Alfredo Bouret achieved considerable acclaim as a fashion illustrator after he arrived in Paris from Mexico in 1948 where he proceeded to work for many major couture houses, including Pierre Balmain and Balenciaga.

This illustration complements the Museum's holdings of dress, hats and perfume bottles by this reknowned Paris-based Spanish fashion designer and together with Tom Kublin's photograph of Alfredo Bouret at work in the Balenciaga studio (98/61/2), it provides rare contextual information about the process of creating fashion publicity.

This particular fashion plate was reproduced in the National Gallery of Victoria's Balenciaga exhibition catalogue which notes that British photographer Cecil Beaton proclaimed Balenciaga as 'fashion's Picasso'. (Balenciaga, Masterpieces of fashion design, National Gallery of Vistoria, 1992. p1).

Bouret also created fashion illustrations for Bally of Switzerland and one of these, a male silhouette for a Swiss Bally shoe brochure has been acquired by the Museum (98/61/3), where it complements two fabulous Bally posters designed by Villemot. He also created fashion illustrations for his own 'Mexicana' range (1962-1985) and some of these illustrations have beed reproduced in Queen magazine (see 98/61/4).

Other fashion illustrations by Alfredo Bouret have been reproduced in 'Images De Mode 1940-1960', Christian Dior Museum, Granville, France 1996; Marie-Andree Jouve, Balenciaga, Rizzoli, New York 1989; Balenciaga: Masterpieces of Fashion Design, National Gallery of Victoria 1992; and 'Alfredo Bouret' the exhibition leaflet produced for the Charles Hewitt Gallery, Woollahra in 1997.

Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator

Fashion illustration, ink on paper, Balenciaga [dress] / Alfredo Bouret [artist], commissioned by French Vogue, Paris, France,1960

Fashion illustration in ink on paper depicting the back view a female modelling a strapless dress with slightly puffed skirt by Balenciaga. The illustration has been executed in black ink with tone variances, some white gouache has been used as a highlight. The model wearing a hat and three quarter gloves, study by Alfredo Bouret for French Vogue, Paris, 1960. Reproduced in Balenciaga, Rizzoli, New York, 1989 and the exhibition catalogue 'Balenciaga: Masterpieces of Fashion Design', National Gallery of Victoria, 1992.

The dress was designed by Christobal Balenciaga. (see attached photocopies for further biographical information)

Drawn by Alfredo Bouret for Balenciaga as a study for French Vogue, Paris 1960.

Drawn for French Vogue, 1960.

Published in Balenciaga, Rizzoli, NY 1989 and exhibition catalogue 'Masterpieces of Fashion Design', National Gallery Victoria, 1992.
Personal possession of the artist until offered for sale through Charles Hewitt Gallery, 1997

Purchased 1998

signed and dated l.l. in ink 'A. Bouret / PARIS, 1960'
insc. in ink l.r. 'Galenciaga / [penicl[ Vogue / France [obscured]'

98/61/1

380 mm