Ballistic for Balenciaga

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Jennifer Sauer, contributor

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Balenciaga and His Legacy by Myra Walker (Yale University Press, 2006)

Photo: Courtesy of Yale University Press

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A designer to become obsessed with. Last year, I was enamored with everything Chanel. My obsession was spurred by “Inside a Chanel Jacket,” an article I edited for our sister publication, Threads Magazine (issue 121) (www.threadsmagazine.com) and by the special Chanel exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org).

This year, Cristobal Balenciaga is my muse. When my brother and sister-in-law jetted off to Paris and Madrid in early December, they came back with a fan-ta-bu-lous Christmas present for me: a Balenciaga wallet. I had never felt leather like this before! I just HAD to figure out why it was so buttery soft. And so began my 2007 designer obsession. After reading everything available online, I turned to books. Here’s one of my favorites:

Balenciaga and His Legacy by Myra Walker (Yale University Press, 2006) Buy it here

I have long admired Balenciaga’s signature silhouettes. My quest, these days, is to dig deeper: learn the history, study the clothes in detail, and figure out the design and construction techniques. Stay tuned—I’ll share my discoveries right here on BeSewStylish.com.

P.S. The Balenciaga secret to super-soft, supple leather goods: naturally distressed Italian goat (chevre) leather.

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