thea porter
Rare 1971 Thea Porter Actual Book Piece Silk Cotton Gauze Dress w Sheila Hudson Horseman Print
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This is the actual dress that is in the book on Thea Porter's work and appears on page 111. The book notes that this dress has "Two prints based on Persian paintings, designed by Sheila Hudson, combined on the dress. One on the bodice with polo players, while on the sleeves and skirt is a single horseman with Persian style calligraphy at the hem of the skirt." We've also included photos of a jumpsuit with the same print that appeared at the July 1971 press view and several other versions of the dress from editorials from that time period. A Version of the dress was also part of the Thea Porter exhibit. This print was very well documented and Thea made a small series of pieces from this fabric. Each piece was made specifically so that it was cut to follow the print perfectly. This is the only one I've ever seen made in this length and in this style. Given her extremely limited run on certain pieces, it may in fact be the only one that exists. It is truly a very special piece.
The cut of this dress is exceptional. It has a small neat collar and the collar hooks at the front. It is then slit to the waist with one single hook just under the halfway point to hold it in place. This leaves a large slice of skin showing when it is on the body. The bodice is unlined and has a single layer of the printed silk cotton gauze which gives it a touch of transparency. Horsemen romp over the bodice with dogs following in pursuit through flowers and trees. The sleeves are phenomenal. Each is gathered into the top of the shoulder and then are a huge balloon sleeves under that. More horseman sit at the top of each sleeve and then you have the calligraphy mentioned above wrapping around the gathered cuffs. The waist is elastic and this make the dress extremely easy-to-wear and comfortable on the body. Under that, the skirt has an incredible amount of fabric and here again we see horsemen wrapping all the way around the dress and then the bottom displays more calligraphy, flowers all in those beautiful colours of blue. There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt so it moves beautifully once on the body. This is an exceptional and extremely rare example of her work. Excellent condition with a small note below
Unlined and slips onto wear. There are hook and eye at the top of the neck and then another just under the halfway point of the slit down the front. The waist is elastic. I see some darkening to the inside of the collar and slight darkening on the exterior collar near where it hooks to close at the neck. Please see the photo after the label shot.
Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders are really inset so no true seams
Bust: 15-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 10-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem with 1.5" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML
Item# DD4657
Reference Photos: (1) Model in Thea Porter, Flair Magazine, 1971. / (2) Marina Schiano in Thea Porter's Persian miniature inspired print dress. Photo by Bill King for Harper's Bazaar, March 1972. / (3) Model in Thea Porter, Vogue UK, 1971. / (4) Thea Porter Press Viewing, July 1971. / (5) 1971 Thea Porter Cotton dress, Textile by Sheila Hudson, Collection of Susanne Deeken. Shown on display at the Thea Porter 70s Bohemian Chic Exhibit at the Fashion and Textile Museum. / (6-8) This dress shown in the book "Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic" by Laura McLaws Helms and Venetia Porter.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
yves saint laurent
Fall 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Off Shoulder Dress w Metallic Thread & Ruffled Detailing
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The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1987 show and we have included reference photos of it from the runway for you so that you can see how fabulous it is on the body. We even found one where you can see the model walking back down the runway so you can see how gorgeous it is from the back as well. It is an easy to wear and very chic little YSL.
This is a really gorgeous dress. It is made from a lace fabric that has an unusual blue-purple colour running through it. Metallic thread runs through the lace and then over that are thousands of glossy black sequins that follow the pattern of the lace. The sequins catch the light from every angle but in a subtle way that I love. The lace has an open cut that is lined it with a deep blue silk chiffon. It has a touch of transparency to it but its wearable. This combination also keeps it light so that it feels amazing once on the body. The dress sits off the shoulder to leave a bare expanse of skin across the top. The neckline wraps around the shoulders and it is finished with a pretty black silk organza ruffle. The silk of the ruffles has just enough structure so that it holds its shape perfectly. The sleeves fall to just past the elbow and each is also finished with a ruffle. From there the dress skims over you, running over the bust and past the waist, with no seaming there to break the line. At the top of the hip there is a seam that has another ruffled detailing. The skirt falls under that and widens out as it nears the hem. A final ruffle goes all the way around the edge of the skirt. The back of the skirt is set to hang a touch longer than the front. This gives you a beautiful curve from the side and adds a touch of pretty volume. It is a gorgeous dress and really showcases Yves' innovative eye and design genius. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a dark blue silk chiffon. It closes at the side with a zipper. Tagged a YSL 42.
Sleeves: approx 18" from the drop and 12" around the upper arm
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam across the top of the hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and open under that
Length: 30" from top of centre neckline to front hem and 36" to back hem including top and bottom ruffle
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4271
Reference Photos: Fall 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
chanel
Beautiful Cruise 2006 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Deep Blue Silk Tulle Dress w Iridescent Paillette Detailing
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This dress is from the Cruise 2006 collection and it is extraordinary. For this show Karl Lagerfeld invited his guess to the Place de la Concorde. He had a fleet of green vintage buses adorned with Chanel logos and these transported his guests on a ride through Paris. Models paraded down the aisle among the passengers and at scheduled stops they would switch buses so that everyone saw the entire collection. Karl said at the time that he 'used to love riding the bus in Paris as a school boy' and that was the inspiration behind the idea of the show. Lagerfeld wanted the collection to be lighthearted and easy and to be a tribute to Paris. I love it.
