Dress
1957-1958 (made)
Not currently on display at the V&A
| 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), regarded by his peers as ‘the Master’, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees there and was producing 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to his salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities.
In the 1950s, Balenciaga’s designs became increasingly pared down, foreshadowing the simple geometry of 1960s fashion. In 1957 his 'sack' line created a stir, because it was so radically different from the constricting hour-glass shape that dominated fashion. This example shows how the dress hangs suspended from the shoulders like an envelope around the body, letting it breathe. For many, the first version of the sack was too radical, and in succeeding years, the designer reduced its fullness. It had a certain longevity, the skirt of this example being shortened by 7cm in the 1960s to bring it in line with new fashions.
In the 1950s, Balenciaga’s designs became increasingly pared down, foreshadowing the simple geometry of 1960s fashion. In 1957 his 'sack' line created a stir, because it was so radically different from the constricting hour-glass shape that dominated fashion. This example shows how the dress hangs suspended from the shoulders like an envelope around the body, letting it breathe. For many, the first version of the sack was too radical, and in succeeding years, the designer reduced its fullness. It had a certain longevity, the skirt of this example being shortened by 7cm in the 1960s to bring it in line with new fashions.
object details
| Categories | |
| Object Type | |
| Materials and Techniques | Wool lined with silk |
| Brief Description | Wool 'sack' dress, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1957-8 |
| Physical Description | Dress of black, loosely-woven wool in a stiff 'sack style'. Its round neckline sits slightly above the wearer’s chest. It has narrow, diagonal inset pockets at waist-level, faced with wool. The three-quarter-length sleeves are cut in one with the yoke. There is a two-piece gusset under either arm. There is a centre front and back seam and side panels. It fastens at the back with a centre zip, with a hook and eye at the top. Inside, it is loosely lined with black silk, the construction of which closely imitates that of the dress. The zip is backed with a black silk tape which fastens to the opposite closure with a popper. The neck, sleeves and hem are faced with the same woollen fabric from which the rest of the dress is made. All are finished with a piping of black silk. At each shoulder is a short strap with a popper to hold the dress in place on the wearer’s undergarments. The hem has been taken up. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and Inscriptions |
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| Gallery Label |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mrs Dittenhofer |
| Object history | Given in 1973 by the late Mrs Dittenhofer [73/199]. |
| Summary | Balenciaga was the most exclusive fashion house in Paris immediately after World War II. The Spanish-born couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), regarded by his peers as ‘the Master’, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees there and was producing 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to his salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities. In the 1950s, Balenciaga’s designs became increasingly pared down, foreshadowing the simple geometry of 1960s fashion. In 1957 his 'sack' line created a stir, because it was so radically different from the constricting hour-glass shape that dominated fashion. This example shows how the dress hangs suspended from the shoulders like an envelope around the body, letting it breathe. For many, the first version of the sack was too radical, and in succeeding years, the designer reduced its fullness. It had a certain longevity, the skirt of this example being shortened by 7cm in the 1960s to bring it in line with new fashions. |
| Bibliographic Reference | Hommage à Balenciaga. Lyon : Musée Historique des Tissus, 1985 |
| Other Number | 66570 - Number on label |
| Collection | |
| Accession Number | T.90-1973 |
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| record created | February 14, 2005 |
| Record URL |