Balenciaga
Encyclopedia
Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga
, a Basque designer
, born in the Basque Country
, Spain
. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior
. His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes were trademarks of the house. The house of Balenciaga is now owned by the French
multinational company PPR
.
, Spain
in 1918, which expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona. The Spanish royal family and the aristocracy wore his designs, but when the Spanish Civil War
forced him to close his stores, Balenciaga moved to Paris.
Balenciaga opened his Paris
couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, and his first runway show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance
. Balenciaga's success in Paris was nearly immediate. Within two years, the French
press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after. Carmel Snow
, the editor of Harper's Bazaar
was an early champion of his designs.
Customers risked their safety to travel to Europe during World War II
to see Balenciaga's clothing. During this period, he was noted for his "square coat," with sleeves cut in a single piece with the yoke, and for his designs with black (or black and brown) lace over bright pink fabric.
However, it was not until the post-war years that the full scale of the inventiveness of this highly original designer became evident. His lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by Christian Dior
's "New Look". The fluidity of his silhouettes enabled him to manipulate the relationship between his clothing and women's bodies. In 1951, he totally transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. In 1955, he designed the tunic dress, which later developed into the chemise dress of 1958. Other contributions in the postwar era included the spherical balloon jacket (1953), the high-waisted baby doll dress (1957), the cocoon coat (1957), the balloon skirt (1957), and the sack dress (1957). In 1959, his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and coats cut like kimonos. His manipulation of the waist, in particular, contributed to "what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion: a new silhouette for women."
In the 1960s, Balenciaga was an innovator in his use of fabrics: he tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery, and bold materials. His trademarks included "collars that stood away from the collarbone to give a swanlike appearance" and shortened "bracelet" sleeves. His often spare, sculptural creations—including funnel-shape gowns of stiff duchess satin worn to acclaim by clients such as Pauline de Rothschild, Bunny Mellon, Marella Agnelli, Gloria Guinness and Mona von Bismarck
—were considered masterworks of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960 he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium
made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar and the hips. Jackie Kennedy
famously upset John F. Kennedy
for buying Balenciaga's expensive creations while he was President because he feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish. Her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy
.
(1949), Andre Courreges
(1950), Emanuel Ungaro
(1958), but his most famous and noted protégé was Hubert de Givenchy
, who was the lone designer to side with Balenciaga against the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and also the press over the scheduling of his shows.
stood firm, seriously impacting their coverage and press of the era. His supporters would argue that rival Christian Dior
would gain acclaim from copying Balenciaga's silhouettes and cuts, claiming them as his own original work; because Balenciaga wasn't interested in press coverage, the media and consumer never knew.
In 1967, both designers reversed their decision and joined the traditional schedule.
.
Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his fashion house in 1968, and died in 1972. The house lay dormant until 1986.
line, Le Dix. The first collection was designed by Michel Goma in October 1987, who remained at the house for the next five years to mixed reviews. He was replaced in 1992 with Dutch designer Josephus Thimister
who began the restoration of Balenciaga to an elite, high-fashion status. During Thimister's term, a young Nicolas Ghesquière
would join as a license designer, and eventually promoted to head designer in 1997.
In 1992, for the Summer Olympic Games, House of Balenciaga designed the French team's clothes to give them a more sophisticated look.
Balenciaga is now owned by the Gucci Group (part of PPR), and its womenswear and menswear is headed by Nicolas Ghesquière
. Ghesquière, like Balenciaga, is a self-taught designer, and apprenticed to Jean-Paul Gaultier
and Agnes B. The hip, fresh interpretation of Balenciaga classics, such as the semifitted jacket and the sack dress, caught the attention of the media as well as such celebrities as Madonna
and Sinéad O'Connor
.
In 2002, Balenciaga's star Nicolas Ghesquiere copied the work of Kaisik Wong, a designer from San Francisco. Nicolas Ghesquiere created a patchwork vest in his spring collection that resembled one that Wong designed in 1973. Nicolas Ghesquiere admitted in an interview in Paris that he had copied the garment.
There was some conflict within the house of Balenciaga on Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs. The Gucci group said that if Balenciaga didn't become profitable within the year 2007, they would replace him. Ghesquière's F/W 2005 line showed that the house was not only profitable, but also attracted a number of celebrity
customers including editor-in-chief at Vogue
Anna Wintour
.