The dress is feather light which almost feels like a surprise when you pick it up given the sheer amount of detailing on it. It is covered in hundreds of large iridescent paillettes but these are also feather light. It feels like you are wearing a cloud of silk once it is on the body. The silk tulle netting base is so light and so fine that it feels like magic. The tulle is a deep blue colour and the entire dress is made out of two layers of it with an inner silk chiffon layer. It falls from the shoulders with straps that curve up and around you. It is scooped at the front and again at the back for an almost tank tee style top. The bodice skims over you and there are built in rounded cups inside to add a touch of coverage over the breasts. The top layer of tulle on the bodice overlaps into place around the waist and a border of the sequins are placed stacked side by side all around the waist. The same dense sequin detail circles the neckline and covers the straps and goes around each arm. It flows past the waist and skims over the hips. On the lower part of the skirt there are built in long triangle shaped insets of the tulle that set all the way around the skirt. I love this nod to the old Hollywood dresses of the 1930s and they give the lower part of the dress tremendous movement and volume when you move. The paillettes that cover the dress are the most striking part of all. They are soft muted iridescent pastels that range from gold to pink. Each individual oversized sequin has a beautiful ombre effect and a muted metallic finish. Besides the borders around the waist and neck they cover the bodice and trail down and into the skirt to the hem between those inset panels. So when you move you get this fantastic contrast. The dress came with a matching shawl made of the same tulle. It's huge size lets you wear it almost like a cape over your shoulders. It is so light in weight and fine that you could also wrap it around your neck, use it as a head scarf, or as a turban. This is a phenomenal piece if Chanel. No matter how good it looks on the dress form nothing will prepare you for the way it feels when you have it in hand. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a blue silk chiffon and it closes with a back hidden set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut tulle does give it a bit of range in size. Current Chanel silk chiffon dresses with this level of added embellishments and detailing are retailing for $10000USD and over. Tagged is Chanel 40
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem
Scarf: 68" x 74"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4385
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
valentino
Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Runway Look 3 Blue & White Silk Organza Dress
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This dress is the twin of Look 3 for the Pre-Fall 2020 collection. For this collection Pierpaolo paid homage to the Fall 1968 Haute Couture collection and I have included the reference photos of those original pieces here. This famous print was originally done by Mr Valentino and were inspired by the blue and white in Chinese Delft print vases. It is also very close in style to the 2013 Valentino dress that was a part of the in the Met Museums 2015 "China: Through the Looking Glass" exhibit. When speaking of this collection to Vogue Piccioli said; “I want to maintain couture’s values even in the pre-fall collection. I like the idea of breaking its rules and translating them into a modern, spontaneous wardrobe, making something historical become contemporary.” and they went on to mention this print in particular saying that 'he picked from the archives... a beautiful print of Delft blue vases from a sophisticated 1968 couture collection. “I want Valentino to be lively and joyous,” enthused Piccioli. “For me, beauty means life, emotion, something that vibrates and is full of energy—not something removed that you look at from afar, as if on a pedestal.” Mary Holland wore its twin to a premier that season as well. It is beautiful and very special.
The dress is pristine and utterly beautiful. It is made of a feather light silk organza that has been printed with that beautiful blue and white design that gives a nod do the 1968 couture collection as described above. It is magical. The colour combines the soft ivory backdrop with that dreamy blue floral print. The print is beautiful and intricate. I love how he has placed the print over the bodice and skirt to accentuate the design and flow of the dress. The silk is feather light in weight and just floats beautifully over the body once on. It will softly move with the slightest breeze or movement on your part. The dress has a second layer of organza through the bodice and skirt which gives it just a touch less transparency and also helps to add to the airy and light feel that it has. The sleeves are a single layer of silk so you see your arm through the pattern. The neckline has a small neat collar and it buttons to close done the bodice with hidden set buttons. Note how careful the patterns has been lined up across the panel there. The bodice lightly skims over you to the nipped in waist. Each sleeve ends in a beautiful ruffles cuff. The skirt is spectacular. It is lazy gathered through the waist scene and then opens up to be very full to the floor. Because of the layering of the organza with the outer layer in the inner layer, it just floats and moves around you spectacularly when you move. It a just gorgeous and even better in person as you get more of a sense of the lightness of that stunning printed silk. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Lined in silk organza as described above. I buttons down the front with hidden set buttons under that front panel and zines to close with a hidden set zipper down the back. Tagged a modern Valentino 40
Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total Length: 65" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4588
Reference Photos: (1) Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino, Look 3. / (2) Models in Valentino, British Vogue, September 1968. / (3) Valentino dresses at the MET Exhibition "China: Through the Looking Glass", 2015. / (4) Model in Valentino Autumn 1968 Gown, photographed by Steven Meisel, 2015. / (5) Mary Holland in Valentino at the premiere of "Happiest Season", November 2020.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
luisa beccaria
Most Romantic Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria Runway Look 24 Blue & Ivory Silk Chiffon Dress
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The twin of this dress was Look 24 for the Resort 2020 presentation and I love having that reference photo for you to show how amazing it is on the body. The Luisa Beccaria label is out of Italy and is run by the mother-daughter team of Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria. They are known for their incredibly feminine pieces that have an almost story book feel to them. The cost of their pieces run into the thousands and their clothing is very well made. This season was a coup for the label as they were fresh from designing the wedding dress Lady Gabriella Windsor. And well deserved. The label's pieces always have a sense of romance to them. Vogue said of the collection that; 'Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza.'
