Balenciaga

One of the giant luxury houses of the 20th century, Balenciaga has gone on to become the city slicker’s go-to. With a design-focus on hardware, here is a polished aesthetic for the fashionista who doesn’t want to look like they’ve put too much effort in.

Founded during World War One in 1917, Cristóbal Balenciaga established his label in Paris, despite himself being Spanish born. From the beginning, Balenciaga furthered fashion techniques with the use of never-before-used fabrics and revolutionary artistry.

Close to redundant for thirty years, the French brand was resurrected in the nineties, catering for a minimalism-obsessed western world. The appointment of Nicolas Ghesquière in 1997 as creative director further brought Balenciaga out of the ashes.

Balenciaga bags, shoes and other accessories are bastions of contemporary fashion, competing with ready-to-wear lines in popularity. The brand was – and still is – renowned for its ability to push boundaries to great effect.

After Alexander Wang’s short tenure as creative director from 2012-2015, Balenciaga hired contemporary hero Demna Gvasalia of Vetements fame.

Always a boundary-pusher, the trousers, tops, jackets and more by Balenciaga, as well as bags and shoes, are destined for greatness under Gvasalia. Own a slice of fashion history when you shop Balenciaga at BrandAlley.co.uk today.