Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was born on 21 January 1895 in the little Basque town of Guetaria, Spain. His father was a fisherman and his mother a seamstress and from a very early age his interests lay in dressmaking and fashion. If there was one thing that characterised him throughout his life, then that was his discretion: he never gave a single interview, leaving much of who he was an enduring mystery.

A young sponsor

Summering at that time in Guetaria, the 13-year-old 7th Marchioness of Casa Torres was aware of Cristóbal Balenciaga's interest in fashion and commissioned the young man to copy one of her dresses, for which she gave him but a single piece of cloth. So impressed by his work was she that she was to become his sponsor.

A fashion designer par excellence

His perfectionism and knowledge of feminine elegance led him to become one of the great fashion designers of the 20th century, ranking alongside figures such as Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, who said of him: "He was the only one of us who [was] a true couturier".

From then on, his fame and renown would spread like wildfire. Thus, he produced dresses, or works of art as they would be known, for queens, princesses and ladies among the highest echelons of society.

Art and fashion

A genius and visionary in all matters couture, Balenciaga was also a great admirer of Spanish art of the time, something that would express itself through his work.

It can be seen in the long-tailed flamenco gowns which inspired the flounces in some of his dresses; or the lustre of the bullfighter's 'traje de luces' (suit of lights) which he brought to life majestically in the embroidered paillette of a bolero jacket; and the attire worn in the court of the Austrias, reflected in the velvety black fabrics adorned with jet in his creations.