this is Cristobal Balenciaga the true courtier who revolutionized the history of fashion the sculptor Taylor the fashion Titan the architect of haute couture the one and only true cortier these are only a few of the names that prominent members of the fashion industry including Coco Chanel Christian Dior Hubert de Ga Vinci and Emmanuel ungaro have used to describe Cristobal valenciaga one of the biggest influences in haute couture he not only challenged Notions of femininity in the feminine silhouette but he also nudged fashion to its limits by designing works of art that defy categorization he is
commonly referred to as the king of Kouture but originality is one aspect he always strived for and like most fashion brands crystal ball has had its fair share of ups and downs at some point he had to accept that the dream was over through strife and struggle he was able to make make a name in the fashion industry but how did this introvert who valued his faith over pleasing the media become such a significant 20th century fashion influencer stay tuned to find out on January 21st 1895 Cristobal was born in the modest Spanish fishing town
of gutiara in The Basque Country not too long he became exposed to Fashion through his mother who happened to be a seamstress the finest and hottest women in the community were among her clients when Cristobal was just 12 years old he started an apprenticeship at a tailor shop in the nearby Resort city of San Sebastian where he opened his first fashion company in 1917 under the name Isa which is a diminutive of his mother's maiden name later he opened stores in Madrid and Barcelona the Spanish royal families in fashionable Aristocrats were fans of his Creations
unfortunately he had to close his business in 1937 because of the Spanish Civil War soon after he relocated to Paris established the house of Balenciaga and quickly established himself as a designer of unwavering standards there the gifted designer joined the ranks of well-known courtiers like men Bossier Elsa chaparreri and Coco Chanel at his Avenue George V LTA Cristobal held his first Runway presentation in August of 1937. showcasing a collection that was largely influenced by the Spanish Golden Age throughout his career Cristobal interpreted a variety of historical patterns although his early entry into the fashion industry
offered him an advantage his unmatched grasp of the ability to manipulate textiles dramatic use of texture and color and superb craftsmanship definitely set him apart he pioneered new female Silhouettes and previously unseen shapes Paving the way for contemporary design most designers begin their construction process with the sketch but Cristobal started with the fabric as a result many designers praised him for his unmatched knowledge of the art and architecture of clothing he achieved prominence in the world of popular fashion thanks to the wearability accuracy and appeal of his clothing by 1939 The French Press had acclaimed
crystal ball highly as a revolutionary force in fashion and buyers and clients were vying for access to his line the Nazis were enormous fans of French Couture even as World War II got underway and they generally gave the cortier the choice of siding with them or continuing to operate or being forced out of business as a result many well-known Brands such as Louis Vuitton Chanel Hugo Boss Dior and of course Balenciaga have strong ties to the Nazi party Balenciaga would create clothes for high-ranking Nazi women in exchange for keeping his Altier there were claims that
he supposedly had extra hands through the inmates or at least permitted them to copy his designs for the Nazi women just to be clear the records were lost at the end of the war thus the book doesn't expressly mention any designer Brands by the end of the war the Nazis had drastically diminished their Rivals to a smaller number of businesses the majority of whom were having trouble locating Fabric in post-war Paris a steady stream of fabric was delivered to Balenciaga from Italy Spain and France many of which had exclusivity contracts giving him a competitive Advantage
as really the only courtier with this quality of fabric this was due to cristobal's connections and his notoriety for his expert handling of fabric by launching many groundbreaking designs in the 1950s he proceeded to refine his clothing lines and Spanish influence thank you many of cristobal's most famous designs were influenced by his Spanish ancestry his wide hipped infanta outfit from the late 1930s grew inspiration from the portraits painted by the Spanish artist Diego Velazquez in the 17th century the traditional mantilla shawls used by women during special occasions and Spanish Holy Week as well as Flamenco
costumes Matador clothes and black lace were other common themes later in his career in the 1950s Cristobal introduced new shapes to women's fashion that had never been seen before as he improved and revamped the same Concepts from season to season these unconventional designs eventually developed volume was used at the back of his semi-fit lines in the middle of the 1950s dresses and overcoats that were suited at the front but had loose weighty backs the baby doll outfit another piece from the late 1950s that abstracted the body skimmed the waist with a trapeze-like form the stunning
four-pointed envelope dress displayed the year before he shut the house exemplifies how his abstraction peaked in his late 1960s masterpieces his favorite fabric the rigid material with lightweight silk gazaar was molded into a sculpture only two were sold and one was returned by the customer because she couldn't comprehend how to use the bathroom in it Ava Gardener Gloria Guinness and monavon Bismarck one of the richest women in the world were just a few of the glitziest women that Balenciaga clothed in the 1950s and 1960s Mona Von Bismarck ordered everything from ball gowns to gardening shorts
from the haute couture he preferred dressing women with a great sense of style and he frequently had incredibly devoted customers he soon became the fashion Titan that we all know Cristobal was a fairly private person in comparison to several other well-known designers of the time throughout his 50-year career he resisted courting the media conducting just one interview despite being elusive crystal ball sparked a revolution in fashion and continues to be admired by his contemporaries like Christian Dior and Coco Chanel and the latest top designers according to French designer Emmanuel engaro Balenciaga built the foundation of
modernity in fashion the demise of the Balenciaga house was a result of a change in events in the late 1960s an era came to an end with the closing of balenciaga's fashion house in 1968 and his passing four years later in 1968 when his design firm shut down Mona Von Bismarck allegedly locked herself in her room for three days straight out of shock and genuine grief however the Master's daring architectural forms inventive pattern cutting and use of Novel materials have all remained highly influential the Balenciaga brand was relaunched in 1986 by a number of different
creative directors particularly noteworthy are demna Visalia the Contemporary creative director who keeps the name Balenciaga in the public eye today and Nicholas gascair who is largely recognized for restructuring the brand from 1997 to 2012. both designers have been closely involved with the Balenciaga house archives and have drawn inspiration for their cut shape and material choices from the Masters initial designs as a matter of fact the V and a is home to the UK's greatest collection of Balenciaga clothing and headpieces Cecil Beaton a well-known Society photographer used his connections to put together a notable collection of
20th century Couture for the museum this bridged a sizable Gap in the Museum's collection and served as the inspiration for Cecil beaton's groundbreaking exhibition fashion and anthology which opened in 1972 the current generation of fashion designers continues to draw inspiration from Balenciaga items which are among the most frequently studied in the fashion industry today this brand has undergone numerous Transformations from its Inception as a pioneer of Hulk Couture to its current status as a staple of Posh street style it Still Remains one of the biggest billion dollar fashion houses in the world furthermore valenciaga's history
is worth knowing because it's a very intriguing one but what do you think of the fashion brand we'd love to know your thoughts in the comments don't forget to like And subscribe to the channel see you in the next video
