Balenciaga exhibition: Shaping Fashion was held at the V&A museum in London it was truly amazing.
The exhibition was separated into 2 parts. We started upstairs as it was quiet busy downstairs. The upstairs part of the exhibition showed how Balenciaga shaped the modern fashion industry, and how he influenced fashion designers throughout the years. The layout was very modern and minimalist in a large spacious area.
The exhibition was split up into categories such as cut, minimalism, perfection, volume and drape. Within these categories were large glass boxes which held the modern designers take on the words influenced by Balenciaga.
There was a great video on designers talking about how Balenciaga inspired them and their Collections.
The downstairs section of the exhibition showed the history of Balenciaga. From his loyal clients to his catwalk shows. This part of the exhibition was a contrast to upstairs, shown with more of a historical look.
There was an area where you could try on a cape which was a particular pattern made by balenciaga himself and see how you would wear the garment, as a skirt, dress, cape.
Walking around the exhibition they showed clothing made in toiles then the garment made in delicate fabrics and vivid colours. They also had an X-ray image of the dresses as a background, this was very interesting it gave a modern feel to the exhibition, mixed among the historical artefacts. The X-ray showed the inside of the garments, all the detailing and some even has pins that had been mistakenly left inside.
Mini videos were dotted around the exhibition showing the separate pattern pieces that made up the garment and how they were assembled to the finished garment, these videos where very intriguing, you got lost watching them. Even the simplest of patterns made the most exquisite dresses.
There was a section of the exhibition where you could make your very own one seam coat out of origami, it showed the appeal of zero waste and the simplicity of shape but most of all it showed how much thought went into the designing and pattern cutting process.
