When one hears the name Balenciaga today, the first thing that is likely to come to mind is a fabulous motorcycle bag (the purse with the long leather strips, worn leather, two top handles, and an accessory “shoulder strap”).
In contrast, those who are familiar with the history of fashion know what kind of impact Balenciaga had on the industry in the twentieth century.
Last spring, I had the good fortune to tour the Texas Fashion Collection at the University of North Texas. Contained within the facility’s walls were some of the most beautiful and influential garments in existence, including a healthy collection of Balenciaga’s original works. The collection currently contains more than 15,000 garments and accessories housed in a climate-controlled facility in Denton and is one of the best compilations of rare and original pieces.
The Meadows Museum will host the third-ever solo exhibition of Balenciaga’s works in the United States; the other two were at the Met in New York and at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1973 and 1986 respectively.
It is appropriate the Meadows Museum has this exhibit of the famous Spanish designer’s work, considering that it contains one of the most extensive collections of Spanish art outside of Spain.
Included in the exhibition are some of Balenciaga’s greatest haute couture works (from about 1950 to 1968) as well as pieces by his contemporaries who were inspired by his great work: Hubert de Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.
When one walks into the upstairs gallery, he or she will surely be overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of these beautiful works of art.
The main gallery, where the majority of the formal dresses are on display, is made to emulate the Hall of Mirrors in the palace at Versailles, thanks to the work of Winn Morton. It is appropriate that this is the backdrop for the collection, since many of these pieces were worn to such occasions that would have been in great palaces. Two of the signature gowns were worn to parties thrown by Algur Meadows, the founder of the Meadows Museum.
Claudia Heard de Osborne and Bert de Winter donated the majority of the Balenciaga pieces, while Mercedes Bass donated many others. In addition, the Oscar de la Renta gown worn by Laura Bush to the 2005 presidential inauguration and the black Givenchy suit worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie “Charade” are also on display.
In the rooms adjacent to the main hall are an assemblage of magazine covers, accessories by Balenciaga, pictures from the archives in Paris, and even a few original sketches by the master. There is something spectacular about seeing the entire thought process that Balenciaga went through, from sketch to garment, it is truly astounding to try and understand the inner workings of a true genius.
It was put best by the director of the Texas Fashion Collection Myra Walker: these things are best seen several times and with different perspectives, “take it in more than once.”
Admission is $8 for the general public, and free to students and faculty with SMU ID. The exhibit opens February 4th, for further information you may go online to www.meadowsmuseumdallas.org
