Balenciaga

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In 1919, Spanish Basque fashion designer Cristòbal Balenciaga first started the Balenciaga fashion house as a small boutique in San Sebastián, Spain. The designer had a reputation from the start for having high, and unwavering, standards. It was this commitment to impeccable design that elevated the Balenciaga name among his contemporaries. This steadfast attention to detail coupled with the founder’s forward-thinking approach to designs would both become hallmarks of the Balenciaga fashion house. As the company expanded, Balenciaga boutiques were opened in Santiago, Madrid, and Barcelona. The Balenciaga reputation had grown so much that the Spanish Royal Family began to wear the company’s designs. However, with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Cristòbal was forced to close his stores in Spain. He moved to Paris shortly afterward. In Paris, Balenciaga opened a store on the posh Avenue George V. It was 1937, and the designer had his first runway show, which was steeped in references to the Spanish Renaissance. The collection was an overnight success, with the French Press raving about the new designer who had just recently arrived from Spain. They called Balenciaga’s designs revolutionary, with public demand increasing as a result. One of the popular Balenciaga creations of this time was the brand’s signature “square coat,” in which the coat’s sleeves were cut along with the yoke. During the post-War years, Balenciaga’s designs had cleaner, more defined lines — in stark contrast to the feminine hourglass shapes presented by Christian Dior and other designers of the time. The shapes created by Balenciaga enabled him to play with the design and its relation to a woman’s natural body shape — for example, a waistline would be dropped below or placed above a woman’s natural waistline, adding visual interest and creating an ever-changing silhouette. By the 1950s, Balenciaga would turn the traditional hourglass shape on its ear by playing with more modern shapes. His innovative designs spawned creations like the tunic dress (1951), the balloon jacket (1953), the baby doll dress, (1957), the cocoon dress (1957), the balloon skirt (1957), and the sack dress (1957). By 1959, Balenciaga would finish off the decade with his creation of the empire line, an elevated waistline used on Balenciaga dresses and coats. This new cut would further modernize women’s fashion just in time for the new era. The Balenciaga designs of the 1960s incorporated a lot of embroidery work and heavy fabrics. The brand became known for their heavy collar design that accentuated the collarbone, giving the wearer a long-necked and “swan-like” appearance. This design also included shortened cuffs and sleeves. By the mid-1980s, luxury perfume and toiletries manufacturer Jacques Bogart S.A. purchased Balenciaga and released a new ready-to-wear line called “Le Dix.” Designed by French designer Michel Goma, the new Balenciaga line received mixed reviews. Goma would continue designing for Balenciaga for five more years. In 1992, Goma’s successor, Dutch designer Josephus Thimister, would join the ranks of the company and would be responsible for reversing the brand’s increasingly irrelevant status in the fashion world, turning it into one of the most powerful fashion houses of the time. The young French designer Nicolas Ghesquière would join Balenciaga as license designer around this same time as Thimister. Ghesquière was promoted to head designer of the fashion house not long after, in 1997. He remained in this position until 2012, when the company announced that American fashion designer Alexander Wang would take over the role as Balenciaga’s new creative director. The young designer released his debut collection for the brand at Paris Fashion Week in February of 2013; the line was celebrated for its unusual materials and its intricate craftsmanship. Today, the Balenciaga name continues to be associated with a classy, yet avant-garde approach to fashion. In particular, Balenciaga handbags, with their super sleek design, have been at the forefront of the brand’s success in recent years.

Balenciaga

Agneau Arena Small Le Cagole Shoulder Bag Black

Condition: Very Good

$2,195

Balenciaga

Arena Lambskin Neo Classic Hardware Cagole City Grey

Condition: Excellent

$2,050

Balenciaga

Agneau Arena Neo Cagole XS Black

Condition: Excellent

$1,950

Balenciaga

Agneau S Bazar Shopper Tote Bleu White Black

Condition: Very Good

$490

Balenciaga

Calfskin Small Tool 2.0 North-South Tote Black

Condition: Very Good

$650

Balenciaga

Calfskin Crocodile Embossed Hourglass Chain Bag White

Condition: Excellent

$1,290

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Gold Hardware Nano City Nuage

Condition: Very Good

$995

Balenciaga

Metallic Agneau Arena Le Cagole Shoulder Bag XS Silver

Condition: Very Good

$1,750

Balenciaga

Grained Calfskin Mini Ville Top Handle Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$695

Balenciaga

Canvas S Navy Cabas Natural Black

Condition: Excellent

$595

Balenciaga

Nylon Wheel Logo Bucket Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$750

Balenciaga

Calfskin S Triangle Duffle Yellow

Condition: Very Good

$595

Balenciaga

Satin Talon d'Orsay Pumps 388 Bleu

Condition: Excellent

$575

Balenciaga

Agneau Arena Large Le Cagole Shoulder Bag Yellow

Condition: Excellent

$2,595

Balenciaga

Calfskin Logo Print Phone Holder Bag Black

Condition: Very Good

$395

Balenciaga

Calfskin Cabas M Shoulder Bag Gris Fossile

Condition: Excellent

$725

Balenciaga

Nylon Wheel Logo Belt Bag Red

Condition: Excellent

$625

Balenciaga

Calfskin Logo XS Everyday Camera Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$595

