What does Balenciaga stand for?

Balenciaga doesn't stand for anything. Rather than an acronym, the word Balenciaga is actually the surname of the fashion designer who founded the French luxury fashion house, Cristóbal Balenciaga. In 1917, he established his first haute couture house in the trendy resort town of San Sebastián. He soon followed it with boutiques in Madrid and Barcelona, drawing such clientele as the Spanish royal family. When the Spanish Civil War put a hold on his prospects in Spain, the designer moved to Paris, opening a house on Avenue Georges V in 1937. Shop a collection of Balenciaga apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.