valentino
Stupendous Spring 2008 Valentino Runway One Shoulder Black Dress w Bow Details & Slit
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This gorgeous dress has the significance of being from Mr. Valentino's final show before he retired. Its twin in a pale green walked the runway for Look 75 and we have added some runway reference shots and video so that you can see just how fabulously the dress moves when on the body. Vogue said this last collection was; 'Crisply puncturing the potential for a predictable end-of-era wallow in sentiment, Valentino played it as an upbeat, fast-paced whirl of breezy, pretty, drop-dead gorgeousness that blew any lingering sense of ladylike stuffiness to the winds. If there's a problem, it's only being spoiled for choice. What to pick from the head-spinning plethora of dresses on offer?' ... and indeed the collection was full of stunning choices. This particular dress was one of my favourites of the show and I personally love it in black even more then the green it was presented on the runway. It is a beautiful example of his work.
I love the contrast between the black silk insets with its touch of a sheen finish against the matte back of the body on this dress. The dress falls from one shoulder and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. All of the shape created n the dress is by that clever seaming and insets that are part of the design. The silk parts are all bias cut and allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is intricate and beautifully done, showing what a master Mr Valentino really is. The dress is suspended from that one single shoulder panel that curves over your shoulder and runs across the bust to the other side. There is a large bow set at the front of that shoulder and a second bow below the hip on that same side. The bodice curves down into the side panel on the bow side and then under the bodice there is that gorgeous draped curved panel that cuts across the body. That silk insert extends down into the skirt. The waist is shaped by the insert and seaming. The dress glides over the body from there and then flares out as it reaches the hem. The skirt is quite wide by the time it reaches the hem but because it is a single layer of the silk it stays soft and flowing. It sweeps around you as you walk and even more movement is created with the high slit that runs up one side where it is topped by that bow. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as you can see in the video. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
The bodice is lined in the same black fabric and then the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. In its original uncut length and looks too have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Valentino 8
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to front hem
Slit: 25" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4493
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2008 Valentino, Look 75. Model Laura Blokhina.
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.
loris azzaro
Incredible 1976-1978 Loris Azzaro Strapless Glossy Black Sequin Dress wLayered Net Tulle Skirt
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work from the mid- to later part of the 1970s and is fantastically beautiful. No matter how good it looks on my dress form, in person and on the body it transforms into even more of a bombshell. It is spectacular. To give you an idea of the way the paper bodice fits I have included a photo of French singer Dalida and one if Raquel Welch both wear dresses similar to the bodice of this one. I think this one with its fantastical net tulle skirt is even more special
This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body because this is a dress that in person it is even better. The movement it has cannot truly be captured until it is on a body and moving. The first thing you see is that the entire body of the dress is covered in overlapping glossy black sequins that catch the light from every angle. This detailing alone takes your breath away when you see the dress in person. The dress is strapless and the bodice is cut with a rounded sweetheart neckline and has shaped cups with one of hi signature inner tacked in strapless bras. It skims over the body from there gliding over the waist and hips. There is some shape at the waist but it is with a more easy feeling which keeps the dress feeling long and lean. Under that the skirt falls to the floor in an explosion of netted tulle that is set in ruffle layers that curve up and toward the centre front. The layers give the skirt so much volume and movement when you move and it is just incredible. When you move even the slightest, they move with you and it's gorgeous to see. It has a full underskirt in a black silk but the way the ruffle are set give the illusion of being more open at the front. I love how the dress curves around the hips and dips down slightly before turning into the tulle to give you maximum curves at the back as well. Above that the entire back is also left bare and open and it is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The dress is wonderfully made. It is a stunning dress and you will definitely turn heads in it when you walk into the room. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk and it closes with a zipper at the back. His signature copper strapless bra is tacked unsaid and you could remove or replace this is needed for a better fit. It is fuller through the waist and If you wanted a more hourglass feel you can alter the waist in. Elastic through the upper seam of the bodice. and the fabric has some give. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with the current inner bra about a B to small C cup
Waist: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of the shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item#DD4486
Reference Photos: (1) Raquel Welch with Loris Azzaro, 1978. / (2-3) Dalida in Azzaro, 1976. - First two photos from the book 'Azzaro: 50 Sparkling Years'.
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
One of Two Identical 1970s Malcolm Starr Red Zipper Front Coats w Applique & Braiding Detail SZ SML
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This is one of two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef 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 patchwork, like these coats, 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 colour and vividness of his homeland.
This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below
Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see the teeniest bit yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and edge of the inner neck and makes on the inner lining under each arm. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage Small
Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4483
Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 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.
malcolm starr
One of Two Identical 1970s Malcolm Starr Red Zipper Front Coats w Applique & Braiding Detail SZ MED
I Have a Question
This is one of two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef 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 patchwork, like these coats, 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 colour and vividness of his homeland.
This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below
Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see some faint yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and neck. Tagged a vintage Medium.
Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4481
Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 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.
christian dior
Documented Spring 1961 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan 'Slim Line' Haute Couture Debut Silk Jacket & Skirt Suit
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This is an incredible set that is extra special because it is from the debut Haute Couture collection of Marc Bohan. It has the added province of being documented which is sometimes not easy to find with these very early pieces. The book Dior, Catwalk talks about the reaction to this first collection by Bohan; "Thundering applause, led by the Duchess of Windsor, rolled through the elegant grey and white salons of the House of Dior, the happy ending to the suspense story of the fashion year. At stake was the future dominance of Dior, and the career of designer Mark Bohan. The Chicago Tribune hailed him as being "Mister Dior, the third". The New York Times stated "the shouting, clapping, surging mob at the press show cause chaos in the elegant salon. Bohan was pushed up against the boiserie, kissed, mauled and congratulated. Chairs were toppled. Champagne glasses were broken. People were knocked down. It was a complete triumph for the designer". The book goes on to state that; Bohan called the collection the "Slim Line". It was a streamlined take on the original "New Look". He revisited the day suit with wide cut jackets and low waisted flared skirts fitted at the hips. The Times declared it "a success from the appearance of the first model and worthy in the tradition of the great maestro himself. And Women's Wear Daily wrote three months after the collection was shown that "the Bohan flare is everywhere. Bohan has done the impossible. He is a big commercial success and respected by the fashion intellect."
The set is exceptional and is an excellent investment piece as well. Dior prices continue to skyrocket and finding couture examples like this from such an important collection and in this condition is getting harder and harder.
