• This dress is dated to its exact year by the hand written Bergdorf's tag inside that reads either 1965 or 1966.
• It was made under the creative direction of James Galanos.
• James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951 at the age of 27. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award.
• His custom pieces were made close to couture standards and with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. He was truly one of the great American designers and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world.
• This is a dress that is extremely well made with a very high level of construction techniques.
• The dresses made out of several layers of silk chiffon. There is a top chiffon layer that floats over and printed on that has a hidden silk layer under that and then a final inner deep pink silk lining. It's just amazing to see all of the extra stuff and layers. And this doesn't even take into account the silk used to make the inner corset that holds everything in place.
• The top layer is completely covered with hundreds of thousands of hand placed beads and sequins in various shapes and sizes. These swirl over the entire dress and it is just amazing to see in person. This is the level of craft that you only see in vintage now.
• The dress is suspended from two straps that are heavily detailed with the bead and sequin work. The front neck line is slightly scooped at its centre and then the back scoops a little lower.
• There is a built-in inner lightly boned corset that shapes the bust. The waist comes in under that and then it skims out and over the hips.
• The skirt falls from there to the floor and widens out a touch as it near the hem. Having it completely covered with all those hand placed beads and sequins is just phenomenal to see.
• I love the deep burgundy tones mixed with jewel tones on the underlying pattern of the silk.
• The dress has a built in silk covered corset and and is lined as described above. The corset hooks to close around the waist, and then the inner dress zips over that and the outer layer also has its own zipper. A waist stay hooks to close inside. There may be the occasional missing sequin and some are missing on the tops of the straps. There is a touch of fading to the pink lining along the inside edge of the bodice. It is very minor. Hand finishes throughout.
• No size tag is present so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14"flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Total length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5192

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.

• The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Fall 2005 show for Look 67 and was worn by supermodel Carmen Kass. 
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino.
• Vogue said of the collection that "Valentino's couture touch brought exquisite workmanship to filmy lace blouses and brocade jackets as well as evening gowns that captured the seasons passion for Victorian and Edwardian effects." They went on to mention the feel of this gown specifically saying "courtly evening gowns had Tissot trains, composed of tiers of ruffles."
• On the runway they showed the dress with a silk sash around the waist in an olive green. Apparently this was a styling decision only and the dress was not sold with it once it became available.
• The dress is absolutely spectacular and showcases what made these original Valentino pieces so special under Mr. Valentino's direction.
• Tiny net straps in the same colour curve up and over each shoulder. Each one has been heavily detailed with hand set beads and sequins in a matching deep blood red burgundy. It is a subtle bit of added glitz that works perfectly with the dress.
• The dress curves across you at the front and is fitted around the bust. Tiny little gathers are done along the inset seam along each side of the bodice At the back it is scooped so your upper back is left bare and exposed.
• From there it comes in at the waist and then curves back out to glide over the hips. At the front it falls in a more smooth column and then widens out quite a bit for the lower skirt. A wide 10" ruffle  finishes the front hem. Inside of that ruffle, you can feel that there are layers of netting that help hold its volume in shape to create the width you see from the front of the lower skirts.
• At the back is where all of the full on drama of the dress begins. Four very full ruffled panels are set stacked horizontally, one on top of each other, with each one below the one above becoming wider and fuller. Each of the tiers of silk have more netting inside so they hold their shape and volume fantastically. You can see how the entire lower skirt at the back widens out substantially and trails behind you in a swooping train. It is absolutely phenomenal.
• The choice of the silk that he's used as some structure and helps to hold all the shape that you see. The colour is a deep ox blood burgundy that is just phenomenal.
• This is a truly spectacular dress and one that you will not see come around very often if ever again. These would have been special ordered by clients through the boutiques.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. The ruffles around the lower skirts all have stiffened netting hidden inside them to help hold the shape and volume that you see. More stiffened netting around the inner hem and beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 6
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from top of the shoulder to the front hem and the back extends another 9" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5193

Photos/Video: Fall 2005 Valentino, Look 67. Model Carmen Kass.

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.

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1998 Versace show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace.
• This is a rare and early documented example of his work.
• The dresses made of two layers of silk. There is an inner silk layer that is a bright vivid pink and then this is topped with a black silk chiffon that has a touch of transparency. 
  
• Onto the top black layer is an elaborate pattern made of silver metallic thread and little tiny silver sequins. This adds a subtle sparkle over the entire dress.
• Two triangles sit at the front bust and they are brought inwards at the neck leaving an open keyhole underneath. The straps circle around both sides of your neck and then meet at the back. They curve outwards to meet the sides of a full open scoop that leaves most of your back bare and exposed. 
  
• It skims over the waist and hips from there and I love the lingerie effect created by having the black float over the inner pink layer.
  
• The inner pink silk layer acts as the lining. The neck of the dress slips over the head and then the dress closes with a hidden set side zipper. When the dress is off the body the pink under-layer appears to extend past the bottom by a couple of inches but it is bias cut so once on it lines up as shown in the photos here.
• Tagged a vintage Versace 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers up to 8" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to the seam under the bus
Total length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5194

Reference Photos: Spring 1998 Versace.

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.