• Mary McFadden patented her Fortuny inspired pleating technique just a couple of years after launching her label in 1973.
• This is from her higher end couture line that had a more limited production and was sold at higher end shops, Bergdorf's in the case of this dress.
• Mary was known to say frequently that there was no greater beauty than pleated cloth on the human body and she said when she developed her 'marii' fabric that her aim was to have it 'fall like liquid gold on the body, like Chinese silk.' 
  
• The dress is made from a beautiful pastel teal green synthetic silk charmeuse that she sourced from Australia. This was her signature fabric and it was then pleated in McFadden's proprietary pleating technique. 
  
• The bodice is absolutely beautiful. It comes up at the front with a beaded diamond shaped piece sitting at the peak. The heavy embellishments extend out to cover the straps that curve on either side of the neck and then a second strap sits beside that. I love the design that this makes. The straps curved down to the back leaving most of the upper back bare and exposed. Under the straps at the back there is another design made up of three of the diamond shaped panels.
• All of the bead and sequin work is done by hand and they are heavily embellished with thousands of small beads and tiny sequins in a mix of soft pastel colours. There are even little hand weights sewn into little pockets at the inside front to counterbalance the weight of the extra beading at the back.
• The pleating on the bust is set horizontally to wrap around you. The waist is seamed but in a bit more generous feel.
• The skirt falls to the floor from there and I love how she has set the pleating vertically for contrast to the bodice.
• I also love that the skirt is cut very long which is a rare thing to find in her work. As she progressed in her career she preferred to design pieces that ended at the ankle so you could see the shoe underneath. Her full length pieces are a bit rarer.
  
• The dress is fully lined in a matching coloured silk and closes with a side set zipper. All of the straps are attached and you just slip your head through them before zipping. Hand finishes.
• Tagged a vintage McFadden 6.
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 17" from neck to waist
Total length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5143

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 1979 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Roy Halston.
• From what I am aware the dress was made in three colour ways. This green and gold version, a blue and gold, and a version that has a deeper gold and more brown feeling combination. 
  
• It is from his main couture line and these would have been primarily made-to-order during this time period.
• This is an amazing couture Halston dress and a very rare and special find.
• It is entirely cut on the bias above and below the elastic waist and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and his dresses in particular were tremendously flattering to the body.
• It is feather light and you are barely conscious of wearing anything.
• The fabric is a very fine light gold and green silk lurex lame that moves and drapes beautifully.
• The bodice is generously cut. The neckline is scooped and there is a little keyhole at the back below the hook there. The sleeves extend out from the waist with no seam around the arm and then they narrow down to their ends. This leaves the bodice loose and generous over you.
• There is elastic set around the waist so it is very easy to fit. The dress also comes with its original matching tie belt in the same fabric. The belt is shaped more like a cummerbund with a wider panel that extends into smaller ties on each side. This lets you wrap in shape it around you and cinch in the waist much as you wish. You can leave the ties at the front or the back.
• The skirt falls from there and slightly widens out as it nears the hem. There are pockets on each hip.
• This is a rare example of Halston at his very best and is a rare example of when he chose to use a print over a solid colour.
• The dress slips on with an elastic waist. It hooks at the back of the neck above a keyhole. Comes with its original belt. Pockets on each hip. Hand finished throughout. 
  
• Its easy fit should allow it to work for range of sizing.
• There is no size tag so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: approx 25.5" and are open through the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: open with no true side seams
Elastic waist: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16.5" from neck to waist 
Total length: 61.5" from shoulder to hem but may come up a bit on once on and belted

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5144

Reference Photo: Fall 1979 Halston.

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 an absolutely gorgeous dress whose twin walked the runway for the Lanvin Spring 2011 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction Alber Elbaz.
• The dress is made of a very light in weight silk chiffon in a pale green. Onto the silk there is a beautiful pattern done in a combination of metallic gold and silver threads that give the entire dress a subtle glimmer. It is just outstanding.
• All of the edges of the dress are done in a soft green grosgrain ribbon. This edges the neckline and little half ribbons are also used down the side of the bodice for added detail.
• The silk portions of the dress have raw edges and are set on top of the ribbon edging. 
  
• The front has an almost bib feel up to the neck and then scoops outward under the arms to fall to a dropped waist. The ribbons detail the sides and there are ruffled tiers and half tiers that fall down the sides of the dress to the top of the hip.
• At the back it mimics the same cut as the front but with a keyhole slit between where it hooks at the back of the neck and where the zipper is set so that you get a little extra bit of bare skin showing.
• The skirt is made out of a single layer of the silk and widens out for a soft and flowing feel to the hem. It is pleated in and under the last little ruffled tier at the top of the hip and then opens out from there. There is a hidden slit off to one side at the front so when you walk you get a flash of leg.
• It is a phenomenal example of his patterning and draping skills.
• The dress is unlined and the silk has a slight bit of transparency between the metallic parts. It zippers to close at the back with an open keyhole between the zipper and where it hooks to close at the back of the neck. 
  
• Tagged a Lanvin 36
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from neck to hem
Slit: 27" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5145

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2014 Lanvin, Look 18. Model Kasia Struss.

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.