Balenciaga facts for kids
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| Subsidiary (société anonyme) | |
| Industry | Fashion |
| Predecessor |
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| Founded | San Sebastián, Spain, 1919 |
| Founder | Cristóbal Balenciaga |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Number of employees
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1,325 (2019) |
| Parent | Kering |
Balenciaga is a famous French luxury fashion brand. It was started in 1919 by a Spanish designer named Cristóbal Balenciaga in San Sebastián, Spain. Today, Balenciaga makes many things like ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, handbags, and other cool accessories. They also let other companies use their name for perfumes. The brand is currently owned by a big French company called Kering.
Contents
The Story of Balenciaga
Early Years and Moving to Paris
Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his very first fashion shop in San Sebastián, Spain, in 1919. He soon opened more shops in Madrid and Barcelona. Important people like the Spanish royal family loved to wear his designs.
However, a war in Spain made him close his shops. So, he moved to Paris, France. In August 1937, Balenciaga opened his fashion house in Paris. His first fashion show there was a big success. People quickly saw him as a fashion leader. His designs were very popular.
During World War II, it was hard to get materials in Paris. But Balenciaga was able to keep working. He even designed clothes for important families. He was known for his "square coat" and for using black lace over bright pink fabric.
New Styles and Shapes
After the war, Balenciaga's designs changed. They became more smooth and straight. He moved away from the "hourglass" shape that was popular then. He liked to change how clothes fit a woman's body.
In 1951, he made shoulders wider and removed the waistline from dresses. He created the tunic dress in 1955. This later led to the chemise dress in 1958. Other new styles he made were the balloon jacket (1953) and the baby doll dress (1957). He also designed the cocoon coat (1957) and the sack dress (1957). His ideas about the waistline were very important for fashion.
In the 1960s, Balenciaga used heavy fabrics and fancy decorations. He was known for collars that stood away from the neck. He also made shorter "bracelet" sleeves. His designs were like art. Many famous people wore his beautiful gowns. For example, he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium in 1960. Even Jackie Kennedy loved his expensive clothes.
Talented Students
Many designers who worked for Balenciaga later started their own successful fashion houses. Some of these included Oscar de la Renta and Hubert de Givenchy. Givenchy was a close friend and supported Balenciaga's unique ideas.
Doing Things Differently
Balenciaga liked to do things his own way. In 1957, he decided to show his new collections to the press much later than other designers. He wanted to stop others from copying his designs too quickly. This made it hard for fashion magazines to print his work on time. But Balenciaga and Givenchy stuck to their plan. They believed in protecting their unique styles.
Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his fashion house in 1968. He passed away in 1972. The brand then stopped making clothes for a while.
Balenciaga from 1981 to 2010
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Today, the Balenciaga brand is owned by Kering. For many years, Nicolas Ghesquière was the main designer for women's and men's clothing.
In 2002, Nicolas Ghesquière made a patchwork vest that looked like one designed by Kaisik Wong in 1973. Ghesquière later said that he had copied the design.
By 2005, Balenciaga was doing very well. Many celebrities started wearing their clothes. Jennifer Connelly and Nicole Kidman wore Balenciaga dresses to the 2006 Academy Awards. Nicole Kidman also wore a Balenciaga wedding gown. Singer Kylie Minogue wore Balenciaga in her music videos and concerts.
Balenciaga is known for making bold and unique designs. They often create new trends in women's fashion. Old Balenciaga clothes are very popular with fashion experts and Hollywood stars. Many famous people like Sienna Miller and Jennifer Garner have worn them.
Balenciaga from 2010 to Today
In March 2011, a special show called "Balenciaga and Spain" opened in San Francisco, USA. It showed 120 pieces from Cristóbal Balenciaga's career. Designers like Laura Mulleavy said his influence was huge.
In June 2011, the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum opened in Getaria, Spain. This museum celebrates his life and work.
In November 2012, Balenciaga announced that Nicolas Ghesquière was leaving after 15 years. Alexander Wang became the new creative director. He showed his first collection in Paris in 2013.
In July 2015, Alexander Wang also left Balenciaga. In October 2015, Demna Gvasalia became the new creative director.
In April 2021, Demna Gvasalia showed his new collection. In August 2021, Justin Bieber became a face for the brand. In May 2022, Balenciaga announced that it would accept payments using cryptocurrency.
In December 2023, Balenciaga won an award from PETA. They won for making a coat that was completely vegan, using a plant-based leather called Lunaform.
In 2024, Balenciaga opened new stores in Tokyo, Japan, and Cancún, Mexico.
Brand Ambassadors
In July 2023, Balenciaga announced its first-ever brand ambassadors. These are famous people who represent the brand. The first ones were Isabelle Huppert and PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn.
In November 2023, Michelle Yeoh became a brand ambassador. In December 2023, Nicole Kidman joined as well. In January 2024, Kim Kardashian also became a brand ambassador for Balenciaga.
Supporting Ukraine
In March 2022, during Paris Fashion Week, Balenciaga showed its support for Ukraine. This was during the Russo-Ukrainian War. They placed yellow and blue T-shirts (like the Ukrainian flag) on chairs. The creative director, Demna Gvasalia, read a poem about Ukraine. He said the show was about "fearlessness, resistance, and the victory of love and peace." The brand also gave money to help Ukrainian refugees.
Creative Directors
- Cristóbal Balenciaga – 1919 to 1968
- Michel Goma – 1987 to 1992
- Josephus Thimister – 1992 to 1997
- Nicolas Ghesquière – 1997 to 2012
- Alexander Wang – 2013 to 2015
- Demna Gvasalia – 2015 to present