This is everything you look for in a piece by the Beccaria label. It has a stunning floral design print screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. The entire dress has been printed with that gorgeous and romantic flower design in pale shades of blue and I love it. The neckline is set in a higher collar around the neck with a long tie that you can let trail down the back as they did in the collection photos or wrap and tie it into a beautiful soft bow at the front like I did for most of these shots. The silk has been gathered into the collar for pretty detail on the bodice and this adds a pretty softness there. From the neckline it skims to the waist and it comes with a matching tie belt in the same fabric that has a cut out flower that matches the print on the belt. I love this extra little thought into the design and how this gives you the option of wearing it more cinched in through the waist. The skirt falls to the floor under that, and the silk is all biased cut and there is a ton of fabric in the skirt. It is so light and there is so much fabric that your slightest movement causes the skirt to float around you as you move. It is beautiful to see. It is also in its original uncut length so it is very long. The sleeves are fantastic. Each is an incredibly full balloon sleeve made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. They pouf out dramatically above the cuff and each cuff ends in a split ruffle that is angled down longer on one side. The movement and drama the entire dress has is extraordinary. This is a dress that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing it and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning and very romantic example of her work and beautifully made. I love it. It comes with its original hang tags and was never worn. Excellent condition
The outer dress is unlined and it comes with a matching ivory bias cut silk chiffon slip to wear underneath. It closes with hook and eye at the back of the neck and a hidden set side zipper. Elastic through the waist and at the end of each cuff. The original tie belt is included. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller frame and be more fitted on a larger frame. In its original uncut length, and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern 46 and has its original hangtags.
Outer Dress
Sleeves: approx 29" but meant to come up once on and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem
Inner Separate Slip
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4590
Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria, Look 24.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
andre laug
Dreamy Late 1960s Andre Laug Roma Alta Moda Couture Pale Turquoise Applied Dot Strapless Dress
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The Andre Laug label launched in 1968 in Rome. Laug was one of the grand Italian Couturiers who would now be considered to have designed "Alta Moda" the Italian equivalent of Haute Couture. He apprenticed under Nina Ricci and was the designer behind the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection in the summer of 1961. From there he freelanced, working for both Philip Venet and Andre Courreges. His clients included Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Diana Ross and countless others.This dress is all done by hand couture tags and based on its style most likely dates to those first early years. It is gorgeous.
The dress has a more fitted strapless bodice that tops a fuller skirt. Everything about this dress is dreamy. The fabric on this one is so pretty. The base fabric is an ivory silk chiffon that has pale turquoise dots applied and woven into the silk. These cover the dress from the dice to the hem. Each dot of the pattern looks like it was woven and also embroidered into the silk. The slight texture and dimension this adds is so pretty. The bodice is strapless and lightly boned inside. The dotted fabric is hand gathered horizontally across you and then a panel of ivory silk curved downing over the front and sweeps around to the back. At the back those ivory panels swoop inwards around the waist to meet at the small of the back. A little loop that snaps hold them together and then they trail all the way down the back of the skirt. Its incredible. The skirt itself is full and made of two layers of the dotted chiffon layered over each other. The inner layer falls slightly longer and at the back it curves up and under the panels. All the fullness that you see is created from the way it is set in soft folds around the waist. All the inner seams are down by hand to couture standards. This would make an amazing non traditional wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative 'something blue' dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous eventExcellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in an ivory silk through the bodice and the two layers of fabric serve as the lining through the skirt. Light boning in the bodice and an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It closes with a back hidden set painted metal zipper. There is a shadow of a grubbiness along the seam under each arm and a faint mark on the attached ivory panel. Please see the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem and the sash extends past that another 3.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS- SML
Item# DD4514
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
alexander mcqueen
Fall 2006 Alexander McQueen 'The Widows of Culloden' Convertible Cashmere Wool Sweater Cardigan Jacket
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The Fall 2006 McQueen show is of course the show that famously ended with a hologram of Kate Moss twisting in the midst of a billowing white dress. Before that moment an incredible display of workmanship and craft walked the runway. Vogue noted that "For this collection, he delved into his past, revisiting his Scottish family roots and refining the contents of the rampaging tartan "Highland Rape" show with which he began his career in London in the early nineties. Shorn of its original rawness and anger, the result was a poetic and technically accomplished tale that involved romantic images of Scottish fantasy heroines wandering glens and castle halls in vaguely Victorian tartan crinolines, bird-wing or antler-and-lace headdresses, feathered gowns, and pieces made from brocades that might have been dragged down from ancient wall-hangings." Mid-show there was the appearance of several knit piece isn chunky cable knits including a version of this sweater coat that walked the runway for Look 23. This is a piece that shows Mcqueen's true genius and ability to look at pieces and reconfigure them to his own version.
This version of the piece that walked the runway is done in a deep blue and the fabric is a wool with a touch of cashmere mixed in for added softness. It is an incredible piece and a strong statement piece as well. The design is insane. When unfolded it falls to the floor with extended panels at the front. There are open slits at the side that are utilized when you fold it up but when it's hanging down, you can choose to leave those as is or you can tuck the extended front panels through them to create a bit of a knotted effect at the bottom, as I photoed here. On the runway, he showed it the way that I think it's meant to be worn best and that's with that extended panel folded up and then your arms go through those side openings. That extended panel then becomes like an attached vest over the inner cardigan. You can also drape one side over your shoulder like an attached scarf piece. It's fantastic and genius. The collar is high. There are two leather buckle straps that hold it in place across the front and it is open under that. The knit is a chunky fisherman cable knit in feel and I was told that these would have been hand knit. An incredible piece of McQueen. Excellent condition
Unlined and slips on to wear with the buckles at the front. 90% wool and 10% cashmere. It shows a tiny bit of pilling here and there but it's minor. The knit has some stretch so it should fit a range of sizes
Sleeves: 24" and the upper arm is 14-20" around
Dropped shoulders: 19"
Bust: 19-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length with the panels extended: 53" from neck to shortest part of hem, 71" to the longest point
Length when the panels are folded up: approx 27" from neck to front hem and then the panels extend out past that
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD4488
Reference Photos: Fall 2006 Alexander McQueen, Look 23, Model Romina Lanaro.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
lanvin
Extraordinary Fall 1952 Lanvin by Castillo Haute Couture Brilliant Blue Alpaca Coat w Button Front
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This is a stunning and extremely rare example of the Haute Couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. He quickly became known as one of the most promising designers to emerge after WWII and that reputation was part of why he was chosen in 1950 to become the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines. This is a very rare and early Haute Couture coat and we found a reference photo of its near twin that was styled with a belt, dramatic gloves and matching hat added. It is very beautiful and the colour is exceptional.
