Everything You Need to Know About Balenciaga (2024)

Everything You Need to Know About Balenciaga (1)

Balenciaga Information

Balenciaga History

Established

1919

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Headquarters

Paris, France

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Founder

Cristóbal Balenciaga

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CEO

Cédric Charbit

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Revenue

2.3 billion (2021)

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What is Balenciaga's history?

Spanish brand Balenciaga was established in the Basque Country in Spain before relocating to France and opening a boutique store in Paris in 1937 as a result of the Spanish Civil War.

Balenciaga used sleek and linear lines in the post-war era that deviated from Christian Dior’s hourglass shape popularized at the time.

He revolutionized women’s fashion in the 1950s, and by the 1960s had developed trademark styles such as the collar deviating from the collar bone, and the “bracelet sleeves.”

Balenciaga was acquired by multinational French company Kering in 2001 – who own Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Alexander McQueen among others – and was pegged as the company’s fastest growing brand in 2018.

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What is Balenciaga known for?

Balenciaga is most known for revolutionizing women’s fashion with never-before-seen shapes in the mid-20th century, such as the “ballroom hems” of the early 1950s, the “semi-fit” lines of the mid-50s and the introduction of the “sack dress” in 1957.

Current Creative Director Demna Gvasalia has worked closely with the Balenciaga House archives to look at the original designs of Cristóbal Balenciaga to maintain artistic integrity in cut, shape and material.

Gvasalia and his predecessor Nicolas Ghesquière are widely credited for reviving the label from 1997 to the present.

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What is Balenciaga known for now?

With the advent of new forms of footwear, particularly the sock sneaker, Balenciaga released the Speed Sock that attracted much attention amongst influencers and fashionistas alike.

Demna’s creative direction has led the brand to all-star status attracting the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Kim Kardashion to the fashion house. Demna’s ironic, polarizing and ironic designs even played a major role in Kanye’s Donda performance and stint at GAP.

Balenciaga describes the sneakers as elevating the sock-like construction of performance athletic footwear alongside an oversized articulated sole to establish a sporty and “forward-looking” profile.

In terms of material, the Speed Sock is made of a 10-millimeter arch and composed of 80% Polyamide material (a stretch-knit upper) and 20% Elasthanne (a white rubber sole), and costs between $500-700.

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Who is the current designer of Balenciaga?

Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia is the current designer of Balenciaga (alongside Vetements), stating that his approach to the brand is to deconstruct something in order to create something else – “destruct to create.” He cites his work pattern to be influenced by sportswear aesthetics, particularly focusing on the modernity of comfort, functionality and technicality to create an aesthetically pleasing image.

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How much is Balenciaga?

Of course, pricing depends on what sort of item you are looking for, but theready to wear collection boasts a large range of items available from $90 for Balenciaga trademark socks, to $4,152 for a Balenciaga Painted Biker Jacket, making it safe to say that Balenciaga is definitely a luxury brand.

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1940s

Paris was the formational theatre of Balenciaga’s creative genius, bringing characteristic elements of Spanish culture to France with Bolero lace and the contrast of red and black. His first line, inspired by the Spanish Renaissance, was based on the Spanish royalty for whom he’d previously designed clothes and from bullfighter culture. Balenciaga’s success was near-immediate in Paris, and he began numerous collaborations with European aristocracy.

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1950s

The start of the 1950s was a period of elevation for Balenciaga to a status of masters of Art Costume. Whilst Dior gained notoriety for its corseted clothing and hourglass figure of femininity, Balenciaga went in a total different direction through volume, contrast and symmetry. Predominantly, the waist was ignored and instead designs such as the semi-adherent sheath, the cocoon coat, the balloon mini-dress, the collarless blouse, the sack dress and the flat necklines were introduced, creating a distinct aesthetic.

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1960s

Balenciaga rejected the advent of the Ready-to-Wear branch of fashion in the 60s against its Haute Couture concept, particularly with its standardized sizes, mass distribution and impersonal ‘purchasing moods’. Minidresses and skirts came into fashion, and at the top of his success in 1968, Cristóbel Balenciaga chose to retire from the fashion scene and be remembered as an elegant and stylish tailor instead.

