History of the Balenciaga Brand

Blog Introduction: Balenciaga is a fashion house founded in Spain in 1919 by Cristobal Balenciaga. He was a self-taught designer who became known for his avant-garde designs. His clothing was popular with European royalty and celebrities. In 1937, he moved his fashion house to Paris. Balenciaga closed his fashion house in 1968 but it was reopened in 1986 by Jacques Bogart SA. Nicolas Ghesquiere became the creative director in 1997 and he remained in that position until 2012. In 2015, Demna Gvasalia became the creative director and he is still in that role today. 

Cristobal Balenciaga was born on January 21, 1895, in the Basque town of Getaria, Spain. He was the youngest of six children. His father was a fisherman and his mother was a seamstress. As a child, he often watched his mother sew clothes for wealthy people in the town. He did not go to school but he was self-educated and he learned to read and write at home. When he was 12 years old, his father died and his mother sent him to live with an aunt so that he could learn how to be a tailor. 

In 1913, at the age of 18, he moved to Madrid where he worked for two years as an assistant for a tailor named Antonio del Olmo. He then moved to Barcelona where he worked for another two years as an assistant for another tailor named Manel Jovellanos. In 1917, he opened his own tailoring business called Eisa on Calle de la Diputacion with financial help from his aunt. 

In 1919, Balenciaga opened his first fashion house called Juana La Puente on Calle de Gracia in Barcelona. His clients included Spanish royalty and celebrities such as the Infanta Maria Josefa and the Duchess of Alba. In 1922, he debuted his first collection at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid which earned him critical acclaim. 

In 1923, Balenciaga debuted his first ready-to-wear collection called "Batas de Cola" which were long tunics and balenciaga hoodie with attached capes that were popular with matadors' wives. That same year, he also introduced the "Baby Doll" silhouette which was a sleeveless dress with a high waist and full skirt that came to just below the knee. 

In 1925, Balenciaga debuted his "Chanel Suit" which was inspired by Coco Chanel's boyish style suits. It featured a boxy jacket with wide lapels and trim trousers. This suit became one of his most iconic designs. 

In 1927, Balenciaga debuted his "Evening Gown" which featured a fitted bodice with a flared skirt that came to just below the knee or mid-calf length depending on the version. This dress became very popular with European royalty such as Queen Marie-Jose of Belgium and Infanta Elena of Spain. 

Balenciaga's Designs

Balenciaga clothing designs were known for being ahead of their time. He introduced new silhouettes such as the baby doll dress fortnite balenciaga and empire waist dress long before they became popular trends. He also popularized certain fabrics such as organdy and organza. His designs were unique but they were also practical which made them popular with working women such as nurses and teachers who appreciated clothing that did not restrict their movements while still looking stylish. 

Conclusion: 

TheBalenciaga brand has been around for over 100 years and it has been through many different iterations during that time period. However, one thing has remained consistent throughout its history: its commitment to design unique, avant-garde clothing that is ahead of its time yet still practical enough to be worn by everyday people."