All Images Are Courtesy of Annik Wetter
On 16 and 17 September, Balenciaga will be presenting “The Woman Behind The Dress”, an exhibition of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s archives. It will be held in honor of the 2023 European Heritage Days (Journées Européennes du Patrimoine) showcasing a selection of unrevealed creations at 40 rue de Sèvres, Kering and Balenciaga headquarters in Paris. Aiming to propose a different way of seeing and appreciating clothes and the women who wear them, Balenciaga shed light on how Cristóbal paid attention to individuality, a source of inspiration for the House's current Artistic Director.
Personalized and transformed in infinitely complex ways, each of the pieces reflects the work of this great couturier. They were made for members of royal families, socialites, close friends of the House and artists, including the actress Ingrid Bergman, the choreographer Agnes de Mille, the philanthropist Mona von Bismarck, and the famous creator of the White House rose garden, Bunny Mellon – and of course, each with a singular elegance. In addition, one of the displayed models was made to measure for Princess Grace of Monaco on her 40th birthday. This velvet dress adorned with pearls at the neckline is a true reflection of the journey Balenciaga is embarking on.
