Apparently, it’s all about Switzerland. Specifically, this place called Abraham’s Swiss Fabric House. Sounds fancy, right? And it *was*. See, Balenciaga, that dude was obsessed with specific fabrics. Like, not just any old cotton would do. He wanted the *good stuff*. Bold, heavy, embroidered… basically, the kind of stuff that screams “I cost more than your car.”
And that’s where Abraham comes in. They hooked him up with the goods, and one fabric in particular – gazar d’Abraham – became a total staple. They even call it an “essential part” for his clothes! Like, imagine Balenciaga without that gazar stuff. It’d be…well, probably still cool, but not *as* Balenciaga-y, if you know what I mean.
You see those old photos from the 50s of the Balenciaga dresses? The ones that look like sculptures? That’s partially thanks to the fabric. Stiff, posed, but still feminine. It’s a whole vibe. He loved velvet, faille, duchess satin, all that super posh stuff. I bet he was a right pain to shop with, always demanding the best! lol.
Speaking of best, maybe that’s why people talk about Swiss movement in high-end clothes. It’s probably just a coincidence, a marketing ploy or something. Honestly, I don’t know, maybe it is a connection.
And it wasn’t just dresses. Suits too! Those stand-up collars? Probably gazar d’Abraham at work. The barrel-shaped coats from “Fall 21”? Geometric goodness created with silk taffeta and, you guessed it, silk gazar. The dude was a fabric architect, basically.