Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa

Fitted bodice with boat neckline, kimono sleeves and dropped waist. The gathered skirt is shorter at the front than the back. The collar, train and hipline are trimmed in white mink. The train starts from the shoulder line, extending beautifully all the way down the back. Lined with satin. Fastens down the centre back.

Made in the Madrid workshops, this dress was worn by Fabiola de Mora y Aragón when she married King Baudouin of Belgium. The structural simplicity of the gown personified Fabiola’s character. Exquisite and sober in its decoration, this was the perfect dress to wear on December 15 in the city of Brussels. As a symbol of other eras, the train extolled the majesty of the dress.

Bibliography: Catalogue of the exhibition Mona Bismarck-Cristóbal Balenciaga: Perfection Partagée. Paris: Mona Bismarck Foundation, March-May 2006.

CBM 2003.08