This suit is fantastic. It is actually two pieces. A flared skirt and then a top / jacket that goes over that. The top is fascinating in the way that it is cut and we were very happy to find and see in the reference photo of it that its construction is deliberate. The front only buttons at the bottom and then there is a snap just above that button to hold it closed. It is meant to stay open above that and the button holes that you see continuing up along the edge of the jacket are actually faux. They do not open all the way through. You can see in the photo that the model is wearing it the way that it's meant to be worn. The very bottom is closed and then she has a light top on underneath. This lets the jacket play on its volume that it has. You could certainly open the fabric and finish the buttonholes if you wish to wear it fully closed, but it is meant to be like this. The jacket has a lot of volume and is meant to skim over you and then the skirt is cut in a sleek little flare that skims over the hips and flares out with a series of flat pleats all the way around the skirt. Around the waist the silk lies flat and neat. It is very flattering once on the body. When you stand still the skirt lays flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume. Over that goes the jacket with its wonderful to the elbow wide cut sleeves and oversized MOP buttons down the front. The shoulders are soft and there is no collar. The fabric is a very high end silk twill dyed to that pale tan mixed with white. Both pieces are entirely finished by hand to Haute Couture standards and I've shown some of the detailing inside. It is chic and elegant yet still feels edgy. An amazing find. Excellent condition
The jacket is lined in a fine silk in the same colour as the exterior tan and the skirt is interlined in a white silk organza. The jacket closes with the bottom button only and a hidden snap above that as described above. The skirt closes with hook & eye at the waist and hidden snaps below that. Completely done by hand to Haute Couture Standards. Proper numbered couture label in place on the jacket. There are some natural, variations and lines in the silk that is inherent to this type of fabric and should not be considered a flaw. It is in remarkable condition.
Jacket
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16-17"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4484
Reference Photo: Christian Dior Haute Couture Printemps-Ete 1961. Photo Emerick Bronson. Model Nicole de Lamargé.
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.
arnold scaasi
Striking 1980s Arnold Scaasi Couture Black Silk Strapless Dress w Pink Lined Half Bow & Shawl
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Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi. He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'
You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to the waist. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and it is done with an asymmetrical cut so that one side of the skirt is linger them the other. This was a signature cut for Scaasi and a detail you see in many of his pieces. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is all created by the way the seams are done and the inner construction of the dress. The innermost layer closest to you goes to just past the hips and it is made out of a fine black silk. A layer of tulle sits between that and the outer skirt and this is how the shape is created. The outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary half bow that is set along the one side of the bodice. This is lined in a brilliant pink for an unexpected pop of colour. I have placed it to one side but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides. I think you might even be able to wear it with your arm slipped through and if you really wanted to create more drama you could add some wire inside to ensure it stays high and full no matter how you move as it may flop down when moving as out is now. This one also comes with its original high shawl that is black on one side and that same brilliant pink on the other. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned and it closes with a side set zipper. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 10" from top of bodice to natural waist
Skirt: 24" from natural waist seam to shortest point of the hem and 52" to the longest part of the hem with 4" turned under
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4477
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
Extraordinary Fall 2008 Alexander McQueen 'The Girl Who Lived in the Trees' Silk Chiffon Trained Dress
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McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. I have included two photos from the runway that year and you can see how the elements from these pieces were combined to create this dress. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress feels a bit like the embodiment of that centre piece they refer to above as you are wrapped and swathed in fabric once it is on. The way that the chiffon trails behind you is fantastic once on the body. This is an extraordinary example of his work.
This dress is beautiful and rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready to wear. The fabric is a silk chiffon with a soft almost waffle finish texture to the silk. It is feather light and once the dress in on it is magical. The cut is classic McQueen with a low cut squared off neckline at the front. Underneath the bodice where a seam would normally be there is a barely visible line of hand placed stitches. This tiny little detail adds the perfect suggestion of shape and gives the bodice its empire cut. The silk has been lightly gathered over the bust with the inside structured and supported. The inner support has been done with couture level seam work and the way the fabric is placed and shaped rather than extensive boning. It is genius. The skirt falls to the floor from beneath the bodice and there are yards and yards of silk used to create the skirt and train. Just under the bust on one side the silk extends out into a panel that drapes down the full length of the dress and then loops back up and around to attach to the top of the opposite shoulder. The effect this creates is fantastic and adds extra dimension to the dress. The skirts scoops up to floor length at the front so that you can walk and then starts to extend out at the sides to become the train that wafts out behind you at the back. The back skirts drop out from the upper seam of the back which creates a fantastic caped feel. As you walk this billows out behind you and it is extraordinary. This is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. The dress has its original hang tags in place and is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in black silk satin through the bust and black silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. The interior bust is shaped and lightly boned at the sides. Original tags attached. Tagged a McQueen 38.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist-hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from shoulder to seam under bust
Length: approx 60" from shoulder to shortest point of the front hem, approx 90" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3473
Reference Photos: (1-2) F/W 2008 Alexander McQueen Runway Collection (Look 7 & Look 27).
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.
mr blackwell
Stunning 1968 Mr Blackwell Custom Deep Copper Gold Silk Dress w Hip Swag & Flower Pin
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Richard Blackwell launched his label in the late 1950s and even at that time his dresses sold for between $800 and $1000, which in modern dollars converts to up to $10,000 a dress. Huge numbers for this time period. He dressed many of the big stars of the day including Jane Russell, Dorothy Lamour and Jayne Mansfield. His 'custom' label were the pieces that were made-to-order and were one-of-a-kind pieces that were fitted to a specific client in the couture tradition. This dress came directly to me from the original client which is how I have its exact date. It is an extraordinary dress from this time period and very beautiful
This dress is absolutely incredible and it is stunning to see it in person. The fabric is amazing in its own right and it would not be something you could produce anymore in our modern world. It is a luxurious deep copper gold silk that hold the lines and shape of the dress perfectly. The cut is pure Old Hollywood. The bodice is fitted to your curves and it is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny straps in the same fabric. Vertical panels and seams create the shape of the bodice and these all lead into a sharply angled seam that starts at the waist on one side and dips down tot he hip on the other. The seams are all perfectly place to give shape around the waist without having a horizontal line to break the eye. The fabric is gathered and curves over to one side of the hip and then falls to the floor in a column of silk. A long wide panel is swagged over on one side and then extends around to the back. This panel extends out at the side and falls longer at that side of the hem for a killer sweeping flare. It is just spectacular. This is pure Old Hollywood in the best possible way. The dress came with its original spray of pale baby blue, blush pink and ivory silk flowers that you can pin at the front, side or back depending on where you want to emphasize the shape created. I love the way the back dips low to show some bare skin for the perfect finish to this beautiful dress. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a copper silky rayon. It closes with a side painted metal zipper hidden under a seam. Light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. I see a tiny bit of colour run near the edge on the bodice and another small areas near the hem. There is a very small hole on the folds under the swag from the brooch. You don't see this once the flower is in place and its in the fold if you choose to wear it without the flower. Some minor grubbiness on the edge of the hem. The flower shows some storage marks and the petals have softened. Please the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to at least a B cup at front
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of the shoulder to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4457
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norman norell
Chic 1960s Norman Norell Deep Brown Skirt & Jacket Suit Set w Belt & Hand Written Tag
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Norman Norell was one of the great American designers. His clothes were wildly expensive in their day and he was credited for the unique ability to translate Paris couture into American ready-to-wear. He started in the film industry and then was hired by Hattie Carnegie. In 1941 he left and and joined Anthony Traina where the Traina-Norell label soon appeared. Upon Traina's retirement in 1960 he launched his own self-named label. He won the very first Coty American Fashion Critics' award ever given in 1943 and then won it again in 1951. In 1956 he became the first designer to earn a place in the Coty Hall of Fame. His signature styles for day ran the gamut from shirtwaists, suits, beautifully tailored coats and clothes that seemed simple at first glance but were logistically complex. Norman himself once said 'To qualify as a designer one should not be afraid to repeat a good design, and certainly must have his own signature'. He achieved that and more. I think every serious vintage collector should have a piece of his work in their archives.