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1990s

Ghesquière reintroduced Balenciaga into the fashion scene and turned it from being a ‘dusty old fashion house’ to a modern powerhouse with the S/S98 show. He particularly created a modern synthesis of Balenciaga’s historical puff ball shapes and sack dresses with the New Look silhouette of the 90s – creating an asymmetrical combination of 50s Balenciaga with 90s cigarette pants and strap dresses that defined the reemergent fashion house throughout his one-and-a-half-decade career.

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2015-2017

As a contemporary pioneer of streetwear, Demna Gvasalia’s designs of aesthetic sportsmanship combined with modern minimalism have placed Balenciaga as one of the most successful luxury streetwear brands. The fashion label currently has much international attention for its Speed Sock and Triple S sneakers, and has made the largest relative boom financially for French corporate giant Kering out of all of their fashion houses – including Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Alexander McQueen.

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2018-2020

After years of waiting Balenciaga returns to Haute Couture

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2021- 2022

Balenciaga announces its plans for the metaverse.

Fortnite and Balenciaga drop a collaboration.

YEEZY & Balenciaga team up on the ultimate DMX grail for the late rapper.

Balenciaga, the hottest brand in the world, partners with YEEZY GAP Engineered by Balenciaga, enlists Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian as ambassadors, and drops another Crocs collaboration.

Balenciaga left the social media platform Twitter, becoming the first major fashion brand to escape the site following Elon Musk’s controversial takeover.

Conspiracy theorists took to Elon Musk’s Twitter to imply that the luxury fashion label is abusing children.

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Highlights

Everything You Need to Know About Balenciaga (2024)

FAQs

What is the big deal about Balenciaga? ›

Balenciaga is most known for revolutionizing women's fashion with never-before-seen shapes in the mid-20th century, such as the “ballroom hems” of the early 1950s, the “semi-fit” lines of the mid-50s and the introduction of the “sack dress” in 1957.

What is Balenciaga brand known for? ›

Balenciaga is known for creating avant-garde, advanced structural pieces, straddling the edge of fashion and forecasting the future of women's ready-to-wear fashion.

What does Balenciaga stand for? ›

Translated into Latin, the sentence “Baal Is King” would read “Baal rex est.” “Balenciaga” is, in fact, the surname of the brand's Spanish founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga. It's a name native to the Basque region of Spain, where Mr. Balenciaga was born in 1895.

What are Balenciagas brand values? ›

Sustainability is part of Balenciaga values, and the house is committed to improve traceability of raw materials and responsibility regarding social, environmental and animal welfare values throughout its supply chain.

What inspires Balenciaga? ›

In the 20th century, Cristóbal Balenciaga ruled haute couture with innovative apparel inspired by unusually traditional Spanish sources. The Basque fashion designer took cues from regional dress, folk costumes, bullfighting, flamenco dancing, Catholicism, and, pivotally, the history of painting.

Why is Balenciaga important? ›

A true fashion innovator, Cristobal Balenciaga radically altered the fashionable silhouette of women in the mid-twentieth century. With the methodical skill of an expert tailor, he created garments of fluidity and grace.

What culture is Balenciaga? ›

Balenciaga is a Spanish luxury fashion house founded in 1919 by the designer Cristóbal Balenciaga in San Sebastián, Spain and currently based in Paris. Balenciaga had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior.

Who is Balenciaga target market? ›

balenciaga.com Audience Demographics

Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences. balenciaga.com's audience is 52.05% male and 47.95% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds (Desktop).

What makes Balenciaga different from other brands? ›

Balenciaga has a reputation for being ahead of the curve and introducing new styles and trends before they become mainstream. The brand is also known for its use of unconventional materials and unique design elements, which help to set it apart from other luxury fashion houses.

Are people still buying Balenciaga? ›

People are still going to buy; they still love their shoes; they still love their bags," Solomon added. Still, people may continue to take fire and scissors to their own purchases to express their moral indignation. Over the years, it's become a part of the cycle of corporate outrage.

What is Balenciaga brand slogan? ›

Under Gvasalia, the Balenciaga mission statement is clear: luxury clothes to be worn, not mothballed; product that is desirable without losing its integrity as something practical. On the catwalk, this unwritten motto was evident, albeit not in a straightforward way.

What material is Balenciaga famous for working with? ›

The 'La Tulipe' pink gazar evening dress from the 1965 autumn/winter collection. Balenciaga's development of the 'silk gazar' fabric allowed him to create architecture in his garments without the use of boning. This stiff fabric stands away from the body and holds its form, creating volume.

