1895-1972 Cristobal Balenciaga

[blueorchid]

Déshabillé - 1955

Long, with a short train at the back. Front button closure and turndown collar. Three-quarter sleeves gathered at the cuffs. The back is gathered at the centre below the neckline. Pleats cascade down the back, creating volume very much like the 18th-century déshabillé.

Details

Title: Déshabillé
Creator: Cristóbal Balenciaga
Creator Birth Date: 1895
Creator Death Date: 1972
Fashion House: Balenciaga
Date Created: 1955
Location Created: San Sebastián, Spain
Provenance: Worn by Mona Bismarck.
Season: Winter 1955
Type: Déshabillé
Photographer: Manuel Outumuro
Original Source: CBM 2000.71
Rights: Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa
Medium: Fuchsia gros of Naples
Bibliographic references: Catalogue of the exhibition Mona Bismarck, Balenciaga, Cecil Beaton. Paris: Mona Bismarck Foundation, 1994.

artsandculture.google
facebook.com/cristobalbalenciagamuseoa

 

[blueorchid]

Cristóbal Balenciaga & Carmel Snow - c. 1952
Photographer: Walter Sanders



artsandculture.google

 

[blueorchid]

Spring 1952
Photographer: Gordon Parks



artsandculture.google

 

[fizfizfiz]

Hello everyone,

I have stumbled upon some fashion sketches that depict Balenciaga garments. They are clearly vintage, probably from the 40s or 50s. And yet they look absolutely timeless.

I would like to know if these drawings are the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga himself or if he actually employed someone who was in charge of drawing these rough sketches. Is anybody well acquainted enough with the heritage and history of the House as to know his or her name?

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

 

[blueorchid]

They probably aren't by Cristobal himself. From what I understand, he himself wasn't good at sketching. He definitely employed sketch artists (I think Oscar de la Renta was one at the beginning of his career). If I were you, I'd contact the Cristobal Balenciaga Museoa, they seem nice from my impressions lol.

Fernando Martínez is another name of a sketch artist who worked for Balenciaga (I did a keyword search in The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World.

 

[KoV]

I’m no expert, but perhaps this will shed some light? He did sketch some (examples in link below) but his team worked on sketches later on and he would annotate, if I understand correctly.

Balenciaga. The glamorous 1950s

 

[fizfizfiz]

They probably aren't by Cristobal himself. From what I understand, he himself wasn't good at sketching. He definitely employed sketch artists (I think Oscar de la Renta was one at the beginning of his career). If I were you, I'd contact the Cristobal Balenciaga Museoa, they seem nice from my impressions lol.

Fernando Martínez is another name of a sketch artist who worked for Balenciaga (I did a keyword search in The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[fizfizfiz]

I’m no expert, but perhaps this will shed some light? He did sketch some (examples in link below) but his team worked on sketches later on and he would annotate, if I understand correctly.

Balenciaga. The glamorous 1950s

Thank you very much for your help. The sketches shown in the book are superficially similar to those I have seen, but they are definitely not made by the same hand. Thank you anyway!

 

[blueorchid]

It looks like the Cristóbal Balenciaga series (on Disney+) has a premiere date of January 19, 2024.



imdb

 

[fizfizfiz]

They probably aren't by Cristobal himself. From what I understand, he himself wasn't good at sketching. He definitely employed sketch artists (I think Oscar de la Renta was one at the beginning of his career). If I were you, I'd contact the Cristobal Balenciaga Museoa, they seem nice from my impressions lol.

Fernando Martínez is another name of a sketch artist who worked for Balenciaga (I did a keyword search in The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World.

Sorry for the delayed response. Thank you so much!

 

[fizfizfiz]

I’m no expert, but perhaps this will shed some light? He did sketch some (examples in link below) but his team worked on sketches later on and he would annotate, if I understand correctly.

Balenciaga. The glamorous 1950s

Thank you very much. I completely forgot about my post and haven't been able to write a proper response. Again, thanks for your help.

 

[fizfizfiz]

Paris Match - August 10, 1968
"Balenciaga devient un visage" by Virginie Merlin
Photographer: Jean Tessyre



facebook.com/cristobalbalenciagamuseoa

Hello,

Is there a reason why the scanning of the interview is not complete. Only two pages are shown. Is there a reason for that?

Thank you so much for sharing these scans. I love interviews with fashion designers! : )

 

[blueorchid]

@fizfizfiz I think the interview was just those two pages. It matches the table of contents for that issue of Paris Match (thankfully, an ebay seller posted the table of contents!)



ebay

 

[fizfizfiz]

@fizfizfiz I think the interview was just those two pages. It matches the table of contents for that issue of Paris Match (thankfully, an ebay seller posted the table of contents!)

View attachment 1241647

ebay

Thanks again. I truly apologise for having you go through all the effort!

 

[blueorchid]

No need to apologize, I enjoy researching haha.

 

[fizfizfiz]

No need to apologize, I enjoy researching haha.

I was wondering if you would happen to know where I could find the much talked-about Prudence Gyll interview to Cristóbal Balenciaga that was published by The Times in 1971. A quick Google search has only yielded a extremely low-definition scan of two pages.

As a new edition of Balenciaga by Marie-Andrée Jouve has been published in France, I have been wondering if some excerpts of the interview might have been included in the book. Would you happen to know if that is indeed in the case?

Thank you so much.

 

[blueorchid]

Do you have any access to a public and/or academic library (that the public can use)? I'm almost certain you could find that article the through The Times archive hosted by Gale, if that institution has a subscription. If not, see if your public library offers inter-library loan services. You can ask ask them. It's how I've found tons of obscure fashion articles over the years lol.

 

[fizfizfiz]

Do you have any access to a public and/or academic library (that the public can use)? I'm almost certain you could find that article the through The Times archive hosted by Gale, if that institution has a subscription. If not, see if your public library offers inter-library loan services. You can ask ask them. It's how I've found tons of obscure fashion articles over the years lol.

Thank you so much for your help. I'm currently living in France, but I'm definitely going to ask if they have that exact subscription of The Times. My nearest médiathèque has a rather large section of books on fashion... including the Balenciaga monograph by Marie-Andrée Jouve!

Thanks again your answer.

 

[Federico Hopkins]

Hello everyone,

I have stumbled upon some fashion sketches that depict Balenciaga garments. They are clearly vintage, probably from the 40s or 50s. And yet they look absolutely timeless.

I would like to know if these drawings are the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga himself or if he actually employed someone who was in charge of drawing these rough sketches. Is anybody well acquainted enough with the heritage and history of the House as to know his or her name?

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

Can you attach a picture?

 

[fizfizfiz]

Can you attach a picture?