Cocktail dress
Brand
Balenciaga
(French, founded 1937)
Designer
Cristóbal Balenciaga
(1895 - 1972)
1957
Silk and synthetic lace
Gift from The Estate of Tina Chow
Object number91.255.1
Known as the “architect of fashion,” couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga was a tailor by trade, and he draped, cut, and fit his own muslin patterns. At a time when the fashionable silhouette focused on the hourglass figure, Balenciaga produced such innovations as the sack and the sheath, which stood away from the shape of the body. This is an example of his “baby doll” look from the late 1950s, featuring a fitted underdress with a voluminous overlay of lace.
DescriptionSleeveless cocktail dress in light blue silk lace backed with horsehair; tent style shift with open round neck, deep hem flounce, knee lengthCollections
Exhibitions