Although no longer profitable, Balenciaga always made a haute couture and did not carry out the activity of prêt-à-porter, with the only exception in the clothing produced in series: the same year of his retirement, in 1968, he designed the uniforms of the Air France aircraft servers.

Half a century after his death, the heritage of Balenciaga is located in the museum of Getaria, a museum that emerged surrounded by problems and irregularities. And on the other hand, at Balenciaga House, a brand that in the last 20 years has regained fame from the hand of other designers. But Balenciaga is not on the short list of homes currently engaged in haute couture, unlike Balenciaga, which only makes the company prêt-à-porter.

The truth is that although the getaria lived, its trendy house was not part of that exclusive list, Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture or de la Cámara Sindical de Haute Couture. At first he decided not to enter because he did not want to comply with the demanding demands of the association. Later, in the 1950s, he tried to enter without giving up his freedom and his own rules. The House set a strict timetable for the presentation of the collections and, in 1956, Christopher started making presentations to the press when he wanted, in order to gain visibility and avoid copies. She was shot down immediately after she stepped on the camera.

And yet, Balenciaga and haute couture are closely linked. Christian Dior said he was “the teacher of all of us.” Coco Chanel: “He is the only seaman, in the truest sense of the word; we are all mere fashion designers.” And finally, the student and friend Hubert de Givenchy was very clear, despite the official statements: “Balenciaga was the founder of haute couture.”