Fashion

A database by Romuald Leblond
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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. 

Cristobal Balenciaga, Dovima in cloche- Café des Deux Magots, Paris, Richard Avedon August,1955.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, 1950. Photo: Irving Penn/Conde Nast Archives.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Sheath coctail dress made from hundreds of scalloped bands of silk chiffon sewn on a straight slip, 1950, Paris by Gordon Parks
Cristobal Balenciaga, portrait, 1950, by Boris Lipnitzki
Cristobal Balenciaga, Anne Sainte-Marie wearing Dress with Double-Breasted Skirt, 1955, Paris, Henry Clarke
Cristobal Balenciaga, Anne Sainte-Marie , 1955, Paris, Henry Clarke
Cristobal Balenciaga, flamenco inspired evening dress, 1951, Henry Clarke/Vogue. © Condé Nast.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Vogue, September 1950, Model: Dovima, Photograph Irving
Cristobal Balenciaga, Infanta dress, a modernist interpretation of the dresses worn by the Infanta Margarita in Velázquez’s celebrated portraits, 1939.
Cristobal Balenciaga, evening ensemble, 1967. Courtesy of Balenciaga Archives, Paris.
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1927
Cristobal Balenciaga, Anne Sainte-marie in collarless suit with straight skirt and Persian lamb scarf, photo by Henry Clarke 1955 © Condé Nast Archive/CORBIS.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Dovima, by Richard Avedon
Cristobal Balenciaga, Georg Oddner, 1950s
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1950
Cristobal Balenciaga, George Hoyningen-Huene for Harper’s Bazaar, July 1939
Cristobal Balenciaga, by Richard Avedon
Cristobal Balenciaga, Winter, 1957. Photograph Harry Meerson
Cristobal Balenciaga, by Richard Avedon
Cristobal Balenciaga, by Richard Avedon
Cristobal Balenciaga, Babydoll dress, summer collection, 1958. Balenciaga.com
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1963
Cristobal Balenciaga, Vogue Paris, may 1966 by William Klein
Cristobal Balenciaga, La Vareuse, in HARPER'S BAZAAR, mars 1953 by E DAHL-WOLFE.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Pauline Potter, Baroness Philippe de Rothschild by Cecil Beaton 1962 © Cecil Beaton Studio Archive, Sotheby's London
Cristobal Balenciaga, Marie Louise Bousquet Unknow man & women by Cecil Beaton 1962 © Cecil Beaton Studio Archive, Sotheby's London
Cristobal Balenciaga, Wedding dress,1967.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Evening dress and stole,1952 by Frances McLaughlin-Gill / Vogue; Copyright © Condé Nast.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Colette wearing single-breasted skirt suit with wishbone buttoning, Irving Penn, Vogue 1950 / Condé Nast Archives.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Balloon dress, 1958.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Balloon dress, 1962. Balenciaga Archives Paris - Photo Kublin.
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1956
Cristobal Balenciaga, Henry Clarke, 1951.
Cristobal Balenciaga, illustrated by Alexandre Delfau, 1945.
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1952.
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951. Photo by Gjon Mili
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951. Photo by Irving Penn
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1959. Bettina photo Henry Clarke
Cristobal Balenciaga.
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1950. Bettina photo Henry Clarke
Cristobal Balenciaga, Elise Daniels with street performers Suit by Balenciaga, Le Marais Paris, August 1948 Richard Avedon
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1927
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1954
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951
Cristobal Balenciaga, Photo by Gordon Parks. Photographed for LIFE Magazine. 1951
Cristobal Balenciaga, photo by Irving Penn
Cristobal Balenciaga, Regine Debrise in grey wool coat photo by Irving Penn, 1950
Cristobal Balenciaga, Little great coat, 1950, by Irving Penn,
Cristobal Balenciaga, Evening Dress, 1950, photo by Philippe Pottier
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1950
Cristobal Balenciaga, wedding dress, 1968, Courtesy Balenciaga Archive.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Suzy Parker, Vogue 1953, by Henry Clarke
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951
Cristobal Balenciaga, Regine, Paris 1950, photo by Irving Penn
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1939
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1952
Cristobal Balenciaga, Coat and fur, illustrated by Bernard Blossac, 1949.
Cristobal Balenciaga, Evening Gown Decorative arts, 1955, photo by Jean Parmentier
Cristobal Balenciaga, Coat, 1955, illustrated by René Gruau
Cristobal Balenciaga, Suit, 1952, illustrated by René Gruau
Cristobal Balenciaga, Jupe-Culotte, 1948, illustrated by Eric
Cristobal Balenciaga, Advertisement, Vogue Paris, July 1938 for the opening of La Maison de Balenciaga on Avenue George V | Balenciaga.com
Cristobal Balenciaga, ROBES PARACHUTE; Publication in Vogue Paris, 1952 for the opening of La Maison de Balenciaga on Avenue George V | Balenciaga.com
Cristobal Balenciaga, Window sculpture, by Janine Janet, 10 Avenue George V | Balenciaga.com
Cristobal Balenciaga, Summer, 1968, (final collection); Countess Mona Von Bismarck, Lambert Hotel, Paris | Balenciaga.com
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1957
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1951, photo by Gordon
Cristobal Balenciaga,Harper's Bazaar September, 1939 Photography: Hoyningen-Huene
Cristobal Balenciaga,September Issue of Vogue, 1950. Photographed by Irving Penn
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1967
Cristobal Balenciaga, photo by Irving Penn
Cristobal Balenciaga, 1967.
Cristobal Balenciaga,Mary Jane Russell in gown, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe
Cristobal Balenciaga,Stella Oakes, 1951, photo by Henry Clark
Headquarters
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15, rue Cassette
75006 Paris, France
t. +33 1 56 52 17 17
f. +33 1 56 52 17 30

Worldwide
40, rue du Cherche Midi
75006 Paris, France
t. +33 1 56 52 17 17
f. +33 1 56 52 17 10

Press US
Balenciaga America Inc.
542 West 22nd Street
New-York NY 10011, USA
t. +1 212 279 44 40
f. +1 212 279 42 52

Press Italy
Balenciaga Italy
Via Vicenzo Forcella,5
20144 Milano, Italy
t. +39 02 76 442 300
f. +39 02 70 05 84 74

Press Japan
Balenciaga Japan
4F, 2-11-11 Minaniaoyana
Minato-Qku
Tokyo 107-0062, Japan
t. +81 3 5775 4107
f. +81 3 3478 22 05

Balenciaga Heritage
The Museum
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Aldamar Parkea, 6
20808 Getaria Gipuzkoa, Spain
t. +34 943 00 88 40