Balenciaga, Master of Lace at the Museum of Lace and Fashion in Calais

In the post-war era where societal expectations dictated the garments of the upper classes, lace was a prominent feature on all sorts of occasion dresses.
In the morning, it was a discreet detail on a skirt suit; by the late afternoon, it peeked out from cocktail dresses, and in the evenings, gowns were made almost entirely of the exquisitely crafted material.
Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) was a Spanish designer who possessed a great gift for using lace to decorate, elevate, and even transform his designs, from jackets to cocktail dresses to tunics to accessories. He variously played on the lightness and transparency of lace to reveal skin, and used heavier swaths to conceal it. He was also often inspired by the convertible outfits of the 1920s, and created lace ensembles such as a short evening dress with a skirt that could be converted into a cape, allowing the wearer to protect herself from the evening chill.
Uniquely, the couturier, who defined the fashion scene in the 1950s and 60s, often invoked the sumptuous sartorial details in portraits painted by Francisco Goya and Ignacio Zuloaga.
“He used special lace, such as lacquered lace, and researched unique ones like wool lace, which was later used by [Christian] Dior too. He transformed them with embroidery so that they became thick or resembled eighteenth bristles. He played on lace’s transparent quality to recall the outfits worn by the ladies painted by Goya,” says Catherine Join-Diéterle, curator of the exhibition Balenciaga, Master of Laceopening at the Museum of Lace and Fashion in Calais, this week, featuring almost 75 outfits and accessories by the Spanish-born, Paris-based couturier.
The exhibition not only presents a wide overview of Balenciaga’s oeuvre, but also highlights many forgotten lace producers such as Marescot, Dognin and Brivet. Fabric samples will be displayed as evidence that lace patterns were often painted by hand, or reembroidered by renowned specialists such as Lesage. Sometimes, tulle panels would be embroidered to resemble English needlepoint works, or otherwise adorned with gazar ribbons to reproduce the effect of lace patterns.
“My favorites are the brown and gold pieces, which are very reminiscent of Goya’s Spanish palette [and] a fuchsia ensemble of shantung silk and lace… creations of a couturier,” she adds.
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