This coat is beautifully tailored. The double row of buttons at the front and curving cut makes it feel as chic and wearable now as it was when first made. It is entirely finished by hand and has its numbered couture tape under the label. It is so chic and a very important and rare piece. This is truly a vintage gem. It has a deceptively simple cut that hides the precise seams and masterfully tailored cut. It is constructed with the absolute minimal seam work to create the curves of the coat that you see. It is more fitted through the upper bodice and then skims over the waist and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The collar is neat with a notched front and each sleeve ends in a turned up cuff. A half belt is attached at the back and you could add a belt over it to emphasize the shape even more. The fabric is amazing with a soft finish to it. I believe it is an Alpaca or perhaps a type of cashmere and it is extremely luxurious. The fact that it is dyed that amazing blue makes it that much more brilliant. It is even better in person and the fabric has to be seen and felt to truly be appreciated. This fabric choice allowed Castillo to be able to sculpt the exact shape that he desired. The front has detailed seaming that becomes part of the actual design and inside that is a double row of blue buttons that run down the front to the waist. You can wear this one open or do it up right to the neck like the reference photo. I love the sculptural effect the coat has once on and that beautifully full lower skirting. No shortcut was taken in the construction of this lovely coat and it is an outstanding piece of fashion history in every possible way. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a hand set black silk taffeta and closes with the button down the front. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. The Haute Couture numbered tape label is present under the main label and is numbered 15.418. This is a medium to heavy weight coat
Sleeves: 22" and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 45" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4489
Reference Photo: Model in Lanvin, 1952.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
christian lacroix
Fall 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Silk Runway Backless Dress w Original Jewel Brooches
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The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the Fall 1990 runway and we have included the reference photos of that so that you can see just how fabulous this one is on the body. This dress also included the incredible and detailed brooches on both the front and back of the dress as it was presented on the runway. This dress is unlabeled but came to me directly from the original couture client from whom I have, and have had, several other Haute Couture pieces. She was fitted by Christian himself for the dress which makes it that much more special. It is a stunning example of his Haite Couture work during this time period.
The dress is made out of an iridescent silk taffeta that has a slight colour change to it depending on how the light hits it. It can go from a deep bronze to a more iridescent blue / purple tone. I love it. The sleeves are long and there is a row of five silk covered buttons at each wrist. The body of the dress is cut to skim over you. It is gathered at one side at the front with the first of two incredible jeweled brooches the dress came with. The brooch is hand made from a gold toned metal with large golden topaz glass crystals mixed with brilliant blue crystals. The neckline angles down and across your shoulder to leave one shoulder bare and exposed. At the back the neckline dips dramatically down into a deep open V that leaves your skin bare and exposed. The second huge jeweled brooch sits at the base of that. A panel of silk flares out dramatically to one side to create a half bow, half bustle feel. The interior of that panel has extra structure so that it stays perfectly in place. The skirt falls below that and depending in your height will sit at about the knee or just above. It is fabulous. Excellent condition with minor notes below
Fully lined in a black silk organza and closes with an elaborate mix of a zipper, snaps and hooks at the back. One panel loops through the other over that. There is fused strip of rubber ribbon along the inner neckline to hold it in place and this has degraded a touch here and there. One stone is missing at the bottom of the front brooch. The brooches are tacked into place at present but are removable and you can see little marks on the fabric under them where the pin has been pushed through in different places. There are a couple teeny pinhead snags on the fabric where the brooches have caught on the silk near the brooches. These are all very minor and mentioned for accuracy. Unlabeled. Sourced from the original couture client and Mr Lacroix has mentioned to me on insta that he remembers fitting her.
Sleeves: 19.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3602
Reference Photos: Fall/Winter 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
hanae mori
Fabulous 1970s Hanae Mori Couture Printed Silk Jumpsuit w Floor Length Angel Sleeves
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Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional. Hanae Mori excelled at these beautiful prints that combined nature and elements of her homeland. I have two jumpsuits today that both have that very caftan feeling so desired with her work and these are so very hard to find. When I find pieces like this one that is such a stunningly beautify example of her work I am very happy. I feel that pieces like this are among the very best representations of her work. We also added a photo of a similar but slightly earlier piece from 1969 to give you an idea of how this is on the body. I think this one in silk chiffon is even better but it’s interesting from a historical perspective to see how she made it better but switching the fabric and exaggerating the lines even more. Genuius!
