fabrice
Rare Fall 1981 Fabrice Simon Couture Hand Painted Red & Gold Skirt & Top Dress Set
I Have a Question
- This stunning and rare dress set is from the Fall 1981 Fabrice collection.
- It was made by Haitian born designer Fabrice Simon.
- Simons launched his label in 1976 making this an extremely early example of his work and showcases how his early work especially was centred around hand, painted fabrics. He trained as a textile designer originally and pieces like this showcase his love of textiles beautifully.
- Fabrice was a Coty award recipient and one of the preeminent black designers during this time period and pieces by him are extremely difficult to find. Especially at the level that this one is at. It is a very important and collectible piece of Black fashion history.
- The dress is especially iconic because it has two remarkable tie-ins. One with supermodel Pat Cleveland, who wore the twin of the top, and the second with Cicely Tyson who was photographed wearing a version of this set.
- His clothes were worn by some of entertainments most famous names - Kathleen Turner, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston, who wore one of his dresses to the 1988 Grammy's. The top supermodels of the time like Iman, Beverly Johnson, Christy Brinkley and Jerry Hall were all fans.
- When worn together it does look like a dress but it is a set of two pieces.
- Both pieces are made out of a beautiful light in weight red silk that has a metallic gold design covering its surface. The the gold portion of the fabric have all been painted on by hand and this is where we see Fabrice background as a trained textile designer.
- The top is a remarkable piece of fashion that transcends into art
- Both the front and the back dipped into a V and it buttons down the front with a series of round gold metal ball buttons that slip through red silk loops. There was a little gap left between each button with how it's laid out so you would get a tiny glimpse of skin between each button.
- The top is edged in a metallic gold cord that has a black band twisted around it. This little pop of black and gold contrasts beautifully with the painted fabric and adds a little extra bit of detail.
- The front dips down into a point, and while it has seamed to follow the curve of the body it is soft without boning so very comfortable to wear
- Curving up and around the the shoulders are three rows of silk that has been gathered to form the phenomenal volume and detail that you see. These are stacked beside each other with silk between each row, so they cover the full sides of the top on both the back in front. They are finished in hand edged jagged points and the way they have been set onto the top creates the incredible volume and density that you see in the photos. They add an exuberance to the outfit that is hard to describe until you see it in person. It is just extraordinary.
- The skirt is as fabulous as the top. It is banded around the waist so that you have shape and then it falls very full around you to the hem.
- There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt and it's sheer amount of fabric allows that gorgeous hand painted print to be shown off to the maximum. To achieve the fullness that it has all of the silk has been tightly gathered in and around the waist and then expands outward.
- I love that the skirt has pockets. It is the perfect bit of unexpected ease on such a dramatic piece.
- Having two pieces makes it extremely versatile because you can mix a match either piece with things you already have in your wardrobe. It is beautifully dramatic one worn together and then you also have endless styling possibilities when paired with other things.
- Both pieces have an additional handwritten museum tag from being deaccessioned. One has to wonder if that is a regretted decision.
- The top is fully lined in a black silk and buttons down the front as described above. The skirt is unlined and closes at the waist with hook and eye and then a zipper below that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- The top is tagged a size Small and the skirt has no size tag.
- Excellent condition
Top
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 17" from top of shoulder to bottom edge, not including the added 2.5" extended angle at the front
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 47" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5462
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.
Ady Couture
1982 Ady for Givenchy Haute Couture Deep Copper Gold Silk Dress w Hand Done Sequin Detailing
I Have a Question
- The dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland
- Ady was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas.
- She would purchase couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway.
- This incredible Haute Couture dress came to me from the niece of the original couture client.
- The dress is an authorized copy of the 1982 Givenchy Haute Couture fdress that we have included reference photos of here. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body.
- The dress is made from a deep copper gold silk. It is very light in weight but has enough structure to hold the stunning lines and volume of the dress. The colour of the silk is even better in person.
- The neckline is a simple scoop and the bodice skims over your curves. The sleeves are incredible. Each one is set on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of dressmaking. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends.
- The waist is seamed but with a more generous feel. You can use the ribbon belt to cinch it in and add shape.
- The skirt is one of the best skirts I have seen both from a design point of view and by its level of construction. It is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is. A seam brings the top part of the skirt inwards and then the lower part of the skirt falls to the floor from there.
- The lower portion of the skirt is made from several yards of silk so that it flares out beautifully as it falls.
- Between the two sections is a wide velvet ribbon that wraps around the seam and ties into a bow at the side. Which beautifully picks up on the bow around the waist. The silk of the skirts are lined in a silk organza to help give support but it is really the genius of the cut itself that creates the shape.
- An elaborate and intricate floral design runs across the front and back of the bodice and down each sleeve. Hand done embroidery work is combined with tiny black sequins and hand applied beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen.
- The skirt is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is.
- Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam finished by hand. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absolutely beautifully made.
- The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully lined with a soft gold toned silk organza. It closes with a hand set back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. The velvet ribbon belt is not original to the piece but is included. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It is a slightly softer gold copper in person then how it photoed. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 26" and they are 16" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of the shoulder to waist
Length: 58" from top of the shoulder to front hem, 61" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5461
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.
christian dior
Spring 1980 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Haute Couture One Shoulder Coral Red Silk Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of the dress in white walked the runway for the Spring 1980 Haute Couture presentation
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
- The Spring 1980 collection was called "Return to Classism". The book Dior:Catwalk noted that the collection "focused on paired back silhouettes with defined shoulders, subtle and belted waists... "My look is one of softness and neatness." Bohan told Vogue. Vogue also noted the one shoulder necklines that were integral to the collection and that is shown so beautifully in this dress.
- This dress would have been made entirely in the Paris atelier.
- During this time period dresses with this black with white text Couture label usually denoted a custom order that was different from the presented piece on the runway. Being that the dress was shown in white on the runway this makes perfect sense.
- The dress is made out of a red silk crepe that is a colour that is flattering on most skin tones, especially with its touch of a coral undertone.
- I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress displays.
- A single wide shoulder curves up and over your shoulder and the opening that your arm slips through begins and is set slightly off the top of the shoulder so you have just the suggestion of a sleeve. It angles down across you on both the front and the back. The opening dips slightly low on the other side leaving that entire opposite side and shoulder bare and exposed.
- It skims over the bust and blouses slightly over the seam at the waist. The silk is gathered in slightly at the waist and done so that it falls perfectly around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt.
- The skirt falls from there and is constructed so that it wraps over itself to one side at the front and secured in place around the waist. A deliberate gap is left open near the hem and when you walk, move or sit, you get a flash of leg. You can see how this sits so beautifully on the body from the runway reference photos.
- It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed and planned.
- The dress comes with a huge rectangle of finished silk in a matching colour that can be used as a shawl or partial cape piece. It is not photoed but will be sent with the dress.
- This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a matching red silk chiffon and closes at the side with a hand set zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
- There is no size tag present because it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Dress
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17.5" from top of shoulder to waist but does blouse over a bit once on
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under the ham
Shawl (not pictured)
6.8 feet wide x 9.75 feet wide
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5454
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.
madame gres
Exceptional Spring 1974 Madame Gres Haute Couture Unlabeled Documented Blue Silk Jersey Skirt & Top
I Have a Question
- This is a very rare Haute Couture Gres skirt and top hat from Spring 1974.
- It was made under the creative direction of Madame Gres.
- The documented to Spring 1974 was done through the sketch of it that we have added here.
- This is the exact set that was worn by Annabelle Wallis. I love that the photos of her show how beautiful this is once it is on. The movement even through the static photographs is phenomenal.
- Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques, and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work.
- She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find.
- This Haute Couture set is exceptional. Both pieces are made from a bias cut silk jersey done in a perfect tropical sea blue that has a touch of turquoise to it. Silk jersey was one of her signature fabrics. The pleating detailing on the bodice of this set is one of her signature techniques.
- As with many of her pieces the cut and design of both pieces are simple and minimalist but with maximum impact.
- Tiny straps made from the same jersey curve over the shoulders. Under that is the incredible hand-pleated bandeau bodice. Two panels of pleated silk jersey curve around each and wrap behind you creating a curving pattern with openings between the curves all the way around.
- The silk jersey on the bands has been pleated entirely by hand with tiny little hand stitches hidden in the folds.
- It is lightly boned inside and completely made by hand. You can see all the hand work in the photos where I have shown the back. It wraps and curves over itself at the back and closes with two hidden sets of hook and eye.
- An expanse of bare skin sits between the top and the skirt. Depending on your height, the amount of skin shown between the skirt and top will vary.
- The skirt falls from the waist in a swoop of bias cut silk jersey that widens out as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of jersey in the skirt. You really get an idea of that in the photos of Annabelle. It is quite exceptional.
- Every seam on the dress has been finished by hand. Working with a bias cut silk jersey in this manner is an incredible achievement that would have taken countless hours of handwork to complete.
- It is a work of art and very rare. It very well may be the only one that exists.
- The top is lined in a matching silk with all of the hand were clearly seen. It is lightly boned and hooks to close. The skirt hooks to close at the waist and then snaps under that. I see a bit of grubbiness on the inner lining of the top and on some of the edges of the top and the waistband of the skirt. There is the occasional tiny pull in the jersey. The straps have been reinforced. The hem of the skirt is deliberately raw. I see a couple tiny pinhead holes in the jersey of the skirt near the hem. There is so much fabric in the skirt that you would never see them but it is mentioned for accuracy. The dress is unlabelled. Both pieces are finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand.
- There is no size tag is present because it is true Haute Couture so please go by the measurements below.
- Excellent condition
Bandeau top
Bust: best fits a 32A or 32smallB or smaller
Bottom hem: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 13" from top of shoulder to bottom
Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD5425
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.
giorgio armani
Fantastic Fall 1998 Giorgio Armani Runway, Ad Campaign & Exhibit Silk Skirt w Fall 2001 Sequin Top Set
I Have a Question
- The skirt from this set is from the Fall 1998 runway and then sequin top was shown on the runway for Fall 2001.
- It was made under the creative direction of Giorgio Armani.
- The twin of the skirt walk the runway with a fitted long sleeved matching top. That version of the set was used in the ad campaign. It is also featured in their new Archivo online section, worn on the red carpet and featured in an Armani exhibit.
- My client wore it with this sequin top instead that is also from the Armani main line and its twin was in the runway collection.
- The base of the top is a blue chiffon that is a slightly different shade than the skirt. Because of the heavy application of sequins it works well together.
- The top is a simple tank with a scooped front and back and a more generous cut through the body that makes it very easy to wear.
- It is fully covered in blue iridescent sequins that are laid flat outside by side horizontally. Mixed into that are little tiny, silver, sequins and beads rose of tiny seed, beads and little shots of white sequins and red bead work. It's very pretty and the entire top has the sequence coverage on both the front and the back.
- I love how at the back of the top it's left with no closures for the little bit of the bottom. This is a very Armani signature where he lets part of the closure stay open, so you have that little peak of the skirt underneath it and that little bit of extra movement.
