Upon entering the lobby of the luxurious Radisson Collection hotel in Bilbao, memories of leisurely afternoon strolls and evenings of dancing flood our minds—memories we may not have experienced ourselves but have often seen in images of women adorned in magnificent dresses at those lavish parties of the fifties and sixties. In this hall, resembling a museum, visitors stroll admiring the geometric and architectural shapes with refined lines and bias cuts that renowned fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga embraced. The masterfully captured garments for the exhibition Mirar y pensar Balenciaga are the work of acclaimed photographer Manuel Outumuro, who brings his thirty years of expertise to the project. These images now bring the work of the Basque couturier closer to hotel guests and visitors.
This is a collaboration, framed within the Art Series of Radisson Collection, that merges art, fashion, and gastronomy, where both brands aim to pay a new tribute to the legendary Basque designer.
Radisson Collection merges art, fashion, and gastronomy in honor of the Basque designer
The Radisson Collection Hotel in Bilbao has created a special menu called Cristóbal
The experience continues at the clandestine rooftop bar of the hotel, with stunning views of Gran Vía in Bilbao, where the five exclusive cocktails are served, reinterpreting the iconic silhouettes of the couturier: Semi Fitted 1951, Balloon 1952, Tunic 1955, Sack 1957, and Baby Doll 1958. An invitation for diners to immerse themselves in his world through unique flavors.
The following proposal is to enjoy the Cristóbal menu, created by Eneko Atxa, the three Michelin star chef, for the Eneko Basque Bilbao restaurant located on the seventh floor of the hotel. A culinary proposal composed of five courses inspired by the life and art of the designer Balenciaga. The first of them is called Getaria-txipirón Pelayo- and refers to the squid, a symbol of the Basque sea, which becomes the first protagonist transporting us to the origins of the fashion designer.
Five-course culinary proposal inspired by the designer, created by Eneko Atxa
Next comes Beauty – shrimp, essential oil, and flowers – a celebration of aesthetics and elegance aimed at reminding us that beauty, a central concept in Balenciaga's work, lies in the details. The third course is Volume and Shape – tartare and vegetable jelly – inspired by the sculptural forms of Balenciaga's creations. This course invites diners to explore how gastronomy, like fashion, can transform simple ingredients into visual and sensory masterpieces. Following this is The Fabric – silky hake throats – which focuses on fabric as a starting point in Balenciaga's works, using hake throats as a symbol of Basque culinary tradition and evoking the softness of the fabrics the designer used.
Finally, the dessert, Getaria-Paris-Getaria - brioche bread and farmhouse milk ice cream - combines elements from Getaria and Paris, a picturesque fishing village and one of the most emblematic capitals in the world that have shared with undoubtedly one of the most influential fashion designers in history. This menu, crafted to reflect the elegance and precision that characterized the designer, can be enjoyed until Saturday, December 21st.