Last week, I spent Style File Friday looking at Christian Dior and the contributions he has made to style and fashion. I started with Dior because I will be seeing his works in person when I head to the UK in February. However, my Dior research led to me falling down a style and fashion history hole! Throughout 2019, I will exploring the history of different designers- not every week, but fairly often. And I am starting with Cristóbal Balenciaga’s history, and what he and his house have accomplished in the world of style.
Balenciaga’s History: Early Life
Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was born in 1895 in Getaria, a town in the Basque region of Spain. (21 January is an amazing day for the style world, as both Balenciaga and Dior were born on it!) His mother was a seamstress, and Balenciaga was actually to study under her for much of his childhood. When he was only 12, he became an apprentice to a tailor and quickly acquired several notable clients in his town. He then went to Madrid to study design and tailoring officially, which gave him skills that would serve him for the rest of his life.
Balenciaga’s History: The House of Balenciaga Begins
In 1917 in San Sebastián, Balenciaga opened his own boutique, and so the house began! His store took off quickly, and he opened additional boutiques in both Barcelona and Madrid to meet the growing demand for his designs. He also dressed the Spanish Royal Family, as well as much of the Spanish aristocracy, which is an incredible accomplishment for any designer. Sadly, because of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939, for anyone who isn’t familiar), he was forced to close all of his boutiques. Fortunately for the design world, he ended up moving to Paris. He opened his Paris boutique in 1937, and so it continued!
Balenciaga’s History: Iconic Shapes
During the war years, Balenciaga’s designs were so popular that people risked their own safety to go to Paris to see and buy his designs. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he was known for “his celebrated square coat—in which the sleeve was cut in one piece with the yoke—and anything shown in his unique color combination of black and brown or black lace over bright pink.” Like many other designers, Balenciaga’s work began to truly evolve in the post-war years. As a contrast to Dior’s New Look, Balenciaga’s silhouettes were far more fluid. The waistline would raise or lower (in no relation to the wearer’s actual waist), and the shoulders were typically broadened. He then introduced the balloon jacket in 1953, as well as the high waisted baby doll dress, the balloon skirt, and the cocoon coat in 1957. These were all specific and unique shapes at the time, and are still used today in design. In 1957, he also designed the sack dress- it was not well-received to start with, but presented an entirely different relationship between the wearer’s body and the garment they are wearing.
Balenciaga’s History: The House of Balenciaga Today
Balenciaga dressed several infamous socialites, including the Duchess of Windsor and Jackie Kennedy. He also designed the wedding dress of Fabiola de Mora Y Aragón for her marriage to King Baudouin I of Belgium. However, he closed the house in 1968 and died of a heart attack in 1972. Several notable designers, including Oscar de la Renta and Hubert de Givenchy, worked as in house designers for Balenciaga.
However, the rights to the Balenciaga name weren’t purchased until 1986. Michael Goma designed a ready-to-wear collection, and continued to garner mixed reviews. Dutch designer Josephus Thimister took over in 1992 and set about restoring Balenciaga to high-end status. (Technically, Balenciaga was never considered couture, as he never joined the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and thus couldn’t be recognised.) The current designer for Balenciaga is Demna Gvasalia, after taking the helm from Alexander Wang. Overall, Balenciaga is still a well-known and respected fashion house, but isn’t necessarily quite as well known by the average retail customer.
Victoria and Albert Museum Cristóbal Balenciaga Collection
Amazingly, there are some fantastic resources if you are looking to explore this iconic designer further. One of my favourites is the online collection from the Victoria and Albert Museum, because anyone with the internet can access it! You don’t need to actually go to London, you don’t have to buy a ticket to anything, you just need to head to the V&A’s website and dig in.
According to the V&A, “The V&A has the largest collection of Balenciaga in the UK, initiated in the 1970s by the photographer Cecil Beaton, Balenciaga’s longstanding friend. Our collection includes examples of revolutionary shapes from the designer’s golden age, the 1950s and 60s, such as the tunic, sack, baby doll and shift dresses – all of which remain style staples today.”
I find that Balenciaga isn’t quite as well known as Dior or Chanel, and now in the last few years, they’ve become known for those horrid sneakers/ trainers. (Yes, I think that they are awful, and no, I will not change my mind.) Unfortunately, Balenciaga’s history isn’t as easy to find because of it. However, collections like this are the perfect way to explore his design history, and the history of the house. Give yourself a few hours one Saturday afternoon, or on an evening, and enjoy the gorgeous designs of Balenciaga from the comfort of your home!
If you are looking to read and learn more about style and fashion history, please follow my Style and Fashion History Pinterest board! I am not focused on any one designer or era, but I’m building up a nice collection of images and links to find more info on this gorgeous and fascinating area of history. (If you think that a designer is every being unique, go back a few hundred years, and I can guarantee that you will find a previous incarnation of what they created.)
What interests you about Balenciaga’s history and work?
Cheers,
The Historian
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What an awesome write-up about Balenciaga!! I first heard of him when I lived in New York, and Balenciaga bags (and their knock-offs) were all the rage. I had no idea what a storied history he had, particularly with both the Spanish Civil War and WWII.
I had seen those gross running shoes that are everywhere now, and those early 2000s bags, but that is the LEAST interesting thing about Balenciaga!!