A fashion foray

It's sometimes as interesting to see the people who are attending an exhibition as it is to see the exhibition itself. When I popped in to the Balenciaga exhibition at the V&A (till 18 Feb) there were a lot of college-age students, many sat looking at their phones but quite a few sketching -

 A sign at the entrance said "photography and sketching are encouraged".

Upstairs - in the airy space, such a good contrast to the crowded space below - are examples of Balenciaga's influence -

I liked the juxtaposition of "La Chou" and the reflection of a slide show of other dresses -

 Downstairs (crowded but informative), several x-rays of garments, showing the construction and underpinnings. On the left is a reconstruction of a toile (in calico); on the right, the finished dress revolves -

 More underpinnings - the dress on the left is inside out to show the details of the corset, with the seams covered to make it maximally comfortable. On the right, a dummy that exactly replicates the model who would be showing the dress made on it to clients in the salon -

 It was often the fabric that inspired Balenciaga - nor, though working in Paris, did he confine himself to French fabrics. Here's a print from the Swiss firm Abraham -