Ms. Penelope Cruz in 1950 Couture from Rita Watnick's Lily et Cie for Oscars 2009

Feb. 22, 2009 - PRLog -- Press contact: BRYAN RABIN
Telephone: 323.791.8876 Bryan@bryanrabin.com




Ms. PENELOPE CRUZ WEARS 1950’S COUTURE FROM RITA WATNICK’S LILY et Cie for OSCARS 2009

         



(Pictures available at Wireimage)












ABOUT RITA WATNICK AND LILY et Cie

Rita Watnick is the world’s premiere curator of preeminent 20th century museum quality clothing. Ms. Watnick will celebrate her 30th year in business December 2009. Lily et Cie is singularly responsible for the 20th Century Couture craze years before it was fashionable. Rita’s 5000 square foot store, Lily et Cie, located in Beverly Hills houses a collection of over a half million exquisite pieces including extensive collections of Madame Gres, Jean Desse, Dior, Balmain and Givenchy. She has dressed countless personalities from the worlds of Film, Fashion, Music, Art and Society. For the Oscars, Rita has previously dressed clients such as Renee Zellweger in Jean Desses 2001 and Jennifer Lopez in Jean Desses in 2007. They both made the best-dressed lists respectively.

MS. PENELOPE CRUZ  WEARS PIERRE BALMAIN FOR OSCAR 2009

1950 -Pierre Balmain Haute Couture acquired and curated by Rita Watnick-LILY et Cie.  Important 1950's Haute Couture, classic 1950.

It is in the great tradition of Balmain, Dior, and Balenciaga. The structure, construction and impossibly difficult detailed embellishment in appearance are of the most exacting Couture standards.

This Balmain Gown is confoundingly difficult in execution.

Ivory lace totally hand embroidered with gold bouillon threads.  
Strapless draped at bodice and skirt with silk tulle.

The embroiderer came from Paris to visit Ms. Watnick and informed her that this gown took well over a half a year just to complete the intricate embrodered embellishments.
The original sketch is still at Bailmain

Penelope saw the dress many years ago totally adored it and came back and asked if Rita still had it.

Penelope has been a great client of Rita/Lily et Cie for many years.   Rita has colaborated with Ms. Cruz for many events and personal wardrobe.



ABOUT PIERRE BALMAIN

"Couture is architecture in movement."  Pierre Balmain
Pierre Balmain was born in 1914.

He first trained as an architect, and then received his training in fashion working under two of the preeminent designers of the era, Molyneux and Lucien Lelong.  

He collaborated closely with Christian Dior while working for Lelong.   Balmain opened his design house in Paris in 1945.
Balmain sought elegance without lavishness in his couture, eschewing ornamentation and often using fur for hoods or trims.   He was a leading practitioner of the "New French Style" (or "New Look") of Paris couture following World War II and the "Jolie Madame" style of the mid-1950s, but was not hemmed into the heavily draped and embroidered styles of his early designs, as he changed to structural, uncluttered designs in the 1960s.

Balmain popularized the fur stole as an accessory.

He received the Neiman Marcus Award in 1955, and was awarded the Cavaliere Ufficiale del Merito Italiano by the President of Italy and named an Officier de la Légion d'Honneur by the President of France.
"Keep to the basic principles of fashion and you will always be in harmony with the latest trends without falling prey to them."  Pierre Balmain

Balmain was couturier to many film legends, and is most famous for designing the clothes Brigitte Bardot wore in And God Created Woman. Balmain died in 1982, and the house of Pierre Balmain has continued, first under the leadership of Eric Mortensen (of whom Pierre Balmain said "He is more Balmain than me."), and then to Herve Pierre, Oscar de la Renta, Laurent Mercier, and now Christophe Lebourg.