• This beautiful and rare coat is from the Fall 1952 Lanvin Collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Antonio Castillo.
• True Couture examples from this era are extremely rare and this is a fantastic piece showcasing the Haute Couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier.
• Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also designed accessories for Chanel. He quickly became known as one of the most promising designers to emerge after WWII and that reputation was part of why he was chosen in 1950 to become the head designer at the House of Lanvin.
• The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for simple and elegant lines that women bought in droves. 
• I love the reference photo of its near twin styled with a belt, gloves and matching hat to show you how it can be worn belted as well. 
• The coat would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
• It is beautifully tailored with a double row of buttons at the front and a curving cut.
  
• The simple cut hides precise seams and a masterfully tailored cut. It is constructed with the absolute minimal seam work to create the curves that fall over the body.
• It skims over the upper bodice and then comes in slightly at the waist. From there is flares out over the hips and is quite wide by the time it gets to the hem.
• The collar is neat with a notched front and each sleeve ends in a turned up cuff with a row of button detailing.
• The front bodice has an inset and detailed seam design with a double row of blue buttons set inside that areas that run down the front to the waist.
• A half belt is attached at the back and you could add a belt over it to emphasize the shape even more.
• The fabric is amazing with an ultra soft finish to it. I believe it is an Alpaca or perhaps a type of cashmere and it is extremely luxurious. The fact that it is dyed that amazing blue makes it that much more brilliant.
• It is even better in person and the fabric has to be seen and felt to truly be appreciated. This fabric choice allowed Castillo to be able to sculpt the exact shape that he desired.
  
• I love the sculptural effect the coat has once on and that beautifully full lower skirting. The construction is exquisite. It is an outstanding piece of fashion history in every possible way and the colour is exceptional.
• The coat is fully lined in a hand set black silk taffeta and closes with the buttons down the front. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. The Haute Couture numbered tape label is present under the main label and is numbered 15.418. 
• There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements list listed below.
• Excellent condition.

Sleeves: 22" and are 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5823

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 the dress walked the runway for the Fall 1986 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
  
• On the runway it was shown in this colour and as a red version. The red version was also used in the ad campaign that season.
• The dress is made from a gathered velvet that has been gathered like that by hand. It gives it an amazing texture.
• The colour is a beautiful deep purple that in certain lights changes to have a touch of a blue undertone. 
• The dress is strapless with built in structure to help hold it in place once one the body. The back of the bodice has elastic so the dress is easy to fit. It curves down and past the waist with no seam to break the eye. From there it curves back out and over the hips in a sleek pencil silhouette.
• The dress closes with a zipper off set to follow a seam at the back. The inner bodice area is lined in a blue silk and the rest of the dress is unlined. An inner waist stay hooks to close. You can clearly see the hand stitching on the back of the fabric done to create the pattern on the velvet.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 32" from top of bodice to hem with 2.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5822

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 dress is from the Fall 1979 Haute Couture Yves Saint Laurent collection.
• It was made under the creative direction Yves Saint Laurent.
• The 1979 collection was an a homage to Picasso and Diaghilev. Yves had been to an exhibit on Picasso costume and set designs for Diaghilev's ballet Russes. At the time he told French Vogue that he had been on a different path entirely for the collection but then he saw the exhibition and "my collection took on the structure of a ballet. I embroidered on Picasso, on a slightly soft cubism, on harlequin, the Blue Period, the Pink. It's best when in inspiration comes! You no longer have any doubt, you get on with it, you feel an immense joy!"
• You can see that inspiration of the harlequin especially on the pattern of this dress. We found several runway examples where he used the same pattern and added those here. This pattern was a significant part of the collection.
• I snapped the sketch that is closest to this piece from my YSL folio that contains all the drawings from the collection and some shots to show that he used this particular print in several colours including the blue of this dress. 
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• It is made out of a beautiful silk that is scarf weight so is very light and easy to wear. It has a secondary pattern within the weave in the same blue and then it is printed with that black design leaving the blue to show between. 
• The collar is neat and done in the same silk. The silk of the bodice is gathered in around it for a added detailing and it closes at the back of the neck above a small keyhole. 
• The shoulders are soft and the top of each sleeve gathers into the shoulder. They narrow down to cuffed wrists that ends in a ruffle made of the same silk.
• The cut through the body is loose and easy and it has the slightest bit of narrowing inwards as it nears the hem. 
• The more generous cut through the body makes it easy to wear. You have the option of wearing it loose or adding a belt to cinch it in and add shape around the waist. I photoed it both of those ways with an added black rope belt. 
• The perfect finishing touch are the little slits on either side of the skirt. These allow for movement when you move and gives you ease of walking plus a little bit of extra leg to show.
• This is a superb piece of Couture and is an early example of his work.
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear with a single button at the back of the neck above a keyhole. Each cuff buttons to close. It is entirely made by hand. The belt is not original to the dress but will be included. The appropriate Haute Couture label is present.
• There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 23.5" and they are 15" around the upper arm. The neck is 13" around. The cuffs are 6" around where the button is presently but could be opened and the button moved to get 7".
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 36.5" from neck to hem. Each side slit is 9" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5821

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.