For his latest collection, Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing worked in a very different kind of atelier: the legendary Johnnie Walker Vault, hidden under the Scotch whisky brand’s flagship on Princes Street, in the heart of Edinburgh.
Rousteing was there to make whisky and history. As the first collaborator of the Johnnie Walker Vault, the French fashion designer was invited to work with Johnnie Walker’s master blender, Dr. Emma Walker, to create the Vault’s inaugural release. Rousteing also had the freedom to choose from any of the 500 rare and aged whiskies housed in the Vault, which are curated by Walker for their exceptional taste and quality.
The resulting collection, titled Couture Expression, features the use of prized “ghost” whiskies from three whisky distilleries that are no longer in operation: Port Ellen, Brora and Port Dundas. Rousteing’s collaboration with Johnnie Walker also produced not just one but four bespoke whisky blends, owing to his curiosity and passion for the creative project.
“When I started to try the whiskies [we were making], I realised that I wanted to create one whisky for every season, for every kind of taste,” shares Rousteing over a video call with GRAZIA Singapore. “My vision in fashion is about inclusivity, and creating an incredible community of people. So I thought, ‘Why create only one whisky? Let’s do four in the most incredible bottles and create this incredible journey of emotions for different tastes!’”
Rousteing made his name in the world of fashion with collections that are bold, dramatic and glamorous—and this translated well into the bottles that he designed to house the collaboration’s limited-edition blends. The decanters are handcrafted in crystal by the artisans of the French luxury brand Baccarat to echo the silhouette of Johnnie Walker’s signature square bottle. Each bottle features metallic draping—not unlike what you’ll see in Balmain’s collections—and is topped with a sculptural wing stopper.
Rousteing also gave each a bottle a metallic hue, turning them into trophies: gold was assigned to the smoky ‘Fall’ whisky, his favourite; silver for the vibrant and tropical ‘Summer’ whisky; rose gold for the refreshing and floral ‘Spring’ blend; and black for ‘Winter’, which boasts a deep and rich malt taste balanced with mulled wine sweetness.
“I wanted to create a structured armour reflecting strength and perseverance, but for it to be swathed like silk to bring softness and reveal the beautiful liquid inside,” says Rousteing. “I hope these bottles will remain as pieces of art in the legacy of Johnnie Walker Vault.”
Ahead, Rousteing tells us more about the inspirations (and the song) that sparked the creation of his Johnnie Walker Vault collection, his effortless collaboration with Dr. Emma Walker, and his favourite memories of whisky.
Have you always wanted to create a bespoke whisky? What did you want to explore through whisky that you couldn’t do through fashion?
Olivier Rousteing (OR): What I really understood about whisky is all the emotions that you can build with it. With my career in fashion, I always try to express emotions with clothes or accessories. But you get into a deeper emotion when you create whisky, because it’s about the senses, the smell, the taste. It offers an escapism. It’s about memories. It’s about love. As a creator and an artist, I just really enjoy when people can feel the emotions of my collections or my creations. What started the whisky [creation process] for me was bringing a lot of love and a lot of passion to it. When I started to create those whiskies and try them, everyone in the room was ecstatic, because it felt like, “Okay, we nailed it!”.
What are your favourite memories associated with whisky?
OR: For me, whisky has a smell that I [associate with being] close to the fireplace in my childhood home in Bordeaux. Or with my grandma making crêpes, which is a traditional dessert in France. She would pour in a bit of whisky to the crêpes as well. So the smell of whisky always reminds me of my childhood.
As the first-ever collaborator for the Johnnie Walker Vault, what did you set out to achieve with the Couture Expression collection?
OR: When Johnnie Walker called me [for a collaboration], it was a dream come true. Johnnie Walker has always been a part of my life. I remember my dad and granddad [drinking] whiskies, sometimes with my mum. It’s like a full circle moment. I am so impressed by all the stories that Johnnie Walker has. It’s not even a brand. It’s an institution from the 19th century. From 1820. Imagine. That is crazy. For me, I always love going back to the archives and being a part of history. I went to Scotland, I discovered the incredible Johnnie Walker team, and I worked with Dr Emma Walker. It was a really incredible journey for me. I was new to the world of spirits, but I enjoyed every single moment because as an artist, I am always curious to discover things. It’s been an incredible journey. I learned how to create whisky through meeting professionals who helped me to go deeper and deeper into their expertise.
What stood out to you during your first visit to the Johnnie Walker Vault in Edinburgh?
