Learning from ’The Master’: Balenciaga Revealed

It’s often said that couturier Cristobal Balenciaga didn’t use corsetry to create his dramatic, sculptural garments. In order to find out more about how his incredible designs were constructed, we worked with X-ray artist Nick Veasey to see beneath the surface of several iconic dresses and hats. Both beautiful and forensic, the ghostly X-ray images reveal fascinating details not visible to the naked eye – including boning, hoops and dress weights which determine the exact fall of the fabric. Two of the X-rays also reveal dress pins which were accidentally left inside the hems by their original makers. ’Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion’ is on display at the V&A from 27 May 2017 until 18 February 2018