Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895—1972) was a Spanish fashion designer. His unparalleled work blended two subtle components—fluidity and purity to craft an architectural feminine silhouette. His training as a fashion designer began in Madrid, Spain when he copied designs of Chanel and Vionett and went on to fully establish himself as a genuine fashion designer in 1924.
To seek abundant inspiration—Balenciaga moved to Paris, France in 1937. His artistic masterpiece was admirable for producing holistic graphic lines, dramatic love of texture and cohesive proportioning of the woman's shape. His mastery was achieved through meticulous fluid drapery and approved avant-garde silhouettes.
Balenciaga crafted a collection called "barrel line" jackets that was far unique from the concept of Christian Dior, "waist cincher-in and curve accentuator" collection. Balenciaga diverged from "The New Look " by eliminating the waistline in his voluminous designs.
The talented designer—captivated the Spanish heritage through his unapologetic use of color black in his designs and blended with other splendid shades like red and pink. His wildly expensive dresses featured undulating and asymmetrical hemlines that called the lines of flamenco costumes. We have to draw a conclusion that Balenciaga epitomized sophistication. There is no less of enchanting, elegance and classic spectacle in his signature designs.
Balenciaga drew inspiration from Japanese kimono in the 1950s to craft a feminine silhouette that featured dramatic wide sleeves, voluminous balloon skirts, semi fitted suits and tunic dresses. He was determined to create futuristic garments that are extravagant and purist. Balenciaga sought to determine the underlying relationship between a garment and woman's body.
He was mesmerized with the concept of volume and proportion—therefore he put much investment in learning and experimenting in the 1960. Seven years later (1967) he introduced the four-sided cocktail dress that evoked romance and rebelliousness. One year later (1968) marked the retirement of Balenciaga as a fashion designer—it was sudden.
In the mid-twentieth century—Balenciaga designs focused on the renaissance of femininity through crafting hourglass silhouettes. He experimented his artistry in important parts of garment making like cut, fabric and texture. The treasure-splendorous details that were featured in Balenciaga's designs included shortened "bracelet" sleeves and pared-back collars.
Balenciaga was always destined for the great—to justify this, he further invented mysterious garments such as the "babydoll" dress that was very sensual, modern and feminine and the "cocoon" coat that was absolutely edgy and sophisticated.
His innovative work was driven by the desire to create a structural silhouette yet modern, timeless and sophisticated.