- The skirt is stunning. It's made out of a deep blue silk mix, and it is all cut on the bias. It has a flat front with an inner band that helps to hold it and give structure around the waist.
- From there, it curves out over the hips and expands outward to the floor. The front is cut shorter, and then the back herbs around to become a sweeping train of silk behind you. There is a slit that runs up one side so that when you walk, you get a flash of leg.
- I love that because it is two separate pieces. You can wear these together or mix a match either piece with existing things in your wardrobe.
- The top is fully lined in a blue chiffon and closes with hidden set snaps at the back. The skirt is online and closes with a hidden set side zipper.
- The skirt is tagged a vintage Armani 42 and the top has no size tag present.
- Excellent condition
Top
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 21.5" from top of shoulder to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13 to 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40.5" from top of waist to the shortest part of the front hem. The back extends another 26.5" and the slit is just under 22" from the front hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5412
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.
george halley
Outstanding 1967 George Halley Couture Heavily Embroidered, Rhinestone & Applique Soft Pink Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress in a different colour resides in the permanent collection of the Met Museum.
- It was made under the creative direction of George Halley.
- Halley was one of the great American Couturiers.
- George Halley started his career working for Charles James who said of the young designer that he 'was a genius at draping'. By the time Halley opened his own atelier in 1966 he was well on his way to fame. He won the Coty Award in 1968 and his work is on par with true couture. He is one of my personal favourite designers.
- Women's Wear Daily called him 'a designer in a lovely world of his own' and that is how I feel about his work.
- This is an absolutely outstanding dress that shows the extreme level of detail that was being done with Couture pieces in this era. This would have been made entirely by hand in his Salon.
- A pale pink silk net tops a pink silk and then this has an elaborate detailing added over its surface with 3D velvet flowers, prong set rhinestones, hand beading and faux pearls
- Over that is a application of hand done metallic embroidery that covers the top layer of netting.
- The front has a high empire cut with an attached velvet band around the waist. This ends in a pretty and romantic bow at the back.
- The workmanship on the stress is spectacular and I've included a lot of close-ups for you to see. No matter how amazing you think it looks in the photos. It is better in person.
- The dress has been completely made by hand to a Couture level.
- It closes with a back zipper and snaps over the bow. The dress is hand lined in a pale pink silk. I see a little bit of grubbiness on the velvet sash and bow. I feel like this could be removed and replaced with the original just cap to side so that you have all of the pieces, but it would be easy to add a sash of your choice and maybe even extend it down the back. There is some very slight change in colour along some of the edges of the inner pink silk lining, some minor grubbiness along the hem and some splitting of the silk on the inner hem along the very edge at the bottom. These are all minor but mentioned for accuracy
- There was no size tag present, so please go buy the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 7.5" and the opening is 10" around
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5410
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.
yves saint laurent
Spring 1986 Yves Saint Laurent Numbered Haute Couture Strapless Black Handmade Lace Dress
I Have a Question
- This amazing dress is from the Spring 1986 Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
- The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The dress is made from a hand made black French corded lace and this choice in fabric gives the dress its structure and shape. This is mixed with silk satin details across the top of the bottom, around the hip, and finishing the hem.
- The bodice is strapless and is cut to curve across the front. Inside there is a full separate couture level corset that is boned and shaped to hold the dress perfectly in place around you.
- It curves in to skim over the waist and then it curves back out and over the hips. Just under the hips is an attached black silk ribbon that wraps around you and ties in a bow at the front.
- The skirt falls underneath the ribbon detailing and down to the floor. It widens out quite a bit around you for lovely movement when you move. The skirt is cut slightly longer at the back and has extra fabric for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you.
- I love how there is a matching dip at the back of the bodice that picks up on the shape of the extended back skirt. This is all done to add the illusion of length.
- As with all couture pieces, and Yves' especially, they only truly come to life once on the body. This dress looks so simple and easy but it is really a bit of an understated masterpiece in person.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. The inner corset closes with its own zipper. The corset is lightly boned through the bodice and shaped. An inner waist stay hooks to close.
- There is no size tag present since it is Haute Couture so please go by the measurements list listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 50" from top of bodice to front hem, 54" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5405
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.
gucci
Fall 2003 Gucci by Tom Ford Runway Look 10 Stretch Silk Dress + Black Corset Waist Cincher Belt
I Have a Question
- The twin of this set was Look 10 on the Fall 2003 runway.
- It was made under the creative direction of Tom Ford.
- 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. The belts were sold separately but this listing is for both pieces together.
- My client who is the original owner, verified that this colour of dress was only sold in a limited amount of Gucci shops and that they were produced in lower quantities, making it a more rare find. These usually do not have the matching corset belt since it was sold separately or they are in the all black colour that was sold and produced in greater quantities for retail.
- The dress 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.
- 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 velcros 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.
- 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 fabric does have stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat.
- The belt is tagged a size 40.
- Excellent condition.
Dress
Sleeves: approx 28" and they are 12-15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
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" at its widest. It is approx 26-30" end to end
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5399
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.
emanuel ungaro
Fantastic Spring 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture Black Stripe Jacket & Skirt Suit + Pink Camisole
I Have a Question
- This is original Haute Couture whose near twin walk the runway for Spring 1984.
- The suit was made under the creative direction of Emanuel Ungaro.
- This would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
- This is a stunning three piece set done in a black on black striped woven into a fine wool/silk mix feeling fabric and it comes with a matching pink silk and lace camisole.
- The jacket is a classic cut of his from this time period. It features wider set strong shoulders and is meant to feel more oversized through the upper bodice. The waist is shaped to be cinched in with a single pink dome button that sit at the front and the there is a dramatic peplum set under that. This cut is what gives you that fantastic exaggerated hourglass feel that the best of his work has.
- The front closes with that single button at the waist. The collar is done in a pastel pink silk and it is very wide and pointed and set so that it covers almost the entire upper bodice. Under that the hips flared dramatically out all the way around you.
- The shape of the bottom peplum is achieved by having the panels of the jacket shaped and cut to widen out just under the waist. This gives you those brilliant little flares but without adding extra seams. It is the kind of detail you look for in a couture piece.
- The sleeves are full through the upper arm and they come down to a more narrow cuff detailed with four of the same pale pink domed buttons that are slightly smaller than the one at the front.
- Under the jacket is a little pink silk camisole that is just exquisite.
- The camisole is made out of a lingerie weight pink bias cut silk that has hand made lace set into. Each strap that wraps over the shoulder has silk that runs through a little lattice work of netting. The top is cut fairly boxy and so is very easy to fit and wear.
- The skirt has a band at the waist and then it is cut in a slim pencil shape to just past the knee depending on your height. Pockets sit on each hip and the pockets add a little bit of shape around the upper hip.
- The jacket and skirt are fully lined in a handset black silk. The jacket buttons to close with one button at the front. The button on the sleeves are decorative. The skirt closes at the back with a zipper and hooks at the waist. The shoulders have padding. The camisole is online and slips over the head to wear. I see a tiny indentation in the fabric in one spot and there's a bit of edging missing on one part of the strap. Please see the photos after the label shot. All of the hand work is to Haute Couture standards throughout.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Jacket
Sleeves: 24" and are full and open through the upper arm.
Exaggerated shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 23.5" from neck to hem
Top
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam:to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 24.5" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 26.5" from the waist to hem with 3" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5321
Reference Photo: Spring 1984 Emanuel Ungaro 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.
paco rabanne
Ultra Rare 1990s Paco Rabanne Haute Couture Metallic Silver & Coral Dress w Chainlink Top & Headpiece
I Have a Question
- This is a very rare Paco Rabanne Haute Couture set from the 1990s, maybe 2000s.
- It was made under the creative direction of the original Paco Rabanne.
- This is a very rare collector piece and is almost certainly the only one in existence. It most likely was a runway piece but it is very challenging to find runway documentation for his Couture shows from this time period. If we do come across it at some point, we will certainly send it to its new owner.
- The set is made up of three separate pieces and you can wear them individually or together.
- The inner dress is strapless and widens out substantially around the body as it falls, outward and down to the hem. The back is cut longer than the front so you get a fantastic swoop of fabric behind you as you walk.
- Inside, there is a built-in inner bodice to hold the dress in place. This is the only thing holding the dress in place since the fabric that lays over the inner bodice is cut to be extremely open and full as it falls down to the hem.
- The inner fabric of this piece is foiled silver fabric that has an black woven net with an orange woven applique set into the netting so that it that forms an organic pattern. This unique and innovative fabric is used for the entire dress part of the set. The fabric innovation that he was doing for his Couture shows really highlights how far he was pushing the envelope and how purely experimental his creations were.
- Slipping over the dress is a one of his signature chain-link pieces. It has a part cape / part top feel to it. It combines plastic silver links that have a rhinestone in each of their centres, with round circle loops that are hooked together, plus little orange plastic and gold pieces. All the pieces are hand linked together in a nod to his traditional metal chain link. The top drapes down over the bodice with an upwards curve at the front. At the back, it extends far longer to well past the small of the back, ending in a point that perfectly picks up on the shape of the back skirt.
- Each sleeve of the piece has been made to be very full and wide. They flare outwards at their ends and have an edging made out of with strands of the same pieces as the body of the top with an added little oval shape at their ends.
- The original hooded head piece complete the set. It is extremely rare to have the headpieces included. These were almost always made for the runway show only and is the biggest clue that this was most likely the actual sample piece. The little handwritten tag that says 49 that is attached under the label was probably the order number in the show, giving us the second clue.
- This incredible little headpiece simply slips over the head and is long enough that it covers the neck. All of the edges are finished with the same dangling embellishments you see edges of the on the top. An opening at the front allows your face to peak out but you are otherwise covered over your entire head. The beads are then all gathered into a 'knot" at the top. Once in place it gives the illusion that the headpiece and cap piece are all a singular piece of chain-link over you. It is incredible.
- The dress is completely made by hand and I believe that this is the original sample runway sample dress. Under the tag is a handmade tag that says 49 and I believe that is the Look number that would've been shown on the runway. The edges are all handed basted and this adds to the feel that this is the original sample because that is often how you see runway samples finished from this era.
-
The dress has a built-in inner corset and this is what holds the dress in place around you. This inner bodice is lightly boned and has built in cups and meant to be fitted. Because of the excessive drape of the exterior dress you would be able to add and increase the size of the inner corset and you would never see any changes on exterior nor would it have any effect. That inner piece zips to close at the back and there is an attached waist stay that hooks to close. The dress closes with a series of snaps over that. There are dappled markings on a silver interior that show through to and under the netting. I believe this is all intentional as it is evenly distributed over the fabric on the silver parts of the fabric. There are some small pulls and stressing to the netting here and there.
- There is no size tag present because it is Haute Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Inner bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 54" from top of bodice to the front hem and the back extends another 8" past that, with 1" turned under the entire hem.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML based on the interior corset only. The rest of the pieces are more accommodating to a greater range of sizes. Please read the notes above.
