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Description

Italian tailors propose and adapt the models of the great designers to the needs of a more or less affluent clientele. One example is the adaptation of the line known as the "Baloon" designed in the early 1950s by Cristobal Balenciaga. Here, the hem of the skirt is filled and gathered, giving the dress a balloon-like volume. The same volume was used as a model for the cocktail dress shown at left, which echoes precisely the balloon shape. The breadth of the skirt represents an essential and recurring feature in the creations of this period: pleated fabrics, matelassé, crinoline petticoats, contribute, together with the tailored cut, to emphasize the hourglass effect . The cocktail dress, shown at right, made of a fabric printed with abstract motifs, features a pleated skirt supported by petticoats, which balances in volume the fitted bust and generous neckline.