorous designs, and perfectly curated Instagram, this film is set to show a more intimate and personal side of Rousteing.