The suit is a marvel of construction and is in wonderful condition. It is simple in appearance but this really hides the masterful cut and tailoring of it. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut. It has a lovely little wide pointed collar. Four pockets are top set on the front. All four are functional and Iove the little nod to a military piece it gives it. The shoulders have the lightest of padding just to create and hold their shape. The deep brown light weight suiting wool it is made out of has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. It has its original belt to cinch in the waist of the jacket and add shape or you can wear it without for a more boxy feel. Each sleeve is long and straight and ends in a proper three button cuff and each button works and has a proper couture button hole. It really is incredible made. The skirt is fabulous. It is a true flaring A-line and that is what lets is fall so beautifully as you can see in the photos. The waist is banded and besides the amazing shape of it is has been kept simple to accommodate the belting of the jacket over it. There are pockets hidden along each hip. Once on, the suit transforms and you can see how beautiful the lines are and this would be even better on an actual person. His suits changed the way we approach woman's wear and this particular one is a particularly wonderful example of how strong his tailoring and lines were. This one is also a little extra special because it has a handwritten tag inside with the name Deborah what looks like the number 604. A mystery as to whether that was a sample or perhaps the runway model or a client tag but it's always nice to see these extra touches in a vintage piece. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Both pieces have a hand set lining in a deep brown silk. The jacket has a three buttons at the front and three buttons on each cuff. All proper buttonholes. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Two top set pockets on the breast of the jacket and two on each hip. The slip belt is stamped. Hand finished throughout. The backing on the belt is starting to go and that coating sheds just a touch. The front is fine.
Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 23" from waist to hem with his signature 5" deep turn under at the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4455
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alexander mcqueen
Beautiful 2007 Alexander McQueen Purple Bias Cut Liquid Silk Satin Dress w Amazing Sleeves
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This is an incredible dress. This was a dress produced for the shops and it is especially interesting because it is a dress that was produced again in 2011 and re-issued in an ivory for the wedding collection that year. I know this because I have that dress listed in the shop now and you can see it here. You will recall that I recently had a lace dress in that was also made under the same circumstances where a original dress done by Lee was re-issued at a later date for a wedding collection. I love having the original and as far as I am aware it was only produced in black and this purple in 2007. It has that same bias cut draped feel as the McQueen that Elle Fanning borrowed and wore recently so that will give you an idea of it on
This is a stunningly beautiful dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and will only truly come to life when worn. It is a dress that definitely takes inspiration from the bias cut couture pieces of the 20s and 30s. McQueen was a master tailor and the seam work and simplicity of this dress do not hide that fact. It is made from a beautifully weighted purple silk satin that has a slight texture running through it. It has that same liquid feel that the best of the 1930s pieces did that were made from this similar fabrics. Like those dresses of the thirties this is also cut on the bias but with a more shaped silhouette. I love that the fabric is heavy enough and that the dress is lined so that it will not highlight 'flaws' underneath like some bias cut pieces can. It is cut to flow over the body and skims over the bust, waist and hips to the floor. The neckline drops into a V at the front for a bit of skin to show. It glides over the bust and there is this interesting softly curved seam that starts at the bust and runs down into the side seam. This not only helps to add a little shape but it also becomes this interesting design feature and a subtle way for him to work in one of his signature angled seams. The skirt continues past and over the hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. At the back there is extra fabric worked around the center seam to give you a trained effect behind you. This flaring out at the bottom and the extra bit at the back give you fabulous movement when you walk or move. It also adds to the hourglass shape the dress has. The sleeves are incredible. They are set in these soft loops around each arm. They leave the sides of the shoulders bare and really add to the thirties feel of the dress. They are spectacular. It is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a purple silk satin and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a McQueen 40. The bias cut fabric does have some stretch. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat. It is in its original supermodel length. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. I see perhaps a touch of grubbiness and scuffing near the hem bit it is very minor and mentioned for accuracy only.
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to front hem, 72" the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4461
Reference Photo: Elle Fanning in Spring 2008 Alexander McQueen, from our archives, at the Critics Choice After Party, January 2023.
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.
chloe
Incredible Fall 2001 Chloe by Stella McCartney Faux Fur Runway Look 1 Coat w Bead & Crsytal Detail
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The Stella McCartney era at Chloe has since become extremely collectible. The fall 2001 show was fantastic. This was the opening look for the show and in Vogue's review they specifically mentioned the faux coats that were treated so glamorously with added details saying; "Stella McCartney continued with her exploration of grown-up, couture-inspired silhouettes for Chloé, without forgetting about the youthful, fun-loving basics that are the label's bread and butter. McCartney's forte is her ability to glam up casual street clothes. Her fitted jeans and corduroy trousers with zipper pockets, face-stenciled T-shirts and pearl-encrusted draped tops all had an air of insouciant cool to them; so did the faux furs with shaved bits that accommodated clusters of silver flowers." This was one of the strongest looks from the show and a true piece of fashion history.
The twin of this coat was the opening runway look and was worn by Angela Lindvall. The show had several piece sin this faux fur but this coat is the hardest to find. You will often see the shorter version that was made of this coat or the shrugs or collars but the actual coat is very rare. These had a pretty hefty price tag and not as many were made. They were only sent to certain stores and were a limited production piece. The coat is a 3/4 length and is made from a thick and soft faux fur. The cut is loose and easy and it widens out as it nears the hem for a bit of a swing coat feel. It has hidden fur hooks to close the top part of the front and then swings open under that. There's a hook at the top of the collar so you can wear it folded down like how I photoed it for these photos to give it a more loose and easy feel or you can close that top hook so that it wraps around the neck like how it was worn on the runway. The sleeves are cut extra long and they are gathered along the inside of the wrist. This gives them a curve so that they follow the curve of the arm and it also lets you wear them up a bit so they get that bit of a gathered slouchy feel you see in the runway pics. The inside is lined in a men's wear shooting fabric that she often used. There are two zippered pockets in the interior that have little chains attached to the zipper pulls. On the exterior there is a pocket hidden along each hip. It is meant to feel a little big and slouchy once on and I love that. The best part about is of course that extraordinary detailing done on the shoulder and collar on the one side of the coat. Fine silver metal strips have been applied to the coat to create a series of medallions. Swirling beads and sequins sit over those to create this fantastic design that goes across the top of the arm. under the shoulder at the front and then runs up and into the collar and around to the back. Its just brilliant and an amazing piece of fashion history. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.
