• This dress is from the Fall 1970 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
• The book Dior:Catwalk noted that Vogue proclaimed that season that "Any woman anywhere on earth would want to own these total feminine clothes".
• In the few photos that survive of pieces from this collection, it is interesting to note that he showed most of these long full length shift dresses under capes. A combination that would still work now if you wished.
• The dress would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
• It is made out of a jet black silk velvet that is extremely soft to the touch and has beautiful drape. This is the highest possible quality velvet. 
• The silhouette is simple and I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress has. At the same time don't let it simplicity fool you. It is masterfully tailored.
• Black velvet straps that are a touch on the wider side curve up and over your shoulders. The front and back neckline have a gentle bit of a scoop. Just enough to take away the harshness a straight line would have.
• It skims over the bust and is cut more generously over the waist so that it falls in a perfect shift or column feel around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt or a fabric sash.
• It curves slightly out over the hips and then the skirt falls from there widening out a touch as it nears the hem. 
• The dress closes down one side with glossy black buttons and I love the deliberate contrast in texture that it has against the black velvet. That pop of gloss from the buttons is the perfect subtle detail against the inky texture of the velvet.
• The buttons close the dress down one side to just past the hip and then the rest of that seam is completely open all the way to the hem. This gives a flash of bare leg all the way up that one side when you move. It is almost startling to have that flash of bare skin against the column of black and I love this play between elegance and sexiness.
• It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed.
• This is an extraordinary example of his couture work during this era and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set black silk and closes at the side with the row of buttons. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards. The appropriately dated couture tag is present. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
• There is no size tag present because it is Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 29" from the hem up to the last button.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5833

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 was presented as Look 52 for the Pre-Fall 2017 Alexander McQueen collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Sarah Burton
• I love that we not only can see it on from the presentation photos but it was also seen on Jessica for the 70th Festival de Cannes red carpet. It is incredible on the body. I think this is one of my favourites from Sarah's time at the label.
• The dress combines a inky black velvet bodice with a sheer silk chiffon skirt finished with a velvet hem. It has a heavy application of embroidery on the entire bodice and it is absolutely fabulous.
• The bodice is strapless and is cut to follow the curves of the body to past the hips. Internal structure is created with a built-in inner corset to hold the dress perfectly in place.
• The waist nips in and then it curves back out and over the hips. The curb over the hips is slightly exaggerated and there is inner padding inside the hips to help hold the shape. This slight exaggeration in shape feels perfectly and quintessentially McQueen.
• The velvet of the bodice is just long enough to cover you and then the skirt flares out from there all the way to the hem. 
• The skirt is done in a sheer black silk chiffon that is completely cut on the bias. This gives it incredible movement around you as you move.
• Where the skirt attaches into the bodice, it is cut on a curving line all the way around you. This gives it the suggestion and nod to the shape of a 1950s full body corset. It is very sexy.
• A wide band of the same black velvet circle circles around the hem. There is an incredible amount of fabric in the lower skirt and the bit of extra weight created by the velvet, anchors the dress and helps to hold the shape that you see. 
• The entire bodice is covered in the most beautiful embroidery that has been applied on top of the velvet. The contrast between the pop of colour of the embroidery and the inky black backdrop is fantastic.
• The embroidery features stunning birds and flowers that curve and wrap around the bodice on both the front, sides and back. Interspersed between the embroidery are tiny coiled metallic metal beads and prong set rhinestones. It is extremely decadent and luxurious.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk with a built-in boned and cupped corset that is made from a combination of black net and silk. The inner corset closes with its own back zipper and then the dress has a hidden set zipper over that. I see a slight stress mark and a couple of tiny very thin vertical pulls on the silk chiffon of the skirt. These are very minor but noted for accuracy. Please see the photos after the label shot. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage McQueen 38
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approximately 9" from the top of bodice to the inner waist of the corset. It is 23.5" from the top of the bodice to the higher points of where the bodice meets the skirt and 26" to the longest parts.
Total length: 57.5" from the top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5834

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 dates to the 1970s.
• It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
• The dress is a wonderful example of the work being done during this part of Dior's history. It illustrates the outstanding level of craft and skill that was put into pieces from this era.
• I love how the dress has a touch of Old Hollywood in its cut. The closer you get to it the more you see the incredible and elaborate amount of detail that has been put into the fabric.
• The dress is made from a black silk net with a floral pattern worked throughout. The flowers are edged in black silk cord and then it has been hand beaded with an elaborate pattern of bead work that follows the design.
• Under the top beaded layer of net is a black silk chiffon layer and then there is a final nude silk chiffon inner layer backed in a black silk. Adding that nude innermost layer gives the wearer the illusion of wearing nothing underneath.
• The dress is suspended from two beaded straps that curve over each shoulder. The front neckline dips into a slight V and the back is a simple scoop.
• It is cut to skim over the body from bust to hips with no seaming at the waist to break the eye or the design created by the bead work. All of the seams are set vertically on the inner layers and then the top layer has been specifically cut and shaped to follow the curves.
• It curves out over the hips and then falls to the floor widening out a touch as it nears the hem.
• The elaborate design that covers the entire dress is done with a combination of glossy black beads in various sized mixed with black sequins. The design is heavier around the top the bodice, lightens in coverage as it goes over the hips, and then becomes dense and heavy again at the hem.
• The sequins have been applied so that they are stacked and layered over each other to give a slight 3D feel. Small faceted beads follow other parts of the pattern and the same beads are place by hand over the straps. Tiny little seed beads are in the mix along with square pailettes and oval faceted beads on a much larger scale.
• The beads are all applied by hand and catch the light from every angle as you move. It is incredible to see this dress in person and the level of detail that it has.
• The label on the dress is numbered and when you see that in a Dior Boutique label during this period it most often meant that the piece was a special order or was a custom made order for a client in the atelier but fitted at the boutique rather then the Paris atelier.
• The dress is fully lined as described above. It closes with a hidden set side zipper and the tag is numbered. The slight bias cut will allow for a bit of movement in the measurements and I have put to the maximum below.
• There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements list below.
• Excellent condition.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5835

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