Cristóbal Balenciaga

Cristóbal Balenciaga was born in Guetaria, a small village in the north coast of Spain, in 1895. During his childhood her mother, who was a seamstress, instill him the love for fashion. In his teens he was sent to Madrid to learn tailoring. A few years later his clothes were so successful that he was able to open boutiques in Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián (were the royal family used to spend their holidays). But the tragedy of the Civil War forced him to move to Paris. In 1937 he staged his first runway show influenced by the Spanish Renaissance. The World War II didn't stop him. Clients all over the world were dying to get their hands on his designs.

Needless to say he was a brave man: Balenciaga opposed to the popular silhouette known as New Look, and created streamlined and linear clothing. And that's probably his most important contribution to fashion.

In 1953, he introduced the balloon jacket, an elegant sphere that encased the upper body and provided a pedestal for the wearer's head.

In 1957 came the creation of his high-waisted baby doll dress, the gracefully draped cocoon coat, and the balloon skirt, shown as a single pouf or doubled, one pouf on top of the other. Neither the sack dress, introduced in 1957, nor the chemise of 1958 had a discernible waist, but both were considered universally flattering and were copied by a large number of ready-to-wear manufacturers at every price range.

1964

Wedding dress, 1965-1966

Cristóbal Balenciaga's career ended in 1968 when his salon closed. He died in Spain in 1972, but his innovative sense of fashion is (and always will be) still alive.

Sources: MET museum, The fashion spot.