Balenciaga, Cristóbal Pink Silk Dress
Long pink silk shantung evening gown with embroidered bows of pink, white, and black silk thread. Short kimono sleeves and shallow scoop neckline. Hand stitched back zipper and shoulder seams covered at intervals with applied bow motifs (snap closed over the zipper). Lined in pink silk.
HCT.1970.1.28
1955-1965
Balenciaga, Cristóbal 1950's navy blue silk dress
Navy blue silk cocktail dress with matching belt. <br />a. Dress<br />Dress has very full skirt with balloon or harem hemline; bias skirt, no gathers at waistline. Gathered bias collar forming surplice bodice at front. Small seam opening in bodice and collar through which 1.25" wide self fabric ties are inserted and tied in soft knot 4" below shoulder seam; tails of tie hang down 6" from knot. Short sleeves cut on to bodice; gusset under each sleeve. Two waistline darts on each side of back bodice; one waistline dart on each side of front bodice. Waistline seam; grosgrain ribbon waistline stay. Left side seam zipper. Full, deep harem skirt/hem.<br /><br />b. Belt - 1" wide self fabric belt<br />Belt has 2 large metal hooks and eyes fastened between 17" and 19" from end of belt, presumably for belt to be fastened at center front and ends of belt tied or knotted. Belt cut on bias.
HCT.1968.2.18
Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1950-1959,_Balenciaga,_navy_blue_silk_dress,_silk_fabric" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a>
Balenciaga, Cristóbal; 1956, blue wool dress
Blue wool tweed dress with 3/4 length sleeves, v-neck, and self fabric bow at center front chest.<br />Dress has a deep front yoke gathered to lower section of dress at bust level. Collarless; V opening at center front bodice with left and right front overlapping 1". One double pointed dart on each side of front and back. Back neckine darts. All facing edges bound. Sheath/straight skirt; kick pleat at center back hem. Center front and center back seams. One piece from shoulder to hem at back. Center back hand picked zipper closure. Set-in 3/4 sleeves. Bodice underlined; skirt lined. Considerable bodice underconstruction:<br /> There is a sleeveless shell unit inside bodice loose from outside garment bodice except for hand tacking to front darts. 3" unit at lower section of "shell" with additional support or lightweight stiffing with <br /> horizontal stitching through shell section front and back. Separate center back zipper in shell section. 1/4" elastic strips on sides of shell unit; elastic slides around legs to hold garment in place during wear.
HCT.1968.2.24
1956
Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1950-1959._Balenciaga,_blue_wool_dress,_silk_lining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a>