The house of Balenciaga designed the dresses worn by Jennifer Connelly
and Nicole Kidman
to the 2006 Academy Awards
, as well as the wedding gown Kidman wore for her recent marriage to Keith Urban
. Kylie Minogue
also wore a Balenciaga dress for her "Slow
" and "Red Blooded Woman
" music videos and for her concert tour.
Today, the brand is most famous for its line of motorcycle-inspired handbags, especially the famous "Lariat." Balenciaga has four exclusive boutiques in the United States. One Balenciaga store is located on 22nd St in New York, NY. A second store is located in Los Angeles, CA on Melrose Avenue. Recently, a third store opened at the famous shopping center South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa, CA. This store is 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) and includes coffin-like inset displays. The New York and Los Angeles boutiques carry both men's and women's ready-to-wear, while the South Coast Plaza boutique carries only women's clothing. The most recent store, located in Las Vegas inside Caesers Palace, carries only accessories.
Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 2007 show wowed Teen Vogue
editor-in-chief Amy Astley
so much that an entire recent spread in the magazine, titled "Global Studies" and shot in Beijing, was influenced by it. The line included skinny jodhpurs
, tight, fitted blazers, beaded embellished scarves and other multicultural mixes.
Balenciaga is also very well known for creating avant-garde structural pieces, straddling the edge of fashion and forecasting the future of women's ready-to-wear fashion. Vintage
Balenciaga garments are very popular among influential fashion editors, Hollywood stars and top models, and have been seen on Sienna Miller
, Lara Bingle
, Raquel Zimmerman, Caroline Trentini
, Emmanuelle Alt
, Tatiana Sorokko
, Hilary Rhoda
, Jennifer Garner
and Stephanie Seymour
, among others.
On 24 March 2011 at San Francisco’s M.H. de Young Museum
they celebrated the opening of “Balenciaga and Spain,” a 120-piece fashion retrospective of Cristóbal Balenciaga
’s career. “You can’t even measure it,” said Rodarte
designer Laura Mulleavy of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s influence. The $2,500-a-ticket fund-raiser for the museum drew 350 guests, including Denise Hale, Marissa Mayer
, Vanessa Getty, Victoria Traina, Vanessa Traina, Jamie Tisch
, Gwyneth Paltrow
, Orlando Bloom
, Balthazar Getty
, Maggie Rizer
, Connie Nielsen, Maria Bello
and Mia Wasikowska
.
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was a Spanish Basque fashion designer and the founder of the Balenciaga fashion house....
, a Basque designer
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
, born in the Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
. His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes were trademarks of the house. The house of Balenciaga is now owned by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
multinational company PPR
PPR (company)
PPR is a French multinational holding company specializing in retail shops and luxury brands. The company was founded in 1963 by the businessman François Pinault and is now run by his son François-Henri Pinault. It is quoted on Euronext Paris and is a constituent of the CAC 40 index...
.
History
Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first boutique in San SebastiánSan Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1918, which expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona. The Spanish royal family and the aristocracy wore his designs, but when the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
forced him to close his stores, Balenciaga moved to Paris.
Balenciaga opened his Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, and his first runway show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance
Spanish Renaissance
The Spanish Renaissance refers to a movement in Spain, emerging from the Italian Renaissance in Italy during the 14th century, that spread to Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries...
. Balenciaga's success in Paris was nearly immediate. Within two years, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after. Carmel Snow
Carmel Snow
Carmel Snow was the influential editor of the American edition of Harper's Bazaar from 1934 to 1958 and, after her retirement, the chairman of the magazine's editorial board.-Family:...
, the editor of Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
was an early champion of his designs.
Customers risked their safety to travel to Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to see Balenciaga's clothing. During this period, he was noted for his "square coat," with sleeves cut in a single piece with the yoke, and for his designs with black (or black and brown) lace over bright pink fabric.
However, it was not until the post-war years that the full scale of the inventiveness of this highly original designer became evident. His lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
's "New Look". The fluidity of his silhouettes enabled him to manipulate the relationship between his clothing and women's bodies. In 1951, he totally transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. In 1955, he designed the tunic dress, which later developed into the chemise dress of 1958. Other contributions in the postwar era included the spherical balloon jacket (1953), the high-waisted baby doll dress (1957), the cocoon coat (1957), the balloon skirt (1957), and the sack dress (1957). In 1959, his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and coats cut like kimonos. His manipulation of the waist, in particular, contributed to "what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion: a new silhouette for women."
