In the world of postwar Parisian fashion, Cristóbal Balenciaga was often called the king—the Molière of dressmakers, the da Vinci of that renaissance of silk and crinolines. Christian Dior, a would-be rival, stood in awe of his Spanish counterpart: “Haute couture is like an orchestra, whose conductor is Balenciaga,” he once said. “We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the directions he gives.”[1] Even the sharp tongue of Coco Chanel softened in deference to his skills: “Balenciaga is a couturier in the truest sense of the word. Only he is capable of cutting material, assembling a creation, and sewing it by hand. The others are simply fashion designers.”[2]
His career began in 1918 with the founding of Balenciaga y Compañía. Almost from the moment he opened his salon, Eisa, the following year in the resort town of San Sebastián, royals and aristocrats came calling; to fulfill their needs year-round, Balenciaga would soon set up satellites in Madrid and Barcelon...
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