Spanish Couture: In the Shadow of Cristóbal Balenciaga

Abstract Cristóbal Balenciaga is currently enjoying a standing in the field of fashion as one of the greatest international designers in history and the most praised in the Spanish scene. Stylistically, his sources of inspiration are clearly identifiable, such as the revival of traditional Spanish clothing, a clear inspiration from religious clothing or the importance of the history of art, especially Spanish baroque. However, if we analyze the contribution of the key clothing brands in Spanish couture we discover that they all share, to one extent or another, that same collective stylistic imagination. This is a fact which leads us, necessarily, to analyze the Spanish context of the time—the Francoist Dictatorship—as a determining factor in explaining the aforementioned collective phenomenon and to distance that phenomenon from a personalized vision centered on Balenciaga.