{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O119376"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O119376/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6300/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6300/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM6300","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6298","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6305","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6299","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6303","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6301","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JN2927","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF0370","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Cristóbal Balenciaga","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O119376","accessionNumber":"T.131 to B-1982","objectType":"Skirt suit","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Balenciaga was the most exclusive fashion house in Paris immediately after World War II. The Spanish-born couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), ‘the Master’ to his fellow fashion designers, had moved to Paris from Spain in 1937. By 1952 he had 232 employees and his house produced 356 new designs per year. His clients, admitted to the salon only after a personal introduction, included many cosmopolitan women of different nationalities. Some dressed exclusively in his clothes. \r\n\r\nBalenciaga was a perfectionist in cutting and seaming, and was renowned for reworking garments even when they were being worn by a client. In the 1950s, Balenciaga’s designs became increasingly pared down, foreshadowing the simple geometry of 1960s fashion, as seen here. Balenciaga enjoyed the challenge of creating garments for older women. In this suit, the forgiving gathers of the skirt would conceal a less than perfect figure.","physicalDescription":"Skirt, jacket and fringed scarf in charcoal wool, with silk lining.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cristóbal Balenciaga","id":"A2011"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Ascher Ltd","id":"A13990"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wool with silk lining","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[{"text":"1950s","id":"x37508"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2007BM6300","2007BM6298","2007BM6305","2007BM6299","2007BM6303","2007BM6301","2016JN2927","2006BF0370"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES307391"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"U","id":"THES297002"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES307391"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Skirt","id":""}],[{"text":"Jacket","id":""}],[{"text":"Scarf","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1956-1957","earliest":"1951-01-01","latest":"1960-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D.M. Haynes and Mrs M. Clark","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Weight","value":"1.42","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Skirt & Jacket","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"NB: Scarf not included in weight.","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":"Inside back neckline, white on black"},{"content":"'65361'","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 hand-written on the back of the label"}],"objectHistory":"Opal Holt was born in Canada in 1887 but lived in the US until the end of the Second World War.  She travelled extensively between the wars and was in the first plane to land in Bali.  She married Herbert Holt, a Canadian who lived a large part of his life in England, as her third husband in 1946.  They came to England and Europe every summer and Opal Holt began buying clothes in Paris for her life in England, and for the Bahamas in Winter, over a period of about thirty years.  She died in 1980.\r\n\r\nGiven by Mrs D.M Haynes and Mrs. Clark (nee Holt; Opal Holt's step-daughters).","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Skirt, jacket and scarf in wool, with silk lining, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, probably made by Ascher Ltd., Paris, ca. 1956-1957","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"ASCHER TEXTILES, LONDON\r\n\r\nBalenciaga was a challenging client. He demanded exact colour matches and tested fabrics rigorously. Would, for instance, a perfect buttonhole be possible? London-based firm Ascher manufactured textiles in traditional smallscale Scottish mills. They earned international acclaim for their warm, light-weight mohairs, which were particularly suitable for women’s tailoring. Balenciaga was one of the first couturiers\r\nto use Ascher wool and synthetic mix mohairs.\r\n\r\nSkirt suit and stole\r\nWool by Ascher\r\nCristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1956–7\r\nGiven by Mrs D.M. Haynes and Mrs M. Clark\r\nV&A: T.131 to B-1982","date":{"text":"27/05/2017-07/02/2018","earliest":"2017-05-27","latest":"2018-02-07"}},{"text":"[Tailoring section]\r\n\r\nSuit with matching scarf\r\nCristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972)\r\nParis\r\nAbout 1956-7\r\n\r\nBalenciaga favoured the dense tweeds made by Zika Ascher, the Prague-born British textile manufacturer who supplied many of the couture houses in the 1950s. Most designers found such fabrics testing, but Balenciaga transcended any difficulties. Similarly, he enjoyed the challenge of creating garments for older women. In this case, the forgiving gathers of the skirt would conceal a less than perfect figure. \r\n\r\nWool, probably supplied by Ascher Ltd\r\n\r\nWorn by Mrs Opal Holt and given by Mrs Haynes and Mrs Clark\r\nV&A: T.131&A, B-1982","date":{"text":"22/09/2007-06/01/2008","earliest":"2007-09-22","latest":"2008-01-06"}}],"partNumbers":["T.131-1982","T.131A-1982","T.131B-1982"],"accessionNumberNum":"131","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1982,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Number on label","id":"THES56954"},"number":"65361"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Scarf","Jacket","Skirt"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-09","recordCreationDate":"2005-12-05","availableToBook":true}}