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christian dior
Incredible Fall 2010 Christian Dior by John Galliano Runway Look 30 Ruffle Front Silk Chiffon Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this incredible dress walked the runway for Look 31 for the Fall 2000 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Vogue's review stated that Galliano's Fall ready-to-wear for Dior was "Equestrian-themed, a follow-on from the daywear strand of the acclaimed Couture show in January. This was to be a brisk albeit slightly perfunctory trot around the circuit of Galliano's longtime favourite 18th century."
- In the book Dior:Catwalk they noted that Galliano had baptized the collection "The Seduction of the Libertine". The collection notes read "Riding in from the hunt that began at the Haute Couture, Dior discovers intrigue and inspiration in gallant riding habits as it goes from the stables to the seductive style and verse of those infamous romantics, the 18th century Libertines"... "This season Dior takes up the heroic spirit of the French romanticism." said Galliano.
- This dress is deceptive in it simplicity. It is completely cut on the bias and this gives it incredible curves once on an actual body. It almost feels like you are wearing nothing because of the soft sand colour and the lightness of the silk chiffon.
- The bodice crosses over itself and there is a silk chiffon ruffle that follows the neckline. This wraps around you and buttons behind the neck. Panels extend out from the top that are cut wide and edged in a ruffle. By tying those around the front of the neck you get that beautiful ruffle falling down the front as seen here and on the runway.
- The bodice skims to the waist and the waist is seamed but with a slightly more generous feel. If you really wanted to add shape you can cinch this in quite substantially.
- The back dips low to leave a bare expanse of skin to show.
- The top layer of the skirt wraps over itself as it attaches in around the waist and there is a substantial amount of silk used for the skirt to give it it's extensive draping. Under that is a second inner silk layer in the same colour. A slit runs up the side of the inner layer.
- The entire bottom of the skirt has round cut outs in various sizes that circle all the way around the lower skirt. Each of the cut outs are finished with a heavily applied embroidered edge done in a matching coloured thread. This gives the bottom of the dress extraordinary texture and detail.
- This is an incredible and rare documented runway piece.
- The dress is fully lined in a second layer of the same silk chiffon. A row of his signature matching silk covered buttons and loops runs down the side to close the dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8 IT40, US4
- Excellent condition
Bust: the front bust has open sides and is cut quite generously to fit a variety of bust sizes and shapes
The underbust area where the sides begin is cut on the bias and can range from 16-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 17-18" from neck to waist but meant to blouse over a touch
Total length: approx 70" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5705
Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2010 Christian Dior, Look 31.
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 2004 Alexander McQueen 'Pantheon Ad Lecum' Runway Off Shoulder Knit Dress w Seamimng Detail
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 2004 McQueen show.
- It was made under the creative direction of Alexander McQueen.
- The runway pieces were not produced in significant numbers and were often only found at the flagship stores in very limited quantities.
- For this collection McQueen was quoted as saying that he wanted to 'strip away all theatrics and focus purely on design'. The colours in the show focused on a nude palette and these more taupe pieces were a predominant element in the collection. He also kept the embellishments to the bare minimum throughout the collection.
- The dress is made from a very fine knit that has a slight sheen to it.
- The various seams have been either surged and top stitched, or have been covered and highlighted with a silk cording. This use of the seams as a way to create design details within the dress is a very McQueen feeling signature and its use highlights the cut and line of the dress.
- The neckline on the dress is a wide ribbed panel that has a lot of stretch. You could wear it up and off the shoulders but it is best worn as shown on the runway, stretched and pulled down to leave the shoulders bare and fully exposed.
- The bodice is cut to skim over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has some fullness above its four inch cuff. On the runway, they pulled the cuff up and inside so you just saw the part that blouses over and not the cuffs itself.
- From there it continues past the hips to the floor. If you thought the way the seams have been detailed on the bodice was well done the skirt is magical.
- Stacked side by side are peaked panels whose tops sit at different heights around the entire skirt. Each has a touch of open cut work around their seams which gives the dress more depth and detail. This piecing of the side by side panels also allows the skirt to have more of a flare at its bottom. You can see how beautifully it moves in the runway video here.
