The house of Balmain was founded in 1945 by the French designer Pierre Balmain, who opened his studio at 44, rue François 1er in Paris. He presented his first collection on October 12 of the same year. Critics were soon seduced by the simple green, brown, red and lavender fabrics as well as the refined lines of the clothes. In 1949, the designer launched his perfume, Jolie Madame, which marked the beginnings of his haute couture collections under the same name that debuted in Autumn-Winter 1952-1953.