(1895-1972)

Born in Spain, Cristóbal Balenciaga established his Paris couture house in 1937 and became one of the twentieth century’s most influential couturiers, renowned for his technical mastery and innovative approach to cut and proportion. During the 1950s, he reshaped the female form with designs including the balloon jacket, tunic dress and sack dress, while his house’s millinery salon created hats conceived as integral elements of the Balenciaga look.