Balenciaga handbags are known for their incredibly soft, lightweight, durable leather with a characteristically distressed appearance of wrinkles, lines, and folds. They feature their purses in both black and white every season, but otherwise vary their wide rainbow of colors. Hardware tends to be abundant and in weathered finishes. The Balenciaga look is so distinctive – and stylishly flattering- that retailers who specialize in handbags count purses inspired by Balenciaga among their most popular selections.
Born in 1895 in the Basque region of northern Spain, founder Cristobal Balenciaga opened his first shops in Madrid and Barcelona in 1915, and then moved to Paris during the Spanish Civil War. His Avenue George V salon quickly gained popularity among such fashion powerhouses as Carmel Snow, the celebrated editor whose famous words, “Elegance is good taste, plus a dash of daring,” could have been uttered to describe Balenciaga’s style exclusively. Christian Dior once referred to him as “the master of us all” for his impact on couture silhouettes in women’s fashion.
His impact was far-reaching, as his protégés included Hubert de Givenchy, Andre Courreges, Emanuel Ungaro, and Oscar de la Renta. Years of training as a master tailor enabled Balenciaga to drape and fit clothing in a way no other designer could, leading to the development of his universally flattering design hallmarks – spare lines, sculptural approaches, and intriguing shapes like the funnel dress, square coat, and bubble skirt.
Balenciaga was a socialite favorite, and his designs epitomized 1950s and 1960s haute couture, especially when worn by such fashion icons as Jackie Kennedy. After he closed his salon doors in 1968, the fashion world felt the loss for decades. Now under the ownership of the Gucci Group, the house is enjoying renewed popularity with French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere leading as creative director.
Ghesquiere joined Balenciaga in 1995, with initial assignments spent designing prêt-a-porter for the Asian market. (His earlier years in the industry included stints as assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier, freelance knitwear designer, and various jobs at several other fashion houses.)
Hailed as one of our generation’s most influential designers – and certainly one of the hottest! – Nicolas Ghesquiere has restored the fashion house to its earlier status as a style forerunner. His first line was the eclectic, innovative Le Dix collection, which produced the wildly popular Balenciaga motorcycle-inspired handbags.
Blending classic structure with just enough comfortable slouch to produce one of the most flattering silhouettes on the market, these bags are at the top of the favorites list of seemingly every Hollywood fashionista. Nicole Richie purportedly purchased the Lariat in at least five colors. Other fans include Christina Aguilera, Cameron Diaz, Sienna Miller, Jessica Alba, Kate Moss, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Ghesquiere retains these qualities while reviving many of the classic Balenciaga features in the Edition collection. Ladylike glamour enters the Balenciaga offerings in the form of elegant quilting, chic satchels, and special embellishments (like the crystal-encrusted broach and dainty wristlet on one new bag). Lindsay Lohan was recently photographed with the Lariat updated with latticework quilting.
Like his forebear, Ghesquiere is now a designer to watch. His impact on contemporary fashion – especially silhouettes – is growing by leaps and bounds, and his many fans include Anna Wintour, U.S. Vogue’s editor-in-chief, as well as a veritable slew of celebrity fashionistas. With him at the helm, Balenciaga will undoubtedly continue to produce handbags that hold top spots on everyone’s list of must-have accoutrements.
Kristen Dash is a full-time fashion editor for Baghaus.com. Enjoy more of Kristen’s fashion sensibilities at The Purse Buzz.
Author: Kristen Dash
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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