"Velasquez"

Balenciaga's "Infanta" dress was inspired by the paintings of Diego Velazquez, the official court painter of King Philip IV of Spain. It echoes the shape and formality of 17th century Spanish court costume. The Infanta was the eldest daughter of the King and Queen of Spain, and in paintings by Velazquez she is depicted wearing a dress with a tight-fitting bodice and a very wide skirt supported by panniers. As well as referencing this silhouette, Balenciaga's "Infanta" dress also anticipates Christian Dior's celebrated post-war "New Look".

In 1939, Vogue noted, "An army of heroine figures invaded the couture collections." For the Spanish-born designer, the Infanta, on whose shoulders the future of the Spanish crown rested, was a symbol of hope and glorification.