Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics. Some of his work is quite lovely and this dress is a really great one. I am in love with it!

This is a favorites of all the Victor Costa pieces I have had come into the shop. The dress is well made and striking. It is made from a stunning bright plaid silk taffeta that gives it just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but without making the dress heavy or bulky to wear. It also gives the dress the most amazing slightly iridescent finish. As you move and the fabric catches the light it lets the colours really pop and it is quite a stunning detail in itself. The bodice is fitted and strapless and cut to curve and shape the bust. Circling around the top portion of the bust is an elaborate feather finish. The feathers have been dyed to match the red green and black used in the print. It just really highlights the gorgeous colours and adds to the festive feel the dress has. The waist nips in and you could easily add a tie belt or more structured belt to cinch the waist in further. The skirt falls to the floor from there and has yards of fabric in it that create the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is finished by a pleated ruffled that goes all the way around the hem. I love how the back of the skirt is a touch longer so you get incredible movement when you move. And it has pockets. All the shots you see here were done with no added crinoline underneath but you could add one if you wanted it to be even fuller. I love everything about this dress. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in a black silky rayon through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. The bodice is lightly boned and shaped with stiffening fabric. The dress closes with a back zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice ruffles to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to front hem, 49" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4059

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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

At the age of 31, Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier, making him the youngest of the 20 official couturiers at the time. That was in 1997 and he remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture business altogether. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation and it is the actual runway sample that was worn on the runway. It was Look 7 In the presentation that day. 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. In addition this dress was lent and worn by Alexandra Daddario and we have induded those shots here as well so you can see just how fabulous this is on an actual body. This also adds to its provenance and I love that,

Having the actual Haute Couture runway sample is just that much more amazing even in the land of Couture. Having the sample means that the dress is still completely made by hand to Couture standards but has the added touch of all those last minute adjustments that would have been done  by Stephane and the atelier to perfectly fit the model to walk the runway that day. This is an amazing opportunity to see what few see; a dress straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway. The dress is covered with various sized panels of a red silk gazaar. These have been hand set to overlap as they cascade down the length of the dress. The panel size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. By layering the panels the dress has a sense of depth and texture then even the photos can truly convey. It also adds a subtle movement when you move. Each panel is secured to the base fabric just along its edges so that there is a movement and lightness created when it is on and you move about. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak there. The inner part of the dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a long flash of leg at the front. The rest of the dress flows back and around you from there. At the back the train is long and dramatic. 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 one small note to review 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. There is some deepening of the colour/ marks on some of the squares of silk that make up the train and some minor grubbiness from being worn for the runway and then stored. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Nothing that detracts once the dress is on. It is closest to a true zero

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
Inner dress length: 26" from top of bodice to hem NOT including panels that go over the edge of the dress a bit above and blow the actual inner structure
Length including train to the very longest point:  Approx 92" from top of bodice to final tip of the 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.

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 dress is from the Yves Saint Laurent variation line which was an experimental lower priced lined that last for a short time period during the 80s. Most of the pieces you see from it are not what I look for from his work on a day to day basis but this particular dress had such great lines I could not resist picking it up. There was just something so fabulous about it and it is really in par with the regular label and what he did in the couture line for this type of look that I decided to make an exception. It is quite fabulous and I love it

The dress is made from a beautiful cotton silk mix that has a slight coated feel to to it. This mix keeps the dress light and easy to wear while still holding the lines and volume the dress has. A stunning oversized checked plaid pattern covers the fabric. The colours are a more deep hue and there is even a muted gold metallic thread that runs through the pattern. The dress is very easy to wear. The bodice is fitted with light stiffening built in for structure. It is cut to curve around the bust and nips in at the waist. You could easily add a belt or tie to really emphasize the waist too if you wished. The skirt is fantastic. It is cut to fall smoother at the front then widens out to be very full so you get more volume at the back. I photoed it laid out flat so you can see. The back is cut on a curve and longer then the front so you get a beautiful line. And it has pockets! A gorgeous dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a hidden set side zipper.  Slight stiffening fabric built in through the bodice. Tagged an vintage 10

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of bust to bottom seam of bodice
Skirt: 42" from waist to front hem, 49" to the longest point of the back hem and has 1.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4058

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