Uncategorized
Balenciaga
Apr
Balenciaga is a fashion brand originally from Spain but later moved to France, where the company still has its headquarters today.
Balenciaga is a luxury fashion brand founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish fashion designer.
The Birth of the Balenciaga Brand
Cristóbal Balenciaga established the brand in Spain in 1917. His designs were highly favored by the Spanish royal family. However, the Spanish Civil War in 1936 forced him to move his headquarters to Paris.
In Paris, Balenciaga achieved such success that fashion enthusiasts traveled to Paris even during World War II to purchase his products.
Balenciaga reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. He was appointed as the haute couture designer for famous figures such as Mona von Bismarck, Jackie Kennedy, and Queen Fabiola of Belgium.
However, Cristóbal Balenciaga decided to close and retire in 1968, four years before his death. It wasn’t until 1986 that the Balenciaga brand appeared again when it was acquired by the company Jacques Bogart S.A. Currently, Balenciaga is distributed by the Kering Group.
The Distinctive Fashion Style of Balenciaga
Although founded around the same time as the Christian Dior brand, Balenciaga has a completely different identity. While Christian Dior returned to the hourglass silhouette with the cinched waist of the New Look, Cristóbal Balenciaga preferred voluminous shapes that resembled silk cocoons, concealing all body flaws. The puffed dresses and coats that cleverly hide the wearer’s waist are referred to as ovoid shapes.
If a product has a focal point, Cristóbal Balenciaga chooses to emphasize right under the bust (the Empire silhouette), with the hem flaring out like a balloon. He also favored the use of heavy and thick materials, such as jacquard fabrics, as these materials best conceal imperfections.
Post-Cristóbal Balenciaga (1968 Onwards)
In 1968, Cristóbal Balenciaga closed the brand to retire. It wasn’t until 19 years later that Balenciaga re-emerged in the fashion world.
The company that acquired the brand at that time was Jacques Bogart S.A. Upon acquiring the brand, Jacques Bogart S.A. quickly launched a ready-to-wear line called Le Dix. In 1987, when the ready-to-wear line was introduced, Balenciaga was led by creative director Michel Goma.
However, due to the sole focus on the ready-to-wear line, Balenciaga was perceived to have become less prestigious. As a result, in 1992, Michel Goma was replaced by Josephus Thimister. The Dutch designer continued to create tailored garments for Balenciaga but with a high-end and minimalist style.
However, it was not until Nicolas Ghesquière became the creative director that Balenciaga truly saw a revival.
Balenciaga Under the Leadership of Nicolas Ghesquière (1997 – 2012)
Nicolas Ghesquière joined the Spanish brand during Josephus Thimister’s era as an apprentice designer. However, his talent was quickly recognized. In 1997, Nicolas Ghesquière was promoted to become the Creative Director.
There are many similarities between Nicolas Ghesquière and the brand’s founder. Both taught themselves about fashion instead of following a formal education. Most of what Nicolas Ghesquière knows about fashion comes from his apprenticeship days at other brands, such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Agnes B.
Under Nicolas Ghesquière’s Era, Balenciaga Became Younger and More Rock-Inspired
During Nicolas Ghesquière’s time, Balenciaga became more youthful and rock-inspired. The products embodied a rock style, appealing to motorcycle fashion enthusiasts. The most notable item was the Motorcycle bag, also known as the Lariat or City Bag. It quickly became an It Bag in the 2000s, favored by top celebrities like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie.
Alexander Wang, the Highly Anticipated Successor Who Disappointed
In 2012, Nicolas Ghesquière left his position as creative director after 15 glorious years. He was succeeded by Alexander Wang, an Asian-American “breath of fresh air.”
To put it bluntly, Wang’s three-year tenure at Balenciaga was not particularly impressive. Alexander Wang’s strengths lay in ready-to-wear designs that were sporty and urban. However, he lacked extensive experience in couture design. Under Alexander Wang, Balenciaga’s DNA became significantly altered compared to its founding days.
That said, it must be acknowledged that Wang is an excellent marketer. His ‘sporty-chic’ bag designs sold exceptionally well. Wang helped Balenciaga achieve double growth through March 2015.
And Demna Gvasalia, Who Brought Balenciaga to Avant-Garde Style
Following Alexander Wang, the Kering Group appointed another young designer to take over: Demna Gvasalia. At that time, Demna Gvasalia was making waves with his personal brand, Vetements, which was a completely different streetwear brand compared to Balenciaga!
However, in Gvasalia’s designs, one can see the nuances and flexibility in the handling of silhouettes reminiscent of the founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. This unique intersection was showcased in the Fall 2016 collection. The debut show helped brand fans gain more confidence in Gvasalia’s talent.
The most famous design that Demna Gvasalia brought to the Spanish fashion house is the chunky Triple S sneakers. These sneakers gave rise to the Ugly Sneaker trend or Dad Sneaker phenomenon.
