It designs, manufactures and markets ready-to-wear footwear, handbags, and accessories, and licenses its name and branding to Coty for fragrances. When the Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores, he moved to Paris. Balenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August , where his first fashion show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance. In two years, the press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after.
Historians believe that Balenciaga's continued activity during the Nazi occupation of Paris was made possible by his connections with Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco who was Adolf Hitler 's close ally.
However, he testified that he refused Hitler's request to transfer his company's activities to Berlin. During the post-war years, his lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by " Christian Dior's New Look ". In , he transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. In , he designed the tunic dress, which later developed into the chemise dress of In , his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and coats cut like kimono.
His manipulation of the waist, in particular, constituted "what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion: a new silhouette for women". In the s, Balenciaga tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery, and bold materials. In , he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar and the hips. Jackie Kennedy famously upset her husband by buying Balenciaga's expensive creations while John F.
Kennedy was president β he apparently feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish. Her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy.
