Balmain (fashion house) Pierre took over until 1992 working as director of ready-to-wear and haute couture. Possibly the most influential designer to take over at Balmain was Oscar de la Renta, who led the house between 1993 and 2002. Already a fashion veteran before joining Balmain, De la Renta brought a famous face to the brand Balmain. He lived in New York City most of his life, although he was born in the Dominican Republic and became a naturalized United States citizen in 1971. He fit into the Balmain design aesthetic, with an eye for detail and classic silhouettes. He, like Balmain, preferred
Adam Lippes and on the board of God's Love We Deliver. He lives in New York City and the Berkshires. Adam Lippes Adam Lippes (born December 24, 1972) is an American fashion designer who came to prominence at Oscar de la Renta and has had his own company since 2004. Lippes was born in Buffalo, New York, one of three children of Gerald S. Lippes, a lawyer, and Sandra Lippes (née Franger, d. 2004), a nurse. After the Nichols School in Buffalo he studied Psychology at Cornell University, graduating in 1994, and art history and architecture at the American University of Paris.