Balenciaga designed hats to complement the outfits in his collections. The millinery department had its own designers but was overseen by Balenciaga.

Labelled 'Made in France' but presumably made in the millinery department of Balenciaga in Paris.

The donor thinks the hat was purchased in the late 1940s although the style suggests a mid 1950s date. The photograph on file is of the donor's mother at her son's christening in 1939 wearing similar hat.

The hat was purchased at David Jones department store sometime in the 1950s. (see notes about date) The hat belonged to the donor's mother, Mrs Geraldine Scott, who lived at Uig Lodge, Point Piper. She loved hats and accummulated a collection.

Hat and hatbox, womens, straw / silk / nylon / cardboard, hat designed and made by Christobal Balenciaga, France 1955, hatbox designed by Gordon Andrews for David Jones, Sydney, Australia, 1947.

Womens flat square hat with rounded corners made of natural coloured straw. The hat has a shallow brim turned back to lie flat on hat and is decorated with a fabric camellia in ivory with green leaves. There are two hatpins with olive green gros grain heads pinned through the side. Attached beneath is a semi cap made of straw for positioning hat on the head which has a light olive green gros grain hat band.

Large circular cardboard hatbox with lid covered with printed paper in olive green with wavy white lines. There are two black cotton tape ties that tie across the lid to form a handle. The lid has 'David Jones / for service' printed in black across the top.

Designed: Balenciaga, Cristobal; Paris, France

Made: Balenciaga, Cristobal; Paris, France; 1950 - 1960


Used: Scott, Geraldine; Sydney

Hat: white fabric label inside back 'BALENCIAGA/10. AVENUE GEORGE V. PARIS', red, white and blue label inside back 'MADE IN FRANCE'.

Hatbox and lid: printed in black on lid 'David Jones'/for service', 'sixth floor fashion'. White paper label handwritten and taped on side of box 'BROWN BAKU/PRINCE LINEN/under/BRIM'.

99/55/1