Balenciaga Couture Savoir-Faire

Balenciaga Couture, a pinnacle in the Parisian tradition, is founder Cristóbal Balenciaga’s ultimate legacy, continued through the work of a select few who share the distinction of confidently challenging fashion’s limitations while remaining devoted to maintaining the highest benchmarks of creativity and savoir-faire.

Balenciaga’s Couture ateliers and salons opened on July 7th, 1937, in Paris, at 10 Avenue George V—where they remain today, restored and reopened in 2021. The initial move from Balenciaga’s birthplace, Basque Country, to France made the House a fast favorite of the fashion press and, notably, its peers, throughout the mid-twentieth century.

M Balenciaga was eventually described by Christian Dior as “the master of us all,” by Coco Chanel as “the only couturier in the truest sense of the word,” by Hubert de Givenchy as “the architect of Haute Couture,” and by Azzedine Alaïa as “the greatest fashion designer of all time.”

Credited with introducing many a sculptural yet functional silhouette and the first ever use of gazar fabric, developed for Balenciaga, the House has always and will continue to lead with formal, technical, and material innovation.

Its legacy lives on with the reintroduction of Couture to the company, through the work of Demna, succeeded by master couturier Pierpaolo Piccioli.

Within its own vaunted tailleur and flou ateliers and in conjunction with the most distinguished specialty studios for embroidery, jewelry, millinery, leatherwork, and otherwise artisanal craft, a history of setting the Couture standard is applied to every piece created here, from concept to bespoke fitting.

Cristóbal Balenciaga established his Paris ateliers in 1937, at 10 Avenue George V.

This building, originally designed by A.L. Voisvenel in 1887, was where the couturier worked, fitted clients, showed collections, and kept an apartment until he retired in 1968.

Half a century later, the address was restored and reestablished as the House's official headquarters.

The historic building is now home to design studios, showrooms, bespoke fitting areas, a presentation salon, and the Balenciaga Couture Store: a one-of-a-kind boutique.

For the renovation, previous architectural iterations were considered, especially the interior designs of Christos Bellos under the direction of Cristóbal Balenciaga.

The Couture House's original off-white stucco arabesques and warm grey carpets were notably understated, more typical of an apartment in the area at the time. This was by choice.

Nothing, according to M Balenciaga, should distract from the collections.