The first UK exhibition to explore the work and legacy of the Spanish couturier, showcases over 100 garments and hats crafted by Balenciaga, his protégés and contemporary designers working in the same innovative way today. It examines Balenciaga’s work from the 1950s and 1960s – when he dressed some of the most renowned women of the age and became revered by his contemporaries, including Christian Dior and Coco Chanel. Alongside iconic garments are archive sketches, patterns, photographs, fabric samples and catwalk footage, providing a unique insight into Balenciaga’s salons and workrooms. The V&A has the largest collection of Balenciaga in the UK, initiated in the 1970s by the photographer Cecil Beaton, Balenciaga’s longstanding friend. Find out more about the Balenciaga exhibition from the V&A’s website.
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Alberta Tiburzi in an ‘envelope’ dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga for Harper’s Bazaar, June 1967. © Hiro 1967
Cristóbal Balenciaga at work in Paris, 1968. © Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos
Evening dress, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga in Paris, 1962. Photographed in 1971. © Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s
Detail of an evening dress with wild silk embroidery by Lesage, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga in Paris, 1960-1962. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Model wearing Balenciaga orange coat as I. Magnin buyers inspect a dinner outfit in the background in Paris, 1954. © Mark Shaw / mptvimages.com
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