Evening Dress
1960 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This dress is a one-off commission, not a dress from a collection. It was designed specifically for Madame Alec Weisweiller for the 18th birthday party of her daughter (who was also dressed by Balenciaga). She was a real Parisian personality and friendly with Balenciaga and Cocteau.
This dress is interesting for being a particularly Dior-like Balenciaga design. Balenciaga favoured linear shapes and bold colours and embroidery, which is arguably contrasted by this dress of delicate floral patterns.
This dress is interesting for being a particularly Dior-like Balenciaga design. Balenciaga favoured linear shapes and bold colours and embroidery, which is arguably contrasted by this dress of delicate floral patterns.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Organza and silk decorated with ribbon work, lace and bead embroidery; lined with silk crepe |
| Brief description | Evening dress with fichu collar of pink organza with ribbon work and lace embroidery |
| Physical description | Pale pink organza evening dress. Fichu like collar which encircles the shoulders and crosses over at the front to attach to the bodice with hooks and eyes and popper buttons; one side is decorated with a pink organza bow. Embroidery of cream lace florets, ribbon-work pink and green flowers with coloured silks, and with white and pearl coloured beads, which decorates the collar and the upper third of the skirt. The dress is fastened with self covered buttons at the front. A satin ribbon, not offered, would have been worn around the waist to hide the seam. The interior construction of pink silk is visible through the organza and gives the dress its overall colour. The interior dress has two shoulder straps and is fastened with hooks and eyes at the bodice front and then with a waist belt of pink silk also fastened with hooks and eyes. The interior bodice is lined with pink silk crepe. There are 8 suspender attachments connected to the waist band. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | REGIONAL DRESS
Spanish costume was a recurring influence on Balenciaga. As early 20th-century Spain became urbanised, anthropologists and artists strove to record traditional customs before they died out. Balenciaga owned Isabel de Palencia’s anthology of regional costumes and would have seen the photographs of his Basque contemporary José Ortiz-Echagüe. This evening gown made for his good friend Francine Weisweiller shows a debt to Valencian dress.
Evening dress
Silk organza, with embroidery by Lesage
Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1960
V&A: T.17-2006(27/05/2017-07/02/2018) |
| Object history | This dress is a one-off commission, not a dress from a collection. It was designed specifically for Francine Weisweiller (née Worms, 1916-2003) for the 18th birthday party of her daughter (who was also dressed by Balenciaga). See Vogue (Fr), October 1960 for the coverage of the party by Robert Doisneau. Francine Weisweiller was a wealthy Parisian personality, friendly with Balenciaga and Jean Cocteau, for whom she acted as a muse after meeting him in 1949. Balenciaga designed other garments worn by Mme Weisweiller for The Testament Of Orpheus (1960), a film by Cocteau (1880's inspiration). The same little embroidered motif turns up in collection dresses of 1960. |
| Historical context | This dress is interesting for being a particularly Dior-like Balenciaga design. Balenciaga favoured linear shapes and bold colours and embroidery, which is arguably contrasted by this dress of delicate floral patterns. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | This dress is a one-off commission, not a dress from a collection. It was designed specifically for Madame Alec Weisweiller for the 18th birthday party of her daughter (who was also dressed by Balenciaga). She was a real Parisian personality and friendly with Balenciaga and Cocteau. This dress is interesting for being a particularly Dior-like Balenciaga design. Balenciaga favoured linear shapes and bold colours and embroidery, which is arguably contrasted by this dress of delicate floral patterns. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 72814 - Couture number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.17-2006 |
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| Record created | February 16, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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