In the 1960s, Balenciaga was an innovator in his use of fabrics: he tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery, and bold materials. His trademarks included "collars that stood away from the collarbone to give a swanlike appearance" and shortened "bracelet" sleeves. His often spare, sculptural creations—including funnel-shape gowns of stiff duchess satin worn to acclaim by clients such as Pauline de Rothschild, Bunny Mellon, Marella Agnelli, Gloria Guinness and Mona von Bismarck
Mona von Bismarck
Mona Travis Strader , known as Mona Bismarck, was an American socialite and fashion icon. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1958.-Early life:...
—were considered masterworks of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960 he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Queen Fabiola of Belgium is the widow of King Baudouin of Belgium. She was Queen consort of the Belgians for 33 years...
made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar and the hips. Jackie Kennedy
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
famously upset John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
for buying Balenciaga's expensive creations while he was President because he feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish. Her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy
Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy, Sr. was a prominent American businessman, investor, and government official....
.
Protégés
Several designers who worked for Balenciaga would go on to open their own successful couture houses, notably Oscar de la RentaOscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
(1949), Andre Courreges
André Courrèges
André Courrèges is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. At the age of 25, after studying to be a civil engineer, he went to Paris to work at Geanne Lafaurie fashion design house...
(1950), Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro is a French fashion designer.-Early life:Ungaro's Italian father fled to France from Francavilla Fontana of Brindisi province because of the fascist uprising in Italy...
(1958), but his most famous and noted protégé was Hubert de Givenchy
Hubert de Givenchy
Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy is a French aristocrat and fashion designer who founded The House of Givenchy in 1952. He is famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, as well as clothing for clients such as Jacqueline Kennedy...
, who was the lone designer to side with Balenciaga against the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and also the press over the scheduling of his shows.
Battle against the Press
In 1957, Balenciaga famously decided to show his collection to fashion press the day before the clothing retail delivery date, not the standard four weeks the fashion industry followed at the time. By keeping the press unaware of the design of his garments until the day before they were shipped to stores, he hoped to curtail ongoing piracy and copying of his designs. The press resisted, finding it nearly impossible to get his work into their print deadlines, but Balenciaga and mentored GivenchyGivenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
stood firm, seriously impacting their coverage and press of the era. His supporters would argue that rival Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
would gain acclaim from copying Balenciaga's silhouettes and cuts, claiming them as his own original work; because Balenciaga wasn't interested in press coverage, the media and consumer never knew.
In 1967, both designers reversed their decision and joined the traditional schedule.
Battle against the Chambre
Balenciaga defiantly resisted the rules, guidelines and bourgeoisie status of the Chambre, and, thus, was never a member. Although he is spoken of with immense reverence, technically, Balenciaga couture was never Haute CoutureHaute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
.
Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his fashion house in 1968, and died in 1972. The house lay dormant until 1986.
Balenciaga today
In 1986, Jacques Bogart S.A. acquired the rights to Balenciaga, and opened a new ready-to-wearReady-to-wear
Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter is the term for factory-made clothing, sold in finished condition, in standardized sizes, as distinct from made to measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. Off-the-peg is sometimes used for items which are not clothing.Ready-to-wear has...
line, Le Dix. The first collection was designed by Michel Goma in October 1987, who remained at the house for the next five years to mixed reviews. He was replaced in 1992 with Dutch designer Josephus Thimister
Josephus Thimister
Josephus Melchior Thimister is a Belgian interior decorator and noted fashion designer who launched his eponymous fashion label, THIMISTER in 1997. In 2001, the editor-in-chief of Vogue USA Anna Wintour named Josephus Thimister as one of the twenty-first best fashion designers...
who began the restoration of Balenciaga to an elite, high-fashion status. During Thimister's term, a young Nicolas Ghesquière
Nicolas Ghesquière
Nicolas Ghesquière is a fashion designer and is currently creative director for the house of Balenciaga owned by the Gucci Group . He grew up in Loudun, Vienne....
would join as a license designer, and eventually promoted to head designer in 1997.
