Balenciaga : Shaping Fashion
Shaping Fashion
Lesley Ellis Miller
Haute Couture is like an orchestra, whose conductor is Balenciaga. We other Couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives. ' Christian Dior The enigmatic Spanish couturier, Christobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) is a legendary figure in the history of twentieth-century fashion. His name is a byword for clothes executed to the highest standards and characterized by their sculptural quality, the deft manipulation of textiles and the dramatic use of colour. Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion offers a thorough introduction to the couturier's fashion philosophy, design and business practices, with particular reference to garments in the V&A collection. It places his extraordinary output in the context of his time and provides an overview of his lasting legacy.
Lesley Ellis Miller is Keeper of Furniture, Textiles, and Fashion at the V&A.