Unlike some other high-profile designers of the era, Balenciaga was a very private individual. He refused to court the press, giving only one interview during his 50-year career.
In 1968, with the advent of Prêt-à-porter, Balenciaga retired, while remaining a great inspiration for subsequent internationally renowned designers such as Oscar de la Renta, André Courrèges, Emanuel Ungaro, and Hubert de Givenchy.