![]() By keeping the press unaware of the design of his garments until the day before they were shipped to stores, he hoped to curtail ongoing piracy and copying of his designs. In 1957, Balenciaga famously decided to show his collection to the fashion press the day before the clothing retail delivery date, not the standard four weeks before the retail delivery date the fashion industry followed at the time. Several designers who worked for Balenciaga would go on to open their own successful couture houses, notably Oscar de la Renta (1949), Andre Courreges (1950), Emanuel Ungaro (1958), but his most famous and noted protégé was Hubert de Givenchy, who was the lone designer to side with Balenciaga against the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne and also the press over the scheduling of his shows. Her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy. Kennedy was president, he apparently feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish. Jackie Kennedy famously upset her husband by buying Balenciaga's expensive creations while John F. In 1960, he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar and the hips. His often spare, sculptural creations-including funnel-shape gowns of stiff duchess satin worn to acclaim by clients such as Pauline de Rothschild, Bunny Mellon, Marella Agnelli, Hope Portocarrero, Gloria Guinness, and Mona von Bismarck-were considered masterworks of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s. His trademarks included "collars that stood away from the collarbone to give a swanlike appearance" and shortened "bracelet" sleeves. In the 1960s, Balenciaga tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery, and bold materials. His manipulation of the waist, in particular, contributed to "what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion: a new silhouette for women." In 1959, his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and coats cut like kimono. Other contributions in the postwar era included the spherical balloon jacket (1953), the high-waisted baby doll dress (1957), the cocoon coat (1957), the balloon skirt (1957), and the sack dress (1957). In 1955, he designed the tunic dress, which later developed into the chemise dress of 1958. In 1951, he transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. The fluidity of his silhouettes enabled him to manipulate the relationship between his clothing and women's bodies. ĭuring the post-war years, his lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by " Christian Dior's New Look". However, he testified that he refused Hitler's request to transfer his company's activities to Berlin. The company was one of only 60 allowed to operate during the occupation, and the ongoing supply of raw materials from Spain, which were in short supply in Paris due to the war, gave Balenciaga a competitive advantage. The relation to Franco was so close that Balenciaga designed clothing for the Franco family. Historians believe that Balenciaga's continued activity during the Nazi occupation of Paris was made possible by his connections with Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco who was Adolf Hitler's close ally. During this period, he was noted for his "square coat", with sleeves cut in a single piece with the yoke, and for his designs with black (or black and brown) lace over bright pink fabric. ![]() ![]() Ĭustomers risked their safety traveling to Europe during World War II to see Balenciaga's clothing. Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar, was an early champion of his designs. In two years, the press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after. īalenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, where his first fashion show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance. ![]() When the Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores, he moved to Paris. The Spanish royal family and aristocracy wore his designs. History Balenciaga dresses on display in Florence, Italy Founding to 1980 Ĭristóbal Balenciaga opened his first boutique in San Sebastián, Spain, in 1919, and expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona. It is currently owned by the French corporation Kering. Balenciaga produces ready-to-wear footwear, handbags, and accessories, and licenses its name and branding to Coty for fragrances. Balenciaga SA ( / b ə ˌ l ɛ n s i ˈ ɑː ɡ ə/ bə- LEN-see- AH-gə ) is a luxury fashion house founded in 1919 by the Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga in San Sebastian, Spain, and currently based in Paris. ![]()
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