To dress well you have to do it accordingly, from head to toe. We must never neglect to decorate any part of the body, especially the one that covers the source of all ideas. As a good couturier, Cristóbal Balenciaga never forgot the importance of the hat when it came to making a perfect outfit. Perhaps this aspect of him as a hatter was overshadowed by his innovative designs that gave him fame and prestige in his time. Not for nothing is this Basque designer considered one of the great needle-workers in the history of fashion. Now, in order to unearth the brilliance and perfectionism of this add-on, a separate chapter is being dedicated to it. Thus Barcelona is hosting for the first time a unique exhibition focused on the hats and headdresses of Cristóbal Balenciaga . An extraordinary sample , the result of years of joint research on the collections of hats at Museo Cristóbal Balenciaga, located in Guetaria, and the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, institutions which have co – produced the exhibition , curated by Igor Uría the curator of the Museum Cristobal Balenciaga and Sílvia Ventosa, curator of textiles and clothing from the Barcelona Museum of Design .

A key complement

Thus ‘ Balenciaga. The elegance of the hat ‘ is the first international exhibition focused on the hats and headdresses of the master Balenciaga that were created in the headgear departments of the Haute Couture House in Paris and Madrid from the late 1930s until the closing of Balenciaga’s fashion- houses in 1968.

In the exhibition 87 hats are on public show, 78 of which are presented individually, 9 with a linked set of clothing and a dress with stole. To be precise 43 are from the collection of the Museu del Disseny and the other 44 from the collection of the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum.

For the first time the elements in the collection are studied as creative objects with their own entity and are integrated into their own exhibition discourse.

Architect of form

Cristóbal Balenciaga established a very characteristic style and shape in his designs for hats, with refined, stylized volumes that are created via very simple, almost abstract forms, being in themselves authentic sculptures. The exhibition delves into the uniqueness of the designer’s work, highlighting the innovative and imaginative forms, the selection of exquisite materials, the search for techniques, and the artisan character of his hat production. The sum of all these factors makes them unique, unrepeatable and magnetic.

A good connoisseur of historical and popular headdresses, Balenciaga updated them and made them fashionable, always experimenting to create new models. At the same time he studied hats from multiple cultures, which he reinterpreted in a modern way and played with the harmony and contrast of colours seeking to create a profound visual impact.

The secret is in the clothing

This monographic exhibition allows us to admire some unique pieces and at the same time reveal certain aspects of the making of hats that are quite unknown, both in terms of the work in the workshops and their dissemination, both tasks fundamentally carried out by women. Therefore the exhibition highlights the feminine world that shaped Balenciaga’s design and creations: the Paris and Madrid departments were run by women : hat makers and saleswomen. And this women’s work as a counterpoint in the feminine world that used them : the women of the social elite dressed by Balenciaga. They were colloquially called “the Balenciagas”.

Identity and class symbol

From a contemporary perspective, ‘Balenciaga. The elegance of the hat‘ details the importance of this accessory to distinguish itself in the social and cultural context of the time. The headdress is an essential piece of clothing that balances volumes and completes the silhouette and image of the person. It is also a marker of identity, hierarchical distinction and social status. Since ancient times this accessory has been both an element of protection and a symbol of authority, thanks to the extravagance of its ornamentation or its size. It was not until the end of the 19th century, with the appearance of new purchasing and consumption habits, that women’s hats were introduced to all levels of society.

In the world of haute couture in the mid-20th century, headdresses brought glamour with a touch of boldness. In parallel hats were an element of daily use until the 1960s when, in the context of social movements that advocated social and gender egalitarianism, their use declined, it being  symbolically related to the upper classes and a society organized according to a patriarchal hierarchy. Today, hats occasionally appear at fashion shows and at private parties or social ceremonies.

Greater outreach

The exhibition also has a “get to know” area, a library service with consultation and loan of more than 300 titles offered by the Documentation Centre of the Design Museum in collaboration with the Josep Benet Library in El Clot. The exhibition catalogue is packed with articles by the curators and a special collaboration from the renowned hat maker Philip Treacy. There are editions in Catalan, Spanish, Basque and English.

‘Balenciaga. The elegance of the hat’ opens in Barcelona from June 17 to October 3, 2021. Then the exhibition will migrate to the couturier’s hometown and can be seen at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria from May 2022.