Review of Cristobal Balenciaga: a tribute to the great Spanish designer

Biographies – whether on the big or small screen – are often rushed, embellished or inaccurate. At best, they hide the darker sides and nuances of the characters whose lives they chronicle as best they can. On the contrary, the mini-series Cristobal Balenciagafrom Disney+, devotes time and effort to displaying the figure of the famous Spanish designer in several places at once. The six-part production by John Garaño, Aitor Arregui, José Mari Goenaga and Lourdes Iglesias is a journey through the life of a creative person. One that also became a milestone in the fashion and entertainment world in Spain and later in Europe.

But the series is not limited to this and includes both the political scenario through which the designer moved and his difficult personal life. The result is a story that, while not a tribute, shows the high points of a long and fruitful career. At the same time, it explores uncomfortable places, ranging from Balenciaga’s inevitable relationship with power and even his sexual orientation. The latter is an element that many of his biographers have discussed in hushed tones, and which the series delves into without lapsing into sensationalism.

Advantage Cristobal Balenciaga, is to analyze its leading figure from a distance of decades. Which allows the production to find a balance between the myth of the unattainable figure and the designer who built his brand through pure effort. The combination of both makes the series an elegant, well-crafted experience with visuals that mimic the work and pay homage. On the other hand, he carefully narrates the painful spaces of life, full of ups and downs, mysteries, but, in particular, creating a style that is still worthy of admiration.

A man who believed in the power of fashion

With interviews meant to serve as a retrospective, the premise of the production appears to be simple. The designer will tell his life, remembering everything he has experienced (and how many things have influenced him), based on his wonderful memories. The solution of the script, written in four hands by Lourdes Iglesias, Aitor Arregui, John Garaño and José Mari Goenaga, thus allows one to skip the linear line. Cristobal BalenciagAnd it does not have a single story that could add information and make the narrative more compact and orderly. Instead, he chooses to make it feel like his character (played by actor Alberto San Juan) He constructs the story of his life from the events that impressed him and marked him.

The way the story is told contributes to the rhythm and tone of the series. None of the chapters feel rushed, much less constructed to make what they say more understandable. Instead, the designer emerges from history as a free spirit, full of contrasts, in search of self-realization and at the same time in the midst of internal tension. But the chapters are not simply statements of facts. The most interesting thing is how he connects scenarios that may not be entirely harmonious.

From a fashion show in which photographs by Javier Aguirre Erauso use detail to show the artist’s creative influence, to Coco Chanel’s funeral. The series is designed to create the feeling that Balenciaga’s story is told through extraordinary moments that are brought together through artistic talent. Which allows the whole argument can cover the youth of a young designer, his humble origins, until he conquers the great stages of world fashion.

The humble origins of a fashion myth

Balenciaga could sew. Unlike some fashion celebrities who back in the day and today were limited to creating suits for different houses. An important nuance is deepened in the series as a driving force to understand the significance of the designer in the exclusive world. Much more, to be the son of fishermen. Born in Guetaria (Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country), thanks to his efforts, he found a place in design.

But Balenciaga’s triumph in the series is more than just a happy coincidence. It’s also a common thread in understanding the Civil War, which, despite the script’s efforts, has more context than historical landscape, and at the same time how Spain became a stage for art. Gradually, the plot includes various aspects of a country divided by war, but full of art that reflects pain. In fact, in several scenes it becomes clear that the designer was inspired by art denouncing terror to delve deeper into his runway offering.

However, it is clear that Balenciaga stayed as far away from the political sphere as possible. What was truly important in his life was the way his art could express itself, based on a creative force close to madness. In some chapters, the designer is both an enlightened madman and a creator who knows how to sell his work. A combination that impresses with everything it offers and shows.

Balenciaga, wounded

The plot also analyzes the main character’s sexuality, which he manages to show without falling into sensationalism. However, this makes it the cause of his suffering and pain. But even at this stage, the idea of ​​what made Balenciaga such a great creator is shrouded in mystery. In addition to ambition, undoubted talent and efficiency, there is a search for purpose. What makes the series an elegant document about the life of a controversial personality.

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Something is clear in Cristobal Balenciaga. An artist’s legacy is much more than just the beauty of his work. This is the idea of ​​fashion as a historical fact. An element that makes the series a version of creative talent of an intimate nature. Its best feature.