This set is from Spring 2002 and it is fabulous. On the runway this print was shown throughout the first part of the show and the jacket and pant that make up the set were shown separately. I love that this gives you some styling ideas when you don't want to wear them together as the full set. The book Versace:Catwalk noted that Donatella's "graphic floral prints echoed Andy Warhol's multi huge floral paintings as did the backdrop". I love that.

This two piece set combines a beautifully cut jacket with pants that are beaded from the knee down. I always love a suit because of the ability this gives you to mix and match the pieces with things you already own. The incredible floral print give the suit this incredible rock 'n' roll feel. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that follows the curves of the body. It has no collar and the sleeves are long with a notch opening up each wrist. A series of tightly spaced, hidden set, hook and eye close the jacket at the front. It comes in at the waist a touch for shape and is meant to follow the curves of the body, but without being too tight. The floral print that covers the jacket is spectacular to see. The fabric of the jacket is an almost canvas feeling cotton mix with a slight texture that gives the perfect backdrop to the print. The pants are made of a super light in weight stretch fabric that lets the pants hug the body like a second skin. There is a small band at the waist that is meant to flip inwards and then nothing else to break the eye as they fall in a fairly straight boot cut to the floor. From about the knee down the floral print is covered in matching coloured beads and sequins. These catch the light terrifically as you move. It is fabulous and a great little piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

The jacket is lined in an ivory Versace logo embossed fabric and hooks to close at the front. The pants are unlined and close with a back zipper. Padding in each shoulder of the jacket. Both pieces appear to have been worn very little if at all. The pants are tagged a 42 and the jacket has no size tag present. The hips of the pants have some stretch and the comfortable range is given in the measurements below.

Jacket
Sleeves: 24" and each arm is 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 17.5 flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Inseam: 31.25" and the gusset is 14" from back of waist to inner leg seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4895

Reference Photos/Video: (1-9) Spring 2002 Versace (Look 9 (jacket) & Look 51 (pants)).  /  (10) From the book "Versace: Catwalk".  /  (11) Spring 2002 Versace Ad Campaign by Steven Meisel.

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.

When dating this extraordinary Yves Saint Laurent dress, we found a photo of a piece with almost an identical cut bodice from 1972 along with several runway photos that show other pieces with that same cut to the bodice. I have included those here for you and it is interesting to note that the pleating technique that is used around the upper hip of the skirt was also done in a more intricate fashion for the 1974 Couture show. Yves often use ideas from both collections. - Rive Gauche and Couture - to build and develop ideas and it is fascinating to see the progression of his work from garment to garment. This is an incredibly beautiful example of his work from this time period.

This dress combines a floral silk chiffon with a muted red silk on the skirt. This combination is absolutely gorgeous. Is combination of silks give the dress just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but while still making it feel soft and romantic. The colours are spectacular. The top is a printed silk chiffon, and it has a stunning floral pattern in red purples and greens that float over the entire bodice and the sleeves. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist nips in. It plunges at the front and crosses over itself, and the neckline has been detailed with ruffles that begin at the back of the neck and circle around to follow the V at the front and then run down to the waist. piping in the same fabric detail. The waste and ties have been left off to the side to hang down and create a pretty little detail. The skirt falls to the floor from there and it has yards and yards of fabric in it that creates the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. I love the volume that this type of fabric creates and how it billows around you as you move but at the same time it is as light as a feather. Around the entire upper hip area, and starting at the waist or a series of tiny cleats that gradually open out to create the volume underneath. This intricate detail is a beautiful addition to the dress. The sleeves are outstanding. Each is a single layer of the silk chiffon and are wide and very full. They are caught up at the wrist with a circle full circle ruffle underneath. This creates a beautiful and dramatic finish to the top. I love everything about this dress. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the back with a hidden set painted met zipper. Attached ties at the waist and elastic in each cuff. The silk skirt and the exterior layer is a tool ruffle that helps keep the volume through the skirt. Tagged a vintage YSL 38. I see some light marks around the hem of the skirt.

Sleeves: 24" and 14" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Total length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4665

Reference Photos: Fall 1972 Yves Saint Laurent.

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 was Look 34 in the Resort 2016 lineup. The show was designed by Peter Copping and if you count the bridal collection that he did for the label, this was his third show since being appointed Creative Director at that time. In the Vogue review they noted that Copping stated: "I wanted to embrace color, pattern, and the house's general joie de vivre." And as promised, the clothes were bright, generous with embroideries, and blooming with flowers and ruffles.' They went on to rave about the evening pieces saying that "they captured De la Renta's flair for drama but retained a youthful, playful spirit." This was the second last look of the show and for me, it was one of the strongest. It is an incredibly beautiful dress and a highlight from Copping's time at the label.

This is a dress that instantly captures your attention and I feel like the colours in person are far more striking than how they photoed. There is a richness and depth to them that wasn't quite captured on the camera. The top is strapless and made out of a deep pink silk. It is caught to hug the body and has one of his signature built-in boned and wire cupped corsets inside. I love how the cups at the front have an extra panel of the pink silk set over them. This gives the illusion of a slightly larger bust and also adds a bit of an old Hollywood feel to the top of the dress. At the back it curves beautifully around you. The waist is cinched for shape. On the runway, they showed it with a belt and as far as I am aware that was sold separately. I think the dress works perfectly well on its own without one, but it would be very easy to add a belt if you wanted more shape. The skirt skims over the hips below that and then falls to the floor in a fairly straight column of a spectacular emerald coloured silk. Running down the front on each side is a trailing floral and vine pattern. The vines are made from a thick raffia cord in a deep blue that has been embroidered onto the silk. The flowers are elaborately done and made from deep blue sequins and beads in various shapes and sizes. They are set so that they set up and off of the skirt for the gorgeous 3D effect. There is a high slit that runs up the back of the skirt to allow you to walk comfortably and show a flash of leg. The dress has its original hang tag in place, in its original uncut length and was never worn. It is phenomenal. Excellent condition.

The dress is lined through the bodice in a matching pink silk and has a built-in corset that is boned and cupped. The skirt is lined in a matching green silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back and the inner corset closes with its own zipper.  An inner waist stay hooks to close. Ribbon edge finished inner hem. Tagged a modern ODLR 8.

Bust: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 56.5" from top of bodice to hem with just over 1.5" turned under the hem
Back slit: 26" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4894

Reference Photo: Resort 2016 Oscar de la Renta, Look 34.

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.

In 1952, Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season, he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodman stores and was eventually available at other retailers as well. The line was high end and extremely well made. He launched this line to expand his customer base and it made to appeal specifically to his non-couture clients. This label continued until 1992. This dress has the Givenchy Boutique label without the Nouvelle added and as far as I am aware this label was usually reserved for special orders that were made in the atelier and then shipped to the client without any Paris fittings. All the ones that I have ever seen are machine stitch for the main long seams and then hand finished throughout otherwise. This dress is made exactly like that and it could not be more gorgeous.

This is the kind of dress that makes my heart flutter when I see. I love this particular silhouette from this time period and this one is a beauty. The dress is made out of a beautiful silk brocade that has pink and copper flowers woven throughout the fabric. The pink and slightly coral parts of the flowers are done in a more matte thread and then the copper and gold parts are done with a metallic thread. As a result the flowers almost seem to glow off of the silk. It is an incredible vintage fabric. The top of the dress is equally as stunning. It has a low squared off neckline at the front that is made from a black velvet. It curves up and over your shoulders and has the same squared off opening at the back. At the front it dips slightly at the centre and placed exactly in the middle of that dip is a large black bow of the same velvet that has stiffened netting inside to help hold its shape. The sleeves are gorgeous. Each shoulder is shaped into a high cap. To help support the bit of a rise above the shoulder there is a stiffen thicker grosgrain ribbon that is pleated and stitched into place along the edge of the inner shoulder to add support. The sleeves are cut so that they curve over your arm and narrow down slightly to a zippered wrist. The top is meant to be more fitted and create a more empire feel. The dress is shaped through the waist area with vertical darts to bring the fabric in and create the curve that you see. The skirt falls to the floor from there. It flares out quite dramatically by the time it reaches the hem and I love how the width of the lower skirt perfectly balances the shape through the upper bodice. It is spectacular and the cut and design are phenomenal. This is classic Givenchy for this time period. Excellent condition

The dress is backed in the same velvet where it goes over your shoulders and then the bodice and rest of the dress are lined in a black silk chiffon. It closes with a back zipper and there is a zipper at the end of each cuff. Hand finishes throughout and very well made. 

Sleeves: 24" and are 16" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 12" from top of shoulder to where the velvet ends under the bust
Total length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to front hem, 59" to the back hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4893

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.

John Galliano began his own label in 1984 and he was instantly a bit of a 'boy wonder' in fashion. He was British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1995. In 1991 he made his Paris catwalk debut. In 1995 he was asked to head Givenchy and then went to Dior in October of 1996. His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. This is an amazing example of his work from the Spring 2006 season and it is gorgeous. This dress was a piece made for production for retail but it has all the things we love about his work presented in a beautifully chic and minimalist package. We believe that some of the detailing is based on / loosely inspired by the opening look of the Couture 2006 collection. We have included a photo of that dress for you and you can see similar bead work through the skirt of that dress that has similarity to the pattern of the beads on this dress.

The dress is made out of the deepest possible blue silk crepe chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it and more opaqueness than a standard chiffon would have. It is completely cut on the bias which is one of his signatures that we all love. The dress falls from the shoulders and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures. The fabric has been pieced together with both curved and angled seams through the bodice and lower skirt especially to create the fantastic lines of the dress that you see. Wide straps extend out from the bust to curve over your shoulders. The front is set in a V and the fabric is gathered across the front of the shoulders. I love the angled cut of the front bodice where he has piece the two side of it together. These are set into a high curving seam that highlights the waist but still stays easy in cut. That seam curves around the back curving upwards there as well. The back is scooped into a low curved open expanse. The straps become smaller and run down the back to join into each side of the lowest part of that curve. An attached panel of silk drapes beautifully down the back in reference to the best of Old Hollywood. The dress glides over the body from there and flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening and length of the back hem is created with angled silk chiffon panels inset into the back skirt. It is an incredible feat of patterning. This creates a longer bit of a train at the back for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you. There is an incredible amount of fabric through the lower skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk. It is stunning. The entire dress to just past the knee is beaded with silver beads mixed with the tiniest  silver sequins. These are laid out vertically over the dress in beautiful curving lines that cover the dress. They catch the light from every angle and take the dress to another level. His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

It has a matching silk inner slip dress that loop through a stitch so that they are attached at the top of the inner shoulders. You could easily remove this to get more room if needed. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes and we have provided the comfortable range of measurements for both it and the outer dress below. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. Tagged a FR42, GB14, IT46, US10. 

Dress
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and approx 74" to the back

Inner slip
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4884

Reference Photo: Fall 2006 Dior Couture, Look 1.

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 Richilene label was launched around 1970 and lasted to about 1990 or so from what I understand. It was a New York based label and was designed by Ilene Pacun and her husband Richard. The name came by combining their two first names which I only found out recently, and I thought was a cute little detail. They focused on party dresses for the most part and had a pretty wide range of options price wise. By the mid-1980s their prices ranged from about $200-$2000 and the higher and pieces were very well made. I can't help but think that this is a more attainable version of the famous 1986 Chanel with its removable sleeves. It has that same kind of vibe.

I absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful deep blue netting that has little dots worked through the tulle. The choice of this particular fabric gives it the structure to hold the shape but still keeps it fairly light in weight once on the body. The bodice is strapless and the neckline is cut fairly straight across all around you. There's inner boning for support and the boning continues down the sides on either side to help hold the dress in place. The waist curves in a bit and then the skirt is set in just at the top of the hip. I love how this gives the illusion of extra length through the body. The entire bodice has been heavily detailed with iridescent, deep blue sequence that are sat in a curving swirling pattern. They are heavily set so that they overlap each other and this allows them to catch the light in different ways to create a really pretty effect. Onto this are embroidered and beaded flowers that have petals set up and off the dress for a slight 3-D effect. These go all the way around the upper bodice. The skirt is very long and full. It flows to the floor in a cascade of that beautiful daughter in and there are five layers making up the skirt. The top two layers are the blue netting and then there is a organza layer under that that has a shimmering finish to it. Under that is a black layer of stiffen netting and then there is a final blue layer inside and under that. The very top layer has an edging of stiffen netting all the way around it, and that helps hold the shape and give it a pretty finish all of the volume you see in these photos are from the skirt and all of these built in under skirts. The final touch is of course those incredible removable half sleeves that you just slip on and wear high on the upper arm. They have stiff and tool inside, which helps to give them that puff, and then there is elastic at each end for an easy fit. I have pushed them up so they're very full, but you could also wear them a little more stretched out if you wished. The dress has a bit of a fantasy princess feel that I love. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined in a deep blue muslin feeling fabric and the skirt is lined as described above. It closes with a back set zipper. The sleeves have a stiffen tool interior and elastic on each end so they just slip onto the arm. 

Sleeves: each sleeve is up to 14 inches long and can be worn to be up to half that size in length. The elastic at each end stretches up to approximately 20"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist:12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of bodice: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 24"flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of the bodice to the seam at the bottom of the bodice
Total length: 53" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4879

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 the actual dress that Sarah Snook wore to attend the Director Guild Awards in March 2022. This amazing sequin dress is by Bob Mackie from his boutique line and it is gorgeous. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his signature glamour. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to entering costume design and he began by co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years before launching his own label. His work always has that touch of the best of Hollywood glamour.

This is such a gorgeous dress. Its simple cut combined with that heavy sequin coverage add up to an incredible piece. Plus it is fabulous to have the added modern provenance after having Sarah Snook wear it. The dress has an incredible pattern done in sequins that make the entire dress catch the light from every angle. The sequins are all a glossy black and they are set in vertical rows. In between vertical sections of four, and four and a half inches in width, he left long bands of the fabric without sequins and then also did that same thing cutting across the dress so that he could create a slight check pattern that runs over the dress. It is subtle but adds the perfect amount of detail. The sequins within each created rectangular 'box' have been applied to slightly overlap the next sequin in line so you get a liquid effect. The dress is strapless with a slight curve to the neckline. The front neckline is cut straight across and the bodice kept simple. It is cut to fit over the bust and the waist is cinched. Inside is a hidden cupped and boned corset to keep the dress in place. The dress skims over the hips and the fabric there has stretch so it is easy to fit. The skirt falls to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem with a little flare to the lower skirt. The back is cut longer then the front for a bit of a trained feeling behind you. It has a very classic Old Hollywood movie star feel to it. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfection. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built in inner corset that is cupped and boned. The rest of the dress is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. There is a wide stay under the bust and at the inner waist that hooks to close with four hook options. Tagged a vintage Bob Mackie 6.

Bust: 17-17-5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist
Total length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem, 56" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4876

Reference Photos/Video: Sarah Snook in this Bob Mackie at the Director Guild Awards, March 2022.

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 is the actual runway sample from the Fall 1975 collection and you can see how fantastic it is on the body by the reference photo we found. Like the ivory coloured one already in the shop, the bead work on this dress was done by hand by Madame Gandini, who did beading for many of the Couture houses of the day. John's business is all done on a made-to-order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $10,000 even in the 1970s. If you convert that to modern dollars you get to about $68,000. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing. 

This is an amazing dress that has been densely beaded by hand. The base of the dress is a black silk chiffon and then onto that are thousands of glossy black glass tube beads laid out in vertical rows to fully cover every inch of the dress. The dress has weight to it with all those beads and it is almost 10 pounds off the body. Yet once on, the weight is distributed over you perfectly. The impact of all those beads from head to toe is stunning in the light. The cut is kept simple so that the bead work can take centre stage. The bodice has a high collar and the beads are set there in a slightly different pattern for a bit of added detailing. The dress falls from the shoulders to skim over you all the way to the floor. There is just a suggestion of the waist and then it skims back out over the hips. The sleeves are long and they also have that same slightly different bead work to detail each cuff. The skirt widens out just a touch as it nears the hem and there is an extremely high slit up the back. You don't get as much sense of it in these photos but once on the body this really adds a high flash of bare leg as you walk away. It is insanely sexy. As good as this dress looks in these shots once it is on an actual body is eve better. It is completely made by hand and it is stunning. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon and it closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper. Hand finished throughout. There is perhaps the occasional bead missing here and there but no bare areas. Numbered sample tag on the inner hem.

Sleeves: 22" and 10" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem
Slit: 30.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4404

Reference Photos: Fall 1975 John Anthony Runway.

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.

Each piece that John Anthony made was on a made-to-order basis, which means that each piece is the only one that exists, or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces made, only a very limited amount of pieces were done. All of the pieces I currently have in the shop come directly from John's archive. 

He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This is the original sample of this piece from his archives. We found a series of photos of pieces with the same bead work so you can get an idea of how beautiful they are on the body.

The dress is made out of a feather light deep brown silk chiffon. Glass tube beads are set in vertical rows over both pieces and all of the beads have been applied by hand in perfect little rows onto the silk. I love how they catch the light from every angle. Both pieces have a simple and easy cut so that they are easy to wear and are very flattering on the body. The neckline is scooped and closes with a hook and eye at the back of the neck above a keyhole. The sleeves have the same bead detailing and then they fall in a straight cut to the wrist for a touch of fullness. The bodice is cut to skim loosely over you to the waist. The waist is finished with elastic which lets the silk pouf under a touch. The skirt has a banded waist and falls to the floor under that. It flares out a touch as it nears the hem. It has a high slit on one side for a flash of leg to show. They are gorgeous when worn together. The work has all been done by hand and the workmanship is fantastic. They fall like a dream once on the body. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a second layer of nude silk chiffon. The top closes with a hook and eye above a keyhole at the back of the neck and has elastic at the bottom seam. The skirt closes with hook and eye at the waist and a zipper under that. A tiny area of missing beads here and there but nothing major. Please see the photo after the label shot. The sample tag is stitched inside the cuff of one sleeve.

Top
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from waist to hem
Slit: 27" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4571

Reference Photos: Fall 1981 John Anthony Ready to Wear Advance Preview.

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.

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by his avant garde way of defining the body. His work was shockingly sexy for the times. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. The label had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that combined the same jagged flame cuts with sequins. I have included some of those so you can get an idea of how great this looks on the body. 

This is a gorgeous dress and it is a dress that will really come to life once on an actual body. The body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins. They make the dress shimmer beautifully as they catch the light. The sequins start at the shoulder run down the sleeves, over the bodice, waist and hips and then stop about mid-thigh depending on your height. The skirt is set into the sequins in pointed angled that reflects the points of the hem. The skirt part is made from 12 individual panels that are set side by side all the way around. Each panel is a single layer of black silk chiffon that is incredibly light in weight. When you move they move around you. Each panel has only been attached at the top so you also get glimpses of your legs between each panel as you move. It is incredibly sexy. The same silk chiffon is set into the upper bodice and then the back has a huge cut out that is filled with the silk chiffon that dips into a low scoop. It buttons down the back can you see a hint of skin between each button. I love the pointed finished all around the scoop at the back. It is fantastic once on. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a black silk. It closes with buttons down the back and each sleeve has a zipper at the wrist. One of his signature strapless bras is attached inside the bodice which could be easily removed if you wish.

Sleeves: 23" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to the longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4347

Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini.  /  (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973.

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.

Louis Feraud opened his first boutique in 1950 in Cannes selling sundresses to the jet set. When Brigitte Bardot was photographed in a white pique and lace number, he became the darling of the fashion world. By 1956 he had moved to Paris and opened a couture atelier and in 1960s made his first official couture presentation. Ready-to-Wear followed in 1970. He won the Golden Thimble in in 1978 and again in 1984. Women like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot were huge fans of the label. This is a wonderful sequin and silk chiffon dress that showcases his depth as a designer. It is just exceptional.

The dress has the bit of a high glamour vibe to it that is fabulous. The sequins make it feel so special and I love the use of the silk chiffon for the upper shoulders and sleeves. The chiffon is set wide across the neckline so you get just a hint of the tops of your inner shoulders showing. It runs down to the bodice on the front and back where the sequins start and it also extends out into those phenomenal sleeves. The body of the dress is made out of a dense application of black sequins, set on top of a chiffon, which gives it a touch of structure but still keeps the dress feather light. It is cut fairly straight over the body so that it just floats beautifully over you once on. A slit on one side that runs up from the hem allows for a bit of leg to show. Outside of the glamour of the sequins it is the sleeves that are the star of this dress. Each sleeve has three tiers of pleated silk chiffon added to it. These start just under the base of the arm and are stacked over each other to the wrist. It gives it a stacked pagoda sleeve feel that is just insanely good. The contrast between all of that detail on the sleeve, the sequins and ease through the body of the dress is the perfect mix. Excellent condition

The body is lined in a satin finish rayon and the upper bodice and sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back zipper that starts at the sequins and there is a button to close behind the neck. Tagged a Feraud 40

Sleeves: 24" and are 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4854

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.

McQueen's Fall 2006's collection was called The Widows of Culloden and it was dedicated to his muse and friend Isabella Blow. The Alexander McQueen site says of this collection: "The inspiration here is highly personal – the designer’s own heritage – which goes at least some way towards explaining the exquisite hand-craftsmanship that goes into each piece as well, of course, as bird head-dresses and McQueen tartan. The collection is luxurious and romantic but melancholic and even austere at the same time. The silhouette – all nipped waists, bustles and exaggerated hip lines – is designed to exaggerate a woman’s form and each piece is unique, a one-off couture creation with emotional content intended to be handed down from generation to generation like the most precious of heirlooms." This was also the show where Kate Moss made the famous glass box closing look. Vogue described that feat by saying; "Only Alexander McQueen could provide the astonishing feat of techno-magic that ended his show. Inside an empty glass pyramid, a mysterious puff of white smoke appeared from nowhere and spun in midair, slowly resolving itself into the moving, twisting shape of a woman enveloped in the billowing folds of a white dress. It was Kate Moss, her blonde hair and pale arms trailing in a dream-like apparition of fragility and beauty that danced for a few seconds, then shrank and dematerialized into the ether." They went on to talk about the collection saying; "The quality of the performance—and the extraordinary workmanship in the clothes that preceded it—was a timely reconfirmation of McQueen's unique powers as a showman-designer, and a far cry from the more straightforward presentations he¿s given the last few seasons. For this collection, he delved into his past, revisiting his Scottish family roots and refining the contents of the rampaging tartan "Highland Rape" show with which he began his career in London in the early nineties. Shorn of its original rawness and anger, the result was a poetic and technically accomplished tale that involved romantic images of Scottish fantasy heroines wandering glens and castle halls in vaguely Victorian tartan crinolines, bird-wing or antler-and-lace headdresses, feathered gowns, and pieces made from brocades that might have been dragged down from ancient wall-hangings." I have also included a shot from one of the McQueen book pages that tells more on the show. This was one of his most extraordinary shows and this dress is the twin of Look 32 worn by Freja in that show. It is fabulous. 

This is an incredibly rare piece of McQueen history and may even make a dress for a bride looking to go the non-traditional route or as part of a wedding weekend. And of course it is something that any McQueen collector would be thrilled to own.

