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Dress
  • Dress
    Cristóbal Balenciaga, born 1895 - died 1972
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Dress

  • Place of origin:

    Paris, France (made)

  • Date:

    Winter 1959 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Cristóbal Balenciaga, born 1895 - died 1972 (designer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Wool bouclé, metal and cotton zip

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Miss Catherine Hunt

  • Museum number:

    T.124&A-1970

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Image in copyright

Balenciaga worked on specific ideas from season to season to refine and perfect them. Throughout the 1950s he worked on the lean line known popularly as the 'sack'. This dress is one variation on this theme. It has a slim, semi-fitted outline with a round neck, elbow-length sleeves and a belt. The dress fastens with a zip at the back. This type of dress is simple and supremely elegant. It explains why fellow designers hailed Balenciaga as 'the Master'.

Physical description

Day dress of fine, black, wool bouclé by Balenciaga. The dress has a high, round next and the elbow length sleeves are cut in one piece with the loosely cut bodice. The waistline is at natural level. The skirt is fairly narrow and straight but given a 'peg top' silhouette through a panel of soft gauging at the front and curving pockets at the hips. The facings are of black silk organza and the pocket linings are silk. The hem is silk faced.
The belt is a wide, stiff, self material with a rectangular, single prong covered with self material. The label is stitched inside a skirt seam. The dress fastens at the centre back with a metal and cotton zip. There is a hook at the back of the neck.

Place of Origin

Paris, France (made)

Date

Winter 1959 (made)

Artist/maker

Cristóbal Balenciaga, born 1895 - died 1972 (designer)

Materials and Techniques

Wool bouclé, metal and cotton zip

Marks and inscriptions

Balenciaga, 10 Avenue George V, Paris
69.937

Descriptive line

Woollen bouclé dress, Balenciaga, Paris, 1959.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999.

Exhibition History

Black in Fashion (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1999-31/12/1999)

Production Note

Date attributed by Madame Jouve, former Balenciaga archivist

Materials

Weft loop weave

Categories

Fashion; Day wear

Production Type

Haute couture

Collection code

T&F

Qr_O75086
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