TOwould you have ever thought that the first custom-made garment created by one of the greatest couturiers of the twentieth century had been… a cat’s coat? So the little one Cristobal Balenciagaplaying alongside his seamstress mother, with remnants and a lot of imagination he dedicated himself to imaginative outerwear. The only regret is the lack of immobility of that first “model”.
Cristobal Balenciaga, a life for fashion
Born in 1895 in Getaria, northern Spain, his father died when Cristóbal was just 11 years old. His mother supported him, his sister and brother by working as a seamstress in the summer palace of the Marchesa de Casa Torres. «Large families at the time had a figure for daily sewing work. The marquise received splendid dresses from Paris, which he could admire in rooms decorated with exceptional art collections: Goya, Velázquez, El Greco… A beauty that he will absorb from an early age” says Sonsoles Díez de Riveraowner of a huge wardrobe that includes hundreds of Balenciaga items.
His mother, María Sonsoles de Icaza y de León, Marchioness of Llanzol, was in fact an iconic client and close friend of the designer. We will admire some items in Balenciaga | Shoes from Spain Tributethe first monographic exhibition dedicated to him in Italy in Milan from February 25th to March 1st, for the 130th anniversary of his birth.
The memory of Sonsoles Díez de Rivera
His first creation follows a few years later, says Díez De Rivera: «As a child he accompanied the marquise who, every Sunday, walked to church: he told us that he always wanted to stay a few steps ahead, to see her arrive, studying her clothes. At just 13 years old he asked her to reproduce his favorite: and she accepted, buying him the necessary fabrics. She was so struck by the perfection of that first model that she wore it to mass immediately after receiving it. If the first dress was worn by a cat, the second one made its debut on a noblewoman!
The Marquise supported him in his apprenticeship in a men’s tailor’s shopwhere she learned the art of sewing and from here, in San Sebastiàn, she found employment in a well-known Parisian shop, where she began working on patterns for French brands, to be recreated for wealthy Spanish women. «He even managed to improve the shape of some garments. His obsession? The sleeves: they had to be cut perfectly to ensure comfortable movement” continues Sonsoles. In 1917 he inaugurated his own brand and one hundred years ago, in 1925, he presented the first official collection under the name of Cristóbal Balenciagagaining the attention of the queen and the royal family: two years later, with far-sighted diversification, founded a second brand, EISAdedicated to the name of his mother (Martina Eizaguirre).
Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) at age 32, in 1927 (Photo: Roger Viollet via Getty Images/Roger Viollet via Getty Images).
The beginnings and his mentors
In addition to the marquise, it is said that at the time he was even encouraged by Madeleine Vionnetdivinity in the Olympus of Parisian couture, pioneer of the bias cut: like her, Cristóbal perfectly draped a dress directly onto the mannequin. «The first time I entered her French atelier with my mother, she began to throw various fabrics over one arm, telling me that with that gesture the fabric could “speak”, letting him understand how to cut it and how to shape it» continues the custodian of the heritage of the stylist.
He will arrive in Parisfleeing the Spanish civil war, inaugurating his atelier in 1937 on Avenue George V with his life and work partner, the Polish-French milliner Władzio Jaworowski from Attainville.
The attention to the Spanish designer, unique in France, catalyzed public opinion, divided between curiosity and admiration. There is so much emphasis placed by the press on its ability to evoke its own culture: matador jackets, traditional costumes, garments inspired by flamenco dancers, but also ecclesiastical robes and dresses admired in childhood paintings. A very different trend from the feminine “new look” trend made of corolla skirts and very narrow waists, proposed after the war by Christian Dior.
Model in geometric linen suit, 1952 (Photo: Horst P. Horst/Condé Nast via Getty Images).
A myth between confidentiality and celebrity
Cristóbal Balenciaga found himself managing a Parisian boutique and three EISA ateliers in Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastiàn. «In 1944, as a child, I met him for the first time. My mother was pregnant, but she wanted to wear only her clothes as always: she asked for a discount, knowing that after giving birth she would no longer be able to wear them. She was refused. When we came out we found him in front of us: his tinted glasses hid his gaze. His mother, a very funny but also very direct woman, told him her grievances. He lowered his glasses and, admiring her obviously pregnant figure, said to her: “Excuse me, ma’am, but I’m certainly not the one to blame for your situation!”.
They burst out laughing, and in that moment their great friendship began” says Sonsoles, evoking the many moments spent with a man who he will forever call “uncle” and reserved, even at the height of his career. Refusing to subscribe to the glossy Chambre syndicale de la haute couture parisiennefounded after the war, paid no attention to the haughty programs of Parisian fashion and even less to public opinion. He became even more isolated after Władzio’s death in 1948. What’s more: he presented a collection of dark clothes, making all the most elegant women share in his mourning… and bringing back the sovereign elegance of black.
Sculptural dress with cape by Cristóbal Balenciaga from 1955 (Photo: Henry Clarke/Condé Nast via Getty Images).
Balenciaga, an eternal story
His fashion shows? Highly coveted. It was impossible to reserve a place, even if the coolest women had an expedient, Sonsoles recalls: «Clothes from old collections were given to the first ladies on duty: they wore them to show up (in advance) at the fashion shows, keeping a seat in the front row for the ladies who arrived a few minutes before the start!». Rather than emphasizing the silhouette, from the 1950s the couturier began working on architectural forms and spaces to be placed between body and fabric.
Uniforms created by Balenciaga for Air France stewardesses, in 1969 (Photo: KEYSTONE-FRANCE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images).
He invented one: the gazara rigid silk raffia perfect to shape with skilful geometries. Balloon skirts and sleeves, “tunic” and “sack” dresses with no waistline (received with hostility, because they are not very sexy), but also large A-line baby-dolls and even envelope dresses, are just some of the great revolutions who brought the great photographer Cecil Beaton to say that Balenciaga «created the future of fashion».
Hubert de Givenchy, Emanuel Ungaro and Andrè Courrèges took their first steps in his atelier. But thanks to the great changes in society, in 1968 his creations risked becoming increasingly out of date. As he chose to close his brand forever. In 1972a designer who for Chanel was the only and truest couturier will pass away due to a heart attack. «The rest of us are musicians and we follow the direction indicated by him» will proclaim Dior, decreeing the “conductor” of haute couture that brilliant man, for whom: «A couturier must be an architect for design, a sculptor for form, a painter for color, a musician for harmony and a philosopher for sobriety.”
Outfit and hat Cristobal Balenciaga (1951), who dedicated two ateliers in Paris to the creation of headgear (Photo: Clifford Coffin/Condé Nast via Getty Images).
Cristóbal Balenciaga, a new exhibition in Milan
A dialogue between the identity of Cristóbal Balenciaga and today’s creativity of the Spanish footwear sector: from 21 February to 2 March, in the Milan area Morando Palacethe exhibition BALENCIAGA | Shoes from Spain Tribute will bring 25 unpublished models by the designer from museum and private collections, combined with footwear from current Spanish brands, along with newspapers and photographs illustrating the couturier’s activity.
A project promoted by the Federation of Spanish Footwear Industries, curated by Javier Echeverría Sola and set up by Elisa Ossino Studio.
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