I love this dress. It is basically an elaborate silk net tulle piece that sits over an inner ivory silk chiffon lining. Over that he has added embroidered lace panels in black that have all been placed by hand. The dress is incredibly full and voluminous. The bodice is meant to skim over you and the neckline of the tulle overlay is set scooped under the neck. There is a scooped bodice built in underneath that has been stiffened for shaping. Having the net extend up and to the shoulder allowed him to also place the embroidery up and over the shoulder, giving the illusion that it is somehow suspended over you from a distance. The trailing panels of black embroidered flowers contrast beautifully over the deep ivory netting underneath. The waist is seamed and set just above the natural waist line. The embroidery trails past the seam to soften the line. The waist is cut on the more wide and generous side which helps to create the shape he wanted the dress to have. The skirt has yards and yards of tulle with two more layers under the top layer and over the inner silk lining. The embroidery work is even more spectacular around the skirt going all the way around you. I love how it becomes very dense and heavy by the hem and then it trails upwards towards the bodice. It is incredibly beautiful and the pictures do not convey how magical it is in person. It feels like wearing a magical cloud of tulle. Alexander McQueen was incredibly gifted and this dress really shows the extent of his talent. It was one of my favourite dresses at the show. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in an ivory silk chiffon and closes at the back with a button at the back of the neck and a hidden side zipper under the waist line. I see a couple small breaks in the netting and it looks like there are some minor repairs done near the waist seam. I have photo them all and I've been very picky because it presents as perfect once on. It's beautiful.

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 43" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4851

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2006 Alexander McQueen, Look 32. Model Freja Beha Erichsen.  /  (4) From the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams and edited by Claire Wilcox.

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 shown for Look 40 for the Resort 2017 presentation. The entire collection was an explosion of flowers and handwork went into many of the garments. Astounding considering that it is RTW. Vogue explained that "Clothes like these are a very far cry from humdrum commercial fare to fill the gaps in stores between seasons. With Burton’s softening touch, they transcend the source material to become very special, non-disposable items a woman might want to keep forever." It is a terrifically beautiful dress and it is even more interesting for the fact that she made two versions of the dress for the collection, one on black net and the other on ivory. We found reference photos of Lily Collins, Emily Blunt and Bee Schaffer all wearing one that year and all looking phenomenal in it. 

This is an exquisite dress this is covered with an intricate design made out of tiny beads and sequins in a beautiful array of colours. The base is made of black silk netting and then the dress is lined in a black silk chiffon through the body. This gives it enough weight to hold the shape of the dress and to support the weight of the added embellishments but it still feels magically light once on. You rarely see this level of handwork on a modern piece unless you step into the world of couture and it is a joy to see this dress in person. The design that covers the dress has been meticulously done by using a combination of sequins and beads. Many of the sequins are set slightly on their sides and this gives the design a slightly raised 3D effect off of the netting. The designs forms flowers and birds within that gorgeous pattern and it is the kind of piece that the more you look at it the more you see. I took several detail shots so you can get an idea of the workmanship. Cut wise it is an easy dress to wear. The sleeves are long and they are left unlined so that the pattern really shows against your skin underneath the netting. The shoulders are slightly capped and the neck is scooped. It skims over the bust, past the waist and over the hips. There is no seam at the waist. Instead it is cut to slightly come in and the pattern also draws your eye inwards. The skirt falls to the floor from there and it is in its original uncut supermodel length. I love how the width of the skirt flares out and it is quite alive by the time it reaches the floor. The pattern also changes to pick up the grid work on the bust and tie the whole dress together. The extra fabric around the hem also gives you this beautiful movement when you move. Truly an extraordinary piece from the Sarah Burton era. Excellent condition.

Lined in a black silk chiffon as described above. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and each cuff closes with a hidden set zipper. The ease of the cut and slight bias of the netting should allow it to fit a range of sizes. Tagged a modern McQueen 42.

Sleeves: 24.5" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15" 
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 67" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4849

Reference Photos: (1-2) Resort 2017 Alexander McQueen, Look 40.  /  (3-5) Lily Collins in Alexander McQueen at the 19th Costume Designers Guild Awards, 2017.  /  (6) Katherine "Bee" Schaffer, in McQueen, and Anna Wintour at the 2018 Evening Standard Theatre Awards.  /  (7) Emily Blunt in Alexander McQueen for The Girl On The Train world premiere, October 2016.

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.

No matter how good you think that this dress looks like in photos it is even better in person and moving. The heavy copper / gold coloured metal wire and rhinestones that were used to create the pattern on the silk catch the light from every angle when you move. The dress is made out of the palest ballet pink silk. The dress is cut on the bias so it just glides over the body. It buttons down the back in a row of tightly spaced silk covered buttons and it is cut to just fall over you in a sweep of bias cut silk. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny silk straps and the front falls over the bust with a V neck plunge at the front and the back. The dress skims over the waist and hips with seams that are reminiscent of the couture dresses of the thirties. All are done so that the bias cut of the silk follows your curves and highlights the body underneath without it being too tight and fitted. Once past the hips the dress flares out as it nears the bottom and it is incredibly full. A wide panel circles all the way around the lower skirt and there is stiffened netting placed behind it so that it holds the fullness around you. When you walk or move the skirt kicks out to add beautiful movement and volume. The final perfect detail is that spectacular design made out of a combination of metal wire in a deep copper gold tone. This is set so that it curves up and off the silk for a 3D effect. Prong set rhinestones are scattered in and among the designs on the bust and around the hips. These catch the light beautifully as you move. It is just wonderful. Over all great condition with a note below

Fully lined with a pale pink silk chiffon and closes with the buttons down the back. The measurements given below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. The bias cut of the dress should work on a range of sizes. On smaller frames it will drape more and be more fitted on larger frames. The very slightest yellowing to the silk here and there and around the waist area in particular. You can see it in the photos presented and I would say the photos make it look worse than it is in real life. I see a couple of loose threads and missing beads at the back. Very minor. Tagged a Cavalli XS

Bust: 14-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 70" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4825

Reference Photo: Jaime Tisch attends a preview gala dinner for the Metropolitan Museum's "Wild: Fashion Untamed" exhibition, hosted by fashion designer Robert Cavalli, on December 6, 2004.

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.

Lace was one of the primary fabrics that Sarah Burton used for the Spring 2012 collection and Vogue reported that "She based her collection on the three Gs: Grès for the pleating and draping, Gaudí for the architecture, and Gaia for the sense of all-encompassing oceanic life that infused the clothes, like the outfits composed of coral or shells." They went on to remark on the beautiful pastels and golds used saying "this collection proved how hot-wired into the core of McQueen Burton truly is. The colour palette—as translucent as the inside of a shell—had the kind of unambiguous prettiness that McQueen himself might have felt inclined to disrupt in some way". The twin of this stunning dress in black was featured in the  Spring 2012 collection Lookbook sent out to select retailers. Pink wore one in black for an editorial shoot and Du Juan wore one on the red carpet. I love it in the gold. It is so striking.

The dress is stunning and it might even make for a spectacular bridal dress or to be worn for the events surrounding a wedding weekend or as a gala / event piece. It is made out of a muted gold lace that tops a pale nude silk underneath. The dress is cut to follow the curves of the body from the top of the neckline to below the hips but in a way that doesn't feel overly tight or confining. It just curves over the body in the best possible way. The neckline is a scooped and the bodice is shaped to flow over your curves. The waist is a touch on the more easy side and you could easily add a wide corset belt to get the effect you see in the reference photos and really cinch it in. It curves over the hips to about the knee and then the lower skirts explode out from there. Insets of the same lace with masses of a silk organza underskirt are set all the way around the skirt. If you lay the lower skirt out flat it has more volume than a full circle. This is what creates those incredible rounded effect and the volume that you see in the photos. We did not add any additional underskirts on this dress. All of that sweeping volume is all built in. It also creates beautiful movement as you move. You can see in the photos that the back is cut slightly longer then the front so you get this beautiful sweeping effect behind you as you walk. It is so special and absolutely stunning. This is Sarah at her best. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pale nude silk for the body of the dress and then silk organza through the lower skirts. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged McQueen 42.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of bodice to front hem, 66" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4824

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2012 Alexander McQueen Lookbook.  /  (2-3) Pink, in McQueen, photographed by Andrew MacPherson, Feb 2012.  /  (4) Du Juan in McQueen at the Deja Vu Screening, June 2012.

This suit is from Christian Lacroix's Luxe label that was only produced the very first couple of seasons after launching his label. It was very high-end expensive ready-to-wear that was made to demi-couture standards and was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was also the predecessor to his regular ready-to-wear collections. It is said that this label only lasted a couple of seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. Very few pieces were made of this line so they are almost as rare as finding one of his Couture pieces.

This suit is everything you want to see in a Lacroix. The colour is that bright vibrant Lacroix pink that is now associated with his name. The colour is even better in person than how it photoed too. Both pieces are made of an almost grosgrain ribbon feeling silk that has black velvet dots fused onto the top of the fabric. The fabric choice allowed him to cut the suit to really hold the shape that he intended. The jacket has a gorgeous notched collar and big faceted black jet buttons down the front. It closes with hidden set snaps behind those buttons. I love that you can close it all the way up to the neck which means you don't have to wear anything underneath it or you can leave it partially or all the way open. The shoulders have some padding and the sleeves are set into the shoulder with a slight capped feel. Each sleeve ends with an upturned cuff. The jacket is meant to fit the body with a structured and seamed waist and then the hips have a peplum that adds to the hourglass feel that the suit has. I love the extra flap that gives the peplum a double hem. That skirt is high waisted so that your waist is very defined and then it is a poufed, almost bubble skirt under that. It goes out and around the hips and then comes in at the hem. This was a Lacroix signature shape and it is gorgeous. Everything about the suit is meant to invoke curves and I love the play on curves with the curve of the dots on the pink silk. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

All pieces are lined in a black silk. The jacket snapped to close and the skirt closes with a hidden set side zipper. There is minor wear to some of the velvet on the dots here and there. Both pieces are tagged a vintage Lacroix 38.

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5" and are 13.5" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at the bottom seam: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 22" from waist to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4821

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 spectacular and rare dress from the Fall 2004 McQueen show and its twin walked the runway that season. On the runway it was shown with a sash wrapped around the hips and you could easily replicate this if you wished. It is equally as good on its own. The runway pieces were not produced in significant numbers and were often only found at the flagship stores in very limited quantities. For this collection McQueen was quoted as saying that he wanted to 'strip away all theatrics and focus purely on design'. The colours in the show focused on a nude palette and these taupe pieces were a predominant element in the collection. He also kept the embellishments to the bare minimum throughout the collection and this dress showcases that nod towards simplicity. 

The dress is made from a very fine knit jersey that has a slight sheen to it. The seams are then either surged and top stitched, or have been covered and highlighted with a silk cording. This use of the seams as a way to create design details within the dress is a very McQueen feeling signature and it really highlights the cut of the piece. The neckline on the dress is a wide ribbed panel that has a lot of stretch available to it. You could wear it up and off the shoulders but it is best worn as shown on the runway, stretched and pulled down to leave the shoulders bare and exposed. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has some fullness above its 4" cuff. On the runway, they pulled the cuff up and inside so you just saw the part that blouses over and not the cuffs itself. A very clever styling trick. From there it continues past the hips to the floor. If you thought the way the seams have been detailed on the bodice is pretty, the skirt is magical. There are stacked side by side peaked panels whose tops sit at different heights around the entire skirt. Each has a touch of open cut work around their seams which gives the dress more depth and detail. This piecing of the side by side panels also allows the skirt to have more of a flare at its bottom. You can see how beautifully it moves in the runway video here. It is my understanding from my client that only a limited amount of these were produced. This is an iconic piece of McQueen's history. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in an ivory stretch lingerie type fabric and slips over the head to wear. The knit jersey has stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. I see a tiny area on the knit where it misses a stitch. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a McQueen 38. Any change in colour you see is just the lighting. The stretch fabric should allow it to accommodate a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: variable
Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Total length: approx 60" from the top of the natural shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4816

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2004 Alexander McQueen.

