Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first fashion house in Saint Sebastien in Spain in 1917. His projects were so successful that he soon opened boutiques in Madrid and Barcelona. Today, the Balenciaga fashion house creates prêt-á-porter collections, shoes and accessories for women, men and kids that are sold all over the world. Today with Demna Gvasalia at the Sportswear helm, this brand branches off from haute couture and leans towards streetwear trends and originative silhouettes.