Cristóbal Balenciaga. Fashion and Heritage

Fashion and Heritage, a quasi-impossible dialogue pitting the the ephemeral against permanence, whose relevance stems from the current moment, as opposed to receiving value from the past. This conversation flows, however, when the topic at hand is Cristóbal Balenciaga.

The exhibition presents, in chronological order, a selection of articles by Cristóbal Balenciaga ranging from his early days, with works even pre-dating the establishment of his first business in 1917, until 1968, the date on which he announced his retirement from the world of haute couture and the closure of his salons. 

Its intention is to reflect, based on the Museum’s collection, the progressive evolution of Balenciaga’s technique and aesthetics over five decades, highlighting his revolutionary contributions and explaining why his creations have transcended the concept of fashion to become the heritage they are today. 

The exhibition also combines constant bibliographic references, given that on this 125th anniversary of the fashion designer’s birth the idea is also to present Cristóbal as a person, the man who preferred prestige to fame, through hitherto unseen images and personal objects. 

A project by the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, curated by Igor Uria, with the collaboration of Judith Clark.