Hat
1962 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cristóbal Balenciaga (21/01/1895 - 23/03/1972) opened his couture house on the Avenue George V in Paris in 1937. He was one of the great couturiers of his age, and influenced many future designers. Christian Dior himself liked to call Balenciaga 'the master of us all', and once commented upon seeing a Balenciaga suit - "only Balenciaga would be capable of producing such perfection".
For day-wear Balenciaga's style was one of classic simplicity, placing great emphasis on quality textiles, and subtle cut and tailoring. He liked bold materials and heavy cloths, some of which were made especially for him, like the famous 'gazar' and 'zagar' silks. For evening wear, Balenciaga's designs could be flamboyant and richly decorated, often with rich embroidery .
This hat is an example of Balenciaga's millinery designs from the early 1960s; probably 1962. It is a sculptural piece typical of Balenciaga's style. It would have been worn with day wear such as tailored suits and tailored sculptural coats. Balenciaga would often team over-size or flamboyantly constructed hats with the linear tailoring of his day wear.
Balenciaga retired in 1968.
For day-wear Balenciaga's style was one of classic simplicity, placing great emphasis on quality textiles, and subtle cut and tailoring. He liked bold materials and heavy cloths, some of which were made especially for him, like the famous 'gazar' and 'zagar' silks. For evening wear, Balenciaga's designs could be flamboyant and richly decorated, often with rich embroidery .
This hat is an example of Balenciaga's millinery designs from the early 1960s; probably 1962. It is a sculptural piece typical of Balenciaga's style. It would have been worn with day wear such as tailored suits and tailored sculptural coats. Balenciaga would often team over-size or flamboyantly constructed hats with the linear tailoring of his day wear.
Balenciaga retired in 1968.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Brief description | Black deep-brimmed Balenciaga hat, with original Harrods box |
| Physical description | Black hat decorated with black bow at the front, of one shaped piece of felt, deep brimmed and conical in shape. There is a smaller skull cap inside to hold the hat on the head. The hat comes with its original Harrods hat box. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | ‘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.
This couture hat was made in Paris in Balenciaga’s millinery atelier, but sold at Harrods department store in London. It has a Balenciaga label inside and came in a Harrods hat box. It would probably have been worn with a tailored skirt suit.
Hat and hat box
Shaped felt
Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1962
Worn by and given in memory of
Rita Wolberg-Reiss
V&A: T.19:1 to 3-2006(12/05/2017) |
| Credit line | Worn by and given in memory of Rita Wolberg-Reiss |
| Object history | This hat is the gift of David and Laurence Reiss, in memory of their mother Rita Reiss (nee Wolberg) who died in 1967. The hat was bought by her at Harrods. In 1972, the original owner's sister borrowed the hat to wear with a Balenciaga outfit for a newspaper article about her (possibly in the Sunday Times). The hat has been in the family the date of donation to the museum. |
| Historical context | This hat is an example of Balenciaga's millinery style from the early 1960s, probably 1962. It is a sculptural piece typical of Balenciaga's style. It would have been worn with day wear such as tailored suits and tailored sculptural coats. Balenciaga would often team over-size or flamboyantly constructed hats with the linear tailoring of his day wear. The Fundacion Balenciaga in Getaria, Spain, has an identical hat - ref. 02000.9. Donated from the collection of the Marquesa de Llanzol. |
| Summary | Cristóbal Balenciaga (21/01/1895 - 23/03/1972) opened his couture house on the Avenue George V in Paris in 1937. He was one of the great couturiers of his age, and influenced many future designers. Christian Dior himself liked to call Balenciaga 'the master of us all', and once commented upon seeing a Balenciaga suit - "only Balenciaga would be capable of producing such perfection". For day-wear Balenciaga's style was one of classic simplicity, placing great emphasis on quality textiles, and subtle cut and tailoring. He liked bold materials and heavy cloths, some of which were made especially for him, like the famous 'gazar' and 'zagar' silks. For evening wear, Balenciaga's designs could be flamboyant and richly decorated, often with rich embroidery . This hat is an example of Balenciaga's millinery designs from the early 1960s; probably 1962. It is a sculptural piece typical of Balenciaga's style. It would have been worn with day wear such as tailored suits and tailored sculptural coats. Balenciaga would often team over-size or flamboyantly constructed hats with the linear tailoring of his day wear. Balenciaga retired in 1968. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.19:1 to 3-2006 |
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| Record created | February 16, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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