Item# DD5394
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.
michael kors
Spring 2018 Michael Kors Runway Look 72 Silver Sequin Dress on Nude Stretch Net w Asymmetrical Hem
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 2018 show as Look 72.
- It was made under the creative direction of Michael Kors.
- The dress is fantastically documented and was one of the hit looks of the season. It was used in the ad campaign, was worn on the red carpet and appeared in editorials that season. The dress sold out worldwide and was waitlisted. In the shops this dress sold for just over $7000 USD.
- The dress is made out of a lingerie feeling stretch net as its base and it has a lining of the same fabric. That gives it just enough opaqueness to comfortably wear, but still has a feel of being nude from a distance.
- Onto that is an elaborate design done in thousands of tiny silver sequins. The sequins cover the entire dress so that it glitters in the light from every angle.
- The neck is scooped and the shoulders are soft. The sleeves are long and narrow in slightly at each cuff where they have a hidden set zipper to close.
- The stretch of the base material allows it to skim over you and feel fitted but at the same time you still have that movement in the fabric that makes it very comfortable to wear. The perfect combination of fit and comfort.
- It follows the body, coming in at the waist and then curving back out over the hips. It starts to widen under the hips and there is a seam that is set on a slanted angle.
- The skirt is set in along the slanted angle and follows the angle so that you get an amazing asymmetrical feel. There is a lot of fabric in the skirt so when you move it has fantastic movement around you. You can see this in the runway reference video.
- This is Michael Kors at his best and a phenomenally collectible dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a second layer of the stretch net through the body and skirt. The sleeves are unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and each sleeve has a hidden set zipper at the cuff. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
- Tag a Michael Kors 0
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 25" and they are 10-11.5" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 48.5" from neck to the longest point of the hem, 40" to the shortest
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5392
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.
simone rocha
Spring 2017 Simone Rocha Runway Look 6 Transparent Raincoat w Embroidered Tulle Backing
I Have a Question
- The twin of this coat walked the runway for Look 6 on the Spring 2017 Simone Rocha runway.
- It was made under the creative direction of Simone Rocha.
- Vogue said of the collection "when it comes down to it, Rocha's work always consists of a limited set of templates: trenchcoats, loosely fitted, lacy, semi sheer dresses, frills and florals, clear plastic heed shoes, and bags. This time, she used her utilitarian theme to bring in wrapping and tying, often leaving one shoulder of raincoat and jackets hanging off, and adding soft Crossbody sling bags on top."
- This is one of the pieces where she left one sleeve hanging off the model. It was shown on the runway layered over a dress.
- The fabric of this is fascinating. It is made out of a clear plastic raincoat fabric that has an ivory net backing. To hold the two fabrics together it is rolled and stitched at the edges but it also has a floral pattern embroidered through both layers. The final effect is this whimsical embroidered raincoat fantasy piece.
- The cut is pure Simone in feel with all of the exaggerated volume and pomp that you expect from her work.
- The collar around the neck is rounded and the as it runs down the length of the front it can be flipped back on itself with buttonholes placed down the front so that you can secure it in place. I have kept it buttoned for all of these photos but you could also undo them and wear it unbuttoned. They can also act double duty as different ways to close and style the jacket.
- The body is loose and easy with slash huge pockets built in around the hip. From there it expands outwards to become extremely full and open.
- It can be worn with all of that volume on full display, or you can use its matching belt to cinch in the waist and add extra extraordinary shape so that you have volume above and below.
- The sleeves are phenomenal. They are more like a mini cape than a sleeve. They come out from where they are set into the body of the coat and are completely open underneath. The hem of each sleeve is gathered in so that you get a very full poof above. I love that each sleeve has ties attached. Those ties are used to wrap around the arm and tie in place to create further shape.
- The entire jacket has a feeling of transformation because of the belt and ties at the arm and the way the buttons run down the front. You really have several options in the way that you can wear it.
- This would also make a phenomenal piece, not just for the collector, but as a piece for a bride looking for a unique cover-up.
- The coat is unlined and has a some transparency. It buttons down the front if you wish and the belt can be buckled or tied into place. The plastic has retained a touch of the dry cleaning solvent smell. It is not overwhelming, but I do want to mention it for accuracy. Because of the textile it would be impossible to not have this happen. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present but its open and generous cut should fit most frames. It will just feel more oversized on a smaller frame.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 25" and they are full and open through the upper arm
Shoulders: no true seam. They are meant to slightly drop on a smaller frame and can accommodate a larger one.
Bust: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Total length: 50" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD5391
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.
alex perry
Striking Resort 2019 Alex Perry "Abigail" Brilliant Orange Full Length Capes Sleeve Dress w Open Back
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress in black was presented for the Resort 2019 Alex Perry collection.
- It was made under the creative Direction of Alex Perry.
- Alexandros Pertsinidis is an Australian fashion designer who launched the Alex Perry label in 1992. His work has been featured on numerous the covers worldwide since then and is a favorite on the red carpet. It's been worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Lupita Nyong and countless others.
- The twin of this dress was seen on the red carpet on Britt Lower and Dina Amer.
- The dress does not have a single unnecessary seam. It really shows how sometimes absolute minimalism is best.
- The dress is made from a combination of a brilliant orange crepe through the body with a matte satin crepe for those incredible sleeves. The fabric choice has a beautiful drape. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on.
- It is constructed so that it drapes and skims over the body perfectly. The skirt falls to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. When you stand still it looks more like a sleek column but when you move you realize how much fabric is in there as it billows out behind you.
- The bodice drapes softly over you at the front and the shoulders are padded inside so that they have a defined and shaped silhouette. Caped sleeves fall all the way to the floor to create this elegant and dramatic feeling over your arms.
- The fabric has enough weight that it stays in place when you are standing still but when you move you get a billowing effect around you.
- The waist has a touch of stretch so the dress is easy to fit and should work on a range of sizes.
- At the back there is a full cut out that leaves your entire back bare. This unexpected expanse of skin when you turn around is amazing.
- The inner part of the front bodice is lined in an orange matte satin with extra define seaming to help shape the bodice. The skirt has an inner underlay skirt in the same fabric and the sleeves are unlined. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back waist and buttons at the back of the neck. It comes with its original hang tag attached and was never worn.
- Tagged a modern Alex Perry 8
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Total length: 63" from neck to front hem and the back extends another 1" past that.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5387
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.
balmain
Beautiful Late 1980s Pierre Balmain Pastel Blue & Yellow Feather Light Strapless Silk Dress w Full Skirt
I Have a Question
- This is a phenomenal dress by Pierre Balmain from the late 1980s - early 1990s.
- At this point in history the Couture line was called simply Pierre Balmain and the main ready-to-wear line was called Ivoire de Balmain. Depending if it was late 1980s or early 90s, the creative Director would have been either Erik Mortensen (up 1989) or Alistair Blair (who joined in 1990 to over see the RTW line while Erik continued Couture).
- The dress is made from a beautiful silk that is extremely light in weight. When this is on it is almost like wearing nothing.
- Onto the silk is an over-sized check pattern that mixes pastel yellow with shades of soft blues. Some parts have an almost iridescent pale green finish to them and there are also muted deep golds and taupe.
- It is strapless and fitted at the waist. The lower skirt widens out considerably from there to the hem. There are yards and yards of silk making up the skirt.
- The back is cut longer than the front so you get this beautiful sweeping feel behind you. The silk that was used is so very light in weight and it is all cut on the bias which allows it to float and moves around you with your slightest movement.
- I love the way there is extra fabric built-in at the back. The fabric wraps over itself for a few inches to hook into the inside the waist and also on the outer part of the waist. This adds extra fabric to the gorgeous sweep of volume of the back skirt.
- Inside the bodice is a lightly boned and cupped inner corset that holds the dress in place. It is made out of the same fabric. The rest of the skirt is unlined. The dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper and an inner waist stay hooks to close. The silk at the very back of the skirt hooks over itself as described above.
- It is tagged a vintage Balmain 36
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to inner waist
Total length: 55.5" from top of bodice to front hem and the back extends another 14" beyond that.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5385
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.
nina ricci
Outstanding Spring 2009 Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens Runway Look 12 Floral Printed Silk Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 2009 Nina Ricci
- It was made the creative direction of Olivier Theyskens.
- In Vogue's review of the collection they said "Olivier Theyskens' collection for Nina Ricci was like watching the performance of a long piece of self-referential romantic poetry. It's a world of his own, and to fully appreciate it, you need to know what's gone before in his work: his love of Edwardiana and tailcoats; the fluttery, flyaway cutting; the delicate prints and the dusty, organic woodland-floor palettes he likes. Essentially, it was a single silhouette, with a high collar, leg-of-mutton sleeves, and skirts cut away to show long lengths of leg, clad in sheer black tights, walking on high-heeled pump"
- Theyskens said he was "inspired by dance and dresses that each evolved their own shape, short in the front and long in the back."
- Pieces from his time at the Nina Ricci label are an important piece of Theyskens history.
- The dress is made out if a hand dyed silk with a print that suggest flowers in soft pastels. It has a touch of a watercolour painting in feel.
- Under the top layer is a second pale pink tissue silk layer that is cut to follow the lines of the dress and it peeks out from behind the edges of the entire piece.
- The bodice is very feminine in feel. The pink tissue silk under layer is cut to give a touch of a ruffle feel all the way around the straps that curved up and over the shoulders.
- At the back there is a rounded soft scoop that leaves your entire back bare and exposed. The pink silk underlayer peaks out to create a touch of ruffle all around that scoop.
- Vertical seaming creates shape through the waist and then the dress curves back out and over the hips.
- The skirt is extraordinary. Depending on your height, it will sit just from mid thigh to above the knee. From there it is set so it has a slight ruffled feel all the way down the sides to the floor and then the back sweeps out behind you.
- The silk used is extremely light in weight so this moves fantastically. I love that we have reference runway stills and video for you to be able to see how beautifully it moves.
- This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period.
-
The dress is fully lined in a pale pink tissue silk as described above and closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.
- Tagged a Nina Ricci 36
- Excellent condition
Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 32" from top of shoulder to front hem, 85" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5379
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.
alexander mcqueen
Outstanding Fall 2010 Alexander McQueen Gray Scale Print Silk Dress w Caped Sleeves & Trained Skirt
I Have a Question
- This is an outstanding production dress from the Fall 2010 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Alexander McQueen.
- At first glance it feels very much in line with what he was doing for 2007 with his castle /fairy prints. For this collection he visited upon graphic black and grey-scale prints once again. We did find a photo from the 2010 look book that shows a shorter similar version of the dress. Just to give you an idea of how the top especially will fit once on the body.
- The dress is made out of a beautifully weighted silk that he loved to use because it gave him the drape and fluidity that he wanted his pieces to have.
- The shoulders of the dress are padded with thicker rounded pads hidden inside. Falling from there and extending around to the back is a beautiful caped panel that drapes over the top of your arms and then folds up and under itself to create the draping around and down the back. He used a double layer of the silk for this panel so that when you move you see the pattern underneath. It is these exacting small details that always make a McQueen piece stand out.
