His often spare, sculptural creations including funnel-shape gowns of stiff duchess satin worn to acclaim by clients such as Pauline de Rothschild and Mona von Bismarck were considered masterworks of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s.

He was born into a family of Basque ancestry.

He taught fashion design classes, inspiring other designers such as Oscar de la Renta. Today the Balenciaga fashion house is still going under the direction of Nicolas Ghesquiere and under the ownership of the Gucci Group. Balenciaga is known for their very couture cut clothing and stunning cult fave handbags.

External links

• Balenciaga  Official Balenciaga Website

Fashion Definition

Collette Dinnigan

Designer Definition (from U.S Department of Labor)

Clothing Definitions

Fashion Accessories

Style