To celebrate the historical stature of Cristóbal Balenciaga on the 130th anniversary of his birth, of course. But also to exalt his eternal, ever-relevant genius through a project that brings into dialogue the garments designed by the couturier decades ago with the accessories paired today by Spanish footwear manufacturers. The success of the exhibition “Cristóbal Balenciaga — Shoes from Spain — Tribute” (Palazzo Morando, Milan, 21 February – 2 March) now takes new form in the book-catalogue of the same title.
“The exhibition on Balenciaga — born in a small Spanish village and destined to become a global figure — was beautiful, but fleeting”, noted curator Javier Echeverría Sola at the Milan presentation on 2 December. “This publication, now available, closes the circle and makes it permanent”.
An eternal and ever-relevant genius
The exhibition brought together 25 Balenciaga garments, exceptionally loaned by museums and private collections, and organised with the support of FICE, the association of Spanish footwear companies. Each garment was matched with one or more shoe designs proposed and crafted by Iberian manufacturers.
“The aim of the competition we launched for the shoemakers”, explains Imanol Martínez Gómez, Director of International Development at FICE, “was not only to create a dialogue between different eras of fashion — today’s and the couturier’s. But, through this bridge, to surprise the visitor: the meeting of past and present demonstrates just how timeless Balenciaga’s genius truly is”.
Pictured: the 1955 cocktail dress with the stiletto by Artinelli & Ángeles Espinar
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