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Was born in Spain in 1895.
Was apprenticed to a tailor from the age of twelve.
1914 – opened the House of Balenciaga in San Sebastian, Spain.
1920 – opened the second fashion house in Spain, Madrid.
1930s – moved to Paris.
1937 – opened his fashion house in Paris.
Features created the Balenciaga revolution:
1945 – square shoulders in women’s silhouettes.
1951 – open necks and shoulders.
1960 – sack dress (was copied by many other designers).
Late 1960s � closed fashion houses in Paris, San Sebastian, Madrid. Nonetheless, in training both Courr�ges and Ungaro, Balenciaga continued to influence radically different 1960s fashion.
1972 � died in Spain.

Balenciaga was very private man who gave only few interviews. He is often called a ‘designer’s designer’. Coco Chanel once said that Balenciaga is the only couturier able to design, cut, assemble and sew a dress together entirely by himself . He preferred to work with firm, stiff fabrics which gave his clothing a sculptural appearance. Balenciaga is although known for stunning handbags:
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His most faithful clients included: the Queen of Spain, the Queen of Belgium, the Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace of Monaco, all regularly recognized in the press as the best-dressed women in the world.

Today the Balenciaga fashion house is going under the ownership of the Gucci Group.

Official Balenciaga site.