Hat thumbnail 1
Hat thumbnail 2
+6
images
Not on display

Hat

1963 (made)
Artist/Maker
Cristóbal Balenciaga (designer)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

Hat of woven green straw trimmed with a pin that has a bobble on each end. It is unlined and has a hatband with a grosgrain back and green velvet front.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
read Introducing Cristóbal Balenciaga Famed for his exquisite craftmanship and innovative designs, Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga was known as 'The Master' of haute couture. An inspiration to those who follow in his footsteps, his work continues to shape fashion today.

Object details

Categories
Fashion
Accessories
Hats & Headwear
Womenswear
Object type
Hat
Materials and techniques
Woven straw, grosgrain, velvet
Straw
Weaving
Brief description
Hat of woven straw, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, Spring / Summer 1963
Physical description
Hat of woven green straw trimmed with a pin that has a bobble on each end. It is unlined and has a hatband with a grosgrain back and green velvet front.
Gallery label
(12/05/2017)
‘Balenciaga’s hats are an integral part of his fashion,’ reported the French fashion review Jardin des modes in 1961. They ensure ‘that volumes are balanced and the silhouette is perfectly finished off.’ Fairly conventional ensembles were often paired with a striking hat which lifted the whole look and made it appear more avant-garde. The client could buy the whole ensemble or leave the hat if it was too daring. The designs for hats were as fiercely protected as those for dresses. The police commissioner stamped the official sketches of the hats to protect them from being copied.

Green Straw Hat
Bali buntal straw
Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris,1963
Bequeathed by Mrs Fern Bedaux
V&A: T.755-1972
Credit line
Bequeathed by Mrs Fern Bedaux
Historical context
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.
Bibliographic reference
Hommage à Balenciaga. Lyon : Musée Historique des Tissus, 1985
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.755-1972

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 14, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109270/hat-cristóbal-balenciaga/
Download as: JSON