All About Balenciaga

Born in the small village of Guetaria, Spain in 1895, it was unlikely that Cristóbal Balenciaga would become a leader in haute couture as a French designer.Needless to say, his fortunate tryst with couture started at the age of thirteen when he gave praises of elegance to the Marquise of Casa Torres.Impressed with his complimenting candor, she requested that he make a replica of her outfit, which he nervously accepted.Once he made it, the Marquise returned the compliment by wearing his design.As a result, his passion for fine couture blossomed.

Balenciaga pursued his career as a couturier by making fashion pilgrimage to France.While there,he was inspired by collections of Parisian fashion notables Doucet, Drecoll, and Worth. He took his Parisian influences and opened a couture workshop that introduced female Spaniards to the styles of French.His motivation as a designer did not reflect his young age.With every action he took, it seemed as though he was a veteran.In 1919, he established his first couture house bearing his name, Balenciaga, in San Sebastian.In the years to come he opened another house in Paris and Madrid.Nonetheless, Balcenciaga's fashion houses would serve as his home base to produce some of the finest pieces of haute couture that would change the face of fashion.

As years turned into centuries, Balenciaga's began to emerge as couturier royalty.He took this title quite literally as his designs draped the Queen of Spain, the Queen of Belgium, the Duchess of Windsor and Princess Grace of Monaco.Even so, Balenciaga maintained his ingenious design consistency by meticulously experimenting with silhouettes and innovating style.In the 1940's he took a constrained look of sophistication by cinching waistlines and creating pieces that complimented the feminine shoulders with broad confidence.This took a different turn in the 50's when he freed the female form and revealed looser fits and wide-collared open necks.This century also gave way to his introduction of baby doll, tunic and sack dresses.By going against the grain of the current fashions, he modernized fashion with every collection providing a very powerful vision of fashion forwardness.Since the beginning, Balenciaga has constantly fine-tuned fashion with unbelievable technique.He has been known for full-bodied skirts, elegantly huge evening coats and creations such as the seven-eighths coat.In addition, he worked with the Swiss fabric house Abraham to create the fabric gazar.The silk-like material is maintains a firmness that allows more pliability.This material is still used in many of Balenciaga's suits, dresses and evening gowns.Soon after creating great clothing, he began to produce a variety of fragrances and fine accessories like scarves and pillbox hats. As the pioneer of many copied designs, he created considerably risky pieces such as his conveniently titled balloon skirt and his full utilization of dolman sleeves. His designs are conceptual visions of art that border on the line of avant-garde and sophisticated sexiness.

His works and notable standing as an aesthetic designer have been recognized by not only queens and everyday women, but also by art lovers.In 1973, his pieces were exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Thirteen years later, he had another exhibition in New York at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

As the 20th century progressed, Balenciaga continued his success.At the 30-year mark of his career, he decided to retire.He began to slowly close his fashion houses in the 60's.When the inimitable couturier passed away in 1972, lost one of the greatest visionaries in contemporary fashion.Balenciaga continued to live on through Josephus Thimister, who maintained the prestige of the label.In the 90's the label produced a ready to wear line that bared trademark classicisms. Thimister's stint as the creative director was taken over by Nicholas Ghesquiere, who still designs for the label today.Ghesquiere is probably most renowned for his creation of the futuristic "Le Dix" collection.Even though Cristóbal Balenciaga no longer lives physically, the designs that he started in the early 20th century still live on in pieces produced by Ghesquiere, who adheres to Balenciaga's vision.

Balenciaga's modern elegance has probably made one of the biggest impacts in fashion.To this day, his designs remain popular among the elite such as art mogul Yvonne Force and actress Chloe Sevigny. His finely sculptured pieces have and will continue to leave a prominent mark on haute couture.