Woollen bouclé dress, Balenciaga, Paris, 1959.

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.

Given by Miss Catherine Hunt

Registered File number: MA/1/H3353

This dress was worn by Martita Hunt, the British actor. Martita Hunt (1900-1969) was a British theatre and film actor, best known for her 1946 performance as Miss Havisham in David Lean's film version of 'Great Expectations'.

Date attributed by Madame Jouve, former Balenciaga archivist

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'.

T.124&A-1970