- This is an iconic piece of McQueen's history.
- The dress is fully lined in an ivory stretch lingerie type fabric and slips over the head to wear. The stretch of the fabric should allow it to accommodate a variety of sizes. The measurements below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. I see a tiny area on the knit where it misses a stitch and there is a snag in the knit just above the hem at the back. Please see the photos after the label shot. Any change in colour you see is just the lighting.
- Tagged a McQueen 38.
- Excellent condition with the note above.
Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: variable
Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 60" from the top of the natural shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5706
Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2004 Alexander McQueen.
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.
thierry mugler
Exceptionally Rare Fall 2001 Thierry Mugler Runway Golden Taupe Silk Dress w Horsehair Collar
I Have a Question
- This dress is from the Fall 2000 "Les Fauves" Thierry Mugler collection
- It was made under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler.
- The Fall 2001 show was Mugler's final ready-to-wear show making it that much more historically significant.
- I purchased this from a client and having trying to get this out of their hands for years now. The person they bought it from got it directly from an employee at Mugler. The piece is unlabelled and it is believed to be an original sample. I was told only a couple of these were made.
- I love that we have reference photos from the runway along with the video that shows you how it moves as you walk.
- In this collection the women who walked the runway represented women as a predators. Dangerous but at the same time controlled and elegant.
- In a Numero editorial they called Mugler "one of the most important fashion designers of the modern era" saying that "with Mugler femininity is in your face and assumed 100%." Nathalie Bondi of the Montreal Museum of fine arts said that his work was "Extravagant, sexy and sometimes irreverent 'his fashion conjugates with the superlative. With Mugler fashion became art.'"
- In that same article, they declared a list of his nine "Cult Collections" and included the Fall 2001 ready-to-wear show in that list calling it a "ferocious farewell".
- This is the year that Thierry Mugler decided to end his fashion activities. Later the designer would say "Fashion was a very emotional and artistic vehicle in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the look was extremely important... but it's not like that anymore. I pushed fashion to its limit, but today creation is limited by money, marketing."
- The dress is made out of a heavy golden toned silk that wraps into place around the body. The entire collar is made from a goat or long hair sheep that has been hand dip dyed all along its edges to get that change of colour.
- The collar follows the deep V at the front. The V is slightly curved to follow the curves of the body. My dress form tends to be short through the bodice, so please go by the runway photos to see how it fits as far as how deep it lies
- I love that the collar is actually buttoned into place so you can choose to wear it without the collar effectively giving you two dresses in one. This also allows for ease of cleaning since it can be removed.
- Straps curve up and over the shoulder and the inside is formed by his signature angled and curved insets that shaped the dress around the body.
- At the side, those panels curved down and out over the hips to give the dress more of an hourglass feel to exaggerate the shape of the body.
- The dress wraps over itself at the front and snaps into place with his signature snaps that he used so often during this time period.
- The skirt falls under that, curving over the hips and then narrowing into the hem at the front. The wrap of the closure allows for some dripping at the front while the back stays more smooth and sleek.
- The wrapping also lets your legs show as you walk, which you can see in the runway references.
- Everything about the dress is absolutely spectacular and I love how the entire dress feels like it slightly glows in the light because of the gold toned silk.
- This is a spectacular and very rare example of his work from this era.
- The dress is fully lined with the same silk and the inner seam work is so well done that you could almost wear this dress inside out. It closes with two series of hidden set snaps around the waist. The collar can snap on or off. I see some small marks near the hem both inside and out. Please see the last detail photo. You could adjust the snaps a touch up or down if needed.
- There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements below.
- Excellent condition with the one minor note above
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam.
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Plunge: 15" from top of shoulder to base pf the plunge
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to the longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5707
Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2001 Thierry Mugler.
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.
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It is our mission to find the timeliness and special pieces that are cherished and coveted by designers, museums, celebrities and countless fabulous women around the world.




