"Master of us all" – this is how Monsieur Dior, who was overwhelmed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, acknowledged his superiority as a couturier and designer throughout his life. Coco Chanel also admired his talent and virtuosity, as did Hubert de Givenchy, who placed Balenciaga on a pedestal. Who was this Spanish designer who managed to conquer Paris and left behind a legacy that continues to have a huge influence on global fashion?
Born in the Basque Country, Balenciaga expressed from a young age that tailoring was his dream and his destiny. There are many legends about his first encounter with fashion and the first spark of his genius. However, they all point to one common denominator: Cristóbal Balenciaga, even as a teenager, promised to be a designer who would change the face of women's fashion. He was born at the end of the 19th century and thus grew up at the turn of epochs, in times when the female silhouette underwent a rapid fashion revolution. First, the corsets were discarded, then came further experiments with proportions, the emphasis on the waist and the treatment of the female body as a sculpture.
Balenciaga and his journey to the world fashion capital
Balenciaga honed his extraordinary tailoring talent at Casa Gomez in San Sebastián, Spain. At the age of twenty-two, he opened his first boutique in this city, mainly thanks to the help of the Marquise de Casa Torres, who, fascinated by Balenciaga's ideas and talent, decided to become his patron. He ran his boutique until 1936 when the Spanish Civil War broke out.
Amidst this misfortune, the designer then decided to move to Paris, the only fashion capital at that time. This move allowed him to promote his name among the most influential and wealthy clients, as well as to establish relationships with local designers. The 1930s and 40s were the golden age of Parisian fashion, and anyone who was lucky enough to be there at that time, and showed even a bit of talent, could instantly acquire the status of the most desirable and sought-after fashion designer.
Post-war years – experiments with form
The following decades, the 1950s and 60s, were the times that Balenciaga mainly devoted to designing. After the death of his beloved partner, the Spanish master focused on fashion and transformed his longing into the most beautiful women's creations. He played with the line of the shoulders and experimented with the waistline. His constructions were fashionable and concrete, but also very ingenious and feminine at the same time. He was not afraid to create rounded designs, like the tunic-dress, and he was not afraid to sew clothes that required the greatest precision and a great imagination, also a spatial one. Photographers dreamed of immortalizing his creations, and models were waiting for the day when Master Balenciaga would invite them to collaborate.
Available at Vitkac store: Balenciaga in a contemporary edition
Today, Cristóbal Balenciaga is considered one of the greatest masters of haute couture. His achievements and name allowed him to build a brand, which may not remind us today of the designs of the Spanish couturier, but which is still mentioned among the three most important brands in contemporary fashion. Balenciaga's boots designed by Demna Gvasalia have become a bestseller, and Balenciaga's Rosa Botanica perfume is selling out of stores at an express pace.
Spanish house of fashion's clothes, being a trend indicator and luxury, are available in the Vitkac online store. Balenciaga is a current brand that attracts attention with its innovative approach to trends, a fascination with Eastern European fashion and balancing on the border of kitsch and modern virtuosity.
A large logo is displayed on the Balenciaga bag, and the Balenciaga denim jacket is adorned with rainbow flags. Even such simple projects as boots or a Balenciaga skirt with delicate lace are simultaneously feminine, but also have a very street character. Demna Gvasalia polarizes the world with his proposals and, like Cristóbal Balenciaga, proves that experimenting with form and construction (and sometimes deconstruction) can be a very interesting direction for contemporary fashion.
