{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O109467"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109467/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CD4229/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CD4229/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CD4229","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CD4236","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CD4230","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CD4227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O109467","accessionNumber":"T.16-1974","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Balenciaga was the most exclusive fashion house in Paris immediately after World War II. The Spanish-born couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), regarded by his peers as ‘the Master’, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees there and was producing 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to his salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities. Gloria Guinness (1912-80), who donated this dress to the V&A, was one of Balenciaga’s most loyal customers.  \r\n\r\nThe style of this dress reflects the exaggerated padded hip shape of the ‘New Look’ made famous by Balenciaga’s contemporary, Christian Dior (1905-57).  However, its sombre black, and pared down design is very typical of Balenciaga, who was inspired by Spanish religious dress and the paintings of clerics by Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664).","physicalDescription":"Evening dress of black organdie with self-coloured flock flowers.  The dress has a low round neck, elbow-length sleeves and is a princess line with a full skirt.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cristóbal Balenciaga","id":"A2011"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"organdie","id":"x30596"}],"techniques":[{"text":"flocking","id":"AAT53786"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Flocked silk organdie","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"}],"styles":[{"text":"New Look","id":"x41632"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2009CD4229","2009CD4236","2009CD4230","2009CD4227"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"022","id":"THES311502"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1948","earliest":"1948-01-01","latest":"1948-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Loel Guinness","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"84","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Bust","note":""},{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"66","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Waist","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"67","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Hem","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Balenciaga, 10 Avenue George V, Paris'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Label, black on white"},{"content":"46423","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Number printed on back of label"}],"objectHistory":"Worn and given by Gloria Guinness.\r\n\r\nThe date is attributed to Autumn 1953 by Mme. Jouve - former Balenciaga house archivist. The chronological house numbering system (46423) suggests that it is an earlier design, ca. 1948.  Stylistically it could be late 1940s.","historicalContext":"Gloria Rubio y Alatorre, better known as Gloria Guinness (1912-1980) was an elegant socialite and writer of the mid 20th century.\r\n\r\nHer third husband, whom she married in 1951, was Group Capt. Thomas Loel Guinness, a Member of Parliament (died 1989) and an heir to the Guinness beer fortune. \r\n\r\nShe was voted second 'Best Dressed Woman' in the world by Time magazine in 1962.  Jackie Kennedy was in first place.  (See <i>Time</i> magazine Jan 26 1962)","briefDescription":"Evening dress of flocked silk organdie, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1948.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"<i>Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton</i>. London : H.M.S.O., 1971","id":"AUTH354373"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Vickers, H., 'Cecil Beaton' in Wilcox, C., ed., <i>The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57</i> (V&A Publications, 2007), p.169 and pl.7.12 & 7.13"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Beaton, Cecil","id":"N2787"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Flowers","id":"x35571"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Evening dress (robe du soir)\r\nCristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972)\r\nParis\r\n1948\r\n\r\nBalenciaga inspired devotion and respect from his clients. This dress was made for the stylish and wealthy Gloria Guinness, who admitted to being 'a little afraid of not being good enough for the clothes.' \r\n\r\nSilk organdie, flocked\r\n\r\nGiven by Mrs Gloria Guinness\r\nV&A: T.16-1974","date":{"text":"22/09/2007-06/01/2008","earliest":"2007-09-22","latest":"2008-01-06"}}],"partNumbers":["T.16-1974"],"accessionNumberNum":"16","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1974,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Attributed by Mme. Jouve","id":"THES56856"},"number":"No. 61"},{"type":{"text":"Couture number","id":"THES52257"},"number":"46423"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LT4480","2019LT9768"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-01","recordCreationDate":"2005-02-21","availableToBook":true}}