Balenciaga Nicolas Ghesquiere Gray Wool and Cashmere Military Style Coat, 2005
View Similar Items
Balenciaga Nicolas Ghesquiere Gray Wool and Cashmere Military Style Coat, 2005
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor wear. No noticeable stains, tears or holes.
- Seller Location:Doncaster, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU46834113563
Balenciaga
Starting as a modest boutique, Balenciaga evolved to transform the landscape of women’s fashion with shapes and contours during the middle of the 20th century that were nothing less than groundbreaking. Today, the brand is as venturesome as ever and is well known for its shoes, handbags, sneakers, streetwear and other clothing and accessories.
Though he was born in the quiet fishing village of Getaria in Spain’s Basque region, Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) was destined to reshape modern fashion. As a child, he worked alongside his seamstress mother. Showing immense talent, he earned commissions as a teenager from local patron Marquesa de Casa Torres, who paid for his tailoring education in Madrid. In 1917, he established his first haute couture house — named Eisa, for his mother — in the trendy resort town 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. There, Balenciaga rubbed elbows with fashion greats like Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli and quickly won over clients like Gloria Guinness, Pauline de Rothschild and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.
As a couturier, Balenciaga drew from his Spanish heritage for ideas, riffing on everything from matador costumes and flamenco dresses to the paintings of Diego Velázquez, whose portraits of Spanish princesses famously inspired Balenciaga’s Infanta gown.
An expert tailor, he experimented with sculptural silhouettes that didn’t follow the body. Some of his notable designs include the 1953 balloon jacket, and from 1957, the cocoon coat, the baby-doll dress and the sack dress, which he popularized with his good friend designer Hubert de Givenchy. All of these could be considered not just the masterpieces of haute couture, but also objets d’art in their own right, leading to Balenciaga’s nickname, “The Master.”
Balenciaga continued designing until 1968, when he retired after three decades of influential work and his fashion house went dormant. The rights to Balenciaga were acquired by Jacques Bogart S.A. in 1986. Under designer Michel Goma, who focused on ready-to-wear, the brand experienced a resurgence, with his first collection introduced in 1987.
The brand returned to high fashion with the arrival of designer Josephus Thimister in 1992. It has since been led by a series of creative directors who have paid homage to Balenciaga’s iconic designs, including Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang and, most recently, Demna Gvasalia. In 2011, a museum celebrating Balenciaga’s legacy opened in his hometown in Spain, commemorating where it all began.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Balenciaga crossbody bags, tote bags, day dresses, shirts and more.
- Vintage Salvatore Ferragamo Coat 1980s Oversized Gray Wool Jacket W PocketsBy FerragamoLocated in Portland, ORThis is a fabulous 1980's Salvatore Ferragamo vintage gray wool jacket with front pockets. This would make a great addition to any Fall and Winter wardrobe! This versatile coat is f...Category
1980s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Escada Margaretha Ley Green Cashmere Blazer Jacket in Size 8By Escada Margaretha Ley, EscadaLocated in Portland, ORThis vintage Escada blazer was designed by Margaretha Ley and is made of 100% cashmere and lined in Escada logo printed green rayon satin. The ja...Category
Late 20th Century German Jackets
$269 Sale Price69% Off - Yves Saint Laurent Double Breasted Wool BlazerBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Milano, ITGorgeous grey classic style blazer designed by Yves Saint Laurent from the 1990s, made in France. The jacket is short and is made of grey wool with black trim. The collar with lapels...Category
1990s French Coats
$791 Sale Price20% Off - F/W 2003 Versace by Donatella Wrinkled Leather Lace-Up Coat VintageBy Donatella Versace, VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a soft lace-up leather Versace trench, designed by Donatella Versace. From the F/W 2003 collection, similar jackets to this one can be seen on that season's runway. Constr...Category
Early 2000s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Early 1990s Gianni Versace Medusa Polka Dot Nylon Oversized Trench CoatBy Gianni VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a unique early 1990s polka dot and Medusa trench coat, designed by Gianni Versace. This coat takes a fun, almost pop art approach, to the average trench coat with polka do...Category
1990s Italian Jackets
- F/W 2003 Yves Saint Laurent by Tom Ford Grey Fur Full Length Runway CoatBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Tom Ford for Yves Saint LaurentLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting an incredible grey Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche fur coat, designed by Tom Ford. From the Fall/Winter 2003 collection, the black fox fur version of this coat debuted on t...Category
Early 2000s French Coats and Outerwear