The Stunning World of Balenciaga Dresses at the V&A Exhibition in London (until 18.2.)
The Balenciaga Exhibition: Shaping Fashion
This international symposium reviews the life and the work of this Spanish Master. Discover how the fashionable craftsmanship and the innovative designs of Cristobal Balenciaga have shaped modern fashion.
Where the eye can see: Under the dress! An X-ray vision of dresses.
Let yourself be carried away by luxury and elegance. We bring a little taste of what literally you can be absorbed in: e.g. A Cristobal Balenciaga Silk Evening Taffeta Dress (1955), An Evening Paco Rabanne Mini-Dress (1967) or A Cristobal Balenciaga Wild Silk Evening Dress with Embroidery (1960 - 1974). You can even see animations and X-rays of some models that reveal hidden details which make his work so extraordinary, such as the 1954 Balenciaga Evening Dress with a balloon trim showing its fine inner hoops.
A Master of great fashion "gestures" - variety, femininity and luxury
Cristobal Balenciaga is famous for the variety and quality of the fabrics that were made available in Paris in the 1950's and the 1960's. Taffeta and silk of the highest quality were frequently used materials. These clothes were really sophisticated! He had close working relationships with Lesage, for example, and with craftsmen and women who could make luxurious adornments and other accessories.
An example of his relentless work and an initiation to the process.
Would you like a beautiful hot-pink pearl Balenciaga evening coat from 1967, which was decorated with sequins? The "frame" of the dress was first mapped on paper and then perforated. When transferring the sample to the fabric a mixture of charcoal and resin was applied. Embroidery was then added layer-by-layer to create an exactly graded white pearl design (in what actually seemed to be a random "vermicelli" design), with drops and pink feathers similar to sequins.
And what, in your opinion, would be the most sumptuous conclusion to the showing of these jewels? For many, it would definitely be talking with the leading fashion designers, with significant writers and other influential people who study his legacy and his impact today. Do you also think so?
The exhibition will last until the 18th February 2018. Come to see for yourself that he is rightly considered as one of the most ambitious designers.
