Evening dress of embroidered satin, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1955

Evening dress of yellow satin, embroidered with matching silk thread and gold pailletes and lined with matching chiffon. The separate, inner lining is of white silk, lined with matching chiffon. The embroidery decoration of the dress covers the front of dress, and back of bodice - the back skirt is plain.
The dress consists of a strapless, boned bodice joined to a skirt which is tightly gathered at the centre back. The dress fastens at the bodice with 5 buttons. A series of ruffles gives the skirt a bustle effect.

Bequeathed by Mrs Fern Bedaux

Worn with matching gloves. Mrs Bedaux always had 2 or 3 dresses of this kind in case she was invited to a grand party - information given by her niece and heiress, Miss Hanley.

The attribution date is confirmed by the Cristobal Balenciaga Museum (Foundation) in Getaria, Spain, who believe there is a similar model in the Texas Fashion Collection (museum no. 1966.050.015)

This object is part of the collection of Mrs Fern Bedaux, given to the museum by Miss E Hanley, the heiress and niece of Mrs Bedaux. Mrs Bedaux purchased her whole wardrobe regularly from Balenciaga and the collection was very large; some was kept by Miss Hanley, some send to the Costume Museum in Bath; and some was received by the V&A.

Mrs Bedaux was the very wealthy widow of American millionaire office systems pioneer Charles Bedaux. Mr and Mrs Bedaux lived in the sixteenth century Chateau de Cand in France. The Duke of Windsor was married there after his abdication as King Edward VIII in 1936.

T.758-1972