Olivier Rousteing's True Rags-To-Riches Story

The upcoming H&M x Balmain collaboration has everyone clamoring for even the smallest sneak peek of the line, but the latest promotional tease has me just as interested in the man behind the clothes. In a video posted by Elle UK, creative director Olivier Rousteing revealed he was in an orphanage when he was young, which influenced his love (and obvious talent) for fashion. Talk about a rags-to-riches story.

"Coming from Bordeaux, I was also in an orphanage, and I didn't know my parents," said Rousteing. "I always used clothes to actually identify myself and making sure that I could find my own identity."

This isn't the first time Rousteing has spoken about his humble beginnings and the influence its had on his career, though. He told The Talks in 2014, "My mom had cancer when she was young and she couldn’t have a baby, so she adopted me from an orphanage. So already starting from this point I thought everything is possible, that I can get what I want. You just have to believe that."

In the fashion industry, there's no one who has proved that more than Rousteing: According to The Talks, he became the creative director of Balmain at age 25. (Yup. Twenty. Five.) Oh, and he didn't even finish fashion school. What's the word for that? Oh, yeah. Prodigy.

As if his striking creations weren't enough, Rousteing's backstory makes me even more eager to join the #BalmainArmy when his H&M collab drobs on November 5.

Are you excited yet?

How about now?

Only two more months to go!

Video: ELLE UK/H&M