Object: Suit
Brand:
Balmain
(French, founded 1945)
Designer:
Pierre Balmain
(1914 - 1982)
Date: Spring 1948
Medium: Wool
Country: France
Credit Line: Gift of A. Louise Gordon
Object number: 83.5.1
DescriptionSuit; light yellow fitted jacket and full circle skirt in wool with contrast tan bands
Label Text:This two-piece ensemble by Pierre Balmain demonstrates the predominance of a silhouette introduced by another French couturier, Christian Dior. Introduced in 1947, the style known as Dior’s “New Look” was rapidly adopted by other couturiers, including Balmain. The hyper-feminine silhouette was characterized by a nipped-in waist, full skirt, and rounded shoulders. This design was featured in the spring 1948 edition of the French magazine L'Officiel de la couture et de la mode de Paris.