Royal mourning for millions: Balenciaga has been selling customers scarce 16th-century Spanish pont for centuries (6 photos)

While armchair fashion critics see Balenciaga's all-black palette as banal minimalism or depressing trends, the true reason for this shade's cult following lies in a deep historical snobbery. To understand Cristóbal Balenciaga's obsession with a somber palette, one must travel back to 16th-century Spain, where deep, rich black clothing was an elite marker of extreme wealth and royal status. Back then, high-quality dark dye cost a fortune, and only monarchs and the highest nobility could afford such a wardrobe, forever linking the color with absolute power. The fashion house's founder masterfully transferred this imperial DNA to haute couture, compelling the modern public to willingly fork over thousands of dollars for the privilege of looking like a medieval Spanish grandee. Centuries later, the brand continues to successfully monetize this historical ploy, proving that the best way to sell an item for an astronomical sum is to paint it in the colors of vintage European vanity.