- The front neck line is set in a draping cowl that sits over an inner V. The dress skims over the bust and waist and then widens out to curve over the hips.
- Yards and yards of fabric have been used to construct the skirt. It is set into the body of the dress on a curving seam that is beautiful. He often use these curving and angled seams that are throwback to Couture pieces of the 1920s and 30s and here he has used it beautifully. The silk in the skirt is all cut on the bias. The back trails out longer behind you and all of this adds up to spectacular movement around you when you move.
- This is a truly outstanding McQueen dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set partial mid-set zipper at the back whose placement is again a nod to the Couture pieces of the 20s and 30s. The shoulders are padded. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
- Tagged a vintage McQueen 38
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 68" from neck to front hem and the back hem extends another 10"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5370
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.
versace
Fantastic 1990s Gianni Versace Metallic Silver Stretch Jersey Dress w Front Plunge & Long Tie
I Have a Question
- The dress dates to the late 1990s-early 2000s time period of the Versace label.
- It was made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace.
- The dress is made out of of a fabulous metallic silver stretch lame that makes it incredibly easy to wear and fit.
- On the bodice wide panels curve up and over the shoulders. The shoulders are cut wide and sloped so that they sit slightly off the shoulder. There is a bit of padding underneath to hold the shape correctly on your shoulder.
- The front plunges all the way down to the waist. I love how the way the bodice is constructed. It looks like it has all been flung over your shoulders and ties into place at the waist. It looks effortless but this is actually all achieved by the way it is seamed and set.
- Where it meets at the front there is attached tie that loops over itself to create the suggestion of a knot and then that falls all the way down the front.
- The skirt curves out over the hips and the entire upper portion of the skirt at the front has been gathered into the centre seam. From the hem up to the base of all of the gathers is a high slit that allows a flash of leg when you walk or move.
- The silver catches the light from every angle to give it a liquid affect over the body and the stretch of the fabric makes it very comfortable, easy to wear and fit.
- The dress is unlined and slips on with an elastic waist. There is light padding in each shoulder. The stretch should allow it to fit ranger sizes. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a vintage Versace 40
- Excellent condition
Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 20" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5369
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.
Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier Runway Strapless Bright Pink Net Tulle Dress w Full Multi Tier Skirt
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress was Look 15 in the Spring Monique Lhuillier presentation.
- It was made under the creative direction of Monique Lhuillier.
- We have included a photo of it on the Dee Hilfiger in between that and the presentation photo, you can see how spectacular this dress is on the body.
- 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”.
- The bodice is strapless and cut to hug you and shape your curves. The peaks at the front are high and the netted tulle wraps over the bodice with variations in colour to add a bit of interest and depth. Inside it boned and shaped and the back scoops down and around.
- 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 its elaborate shape.
- 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 the pattern of the skirt. The back is cut a little longer so that you get a bit of a trailing effect behind you.
- 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. Retailed just over $10k and produced in limited quantities. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a modern Lhuillier 4.
- Excellent condition.
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# DD5363
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.
yves saint laurent
Exceptional Fall 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Black Silk Wrap Dress w Bow Detail
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1983 YSL Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
- The dress would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier
- In this collection Yves paid homage to Paris. He told French Vogue that the collection was dedicated to "the prestige of Paris, as I knew it when I first arrived… That is why it reflects many things from my youth, my first sensations when I arrived in Paris from Algeria.". The book Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk noted that the cuts were loose and offered room to breathe. Pink and black with the two primary colours used for this season and that "the black dresses were chic and cut to perfection".
- This dress is exceptional in person and I feel like the photos are not giving it full justice. The silk is light and weight, and it has far more drape and ease than I think the photos are conveying. It is an absolutely beautiful and chic dress that needs a body to truly come to life.
- The runway photos really give you a better idea of how this dress will look like once on the body.
- The dress is made out of a light weight black silk of exceptional quality.
- The shoulders are lightly shaped and the silk has been gathered up and into the shoulders. The sleeves are cut wider where they are set into the bodice and then narrow to a zippered wrist.
- The dress wraps and snaps at the side to close and there is a built-in inner waist stay to hold it perfectly in place. This is one of his signature designs and allows the drape that you see while letting the dress stay secure. It also allows the bodice to drape beautifully over you.
- The wrap of the dress creates a V neck line at both the front and the back.
- Where the dress closes at the waist the fabric has been gathered into a black silk bow to highlight the waist area. On one side of the dress the fabric is finished with a pleating detail that opens up to create the perfect drape over the body. On the other side, it is pulled up and under the bow which lets the hem at that side have a slight curve up from the bottom.
- The dress is so well-made that I think you could wear it either way around depending on how it works best on you.
- This is an extraordinary piece of true Haute Couture by one of the greatest designers of our lifetime.
- The dress is unlined and is completely hand finished inside to Haute Couture standards. It hooks and snaps to close at the waist and inside there is a hidden set zipper and inner built-in waist stay. Each sleeve zips to close at the wrist. Light padding at the top of each shoulder.
- There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 22.5" and are 15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 14-15"
Bust: approx 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5356
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.
michael kors
Chic Resort 2018 Michael Kors Runway Look 44 Black Dress w Elaborate Gold & Black Sequin Detailing
I Have a Question
- The twin of the dress was presented for the Resort 2018 Michael Kors presentation.
- It was made under the creative direction of Michael Kors
- The show was presented at the Whitney Museum and he said that he chose that space to remind people that they live on an island, calling the theme "Tropicalia a la Tomboy". The evening pieces he described as being the "super easy, super glamorous point of the whole collection."
- This is a fantastically easy dress to wear and has all the hallmarks of the amazing tailoring that Michael excels at with this particular silhouette of dress.
- The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are small caps. The neckline is slightly scooped and the bust skims over you with perfectly placed darts to help shape it around the body.
- The waist is seamed for shape and then it curves out over the hips. It falls in a chic pencil shape that will land just below the knee depending on your height.
- The base fabric is a fine black virgin wool with a bit of spandex added so that it has some stretch and feels insanely comfortable once on the body.
- Onto that is a lovely and intricate design that runs over the entire dress. It combines tiny gold sequins that are set to overlap and create the outline of a abstract design that is filled with a little teardrop and circle shaped glossy black paillette sequins. These are only attached at their very tips so they have the slightest bit of movement. They are so densely applied that they sit off of the dress slightly to create an amazing three dimensional texture.
- It is very chic, very easy and very Michael Kors.
- The dress is fully lined in black silky rayon and closes at the back with the hidden set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a modern Michael Kors 0
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 43" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5349
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.
dolce and gabbana
Outstanding Fall 2016 Dolce & Gabbana Metallic Gold Brocade Playsuit w 3D Magic Mirror & Embroidered & Sequin Details
I Have a Question
- This is a limited edition piece from the Spring 2016 Dolce and Gabbana collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
- This amazing playsuit was only available as a special order piece. It was not a runway piece,but the embroidered magic mirror was a part of the runway show and we have included photos here for your reference.
- The level of detail on this piece is very in line with their Alta Moda work. All of the embroidered pieces were done separately and then hand applied to the dress. It is truly a work of art and showcases the very best of the DG workshops.
- The base fabric is a beautiful gold brocade that uses three different tones of gold applied in a slightly raised pattern on a mixed ivory and gold thread backdrop. The slight raising of the pattern gives it a beautiful tactile feel.
- Wide straps curve up and over each shoulder and the front bodice is cut and shaped in a nod to a corset. Seams curve down and into the waist and at the back there is an inset of a stretch corset fabric in black. This makes it easier to fit and offers a pretty contrast to the gold. Inside it is lightly boned and shaped for support around you.
- Embroidered black and gold cut out embellishments with gold sequin detailing have been applied onto and around the bodice. At the front they follow the dipping neckline and are set to extend off of the playsuit around the straps. At the sides they are set so that they actually sit up and off of the fabric as they curve around the sides. They continue around to the back towards the zipper at the centre.
- The waist is seamed and then the shorts curve out from there to skim over your hips. The legs are wide and each one is a full 28" around. I love that the way they are cut makes it feel like you are wearing an ultra mini at first glance but you have the security and ease of wearing shorts. Slant pockets sit at each hip.
- Set on an angle at the front is an embroidered and gold sequin mirror that says "who is the most beautiful" in script. This is the detail that was also seen on the runway for that season.
- The final perfect finishing detail is the little heart emblem at the neckline. It has a red velvet backdrop and DG in a metal font applied onto it.
- The playsuit is backed in a black silk through the bodice. It is lightly boned for shape and the shorts are lined in a black silk. It closes with a back zipper and the panel of black corset fabric across the back has a slight touch of stretch. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a Dolce and Gabbana 40
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Shorts: 16" from waist to hem with a 3" inseam and a 17" gusset from waist to inner seam
Total length: 32" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5329
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.
christian dior
Beautiful Resort 2009 Christian Dior by John Galliano Purple Bias Silk Crepe Dress w Plunge Front & Train
I Have a Question
- This dress is from the Cruise 2009 collection and it is a production piece produced for the shops.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- The runway pieces that season were based lightly on Poiret and the Paris of the past and for production there was a group of more refined and elegant pieces like this wonderful dress. You so often see how John translated his over the top runway collections into elegant, wearable and yet still glamorous pieces like this dress but this one is infinitely wearable.
- The Vogue report on the collection noted that: "Galliano has been mining the good old U.S. of A. for raw material from which to spin his dreams....grandes dames like Barbara Hutton, Millicent Rogers, and Nan Kempner—women who weren't afraid to make a bold sartorial statement, one that preferably involved a whopping piece of jewelry. From a shimmering backdrop that conjured a Tony Duquette garden, there emerged a full wardrobe for their modern-day counterparts in Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, and Dallas.... What this season is really about is not so much breaking the mold as delivering a vision of the good life—and Galliano can do that in spades."
- The dress is made out of a crepe that has a little bit of texture to it and is in the absolute perfect purple colour that is so good on so many skin tones.
- Wide straps curve up and around the neck and they extend into two triangles that cover your front and slightly wrapped around the sides.
- The neckline plunges right to the waist at the front and the entire upper back is left bare.
- A wide band wraps around your middle to the top of the hip and it is detailed with buttons that run down the front and appear to hold and gather the dress around you. These buttons are decorative. The real buttons are spaced down the side in his signature tightly spaced fabric covered buttons and loops and this is what closes the dress around you. His buttons are a design detail in themselves.
- From there it curves over the hips and then falls to the floor, expanding out as it near the hem. The bottom skirt is quite full and it flares out dramatically on either side.
- At the back, it stands out to create a train behind you. This extra fabric at the bottom creates beautiful movement as you walk and it elongates the body fantastically.
- This is that long, sexy silhouette that Galliano does so well and it is spectacular in this deep purple colour.
- The bodice is unlined and the skirt is lined in a purple silk that is cut to extend all the way to the end of the train at the back. The buttons at the front or decorative and the dress closes with a series of tightly space buttons at one side.
- Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8, IT40, US4
- Excellent condition
Bust: each triangle covered approximately 6-8" from side to side
Seam under the bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 11" from neck to the seam under the bust
Total length: 64.5" from neck to front hem and the train extends out another 18.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5320
Reference Photos: Resort 2009 Christian Dior, Looks 37 & 53.
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.
chloe
Rare Spring 1979 Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld Floral & Stripe Print Silk Dress w Matching Striped Belt
I Have a Question
- After much research I believe this to be from the Spring 1979 Chloe collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld.
- In this collection he moved away from 1940s as his inspiration into the sex appeal of the 1950s, said the book 'Chloe Catwalk'. The silhouettes were based on the hourglass. In that same book there was a very similar floral patterns shown I have included several photos here for you.
- Hand placed gathering emphasizes the hips for many of the pieces in this collection, along with extra emphasis on the waist. Lagerfeld said of the collection to the press "Frivolity is important. I want shape and sensualness."
- The dress is made from one of his signature feather light silks being used during this time period for Chloe. It is screened with a custom print that mixes an ivory, more pastel coral colour and a pale lavender.
- An interesting detail is that the labels are on the side of the dress that I think is the front. The side that has the deep plunge is longer in length at the hem so I believe that should be the back. I have seen other dresses with this label placement from around this time period and when the back is plunged like this, so it is not unusual to see. I have photoed it both ways for you, with the plunge at the back and the front. You could potentially wear the plunge at the front if you don't mind the longer hem at the front much like that Lacroix dress from me that was worn to the Met Gala a couple years ago when they turned it around backwards.
- The sleeves are long and it skims over the bust to the waist. The back plunges into a low V to just above the waist. As mentioned above, it is possible that you could wear it either way around. It is incredibly sexy worn either way.
- The waist is seamed and the dress comes with its original striped screened silk belt that hooks into place around you. The stripes on the belt pick up the stripes that are on the end of each sleeve and circle around the hem.
- The skirt curves over the hips and there is a gathering of the silk for added shape. It falls to the floor with the back cut longer then the front for a slight trained effect. You get the most fantastic movement as you walk.
- The dress is in its original uncut length and is unlined. It closes with a back hand set zipper. Hand finishes throughout. There is a tiny bit of fading at the top of the shoulders and edges of the hems. The entire dress looks to be hand dyed and or screened and it presents perfectly once on as this becomes part of the uniqueness of the pattern. The belt hooks to close.
- Excellent condition with the note above.
Sleeves: 22.5" and are 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from neck to waist
Total length: 60" from neck to front hem, 68" to the back hem with about 2" turned under the hem
Belt: 2.5" wide x 27" long where the hooks currently sit.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5310
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.
valentino
Dreamy Spring 2018 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Black Tulle Sequin w Velvet Bows
I Have a Question
- This beautiful dress is from the Spring 2018 collection and it was made on a limited production.
- The dress was made under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli.
- Its twin was worn by Imogen Poots and also by a guest at the Couture collection that season. We have included reference photos for you to see how gorgeous this is once on the body.
- The dress is made out of a black tulle that sits over an inner black silk chiffon base. The netting has gold metallic embroidered thread applied in long stripes over the dress. Hand Zone onto the gold thread are tiny little sequins in a rainbow of colours. This creates an incredible subtle burst of colour across the entire dress.
- The netting on the bodice crosses over itself at both the back and front to create that pretty neckline that sits wide across to the shoulders.
- The little cap sleeves are very full with elastic and a ruffle at their ends. You can see in the reference photos that the sleeves can be worn on or off the shoulders and it dramatically changes the look of the dress. I love this extra versatility that this gives the dress.
- The skirt is very full and explodes outwards from the waist. All of the volume you see is created by multiple layers of netting and silk stacked over each other in layers. I have not added any extra crinolines underneath for the shots.
- Pretty velvet ties fall from each shoulder and they are set in a bow at the top of the shoulder for the perfect dreamy finish.
- The dress is fully lined in black silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. It appears to have never been worn.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: approx 13" and full through the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5303
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
Rare Spring 2008 John Galliano Black Version of Look 13 Production Label Black Lace Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress in a blue walked the runway for Look 13 for the Spring 2008 Galliano collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- This is a very rare Production label piece by Galliano. It may or may not have been produced for retail but it is the original production piece made before making that decision. This is a very rare thing to find and an amazing piece of Galliano fashion history.
- I love that we have the runway photos and video of the dress in blue. The runway piece was shown unlined so it really allows you to see the extraordinary detail in the lace that the dress has. The black version is obviously harder to photo and it is lined, but has the same amazing detail as the runway piece.
- I have added some detail shots of the dress lane flat so that you can see the patterns watch all through the netting.
- The Spring 2008 show coincided with John Galliano's tenth year with the label and it was Dior's 60th year as a label. John celebrated that by creating pieces based on some of his signature looks through the past decade.
- The dress is made out of black netting that has a dot pattern running through.
- Added to this are circular medallions made out of a and then stitched embroider to create the circles that you see. These medallions are also a clever way to create the shape of the dress. Around the skirt, for example he has placed more of them all the way around to help provide structure and fullness before the final lower tier of the skirt.
- The bodice is shaped and cupped with a build in hooked strap. I love that the outer part of the cups of the bra are finished in a velvet, even though you can't see this, detail it is there. It just shows you how much attention was paid. I took a photo for you to see.
- The straps of the bra curve up and over your shoulder and are finished in a black velvet on their exterior side. Play beside those straps are straps made out of netting that have a round double ruffle shape. These sit over the inner bra strap once it's on your shoulder and Cape softly over the top of your shoulder and upper arm.
- Under the bus, it follows down to the waist where there is a pattern of the round medallion, circling all the way around you. These are placed on a slight downward angle on the sides to create a pretty line.
- Tool explodes to be very full and open. Just under the hip there is a second ring of those circular medallions that go all the way around you and again replaced on a slightly downward angle that curved down lower at the back of the skirt.
- Under that it is fantastic with layers to sit on top of each other with both layers having unfinished raw edges. One layer is longer than can you get even more volume.
- The back of the skirt curves around longer than the front. The lightness of the fabric let it move and catch the air fantastically. You can see that in the runway video.
- This is a phenomenally, rare piece of Galliano history, and and absolutely beautiful dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk with a belt in attached bra that hooks to close at the back. The straps are adjustable. It closes with a tightly space row of his signature button and loops down one side.
- Because it is a production / sample piece there is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-small B cup
Waist: 12-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 53" from top of shoulder to longest point of the back hem, 45" to the shortest point of the front
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD5304
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.
jacques heim
Exceptional 1950s Jacques Heim Golden Era Haute Couture Ultra Rare Purple-Gray Net & Handmade Lace Dress
I Have a Question
- This is an exceptional and very rare example of a Heim Haute Couture work from the late 1940s early 1950s.
- It was made under the creative direction of Jacques Heim.
- Jacques Heim began his career working at his parents fur business. In 1923 he took that business over and made it into his own vision. Heim began designing a line of made to order, in-house couture pieces that used original fabrics most notably those of Sonia Delauney. In 1930 his label became an official member of Haute Couture and his self-named label, Jacques Heim, was born. Jacques remained at the helm of his business until his death in 1967. The label closed in 1969.
- This era of Couture was known as the golden era in part because of its excellence in every aspect to the art of Couture. This dress is everything you look for in an Haute Couture dress from this time period.
- The dress is a phenomenal example of Couture and is made out of a hand dyed net and hand dyed, handmade lace.
- The dress is completely made by hand and would have been made in his Paris atelier.
- Wide straps curve up and over each shoulder and then the front neck and back are both scooped with a more shallow version at the front in a deeper one at the back. The opening across the shoulders is cut wider across so that you can wear this dress more on the outside of your shoulders and expose the collarbones.
- It skims over the bust and is shaped and meant to be slightly more fitted. From there it nips in at the waist. The dress comes with its original matching belt that is also made by hand and covered in the same net and silk as the dress. The belt is slim in its cut and highlights the waist even more.
- The skirt is truly outstanding. It is the perfect rendition of that 1950s full "New Look" feeling skirt that has come to be so associated with that era. The skirt is made from five layers of tulle that are hand dyed to this incredible soft taupey grey that has a hint of purple in its undertone. These five layers sit on top of multiple layers of inner skirting. All of the volume that you see here is created from the stocking of all those layers. I have added nothing extra underneath for these photos, though I think you could make it even fuller if you took the time to starch out every single layer.
- Onto the very top layer of netting are hand applied strips of handmade lace that have been added in vertical rows. Fees stand down and over the bodice to the waist. From there they trail down the skirt to end in various lengths. This has been done all the way around you and the final effect this creates is beautiful. It is hard to imagine the length of time this all would have taken by hand.
- The dress closes with a back metal zipper and the belt buckles to close. The inner bodice is boned for structure and all the hand work is done to Couture standards. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The skirt is made from multiple layers of netting as described above. I see a tiny bit of wear near one grommet of the buckle, one tiny repair in the netting and a faint mark on the skirt. These are all extremely minor but mentioned for accuracy.
- There is no size tag present since it is true Couture so please go by the measurements below.
- Excellent condition.
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 45" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5296
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.
roberto cavalli
Outstanding Spring 2006 Roberto Cavalli Black Silky Jersey Corset Bodice Dress w Gold Hardware Detailing
I Have a Question
- This is the all black version of the Spring 2006 pink floral dress from the same collection that we currently have in the shop.
- It was made under the creative direction of Roberto Cavalli
- The twin of the pink version of this dress was worn by Noemie Lenoir in 2006 and we have included those reference photos in this listing because even though it is a different colour it still shows you just how phenomenal this is once on the body.
- The dress is made from a black silk feeling jersey that is draped over an inner black body suit that gives you the perfect amount of inner structure and holds the dress perfectly in place.
- That inner corset is lightly boned through the front and the bust area is shaped with inner padding and wire. The jersey on the exterior is draped into place over that and gathered over towards one side. At the base of where it gathers there is a decorative panel that has a tie running through it and little gold metal loops. You could use the ties to wrap around the waist or just let it hang down over the hip as I have done for these photos.
- A single layer of the jersey drapes down from there to form the skirt. The skirt is incredible. It falls to extend down long and dramatically on one side so you get a sweeping feel around you as you move. On the other side there is an inset triangle made out of a black chiffon that gives you the very slightest bit of transparency on that side.
- If you loved the dress in the flower print but are not a flower kind of girl. This is the version for you.
- The inner black bodysuit is shaped and made of a stretched lingerie netting to give you support and shape. It zippers to close at its side and then hooks to close at the bottom. The dress closes over that at the side with a hidden set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to the shortest part of the hem at one side and the back extends another 17" past that.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5288
Reference Photos: Noemie Lenoir attends the 'Quand J'Etais Chanteur' premiere during the Cannes Film Festival, 2006.
