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A black evening gown, designed by Cristobal Balenciaga in 1968, until May accompany the work of Luis Fernandez, with whom the couturier shared artistic interests

Cristobal Balenciaga (Getaria, 1895-Jávea, 1972), one of the most prominent and influential fashion designers of the twentieth century, used to remind their workers a great couturier must be an architect for the lines, a sculptor to form a painter for color, a musician for harmony and a philosopher in the sense of proportion. One of his couture designs, called "Evening dress in black silk crepe lining tape applied sequins, guipure and faceted crystals", made in 1968, is the guest book of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias until next May 29. A wonderful black long evening dress that belonged to Sonsoles de Icaza y León, Marchioness of Llanzol, friend and muse of the designer, which, today, is part of the collections of Balenciaga Museum in Getaria. The first to be exhibited in the museum Spaniard.

The piece, a suit of pure and elegant lines, was presented yesterday by the director of the institution, Alfonso Palacio, and Sonsoles Diez de Rivera, daughter of the Marquise de Llanzol museum patron and founder of the designer. The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Minister of Culture, Vicente Dominguez, and patrons of the institution Ablanedo and Isabel Maria Bermejo.

Dress, tunic type design without sleeves, round neckline in the front and straight with straps on the back, the latter very common resource in the creations of Balenciaga, has been opening in the skirt on the left side. Lined in silk crepe, its only adornment is superimposed lining tape application accounts pearly sequined color, shape and sequined floral cotton flowers. This tape is also shaped at the ends with an application of faceted crystals. Cutting sobriety, common in the designer and feature its tubular dresses, emphasized by the fluidity of crepe while functioning as stay-jewel, praising the feminine silhouette and concealing scarce and studied cuts that are necessary for building the piece.

The dress is on display in the hall of the Asturian painter Luis Fernandez (Oviedo 1900- Paris, 1973), with whom the designer, as stressed Alfonso Palacio, had a good relationship and who had several paintings. "It shared concerns from the point of formally and conceptually substantial allies were in search of the ideal of beauty," he said.

"It's definitely good example of the characteristics of the designer: minimalism, simplicity, comfort and elegance; principles coincide largely with the poetic austere Luis Fernandez, for whom her roses and doves, theme of some of the leftovers surrounding this guest work, glowed like gemstones in harmonies of black, white and gray, "said Palacio.