Fully lined with two interior pockets as described above. It closes with hidden fur hooks at the front. Pockets on each hip. Tagged a vintage Chloe 40
Sleeves: 28"
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4454
Reference Photos: Fall 2001 Chloe Runway, Look 1. Model Angela Lindvall.
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.
james galanos
1970s Galanos Couture Custom Made Silk Chiffon Pant w Metallic Lace Detailed Dress Set
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James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old. 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 covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this set is an exquisite and very special example of his work.
This set was custom made for, and is from the estate of, 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.
This is gorgeous. It is made from a beautiful printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a red lace that has a metallic finish. The entire set combined weighs ounces. Huge flowers cover the entire surface of the silk chiffon. The pants are made from two layers of the chiffon and they are cut long and wide. An elastic waist makes them very easy and comfortable to wear. You then slip on that long piece over the pants. It is also constructed from two layers of silk that fall from under the lace bodice. Each side is slit open right up to the lace top. This gives the top piece a ton of movement and creates this fabulous floating effect around you when you walk. The bodice part is made of two panels of a metallic red lace that is connected along each side with a bit of a angled plunge above where they connect. The lace has that fantastic metallic finish to it for contrast against the pattern in the silk chiffon. The bodice has an inner nude silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. The top is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. This set is tremendously good in person and it really needs an actual body to come to life. Cut supermodel long in length. Excellent condition
The pants are made of two layers of silk chiffon and close with a back zipper and elastic through the waist. The outer layer is lined with a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is made from two layers of the silk. The outer layer closes at the side with hidden fabric covered snaps. There are a couple of very minor repairs and light snags near the hem of the overlay. This is a one-off, unlabelled custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate.
Over dress
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem
Pants
Elastic waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Pant: 45" from waist to hem
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD2278
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.
oscar de la renta
Romantic 1980s Oscar de la Renta Backless Black Silk & Lace Dress w Killer Pouf Sleeves
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Oscar was known for his beautiful and feminine designs and this dress really showcases that. With our modern day obsession with all things eighties and nineties this play on proportions and fabrics still feels extremely of this moment fashion wise. Oscar had an amazing sense of aesthetics and his genius was in making women look and feel beautiful. This is the type of dress you can easily imagine in an editorial of the day on one of the reigning supermodels. It is just gorgeous
There are actually three fabric used in the making of this dress. The sleeves are a perfectly light in weight silk taffeta, the bodice is a black lace and then the skirt is a fine soft black silk with a very fine thin ribbing. The play on those three fabrics together is very romantic feeling. The neckline is scooped low and set wide across the shoulders at the front. At the back it has an even lower scoop out so that you get this great expanse of bare skin there. The sleeves are spectacular. They have built in tulle to help hold their volume and they are cut to be extremely full so that they billow out to just about the elbow. They have elastic running through the edges nearest to the shoulders and you can wear them up and on the shoulder like I have shot them here or I think you can also let them cascade down to leave each shoulder bare. The bodice is covered ion the black lace all the way around and I love the little lace peplum that circles the waist and balances out those sleeves. The skirt fall from under there in a beautiful curve to the floor. The skirt is finished in a fine stripe that I love. Inside the interior of the skirt there is an additional underskirt of silk organza that has a wide ruffled bottom that helps to hold the shape of the outer skirt. When you move the skirt shows it volume and movement beautifully. Excellent condition
The bodice is lined in a black chiffon, The skirt in a black organza and the sleeves have tulle inside them to hold the shape. It closes with a back zipper. Tagged a vintage ODLR 6
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 17" from natural shoulder to slightly dropped seam under natural waist
Skirt: 44" from slightly dropped seam under natural waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4444
Reference Photo: 1982 Oscar de la Renta.
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.
jean louis scherrer
Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Original Runway Look 7 Sample Strapless Red Layered Panel Dress
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Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier in 1997 at the age of 31 which made him the youngest of the 20 official Paris sanctioned couturiers at the time. He remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture division. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection and it is the actual runway sample for Look 7 that was worn on the runway. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. This dress was also worn by Alexandra Daddario and those shots really showcase just how fabulous this is on an actual body. It is a gorgeous piece of Haute Couture history.
Having the actual couture sample means that Stephane himself would have fit the model to walk the runway that day. Runway samples are as hands on by a designer as you can get. It is an amazing opportunity to own what few people ever even see; a dress that is straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway.
The dress gorgeous. It is covered with various sized panels done in hand cut red silk that has a almost linen feeling texture to them. These have been hand set over the entire dress. The panels start out small and delicate around the bodice and then their size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. This layering technique of the panels gives the dress more depth and texture and movement. In person it is even lovelier then how it photoed. There is a subtle movement when you move that is not truly captured in the still shots. Each panel is secured to the body of the dress along its top edges only and this is what gives them that touch of soft movement as you move. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak. The front inner dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a flash of bare skin as you move or sit. The dress flows back and around you from there. The back is full and dramatic as it sweeps behind you. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. Some grubbiness here and there at the hem and some faint marks on a few of the panels. I have photos some examples of them. They are mostly covered by the layers over top so make no impact when the dress is on. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Perhaps the teeniest bit of fading to the edges of a panel here and there but this is natural to this type of fabric and is only mentioned for accuracy.
Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from top of bodice to actual hem at the shortest point of the front and approx 92" from top of bodice to longest point of the back train
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3054
Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show. / (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.
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 1998 Valentino Sample Black Dot Net Over Ivory Silk Taffeta Strapless Dress
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This incredible dress has it's original tag that appears to indicate that it was a sample from 1998. I have not been able to verify if this dress was produced for the shops or if it remained a one-off sample. If it is the only one that would be an incredible thing to have and even if it was produced it's so utterly beautiful that it would just be adding more beauty to the world if there was more than one. Of course I will continue to hunt for that information and one day I hope to send its new owner verification. Regardless of its production status, the dress is one of the best Valentino pieces I've ever seen.