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.
arnold scaasi
Incredible 1960s Arnold Scaasi Couture Pink Coral 3D Yarn Covered Silk Skirt w Ribbon Waist
I Have a Question
- The skirt dates to the 1960s and is from Scassi's main label
- It was made under the creative direction of Arnold Scaasi
- Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor along with several first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie Kennedy clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. In 2010, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, who hold the bulk of his archives, launched an exhibit of his work titled "Arnold Scaasi: American Couturier"
- Pieces from his main label were made to order and done to demi and couture standards.
- There are certain pieces that you come across that seem to go beyond just a piece of clothing and start to belong to the category of being a piece of art. This skirt qualifies. It is one of the most unusual and exceptional pieces I have seen.
- It is almost camp in feel and yet it has an incredible craftsmanship at the same time.
- It is made from looped tufts of wool in a pink, coral, deep burgundy and pale purple, that are independently attach by embroidery to a silk ribbon background. That silk ribbon is then sewed together and stacked row by row with a tiny gap left between each row. This creates this amazing sub-texture underneath the yarn.
- The yarn detailing is set horizontally and they puff out from the skirt so that it has a 3D feel.
- At the waist is a wide red grosgrain ribbon that sits in a bow at one side.
- Under the nipped in waist the skirt falls on an angle to widen out quite a bit by the time it reaches the hem. It somehow manages to stay both soft and feel structured at the same time.
- It is not unwieldy to wear but it does have the feel of substance.
- Inside it is hand lined in a fine red silk.
- Fully lined by hand in a fine red silk and closes at the back with a zipper and then hook and eye at the banded waist. All the work is done by hand and all of the yarn has been done by hand and applied to the silk ribbon behind it.
- There was no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from waist to front hem, 38" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5267
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.
thierry mugler
Fabulous c.1986 Thierry Mugler Strapless Metallic Gold Lurex Mini Dress w Buckle Detail
I Have a Question
- We believe the dress is from the 1986 collection and Kim Kardashian wore its twin in 2008.
- It was made under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler.
- The fabric that it is made out of is a light in weight metallic gold fabric that drapes beautifully and has a beautiful deep gold tone to it.
- The dress is cut with Mugler's masterful eye and attention to detail.
- The bodice is strapless. One side is curved and is gathered in underneath the other side. There is a peaked panel that folds down to create a little flap on the other side.
- A panel of the metallic gold fabric extends out from the side with the peaked bodice and this buckles into a gold metal buckle belt coming around from the back. This creates a heavy gathering at that side that sweeps up and adds shape through the waist area.
- The buckle is metal and is signed at the back. These would have been specifically made for Mugler.
- The skirt falls under that with a bit of a curving hem at the front so that it is all brought upwards as you can see in the photos. It is meant to feel hourglass in shape.
- This is a spectacular and very rare example of his work.
- I love how the entire dress shimmers in the light because of the gold metallic fabric.
- The dress is lined through the bodice with a more structured fabric that creates an inner built-in corset that is boned and cupped. The skirt is fully lined in a lighter feeling silk. It closes at the back with a zipper and then buckles around the waist with the attached buckle belt. The actual interior of the Terry Mugler tag has been cut out.
- Tagged vintage Mugler 42
- Excellent condition with a bit of wear above the grommets and on the belt buckle.
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam.
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 33" from top of bodice to the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5137
Reference Photos: (1) Kim Kardashian in vintage Thierry Mugler at the 2008 Video Game Awards. / (2-4) Spring 1986 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.
thierry mugler
Museum Held 1986 Thierry Mugler Gold Feather Light Lame Dress w Gathered Sides
I Have a Question
- This dress has been dated by the one that is its twin and was part of the 2014 exhibit 'Chicago Styled'.
- It was made under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler.
- The dress is made out of a light in weight metallic gold fabric that drapes beautifully and is perhaps a touch paler gold than how it photoed here.
- The dress is cut with Mugler's masterful eye and attention to detail.
- It drapes up and over the shoulders with wide panels of the gold. On one side the fabric is heavily gathered and hooks in at the waist underneath. On the other side the dress comes out from under that and is not as gathered so that it falls more down and over the top of the shoulder.
- The side with the wider shoulder is set into a panel that runs down the opposite side of the dress.
- This panel is finished with gold studs and this is where the dress closes. The panel runs all the way down the side to where it splits for the hem. There is even a weight added inside the base of the panel to hold the dress perfectly in place.
- The body of the dress is all gathered into that side panel. It wraps around you and then is gathered into the panel at the back. This creates incredible draping down the body and around you.
- The vertical side panel draws the dress up a few inches above the hem and this then creates a bit of an angled curve along the lower hem of the dress that beautifully picks up the angles on the bodice.
- This is a spectacular and very rare example of his work.
- The dress snaps to close where you see the studs at the side and underneath that there is a hidden set zipper. A grosgrain ribbon wraps around the waist and is attached to the part of the bodice that tucks underneath the crossing over at the front to hook to close inside the dress. It is very cleverly put together.
- I love how the entire dress shimmers in the light because of the gold metallic fabric.
- The dress is partially lined through the bodice and fully lined through the skirt. There are little padding shells set through the inner shoulders but it feels like their inner padding has been removed at some point. It would be easy to add padding back in if you preferred a stronger shoulder.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the listed measurements below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: approx 14-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hooked stay at waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam. Without the stay the waist is 13.75" flat across
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to inner waist
Total length: 40" from top of shoulder to end of the side panel, 49" to the longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5118
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 de la renta
Divine Spring 2010 Oscar de la Renta Bridal Collection Strapless Ruffled Silk Organza, Silk Chiffon & Net Wedding Dress
I Have a Question
- The dress is from the Spring 2010 wedding dress collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Oscar de la Renta.
- The twin of the dress was used for the ad campaign that season.
- The gown is made out of a pale ivory that combines silk organza and silk chiffon with a silk netting. The colour is very soft and flattering. The fabric itself is very light in weight and it is only the tremendous amount of fabric in the dress that adds any weight. The lightness of all of those layers allow it to move beautifully around you once on.
- The bodice is strapless with a slight curve over the bust. A pretty double layer ruffle made of silk chiffon starts at the very top and then layers of ruffles continue all the way down the entire dress. Inside the bodice there is a full built-in cupped, wired and lightly boned stretch corset to hold everything in place.
- The layers run horizontally over the bust and waist in beautiful bands of silk chiffon that all overlap each other. The edges of each band are left raw so that it adds a touch of texture. It continues down and around the waist. By the top of the hip panels of silk organza that are caught wider start to be interest first in to the bands.
- The ruffles of the skirt start all the way up at the top of the hip and they continue down horizontally all the way to the hem. As you get lower down the skirt, the bands become wider and they start to mix a silk chiffon with a silk organza. This widening of the ruffles coincides with the widening of the lower skirt.
- I love how the volume increases as you go down the dress to give the lower skirts their massive volume and pretty romantic sweep.
- For the very lowest ruffles there is a white netting done in ruffles underneath circling the very bottom hem. Inside there are wide, weighted hymns with stiffening and this is all a clever way to help. Hold the shape around you when you stand and move.
- The back and sides extend out longer than the front so that the entire dress sweeps around and behind you beautifully.
- As beautiful as it looks in the photos this is a dress that is even better in person once moving and on an actual body.
- I love that they have made the little straps that you hang the dress on a hanger with out of a wite ribbon with the ODLR in a beautiful soft pale blue that instantly gives you a "something blue" already built into the dress.
- There is a full built-in corset that zips with its own zipper and has a inner waist stay that hooks to close. The dress is lined in a silk under that and there is an inner skirt supporting the volume of the skirt. The inner layer of the skirt is finished with stiffening around its hem to help hold the shape and volume. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. I see a bit of grubbiness along the very edge of the inner hem here and there. I think that is just from hitting the floor as it was hung in the past. It is very minor but mentioned for accuracy.The colour is slightly more ivory in person.
- Tagged and ODLR 8
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist
Total length: 54" from top of bodice to front hem in the back extends another 15" beyond that
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5244
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.
alexander mcqueen
Exquisite Spring 2016 Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Runway Look 34 Black & White Lace Cut Out Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the Spring 2016 runway for Look 34.
- It was made under the creative direction of Sarah Burton.
- Vogue declared that it was the prettiest and most personal collection since she took over as the Creative Director at McQueen. Sarah declared that she wanted the collection to be "believable, touchable, soft.". Vogue's review noted that "The beautiful dresses speak for themselves. Everything about them in times when every camera phone has a zoom lens and can be examined in all their extraordinary detail, down to the finest stitches and the Couture level embroidery.
- This was one of the series of lace pieces in the show and I love the contrasting black-and-white lace used for the dress and how it is all set on a nude netting.
- On the runway the front buttons were left open above and below a single closed button at the centre. A jewelled body harness was worn underneath and over the dress for added detail and it was styled over pants, showing how you are able to style this in many ways.
- The dress is set high around the neck with cut outs between the straps that wrap around the neck and the ones curving over each shoulder. The front lace inset is a deep white ivory and it closes with black silk covered buttons that are all functional. Black lace panels wrap around you to the back.
- At the back you see the same combination of the white lace running down the centre of the dress and the black around the sides. Here there are deep open cut outs on either side of the white lace. There is another row of buttons there as well and these are also functional.
- Leaving buttons opened or fully close changes the look of the dress substantially.
- More buttons sit around the waist cut outs and you could in theory button them high and change how the dress sits. Leaving them open leaves the sides of your waist open and exposed.
- The skirt is absolutely magnificent. It is made out of layers of black lace set in overlapping ruffles. At the front there are two layers of ruffles and then the dress is quite open under that down the full front. We included a photo of an all white version of the dress from the runway so you can clearly see what length the front will fall once on the body.
- The skirt fall down from there on either side of you and curves around to the back. There are six layers of the ruffles and they are all set on a black lace backdrop. This gives the entire skirt a touch of transparency while at the same time the stacked ruffles play on that transparency. It is fantastically full by the bottom hem and you can see from the runway video how beautifully this moves.
- This is an extraordinarily rare dress from the Sarah Burton era and it is absolutely exquisite in every way
- The body of the dress is backed in a nude netting and the skirt is unlined. It buttons at both the front and back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. If you wanted a more bare look you could wear boy shorts or a barer or more covered option underneath.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with the buttons fully buttoned.
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam above the cut outs, 13-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam under the cut outs.
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam of the inner piece above where the tiers start. The skirt is full and open under that.
Bodice: 11" from top of the shoulder to the highest point at the side where the cut out begins, approx 16" to the the same under the cut out and 24" to the sea of the inner piece the hips were measured at.
Total length: 27" from top of the shoulder to the shortest point of the front hem, 62.5" to the longest point of the back hem.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5241
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.
todd oldham
Incredible & Rare Fall 1995 Todd Oldham Runway Black Silk Creoe Dress w Large Crystal Detailing
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1995 show.
- It was made under the creative direction of Todd Oldham.
- In an interview with Fashion TV Oldham said that the Fall 1995 show "was the biggest collection he had ever done, it was more well rounded, and that he thought he liked it better than any collection he had ever done... It is rich without being alienating"
- Todd Oldham showed his first collection in 1981 and officially launched his label in 1989. In 1991 he won the Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent. By 1995 he was the darling of the media. His shows were extravagant and all of the reigning supermodels of the day walked his runways.