In 1992, for the Summer Olympic Games, House of Balenciaga designed the French team's clothes to give them a more sophisticated look.
Balenciaga is now owned by the Gucci Group (part of PPR), and its womenswear and menswear is headed by Nicolas Ghesquière
Nicolas Ghesquière
Nicolas Ghesquière is a fashion designer and is currently creative director for the house of Balenciaga owned by the Gucci Group . He grew up in Loudun, Vienne....
. Ghesquière, like Balenciaga, is a self-taught designer, and apprenticed to Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier , born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. In the past, he has hosted the television series Eurotrash....
and Agnes B. The hip, fresh interpretation of Balenciaga classics, such as the semifitted jacket and the sack dress, caught the attention of the media as well as such celebrities as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
.
In 2002, Balenciaga's star Nicolas Ghesquiere copied the work of Kaisik Wong, a designer from San Francisco. Nicolas Ghesquiere created a patchwork vest in his spring collection that resembled one that Wong designed in 1973. Nicolas Ghesquiere admitted in an interview in Paris that he had copied the garment.
There was some conflict within the house of Balenciaga on Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs. The Gucci group said that if Balenciaga didn't become profitable within the year 2007, they would replace him. Ghesquière's F/W 2005 line showed that the house was not only profitable, but also attracted a number of celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
customers including editor-in-chief at Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, OBE is the British-born editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and sunglasses, Wintour has become an institution throughout the fashion world, widely praised for her eye for fashion trends and her support for...
.
The house of Balenciaga designed the dresses worn by Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly is an American film actress, who began her career as a child model. She appeared in magazine, newspaper and television advertising, before making her motion picture debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America...
and Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
to the 2006 Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, as well as the wedding gown Kidman wore for her recent marriage to Keith Urban
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
. Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
also wore a Balenciaga dress for her "Slow
Slow (song)
-Charts:-Year-End charts:-Chart procession and succession:-Release history:...
" and "Red Blooded Woman
Red Blooded Woman
"Red Blooded Woman" is a pop-R&B song written by British songwriters Johnny Douglas and Karen Poole for Kylie Minogue's ninth studio album, Body Language . It also was produced by Douglas and received a mixed reception from music critics...
" music videos and for her concert tour.
Today, the brand is most famous for its line of motorcycle-inspired handbags, especially the famous "Lariat." Balenciaga has four exclusive boutiques in the United States. One Balenciaga store is located on 22nd St in New York, NY. A second store is located in Los Angeles, CA on Melrose Avenue. Recently, a third store opened at the famous shopping center South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa, CA. This store is 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) and includes coffin-like inset displays. The New York and Los Angeles boutiques carry both men's and women's ready-to-wear, while the South Coast Plaza boutique carries only women's clothing. The most recent store, located in Las Vegas inside Caesers Palace, carries only accessories.
Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 2007 show wowed Teen Vogue
Teen Vogue
Teen Vogue magazine began as a version of Vogue magazine for teenage girls. This US magazine focuses on fashion and celebrities and offers information about the latest entertainment and feature stories on current issues and events.- Description :...
editor-in-chief Amy Astley
Amy Astley
Amy Astley is the editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, which launched in January 2003. She was named to edit the new magazine in June 2002 by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and editorial director of Teen Vogue.-Career:...
so much that an entire recent spread in the magazine, titled "Global Studies" and shot in Beijing, was influenced by it. The line included skinny jodhpurs
Jodhpurs
Jodhpurs in their modern form are tight-fitting trousers that reach to the ankle, where they end in a snug cuff, and are worn primarily for horse riding. The term is also used incorrectly as slang for a type of short riding boot, also called a paddock boot or a jodhpur boot, because they are worn...
, tight, fitted blazers, beaded embellished scarves and other multicultural mixes.
Balenciaga is also very well known for creating avant-garde structural pieces, straddling the edge of fashion and forecasting the future of women's ready-to-wear fashion. Vintage
Vintage clothing
Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. The phrase is also used in connection with a retail outlet, e.g...
Balenciaga garments are very popular among influential fashion editors, Hollywood stars and top models, and have been seen on Sienna Miller
Sienna Miller
Sienna Rose Diana Miller is a British-American actress, model, and fashion designer, best known for her roles in Layer Cake, Alfie, Factory Girl, The Edge of Love and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2007, the London Film Criticsnamed her British Actress of the Year for Interview...
