Sui Generis · Fashion history

Cristóbal Balenciaga

Balenciaga

Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was a Spanish fashion designer, and the founder of the Balenciaga clothing brand. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior and as "the only couturier in the truest sense of the word" by Coco Chanel, who continued, "The others are simply fashion designers". On the day of his death, in 1972, Women's Wear Daily ran the headline "The King is Dead". Since 2011 the purpose-built Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum has exhibited examples of his work in his birth town Getaria.

Houses & roles

Career milestones and recorded collection credits. Collection-year ranges identify seasons in our archive, not employment start and end dates. Roles at different houses can overlap.

YearsHouse & roleExplore at Sui Generis
1917BalenciagaFounder / co-founderCollection archive →Read the house guide →
1939–1965BalenciagaCredited collection seasonsCollection archive →Read the house guide →Collection source ↗
Sources & further reading

Biography excerpt adapted from Wikipedia contributors; shortened and pronunciation notes removed. Source & contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. This license applies to the adapted biography text.

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