Balenciaga

Balenciaga is a well-known fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish designer, born in the Basque Country in 1895. Cristobal Balenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937. He was both a designer and craftsman. His entire life was based on seeking out the simple essence. Simplicity was his chief aim. The richness of his work results from the influence of his native Spain. He liked working with silks and satin, and made his clothes as feminine as possible. He was a perfectionist and made superb finishes.

His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes, were the trademarks of the house.
It was once said, that when a woman wearing a Balenciaga gown walks into a room, there is no other woman there. His clothes were so elegant, grand and perfectly made, that he alone was known as "The Master." Balenciaga was fascinated by every seam, a master of color, cut and line. He was the favorite of the purist, whether client, editor or historian.
Balenciaga trained and inspired Givenchy, Ungaro, Scherrer, Courreges, Oscar de la Renta and many others. Today Balenciaga is owned by the Gucci Group. Since 1995, Nicolas Ghesquiere (born 1972) has been the chief designer for the house of Balenciaga. He worked with Jean-Paul Gaultier and Callaghan earlier. Ghesquiere has breathed new life into the elegant house of Balenciaga, with his avant-garde and successful designs.

History
1885 – Cristobal Balenciaga was born
1918 – Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first salon in San Sebastián
1933 – He opened two couture workshops in Madrid and Barcelona
1936 – The Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores and Balenciaga moved to Paris.
1938 – Balenciaga opened the Fashion House in Paris
1944 – Balenciaga's collection featured Kimono sleeves with the Empire Line bodice.
1945 – He participated in the first post-war Parisian fashion show, “The Theatre of Fashion."
1946 – Balenciaga created his first perfume Le Dix
1950 – Collections of dresses - balloons and shirts without collars from Balenciaga create a sensation in the world fashion-market
1951 – Presented the Blouse-Stripped Vest, which has become a new trademark.
1956 – He designed the Tunic Dress
1957 – He introduced his most famous contribution to fashion – The Baby Doll Look
1959 – Designed costumes for Cocteau's film, "Ophelia will."
1968 – Cristóbal Balenciaga left the house.
1972 – Cristobal Balenciaga died
1978 – 1986 – The House of Balenciaga is owned by Hoechst
1986 – 2001 – The House of Balenciaga is owned by Jacques Bogart.
1992 – 1997 Mechior Thimister is the chief designer of Balenciaga
1997 – Nicolas Ghesquiere is appointed as chief designer of Balenciaga
2001 – Gucci Group buys Balenciaga
2007 – Exposition “Balenciaga Paris” opens at the Museum of Fashion in Paris.

Philosophy
“A Couturier must be an architect for design, a sculptor for shape, a painter for color, a musician for harmony, and a philosopher for temperance,” said Cristobal Balenciaga.

“The history of the house is incredible, which means I can work with a lot of freedom. Cristobal Balenciaga discovered so many things, was so inventive. It’s astonishing. I can work on something and then look back through the archives and find it already. I am very respectful for Balenciaga, but it’s another time and it’s my vision of what Balenciaga is now. For me it’s about evolution not revolution,” Nicolas Ghesquiere said.

For more details see
www.balenciaga.com