Set
Brand
Balmain
(French, founded 1945)
Designer
Pierre Balmain
(1914 - 1982)
Fall 1951
Wool knit, silk chiffon, metallic leather, and beading
Gift of Mrs. Fernand Leval
Object number84.125.7
Pierre Balmain learned his craft while working for Edward Molyneux and Lucien Lelong. He opened his own house in 1945, and the following year Harper’s Bazaar editor Carmel Snow declared that Balmain was producing the “most feminine clothes in the world.”
DescriptionGrey wool knit top; black sequin and bead trim; convertible collar; fitted with waist and bust darts; long kimono sleeve with gusset; center front zipper closing. Grey silk chiffon skirt; 2.3 cm waistband; full flared; iridescent grey taffeta drop lining; center back snap closing. Grey metallic leather belt; self covered buckle; 3 cm.Exhibitions