Balenciaga

Balenciaga is a French fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1914. Known for creating avant-garde structural pieces, straddling the edge of fashion and forecasting the future of women’s ready-to-wear fashion. Several designers who worked for Balenciaga would go on to open their own successful couture houses, notably Oscar de la Renta, Andre Courreges, Emanuel Ungaro, and Hubert de Givenchy. Cristóbal had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as “the master of us all” by Christian Dior. His manipulation of the waist contributed to what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion– a new trademark silhouette for women.

Established: 1919

HQ: Paris, France

Founder: Cristóbal Balenciaga

Website: balenciaga.com