Sculpting Elegance: Alaïa and Balenciaga Take Centre Stage
As the Christmas party season approaches, our thoughts turn to dressing up — not just for the sparkle, but for the sense of celebration that comes with slipping into something special. It’s about the ritual of choosing fabrics that shimmer, sculpt or softly fall, and the quiet pleasure of feeling transformed by what we wear. For anyone drawn to the artistry behind that transformation, the Museo del Tessuto in Prato offers exquisite inspiration with its exhibition Azzedine Alaïa and Cristóbal Balenciaga: Sculptors of Shape (25 October 2025 – 3 May 2026).
Balenciaga. Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 1954. Short cocktail dress in black taffeta, balloon skirt, flat turned-down collar, short sleeves, buttoned in the back. Photo: DR. Julien Vidal
Curated by Olivier Saillard and produced in collaboration with the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation in Paris, this exhibition pays homage to two couturiers who treated fabric as both medium and muse. Alaïa and Balenciaga shared an almost architectural approach to design, with each designer capable of sculpting wool, silk, or chiffon into pure form. Their legacy reminds us that true glamour is as much about construction as decoration.
Left: Balenciaga, Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 1961. Right: Alaïa, Couture Autumn-Winter 2011. Photo: © Stéphane Aït Ouarab
In a striking dialogue across time, twenty-five creations by Alaïa stand beside twenty-five by Balenciaga. The pairing highlights the Spanish master’s refined minimalism — those perfect seams and voluminous silhouettes — alongside Alaïa’s sensual precision, where stretch knits and fine leathers are cut close to the body like a second skin. Every fold, pleat, and dart reveals the hand of a maker attuned to both material and movement.
Collection drawing, Cristobal Balenciaga. Winter 1958. Mod. n.192. © Balenciaga Archives Paris
Twelve original Balenciaga drawings from 1950 to 1968, complete with tailoring notes and fabric samples, are displayed in Italy for the first time. Nearby, archival photographs and film clips capture garments in motion, while Joe McKenna’s documentary on Alaïa offers an intimate glimpse into his studio world of draped jersey and sculpted silk.
Left to Right: Balenciaga, Haute Couture 1938. Balenciaga, Haute Couture 1940. Alaïa, Couture Autumn-Winter 1986. Photo: © Stéphane Aït Ouarab
Visitors journey through three sections: Atelier Tailleur, Atelier Flou, and Spagna, tracing the path from the structured craftsmanship of coats and cape suits, to the delicate lightness of mousseline and organza evening wear, and finally to the Spanish influences of lace, boleros, and flamenco folds. Each space celebrates the meeting of discipline and imagination that defines haute couture.
The story that threads through it all is one of inheritance and reverence. When Balenciaga’s atelier closed in 1968, a young Alaïa was invited to select garments from the master’s archive in a moment that shaped his life’s work and devotion to the craft.
As we reach for our festive finery this winter, Sculptors of Shape invites us to look beyond the shimmer of the surface and deeper into the craftsmanship, cut, and care that bring true elegance to life.
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Further Information:
Azzedine Alaïa and Cristóbal Balenciaga: Sculptors of Shape is on now until 3 May 2026 at the Museo del Tessuto in Prato, Italy.
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Image Credits:
Lead: Azzedine Alaïa. Couture Autumn-Winter 2003. Long evening dress in black taffeta, fabric draped on the bodice, gathered at the side and knotted at the back, the fullness of the skirt (circumference of 29,5 m) is supported by nine bands of taffeta. Photo: DR. Julien Vidal
All further images as credited in photo captions