Alaïa and Balenciaga Unite in Expanded Exhibition at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
L’OFFICIEL speaks with curator and fashion historian Olivier Saillard to uncover the stories of these intrepid creators, their design approaches, and their style-enduring legacies showcased now at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum.
Two of fashion history’s most influential figures, Azzedine Alaïa and Cristóbal Balenciaga are coming together. With their unique and definitive visions of style, the designers have impressed an indelible mark on fashion’s past and present. In a new exhibition, Alaïa & Balenciaga. Sculptors of Shape opens today at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria, Spain to highlight more than 100 exemplary markers of mode. Discovering the many parallels and distinctions between the designers, the exhibit reveals just how these fashion architects developed their timeless and unforgettable stylings.
The concept behind the showcase—a visual conversation between the creators—was first spurred by former Balenciaga protégé, Hubert de Givenchy. After Alaïa’s passing in 2017, Givenchy shared with exhibition curator Olivier Saillard, Carla Sozzani, and Alaïa’s life partner, Christophe von Weyhe that he envisioned showing the designers' work in tandem as a discourse on style. Though Givenchy too passed shortly after that initial meeting, the exhibition was realized in homage to his idea of an exchange between the prodigious designers.
“For Alaïa, Balenciaga was always ‘the most loved, the most appreciated’ of all his influences. Both designers shared a love of fabrics, which they approached with true expertise and subtlety. Their dresses shown in black gauze and lace evidence the precise, exacting nature of their approaches,” curator Olivier Saillard tells L’OFFICIEL. “Even the black coloration is a meeting point for the designers, requiring a meticulous focus on design nuance. There is also a common use of tradition and folklore, as seen in Alaïa’s ‘Gitane’ dress and the Spanish inspirations of Balenciaga’s work.”
Looking at their bodies of work, the synchronicity between the designers is ever apparent. In fact, after Maison Balenciaga’s last collection in 1968, Alaïa began compiling a large archive of his predecessor’s garments, particularly from the 1930s and ‘40s eras. Over the next four decades, he amassed a great number of designer collectibles—with over 500 Balenciaga pieces alone. In his pioneering counterpart, Alaïa saw a kindred design spirit with meticulous attention to line, form, and fabric, and a true dedication to rigorous technique and detail.
Sculptors of Shape illustrates the designers’ many shared fashion sensibilities. The exhibition debuted to much acclaim at Paris’ Galerie Azzedine Alaïa last year, and in this second turn of the presentation, more than 20 additional garments are featured. The designers' signature looks are shown with similarities in pieces that echo each other, presented side-by-side. Defined riding jackets, ornamental boleros, silhouette-enhancing dresses, and embellished, sweeping gowns are among the show’s highlights. With the designers' labels obscured, it often proves difficult to tell who created each garment, accentuating the unity of their approaches.
The designers’ dialogue underscores the value of their timeless approaches to fashion.
—Miren Vives, Director of the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
The exhibition also brings to light likenesses in the designers’ personal histories. Both rose from humble beginnings to pursue their fashion dreams. Balenciaga (b. 1895) was the son of a Spanish fisherman and a seamstress and Alaïa (b. 1935) was born to Tunisian farmers. With early technical knowledge of sewing and cutting gleaned in their homes—Balenciaga from his mother and Alaïa from his sister, both designers became consummate tailors, who immersed themselves in their craft from start to finish. Balenciaga himself went on to become a tailor’s apprentice at the age of 12. And only a few years later, Marchioness de Casa Torres, the highest noblewoman in his town, became his patron. The Spanish royal family and aristocracy also wore his designs, contributing to his international presence in fashion. While Alaïa worked as a dressmaker’s assistant before dressing private clients. He ascended to positions at Christian Dior, Guy Laroche, and Thierry Mugler and then helmed his own atelier and ready-to-wear ventures.
Both Balenciaga and Alaïa were wholly dedicated to the highest design standards. Each was known to eschew the traditional fashion calendar and work according to their creative intuitions. Balenciaga's innovative styles included tunic, chemise, and baby-doll dresses, as well as high waists, sack ensembles, and kimono cut pieces. Among his esteemed clientele were fashion notables Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie Kennedy. Whereas Alaïa embraced the leather looks, cinched waists, and second-skin cuts that earned him the moniker King of Cling. He dressed many of the biggest names in entertainment including Grace Jones, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga, and Madonna.
While many connections are present between Balenciaga and Alaïa, the showcase also reveals their distinctions. “The exhibition illustrates certain differences between the designers—primarily, each’s relationship with the female body. This is in part due to the times in which they created and the ideals of beauty and broader views of the female form,” explains Saillard. “Alaïa emphasized and highlighted the body, while Balenciaga created space and distance from it through volume in his designs.”
Ultimately, the designers’ lasting impact on the world of fashion is truly remarkable. Sculptors of Shape chronicles their style visions and devoted passions for their life's work. “The designers’ dialogue underscores the value of their timeless approaches to fashion,” says Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum’s Director Miren Vives. “Far beyond trends, and even their lifetimes, these two sculptors of shape have greatly informed fashion history, and their legacies continue to transform the designs of fashion’s present and future as well.”
Within their work is a cohesive vision of perfected design that carries forward, guiding those who follow in their fashionable footsteps.
Alaïa & Balenciaga. Sculptors of Shape is on view through November 1, 2021 at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria, Spain.
