{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O119375"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O119375/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JX6899/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JX6899/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JX6899","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV6509","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6900","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6902","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6904","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6905","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6906","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6907","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX6908","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O119375","accessionNumber":"T.24-1977","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Evening dress of white, machine made guipure lace in a large scale floral design.\r\n\r\nThe dress is full length and sleeveless with a low, round neck. It is straight cut, tapering slightly from the knee, where there are side slits each headed with a black satin bow, to the hem.\r\n\r\nIt is lined with brown chiffon, except for the skirt from knee to hem, which is unlined.\r\n\r\nThere are small bust pads covered to match. \r\n\r\nThe dress fastens on the left shoulder and at the side with hooks and eyes and covered snap fasteners.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Balenciaga, Cristóbal","id":"A2011"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Foster-Willi","id":"A17068"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":"possibly"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lace","id":"AAT132861"},{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"},{"text":"chiffon","id":"AAT249449"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lace making","id":"AAT53651"},{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Machine made lace, headed with satin bows, lined with brown chiffon","categories":[{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2017JX6899","2017JV6509","2017JX6900","2017JX6902","2017JX6904","2017JX6905","2017JX6906","2017JX6907","2017JX6908"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES307391"},"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":"February 1968","earliest":"1968-02-01","latest":"1968-02-29"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Cecil Beaton","dimensions":[],"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":"Black on white label, inside back centre collar."},{"content":"'104635'","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 label reverse"}],"objectHistory":"The legendary Mona, Countess Of Bismarck, was an icon of fashion and style.  She was born to a humble home in Kentucky, but rose to high society,  marrying a string of wealthy socialites.  In 1933, luminaries of the couture world as Molyneaux, Lanvin, Vionnet, Lelong, and Chanel, got together and  declared Mona to be \"The best dressed Woman in the world\". \r\n\r\nMona adored the simple elegance of haute couture, and indeed, Mona's patronage of Balenciaga has become a part of fashion legend. Mona was a loyal client of Balenciaga for 30 years. One season she bought 80 garments. Even her gardening shorts came from the house. When  Balenciaga closed the doors of his atelier in 1968, Mona didn't come out of her room for three days, according to fashion Doyenne Diana Vreeland, who was staying with her at the time.  Diana Vreeland noted 'It was the end of a certain part of her life!’ \r\n\r\nIn 1972 Mona's great friend Cecil Beaton persuaded her, and other high society ladies, to donate their wardrobes to the V&A.  Beaton described Mona  as \"a rock-crystal goddess\"..","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Evening dress of machine made lace, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, possibly manufactured by Foster-Willi, Paris, February 1968","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Date and model no. attributed by Madame Jouve - archivist at Balenciaga","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"LACE\r\n\r\nBalenciaga was known for his use of lace, employing it decoratively and, as here, for entire garments. He used lace in both evening wear and, more unusually, daywear. The simple cut of this dress foregrounds the bold floral pattern of the lace by Swiss manufacturer Brivet. The flesh-tone lining throws the pattern into relief and makes the dress appear more revealing than it actually is.\r\n\r\nEvening dress\r\nMachine lace by Brivet and\r\nsilk chiffon\r\nCristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1968\r\nWorn by Mona Bismarck\r\nGiven by Cecil Beaton","date":{"text":"10/05/2017","earliest":"2017-05-10","latest":"2017-05-10"}}],"partNumbers":["T.24-1977"],"accessionNumberNum":"24","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1977,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Number on label","id":"THES56954"},"number":"104635"},{"type":{"text":"Model number","id":"THES52264"},"number":"No. 174"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-12-05","availableToBook":true}}