This is a really stunning dress. And it shows how beautifully Valentino emphasize the female body will always stay completely elegant. The netting treatment on the dress makes you feel like you have been wrapped in the tulle. Underneath, the inner ivory silk taffeta layer gives the dress structure and it makes this beautiful, slight rustling sound when you move. The silk netting over that has a dot pattern over its surface. It is gathered down and along both sides. This creates this fantastic ruching all the way down that highlights your curves. Where it is gathered down both sides there is an elaborate line that has been beaded with two types of tiny black seed beads. The neckline curves around you at the top and then the dress is cut to skim over you with the shape all created by inner vertical seaming. The bottom skirt of the silk ivory underlay has been allowed to peek out from underneath the netting. It flares out and has an elaborate pleated ruffle all the way around. It is cut a little longer at the back and has extra fabric there as well so that you get this bit of a train effect behind you and a little fabulous kicking out of fabric as you walk. This is an incredible dress and one of my favorite Valentino pieces I've ever had in the shop. Excellent condition
The ivory acts as the lining through the body and then the bodice is lined with an additional layer of black silk satin. Lightly boned through the inner built-in bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice piece has its own separate zipper. It has its original tag and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a vintage Valencia 40
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to front hem, 59" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4431
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
Exceptional Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Vivid Printed One Shoulder Cotton Dress
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This dress is just exceptional. Its twin walked the runway that season and we found the barest second of it on the runway as the model walked back down the catwalk. We have included that little bit of film along with a couple of stills taken from the clip for you to see. They are not the best photos ever but we were still very happy to have confirmation that the twin of this one was indeed a runway piece. We also included an editorial shot from Marie Claire that season that shows a different piece from the show in the same fabric. This fabric in a variety of different colour ways was integral to the show and there was a an entire section of the show devoted to them. The dress is gorgeous and its so very rare to find these more exceptional YSL pieces anymore.
The dress is made from a feather light cotton voile that that has enough weight and structure to it to perfectly fall into the line that Yves desired it to have. The fabric has just a touch of transparency to it but at the same time the print and the way it wraps around you covers everything and perfectly the transparency feels like more of a suggestion of sensuality. I love the bold use of all those brilliant colors that covers the entire dress. The print is a stunning abstract and it is just a piece of art in itself. There is a soft strap that curves over one shoulder on an angle from the other side. Inside the bust there is a soft bodice piece built in that has a bit of boning for shape. This zips and hooks into place to hold the dress in place on you. The outer where is gathered in under the strap and then it falls over you to the floor. Part of the fabric at the waist wraps around and snaps in the place and this gives just a suggestion of shape there. The shape is soft as it falls over you and meant to have a bit if a sarong feel. It is cut to skim over the body loose and easy with the only fitted place being that inner built in bodice. The skirt wraps over itself and part of it is longer then the other. This does two things. First, when you walk or sit that opening will open a bit to show some leg and second it allows the skirt to the air and billow around you when you walk. I love that way it drapes around you at the top. It is fantastic on the body and really showcases his genius at both print and cut. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Unlined and closes in the inner bodice with a zipper and flat hook and I as described above. The waist snaps and hooks in place. Light boning in the inner bodice. Tagged a vintage YSL 40.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hooked waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: variable because of the wrap
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to inner hooked waist
Length: approx 50" from top of shoulder to shortest part of from hem and approx 67" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4411
Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway. / (5) Yves Saint Laurent Editorial, Marie Claire, June 1991
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.
loris azzaro
1973 Loris Azzaro Couture Black Flame Sequin Detailing & Feather Light Silk Chiffon Dress
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. This one actually looks like a sleeveless version of the one shot on Marisa Berenson. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.
This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. The sequins extend right from the flame design at the front and then are set in long vertical rows to the hem. The top of the bodice is a single layer of black silk chiffon. This bit of transparency adds an incredibly sexy feel. He used that same silk chiffon down the back where it dips into a low scoop. I love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and that low scoop at the back. A high slit up one side lets you have the perfect flash of skin when you walk or sit. It is fabulous once on an actual body. Excellent condition
Fully lined through the body in a black silk and it zips to close at the back.
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under
Slit: 19.5" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL
Item# DD4403
Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz. / (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini. / (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years" / (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973. / (7) Spring 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture.
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.
givenchy
Resort 2019 Givenchy by Clare Waight Keller Red Crepe Dress w Angel Sleeves & Sequin Detailing
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This was Look 54 of the resort collection and one of the best of the evening pieces from that collection. It was shown in black for the collection and then was also produced in this spectacular all red version for the shops. I love Clare Waight Keller's time as Creative Director for the house. Even though her time there was short there are many really stellar dresses that came from her time there and this is on of them. It is a dress that will only gain in importance as time goes by and it is a definite show stopper.
Clare said of the collection that year “There’s a powerful woman in there that I really love; she’s a very strong character who loves a strong shape—something that gives a real sense of fashion.”, and in the Vogue review of the resort collection, fashion journalist Amy Verner mentioned the black version of the dress in particular along with another comment from Clare; "This marks the first season since the passing of Monsieur de Givenchy in March and Waight Keller hinted that a more intentioned homage might be forthcoming. In the meantime, the collection’s evening looks—specifically the long-sleeved black dress showered with silver embroidery, and the gradient celadon and rust plissé lamé gown—further the couture spirit we’ve seen most recently at the Met Gala and at Cannes. “It’s a real joy to be able to work at both ends of the spectrum,” Keller said. “It’s what I believe in: everything from the really simple everyday to the absolutely fantastic and fabulous.”
The dress is amazing. It is made out of a light weight red crepe through the body mixed with a silk faille for the inset on the lower skirt and silk chiffon for those amazing sleeves. There is also the addition of the teeny tiny sequins and beads at the neck. The red is gorgeous and it is that vivid true red that will flatter most skin tones. The the dress is cut in a long minimalist sheath that widens out softly as it near the hem. The neckline is scooped and the dress is meant to skim over you from bust to hips before it starts to do that soft flare out on the lower skirt. The upper portion of the bodice is finished with vertical rows of tiny red sequins topped with tiny round red seed beads. These are set across the shoulders and then angle down to a point. The lower skirt is finished with a panel of silk faille that is just a touch of a shade lighter than the crepe fabric. This runs across the full front of the skirt and angles up on an angle so that it is the opposite of the angle of the sequins at the neck. This is a very subtle detail that adds beautiful impact to the dress. The sleeves are the absolute star of the show. Starting at each shoulder a silk chiffon caped sleeve Falls over the top of your arm and then widen out to cascade all the way to the hem and slightly passed. They are open underneath so this gives them the ability to catch the slightest bit of air in billow out around and behind you when you move. It's the perfect touch of drama that softens the rest of the dress. All this extra detailing shows the high quality in making this. The dress appears to have never been worn and it is in its original extra long supermodel length. It is absolutely amazing and the dress originally retailed at just under the 9k mark. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The address is in its original length and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern Givenchy 36
Sleeves: 63"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4378
Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2019 Givenchy, Look 54. / (2) Credit unknown.
