THE work of Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga has been honoured with a new museum dedicated to his life and great legacy, located in the designer's hometown of the medieval port town Getaria. His grave overlooks the town, and now also overlooks the votive space built in homage to one of the key fashion figures of the 20th and 21st Centuries.
The €30 million Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa showcases Balenciaga's grand style in the form of dresses exhibited like precious artworks, with one of the six display areas given over entirely to bridal gowns. Not least of these is a mink-trimmed ivory-silk dress with a 20-foot train, the wedding attire of Queen Fabiola of Belgium - a Spanish aristocrat before marrying King Baudouin I of Belgium in 1960.
The opening of the museum last week was attended by the height of Spanish society - with Queen Sofia of Spain amongst the glamorous invitees, some of whom had donated dresses to the collection. Spanish-born Estrella Archs, Emanuel Ungaro's former head designer, summed up the strength of feeling that led to the project.
"Balenciaga is the essence of Spain," she told the International Herald Tribune. "There is a side that is very rustic and a side that is very sophisticated about Spain. His work was sophisticated and very pure - his modernity was about being very simple, with a very Spanish modesty and pride."
The €30 million Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa showcases Balenciaga's grand style in the form of dresses exhibited like precious artworks, with one of the six display areas given over entirely to bridal gowns. Not least of these is a mink-trimmed ivory-silk dress with a 20-foot train, the wedding attire of Queen Fabiola of Belgium - a Spanish aristocrat before marrying King Baudouin I of Belgium in 1960.
The opening of the museum last week was attended by the height of Spanish society - with Queen Sofia of Spain amongst the glamorous invitees, some of whom had donated dresses to the collection. Spanish-born Estrella Archs, Emanuel Ungaro's former head designer, summed up the strength of feeling that led to the project.
"Balenciaga is the essence of Spain," she told the International Herald Tribune. "There is a side that is very rustic and a side that is very sophisticated about Spain. His work was sophisticated and very pure - his modernity was about being very simple, with a very Spanish modesty and pride."
