This exhibition examines the work and legacy of influential Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, with over 100 pieces crafted by ‘the master’ of couture, his protégées and contemporary fashion designers working in the same innovative tradition.
www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/balenciaga-shaping-fashion
Having seen this exhibition, I was highly influenced and intrigued by the shaping of the garments featured. I found that the exhibited work clearly showed the progression and innovation of Balenciaga’s designs in regards to use of materials and structure. One of the pieces I was highly interested in was the documented film shown downstairs, showing the stitch works of spiked sequins being attached to fabric in order to create a jacket that was full of volume and reflected the hard labour invested into the development of the garment. The documentary film was a pleasant visual in regards to the angle work and its deep display into the craft and stitching. This allows a detailed illustration of how Balenciaga was accredited such a prodigious title through his craftsmanship and innovative designs.
In the glass cases downstairs, a range of garments had been displayed which was very interesting to see, however a few of the pieces were accompanied by skeleton visuals to give an x-rayed vision of the garment in order to understand how it is constructed and able to maintain its given shape. This I found very fascinating, as an individual who has a strong interest into clothing design, I always find myself looking at specific garments, turning them inside out and really investigation the stitching and construction in order to analyse the assembly of the garment. The exhibition accompanied this by allowing viewers to have an opportunity to construct a jacket through folding of printed sheets. The sheets had printed an outline of the jacket and showed the sections that needed to be folded in order to achieve the final and desired look. This allowed the viewers to get a great insight into the intricate and elaborate designs involved in the making of Balenciaga’s garments.
In the upstairs section of the exhibition I really enjoyed seeing the designs of other designers that were inspired by Balenciaga’s work and their interpretation of textiles, textures, shaping and approach to design.
