BALENCIAGA

Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first boutique in San Sebastián, Spain, in 1919, and expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona. The Spanish royal family and aristocracy wore his designs. When the Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores, he moved to Paris.

Balenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, where his first fashion show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance. His success was nearly immediate. In two years, the press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after. Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar, was an early champion of his designs.