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 extraordinary little dress and I'm very pleased to have the exact date of it because my clients grandmother wore it to her wedding on October 15, 1910.  By all accounts it was a long and happy marriage and my client hopes that this dress will pass on that love to its next owner.

This extraordinary dress was completely made by hand and is very feminine and beautiful. It is a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has survived the passing of time exceedingly well and was carefully stored all of these many decades. The base of the dress is made from a fine and light netting and it is this fabric choice that has allowed it to remain strong and sturdy over the years. The colour is a beautiful ivory that was almost impossible to capture and in real life it has a slightly more pastel feel to it that I think is just lovely. Onto this is an intricate design made of glass tube beads and little iridescent sequins that highlight the design and lines of the dress. The front neckline is in a soft scoop, and the back angles into a bit of a V above a row of snaps that close the dress. The sleeves extend out and are gathered along the top of the shoulders for a pretty little detail. They're open on their underside and the sequins and beads follow the pattern to circle the neckline and edge the sleeves. A wide band of sequins and beads detail the waist, and then the dress falls in a pretty cascade of the netting to just past the knee or a bit below depending on your height. A floral pattern is worked throughout the dress, and the workmanship is exquisite. Hangs lower than the front so you have a bit of a swooping feeling. There's a touch of light boning around the inner waist to hold the dress perfectly in place while it's on you. The placement of each and every embellishment is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to create this extensive design. The combination of the soft and romantic ivory net and the beautiful floral patterns that runs over it is absolutely fantastic. This would be an amazing dress for a collector or a bride who wants to incorporate a bit of the past into part of her celebration. Excellent condition

The dress is unlined with snaps at the back to close. Some of the snaps appear newer than others. The fabric appears to be strong and is wearable with the care. Perhaps the tiniest mark here and there and tiny break in the net but for something over 100 years old I would rate it as being in excellent antique condition. 

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Bodice: 13" from the top of the shoulder to the top of the 3" band at the waist
Total length: 46" from the top of the shoulder to the shortest part of the front hem, 51" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4804

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 very chic Christian Dior dress from the Marc Bohan years. The label is numbered and when you see that in a Dior Boutique label 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 store rather then in Paris. It is a wonderful example of the work being done during this time period and shows the restraint that the label could have when it delved into minimalism. It is a very easy and comfortable dress to wear. Don't let the simplicity of it fool you. This is a dream to wear and the simple lines are offset  by the high quality of the silk and the ease and beauty it has once on.

The dress is made from a black silk that drapes beautifully over the body. The neckline falls from a single shoulder that draped up and over to the back. There is an inner dress and then a layer of silk chiffon is draped over that dress to blouse over you to the waist. I love the way it softly angles from the shoulder down to the other side on both the front and the back. The waist has an elastic so the dress is extremely easy to wear and comfortable. The bodice blouses over the waist line. You can wear it as is or you can to add a belt underneath and cinch in the waist to create a more hourglass shape. The inner bodice is made from two layers of the same silk chiffon and it is cut to skim over your bust to the waist. The skirt falls from the waist to the floor gently widening out as it clears the hem. The elastic creates a series of small soft gathers all the way around the waist and this the skirt open up beautifully as it does. The skirt is made of three layers of the silk chiffon, each stacked perfectly over each other. A slit runs out the same side as the shoulder for a little bare flash of leg. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfect every single time. You can see the hand work throughout and it is beautifully made. Excellent condition.  

The layers of silk chiffon act as its lining. The dress weighs ounces. It closes with a side set zipper on the two innermost layers to the waist and then snaps on the top lay over that. Elastic through the waist. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 23" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4789

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 very rare piece of vintage and it is a delight to have it in the shop. It is from the 1988 Spring / Summer "Blanche Dubois" collection. The show had a total of 96 looks in it. My client purchased this right after the show and has had it since. The inspiration for this collection was Tennessee Williams 1947 heroin from the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" combined with the idea of the English country lady. An integral part of the collection were the way that he had the hems of the skirts and some sleeves done. He described then as "blown away" hems. Galliano had given his pattern cutters a book on origami and asked them to incorporate the feel of it into the clothing. He wanted the hems to look as though it had been blown up in the wind hence the name "blown away." Interior buttons and button holes along the hems were added to allow the skirts to achieve the draped bubbled effect that you see here and in the reference photos. The collection was critically acclaimed and it was his most commercially successful to date. US Vogue noted that he went from fashion cult to pacesetter with this collection. 

When we photoed the skirt we did it to show how you can change the look of the hem depending on if you choose to button the buttons up, or leave them undone. there are many configurations that you can do, including buttoning some of the button holes onto the same buttons inside or leaving them all undone and having a longer length skirt. Another key component of the show where these extremely high waists that you would then put a large belt around. My client told me that she often wore this as a strapless dress as well and if you are small enough through the bust to do so, you can have that added option. There is boning through the sides of the waist that help to hold it up and in place. The amount of fabric that the skirt has, and that unusual way the hem has been sewn combined with the buttons, really does give it the most fantastic and fascinating movement when you move. The fabric is at ultra soft white cotton or cotton mix. This piece was only ever owned by one person and it was loved and worn. It does have some faint marks on it but it doesn't take away from the importance or rarity of the piece.

This is an exceptionally rare piece to come up for sale from one of his very early collections. Excellent overall condition with a note below.

The skirt is unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. There are buttonholes hidden along the hem of the skirts and then button sit along the seams inside the skirt which is what allows you to change the look and length of the skirt. I see a repair along the back but because of the asymmetrical hem you would actually think that this was deliberate if you did not know better. I see another tiny area at the front where someone has put a stitch near the seam. There are some marks on the front and along one side of the hem. I did have this cleaned and they faded quite a bit but we were not overly aggressive in the cleaning. You might be able to fully get these out with more specialty cleaning. Please see the photos after the label. It is a remarkable piece of fashion history

Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total Length at its longest and unbuttoned it is 45" and then it can be adjusted with the buttons shorter

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4785

Reference Photos: Spring 1988 John Galliano. (Third image from the book "Galliano: Spectacular Fashion" by Kerry Taylor for Bloomsbury.)

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.

Oscar was known for his beautiful and feminine designs and this dress really showcases that. With our modern day obsession with all things eighties and nineties this play on proportions and fabrics still feels extremely of this moment fashion wise. Oscar had an amazing sense of aesthetics and his genius was in making women look and feel beautiful. I love that we found an amazing backstage shot of it from the runway show that let us date it. It is very hard to date his earlier work and its also nice to be able to see it on. It is just an absolutely gorgeous example of his work from this time period. 

Three different fabrics were combined to make of this dress and each one becomes a an element of the design. The sleeves are a light weight silk taffeta and that is how they hold their fullness without being heavy. The bodice is done in a black lace for a pretty touch. The skirt is a black silk that has a very fine thin ribbing that runs through it for added texture. The neckline is scooped low and it is set wide across at the front so that it sits on the outer edge of your shoulders. At the back it is scooped so you get an expanse of bare skin. The sleeves are spectacular. They have built in panels of tulle to help hold their shape. They are cut to be every full so that they billow out to just above the elbow. They have elastic running through the edges nearest to the shoulders and this allows you to be able to wear them up and on the shoulder like I have shot them here or you could let them fall off the shoulder to get an even more bare feel. It skims over the bodice to the waist and I love the little lace peplum that sits just under the waist seam. The skirt falls from under that on a beautiful curve to the floor. There is a built-in underskirt made out of a black silk organza that has a wide ruffled bottom. This helps to hold the shape of the outer skirt. The fulness of the skirt moves beautifully when you move. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined in a black chiffon, The skirt in a black organza and the sleeves have tulle inside them to hold the shape. Built in underskirt. It closes with a back zipper. Tagged a vintage ODLR 6

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 17" from natural shoulder to slightly dropped seam under natural waist
Skirt: 44" from slightly dropped seam under natural waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4444

Reference Photo: Resort 1978 Oscar de la Renta.

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 wonderful little 1920s flapper dress was completely made by hand and a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has its original Made in France label still present and these pieces were always a little higher quality then some examples you see from the time period. It has no other label but it is not hard to imagine that it might have been a designer piece as well. The base of the dress is a black silk netting that is strong and sturdy. Onto this is an intricate design made up of gelatin sequins set boxes. Each is a combination of purple, pink & turquoise in an alternating design. The placement of each sequin is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to make the fabric alone. The center of each block makes me think of a cluster of little pink "hearts" that are then surrounded by an abstract shape. A metal based gold lame thread and tiny little gold tubes beads are then shaped around each to make the block design that you see.  These are then stacked in rows to cover the dress entirely with the black netting serving as the separation between each. This combination of colored sequins, gold thread & beads is absolutely fantastic. There is an extra panel of netting inserted at each hip to give the skirt extra flare. Excellent antique condition

The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The edges of the side net panels are raw and at one time there may have an extension to them but it is now cut even with the hem. I see no other flaws and it appears to have been worn very little if at all and is wearble with the care it would deserve to be worn with. Even with that small defect the dress is remarkably sound and shockingly beautiful. It is almost 100 years old and is considered to be in museum quality condition.

Bust: 17" from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40" from shoulder to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E290

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.

James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. Galanos pieces were all produced in very limited quantities in his workshops and his work was as close to couture construction that you could find outside of Paris. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

This is one of my favourite pieces I have seen by Galanos and it is incredibly beautiful in person. The dress is made from a feather light silk and that choice of fabric is what gives it that bit of volume that you see through the skirt. I did not add any underskirts, the shape that you see is all created by the way the skirt is set in and around the waist and the lightness of the silk. Two piped blue silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. The neckline dips in a slight sweetheart at the front with the silk gathered and softly pleated all the way around the top of the bodice for detailing. The silk on the bodice is that same brilliant blue as the straps and it is softly gathered down the sides to the waist. The silk extends out past the waist seam into a edged ruffle that meets a ruffle underneath created by the extension of the silk of the skirt. I love the detailing there that this creates and that underneath the ruffle the waist seam is anchored with a gold braided cording. The skirt has been softly gathered all around the waist and then it open outwards to have the volume and fullness that you see. Four panels of silk have been pieced vertically together to construct the skirt. At the front you see  a deep green panel on one side and a slightly metallic feeling copper brown on the other. At the back both of the panels are the same beautiful blue as the bodice. All of the edges where the panels meet are finished with a hand applied metallic gold cord. Between the green and brown panel at the front the skirt is slit open between the cording so when you walk or move you get a flash of bare leg. The silk is so light  that when you love the skirt billows out around you. Incredible. Excellent condition  

Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Ribbon edge interior seams. Hand finished throighout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Total length: 59" from waist to hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3736

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 very recognizable Alexander McQueen piece. While there are many of his pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that you instantly know is McQueen. Lee had only recently joined the Gucci Group at this point and his shows were becoming bigger and more commercial. The Fall 2003 collection was titled 'Scanners' and he went to the frozen arctic tundra for the show set. The runway was a wasteland set against an icy mountain. Models walked among rubble and rocks on the runway and and a dusting of snow covered everything. The name of the show came from the invitation that had scans of McQueen's actual brain on them. In the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams, they noted that "the collection engaged McQueen's interest in Eurasian culture and was presented as a journey of displaced travellers from west to east, from dark to light across the harsh planes of Siberia through Tibet, and into Japan, the land of the rising sun." The looks touched on both Russia and Japanese themes as well as mixing in a little bit of his signature punk. This is the twin of the dress that walked the runway for Look 55 and it is outstanding. It also has a strong tie-in with red carpets and we have included photos of some of the people that have worn one here including Eve and Naomi Campbell. This is an exceptional, very rare and extraordinary piece of his work for the collector. It might even make an amazing choice for a bride looking a non-traditional choice or alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration.

