When the Spanish Cristóbal Balenciaga settled in Paris in 1937, he had already enjoyed a successful career of 20 years as a designer. He was immediately noticed by the Paris fashion scene. The young Christian Dior and later Yves Saint Laurent were among his admirers. His vision of modern femininity remains highly influential.
Under the later direction of designers such as Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang and Demna Gvasalia, the intellectual heritage of Balenciaga has continued to evolve and gain appreciation. In May 2025, Pierpaolo Piccioli was appointed Creative Director of Balenciaga.
