Cristobal Balenciaga (1895 - 1972)

The Spanish couturier opened his first couture house in 1915 in San Sebastian. Ten years later, the Spanish royal family is fond of his creations. In 1932, he opens another couture house in Madrid and Barcelona but in 1936, he gets to Paris to escape the Spanish Civil War and immediately enthralled the capital of fashion. His sculptural sack dresses, his heavy volumes and his balloon skirts highly influenced the creations of the younger generation, like Givenchy who considered him his master. Severely challenged by the 1960s fashion changes such as the miniskirt and ready to wear breakthrough, Balenciaga decides to quit haute couture and France to go back to Spain. His name still stands for some idealistic artistic intransigence - both by his creations and his acts- nowadays designers can't afford anymore.