From his deep dive into the archive, the Italian designer quickly distilled the essence of the Paris house, its legacy of disruption and the “culture of couture” forged by founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. Pierpaolo Piccioli: I love what has been done here. : As a designer, we all know the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga from afar — the volumes, the proportions. I felt super free to follow my instinct and my vision about Balenciaga, and I felt trust from Gianfranco (Gianangeli), my CEO, and from all the team, too. : To me Balenciaga is, and must stay, the most relevant house in terms of creativity.