Evening Dress
1965 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Balenciaga had a natural affinity for black - his native Spain provided abundant inspiration in the black of peasant garb, of traditional mourning, of religious orders and of courtly attire as depicted by such artists as Velazquez and Zurbaran. Balenciaga used black in an uncompromising manner to create powerful fashion statements that attracted clients with a taste for drama. He composed evening gowns that were adventurous in their explorations of volume but never strayed into the realm of the outlandish. The only decoration is the artificial flowers at the hem of the dress and the collar of the cape.
He used silks with a weight and substance necessary to achieve and retain unusual silhouettes; like this Gazar, a thick silk fabric with a stiff finish, specially created for Balenciaga by the textile firm Abraham of Switzerland.
This dress and cape contain the 'Eisa' label, the Spanish branch of the House of Balenciaga, named after the designer's mother.
He used silks with a weight and substance necessary to achieve and retain unusual silhouettes; like this Gazar, a thick silk fabric with a stiff finish, specially created for Balenciaga by the textile firm Abraham of Switzerland.
This dress and cape contain the 'Eisa' label, the Spanish branch of the House of Balenciaga, named after the designer's mother.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Woven silk gazar |
| Brief description | Evening dress and cape of silk gazar, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga for Eisa, Spain, and with the textile made by Abraham of Switzerland, autumn/winter 1965 |
| Physical description | Evening dress and cape of black silk gazar. Decorated with artificial black flowers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Eisa' (Label printed white on black) |
| Gallery label | ECCLESIASTICAL INSPIRATION
Balenciaga was a devout Catholic. References to religious clothing occur frequently in his designs. This cape resembles a mozzetta, an elbow-length cape worn by clerics and monks. The photograph shows that the original design was even more austere. The flower trim was probably requested by the client, Hollywood actress Ava Gardner whose dress sense was more flamboyant.
Evening dress and cape
Silk gazar
Cristóbal Balenciaga (Eisa label),
Madrid, 1966
Given by Mrs Beatrice Cole and Mrs Myra Pearce, in memory of Miss Ava Gardner
V&A: T.292&A-1990(27/05/2017-07/02/2018) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Beatrice Cole and Mrs Myra Pearce, in memory of Miss Ava Gardner |
| Object history | Registered File number 1990/1420. If the cost of his Paris salon was out of reach, there were other ways to buy a Balenciaga design. Some were sold less expensively under Balenciaga’s label Eisa in Spain, where labour costs were lower and cheaper fabrics might be used. Ava Gardner moved to Madrid in the 1950s. She found Spain ‘unspoiled . . . dramatic . . .and so god-damn cheap to live in, that it was almost unbelievable’. She bought Balenciaga designs both in Paris and at Eisa, which may have appealed to what she called her ‘frugal side’. Gardner spent her final years living around the corner from the V&A and donated several of her clothes to the museum. Gardner referred to her couture garments as her ‘babies’ and insisted on opening her wardrobes daily to let them ‘breathe’. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Balenciaga had a natural affinity for black - his native Spain provided abundant inspiration in the black of peasant garb, of traditional mourning, of religious orders and of courtly attire as depicted by such artists as Velazquez and Zurbaran. Balenciaga used black in an uncompromising manner to create powerful fashion statements that attracted clients with a taste for drama. He composed evening gowns that were adventurous in their explorations of volume but never strayed into the realm of the outlandish. The only decoration is the artificial flowers at the hem of the dress and the collar of the cape. He used silks with a weight and substance necessary to achieve and retain unusual silhouettes; like this Gazar, a thick silk fabric with a stiff finish, specially created for Balenciaga by the textile firm Abraham of Switzerland. This dress and cape contain the 'Eisa' label, the Spanish branch of the House of Balenciaga, named after the designer's mother. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.292&A-1990 |
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| Record created | December 2, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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