Coat
August 1960 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Balenciaga was the most exclusive fashion house in Paris immediately after World War II. The Spanish born couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), ‘the Master’ to his fellow couture designers, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees and his house produced 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to his salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities. Some dressed exclusively in his clothes.
Balenciaga was a perfectionist in all aspects of cutting, sewing and finishing of garments. This evening coat typifies the superb cut and increasingly monastic simplicity of his designs in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Its only accent is the large glittering jet button. The shapes of such garments owed much to his knowledge of ecclesiastical vestments.
Balenciaga was a perfectionist in all aspects of cutting, sewing and finishing of garments. This evening coat typifies the superb cut and increasingly monastic simplicity of his designs in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Its only accent is the large glittering jet button. The shapes of such garments owed much to his knowledge of ecclesiastical vestments.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk satin |
| Brief description | Silk satin evening coat, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, August 1960. |
| Physical description | Dark grey coat of silk satin with three quarter kimon sleeves, full back of impressed pleats and a deep stand-up collar. It fastens with faceted jet button. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | Evening dress and coat (robe du soir)
Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972)
Paris
1952 and 1960
The gown shows Balenciaga's preference for stiff, matt fabrics, while the heavy satin coat epitomises the superb cut and monastic simplicity of his designs. Its only accent is a large glittering jet button. [32 words]
Dress: nylon organza with velvet spots
Coat: satin with jet button
Dress given by Mrs Catherine Hunt; coat by Baroness Alain de Rothschild
V&A: T.116-1970; T.20-1974(22/09/2007-06/01/2008) |
| Credit line | Given by Baroness Alain de Rothschild |
| Object history | Worn and given by Baroness Alain de Rothschild. Mary Germaine Nathalie (nee Chauvin de Treuil), Baronne de Rothschild (1916- ), wife of banker Baron Alain de Rothschild. She was a very fashionable woman in Parisian society, known to Beaton from the international circuit. Beaton persuaded the Baroness to donate some of her dresses to the museum, and sketches he did of her are held at the National Portrait Gallery. Registered File number: RP/1970/3752 |
| Association | |
| Summary | Balenciaga was the most exclusive fashion house in Paris immediately after World War II. The Spanish born couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), ‘the Master’ to his fellow couture designers, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees and his house produced 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to his salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities. Some dressed exclusively in his clothes. Balenciaga was a perfectionist in all aspects of cutting, sewing and finishing of garments. This evening coat typifies the superb cut and increasingly monastic simplicity of his designs in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Its only accent is the large glittering jet button. The shapes of such garments owed much to his knowledge of ecclesiastical vestments. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.20-1974 |
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| Record created | February 21, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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