The elegance of Balenciaga’s hats at the Museu del Disseny
The Museu del Disseny is displaying over eighty pieces by Cristóbal Balenciaga, created in the millinery departments of his fashion houses from the end of the 1930s through until their closure in 1968, a time and a social and cultural context where hats were a mark of distinction. The exhibition is on until 3 October.
This is the first international exhibition focusing on the headwear and hats of the Basque designer, created at his fashion houses in Paris and Madrid. The display also underlines the work of the women who gave shape to these creations and promoted them.
The exhibition is an opportunity to delve into the singularity of the work of this designer, who established a highly characteristic style in his hat designs: refined volumes, near-abstract shapes, robust colours and a selection of fine craft techniques and materials.
The women behind Balenciaga’s creations
The display also reveals certain aspects in the production and promotion of the hats on display, two tasks essentially carried out by women. They played a very important part in giving shape to Balenciaga’s designs and creations. The millinery departments in Paris and Madrid were managed by women, and the hatmakers and sales staff were also women.
The counterpoint were the Balenciagas, the term used by some sectors of the press to refer to the designer’s international clients, who sought in his designs a distinguished creation, refined in style, exquisitely executed and with an aura of mystery.
‘Balenciaga. The Elegance of the Hat’ is the result of years of joint research on the hat collections at the Museu Cristóbal Balenciaga and the Museu del Disseny, with the impetus of the Disseny Hub Barcelona.
