Cristobal Balenciaga : the legend of fashion’s last haute couturier revealed : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Pennington, Tara Lynn

Advisor:

Ridgeway, Wilma R.

Date:

1995

Type:

Undergraduate senior honors thesis.

Archival ID:

A-171

Degree:

Thesis (B.A.)

Department:

Honors College

Abstract:

This study of late couture designer Cristobal Balenciaga consists of a compilation of bibliographic research that reflects on and explains Balenciaga’s design philosophy and how it influenced his career. It is followed by a series of eightpencil and charcoal sketches that trace Balenciaga’s development as a designer and craftsman from the late 1930s through the 1960s. The final three photographs feature the culmination of this project. I designed and constructed an evening dress based on actual garments and using similar dressmaking techniques that earned Balenciaga the title of “The Master.”The written section of this project was researched in the summer of 1994 at the New York Public Library, Manhattan Branch, and by studying New York Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibits.The dress is a fully lined sleeveless bias cowl neck cocktail dress with shoulder tucks, a V -back and a chiffon bow at the back waist. It was constructed using the draping pattern making technique.