• The dress is from the Fall 2003 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• This dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period.
• For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always showcase his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them.
• The dress is made out of a deep dusky purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well.
• The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor.
• The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted.
• The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see.
• At the back the strap meets behind the neck and then drop down the centre of the back and panels of silk are suspended from it. These curving panels can be worn either down and under the arms or you can drape your arms through them.
• The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem.
• It buttons to close down the side with a row of his signature buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip.
• Silk lining backs the cut outs at the hip but I have seen this dress in another colour where someone had that part of the lining removed so you see bare skin and it looked great.
  
• The dress is fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a teeny bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. Very minor and mentioned for accuracy. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame
• Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8. 
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5726

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.

• This is a phenomenal Guy Laroche true Haute Couture dress.
• It was made under the Creative Direction of Guy Laroche.
• It would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The dress is a rich royal purple in colour and the silk that it is made out of is of extremely high-quality.
• The bust extends up to curve over one shoulder and then swoops down and  becomes a part of the back panel of the dress. This leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed. 
• It skims over the bust and is attached to the waist seam on only one side.
• This creates an open cut out on the other side and I love the juxtaposition of the bare shoulder with the bare expanse of skin showing on opposite sides.
• The side that is open has a little tie bow at the top of the hip for added detail. The zipper is set underneath directly under that. This side falls on a slight downward angle to play on the angles of the top.
• A second bow sits on the closed side of the waist with the silk all gathered in towards that bow. It is just fantastically beautiful.
• From there the skirt falls to the floor and slightly widens out as it near the hem. There is a very high slit up the same side as the cut out at the waist.
• When you walk or move you get a fantastic flash of bare leg. It is very sexy but at the same time manages to stay very elevated and chic.
• The dress is fully lined in a purple silk chiffon. All of the inner work is done by hand to haute couture standards. It hooks to close at the top of the shoulder and at the side of the bodice above the cut out. There is a zipper and hook combination at the side. An inner silk waist stay hooks to close. I see a tiny line of stitching between the base of the zipper and the top of the slit. I think at some point the slit was higher and someone closed it. It would be easy to reopen. It otherwise appears to have been worn a little if at all.
• There is no size tag present as it is true couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from the top of the shoulder to the waist
Total length: approx 62" from top of shoulder to hem, with just under 1.5" turned under
Slit: 30" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5727

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 Valentino Roma label launched in 2000 to take the place of the Miss V line. It was sold at a price point that was a bit more accessible then their main line and was meant to be available in more shops then the main line would be. The pieces were still very well made. This one caught my eye simply because of how gorgeous and sexy it is. It is a stunning dress with beautiful lines.
• It is made out of a synthetic purple stretch fabric that almost has the finish and feel of a very light in weight swimsuit fabric. This lets it fall fantastically over the body while keeping shape and structure.
• The dress is strapless and the upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it. The silk is draped over the bust to give the feel of a bandeau and it is gathered in along the centre. Inside there is a full built in boned corset that is shaped for support. 
• It is cut to skim over the body in a way that it drapes softly over you but still highlights your curves to past the hips to suggest an hourglass feel.
• The skirt falls from there and widens out slightly as it nears the hem. There is a slit up the front that is very high so that you get a flash of leg when you walk or sit. This also gives it incredible movement when you move.
• The final perfect detail is the long vertical panels that have been done in the same purple fabric as the rest of the dress. These begin as a twisted knot at the front bodice and then the two panels fall in a ruffle down the full length of the dress to the floor. Where the dress is slit at the bottom the ruffles continue on each side of it. This little extra and pretty detail adds that perfect finishing element of romance and femininity.
• The dress is unlined with a built-in black corset that is lightly boned that closes with its own side zipper and then a second zipper sits over that to close the exterior dress. Lightly boned through the inner bodice. An attached inner waist stay hooks to close. 
• Tagged a Valentino 42/6
• Excellent condition
  

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56.5" from top of bodice to to hem
Slit: 30" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5728

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.