This is everything you look for in a piece by Hanae Mori. The entire piece has one of her custom designed prints screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. It has all been printed with a really outstanding huge floral design and the colours are fantastic. That combination of turquoise and pink cannot be beat. The jumpsuit has a shallow V neck at both the back and front for just a little bit of skin to show there. The top skims over you and has one of the big pink flowers at the front. The waist is generous in cut the jumpsuit comes with its original silk ribbon belt. This belt is made from multiple pieces of silk piece together in rows and then the ends are all left as individual ribbons. When you tie this around your waist it helps to add to the drama of the overall set . The pants fall from under that and are cut to be very very wide and full so you get this incredible movement when you move. To make them opaque enough to wear each pant leg has an inner layer of silk twill with that same print on that inner layer. As with the best of Hanae's pieces the effect of having the same print on the top layer and the inner layer gives the design added dimension and depth as they float over each other. The added width of the pant also let them float and move at your slightest movement. The sleeves on this piece are spectacular. They are attached around the upper two thirds of the arm hole and each is made from two panels of fabric that float all the way down the length of the jumpsuit to just a little past the hem. They are open on each side so move independently from each other. Because each panel is a single layer of that bias cut silk chiffon this means that they catch the slightest bit of air and move and float dramatically around you. The beauty and drama that this creates is astonishing. The floral print that covers the jumpsuit is one of her best. The movement and beauty of this piece is extraordinary. This is a piece that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing it and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning example of her work and beautifully made. I love it. Excellent condition
Fully lined through the bodice in a white silk and a printed silk twill for the pants. The sleeves are unlined. It zips to close at the back. The belt ties into place. All of the edges have been hand rolled and it is hand finished through out. Tagged a vintage 10. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Pants: 38.5" from waist to hem
Inseam: 25" from the inner seam to hem
Gusset: 32" from back of neck to inner seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4451
Reference Photos: Hanae Mori Ad in Vogue US, October 1, 1969.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
john anthony
Incredible 2005 John Anthony Couture Runway Sample Heavily Beaded & Sequined PlungeDress
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John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two of the dresses he sent for you with more to come. This is a runway piece from 2005. The bead work on it was done by hand by one of the same European ateliers who did beading for many of the Couture houses for this time period. John is one of my favorite American designers and right out of the gate he won the Coty Award for his work. The first time in 1972 and then again in 1976. He designed clothes that were simple and elegant but glamorous. His work veers towards minimalism with sharp tailoring. Striking evening wear was his signature and he is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. It is an extraordinary privilege to have pieces directly from his archives and these are things you will never see again. This one is a work of art and it is just extraordinary to see it in person with all of that extensive bead and sequin work
John's business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $20,000 and more during this time period. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing.
This dress is absolutely stunning. The fabric is completely covered in thousand of tiny deep silver seed beads and teeny tiny iridescent aqua coloured sequins.This gives the dress some weight - we weighed it and it is just over 6 pounds - but it is so beautifully made that it balances and glides over the body perfectly and does not feel unwieldy at all. The front plunges right to the waist with two long triangles curving up towards the neck and hooking at the back. On the inside of each triangle there is a panel of the same fabric sewn down their lengths. These drape over the bodice to create a ruffle that falls from the top of the halter to the waist and gives the front a soft and feminine finish. The back is left completely open as a result so when you turn all you see is bare skin I love that curving cut of the sides as it scoops down. The waist is seamed for a bit of definition and then the skirt falls from under there to the floor. It widens out to the lower skirt and this give it beautiful movement when you walk. The colour is this magical deep aqua and silver mix and the way the beads and sequins are set give it a stunning pattern over you. The way this catches the light is fantastic. It is a very special piece. Excellent condition.
Unlined and closes with a low set side zipper at the back and hooks to close behind the neck. Hand finished throughout. Silk chiffon panel finished hem and edges. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 52" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4399
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
christian lacroix
Prettiest Spring 1996 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Runway Three Piece Set w Jewel Buttons
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The twin of this set walked the runway and was worn by none other then Carla Bruni. Which makes this suit that much more special. It also still has all three of its original pieces and I love that as well. Christian Lacroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and his work was an instant worldwide sensation with the press declaring him to be the King of Couture. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His collections were always exotic and lavish affairs. He drew his inspirations from across the decades and I doubt there was ever a more high glamour couturier. This suit with its supermodel tie-in is very special and a stunning example of his work during this time period. His couture pieces rarely come to market and I love having them in the shop when I can get them.
I love that this still has all three original pieces. It came to me with the jacket, skirt and the inner silk top that matches the lining of the jacket. Which is a very traditional Haute Couture detail. Having all three pieces makes it that much more versatile since you can mix and match all of pieces and wear them in so many different ways. The inner top is made of a silk with a abstract vertical wavy pattern in ivory, pale blue and pastel lavender. That exact same silk is used to line the jacket so when you wear the jacket open you get that incredible continuation of design. The skirt and the jacket are both made from a textured wool boucle with the skirt being a two-tone aqua and pale blue and the jacket picking up the lavender in the silk top. Unusual colour and pattern mixing was a forte of Lacroix and we see that beautifully in the suit. The jacket is stunning and every seam has been meticulously executed. The sleeves are long and the rounded shoulders have soft padding inside for a touch of structure. The seaming is set in curving lines to create the shape that you see and there are little boned Silk satin inserts at the front for shaping. That same silk details the inside of the collar runs across the top of the shoulder and along part of the edge of the split cuff sleeves. At the back he used that same fabric to gather and bring in the back of the jacket for shaping and add a pretty romantic detail with the bow. It snaps to close down the front with silk covered hidden set snaps. Buttons are sewn on the outside and each is a stunning jewel. Gold tone metal has been set with rhinestones crystals and turquoise. So even if you wear the jacket on its own or closed you get this stunning jewel detail there. The skirt is precisely and simply cut with that slight flare as it reaches the hem. The front panel wraps over which as a touch of detail and also leaves a hidden opening underneath so that when you sit or walk you get a tiny flash of leg. It is lined in an extremely high-quality pale blue silk. This is a stunning example of his work that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture just makes it better and the workmanship is out of this world. Excellent condition.
Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in silk described above. The top is made of a single layer of silk. Top closes with a hidden setbacks zipper and has ribbon finishing at the hem. The skirt closes with a side zipper and couture hook and eye at the waist. The jacket has hidden set snaps down the front. All three pieces are completely made by hand and have their proper Haute Couture tags present with sequential couture numbers under the tag.
Jacket
Sleeve: 21"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19" from neck to back hem, 22" the longest points of the front hem
Top
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from shoulder to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4391
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 1996 Christian Lacroix Runway, Look 4. Model Carla Bruni.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
Micro Mini Spring 2014 Anthony Vaccarello Runway Strapless Mini Dress w Gold Dome Buttons
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Anthony Vaccarello is currently the Artistic Director of Yves Saint Laurent and his rise to fame was meteoric. He started at Fendi under Karl Lagerfeld where he stayed for two years and then in 2009 he moved to Paris and launched his own self-named line with five looks. In 2011 his label won the ANDAM prize. One year later his muse, model Anja Rubik, wore a look to the 2012 Met gala and he rose to international fame as she went viral worldwide in it. By 2014 his collections sold out the second they dropped and were wait listed worldwide.'Girls are their most beautiful during their holidays,' Anthony Vaccarello explained backstage. 'I wanted to try to bring swim to the city.' His clever cuts for this show felt fresh and new and they were very sexy. Dresses like this one were cut micro mini short and were as bare as you could get. The twin of this one walked the runway for Look 14 on Cindy Bruna and its spectacular. This one is new with tags and has never been worn.
The dress is strapless with a built-in inner added corset for support. The dress is shaped through a series of vertical panels piece together with long seams running from the top of the strapless bust to the bottom of the mini skirt. The half seam at the front waist drops down on an angle to create length through the body and add tot eh sarong illusion that the skirt has. One side of the skirt is cut exceptionally short and then the other side drops down at the front to create the illusion of a wrapped around you piece. This is what gives the dress a sarong feel and brings in that swimsuit/vacation feel that he mentioned as being part of his influence. Fused onto the front of the skirt are huge cabochon feeling gold domed metal buttons. These buttons were applied to many of the pieces throughout the collection and gave everything a slight play on military dressing. The dress is short, fitted and meant to show off all your curves. It is sexy AF. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black rayon and has an inner additional lightly phone bodice to help shape. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. The colour is a black that in some light has a blue feel to it. All the original tags are attached and has never been worn. Tagged a modern 38
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" to hem and 30" to the longest point at the front
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4233
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2014 Anthony Vaccarello, Look 14. Model: Cindy Bruna.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
lanvin
Demi-Couture 1970s Lanvin by Jules-Francois Crahay Blue Net Dress w Metallic Gold Detailing
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This dress was designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugely desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. This dress is from the early part of the 1970s and it is incredible. The Lanvin label is numbered and it is made to demi-couture standards. I love it.
This dress is incredibly beautiful in person. The camera really cannot do it justice. It is made from a fine blue silk tulle that has a floral pattern embroidered over its surface in the same blue. The entire dress is lined in a purple silk and this gives it this very unusual colour that lies somewhere between a deep blue and purple. A metallic gold thread was then embroidered over parts of the floral design. Around the entire lower skirt is a dense application of the gold with two wide panels completely covered in a open chain link design. These circle around the entire hem and lower skirt with more of the floral netting in between. The result is fantastic and I think in person the effect is far stronger then how it photoed. I love how the gold catches the light from every angle. The bodice skims over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has a subtle poufed effect above its elastic cuff that would show more once on an actual body. The waist is seamed but cut more loose and easy. If you wanted a more defined shape you could easily add a ribbon or a belt. The skirt falls to the floor from there and widens out as it nears the hem. Besides adding beautiful detail those added panels of gold at the hem also help to give just a touch of weight and help the skirt hold its volume and shape. It is very light in weight and just stunning. Far better person then the camera is doing it justice. The fabric has so much texture and the metallic bits pick up the light perfectly. Gorgeous. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a purple silk chiffon through the top and a purple silk through the skirt. It closes with a back hand set zipper and there is elastic in each cuff. Hand finishes and hand finished inner seams mixed with machine work. The label is numbered. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut of the lining and the net give it a little give so I have put the comfortable range of measurements where it will give a bit.
Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3925
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
malcolm starr
Rare Early 1970s Malcolm Starr by Youssef Rizkallah Felt Folk Art Dress w Quilted Top
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This dress would have been designed while Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and felt patchwork are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland. These felt applique pieces are among my favorites of his. This piece is a little extra special as it is a piece that was deaccessioned from FIT museum. It's archive numbered tag from there is found on inner lining of the skirt.
