Balenciaga - The Spanish Master of Fashion

Next month, my daughter and I are off to Bendigo, to view the "Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion" exhibition on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Having already seen the Chanel and Dior collections as well as the Krystyna Campbell-Petty Fashion Gift, we are both extremely excited to see this collection and can hardly wait.

The V&A holds the largest collection of Balenciaga garments and hats in the UK. Many pieces were sourced for the Museum by society photographer Cecil Beaton (scroll down to the end), who used his contacts to assemble a prestigious collection of 20th century couture. This exhibition examines the work and legacy of the influential Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, with over 100 pieces crafted by him, his protégées and contemporary fashion designers working in the same innovative tradition.

Known as 'the master' of haute couture, Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895 – 1972) was a true fashion innovator and he radically altered the fashionable silhouette of women in the mid-twentieth century. With the methodical skill of an expert tailor, he created garments of fluidity and grace. Unlike many couturiers, Balenciaga was able to drape, cut and fit his own muslin patterns, known as toiles. His designs embraced women of all shapes, sizes and age. His clothes skimmed, rather than hugged a woman’s curves, which allowed comfort and full range of movement. He was respected throughout the fashion world for both his knowledge of technique, construction and his unflinching perfectionism.

Cristobal Balenciaga photographed by Boris Lipnitzki, circa 1927.

A woman has no need to be perfect or even beautiful to wear my dresses.

The dress will do all that for her.

Cristóbal Balenciaga

Balenciaga orange coat, Paris, 1954

Balenciaga alone is a couturier in the truest sense of the word.

Only he is capable of cutting material, assembling a creation and sewing it by hand,

the others are simply fashion designers.

Coco Chanel

Silk taffeta evening gown by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1954

Haute couture is like an orchestra whose conductor is Balenciaga.

We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives.

Christian Dior

My favourite photo: Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn wearing a coat by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris 1950

The House of Balenciaga is still alive today, under yet another new creative director, (and there have been quite a few) but in my opinion, none who have followed in Cristóbal Balenciaga's footsteps have rarely done him or the House of Balenciaga justice . . . there will only ever be one 'Master'.

Cape dress by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga, Paris Autumn-Winter 2006

Silk evening cape by Cristobal Balenciaga, Paris 1963

Comparing the two previous photos, I cannot see anything original about the design of the Ghesquiere cape, apart from the choice of fabric. Oscar de la Renta and Hubert de Givenchy have also been seen to be following 'the master' with whom they apprenticed.

-oOo-

Cecil Beaton:
Although best known as a photographer, he was also a fabulous illustrator and designer for stage and film.

Along with Edith Head (whose collection we saw in 2017), Beaton is one of my favourite costume designers. His designs for productions such as My Fair Lady were absolutely stunning, especially with the millinery featured in the Ascot scene.

Both My Fair Lady (1956) and Gigi (1958), defined the glamorous look of the era, as well as winning him three Oscars for costume and art direction.