Balenciaga

Nylon Hotel Sling Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$325

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Silver Hardware Mini Pompon Black

Condition: Very Good

$425

Balenciaga

Chevre Silver Metallic Edge Hardware S City Jaune Epi

Condition: Excellent

$1,250

Balenciaga

Coated Canvas Losange Monogram Mini Tote Black Grey

Condition: Excellent

$795

Balenciaga

Calfskin Logo S Everyday Camera Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$750

Balenciaga

Nylon Wheel Logo Backpack Fuchsia

Condition: Excellent

$695

Balenciaga

Chevre Silver Metallic Edge Hardware Pouch Black

Condition: Excellent

$495

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 21 Silver Hardware Day Hobo Sahara

Condition: Very Good

$350

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Silver Hardware Mini City Black

Condition: Very Good

$1,295

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware City Rose Aubepine

Condition: Very Good

$595

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Gold Hardware S City Black

Condition: Very Good

$950

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Gold Hardware Velo Rose Poudre

Condition: Excellent

$895

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware City Encre

Condition: Very Good

$670

Balenciaga

Nylon Wheel Logo Sling Bag Black

Condition: Very Good

$575

Balenciaga

Calfskin Small Everyday Tote Black

Condition: Excellent

$695

Balenciaga

Agneau Pony Hair City Camel

Condition: Very Good

$675

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Town Gris Fossile

Condition: Very Good

$495

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Town Black

Condition: Very Good

$795

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Silver Hardware Mini City Gris Fossile

Condition: Excellent

$1,435

Balenciaga

Calfskin XS Triangle Chain Duffle Royal Bleu

Condition: Very Good

$795

Balenciaga

Pebbled Calfskin Chain Wallet White

Condition: Very Good

$495

Balenciaga

Grained Calfskin M Ville Top Handle Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$1,695

Balenciaga

Box Calfskin BB Thin Belt 80 Lilac

Condition: Excellent

$325

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Mini City Gris Tarmac

Condition: Very Good

$995

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Velo Rose Hortensia

Condition: Excellent

$650

Balenciaga

Lambskin Bi-Color Open Toe Glove Sandal 39 Ink Pink

Condition: Very Good

$295

Balenciaga

Nappa BB Monogram Embossed Medium Triplet Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$1,795

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Gold Hardware Velo Black

Condition: Very Good

$595

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Gold Hardware Velo Rouge Cardinal

Condition: Very Good

$650

Balenciaga

Calfskin Downtown Shoulder Bag Black

Condition: Very Good

$1,395

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Gold Hardware City Blanc Creme

Condition: Very Good

$465

Balenciaga

Agneau Arena Le Cagole Shoulder Bag XS Black

Condition: Very Good

$1,550

Balenciaga

Neoprene Knit Womens Speed Sneakers 39 Black

Condition: Very Good

$525

Balenciaga

Lambskin Classic Hardware Neo Lift Hip Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$650

Balenciaga

Velvet BB Quilted S Round Shoulder Bag Green

Condition: Very Good

$775

Balenciaga

Jersey Crepe Knife Pointed Toe Booties 38

Condition: Excellent

$200

Balenciaga

Agneau Giant 12 Gold Hardware Mini City Anthracite

Condition: Very Good

$1,095

Balenciaga

Nylon Polka Dot Bucket Bag Black White

Condition: Excellent

$695

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Gold Hardware City Violet Prune

Condition: Very Good

$1,095

Balenciaga

Calfskin Mens Explorer Small Duffle Bag Black

Condition: Excellent

$650

Balenciaga

Smooth Calfskin Small Hourglass Top Handle Bag White

Condition: Very Good

$1,495

Balenciaga

Agneau Arena Neo Cagole XS White

Condition: Very Good

$1,650

Balenciaga

Calfskin Denim Printed Hourglass Chain Bag Denim Blue

Condition: Excellent

$1,495

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware City Rose Thulian

Condition: Very Good

$450

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Graffiti All Over S City White

Condition: Very Good

$1,295

Balenciaga

Neoprene Knit Womens Speed Sneakers 36 Black Pink

Condition: Very Good

$595

Balenciaga

Agneau Classic Hardware Hip Black

Condition: Very Good

$650

Balenciaga

Cotton Canvas Calfskin Navy Cabas S Black

Condition: Very Good

$550

Balenciaga

Rubber Logo Mens Pool Slide Sandals 36 Beige Black

Condition: Very Good

$325

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