This dress is beautiful and rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready-to-wear. The fabric is a feather light white silk chiffon that moves with the barest breathe of air. The cut is classic McQueen with a low cut squared off neckline at the front that is meant to hold and push the breasts upwards. Underneath the bodice sits a band of silk to add some shape and structure. This tiny little detail adds the perfect bit of shape and gives the bodice its empire cut. The back is scooped to show a bare expanse of skin. I love how the straps are meant to sit at the very outer edge of your shoulders. Inside it is lined in an ivory silk satin and has hidden set boning. The construction is beautiful and done to the high level that you expect from runway McQueen. The skirt falls from the band beneath the bodice and there are yards and yards of silk used to create the skirt. At the front it is cut to just past the knee or just above mid-calf, depending on your height. It curves around the back where it drops in length at the centre and then there are two long panels on either side of you that fall to the floor. The effect this multi-length hem creates when you move is fantastic. As you walk it floats out behind and around you. You can see the movement in the runway video and it is extraordinary. If that was not enough, the entire dress was then hand, beaded and sequin with a combination of silver thread, tiny little silver beads and tiny silver sequins. They form an exquisite and highly detailed trailing flower design that is denser around the hem and then trails up the dress into the bodice. Attached ties extend out from the centre back of at the waist with extra extra long ties that can be wrapped around you or tied and left to trail out behind you. This is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a white silk satin through the bust and white silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a series of large hidden set hooks at the back. The hooks could be moved a quarter to half inch up or down to get more or less room. The interior bust is shaped and boned. Hand finishes throughout. No size tag present. 

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of shoulder to the top of the 1" band under the bust
Total length: 39" from top of shoulder to the front hem, 44" to the shortest pont of the back hem, 59" to the longest point of the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4744

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2003 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 55. Model Natalia Vodianova.  /  (4) Eve at the 2003 CFDA Awards.  /  (5) Naomi Campbell at a Party thrown in honor of McQueen, November 2004.  /  (6) Lily Donaldson on left at the 2006 Met Gala.  /  (7-8) Sienna Miller at the premiere of Cold Mountain, December 2003  /  (9) Julia Schlaepfer wearing this dress at the BAFTA Tea Party, 2024.

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 the Ready-to-Wear version of the Haute Couture Dior dress that walked the Fall 2021 show for Look 32. You can see the striking similarities to it from the similar metallic net fabric, to the cut. This version for the main line was produced for the shops in limited quantities and only sold at certain of certain Dior shops from what I understand. It is an absolutely stunning dress and I love knowing that it is based on that beautiful couture gown. It is truly a beautiful piece and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.

The fabric on this dress is very unusual. A fine metallic gold thread is done in a grid cut out that creates a thatched pattern over the entire dress. This sits over a layer of a pale nude silk netting and then both of those sit over the inner layers of silk tulle and silk on the bodice. The skirt has multiple layers of tulle underneath that top metallic layer with an inner silk lining under them all. The skirt has a ton of fabric and I did not use any extras under-skirts in the photos. All of the volume that you see is created by all of the existing layers of tulle and silk. If you wanted the skirt to be even fuller you could add something underneath and turn it into a fairy-tale cupcake dress. The bodice is meant to be fitted and the fabric is wrapped and gathered all the way around you. Inside there are padded cups that create a sweetheart neckline and light boning to hold the dress in place and give you support. Tiny little half sleeves leave the shoulders bare and they wrap around your upper arms for a pretty feminine detail. The waist is cinched and then the skirt poufs out below that to create all that gorgeous volume that you see. The dress comes with its original Dior cloth garment bag and looks to have been worn very little at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk and constructed as described above. It closes with a back hidden set zipper and an inner waist stay hooks to close. The front cups are padded and there is light boning in the inner bodice. Hand finishes. Tagged a F36, GB8, I40 US4. The colour is slightly more metallic in person and better.

Sleeves: 11" and are 11" around the upper arm
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 57" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4733

Reference Photo: Fall 2021 Christian Dior Couture, Look 32. Model Mathilde Henning.

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 without a doubt one of the most recognizable of pieces ever created during Tom Ford's tenure at Gucci. It's twin was Look 10 on the runway and we have included runway photos and video for you to see how beautifully this moves once on the body. In Vogue's review of the show they said that "This season every major designer is talking about creating a "beauty" strong enough to defy our anxious times. Backstage that was the word Tom Ford used to characterize his Fall collection for Gucci—a collection in which beauty was personified as a power vixen extravagantly armoured to face down a troubled world" The evening pieces were mentioned specifically "For evening, there were gowns constructed with cutout zones of sparkling mesh and frilled bra tops; others snaked to the floor, held in place with complex asymmetric straps crossing the torso and shoulders. If Ford is treading the territory mapped out by Thierry Mugler and Azzedine Alaïa in the ’80s, it’s no surprise. Much of fashion is heading in that direction >anyway, and Ford, after all, bases Gucci’s entire brand proposition on finding new ways of upping the ante on sex season after season." This is a dress from one of the most incredible eras of Gucci.

I love that this dress is the twin of the colour chosen to walk the runway and that it has it's corset belt that was sold separately. Usually when I see one of these for sale they do not have the matching corset or they are in the black colour that was sold and produced for the shops. From my understanding, this colour was only sold in some of the Gucci shops and was produced in lower quantities, making it more rare and special. The dress itself is stunning and this one is pristine. It is made out of a silk blend that allows the silk to stretch and give. The fabric is as light as air and that incredible stretch allows it to conform to your every curve and helps to create curves. The neckline is meant to sit lower on the chest and it sits wide across the front. You can see that on the runway. The sleeves are long and simple so that the seaming detail on the dress can stand out. The silk is gathered up and over the edge of the neckline in soft folds and then below that is the incredible seaming that shapes the dress around the body. The seam work that he did for his time at Gucci was an integral part of his design philosophy The seaming acted like embellishments, shaping the pieces and giving them added detailing. The waist is seamed and it curves down and over the hips with insets there to hold and emphasize the shape. The skirt falls under that, following the curve of the body with just a slight flare out at the back hem. At the back the seaming curves around from that waist area and curves underneath your bottom. The silk is gathered in along those curved seams to create ruching and there is a panel built inside where they meet just above the hem to give added structure and support. It is incredible. The corset goes over top of that and it is made out of a thick stretch fabric that has an almost neoprene feel to it. It velcro's into place at the front and then straps wrap around you and buckle into place to cinch you in. This is a true stand out piece from Tom Ford's reign at Gucci and it is also incredibly sexy. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The belt has Velcro at the front and then buckles to close over that. Both pieces appear to have been worn very little if at all. The dress has its inner fabric tag with the Gucci name on it only. The belt is tagged a size 40. The fabric does have stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat.

Dress
Sleeves: approx 28" and is 12-15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 15-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40" from top of shoulder to front hem, 43" to the back hem

Corset Belt
6" high at its skinniest point and 9 inches at its widest
approx 26-3-" end to end 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4728

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2003 Gucci, Look 10. Model Mariacarla Boscono.  /  (4) Yasmine Warsame in Gucci for Amica Magazine, October 2003.

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 walked the runway for the Spring 1990 Haute Couture collection. Its twin was shown under a jacket on model Gloria Burgess and we found the original sketch of the dress in my YSL folio. I thought it interesting to see that Gloria was not the original model intended for the dress and that there was a change by Yves as to who wore it on the actual runway and you can see that interesting little detail in the sketch. I have included all the reference photos for you here and it gives you a beautiful idea of how fabulous this is once on the body. This is also the collection that the book 'Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk' notes that "The end of this catwalk show was greeted by 10 minutes of a standing ovation, following Yves Saint Laurent's homage - via 119 designs - to the hugely talented men and women who had thus far influenced him and made an impression upon him". The dress is gorgeous and Yves always cut his couture pieces so perfectly. It really is a beautiful piece and in my opinion, owning a piece of his couture work is one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.

The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful Yves Saint Laurent could cut a dress to flatter a woman's body. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is that heavier richer silk that you only see in the very best pieces of couture. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulders have padding to extend the line of them outwards a touch over the ends of the shoulder. The sleeves are cut full through the upper arms and then narrow to the wrists. Each cuff ends with four handmade silk covered buttons and loops and each button is perfectly functional. The neckline is set a touch wide across. The silk is gathered around the waist into soft folds to create a little extra bit of a detailing. The folds are set slightly off to the side and on an slight angle that visually helps to extend the body of the person wearing it. The waist is seamed but cut on the more generous side. To cinch it in we have added an ivory silk chiffon sash that is a beautiful match to the dress. The skirt falls under that in a simple shape that flares out as it nears the hem. It falls to just about the knee or above depending on your height and there are hidden pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is beautiful creamy ivory. This is a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. It really shows how sometimes simplicity can have so much of an impact. It would be a dress that might make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice, for a day wedding, or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in an ivory silk and all the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It closes with a hand set side zipper and a button at the back of the neck. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Each cuff has four hand made silk buttons and loop. Padding in each shoulder as described above. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. The silk chiffon sash is not original to the dress but will be sent with it. Any change in colour that you see in the photos is lighting.

Sleeves: 22" and 14" around the upper arm
Slightly wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4727

Reference Photo: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway. Model Gloria Burgess.

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.

In 1952, Hubert de Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodmans and was eventually made available at other retailers. The line was high end and extremely well made. This part of his brand was created specifically to appeal to his non-couture clients who wanted to be able to purchase a piece of the Givenchy dream. This label continued until 1992 when it was retired and re-branded as the Givenchy Couture label. This dress is from those early days of the label and it is one of the prettiest Givenchy dresses I have seen. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4721

Reference Photos: Spring 1982 Lanvin Couture. Model Anna Bayle.

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.

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. I love finding his worn becasue its rare and exceptionally well made. It represents the more fantastical side of British fashion during this time period and I love that. 

The dress is made from a silk chiffon that has been dyed to a deep fuchsia that gradually darkens to a deep mauve as it loves across the dress. I love the depth this creates and how it highlights the parts of the dress. The sleeves are wide and come out from just above the gathered waist. They narrow down to their ends from there. The front and back both dip into a deep V and the neckline sits wide across the shoulders. There is a little silk flower finished with sequins nestled at the base of the V. From just under the bust to the top of the hips the silk is gathered and fitted for shape. The skirt falls to the floor from there in a sweep of silk chiffon. Pink glitter is fused onto the silk and it catches the light with your every move. Under the top layer of silk on the skirt is an inner lining in a pale silver blue . The two colours layered over each other adds an extra dimension to the skirt that is even better in person. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined in a pale silver blue silk and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. There are hook and eye along part of the bottom seaming of the arm on that side as well. Big iridescent glass buttons on each cuff. Small areas here and there where the glitter has fallen off but it is minimal and I am being picky. 

Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: no defines seam
Bust: no true side seams so open and variable
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of gatherings 24" down from the shoulder: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, skirt is open under that
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3068

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 the silk version of the Fall 2000 Look 54 leather dress that Galliano sent down the runway for the final look of that show. This version was made in this silk taffeta for the shops. It is very rare and wonderful piece of his history. This dress has the added modern provenance of being the actual dress worn by poet Rupi Kaur to the Vanity Fair and Elton John after parties for the 2024 Oscars. Amal Clooney recently wore a longer black version on the Cannes red carpet. This is a rare and early Galliano that is one of the best I have seen. 

