BALENCIAGA

In 1937, Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first fashion salon in Paris. The Spanish designer used innovative materials and pushed the boundaries with modern silhouettes, revolutionising the fashion industry. The iconic couture house has since had many reincarnations, but today is led by Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia, and is one of Paris’s most contemporary fashion labels. Sculptural shapes executed in technical fabrics remain central to the label’s DNA, and draw on the original couture silhouettes. The label's bags and shoes claim cult status from season to season, from the chunky Triple S trainer to the oversized Shopper totes.