1950s Balenciaga Coat

The young Cristobal Balenciaga opened Eisa in San Sebastian in 1919, named for his mother who was a dressmaker. The Spanish civil war forced him to close Eisa in 1937, so he moved to Paris to start the House of Balenciaga. At the end of the war in 1939, he reopened Eisa, with two more shops in Spain where it produced haute couture until 1968.

I am estimating this fabulous coat was produced in the late 1950s, perhaps early 1960s. The color is a tremendous shocking pink (the lower pictures were lightened a little to show the detail). The fabric is a rich, substantial woven wool, lined in black taffeta.

The lines of this coat are pure Balenciaga. Total grace in fabric, from the sweet pointed collar, to the perfectly placed, deep pockets, to the lovely, low set in sleeves, and the beautiful pleats that start at the back of the shoulders and continue to the hem, held in place by the sweet belt detail. The buttons are pink plastic, with white rims... they are matched to the fabric perfectly.

The lines of the coat are impeccable. The darts from the bust to the pockets were perfectly done. The pockets carry that angle even further. Likewise, the sleeves were sewn to the garment to mirror the graceful collar. This coat is a perfect example of how something very intricate can take on a very simple appearance.