The dress is made from an iridescent silk taffeta in a deep oxblood red. The iridescent quality of the fabric make it catch the light in the most incredible way that you could imagine. It doesn't need a single embellishment because of the fabric choice. This is one of John's classic corseted pieces. Inside the dress there is a full built-in corset that has wired cups and extensive boning to hold you in place. The dress came to me with a thick, almost shoe lace like cord that was used to lace it up at the back and I love the contrast this gives. This is a detail however that is hidden from sight. The corset and its lace is all hidden inside the dress and then the dress zips to close over it. The dress is seamed vertically so there is no horizontal seam to break the eye. The shoulders are cut so they sit off the shoulder. The inner corset holds the dress tightly in place around the bodice and the breasts are pushed up from the internal cupping. It skims over the hips and then the skirt narrows inwards slightly before flaring back out. The lower skirt is set on an angled seam and has extra fabric to create that little fabulous flare that it has. The seaming at the back is incredible. On one side he has run a slightly curving seam sett on an angle from the top of one hip to the centre seam of the back. Attached along this seam is an extensive long curved panel that picks up the flare and curve of the skirt. This panel drapes lower down to past the hem. This is a rare opportunity for a beautiful piece of his early work that shows his love and devotion to corsetry and that Galliano flare we know and love. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The inner corset is lined in the same silk and it is bone and cupped. It laces at the back as described above and seen. The rest of the dress is lined in a deep burgundy red silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. I see a couple of very tiny areas of darkening on the fabric but they are extremely minor. This is exactly how the dress was worn on the red carpet so they have no impact on the wearability of the dress at all. Please see the photos after the label shot. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup at the front
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 57" from top of the natural shoulder to hem and the panel extends another 7 inches past the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4693

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-10) Fall 2000 John Galliano, Look 54 (Final Look).  /  (11-12) Rupi Kaur in this dress for the Elton John Oscars Party, March 2024.

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 exceptional dress is by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior and it is a wonderful example of his work during this time period. We have dated it to the Fall 1979 collection based on the reference and runway photos we found of pieces with similar fabric and cuts. I love that it feels like a throwback to the work of the original Mr. Dior and that it has such a beautiful feel of old world glamour to it. Bohan's work was integral to the labels development over the decades that he headed the atelier and this is a stunning example of his vision. Beyond that it is just an extraordinarily beautiful dress.

I love the nod to the 1950s in this dress. It has that classic little New Look shape to it that we all love and associate with the house of Dior. At the front the neckline is squared off by how the sleeves are set into the dress combined with the straight across cut of the neckline. Across the front of the neckline it is detailed with a wide black silk ribbon that has a pretty bow at the front. The sleeves are a single layer of the silk netting are are covered with those pretty white sequins. They curve softly over the shoulders and fall just below the elbow. The transparency of the netting lets you see a glimpse of the skin underneath. At the back the netting angles down towards the centre of the back where they meet another wide black ribbon finish there as well. The bodice is gathered across and into a vertical strip of the fabric that is detailed with three rhinestone and crusted buttons. It skims over you to the waist with a boned and shaped interior. The skirt is gathered in all around the waist and there is a great amount of fabric in the skirt. This allows it to fall in those soft folds that you see but when you move it has incredible movement. The bottom is anchored by another wide finish of black silk satin ribbon that ties the entire dress together. I love that the entire dress is covered with hand sewn white sequins and there two secondary patterns worked through the netting that gives it added texture. It is incredibly beautiful and the photos don't truly convey the sense of texture the dress has in person. It is a stunning example of Dior from this time period that somehow manages to feel perfectly timeless. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon. It closes with a hidden set backer and a hook and eye at the inner waist stay. The interior of the bodice is lightly boned and shaped.

Sleeves: approx 17" and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 50.5" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4686

Reference Photos: Fall 1979 Christian Dior.

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 very special and an extremely well documented piece from Spring 1988. It has the special added provenance of being the twin of one of the four dresses portrayed in that instantly recognizable photo taken in his atelier that year. That photo is perhaps one of the most famous photos in the Lacroix history. The dress is from his Luxe label that was only produced the very first couple of seasons. It was very high end expensive ready-to-wear that was made to near couture standards and was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was the predecessor to his later regular ready-to-wear collections. It is said that this label only lasted a couple of seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. We found numerous reference photos of the dress as it appeared on the runway so you have an amazing idea of how this dress looks on the body.

The dress is gorgeous. It is made out of a textured silk organza that has a slight texture running through it. Onto that is a glorious floral pattern in pinks and yellow with pops of green. It feels so vibrant and beautiful with that gorgeous print. The sleeves are long and they are cut on a slight curve in the traditional couture manner. The shoulders are lightly shaped and the front falls into a shallow V. The dress has a little bit of gathering just at the bust area down the centre seam and then it falls smoothly  to the hem under that. It is cut to skim over you through the body with just a suggestion of shape through the waist. At the back the bottom 9 inches of the skirt has an inset bustle. The fabric there is gathered into a curving seam and there are three black organza half bows stacked one on top of the other to create a bustle feel. This is one of his most famous dresses and its amazing. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the sleeves are lined in a white silk. The dress zips to close at the back and each cuff has a zipper to close it. Light padding in the shoulders. Tagged a vintage Lacroix 44

Sleeves: 22.5" and 13" around the upper arm
Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 35" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4401

Reference Photos: (1-5) Spring 1988 Christian Lacroix Collection.  /  (6-7) Models in Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Atelier, Paris, 1988. Photos by Arthur Elgort.

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.

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a beautiful example of his work from this time period.

The dress is made from a light weight black silk organza and it is an easy-to-wear and very pretty dress. The dress is made to look as if it wraps around you but it actually is fully secured all the way around. The bodice has a cross over the front and is meant to skim over you to the waist. At the back it closes with a hook and eye at the top of the neck and then there is an open keyhole slit to where the zipper begins just above the waist. I love how the back and upper part of the shoulders are made from only one layer of the organza so that it has a touch of transparency. This transparency has been carried over to the sleeves as well. The sleeves are spectacular. Each one is extremely full and balloons out over the cuffs. They are also open with a keyhole from the top of the shoulder to the wrist. The wrist is highlighted with a bow made from the same organza and then you have a huge double ruffle of silk that falls over your hands. The waist is brought in and has an attached band of the same organza that you tied to one side. Under that the skirt falls to the floor and widen out beautifully. It is scooped up at the front to one side and there is another double layer of ruffles that begins at the top of the hip and then falls all the way to the floor. It follows the edge of the skirt all the way around the back and then scoops up the other side. This adds that incredible volume and drama to the skirt that you see. The skirt is lined underneath and the inner skirt has a smaller open slit so that your full leg is not exposed. If you wanted to, you could easily expand that inner slit so that opened all the way up and you did see all of your leg. It is gorgeous and even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk. It closes at the back of the neck with a hook at the top of the neck and a zipper starting just above the waist. Each cuff hooks to close, and the belt at the waist snaps into place. Perhaps the tiniest bit of fading to an edge here or there, but this is a natural occurrence with this type of fabric in this age of garment and I'm being pretty picky.

Sleeves: 29" including the 6 inch ruffle. 15" around the upper arm.
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4656

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.

Sophia Loren wore a green version of this dress to Cannes in 1989. Hers had a different neckline that met at the front where this one comes out at the side ps of the bodice so you get a cleaner feel. Both are gorgeous and the photos of Sophia really give a sense of how gorgeous this is once on the body. Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during this time period. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

I absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful iridescent silk taffeta in a deep peach with coral undertones. The choice of this silk gives it enough structure to hold the shape but still keeps it fairly light in weight. That fabric choice mixed with that full on glamorous  cut that it has gives it feeling of high drama. The bodice is cut to hug the torso and the neckline is cut so that it is scooped in a sweetheart neckline at the front and then another scoop sits at the back. The sleeves are amazing. They are cut to wrap around your shoulders. Each extends out from the back and then wraps around the top of the shoulder before sweeping back in to be secured at the sides of the bust line. They are so pretty. You can adjust them a bit once on to wear more up on the shoulder or leave them draped more around the upper arm to leave a bare expanse of skin to show across the top of the shoulders. The bodice is intricately gathered and it angles down a touch where it meets the skirt. The skirt is very full. It flows to the floor in a massive cascade of the silk. There are no additional underskirts added for these shots. All of that incredible volume is built into the skirt. I love the rosettes that gather and pick up the skirt all the way around. It makes it so incredibly romantic in feel. The front is scooped up and the back is cut longer for a bit of a sweep behind you. It is gorgeous. A cluster of flowers sits at one side of the waist for the final perfect romantic touch. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set matching silk and closes with a back zipper. Inside the bust there is one of his signature strapless bras tacked into place. Hand finises. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: open
Bodice: approx 12" from top of the bodice to shortest part of the side seam at the waist 
Total length: 33" from top of the bodice to the shortest part where it curve up at the front hem, 58" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4644

Reference Photo: Sophia Loren in Loris Azzaro at Cannes, 1989.

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 walked the runway for the Fall 1987 show and we have included reference photos of it from the runway for you so that you can see how fabulous it is on the body. We even found one where you can see the model walking back down the runway so you can see how gorgeous it is from the back as well. It is an easy to wear and very chic little YSL.

This is a really gorgeous dress. It is made from a lace fabric that has an unusual blue-purple colour running through it. Metallic thread runs through the lace and then over that are thousands of glossy black sequins that follow the pattern of the lace. The sequins catch the light from every angle but in a subtle way that I love. The lace has an open cut that is lined it with a deep blue silk chiffon. It has a touch of transparency to it but its wearable. This combination also keeps it light so that it feels amazing once on the body. The dress sits off the shoulder to leave a bare expanse of skin across the top. The neckline wraps around the shoulders and it is finished with a pretty black silk organza ruffle. The silk of the ruffles has just enough structure so that it holds its shape perfectly. The sleeves fall to just past the elbow and each is also finished with a ruffle. From there the dress skims over you, running over the bust and past the waist, with no seaming there to break the line. At the top of the hip there is a seam that has another ruffled detailing. The skirt falls under that and widens out as it nears the hem. A final ruffle goes all the way around the edge of the skirt. The back of the skirt is set to hang a touch longer than the front. This gives you a beautiful curve from the side  and adds a touch of pretty volume. It is a gorgeous dress and really showcases Yves' innovative eye and design genius. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a dark blue silk chiffon. It closes at the side with a zipper. Tagged a YSL 42.

Sleeves: approx 18" from the drop and 12" around the upper arm
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam across the top of the hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and open under that
Length: 30" from top of centre neckline to front hem and 36" to back hem including top and bottom ruffle

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4271

Reference Photos: Fall 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.

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 walked the runway as Look 53vfor the Spring 1983 Haute Couture collection. It was shown under a jacket initially and then the jacket was removed. I love that this shows you how versatile these little dresses can be. We also found the fabric noted in a WWD editorial and then I looked into my folio collection book and found the model number and original sketch for you to see. I have included all these reference photos for you here and it gives you a beautiful idea of how fabulous this is once on the body. The dress is gorgeous and Yves always cut his couture pieces so perfectly. It really is a beautiful piece and owning a piece of his couture work is always one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.

The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful Yves Saint Laurent could cut a dress to flatter a woman's body. It is made entirely by hand and the silk has the tiniest ribbed texture running through it. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulders have light padding just at their outer edges to slightly extend them outward. They are set into the bodice with gathers so that they slightly pouf above the shoulder line. The sleeves are slim and pouf out just slightly as they slim down to the zippered cuffs. The neckline is set wide across the collarbones and edged in a black silk band. The waist is seamed and we have added a black grosgrain ribbon there for shape. You can add a belt instead if you wanted a really cinched in look. The skirt falls under that in a simple pencil to just about the knee or above depending on your height. There are hidden set pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is the best thing about the dress. It is a mix of a bright pink, green, blue and a deep purple set in a large floral design that runs over the entire dress. It is so pretty. Truly a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. And it is just so good on the body. A masterpiece. Excellent condition.