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.
philip hulitar
Exceptional 1950s Philip Hulitar Couture Chanpagne Silk Satin Strapess Dress w Elaborate Gathered Panels
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Philip Hulitar designed under his own namesake label from 1949 to his retirement in 1964 so his pieces fall in a very defined window for dating. He was known for his sophisticated dresses and evening gowns. Shortly after the launch of his label a journalist gushed that; 'The star of a gifted designer has risen recently on the fashion horizon'. Prior to launching his own label, Mr Hulitar was the in-house designer and head of the women's dress division for Bergdorf Goodmans for 18 years. His work is amazing. This would absolutely make for an amazing wedding dress for the bride or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. It is just beautiful.
This dress so beautiful to see. The fabric is that rich ivory champagne colored silk that seems to have been done nest during this time period. The cut of the dress is magical. The bodice is fitted and strapless and I love how it has a slight curve across the top of the bodice. Inside it is boned to help to hold the shape that you see. There is a little bow at one side for detailing that is so pretty. It is cut to follow your every curve. The waist is brought in but there is no horizontal seam there to break the eye. Instead it is held in place inside so you just get this beautiful unbroken curve to shape the body. The skirt curves over the hips and then widens out to fall to the floor in a stunning expanse of silk. The entire dress is shaped by the seam and the use of long vertical panels which give the skirt the volume that you see. You cod make it even fuller by adding a full crinoline underneath too. On the front and back are those inset panels of the same fabric bit for the panels they have been hand gathered across. This creates these long and wide panel of intricately gathered silk that run the full length of the dress. I love how they are used to add to the hourglass shape of the dress by being set wide across the bust, coming in at the waits and then expanding out across the width of the skirt. It does the same at the back but in a not so exaggerated way. The back is cut slightly longer for a beautiful sweep of fabric there. It is just a beautiful and rare piece of 1950s couture. Excellent condition with small notes below.
Fully lined in a tea coloured silk organza and closes at the back with a hand set metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. Boning through the bodice. Beautifully made. The inner lining has a variation throughout that of course does not effect the outer dress at all. I see a tiny foxing mark on one side of the outer skirt and the edge under the arm has started to give on one side and it is just starting a tiny on the other. These could easily be altered out by reducing the width of the band there a little. Please see the photos after the label shot. The construction throughout is to demi-couture standards. The colour is a bit more ivory then how it photoed. You could easily alter this one down if needed
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a C cup at the front
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem and 62" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4373
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
Gorgeous 1970s Hanae Mori Strapless Pastel Floral Print Chiffon & Silk Dress w Shawl
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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 the beautiful prints that she created and they always have a hauntingly organic feel to them as she was constantly inspired by nature. This set is just absolutely gorgeous and pieces like this from her are getting increasing hard to find so it is a true treasure.
This is a gorgeous Hanae Mori piece. It has a wonderful custom designed print that is screened onto feather light silk on both the top chiffon layer and the silk twill layer underneath that for the skirt portion. It also comes with its matching extra large scarf / shawl piece that I love. It gives you the option to cover your shoulders with it, wear it around the neck or even use is as a head scarf or turban. The dress is strapless and there is just a hint of the print that curves over the bodice here and there. The bodice has a slight padded feel to it and it is banded under the bust to separate it from the skirt. The skirt fall to the floor under that and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The skirt has two layers. There is an inner silk twill skirt that has that same pretty floral print on it. Over that is an attached outer layer made of a feather light silk chiffon that has the same print screened onto it. The two prints layer over each other and create the prettiest effect. This layering technique with silk & chiffon is one of her signature techniques and she was a master at it by this point in her career. I love the floral design on the silks and the pretty effect is has as it goes from the field of flowers to the green at the bottom. Using silk chiffon for the top layer is what gives the piece its light and airy feel and when you walk that layer billows out around you. It is a stunning example of her work and beautifully made. It even has hidden weights set inside the inner skirt so that it falls perfectly. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in white embossed silk and has a built in lightly boned and shaped inner bodice. Both the inner bodice and outer dress closes with their own back set zippers. Unlabeled but the lining is embossed with the Hanae logo throughout. The inner hem of the dress shows some grubbiness along the edge. There is a slight darkening near the edge of the bodice along the sides. A spot or two on the inner skirt. Please see the photos after the inner logo shot. Hand finished throughout with hand finished inner seams. The scarf has hand rolled edges.
Dress
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for up to a small B cup at the front
Inner waist: to 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to inner waist, 6.5" from top of bodice to seam under bust on the exterior
Skirt: 45" from seam under the bust to hem
Scarf: 104" x 34"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4371
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.
bill tice
Versatile 1981 Bill Tice Full Length Pleated Peach Coloured Jersey Coat w Gold Cord Detailing
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I love all of the pieces by Bill Tice that I bring into the shop. Most, including this one, were made in the 1980-1981 time period. His easy-to-wear and glamorous jersey pieces have been worn by countless celebrities for the red carpet and events. Every girl that has bought one of his pieces through me has absolutely loved it. This is the first time I have had one of these long open jackets in this peach the shop and I'm absolutely obsessed with it. And I just out a peach dress from the same label that would match this perfectly. You can see that here.
It is made of a soft peach jersey that is meant to mimic the feel of silk jersey. This is one of those things that is a fail-safe piece that you know is going to work every time you put it on. This fabric has the added bonus of traveling very well. It is the kind of piece you can throw into your suit case and slip on over just about anything upon arrival with either flats or heels and you are instantly ready to walk out the door. It is cut to feel long and slim with pleats running down its full length. It has gold cording that defines the collar, the bodice and back, around the arms and the cuffs. There's also a long stripe of the gold cording that follows the ties that close it at the neck. To wear it you just slip it on and tie it at the neck with those ties. The fabric is very light so when you move this has a ton of movement and will billow out around and behind you. It's fantastic. Excellent condition.
Unlined through the body and slips on to wear. The easy cut and open front should allow it to fit a range of sizes
Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: 26"+ flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4370
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
Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen Runway 'Natural Dis-tinctions, Un-Natural Selection' Crystal Print Dress
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The program notes told the audience of the Spring 2009 runway show that Mcqueen had been thinking of Charles Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest and 'the deleterious results of industrialization on the natural world'. The show was title 'Natural Dis-tinctions, Un-Natural Selection' and the McQueen book notes that 'the cat walk was filled with antique taxidermy, including an elephant giraffe tagger zebra and polar bear, in an art space that was formally of Paris morgue.' The twin of the dress was a part of the second portion of the show that was meant to 'continue to draw inspiration from natural forms, flowers, crystals and minerals, but here they were engineer with a hard as an enhanced to convey the synthetic qualities associated with modernity and human touch. Prints were angular and invoked crushed crystal, metallic structures such as the Eiffel tower and a granite mountain that was borrowed from a Dan Holdsworth triptych.' This collection was noted as being one of his most commercial to date during this time period and these print pieces especially had instant appeal.
