FASHION 27 of the museum ’ s collections . The colour scheme adds nude tones to the white of the rooms , revealing the identity and interior of the garments on display , while the design of the exhibition brings us closer to the superimpositions of the layers and structures that form the framework of the garments .
Curated by Igor Uria , Director of Collections at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum , this exhibition features 90 pieces spread over five rooms in which visitors can see silhouettes , volumes , fabrics and embroidery , and discover that inner world , often hidden , made possible by the cut , technique and finishes of haute couture .
The visit opens with a reference to a first interior element , the label , which distinguishes many , but not all , of the references in the museum ’ s collection . With different names and lettering , in different shapes and colours , sewn in various locations on a garment ( back , collar , waist , side seam , etc .), the label is the most obvious way to recognise the authorship of a garment .
However , some garments may never have come with a label , or they may have lost it at some stage in their life , which is why this room raises the question of how and what checks are performed to ensure that a garment attributable to Balenciaga is accepted into the museum ’ s collection .
Throughout his business career , Cristóbal Balenciaga used different label names , with different trade names and different spellings : EISA Costura , Balenciaga EISA B . E , EISA , BALENCIAGA . 10 , Avenue George V .
Authorised copying was part of the fashion business . These are garments made by third parties from a complete model purchased inhouse . Therefore , it is the authorised name that appears on the label , with a reference to the original .
At the same time , such was the impact of Balenciaga ’ s creations and so great was the public ’ s desire to wear them that illegal copies were common and even counterfeits of the label itself were made .
The rooms are then organised according to the designs that distinguish Balenciaga ’ s career on the outside , and show some of the techniques that make it possible on the inside .
Thus , the second room presents the historicist silhouettes for evening wear and fine tailoring that characterised Balenciaga ’ s creations in the 1940s , offering a glimpse of the different formulas used to create these volumes without renouncing comfort , which , for Balenciaga , was an essential component of feminine elegance .
The exhibition displays patterns that show the constructive minimalism and wrap effect that characterised Balenciaga ’ s tailoring in the 1960s .
The third room focuses on the tailoring of the 50s and 60s , highlighting the wraparound lines of the coats and the perfect fit of the jackets to promote interior space and the harmonious movement of the arms .
The secrets of these shapes lie in the masterful cutting that can be seen in the patterns exhibited in the showroom , and in the inner use of shoulder pads and leads to give the garments balance .
The fourth room , more focused on dressmaking , looks at the design of the tunic line , from 1955 onwards , a milestone in the history of 20th-
ISSUE 62 2024 THE ART OF LUXURY