Unlined through the bodice and lined in a black silk through the skirt. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It closes with a back zipper and two buttons at the back of the neck. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Each cuff has a hand set hidden set zipper to close. Light padding in each shoulder as described above. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. The grosgrain ribbon is not original to the dress but will be sent with it.

Sleeves: 22" and 13.75" around the upper arm
Slightly wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4642

Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway.  /  (5-7) Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Advance Preview.  /  (8) Womens Wear Daily, February 1983.

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 fantastic cape is from the Fall 1976 collection and several versions of it were produced that season including this deep purple one. We have included photos from the runway pieces here and we also found an ad campaign shot with its twin in what looks to be a lighter colour and included that for you to see as well. I personally have several versions of his capes myself and have worn them countless times. It is literally the perfect thing to pop over a dress at night time. It is a very versatile and so easy to wear piece.

The cape is in a very beautiful deep purple combined with a more maroon coloured edging. The fabric is a high end wool that has a little bit of weight just due to the sheer amount of it in the cape but is still comfortable and easy-to-wear. This is one of those effortless pieces that is easy to make a part of your wardrobe. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. A slightly oversized hood extends out from the neck and this added addition of the hood adds the perfect amount of detail and drama. A flat blue braided rope finished all the edges and I love the elaborate braided knot that closes it in place at the neck. A long fringed tassel sits on either side of that closure for added drama and an even longer tassel dangles down from the hood at the back. I love the bit of movement these create when you move. There is a ton of fabric in the body of the cape so that when you move you get wonderful movement as it floats and billows around you. The cut is impeccable and it is a great piece of YSL's fashion history. Excellent condition with a small note below

Unlined and drapes over the shoulder to wear with a knot closure at the neck as seen. The occasional graze to the surface. The easy open cut should allow fit just about any size

Length: 58" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4637

Reference Photos: Fall 1976 Yves Saint Laurent.

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 top is from the second last ready-to-wear collection that Thierry Mugler presented. It is from the Spring 2001 season and it is an absolutely outstanding piece. It's twin walked the runway that season and I am very happy to have photos and video for reference for you to be able to see how phenomenal this sits on the body. He experimented with materials that included leather and netting as you see in this piece and the appearance of these wide angel sleeves were of note. I've only ever seen one other piece of this available that was done in a different colour from the runway piece like this one is in it's a phenomenal collectors piece

The top is made out of a brown silk net that has those wonderful, leather pieces, hand sewn into place onto the netting. These are set to follow the design of the top. It wraps over itself at the front and ties at the waist, and you can tie it to the side, the back the front however you wish. The ties are extremely long and they are detailed with those little oblong pieces of leather in different sizes laid out to follow the cut of each tide. More leather curves down to follow the shape of the neckline at the front and go all the way across to the sides of the top. They curve up and over to the back where they come down in a little angled point there. The sleeves are as phenomenal as those long front ties. Each one ends in an extremely wide angel shape and is cut extra long. Again the little leather pieces have been applied to follow the shape of the sleeve and some go all the way up almost to the shoulder. I love how some are left to hang over the edge of the top on each sleeve. It just has that little extra bit of genius dimension. It is just outstanding. Excellent condition

Unlined and wraps to close. Tagged a vintage Mugler 38.

Sleeves: approx 27-28" and 13-16" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam but can b adjusted up and down a but when tying
Waist-bottom seam: adjustable
Length: 19" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4635

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2001 Thierry Mugler.

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 2014 collection and when Fausto did a series of these in every colour combination you could think of they sold out worldwide and seemed to be everywhere on all of the fashion people. His forst collection debuted in 2006 and Italian fashion editor Anna Dello Russo started to wear his pieces everywhere and is largely responsible for bringing his work to the spotlight. His style during this time period has been called Greco-Roman glitz which to me is the perfect way to describe pieces like this. This dress is fantastic and you can see how amazing it is on the body on the reference editorial shot that we found.

The dress is absolutely gorgeous. It's made out of a light wool that has a slight texture to it finished. It mixes the six different colours that makes it up with a masterful hand. The bodice is a pale purple, and it has lemon straps that are wide and curved up and over the shoulders to meet the back. Around the waist at the front, there's a wide panel of ivory that plays double duty to also not only anchor the shape of the dress, but provide a beautiful backdrop to that huge metal and rhinestone medallion that sits at the front. The band at the back is a beautiful spring green and then you have black panels that wrap around the hips to the back zipper on either side. The skirt is a deeper purple at the front and that same pretty yellow at The skirt has been knife, pleated all the way around and has little slits on either side to show even more leg than the short length already does. It is beautifully made and that piece of jewellery at the front combined The skirt has been knife, pleated all the way around and has little slits on either side to show even more leg than the short length already does. It is beautifully made, and that piece of jewellery at the front just gives it combined. with that masterful mix of colours, gives it fine but sexy feel. It's an incredible mix of sexiness glitz and a sense of lightness and fun. its gorgeous on the body and I love it. Excellent condition with one small note below 

The bodice is fully lined in an ivory silk, and there is light boning at the sides. It closes with a back hidden, set zipper and an inner waist stay snapped to close. A touch of a mark on the inner lining. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged modern a US6, UK10, IT42, FR38

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 31.5" from top of shoulder to hem
Slits: 5.25" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4629

Reference Photo: Model in Fausto Puglisi for En Vie Fashion Magazine, July 2014.

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.

"I have chosen today to say goodbye to the craft that I have loved so much. The next show to which I invite you, on Tuesday, 22nd January at 6 PM, at the centre of George's Pompano, will predominantly be a retrospective of my work… Some designs from the currencies will also be shown." This was how Yves the announced his intention to retire and leave the world of Haute Couture. That final show was over an hour long and was presented to a room of 1500 hand picked guests. To tell the story of his decades long career there was a total of 371 garments shown that day. The presentation began at the beginning of his career and the show was a full retrospective of his work that showed a highlight of all of his creations through the decades. There were also a small group of 11 new items for the 2002 season included about 2/3rds of the way into the show created as the Spring 2002 couture collection. All were pieces that were based on dresses from the past but done in new colours. They were all made of weightless chiffons and were in a variety of colours. This blending of past and present further evoked the idea of his journey and how his designs are truly timeless no matter when they were made. The twin of this black dress was included in that grouping and it is based on the green dress we have included a reference photo of for you here from the Spring 1991 collection. I love it even more in its black version. The dress has its own special couture tag that commemorates it as being a part of this final show. It is an extremely rare and wonderful piece.

This dress is stunning. It has a strapless bodice that is fitted perfectly to hold the dress on the body and then it falls from there to the floor in layers of weightless black silk chiffon. The silk of the bodice is gathered and set vertically and inside the bodice there is a full inner built-in corset that is shaped and seamed so the dress stays perfectly in place once on. A wide band of silk wraps underneath the breasts to the waist and there is a sash that ties in a soft bow off to one side. The ends of the sash trail all the way down the side to the floor and this helps to add to the beautiful movement this dress has once on. Below the beautiful shape through the bodice the skirt falls to the floor in a soft cascade of silk chiffon. The. side of the skirt that opens is slightly longer than the other and this is a clever way to give that side of the skirt even more movement. These are the tiny details in Couture that make a dress move the exact perfect way. The innermost layer of silk chiffon is set all the way around you and then the other layers of the skirt are set over this and slit right up to where the waistband meets the top of the skirt on that side. So when you walk and move you are covered by that single layer of silk chiffon underneath but you are still bare underneath the transparency of the chiffon. You can see this clearly in the video as the model walks. It is very sexy. The layers and open side of the skirt combined with the trailing ties from the waist are then what allow the dress to move so beautifully around you when you move. It is  absolutely perfect in every way. The workmanship is beautiful and the dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little. What a joy to have such an important dress from Yves very last collection. Excellent condition.

Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup
Seam under the bust: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 4.75" from top of bodice to seam under the bodice
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to shortest part of the hem, 54" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4624

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 2002 Yves Saint Laurent Couture, Look 240.  /  (4) From the book “Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: CATWALK”  /  (5-6) Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture. 

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 fantastic Christian Dior by John Galliano set was recently worn by Alix Earle and I love that I have photos and video of it on so that you can see just how amazing it is on the body. These laced up pieces were integral to the Dior look during this time period and we included pics of Elizabeth Hurley in another piece that has the same lacing detail on the skirt and back from the same collection for you to see. This is an exceptional set. It is amazing on the body as you can see in the photos here of Alix wearing it. I also have a video on my instagram that shows Alix getting ready in this that night.

I love that this is made up of the two separate pieces. It gives it that added versatility of being able to be worn together so that it feels like you are wearing a dress, or to be able to mix and match the pieces with other existing things in your wardrobe. Both the top and the skirt are made from two layers of a bias cut black silk chiffon that have been stacked on top of each other to make it opaque enough to wear. The top slips on to wear and then you adjust the lacing at the front and the back for the perfect fit on you. It falls from the halter neckline, and I love the little silk chiffon ruffle that follows the edge of that neckline. The actual border of the neckline is a cotton strap that has metal grommets worked into it and then the laces all go through the grommets to adjust and tighten the fit on you. Both the strap edging and the laces have a slight faded feel that is purposeful. It is cut so that it flares out slightly at the bottom and over the top of the skirt below. You could also tuck it into the skirt and belt it if you wished. The skirt is meant to sit a little lower on the hip and the bias cut allows it to swirl around you. On the skirt the laces start at the back and wrap around the hips and then curve down the front. Long ties dangle from the bottom of where they lace up and there is that same ruffled silk chiffon detail that follows the design. Once past where the paces stop the lower skirt opens up and those ruffles run to the very bottom of the skirt. The skirt is meant to curve around the hips and then flares out dramatically for the lower portion of the skirt. This creates incredible movement as you move and is truly fantastic. It is a really exceptional set extremely sexy on the body. I love it. Excellent condition

Both pieces are a double layer of the same black bias cut silk chiffon. The top adjusts with the laces and the skirt closes with a zipper that is hidden along the edge of the angled seam towards one side at the back. The top is tagged a US10, GB14, FR42 and the skirt has no size tag. The bias cut gives it lots of movement and will allow it to fit a range of sizes. We have given the comfortable range of the pieces below.

Top
Bust: Approx 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam and you can go up or down a bit from there by adjusting the laces
Bottom hem: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4623

Reference Photos: (1-4) Alix Earle, in this set, at Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl Party, February 2024.  /  (5-6) Elizabeth Hurley in Dior at "Fashion Rocks", October 2003.

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.

McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress was a piece made for production for the shops and you can see a similar swooping cut that the final pieces of this show had in its design. It is stunning.

