Photo: Courtesy Balmain
Dutch-Moroccan hair stylist, Ilham Mestour has been announced as the new Artistic Director for Balmain Hair Couture. The friend of Vogue Arabia is known for her creative eye and gravity-defying voluminous hair designs – and her own crown of stunning curls – with her work appearing in top editorials and campaigns.
Hair by Ilham Mestour. Photographed by Julien Vallon for Vogue Arabia October 2021
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, Carla Bruna and many more.
Hair by Ilham Mestour for Vogue Arabia March 2022. Photographed by Tom Munro
“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.”
Originally from Casablanca, Mestour moved to the Netherlands as a girl, before returning to Morocco, and later, to Paris. Here she honed her craft during the fast pace of Fashion Week. 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.
Hair by Ilham Mestour. Photographed by Domen & Van De Velde for Vogue Arabia