- Nothing from his label was being produced in great quantities and the more extravagant dresses like this one are extremely rare and hard to find because they were made in such limited quantities.
- The dress is made out of a black silk crepe that has a very slight ribbed texture to it. It has a sleek and simple feel to it that perfectly reflects the 1990s. At the same time it has a very elaborate crystal rhinestone detailing done for the straps that elevates the dress perfectly
- The upper bodice has attached silver metal linked chains that are flexible and have a series of hand set crystal rhinestones set side-by-side along the lengths of the chain and are held in place by prongs set on a mesh ribbon backdrop.
- The front sweeps up to the neck to a centre peak and the attached rhinestone chains wraps around the neck and then runs down the sides of the back to attach to back of the dress. The first chain is set along the top edge of the dress and runs closer to the neck before curving down the back. The second series of chains are set below that and follow the same line just a few inches apart. I love the crisscross shape that this creates at the front. You can see on the runway pictures how this sits on the body. It is interesting to know that there are no claps or closures. You have to put the dress on and then slip your arms through so that they sit on top of your shoulders.
- The chains are made out of big chunky glass crystal rhinestones that are very high quality. The pattern on each chain combines a large marquise shaped stone set between two stacked round rhinestones on either side. They are gorgeous.
- The dress skims over the bust and curves in at the waist. At the back the upper back is left bare and exposed.
- It curves back out over the hips and then the skirt falls to the floor and gently widens out to the hem. The bottom of the skirt flares out a touch and this gives it some extra fullness and movement as you walk
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back zipper. There are little soft half cup sewn into the front bust area. Some of the ribbon backing of the chains has come loose where the glue has given out. It appears to sit properly once on regardless, but if you want my seamstress to look at this before sending let me know when you place your order. Please see the photo after the label shot. Hand work throughout.
- Tagged a vintage Oldham medium
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 61" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5226
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.
yves saint laurent
Iconic Spring 1985 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Pale Green Silk Dress w Front Plunge & Tie
I Have a Question
- This amazing dress is from the Spring 1985 Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
- The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- On the runway the dress was shown in a brilliant pink. I am sure that this green colour was a special order by a Couture client.
- Jerry Hall was photographed in one that season and we have included other references for it as well so you can see how fabulous this sits on the body
- The dress has a very Old Hollywood / 1940s feel that I love. This is an era that Yves often touched upon in his work.
- It is made out of a pale grass green silk crepe that drapes beautifully once on.
- The shoulders are shaped with handmade padding inside and the sleeves are more generous through the upper part and then narrow as they reach the cuff. Each sleeve has a little handset zipper at the wrist.
- The front comes down in a V and I love how the silk has been draped and brought over from the sides to extend into ties that sit at the base of the V at the waist. This is an extremely clever way to hide all of the closures for the dress. Underneath the tie and extending down a few inches under the waist are hidden snaps and hooks that close the dress around you all while giving the illusion that you have simply tied the dress in place.
- The skirt is gathered in under that to fall to the floor. As it reaches the hem it widens out quite a bit so that when you move it has beautiful movement around you. The back also extends a little longer than the front hand for a sweep of extra movement behind you. Yves was a master at manipulating fabric to fall perfectly over the body.
- The dress is not perfect but is wearable if you do not mind that it does have some small flaws. Please make sure to read the full description below carefully. This is still an outstanding example of his work during this time period.
- The dress is fully lined in a green silk and closes with a series of snaps and hooks at the front waist. Zipper sits at each wrist. The dress has fading across the top of each shoulder and some slight fading throughout. The hem has fallen down in places and there is a touch of grubbiness and fading around the edge of the hem. There is a series of little dots near the seam at the back. The actual silk is sound and stable. The dress could potentially be dyed if you preferred not to wear it as is. Sold as found and priced accordingly.
- There is no size tag present since it is a Couture piece. Please check the measurements below.
- Great overall condition.
Sleeves: 29" and are 15" around the upper arm
Slightly extended shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to front hem and the back extends another 6"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5209
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.
giambattista valli
2010s Giambattista Valli Black Dress Stretch Sleeveless Dress w Front Metallic Thread Wool Inset
I Have a Question
- This is a more modern piece by Giambattista Valli that I believe is from circa 2015.
- It was made under the creative direction of Giambattista Valli
- This is a fantastic day dress that is appropriate for the office but also can be worn to dinner or a cocktail events.
- The base of the dress is made from a stretch mix of silk and wool in a black that has a touch of charcoal feel to it. The stretch allows it to really form around the body but still feel extremely comfortable to wear.
- It is sleeveless and skims over the bodice. The waist nips in and is highlighted with a wide black grosgrain ribbon. From there it curves back over the hips.
- The skirt is cut in a chic pencil shape. A back vent lets you walk easily when wearing it.
- An attached panel runs down the front of the dress. This is made out of a wool that has a nubby thatched texture to it with little silver metallic lurex threads run through the fabric. It is subtle but really elevates the dress and is a beautiful added detail.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a black hidden set zipper.
- Tagged a modern Valli 44
- Excellent condition
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from the top of the shoulder to the top of the 2" band at the waist
Total length: 39" from top of shoulder to hem with approx 1.5" turned under the ham
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD5200
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.
rochas
Prettiest 2000s Rochas by Olivier Theyskens Blue Silk Floral Watercolour Dress w Ruffles & Velvet Trim
I Have a Question
- I purchased this many years ago and was told this was a dress made under the creative direction of Olivier Theyskens.
- Theyskens debuted at Rochas in 2003 at the age of 25 and stayed at the brand until Spring 2015.
- The dress has a beautiful Victorian feel to it and the fabric is gorgeous. It is very light in weight and feels like a fine silk organza mix. Onto it is a stunning washed watercolour feeling floral print that covers the entire dress. It is very pretty.
- A pretty ruffle circles the collar and ruffles continue down the front on either side of the buttons. The bodice is detailed with stripes of black flat pile cotton velvet and the buttons are covered in that same fabric. The seams are exposed and deliberately top stitched with a embroidered feeling thread. The sleeves are long and each ends in a wide cuff that has a little bit of velvet detail.
- It skims over the bust and waist and is cut to be more full and easy through the body. The bodice extends down past the waist to a seam that sits on the top of the hip. The skirt is attached above the seam with an exposed serging all the way around you.
- The skirt falls from there to the floor and it is wonderfully full. It is gathered in around the seam at the hip and then opens out as it near the hem. The lower portion of the skirt is covered in the same detailing that we see on the bodice, combining the velvet ribbon, exposed seams and ruffles, but on the skirt it is flipped horizontally to wrap around you. Underneath the skirt is lined in a black woven netting that helps to hold the shape.
- It is beautifully detailed and the design is properly and carefully thought out and executed. Its loose easy cut through the body make it an easy to fit dress. I think you could even belt this to create a completely different feel to the dress and add more shape.
- They bodice is unlined and has a touch of transparency to it. The skirt is lined in black netting as described above. It closes at the front with the black velvet buttons. Each cuff closes with a series of five hidden hook and eye. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 26.5" and are 11" around the upper arm
Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top and shoulder to waist
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5189
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.
fendi
Spring 2008 Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld Runway Look 19 & Ad Campaign Silk Organza & Chiffon Print Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the Spring 2008 Fendi runway for Look 19.
- It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld
- This was a highly documented collection and this dress and versions of the dress especially were the outstanding pieces. On the runway it was shown with a belt that was sold separately in the shops. A version was included in the Met Museum's 2023 exhibition "A line of beauty". Its twin was used for the ad campaign that season and it, and a version of it, were used in editorials that year.
- The dress is very interesting in how it is made. There is a silk organza outer layer with its circular print on the skirt and more print on the sides of the bodice. Underneath that layer of the skirt is a second silk chiffon layer that has its own different print scattered all the way around the skirt so you get this diffused feel of the print underneath the top organza layer. It is very interesting.
- The dress is suspended by two tiny straps that curve over the shoulders and hook into the low waist at the back. This leaves the entire back bare and exposed.
- At the front, two triangles of fabric curve up to meet those straps and are plunged to the waist. A panel of printed silk has been set in behind those to provide some coverage and also add yet another design detail.
- The waist is defined by a wide band of the organza and then the two layers of the silk fall from there to make the skirt. Depending on your height this will fall mid-calf or slightly lower. The skirt has many yards of silk organza and silk chiffon underneath that and it has the most incredible movement as a result. The lightness of both those fabrics allow it to pick up the slightest bit of air.
- The printed silk chiffon layer under the skirt acts as the lining and the bodice is backed in silk chiffon. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back with two button buttons on the waistband. I see a couple of small marks. There are to faint dots underneath the band at the front to the side, a mark in the print of the skirt and another near the hem. All are fairly faint and because of the print and amount of fabric do not create a huge impact. Please see the photos after the label shot
- Tagged a vintage Fendi 38
- Excellent overall condition
Bust: the front triangles covers to a total of 16" flat across from side to side
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to top seam of the 3" band at the waist
Total length: 50" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5184
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.
valentino
Elaborate Spring 2019 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Black Net Skirt w Hand Beading & Silk Chiffon Insets
I Have a Question
- This skirt is a production piece for the shops from the Spring 2019 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli.
- On the runway a dress shown for Look 60 had similar a beaded design over its surface. We have added that runway reference for you here.
- Vogue succinctly said that "In a season when there’s been so much talk about the appreciation of couture dressmaking and craft skills, Piccioli just took it to the ultimate. It was as accomplished, as complexly cut—and as simple as that."
- The high level of craft put into a hand embroidered and beaded piece like this is evident in the price tag. The original cost of the skirt was £12,285.
- The skirt is outstanding and is beautiful to see in person. There is an inner silk skirt that snaps into place around the inner band of the waist. I love that this gives you the choice to wear the skirt fully opaque, or you can snap the lining out and have the skirt be more transparent.
- Over the inner lining is a layer of black netting and then the top layer combines tulle with insets of a light grey and deep dusty blue grey silk chiffon. Silver metallic thread and tiny silver beads run in swirling designs over the entire skirt. And if you look carefully, you see that there is one unexpected little pink pop of silk chiffon. I love that unexpected detail.
- The waist is banded with a black grosgrain that folds inwards. The inner skirt snaps onto that band so that the snaps are hidden from view.
- The skirt falls from there and has quite a bit of room through the hips so it is an easy fit. It widens out as it nears the hem. There is quite a lot of fabric in the skirt and it moves beautifully around you when you move.
- The black silk lining snaps into place as described above and both the lining and outer skirt have a zipper at the side. Without the lining snapped in the skirt has a touch of transparency. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a modern Valentino 38
- Excellent condition
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 40" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5176
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.
christian dior
Incredible 1970s Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Demi-Couture Elaborately Beaded Black Lace Net Dress
I Have a Question
- This is a superb Christian Dior dress made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan
- It is a wonderful example of the work being done during this time period and shows how well the label could be when it delved into a more minimal cut combined with that full out glamour.