Who is the current face of Balenciaga? ›

Balenciaga just unveiled its Spring 2023 campaign, highlighting its Garde-Robe line and debuting Nicole Kidman as its newest face, following her appearance in the brand's Paris Couture Week showcase.

What is the weakness of Balenciaga? ›

While Gvasalia-Charbit partnership has returned positive dividends, it also harbours Balenciaga's greatest weakness. While Balenciaga has attracted a niche set of customers, it is still heavily reliant on Gvasalia's creativity.

Who started the Balenciaga trend? ›

The first collection was designed by Michel Goma in October 1987, who remained at the house for the next five years amid mixed reviews. He was replaced in 1992 with Dutch designer Josephus Thimister who can be credited with beginning the restoration of Balenciaga to an elite, high-fashion status.

What is Balenciagas name? ›

Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre (Spanish: [kɾisˈtoβal βalenˈθjaɣa ejθaˈɣire]; 21 January 1895 – 23 March 1972) was a Spanish fashion designer, and the founder of the Balenciaga clothing brand.

Why do people love Balenciaga? ›

Balenciaga, helmed by Georgian designer and Vetements founder Demna Gvasalia, has always been a cult luxury fashion brand. Its popularity graph is, once again, rising dramatically due to a marked emphasis on postmodern irreverence and a conceptual interrogation of what high fashion can and should be.

Who is Balenciaga's biggest competitor? ›

balenciaga.com's top 5 competitors in December 2022 are: prada.com, gucci.com, ysl.com, farfetch.com, and more. According to Similarweb data of monthly visits, balenciaga.com's top competitor in January 2023 is prada.com with 6.2M visits.

Who wears Balenciaga? ›

Balenciaga Girls Rule: Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa.

How many followers have Balenciaga lost? ›

One major fashion brand has decided to log off. Balenciaga deleted its Twitter account with nearly 1 million followers, the Business of Fashion has confirmed.

Why did Balenciaga get Cancelled? ›

It's been over a month since Balenciaga was first accused of sexualizing children in two controversial ad campaigns. The first, as part of a holiday gifting series, showed children holding handbags that looked like teddy bears dressed in bondage gear.

What does Balenciaga logo mean? ›

The emblem demonstrates an unusual approach to creating fashionable looks. The Balenciaga logo breaks all stereotypes about what beauty and style look like. The elements allude to the connection between past and future from which the house collections are born.

Where does the name Balenciaga come from? ›

Balenciaga is a surname of Basque origins. Notable people with the surname include: Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972), Spanish Basque fashion designer and the founder of the Balenciaga fashion house.

Is Balenciaga considered luxury? ›

The house is now part of the French luxury multinational Kering, which also owns Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci. Balenciaga showed its colors by collaborating with the Simpsons to release a short movie for Paris Fashion Week in 2021.

Is Balenciaga a famous brand? ›

Balenciaga, helmed by Georgian designer and Vetements founder Demna Gvasalia, has always been a cult luxury fashion brand. Its popularity graph is, once again, rising dramatically due to a marked emphasis on postmodern irreverence and a conceptual interrogation of what high fashion can and should be.

Is Balenciaga high fashion? ›

The first collection was designed by Michel Goma in October 1987, who remained at the house for the next five years amid mixed reviews. He was replaced in 1992 with Dutch designer Josephus Thimister who can be credited with beginning the restoration of Balenciaga to an elite, high-fashion status.

Why is Balenciaga suddenly so popular? ›

The brand is known for its innovative and avant-garde designs, and has been a major player in the fashion industry for over 100 years. One reason for Balenciaga's popularity is its ability to stay ahead of trends and consistently produce fashionable and desirable clothing and accessories.

What is the nicest luxury brand? ›

The annual report on the most valuable and strongest luxury & premium brands Ranking
20222021Name
11Porsche
23Louis Vuitton
32GUCCI
44Chanel
21 more rows

What famous people are against Balenciaga? ›

Since faced with scrutiny, Balenciaga removed all their Instagram posts (before posting the statement) and various celebrities have spoken out, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

Why is Balenciaga black? ›

Balenciaga's affinity with black was layered. Stemming from his Spanish childhood, the colour for him is steeped in references to matadors, folklore, piety, austerity and beyond.

How comfortable are Balenciagas? ›

The Balenciaga Triple S sneaker is relatively comfortable. The heaviness of the shoe is counterbalanced by the cushioned sole to deliver a unique on-foot experience that is suitable for all-day wear.

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