The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT (MFIT) honored Olivier Rousteing, creative director of the house of Balmain, with its 2025 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion during its annual fundraising luncheon at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City. The award was presented by actor and singer Jeremy Pope. The luncheon was co-chaired by Couture Council board members Jane DeFlorio, corporate director at Vivid Seats Inc., and Stephanie Loeffler, philanthropist and board member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The Museum at FIT Student Award was presented to Isabella Rasch, Art History and Museum Professions ’26.

Presented by Bloomingdale’s, the event raised funds for The Museum at FIT, New York’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion. Proceeds will go toward developing the museum’s exhibitions, programming, and symposia, all of which are free and open to the public.

To kick off the event, MFIT’s director and chief curator, Dr. Valerie Steele, welcomed guests. This was followed by remarks from FIT President Joyce F. Brown and Bloomingdale’s Chief Merchant Denise Magid. Guests were treated to gifts from both Bloomingdale’s Balmain Beauty, including a full-sized fragrance from the exquisite Les Éternels de Balmain collection and a generous Bloomingdale’s gift certificate.

Additional notable luncheon attendees included: Gabriela Hearst, Martha Stewart, Zanna Roberts Rassi, Meredith Marks, Ramona Singer, Fern Mallis, Liz Peek, Jean Shafiroff, Julie Macklowe, Katherine Gage Boulud, Yaz Hernandez, Ken Downing, Douglas Hand, Ruben Toledo, and more.

“I’ve always followed my soul. My instincts. I’ve never been afraid to break the codes, to disrupt, to rewrite the rules, and to create new ones. I will never forget my first Met Gala, nervous and incredulous, just a boy from Bordeaux who never thought he’d be standing on that carpet. I was scared. But I was proud. I’m also proud of the incredible women who have trusted and inspired me—my muses. Women I’ve had the honor to dress: Rihanna, Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, among the many talented and gorgeous women," said Olivier Rousteing. "This award is not just a recognition of my past. It is a celebration of every risk, every battle, every dream, and every person who dared to believe in me and believe with me. And to the students of FIT, and to the people in this room, and to anyone who has a dream… let me leave you with a wish: Be confident. Be proud of where you come from. Believe in your voice. Believe in your instincts. Believe in your story. No one—no one—can take your dreams away. Be disruptive. Be the pioneers of the world you want to live in.”