This wonderful little black dress is from the time period that Sophie Gimbel was designing the Saks in-house ready-to-wear line. Her pieces were very expensive and she was known as being one of the best designers in America. Most were as close to demi-couture as one could get at this time and like this one, had extraordinary little details and were extremely well made. Sophie worked at Saks from 1931 through to 1969 and the label on this one dates it to her work of the 1950s.

Is a wonderful 1950s dress. It's made out of a black silk that has this really interesting raised detail on it that makes it look heavily pleated or ribbed and gives the dress texture. It is cut to fit and highlight the body. It has a little cap sleeves and the neck scoops at the front. The bodice is shaped with seaming and it nips in at the waist. The waist is seamed and you could add a belt for more definition if you wanted. It curves out and over the hips and then goes straight down to the hem. I love how she has taken a vertical panel of the same fabric and run it all the way down the front and then down the side of each hip and again down the back of a skirt. This helps to give extra detailing and to really defined the shape and curves of the skirt. It is beautifully made with lots of hand finishes and a fine silk interior lining. This is the epitome of that perfectly made little black dress that can go from day to cocktails. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined in a black silk and the lining is set by hand. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and I love the care that's been put into lining up the texture of the fabric along the zipper and seams. Hand finishes throughout. A tiny bit of stress to the top seam at one shoulder and it appears to have had a small repair done on the seam at some point

Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4435

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a very interesting feeling John Paul Gaultier suit from the 1990s. The jacket is meant to feel a little oversized. It is made from a men's suiting fabric in a pinstripe that alternates a tiny white stripe with a very subtle red stripe. The jacket has light padding in the shoulders and the seam of the shoulder is slightly in set to give them a touch of a rounded sloped feel - a signature shoulder with his work. The arms are cut long and full with three buttons on each cuff. It buttons down the front and the buttons are set high enough so that you can wear it on its own if you wish. Slanted top flap pockets sit on each hip and the jacket is cut long so that it flares out slightly over your hips. The detail at the top button is very interesting. You can see that there are two top stitched vertical lines there and these have a stiffened bit of wire or plastic inside of them. When the suit is on this causes it to sit up and off the chest slightly and gives it a little support there to add shape. The skirt is cut in a long lean pencil shape. The waist is banded and then it comes out over the hips and narrows down to the hem. A vent at the back allows you to walk. I love the button closed slit pocket on one side of the back  of the skirt that picks up a men's dress pant. The acid green yellow lining inside the jacket is the perfect finishing touch. Excellent condition with one note below.

The jacket is fully lined and the skirt is unlined. The skirt closes with a zipper and button at the waist and the jacket buttons to close. Both pieces are tagged a 44 and both pieces have their original extra buttons. There is a bit of residue inside of the skirt's hem where it looks like someone used double sided tape to wear it shorter at some point. This does not show it all from the outside but mentioned for accuracy. Slight fading on the top of each sleeve. Please see the photos after the label

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from top of bodice to waist

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 28" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4434

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The lines and detail of this dress are very similar to the work that Dior was doing during this time period and it immediately made me think of the pink Dior set that I have ion the shoo with a similar front bow detailing. This dress only has it Neusters label in it Neusters was a high end department store in Denver and at one point was one of the leading shops for high end designer labels outside of New York in the US.

It is made out of silk faille with a slight texture running through it. It is cut to skim over the body. I love all the proper dressmaking techniques used like the way the sleeves extend out from the body of the dress and there are gussets underneath the arm instead of a seam around the shoulder. This gives the dress a nice rounded shoulder at the top. The front crosses over and extra panels of the fabric extend out to create a feeling of a giant half bow at the front without creating bulk. Both the front and back dip into a curved V for a little bit of skin to show. The shape is created through vertical seams down the front and the back and this allows it to skim over the waist and then open back up over the hips. It is just a chic and simple little black dress that is charming with the added bow detail at the front. Great condition with a small note below

Unlined and closes with a back zipper. It looks like some of the vertical seams may have been opened at one point. They would be easy to bring back in if needed. Pockets along each hip

Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D650

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.