Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga,1895 -1972 a Basque-Spanish artist. He introduced couture shapes to the women's world and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior.^[1] His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes proved his right to success. Cristóbal Balenciaga Eisaguirre (Guetaria, Spain, January 21, 1895 – March 23, 1972 in Valencia) was a Spanish fashion designer. ... Basque may refer to: Look up Basque in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Christian Dior (January 21, 1905 – October 24, 1957), was an influential French fashion designer. ...

He was born in Guetaria, N. Spain. He trained as a tailor. He opened his own shops in 1915 in Madrid and Barcelona. In 1937 he left Spain for Paris. He retired in 1968.

Owned by the Gucci Group (PPR), Balenciaga's womenswear and menswear is headed by Nicolas Ghesquière now called "the hippest, hottest, most sought-after creator by fashion aficionados."^[2] The trademarked Gucci logo Gucci, or the House of Gucci, is an Italian haute couture establishment. ... Pinault-Printemps-Redoute or PPR is a French multinational holding company specializing in retail shops and luxury brands. ... Nicolas Ghesquière (Born 1972, in Loudun, Poitou-Charentes, France) is a globally recognized fashion designer and is currently creative director for the house of Balenciaga owned by the Gucci Group (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute). ...

There was some conflict within the house of Balenciaga on Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs and the Gucci group said that if Balenciaga didn't become profitable within the year 2007, they would replace him. Ghesquière's F/W 2005 line showed that the house was not only profitable, but also attracted a number of celebrity customers including editor-in-chief at Vogue, Anna Wintour. Megastar redirects here. ... The Editor in chief is a publications primary editor. ... For other meanings, see vogue. ... Anna Wintour (born November 3, 1949) is the Editor-in-Chief of the U.S. edition of Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. ...

The house of Balenciaga designed the dresses worn by Jennifer Connelly and Nicole Kidman to the 2006 Academy Awards, as well as the wedding gown Kidman wore for her recent marriage to Keith Urban.^[3] Kylie Minogue has also wore a Balenciaga dress for her "Slow" music video and for her concert tour.^[4] Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress and former child model. ... Nicole Mary Kidman AC (born June 20, 1967) is an Australian [2][3] Academy Award-winning actress who, in 2006, became the highest paid actress in the film industry. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967), is a New Zealand-born, Australia-raised country music singer. ... Kylie Ann Minogue (born May 28, 1968) is a Grammy Award-winning Australian singer-songwriter and occasional actress. ... Slow is an pop–dance song written by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, Mr. ...

Today, the brand is also famous for its line of motorcycle-inspired handbags, especially the famous "Lariat". Balenciaga currently owns only two boutiques in the United States their U.S. headquarters in New York on W 22nd St. as well as a store in Honolulu. They currently are in the process of leasing a spot in the Mandarin Oriental in Boston which is to open in Summer of 2008.

References

1. ^ Miuccia Prada: 'The mistress of us all'
2. ^ "Nicolas Ghesquiere, a Creative Young Spirit in the Master Class, Balenciaga: Reviving and Revering" by Suzy Menkes, International Herald Tribune Tuesday, November 20, 2001.
3. ^ Kidman and Urban: happy marriage or misalliance?
4. ^ Barco MiPIX and LED displays chosen for exclusive Kylie concert.

External links

• Official Balenciaga Site