Ilham Mestour Artistic director of Balmain Hair

The Moroccan/Dutch hairstylist is originally from Casablanca but relocated to the Netherlands when she was young. She later went back to Morocco for a while before returning to Holland when she was a teenager. Ilham has been passionate by hair since she was a child, coming from Morroco where the women’s hair care culture is very important. She started by saying that she was fascinated by the transformation and impact that hair has on us, and she knew it was something she wanted to pursue ever since.

With many years of Fashion Week experience, hair styling for Armani, Burberry, Max Mara, Fendi Rick Owens, Ferragamo, and Zac Posen fashion shows, where she worked with world-famous celebrities and top models. Ilham Mestour is an inspirational and aspirational professional and she was announced as the new Artistic Director of Balmain Hair Couture.

On the same day, as she stepped into this new position, she had a close conversation and a part of the Balmain team. There Kasper Heemskerk, International Education Director, explained a bit more about the brand and he mentioned that Balmain Hair is the first fashion brand with a hairline, making it a unique selling point of the brand. Balmain Hair has a wide variety of products for all hair types, now that Ilham is entering this role, she is looking forward to what she can help improve and add to the company. She believes that creating more products directed at curly hair is one possible way to do so. Besides that Ilham Mestour has her own Dutch Beauty Academy in Amsterdam.

A Fashion Week veteran, she has engineered hair looks backstage for Armani, Burberry, Gucci, Valentino, Givenchy, Max Mara, Fendi, Rick Owens, Ferragamo, and Zac Posen. Mestour has worked with celebrities, top models, and royalty, with her impressive client list including Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Farida Khelfa, Imaan Hammam, Carla Bruni, Amina Muaddi, Mona Zaki, Samira Said, Nadine Nassib and many more.

“I have known Balmain Hair Couture for over 20 years, and our friendship has now been sealed with a beautiful collaboration in which we share the same vision and passion,” Mestour tells Vogue Arabia. “I’m very excited for this new adventure.”
In a stroke of synergy, Balmain Hair Couture also has a Dutch connection, with the brand launching after Pierre Balmain began collaborating with young wigmaker Dick Guliker, a Netherlands native.

Sources:
Numeromag
Ilham Mestour Bio
Vogue