Secrets of Balenciaga's design revealed

(24 May 2017) LEADIN: The first UK exhibition exploring the work of Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga opens in London on May 27. The exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) primarily focuses the designer's most creative years in Paris in the 1950s and 1960s - but also examines his Basque roots and his legacy on contemporary designers. STORYLINE: A major exhibition at the UK's top fashion and design museum is exploring the creations of Cristobal Balenciaga. Crowds are here for an early viewing of the exhibition of a designer credited for introducing revolutionary shapes to fashion, like the tunic, the sack, the baby doll dress and the shift dress. However, despite his importance in fashion history - Cristobal Balenciaga is not a well-recognised name to those outside the fashion bubble. Shy and wary of the press, Balenciaga has arguably been surpassed in the public-consciousness by his great rival Christian Dior. Cassie Davies-Strodder