I love these Malcolm Starr pieces - they really are works of art and the best of the sixties/seventies arts and crafts movement. The fabrics for this one combine a cotton for the bodice and a wool for the skirt. The cotton used for the top still has a crisp finish to it. The sleeves are a single layer of the cotton and then the rest of it is a padded quilted cotton that has top stitching and what feels like a touch of padding inside. The skirt has a slight felted finish to it and then onto that are those fantastic felt appliqués. These are both fabrics that hold shape and color beautifully. The bodice is cut to skim over you with a high collar and matching fabric covered buttons that run down the front. It tucks and is attached into the skirt. One interesting thing to note is that is that it is just tacked along the inside waist. What I love about this is that in theory you could actually separate these two so that instead of a one piece you have a separate top and skirt. It would be extremely easy to do and it would make both pieces far more wearable because you could then mix and match them. In fact after seeing this dress I suspect that many of these felted appliqué skirts that you see by him out there for sale once did have an attached top.The waist line is defined with a band with a piped velvet band that circles around and ends in a bow at the front. The skirt has pockets hidden along each seam. I love the appliqué work that runs all the way around the dress. It looks to depict a woman and two boys holding balloons and then this pattern is repeated all the way around. The figures and balloons are all made from appliqued felt that has been applied by hand to the skirt. I love the red band at the bottom that finishes off the skirt. It is the perfect pop of colour to highlight everything else and anchors the piece. It's gorgeous and these felted pieces are among the most desirable of all of the Malcolm Starr pieces out there. Excellent condition with a small note below
Both pieces are fully lined except for the sleeves. Each piece has its own back set zipper to close and the cuffs have hidden set zippers. The piped belt snap and hooks into place around the waist. Pockets along the seams at the front. The buttons at the front are technically functional but the opening has been tacked closed as it's only meant to be decorative. I see grubbiness at the hem along the fold line and the occasional teeny darkening to some of the belt pieces. The pull tab of the zipper pull is missing off the skirt.
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4169
Reference Photo: Lauren Hutton in Malcolm Starr, Vogue 1970.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
chanel
Spectacular Spring 2003 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Blue Beaded Runway Dress Coat Suit
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This is a stunning set whose twin walked the runway that season. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. Vogue noted that "The reinvention of the iconic Chanel suit began with fluted knee-length coats, worn, with ropes of glistening pearls at the neckline" and closed by stating that "This was a triumphant collection for Lagerfeld, as realistically wearable as it was dreamily desirable." I love that we found both runway photos and some video footage for you to see how dynamic this is on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
I love how diverse and different this set feels depending on whether you wear the pieces together or separately. The set is made up of two pieces. A gorgeous to-the-knee coat with a chic little dress underneath that. Both of the pieces are constructed from a surprisingly light weight deep blue boucle. This fabric was actually a centerpiece of the show and a new step forward in the way they made their tweeds. Karl wanted them to feel almost weightless and easy to wear once on the body. The dress mixes that with a silk chiffon bodice to carry on the feeling he strove for with these pieces. “Fragility,” he said. “Everything is almost weightless.” The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shape that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of the same deep blue tweed as the jacket and then the top is attached to that and is made out of a deep blue silk chiffon. The top is all about delicacy. It is made of two layers of the silk. Each sleeve is long and ends in a neat little buttoned cuff. Both the front and the back are detailed with flat knife pleats. I love how the front of the skirt dips up into the top and at the back it dips down. This little shaping detail just make it lie even better on the body. The workmanship is stunning. The coat slips on over that and has light shoulder pads for a touch of structure. The sleeves are long. It has no closures except for a hook and eye at the neck. This allows it to flare out around you and gives it a softness as you move. The jacket is incredibly detailed. It has four top set pockets on the front and each has a row of glass beads along the upper edge. The same glass beads circle the hem of each cuff and go around the collar. The glass beads cleverly act as a weight for the coat so that it always falls perfectly once on the body. I love the low scoop of the front neckline and the ribbons that sit at the base of the neck. You can just let them hang loosely or tie them. Ribbons also sit on the edge of each sleeve and again you can leave them loose or have them tied into a pretty bow for a more formal feel. The jacket and the skirt of the dress are lined in a high-quality black silk. This Chanel set is exceptional and is true Haute Couture. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.
Both the skirt of the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine black silk. The top is made from two layers of silk chiffon. The dress closes with a series of silk covered buttons at the back and each cuff has two silk covered buttons and loops. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck and at each cuff. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Extremely faint spot on the front bodice. Slight pilling here and there on the jacket but I am being picky.
The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.
Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem
Dress
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4147
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2003 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 3.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
chanel
Incredible 1990s Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Blue Organza Silk Dress & Jacket
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I am starting to work through a collection of couture pieces that I am handling at the moment for my client and all she could recall for this piece was this it was her mothers and that it was from the 1990s. I have not yet found a photo reference for this one but when I do I will add it and send to the new owner. The set is incredibly beautiful on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful example and historically important example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
The ability that this set has to transform once on the body is fabulous. With the jacket on the set has that classic Chanel suit feel and it feels very elegant and reserved. But once you take the jacket off it takes on more of the feel of a more sensual evening piece. The dress has that easy dropped feel of the twenties that Karl so often touched upon in reference to Coco's initial designs for the house. Both pieces are made from a deep blue silk organza. This fabric allows it to keep the shape that he intended while still keeping both pieces extremely light in weight. The dress is dropped from the shoulder from wide straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The bodice is easy fitting and cut to skim over you with a shallow V at the front. It is hand pieced together in a pattern of panels that are meticulously sewn together. The waist is dropped and then from under that the pleated skirt flows out to the floor with incredible movement. The combination of this fabric choice with the pleats gives the skirt incredible movement. The pleats open and flare outward as they reach the hem and this allows the skirt to swing out around you. Two layers of silk tulle are built-in underneath the skirt to add to and create the volume that you see. The lightness of the fabric and the pleats combine to make the skirt move at your slightest movement. I think it's incredible to see this on and moving. The jacket sits over top of this and it has a soft and simple cut. The neckline is cut wide across to follow the neckline of the dress underneath. The collar is wide and notched for that bit of a 20s feel to the design. The sleeves are long and each has a notch that runs up the inside seam. It hooks and snaps to close down the front. It does have structure but it's meant to look soft on the body. There are small shoulder pads in each shoulder but they are soft and light. There is a signature Chanel chain at the base of the jacket so that it hangs perfectly. All of the work is meticulously done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is an incredible piece of Chanel couture. It's very beautiful and even better in person. Great condition with a note below
The jacket is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with hidden snaps and hook and eye at the front. A signature Chanel chain runs around the inside hem. The dress is lined in the same silk organza through the bodice and then the skirt has two layers of silk tulle. One layer is black and the other is a matching blue. The dress closes with a zipper and then there is a separate set of snaps to close on each of the three layers of the skirt. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Some of the edges of the seams have slightly faded. Mainly on the jacket and bodice of the dress. It gives it a kind of degrade look. It almost feels intentional because it's so even everywhere but I can't say for sure that it is. Please see the shots after the label shots and on the general shots as well. Some of the pleats have softened slightly in the skirt. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture number and tape
Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem
Dress
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to slightly dropped waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4139
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
valentino
Incredible 1980s Valentino Haute Couture Pale Blue Silk Chiffon Dress w Elaborate Gathered Bodice
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There are hints of this dress from both the 1986 collection and in the 1988 collection. The original owner did buy it in the 1980s but I do not have the exact day. I tend to lean towards the earlier date for it but I have included reference photos from both the above mentioned collections. It is a stunning example of Valentino's work during this time period.
The dress is beautiful to see in person. It flows over the body from the more fitted bodice and the lightness of the silk allows it to move and float around you when you move. The bodice is a stunning example in shaping and couture techniques. Inside it is boned and has built in cups. This interior structure holds it perfectly in place over the body once on. On the exterior the silk is hand set and gathered over the bust and all the way around you. Each individual gather is meticulously hand stitched into place. Above this more structured part of the dress is a single layer of the chiffon. At the front it scoops in a higher set neck and at the back it is set with a keyhole running down to the top of the gathered bodice. The skirt flows out under that in four layers of the silk and each layer is bias cut. This is what allows it to have such beautiful movement when you move. The final touch are those pretty sleeves that are cuffed at the wrist and pouf out around the arm above that. It also has its original very large silk shawl piece. It is beautiful. The dress does have some flaws but is structurally sound. Please review the notes below.
The interior bodice is finished is boned and corseted. The skirt has four layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with hook and eye and the silk layer zips to close over. Each cuff buttons with two silk covered buttons and loops. Three buttons at the top of the back neck. There are areas of fading through the skirt that go through the layers. I have photoed the worst of them. There are some faint areas of the same on the silk above the corset and on the sleeves. I see one tiny repair near the hem at the back of the skirt. It comes. I think you could potentially remove the sleeves and upper bodice and use the shawl to create a layer over the worst of the fading or just have it redyed and it would be perfect again. Sold as found and final and the price is according to the description above
Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16.5" from top of neck to interior waist stay
Skirt: 45" from interior waist stay to hem
Shawl: 54" x 52"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3018
Reference Photos: (1) From the book "A Grand Italian Epic, Valentino", 1988/1989 collection / (2-3) The "Degradè" Dress from the Valentino Haute Couture 1986 collection. (4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon taken on location at JohnMel Stables
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james galanos
Stunning 1970s James Galanos Colour Block Silk Tafetta Dress w Ruffled Waist Detailing
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James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. The workmanship and craft put into them were made to a level that was on par with the official French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers.
This particular dress reminds me of the pink colour blocked one that was worn so famously by Gloria Vanderbilt. It has that same feel created by his use of different panels of colour through the skirt. This is a technique that he used on several occasions and in several fabrics. The Vanderbilt dress for example was a silk chiffon and I have seen a darker, more column cut version in a silk jersey. This one is made from a silk taffeta and that choice of fabric keeps the dress extremely light while allowing it to have that wonderful volume that you see. The dress is extraordinary and is a testament to the couture construction techniques that he utilized in his work. The bodice is fitted with a slight sweetheart feel to the neckline. It is suspended by two tiny silk straps. The top port of the dress is lined in a silk but has no inner boning. It is meant to skim and hug the body underneath rather then to force a shape. The waist nips in and the skirt is set to feel very full with multiple soft gathers around the waist to create the fullness that you see. The skirt is made of four panels of silk taffeta, at the front here is a green on one side and a chocolate colour panel on the other. At the back both panels are the same blue as the bodice. All of the edges are finished with a gold cord that has been hand applied stitch by stitch. At the front the skirt is split quite high so that when you walk or sit you get an very unexpected flash of bare leg. The silk taffeta is so light that when you walk the skirt has a billowing effect behind you that it just magical. There are no extra underskirts added for these shots. All the volume of the skirt that you see has been created by the cut and the fabric alone. Around the waist the fabric from the silk has been gathered and held in place by more of that gold cording and then the edges of the fabric is set in an elaborate series of ruffles above that. This creates the prettiest ruffled finish that wraps all the way around you, cinches you in, and adds a pretty touch of romance. The work is all hand finished and all the inner seams have a beautiful ribbon finish. This is truly a stunning dress. Excellent condition
Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Ribbon edge interior seams. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Front slit: 26" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3736
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.