Classy, compact, and contemplative, the six-episode series is a refreshing find amid a glut of middling streaming content.
Every so often I stumble upon a rare gem of a series. Usually, these are the ones that fly under the radar, with hardly any fan discussion on Twitter (I still refuse to call it X) or Reddit, making the discovery even more special (and brag-worthy).
For me, it was Disney+/Hulu’s Shogun and Apple TV’s Sunny last year, as well as HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice, which the platform cancelled after only two seasons. Last Friday, I made another sweet discovery in the form of Spanish biographical drama Cristóbal Balenciaga on Disney+. I finished all six episodes in one sitting, and wow, there’s nothing quite like it that’s currently available on streaming platforms. Its bite-sized episodes (at less than an hour each), stunning costumes, and rather pensive storyline make it the perfect binge-watch on a Friday or Saturday evening.
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The series follows the legendary fashion designer across the 30 pivotal years he spent in Paris. Far from being a nobody, he had already made a name for himself in his native country Spain, with successful boutiques in San Sebastián and branches in Madrid and Barcelona. He was also a favorite of the Spanish royalty, until the Spanish Civil War saw him packing his bags and relocating to Paris. Despite being a sought after designer in his motherland, it was the three decades when he made the City of Light his home that saw him elevated to the pantheon—if not the very summit—of haute couture’s greats.
Each episode has just the right length, cutting the extra fat and focusing just on the essentials. The writing is clear, sharp, many times witty, and at others almost poetic. Hablo (un poco) de español, and I can say that in both English and Spanish, the writing is exquisite.
I love how the series covers several significant historical moments (not just in fashion!) from the Nazi Occupation to the rise of prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear), which shook Balenciaga to his core, who believed it was an affront to the art of high fashion. His meltdown at the facility where his design for Air France’s uniform was mass produced still sends chills down the spine.
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It was also a delight to get to know more about Balenciaga’s contemporaries, with whom he had complicated relationships, especially with frenemy Coco Chanel (Anouk Grinberg), and Christian Dior (Patrice Thibaud), who challenged the way Balenciaga viewed haute couture in a fast-changing world. Despite misunderstandings (with Chanel) and a perceived rivalry (with the then-emerging Dior), both only had the highest of praises for the Spanish designer. Chanel famously said that Balenciaga is “the only couturier in the truest sense of the word. The others are simply fashion designers. Dior, meanwhile, considers him “the master of us all.”
His more tender relationships, especially with partner Władzio Jaworowski d’Attainville (Thomas Coumans), protégé Hubert de Givenchy (Adrien Dewitte), and confidante Ramon Esparza (Adam Quintero), showed us Balenciaga’s vulnerable side. Sure he is larger than life, a god among designers, but he is not impervious to human follies.
Thank god for the talented Alberto San Juan, whose portrayal of Cristóbal Balenciaga is impeccable. San Juan made the prickly, controlling, and exacting (to a fault) Balenciaga not only relatable, but also someone who deserves empathy. I found myself rooting for him all throughout. The rest of the cast delivered stellar performances as well.
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The costumes are, of course, spectacular. There are many other stylish shows out there like Emily in Paris and Sex and the City, but in Cristóbal Balenciaga, the clothes are not just mere props, they are an extension of the protagonist himself—as they were to the real-life Balenciaga. Known to be a control freak (an aspect of Balenciaga’s personality the series didn’t shy away from), he makes sure everything is perfect down to the last stitch, believing that his creations carry a part of himself.
Lastly, I loved how the series provoked questions about art—specifically haute couture—and its place in a world obsessed with everything fast, trendy, and viral. It breaks my heart a little to see how the Balenciaga brand has been paraded about by celebrities and influencers. Balenciaga was not one to seek fame (he famously shied away from the spotlight and reportedly gave only one full interview in his decades-long career). He treated his creations like sacred objects. To see his namesake label commodified (and counterfeited!) makes me feel a dull ache.
Overall, Cristóbal Balenciaga is a luxurious watch that is surprisingly clever and profound. Watch for the style, stay for the titular character from whose life and philosophy we can draw much inspiration.
Cristóbal Balenciaga is now streaming on Disney+. Watch the trailer here:
