‘Architectural’ is a word that defines the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga. A master of haute couture, his elegantly precise and determinedly sculptural silhouettes provided him unparalleled fame in the middle of the 20th century, and his legacy has endured throughout the decades. Today, under the creative direction of Demna, the house of Balenciaga explores the cutting-edge and the sensational through fashion. The brand is synonymous with moody, blockbuster runway shows, with clothes that alchemise subcultural influences, all while celebrating the codes established by its founder.
A new exhibition, ‘Cristóbal Balenciaga: Master of Tailoring’ at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, Georgia travels back to the house’s roots, when a 22-year-old Cristóbal Balenciaga established his name in Saint Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain. ‘He was a perfectionist since day one,’ the museum’s creative director Rafael Gomestells tells Wallpaper*. ‘Cristóbal had an eye for the detail, even as a child when he made clothes with four little arms for his dog and later as a teenager to his town’s Marquesa de Casa Torres.’ The repertory on view shows his talent in full fruition, with garments created between 1942 and 1968 when he closed his house. A few pieces out of 30 dresses, tailored suits, and coats appear to the public eye for the first time, complemented by runway footage, the couturier’s sketches, and correspondences with his business partner sister and clients.