OR: Timelessness. I think the Johnnie Walker Vault was only open to the public in 2021, so it was really special for me to be a part of it. It is not a place that many people get to see. What I think was the most unique thing about the Vault was all the incredible whiskies there, dating from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. That was really impressive to me, because I’m obsessed with history. I love going back to the past. It’s a bit like what I’ve done with my work as creative director of Balmain—bringing back the archives, making it [relevant for] the present, and ensuring its longevity for the future. So seeing this incredible journey of Johnnie Walker, I felt like my whisky would become a part of the Vault as well. People in maybe 50 or 100 years will discover what I have done.
How would you describe your collaboration with Dr. Emma Walker?
OR: The first question that she asked me was, “What is your favourite song?” And I love that question. I think Emma understood [that in order to know] how she’s going to express the emotions that I want in the whisky, maybe we need to align on the music or sound. We spoke the same language. We were like, “Let’s try to find the music that’s going to represent the emotions that we want [in this collaboration]”. I think that was a really interesting start. Emma explained to me about all the processes [of making whisky], like when she goes to the distillery, or when she works with incredible artisans. And I understood that it was not so far from fashion because it’s about ingredients. It’s about balance. It’s almost like taking a fabric, cutting it and creating a shape. At the end, it becomes a silhouette. For whisky, it’s about what ingredients are you going to include? A bit of pepper, a bit of chocolate. And you start to create your whisky, and you feel like, “Okay, that was the emotion that I wanted to bring to it.”
What was the song that you chose?
OR: It was Michael Jackson’s They Don’t Care About Us. The rhythm is strong. There are drums, and there was that drama around [the song]. It is kind of like, “Let’s break boundaries.” And I think that’s what we did with Johnnie Walker and the Vault.
The collaboration features the use of three rare, ghost whiskies, from Port Ellen, Brora and Port Dundas. What emotions do they stir in you?
OR: One was really, really strong. I was not used to it. That one really reminded me of my dad, because he would drink that [kind of] whisky on Sundays, while watching the television by the fireplace during the winter. Another one was a bit more sugary, more fruity—which I loved, because it felt like an endless summer.
Which of the four whiskies in the Couture Expression collection is your favourite and why?
OR: My favourite is Fall. It comes in the gold bottle. It’s my favourite one because it’s the first one we created. It’s like when you have babies. I don’t have babies, but I’m sure my firstborn would be my favourite anyway [laughs]. It was really about striving for excellence. This is the one where, [while working on it] with Emma, I learned how to create whisky. It’s my favourite for the emotions that it evokes. It has a kind of chocolatey taste, layered with smoke. [It uses a ghost whisky] from a distillery in Port Ellen, from 1978. There is this feeling of spice, a bit of tonka. There’s a lot of tension in this one. My second favourite would be Winter, which comes in the black bottle. That one is about nostalgia, the memories of family, of when you were a kid. It has a really strong [smokiness].
The bottles from the collaboration are unlike anything that we’ve seen before. What features do you like the most about the decanters that you designed?
OR: The [shape of the bottle] is really important, because it comes from Mr. Johnnie Walker. He made square bottles because he was shipping whiskies and spirits on a boat. We took that square bottle and made it in crystal with Baccarat, which is one of the most incredible artisans of France. I’m really proud of that. After that, I asked, “Why don’t we drape around the bottle?” And we did that in metal, which I love working with. For me, the stopper is the most important part of the bottle, because it is inspired by wings. The first thing that I understood when I worked with Johnnie Walker is that it’s all about the slogan, “Keep Walking”. I thought we should add, “until we fly”. When I realised that this collaboration would be something that will stay forever, I was like, “Let’s push boundaries and dream together.” And the dream is the sky—that’s the reason why I wanted this idea of flying and the stopper to look like the beautiful wings of a bird that is free.
Personally, what do you think is the ideal setting or occasion to enjoy the Couture Expression whiskies?
OR: For me, drinking whisky is always about enjoying the moment. It’s always for special moments. It could be with family or friends. The four whiskies that we created are really unique—you drink them neat, or with ice. You don’t mix them. And just enjoy the emotions of each of them.
It’s currently spring, which is a season that represents rebirth for you. How do you feel like you have evolved as a fashion designer, especially over the last 14 years at the helm of Balmain?
OR: To go back to the stopper, what I love about Balmain and what I’m creating there is that I’m like a bird; I have wings to fly and I feel free. That’s the reason why I have spent the last 14 years at the brand. It is freedom. I wake up every day with a smile, feeling free to create, and feeling that it’s always my first day there. I enjoy every single moment.
Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing Couture Expression will launch on 26 May with only 25 bottles of each season available worldwide. Only one complete set of all four expressions will be made available in Singapore. Stay tuned for more details on the Singapore launch and find out more about the collaboration on johnniewalker.com.
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