Collections

The collections housed in the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, largely put together thanks to the collaboration of people related to the couturier and their families, is an important demonstration of the material and immaterial legacy left to us by Cristóbal Balenciaga. The articles making up the collections are registered, catalogued, handled, processed and stored according to the strict criteria and protocols established by the Museum’s Conservation and Restoration Department.

Collections

Balenciaga attire (1912-1971)

The Museum has a collection of clothing designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga and produced, in the main, at his Maisons in Paris, San Sebastián, Madrid and Barcelona. Outstanding among them are the:

Basque Government Collection

Rachel L. Mellon Collection

Collections

Balenciaga accessories (1940-1968)

Scarves, jewellery, gloves, tights, perfumes and headdress sold with the BALENCIAGA brand name and which completed the look proposed by Balenciaga. In these cases, only the headdress would actually be produced at the Maison ateliers.

Collections

Documentation and personal objects of Cristóbal Balenciaga (1899-1972)

Photographs, letters and objects belonging to Cristóbal Balenciaga make up this collection.

Collections

Working documents from the EISA and Balenciaga Maisons

Invoices, invitations, sales records, etc.

Balenciaga patterns and tools of the trade.

Collections

Historical Fashion Magazines

Particularly outstanding are the Pedro Esteban and Hubert de Givenchy collections.

Collections

STUDY COLLECTION

 Physical replicas and audiovisual material made to facilitate research and study.

Collections

Immaterial collection of the testimonies of workers at the Balenciaga House

An important part of the research project involves collating testimonies from people associated with the Balenciaga House. These include both the first-hand accounts of the people themselves and the second-hand recollections of their families.

Collections

ONLINE CATALOGUE

Access to the Museum’s online catalogue:

https://apps.euskadi.eus/emsime/coleccion-online/museo-cristobal-balenciaga/museo-93