Cristóbal Balenciaga

1937 Paris is the home of Haute Couture where the greatest designers

are defining fashion for the rest of the world.

Cristóbal, son of a fisherman and a seamstress from Getaria,

moved here with a dream: to become one of the great masters of Haute Couture.

This series is inspired by his story.

COCO CHANEL'S FUNERAL PARIS, JANUARY 1971

A photo? - RAMÓN: Don't, please.

Monsieur Balenciaga.

I'm glad to see you.

Hello.

Although many doubted you,

I knew you wouldn't skip it.

Why would I skip it?

After the disagreement between you and Chanel...

Stop, Coco.

Fashion is no longer what it used to be.

All the great ones are leaving us.

Don't you think it's time for you to talk?

CRISTÓBAL: I already gave Paris Match an interview when I retired.

Well, yes, but it was very brief.

You've been retired for three years, so you can talk with no burden.

CRISTÓBAL: No, thank you. Don't insist, please.

I already said so last time. If you'll excuse me.

Oh, come on, Mr. Balenciaga.

Let us glimpse a little beyond the mystery that surrounds you.

If you change your mind.

I think I'm going to say yes.

You're still thinking about that?

What do you think?

I already told you, I agree.

Prudence Glynn is a very reputable journalist in England.

No! I won't do it.

CRISTÓBAL'S IGELDO HOUSE SAN SEBASTIÁN, JUNE 1971

CRISTÓBAL: Good afternoon.

- RAMÓN (IN ENGLISH): Hello. Hi.

PRUDENCE (IN SPANISH): First of all, I'd like to thank you

for giving me the opportunity to interview you.

To be honest, I thought you weren't going to accept my request.

Oh... No, no. No recordings, please.

It'll be for personal use, it won't be featured anywhere.

I'd rather not. I don't like having my voice recorded.

Why? It would be for personal use only.

Yes, but I'd know there's a recording of my voice

somewhere in the world, and...

The thing is, I don't want to make any mistakes

and twist your words.

I promise you, I'll destroy it later.

Very well. But, please, destroy it after transcribing it.

Okay.

Well... go ahead.

I've never done this before, I don't know what you want me to say.

Actually, I'm interested in your beginnings in Paris.

FIRST COLLECTION SHOWCASE PARIS, AUGUST 1937

You arrived after leaving behind the Civil War in Spain, right?

The Civil War.

Let's see if I remember...

Wladzio and I arrived in Paris in January 1937,

and by the start of August, we were already showcasing

our first haute couture collection.

Everything was too fast.

- (IN FRENCH) Excuse me. Thank you. - Careful!

- The earrings? - With that necklace.

Could you come, please?

- Colette. - I'm coming!

Quickly, Colette.

- Go. Colette, now.

CRISTÓBAL (IN SPANISH): It all happened so quickly.

We should have worked more with the models.

Come on, quickly.

CRISTÓBAL: Suzanne, separate the dresses

16, 18, 36, 37,

53, 109.

We have to finish them up.

CRISTÓBAL (IN SPANISH): The show starts in an hour.

Relax.

FLORETTE (IN FRENCH): Mrs. Ballard, how nice to see you.

It is an honor that Vogue is interested in our first showcase.

My pleasure.

Welcome.

It's an evening dress, it ends the show.

Yes, but I need your approval.

Walk, please.

Come close.

Cristóbal, don't...

CRISTÓBAL: It's crooked.

Look at this fold, here.

We have to sew it again.

We don't have time.

- We don't. - TAILOR (IN FRENCH) Come.

This happens when you leave things for the last minute.

Sew it again.

But Cristóbal, the sleeve was all right.

FLORETTE (IN FRENCH): Ladies, gentlemen, the showcase is about to begin.

Number one.

Number two.

Number three.

Number four.

Number 107.

CRISTÓBAL (IN FRENCH): So?

I couldn't say.

They're very serious, and a gentleman left.

You see this? It's all wrong.

The sleeves are identical.

- No, they aren't. - (IN FRENCH) Number 108.

There's a fold here, understand?

I'll handle it, go.

Cristóbal.

There's no time.

The show is ending. It's now or never.

Ready? Breathe...

WLADZIO (IN SPANISH): Well, looks like they liked it.

Hmm. Yeah.

Come on, go talk to people.

I'm not coming out.

WLADZIO (IN FRENCH): Thank you for coming, Mrs. Ballard.

Mr. D'Attainville, everything looks in place.

I heard you handled the decorations.

- Yes, do you like it? - Very much.

And what do you think of the collection?

Well...

take it as constructive criticism.

I don't want to sound arrogant,

but I think it lacks some personality.

- Personality? - Yes.

Yes, maybe I expected too much.

This is Paris, it's hard to stand out,

- but you need... Hi.

May I introduce you to Nicolás Bizkarrondo.

- Nice to meet you. - And his wife, Virgilia Mendizábal.

- Main shareholders of the Maison. - Congratulations.

A great collection.

WLADZIO (IN SPANISH): Do you think we've been reckless

by involving ourselves with Virgilia and Nicolás?

CRISTÓBAL: Why?

I don't know...

I'm not sure they're the right associates.

Don't misunderstand, I like them...

but things work differently here.

Everything about fashion is more sophisticated.

But I'd rather surround myself with people I agree with

than with "sophisticated" people. What can I say?

I'm just saying, if we had waited a bit in Paris,

surely we would have found someone with experience and contacts.

Someone who could have added to the company,

beyond their money.

What if that someone never appears?

I have no doubt, they would appear.

There isn't that much talent in high fashion.

And you have it, obviously.

I wish I were like you.

What do you mean?

Like this.

So confident.

I can't permit a lack of confidence.

"Hello, Nicolás. How are you?"

- I don't talk like that. - You do!

- No! - When you're with Bizkarrondo,

you lower your voice as if you were manlier.

- That's not true! - (LAUGHTER)

You do, and not just with Bizkarrondo, you do it with others too.

I didn't know.

Well, you do.

You can't see your own mannerisms either.

What mannerisms?

Nothing important.

RAMÓN: Cristóbal...

Cristóbal?

Sorry.

I... I lost track of what I was saying.

You were telling me about your business partner.

Yes... Nicolás Bizkarrondo.

Nicolás was a republican engineer

who had openly spoken against Franco.

He and his wife, Virgilia Mendizábal, had to go into exile in Paris,

and decided to invest in the Maison.

They both were a great support.

Let's toast to the show.

It went very well.

Nicolás, don't force the enthusiasm.

People clapped happily.

And we've been promised good reviews, there's no reason to be sad.

Careful, Nicolás.

That's what Ballard told you, right?

Yes, yes. But what they tell you to your face is one thing,

and what they later write is another.