, Lara Bingle
Lara Bingle
Lara Bingle is an Australian fashion model who is best known for appearing in the 2006 Tourism Australia advertising campaign So where the bloody hell are you? She is also known for being the former fiancee of Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke and girlfriend of AFL footballer Brendon...
, Raquel Zimmerman, Caroline Trentini
Caroline Trentini
Caroline Trentini , also known as Carol Trentini, is a Brazilian fashion model.- Early life :...
, Emmanuelle Alt
Emmanuelle Alt
Emmanuelle Alt became the editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris in February 2011, succeeding Carine Roitfeld. Alt had been fashion director of the magazine from 2000, when Ms...
, Tatiana Sorokko
Tatiana Sorokko
Tatiana Sorokko is a Russian-born American model, fashion journalist and haute couture collector. She walked the runways for the world's most prominent designers and fashion houses, appeared on covers of leading fashion magazines, and became the first Russian model of the post-Soviet period to gain...
, Hilary Rhoda
Hilary Rhoda
Hilary Hollis Rhoda is an American model. She is perhaps best known for her work with the brand Estée Lauder and her 2009, 2010, and 2011 appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.-Early life:...
, Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Anne Affleck , better known as Jennifer Garner, is an American actress and film producer. Garner gained recognition on television for her performance as CIA agent Sydney Bristow in the thriller drama series Alias, which aired on ABC for five seasons from 2001 to 2006...
and Stephanie Seymour
Stephanie Seymour
Stephanie Michelle Seymour is an American model and actress. Seymour has modeled for many notable fashion magazines and designers, and has been photographed by several well-known photographers including Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon, Gilles Bensimon, and Mario Testino.-Career:Born in San Diego,...
, among others.
On 24 March 2011 at San Francisco’s M.H. de Young Museum
M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, commonly called simply the de Young Museum, is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It is named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H...
they celebrated the opening of “Balenciaga and Spain,” a 120-piece fashion retrospective of Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was a Spanish Basque fashion designer and the founder of the Balenciaga fashion house....
’s career. “You can’t even measure it,” said Rodarte
Rodarte
Rodarte is a brand of clothing and accessories founded by Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The Mulleavy sisters are U.C. Berkeley graduates from Aptos, California, and have received a number of industry awards since the line's inception in 2005...
designer Laura Mulleavy of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s influence. The $2,500-a-ticket fund-raiser for the museum drew 350 guests, including Denise Hale, Marissa Mayer
Marissa Mayer
Marissa Ann Mayer is Vice President of Location and Local Services at the search engine company Google. She has become one of the public faces of Google, providing a number of press interviews and appearing at events frequently to speak on behalf of the company.-Education and career :After...
, Vanessa Getty, Victoria Traina, Vanessa Traina, Jamie Tisch
Jamie Tisch
Jamie Alexander Tisch, the daughter of Linda Tanana and Edgar Franklin Alexander, was born Jamie Leigh Anne Alexander in Alabama. A businesswoman, she married Steve Tisch in October 1996, and together they had three children. After becoming a wife and mother, Tisch focused her energy on social...
, Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
, Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom
Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom is an English actor. He had his break-through roles in 2001 as the elf-prince Legolas in The Lord of the Rings and starring in 2003 as blacksmith Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and subsequently established himself as a lead in Hollywood...
, Balthazar Getty
Balthazar Getty
Balthazar Getty is an American film actor and member of the band Ringside. He is known for the roles of Thomas Grace on the American action drama Alias and Tommy Walker on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters.-Early life:...
, Maggie Rizer
Maggie Rizer
Maggie Rizer is an American model, actress, and AIDS activist. She is also ambassador for Operation Smile.-Personal life:...
, Connie Nielsen, Maria Bello
Maria Bello
Maria Elena Bello is an American actress and singer known for her appearances in the movies Coyote Ugly, The Jane Austen Book Club, Permanent Midnight, Thank You for Smoking, A History of Violence, Payback, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. For television she is known for her role as Dr...
and Mia Wasikowska
Mia Wasikowska
Mia Wasikowska is an Australian actress. After starting her career in Australian television and film, she first became known to a wider audience following her critically acclaimed work on the HBO television series In Treatment...
.