Belgian-born designer Olivier Theyskens started his eponymous brand in 1997, immediately upon leaving the fashion design school of La Cambre in Brussels. At 20 years old, Theyskens presented his first collection of feminine, high-fashion, women's ready-to-wear and rapidly found international distribution and expansive editorial coverage. Style.com characterized his work at this time as consisting of "strong, dark collections that electrified fashion in the late nineties". In 2002, Theyskens was appointed Artistic Director of Rochas, a position he held for four years. For his work at Rochas he was awarded the Star Award from Fashion Group International in 2005 and the title of Best International Designer by the CFDA in 2006. That same year,Theyskens took over the position of Artistic Director at Nina Ricci, where he infused the house with what WWD described as "his strong suit -- stunning evening dresses that are soft and fluid". Theyskens’ unique aesthetic was captured in a personal book project, The Other Side of the Picture (Assouline). Published in 2009, the book is an anthology of images that offer an intimate insight into Theyskens’ work throughout the years. In 2010, Theyskens and Theory founder and CEO Andrew Rosen joined their complementary strengths and visionary approaches to contemporary fashion to create Theyskens’ Theory. In November of that year, Theyskens was appointed Artistic Director of the global Theory brand, where he stayed until 2014. Throughout his career Olivier Theyskens also worked in the artfield, creating costumes for the Chicago based rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, for the Théatre de la Monnaie in Brussels and for the New York City Ballet, as well as creating special dresses for major celebrities and prominent socialites.