designed outfits for both TWA and Malaysia–Singapore Airlines' (later Singapore Airlines) cabin crew in the 1960s and '70s. Air France's first female pilot in 1975 wore a uniform by Balmain After he dressed Nicaraguan first lady Hope Portocarrero, she appeared on the 1968 International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. Erik Mortensen, a student of the Danish designer Holger Blum, began as a design assistant at Balmain in 1948. He and Balmain worked well together, and Mortensen quickly went from assistant to collaborator. He and Balmain worked together for the rest of Balmain's life. Margit Brandt worked as a young designer with Pierre Balmain in the early 1960s. Balmain also spotted the talent of Karl Lagerfeld, hiring him in 1954 after judging a fashion competition that the young German designer won. Balmain's vintage couture gowns remain popular, and have been worn by Angelina Jolie, Penélope Cruz, Alexandra Kerry, Tatiana Sorokko, Kate Moss, Kristin Davis and Zendaya. Costume design Balmain was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design for Happy New Year (1980). Additional Broadway theatre credits include costumes for Sophia Loren in The Millionairess (1960) and Josephine Baker for her eponymous 1964 revue. He also was a costume designer for 16 films, including the Brigitte Bardot vehicle And God Created Woman and La Parisienne, and designed on-screen wardrobes for the actresses Vivien Leigh and Mae West. He made a lot of dresses for Dalida. Perfumes Pierre Balmain also created perfumes. His first scent – Elysees 64-83 (1946, perfumer Germaine Cellier). Vent Vert (1947, G.Cellier) – one of the best-selling perfumes of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Other scents included Jolie Madame (1953), Monsieur Balmain (1964), Miss Balmain (1967) – perfumes of Germaine Cellier, Ivoire (1979). Publications Balmain, Pierre, My Years and Seasons, Cassell, London 1964 References External links House of Balmain Vintage designs and adverts by Pierre Balmain 1914 births 1982 deaths People from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne French fashion designers Drama Desk Award winners LGBT fashion designers French LGBT artists 20th-century LGBT people