Balenciaga is a luxury fashion house founded in Spain by Cristóbal BALENCIAGA, a designer born in the Basque Country, Spain. Training since chilhood as a tailor, BALENCIAGA is notable for being one of the few designers who could cut and sew his own designs. He moved to Paris because of the Spanish Civil War. Cristóbal BALENCIAGA closed his fashion house in 1968 and died in 1972. The house lay dormant until 1986. The Balenciaga house continues the production of clothes and accessories as a part of Gucci Group under the directin of Nicolas GUESQUIERE. The first perfume by Balenciaga was created in 1947. Balenciaga offers fragrances today in conjunction with Coty.