His fascination for high fashion began when the Spanish aristocrat asked him to design a dress for her. The story goes that she stopped by to get some work done, and young Cristobal complimented the Parisian tailoring (Drecoll tailleur) of her outfit.
Moved by his compliment and impressed by his attention to detail, she offered him an apprenticeship. Young Cristobal, knowing that it was a chance of a lifetime, leapt at it. Around this time, the esteemed lady sent Balenciaga to Madrid to seek formal training.