Hat
Brand
Balenciaga
(French, founded 1937)
c. 1953
Silk satin and jet beads
Gift of Despina Messinesi
Object number81.69.20
Balenciaga's millinery ranged from minimalist, sculptural designs to dramatic tributes to his Spanish heritage, adorned with jet beads and ball fringe. Hats played an important part in the total look he created. As with his clothes, Balenciaga's hats were not intended to be conventionally pretty, but rather were for providing the finishing touches to his bold architectural silhouettes.
DescriptionBlack satin cocktail hat, stylized pillbox with faceted jet beads forming scalloped ring and fringeCollections
Exhibitions