The dress is made out of a beautiful rich black silk and is cut with an almost sculptural line combined with that bias cut draping. The combination is fantastic. The dress has a more fitted inner dress and then the silk drapes over that. The bodice is strapless and there is a full built-in cupped corset that holds the dress in place and gives you support through the bust. One side of the inner more fitted dress is exposed and this gives a suggestion of the shape of the body underneath. You see the inner dress from the top of the strapless bodice, around its side, and then down to about the hip. That inner portion of the dress has been been elaborately embroidered and beaded in a stunning floral design. It is beautiful. On the other side of the bodice, a silk panel is attached all the way around the top of the neckline and then it drapes down and around to frame that exposed inner dress. It creates this beautiful curved draping effect that gives the dress a bit of a Grecian goddess feel and picks up on those drapes that he used for the final few dresses on the runway. The silk panel continues all the way around the back and then the entire thing drapes to the floor. The hem is set on a slight angle with the side that drapes down sitting longer than the other side. This creates a very classic and signature McQueen feel. It is a beautiful mix of exposing just enough of the shape of the body while still showcasing the exceptional draping that he excelled at. I love how the draping slightly exaggerates the shape of the body and add curves even though the dress is not tight tot he body in any way. No matter what angle you see this dress from there is an interesting drape or an elaborate beaded detail. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

An inner black silk lining goes to just above the knee and there is a built in inner corset that is lightly boned and cupped. The corset has its own back zipper that fully opens and then the dress zips to close over that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a McQueen 44

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with B to maybe small C cups
Inner waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to shortest point of hem, 58" to the longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4622

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 gorgeous Monique Lhuillier was Look 15 in the presentation and we also found a photo of one on the beautiful Dee Hilfiger. This was one of the strongest looks from the presentation and the dress is beautiful. The Lookbook was shot at a picturesque French château and Lhuillier  said of the show that she "wanted the clothes to be seen in the place where they might be worn”. How magical would it be to have that happen? Although in reality this is a dress that would instantly make anywhere it ended up being worn feel magical. 

This was part of her ready-to-wear collection and it might even make for a magical dress for a bride who wants to go the non-traditional route and wear something that was not white. It would also make for an amazing wedding guest option or for any gala or fabulous event. The bodice is strapless and fitted and meant to hug you and shape your curves. The peaks at the front are high and I love how she has wrapped the netted tulle over the bodice and used variations in colour on the bodice to add a bit of interest and depth. Inside it boned and shaped and I love how it scoops down and around the back. The waist is nipped in and then the skirt explodes out from under that. The skirt is spectacular. It is layers and layers of tulle set on top of each other and cut in different sections to get that elaborate shape that you see. Underneath each layer is netting cut to follow the shape above and then that has a wide panel of stiffened netting that goes all the way around you and follows every single cut and pattern in the skirt. This helps to hold the shape that you see. As good as it looks on the dress form, I think seeing it on the two women shown here really gives you an idea of how it sits and floats around you once on the body. The layers also give it a sophistication and keep it from being just another big puffed tulle skirt. The back is cut a little longer so that you get a bit of a trailing effect behind you. This is the ultimate dream dress for the girl that wants to make an entrance. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built-in netted and lightly boned corset, and the skirt is lined in a pink silk. Layers of netting underneath the tulle as described above. This gown was over $10,000 and was done in very limited quantities. Tag a modern 4.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with some room at the front cups to fit at least a B cup maybe a small C
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to waist
Total length: approx 60" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to the front hem and aprox 75" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4580

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier, Look 15.  /  (2) Dee Hilfiger in Monique Lhuillier.

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.

John Anthony's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This dress is from his Fall 1988 collection and is the original sample from his archives. We found a photo of a dress on the runway from this same collection with the same cut through the top so you can get an idea of how this will sit on the body. John told me that this dress was made for the runway as well and was edited out once the final line up was done. I love this dress and am so happy to let it have its full moment now. His work is amazing on the body and transforms once it is on and moving. 

This dress is absolutely stunning and it is among my favourites from the pieces he has sent to us so far. It is very light in weight once on the body. It is made from the most beautiful feather light silk chiffon. Bias cut silk chiffon is incredibly hard to work with and for this dress he has layered it with each layer falling perfectly over each other. The dress is made of three layers of the chiffon. The two innermost layers are  unadorned and then the top layer has the black lace detailing added to it. It slips on and zips up at the front and this is all cleverly hidden with a panel that wraps and snaps into place to one side. The snaps continue down under the lace detail on the skirt. The snaps only close it part of the way and a thigh high slit is left so that when you walk you will see a mile of bare leg. The front plunges into a V and there is a caped feeling panel of hand made black French lace that drapes over the shoulders for the prettiest romantic touch. This wraps all the way around the back and I love how it drapes there. The lace at the front curves down and to the side and then trails all the way down the skirt to the hem. A wide order of it is placed all the way around the hem. I love the way the lace is all perfectly and meticulously set onto the silk with thousands of tiny precise stitched done to hold it in place and follow the pattern in the lace. This is couture level detailing. At the back, the skirt extends out a bit past the hem to sweep behind you as you walk. The silk is so light that your slightest movement causes it to float around you. It is very beautiful. Excellent condition.

Made of three layers of silk chiffon as described above and closes with a hidden set front zipper and then hidden set snaps down the side. Hand finished throughout. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 76" to the longest point of the back hem
Slit: 34" from front hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4555

Reference Photo: Fall 1988 John Anthony Runway.

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.

I have a small grouping of Chanel pieces that will be listing over the next week or so and they all come from an avid Couture and Chanel collector. Many of these pieces were extremely difficult to source when they were released and were only made in very limited quantities. They are in pristine condition and all but one have their original shop packet that has the extra fabric and style information. These are exceptional pieces for the collector and each is extremely special.

This skirt is exceptional. It's from the Pre-fall 2020 collection and it's twin walk the runway for Look 37. This is a wonderful piece of Chanel and is extremely well-made. The was a Metier d"Art collection which are always the most expensive at retail as they feature work from all the tiny maison d'art houses. It was also Virginie Viard's first Metier d'Art Pre-fall collection. She titled the show 'Paris – 31 rue Cambon' which is of course where Gabriel Chanel first set up shop as a milliner in 1910. She later expanded her fashion empire by taking over six buildings to house her Haute Couture salons one of which was Number 31. In tribute she mirrored the black, beige, crystal and gold that evokes Chanel's apartment, and the famous mirrored staircase. When asked about it backstage, she said that the show was meant to be "the things we like, a mix of Karl and Chanel – the Chanel codes."

In this skirt we see the high workmanship of the luxury suppliers of the fashion industry. At first glance, you might almost think it to be a tweed Chanel piece but then as you look at it closer you realize that every inch is covered with overlapping silver sequins. The sequins are held in place by an ivory, gold and black thread and this is what gives them the appearance of that classic Chanel tweed. The sequins catch the light from every angle. It is exceptional. Running down the front is a panel of glittering crystals that are bordered with faux pearls on either side and the pearls are all caught into a black corded cage. That same detail runs down the centre of the skirt at the back. It is fitted around the waist, but without an added band so you lose no detail of that stunning design, and then it glides over the hips and flares out to the hem. The skirt has never been worn and has its original Chanel packet. Excellent condition

Fully lined in black silk and closes with a hidden set zipper under the back centre detailing. Tagged a 34 and has its original Chanel packet. Current Chanel fantasy skirts start at $5500 and range up to $8500USD + for pieces with this level of detailing. 

Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4545

Reference Photo/Video: Pre-Fall 2020 Chanel Runway, Look 37.

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.

I have a small grouping of Chanel pieces that will be listing over the next week or so and they all come from an avid Couture and Chanel collector. Many of these pieces were extremely difficult to source when they were released and were only made in very limited quantities. They are in amazing condition and all but one have their original shop packet that has the extra fabric and style information. These are exceptional pieces for the collector and each is extremely special.

This is a suit pieced together from the actual Chanel sample jacket for this look and then the pants were purchased at retail by my client. It is incredibly rare to find a sample piece so that is a little extra special. The twin of the suit was worn for Look 13 for the Chanel Métiers d’Art show. The show was set in the  Hamburg concert hall and that setting held an extra special place for Karl since it was his hometown. The concert hall had just been opened and for this show Karl mixed the modernity of the new space with his memories of Hamburg as a child “I’ve never left; this is part of me,” he reflected after the show. “I like Hamburg as an idea; something in the back of my mind.” Vogue noted 'You saw what that was, the essence of his inspiration, in a flash: Sailors in peaked caps on leave, girls in thigh-high boots and leather, the people who mill around docks and nightclubs. The clothes evoked ’60s beatniks, countercultural girls in sweaterdresses, smartly dressed officers in uniform, and naval ratings in sailor pants—looks that ran up and down the register of the cool, the hip, and the immaculately classic. It was an obvious, simple idea, really, but one marinated in a mind that has the sophistication to align the results with Coco Chanel’s heritage, and with what any girl would absolutely kill to wear right now.'

The lines of this suit are crisp and sharp and the tailoring is immaculate. Both pieces are made out of a pinstriped virgin wool that allows them to retain the exact lines that Lagerfeld intended while still staying light in weight. The jacket is cut so that it is fitted across the shoulders and then falls in a more box shape to the top of the hips. The collar is neat and small and I love how there is an inset of a white waffle weave cotton for a crisp little pop. That same little pop of cotton is set within each cuff so that it feels perfectly tied together. It buttons to close up one side and the buttons themselves are incredible. I took a detail shot so you can see that they are especially done with both Paris and Hamburg noted on them. The bottom hem is banded and there is a little top set pocket on one side. Each sleeve is long and straight and they end in a notched slit held by a button rather than a traditional cuff which falls in line with the sleek minimalist feel of the rest of the suit. Beside the little pop of white at the end there is also a little 'hidden' surprise of another functional pocket that sits at the end of the one sleeve nearest the pocket on the front. I am obsessed with this little detail. The pants are sleek and simple in their cut. They are flat fronted with a slanted slip pocket on each hip under the waist band. Two more pockets are at the  back and each is still tacked shut. The legs fall wide to the ankle with just the tiniest bit of a flare at the ends. Each leg is finished with a precise wide cuff. The inside of the suit is as immaculate as the outside and it is lined in a deep grey silk embossed with the Chanel logo. A signature Chanel chain runs along the inner hem of the jacket. Every stitch is perfection. Excellent condition with a minor note below. 

The jacket is lined in a grey Chanel embossed silk and closes with the buttons along the front panel as seen. It has a Chanel sample label and is tagged a modern Chanel 38. A pocket on the front and on each cuff. Metal embossed buttons and the signature Chanel chain around the inner hem. There is slight yellowing and grubbiness on the inner collar of the Chanel. The pants zip to close at the front and have hidden hook & eye at the bands. Slip pockets on each hip and two tacked shut pockets at the back The pants have their original Chanel packet and are tagged a modern Chanel 40

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to head 

Pant
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 29" from inner seam to hem
Gusset: 17" from waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4540

Reference Photo/Video: Pre-Fall 2018 Chanel, Look 13.

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 very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.

This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.

The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.

The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate. 

Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4509

Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.  /  (5-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".

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 stunning and extremely rare example of 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 did a stint designing 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 the simple and elegant lines. This is a very rare and early Haute Couture coat and we found a reference photo of its near twin that was styled with a belt, dramatic gloves and matching hat added. It is very beautiful and the colour is exceptional.

This coat is beautifully tailored. The double row of buttons at the front and curving cut makes it feel as chic and wearable now as it was when first made. It is entirely finished by hand and has its numbered couture tape under the label. It is so chic and a very important and rare piece. This is truly a vintage gem. It has a deceptively simple cut that hides the precise seams and masterfully tailored cut. It is constructed with the absolute minimal seam work to create the curves of the coat that you see. It is more fitted through the upper bodice and then skims over the waist and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The collar is neat with a notched front and each sleeve ends in a turned up cuff. 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 a 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. The front has detailed seaming that becomes part of the actual design and inside that is a double row of blue buttons that run down the front to the waist. You can wear this one open or do it up right to the neck like the reference photo. I love the sculptural effect the coat has once on and that beautifully full lower skirting. No shortcut was taken in the construction of this lovely coat and it is an outstanding piece of fashion history in every possible way. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set black silk taffeta and closes with the button 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. This is a medium to heavy weight coat 

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4489

Reference Photo: Model in Lanvin, 1952.

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.