This is a very recognizable Alexander McQueen piece. While there may be many of his pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that has that wonderful print that you instantly can identify as being a McQueen. The colour is amazing. This dress sold out world wide when it was produced and there are very few out there. The fabric is almost like a neoprene in the way it looks and feels and yet it is not a true neoprene. It is lighter and thinner with just enough weight to it to hold the shape that he wanted but without it feeling restrictive on the body. The shape is built into the dress beginning at the shoulders which are padded so that they sit up on top of the shoulders. It skims over the bust, nips in at the waist and then curves out at the hips. The shoulders and hips balance each other out and even when laying flat you can see the shape built into the dress. At the neckline there is a keyhole that has a nude netting in behind it. This adds to the unique feel of the dress. I love the way that the seams at the hip curve in and over the waist to just under the bust. This precise seaming and cut are all done to give that exact distinct shape that he wished the piece to have. When styled on the runway with the plastered hair around the face it had an almost alien feel to it that was unbelievably fantastic. This was one of the lauded crystal prints from the collection and it is just spectacular. The dress looks to have never been worn and is in mint condition. It is an extraordinary piece of Alexander McQueen history and having a runaway pieces from him in the shop are always an exceptional thing. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a ivory tissue silk and it closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 38. It appears to have been worn very little little bit
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for an A-small B cut at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4360
Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 24. Model Alex Sandor. / (3) Page from the book 'Alexander McQueen' edited by Claire Wilcox.
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.
geoffrey beene
Stunning c 1990 Geoffrey Beene Strapless Sequin Bodice & Floral Silk Taffeta Dress w Shawl
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Geoffrey Beene was one of the most awarded designers in the US. There is a currently an exhibit running of his work for the 2023 year titled MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene. I wanted to share the exhibit notes because they sum his career so well saying 'At his core, Beene was a fashion rebel who ignored trends, instead preferring to design garments that began as geometric shapes and evolved into silhouettes that moved naturally with the human form. His intuitive understanding of the body informed fashions that were unparalleled in their combination of luxury, thoughtful design, and comfort. Beene’s colorful, imaginative creations have been recognized with many accolades, including eight Coty American Fashion Critics Awards and three Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards. His work has also been celebrated through various exhibitions at institutions across the nation.'
This was a favoured silhouette of Geoffrey Beene that he was doing primarily through the late 1980s and into the very early 1990s. When looking through some of the images from the exhibit on his work there were dresses with very similar cuts from the 1990 season. It is a very pretty dress and very striking once on. The bodice is strapless and then it is completely covered in overlapping glossy black sequins at the front. At the back it is the same silk taffeta as the rest of the dress and I love how part of that extends and wraps around to the front just under the bust. This is all attached and adds a beautiful detail that really reflects his work from this time period. The bodice is meant to be fitted and has light boning inside to hold it in place. The top of it dips in the center and peaks slightly on either side to emphasize the bust. The waist is nipped in and then from there the skirt is cut beautifully full to the hem. The silk is all gathered into the waist and this is what helps give it that shape that you see. I love the oversized floral print that covers the silk and how there are these little woven dots running over the very top of the silk. These catch the light differently and are also a subtle nod to his love if dots in his work. Inside there is a black silk lining and the edge of that lining is finished with a sequin detailed lace. This peaks out from below the curving hem of the skirt and ties all the elements of the dress together. The dress can be worn on its own or with the matching shawl piece that is original to the dress. This extra wide shawl is caught up at each end in an elaborate twisted fabric flower that anchors it and allows it to open between for the volume you see. It can be worn numerous ways and I have photoed some of those here. You could also wear it over the head for a very glamorous look. It is so pretty. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Ribbon finished hem. Light boning through the bodice. The shawl is unlined with no closures
Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to longest points of hem
Shawl: 100" x 46.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4353
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.
loris azzaro
Incredible 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture Black Flame Sequin Detailing & Feather Light Silk Chiffon
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. I've included those so you can get an idea of how great this looks on a body. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.
This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. And because of the way the pattern is done on the bodice the sequins also extends down to cover each arm. I love it. Where it meets the skirt is finished in the same jagged pointed pattern all the way around. And then what is perhaps my favourite detail is that the skirt is actually made up of individual patterns that are each sat up and into the points. There are 12 of them all together and they go all the way around you. Each panel is a single layer of black silk chiffon that is incredibly light in weight. When you move sit or walk they have tremendous movement around you. And because each is an individual panel that is only attached at the top you also get glimpses of bare skin between each panel. It's incredibly sexy. He then used that same silk chiffon at the top of the chest and down the back where it dips into a low scoop. It buttons down the back can you see a hint of skin between each button. I absolutely love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and runs all the way around the scoop at the back. It makes it instantly recognizable as an Azzaro piece. It is really gorgeous. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition
Fully lined through the body in a black silk and the rest is as described above. Each sleeve is unlined so you get a bit of transparency between the sequins. It closes with a buttoned back. Each sleeve has a small zipper closure. Where is one of his signature strapless bras attached inside the bodice which could be easily removed if you wish. The colour is a perfect solid black. Any green or any other colours you see are just the light reflection from the camera
Sleeves: 23" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to the longest point of hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4347
Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz. / (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini. / (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years" / (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973.
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.
bill blass
Fabulous Spring 1984 Bill Blass Runway Purple One Shoulder Silk Dress w Pink Bow & Ruffle
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Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work from this time period. It is beyond gorgeous and it is one of my favorites from him. I have had this dress in the shop before and at last we have been able to date it. It is from the Spring 1984 collection
I have had the twin of this dress in the shop in the past and I love it more every time I find it. The main body of the dress is made from a deep royal purple silk that has a vivid pink ruffle that runs all the way down one whole side. The way that the pink is attached to the dress gives the dress the feel that that it has been wrapped around the bust and then tied into a dramatic bow at the shoulder with the ties trailing down your side. It actually is all attached and a part of the dress but I love how it makes the dress feel. The pink is gathered and warps all the around the bust and then is caught up at side to create that gorgeous bow that you see. The other shoulder is left completely bare for a little skin to show. Under the bow the pink silk runs down the side of the dress in an extravagant ruffle finish all the way to the hem. The inner bust has boning to support you and there is a little hidden strap under the bow to keep it in place. The body of this is cut loose and easy and it widens out it falls to the floor. It is extraordinary. Even more beautiful in person. It appears to have been worn a very little if at all. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a deep purple silk. The inner bodice closes with its own zipper and then the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Lightly boned through the inner bodice.
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the outer waist goes to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder strap to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4109
Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1984 Bill Blass Runway, Model Dalma Callado. / (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.
