During the 1950s and 1960s, the famous couturiers Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Cristóbal Balenciaga all worked together with the Swiss firm, Abraham, for their exclusive fabrics. This company was specialized in printing silks. Abraham was forced to close its doors in 2002, but left an impressive collection of sample books, couture photographs and textiles: the Abraham archives.
The exhibition, Silks & prints from the Abraham archive - Couture in Colour, tells both the story of the Abraham company and that of European couture, art and luxury throughout the 20th century. Contemporary designers, including Dries Van Noten, Diane Von Furstenberg and Peter Pilotto, were invited to experiment with Abraham prints.
During the 1930s, Abraham was under the leadership of Gustav Zumsteg. He regularly stayed in Paris and became acquainted with a number of influential artists, from Georges Braque to Marc Chagall and Alberto Giacometti, and famous couturiers, such as Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli and Yves Saint Laurent. These great names from the art and fashion worlds had a considerable influence on Zumsteg's artistic creations. In a short period, Zumsteg became a key figure in manufacturing textiles for haute couture.
After the arrival of prêt-à-porter, from the 1960s, the demand for top-quality silks tapered off. Zumsteg adapted to the new situation and began designing prints for the high end of the ready-to-wear market. In 1995, when the 40-year collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent came to an end, the future of the Abraham company became especially uncertain and the firm was finally forced to close its doors.
The exhibition Silk & Prints from the Abraham Archive - Couture in Colour runs from March 13, till August 11nd, 2013.