BALENCIAGA
CHARACTER
This year 2023 , the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Cristóbal Balenciaga with an exhibition that examines a new , unexplored perspective of his work focused on what makes “ a Balenciaga ” recognisable .
Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre ( Getaria , 21 January 1895-Valencia , 23 March 1972 ), whom his professional colleagues ( Dior , Chanel and Givenchy ) considered the “ Master ” of haute couture , was one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century .
Over a professional career of five decades , Balenciaga ran his haute couture firms in Spain ( San Sebastian ( 1917 ), Madrid ( 1933 ) and Barcelona ( 1935 )) and France ( Paris ( 1937 )). He made his name synonymous with elegance , avantgarde , beauty and timelessness .
His work is laden with improbable volumes and fabrics taken to the extremes of their possibilities , where the meticulous work of each buttonhole , the sumptuous embroidery , the precision in each sleeve , and the minimum amount of seams in the cut take pride of place .
In the words of Miren Vives , Director of the centre , “ The Museum is the only institution in the world that permanently keeps , researches and disseminates the figure and work of Balenciaga , not only on this 50th anniversary , but every year since it was founded . Its existence is , in itself , the best tribute , and our day-to-day work is our humble homage to this great creator ”.
“ We believe that our mission is to bring something new to each exhibition and that is why this year we are proposing not only some of the silhouettes and volumes for which Balenciaga is known in the history of fashion , but also want to involve the public in other aspects that are not so visible but which also form part of the character of his work ,” she adds .
The exhibition raises questions such as : What is “ a Balenciaga ”? What makes them different ? What makes them recognisable ? What gives them their character ? From the recognisable exterior silhouette to the exquisite interior finishes of haute couture , the exhibition reveals the hidden details that make Balenciaga ’ s work a benchmark in 20th-century fashion and a source of inspiration for contemporary creation .
The exhibition seeks to show a new perspective of the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga , while at the same time disseminating the work of the Museum to make both concepts easier for the public to understand .
For this reason , the aesthetics of the exhibition are based on clean , neutral spaces that evoke the archives and conservation area
THE ART OF LUXURY ISSUE 62 2024