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.
thea porter
Extraordinary 1969 Thea Porter Black Silk Chiffon Dress w Red Print & Huge Balloon Sleeves
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This same print was used on dress from one of Thea's very first fashion shows that was held at her Greek street shop in London. But the label on this dress was unusual and did not match the ones that would have been used for that show so I reached out to fashion historian and author Laura McClaws Helms. Laura wrote the book on Thea Porter released a few years back and she also curated the museum exhibit on her work. She told me that in the very early days Thea would sometimes meet with boutique owners and agree to sell select pieces to them. This dress is from one of those collaborations and that makes this dress a very rare piece. Once that was known we ended up finding a photo of the twin of this dress within Laura's photo archives dating it to 1969. It is a stunning and early example of what was to come and it is just a beautiful dress besides.
The dress is stunning. It feels a bit like her 'Faye' dress in its design but with the addition of those incredible sleeves. I love the stark mix of black white and red and how the print is done in panels that run down the front and back of the dress. The the sleeves and side of the dress are made from a semi-transparent black silk chiffon and that touch of transparently is very sexy. The printed parts are also a silk chiffon that has been completely covered in a graphic swirling pattern of red, white and black. The body of the dress is backed in a layer of silk chiffon to make it slightly more opaque and wearable but the sleeves are a single layer of chiffon. Their volume is partly created by how they come out from the waist and because of how they are set from the waist like that you get a glimpse of the transparency along the sides of the bodice when you move which is just insanely sexy. It is still subtle though because of how full the sleeves are cut. Each one falls from the shoulder and connect down right to the waist. Each wrist is finished with a tie made from the printed chiffon. Once on they will sit up more and billow around you. There is banding at the slightly empire set waist and this extends out at the back into long ties that you can cinch to add more shape. The print runs down the front of the entire dress, circles round the hem and then meets the panel that runs down the back. Beyond its rarity and place in fashion history it is just a gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a black silk chiffon except for the sleeves which are unlined. The dress zips to close at the back. Stiffened tulle set into each shoulder to hold the shape. The band at the waist extend to ties that you can cinch in the waist as desired. Hand finishes throughout. One of the ties at the wrist has a tiny bit missing from its edge that you do not see when it is tied. I see a couple of tiny pinholes near one shoulder. Please see the photos after the label shot
Sleeves: approx 28"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: no true side seams
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3491
Reference Photo: (1) Model in Thea Porter, 1969. Photo courtesy of Laura McLaws Helms. / (2) 1969 Thea Porter 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.
bill gibb
Fabulous 1970s Bill Gibb Red Woven Floral Print Silk Jacket w Matching High Slit Skirt
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Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work always has a high fantasy element to it and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. Every piece I bring into the shop that was made by him is very special and this one is no exception. Bill had a great fondness for history and looked globally for his inspiration. This set pays homage to Asian culture and I love how he combined the traditional cherry blossom print with English roses. It is gorgeous.
I love that you can wear this set together or as separates to extend their wear. It is absolutely gorgeous either way. The skirt is made from two long panels that are attached along the waist band and part way down each side. This creates this wonderful line from the hip to the hem. It is seamed down each side to just past the hips and then below that it is completely open. When you move or sit you get this long flash of legs all the way up. It is almost scandalous for its time period. The jacket is cut with more of an oversized feel. The front has no closures. You just slip it on and go. The top of the collar flares out for a bit of detail and the sleeves are cut wide and full. The jacket is detailed with black flat braiding that highlights the cut and adds detailing. More braiding runs along the edges of the skirt. The fabric is a beautiful red silk with little cherry blossoms and English roses woven through it in a slightly metallic finished thread. This is one of those pieces that in person and on an actual body it is even better then how it looks on my dress form. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Both pieces are fully lined in a red silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The jacket has no closures and slips on to wear. I see a tiny touch of foxing on the side of the skirt, a tiny pen mark on the front of the jacket and some slight lines running up the satin on one sleeve. Please see the photos after the label shot. All these are very minor. Tagged a vintage UK 8. You might be able to add a little extension at the waist to get a bit more room if needed
Jacket
Sleeves: 24.5
Shoulders: 15" across
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 13" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem
Slits: 20" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3436
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.
arnold scaasi
Stunning 1980s Arnold Scaasi Couture Black Silk Strapless Dress w Shocking Pink Ruffle
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Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi. He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'
You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to just past the hip. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and the seam is done on a slight angle to add visual length to the dress. On the opposite side that seam extends down and into a deep point to give the body length there as well. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is held by the inner construction which is quite amazing. The innermost layer closest to you is a fine black silk that is finished at the hem with a broad inset band of stiffened netting so that the shape is kept. Over this lay four full layers of tulle netting and then the outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary ruffle that is set along the side and runs down the front all the way to the bottom of the gathered bodice. The ruffle is black on one side and then the other is finished in a shocking pink silk. This unexpected shock of color is fantastic. I have placed it to one side but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides.Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned on the ruffle side and it closes with a back metal zipper on the opposite side. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 18" from top of bodice to dropped seam
Skirt: 39" from dropped seam to hem with 4" turned under the top layer
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4305
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.
loris azzaro
Dramatic 1987 Loris Azzaro Black Strapless Dress w Low Full Skirt & Shoulder Flare
I Have a Question
Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and his trademark look soon developed. He became know for his extravagant use of colour, beading, sequins and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new cutting edge fabrics. This is a wonderful example of his work during this time period. We found a reference photo of an Azzaro dress with a very similar shoulder treatment and I think this one is even better.
This dress is nothing short of a bold and dramatic statement piece. The bodice is hand draped into soft rounded gathers over the bust. They continue all the way down under the bust to follow the curve of the body all the way to just below the hips. For this part of the dress he used a black stretch jersey that gives the dress it's fitted shape but also keeps it comfortable to wear. Inside the dress is one of his signature strapless underwire bras and this has been sewn into the dress for added support and shape. The top edge is shaped into a low sweetheart curve and the gathers are set to run horizontally down the body. Hand set vertical seams are tacked into place at points all the way around you to give the gathers a slight scooped feel and add length to offset the horizontal lines. It also keeps the gathers from adding bulk. Under that the skirt is set low and i is made out of a black textured silk that has a metallic finish. This is set over several layers of built in under skirting to help give and hold the volume you see in the skirt. On each outer side the panels of the skirt slightly lift up and away from the dress. To tie this into the top, the same fabric and swooping line is used to create that sweep of fabric on the one side of the bodice. I love how this flares out up and over the front portion of the shoulder. It is fabulous. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a black silk with a built in bra though the bodice that hooks to close separately. It closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. The interior bodice is boned. Layers of tulle and silk underskirts under the low set skirt. The flame/fan detailing on the bodice has wire inside to hold it up. It would be easy to add additional wire or stiffening inside if you wanted it to really hold even taller then it does now. Hand finished throughout
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the inner waist stay hooks slightly smaller then that
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3680
Reference Photo: Model in Loris Azzaro, L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987.
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.