- The dress has classic feel of the best of Old Hollywood and the closer you get to it the more you see the incredible and elaborate amount of detail that has been put into this fabric.
- The dress is made from a black silk net with a floral pattern worked through the lace. The flowers are edged in black silk cord and then it is beaded with an elaborate beading that follows the pattern
- The top beaded layer sits over a black silk chiffon layer. Under those is a nude silk chiffon inner layer that is backed in a black silk. Adding that nude layer gives the dress a bit of an illusion of wearing nothing underneath.
- The dress is suspended from two beaded straps that curve over each shoulder. The front neckline dips into a slight V and the back is a simple scoop.
- It is cut to skim over the body from bust to hips with no seaming to break the eye or the design created by the bead work. The shape of the dress is created by vertical seaming on the inner layers and then the top layer is shaped to follow. The skirt widens out a touch as it nears the hem.
- The lace netting is covered with an elaborate design made of glossy black beads in various sized along with black sequins. The design is heavier around the top the bodice, lightens in coverage as it goes over the hips and then becomes dense and heavy again at the hem.
- The sequins have been applied so that they are stacked and layered over each other to give a slight 3D feel.
- Small faceted beads follow other parts of the pattern and these are the same beads that are used to cover the straps. Tiny little seed beads are thrown into the mix and then there are square pailettes and oval faceted beads on a much larger scale to really create impact.
- The beads are all applied by hand and catch the light from every angle.
- The label on the dress 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.
- Fully lined as per the description above. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Numbered tag. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but you would never tell because of the extent of the pattern. The slight bias cut will allow for a bit of movement in the measurements.
- There is no size tag so I have put the comfortable range of measurements below
- Excellent condition.
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5168
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
thierry mugler
Rare Fall 2001 Thierry Mugler Runway Purple Silk Crepe Dress w the Most Incredible Open Cuts Outs
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Fall 2001 collection and both this purple and a black version were shown on the runway.
- The dress was made under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler.
- Mugler was a masterpiece of draping and cut and this is a fantastic example of that. It is cut with Mugler's masterful eye and attention to detail.
- The dress is extremely difficult to show on a dress form because of the cut through the upper body and arms so please refer to the runway photos for reference. It is spectacular on the body.
- The dress is made out of a purple silk crepe mix that has a slight texture to it.
- A high collar wraps around the neck and the collar is detailed with a silver metal mesh. Onto the mesh are various sized rhinestones set in silver bases. All of them are stitched on one top spot only so they have this incredible little bit of movement.
- A long keyhole at the front open in a V all the way to an empire set seam at the waist. At the back there is an open slit down to the waist seam so you get a flash of skin there as well.
- The waist is defined with a wide band of the same purple fabric and I love how it curves upward at the front to meet the bottom of the keyhole there.
- The skirt flows over the hips and gently widens out as it nears the hem. There is a high slit up the centre front seam which lets a bit of a leg to show when you walk.
- The sleeves are spectacular. They are split on an angle coming out from the collar. The open split runs all the way down to just above the elbow and then they narrow down to the cuff from there. This gives them an incredible amount of movement around your arms.
- Each cuff ends in the same highly detailed mesh and rhinestone combination that you see on the collar of the dress and I love how this ties everything together. The cuffs are set on an angle where they fall past the hymn of the sleeve with the mesh ending in a point so that it goes down and over the top of your hand.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper under the slit. It hooks to close at the back of the neck and each cuff has a zipper closure.
- Tagged a vintage Mugler 42
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: approx 26" and the metal mesh falls another 4.5" past that. The upper arm is open because of the open slits. The neck is 14" from end to end
Bust: 16-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from neck to seam under the keyhole
Total length: 62" from neck to hem
Slit: 25" from the hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5165
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.
emanuel ungaro
Fall 1989 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture Runway Silver Strapless Mini Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1989 Haute Couture Runway
- It was made under the creative direction of Emanuel Ungaro
- The dress is made out of a handmade French lace in a pale silver grey with ivory cord overlay and subtle silver thread woven throughout. It is extremely beautiful.
- It would have been completely made by hand in the Paris Atelier
- It is fitted and shaped through the bodice with internal boning and structure. I love the soft curve at the top edge.
- The lace has been hand draped over the bust and it is swept up to one hip with a tiny handmade flower in a matching lace.
- It curves down and over the hips to the top of the thigh and the bottom of the full bodice is set on an angle.
- The skirt is gathered in and up underneath that. It is tightly gathered all the way around the lower portion of the dress which gives it incredible movement when you move.
- The dress is fully lined in a silver grey silk and closes with a hidden set, zipper, offset at the back and part of the fabric from the back extends and wraps to hook under the flower at the front. An inner waist stay hooks to close.
- Its proper Haute Couture label present
- There is no size tag present so please go by the listed measurements below.
- Excellent condition and appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 29" from top of bodice to shortest part of hem, 31" to the longest part of hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5154
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.
karl lagerfeld
Fantastic Spring 1993 Karl Lagerfeld Runway Black Dress w Extensive Beading
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Spring 1993 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld
- He did an entire series of dresses in several variations for this collection. We have also added some other shots from the collection for you to see since this particular group of dresses were integral to the collection that year.
- Examples of Karl's work during this time period are held in museums around the world and are rare finds. This is an important piece of his fashion history.
- The cut of the dress is simple but it is very sexy with its long silhouette and see through lower skirts.
- The dress is made out of a black crepe that has a slight bias cut to it that allows it to drape well over the body once on.
- The strap detailing that crosses over the body, edges the bust area, and is used for the straps that go up and around the neck, are all made from a wide cotton weave looking ribbon that is applied directly onto the dress.
- Black seed beads were applied onto that ribbon and they catch the light beautifully when you move. The bodice is extensively beaded, sequinned and embroidered. The colours are bright and brilliant and I love how they give the dress a fantastic pop of colour.
- The work completely covers each triangle of the front bust and then wraps all the way around the back. The straps are intricate and hook behind the neck and become a design detail in themselves.
- The dress skims over the body and then flares out with that inset of silk chiffon for the very lower part of the skirt.
- Fully lined in a black silk. The lower chiffon part of the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and hooks to close at the back of the neck. Hand finishes and beautifully constructed.
- Tagged a vintage Lagerfeld 40
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4901
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.
yves saint laurent
Cruise 2016 Yves Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane Couture Black Dress w Mesh & Crystal Front
I Have a Question
- This is a very rare and unusual piece of YSL because it has the added information on the tags of that it is a piece of Couture.
- At this time Hedi Slimane was the creative director and he had re-opened the Couture division at the YSL label. The couture line was not for the general public but was reserved for a select group of friends and clients, making it even more exclusive than traditional couture.
- A couture collection was presented for Fall 2016 in Paris but it was not officially a part of the Couture schedule.
- All of that sums up to make this dress one of the pieces that he most likely made as a custom-made piece for a client. Because YSL had not officially joined the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne it would officially be considered to be demi-couture.
- This is an extremely rare piece from his time at the label made even more special because it has all its original tags in place.
- The dress is made from a fine black wool that has a touch of a texture to it.
- It is sharply tailored and touches on the famous YSL tuxedo variations that Yves' did season to season. The shoulders are shaped with structure and the sleeves are long. Each ends with five hand covered buttons to close the end of the sleeves.
- It skims over the bust, waist and hips and then falls to the floor widening out as it nears the hem.
- The skirt has a very high slit at one side so that you get a flash of leg when you walk.
- At the front there is a panel that has a mesh net inset that has little handset black beads in a mix of a jet black beads and a deep grey glass prong set rhinestones. When this is on you see that bit of skin showing through and the detailing lets it glint in the light.
- Between that mesh covered front cut out and that extremely high slit at the side, it has a very sexy feel once on despite its covered and sculpted feel, making it perfectly representative of Hedi's best work.
- It very well could be the only one in existence.
- The dress is fully lined in a handset black silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Each sleeve buttons to close. Ribbon edged seams and hand finishing throughout. Some of the long seam Work appears to have been done by hand, which is allowed in modern Couture.
- There is no size tag so please go by the measurements below.
- Excellent condition and appears to have never been worn.
Sleeves: 24" and are 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from the top of the shoulder to the waist
Total length: 65" from top of shoulder to hem with just under 1.5" turned under the hem.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5142
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.
yves saint laurent
Spring 2002 / Fall 1984 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Final Collection Black Silk Chiffon Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress was a part of the Spring 2002 final Haute Couture collection by Yves Saint Laurent.
- "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.
- A total of 371 garments were shown that day with pieces from the beginning of his career to the final collection.
- Recreations of some of his most famous dresses were made available and each has the special label that you see in this dress with both the original date of the labels inception and the 2002 date.
- This is one is a recreation of the famous Fall 1984 dress. We have included references of both the original and the twin of this one in the show.
- It is an extremely rare and wonderful piece of YSL history.
- It would have been entirely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The neckline sits wide across and the shoulders are soft. The sleeves narrow to their ends and all of the upper bodice is done in a fine black light in weight wool that has a slight texture.
- The waist is defined by two wide panels. They attached and are gathered in along each side and this gives the shape you see. The top panel is a purple and the bottom a deep pink.
- The dress skims over the hips and then falls to the floor flaring outward as it reaches the hem. The back is cut slightly longer than the front and you can see the extra fabric built in there to create a sweeping feel behind you.
- Every line is meticulously thought out and the technique to create the lines of this dress showcase his decades as one of the premier modern Couturiers in the world.
- The dress is fully lined in a hand set black silk and closes with a side set zipper. An inner waist hooks to close and the dress buttons above a small keyhole at the back. Each end of the sleeve closes with zipper. All of the inner seams are done by hand and the entire dress is made to modern Couture standards. Its proper numbered Couture tag is present.
- There is no size tag present so please go buy the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition and appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Sleeves: 21" and are 16" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to top of the 10" band at the waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to front hem and the back extends another 5.5" past that with just under 2" turned under the hem.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD5140
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.
lanvin
1970s Lanvin by Jules-Francois Crahay Demi-Couture Metallic Gold Detailing Blue Dress
I Have a Question
- This is a gorgeous Demi-Couture dress from 1970s Lanvin.
- Made under the creative direction of Jules-Francois Crahay
- Jules-Francois headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugely desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house.
- The Lanvin label is numbered and the dress has been made to demi-couture standards.
- This dress is made from a fine blue silk tulle that has a floral pattern embroidered over its surface in the same blue. The lining is done with a deep purple silk and this gives it this very unusual colour that lies somewhere between a deep blue and a deep purple.
- Onto the top silk net there is an exquisite floral design done with a metallic gold thread. That same gold thread also circles around the lower skirt in two horizontal panels done in a open chain link design. More of the floral netting separates those panels.
- The result is even better on person as the gold feel more prominent. I love how the gold catches the light from every angle.
- The bodice skims over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has a bit of puff above the elastic cuff.
- The waist is cut more generously and you could add a ribbon or a belt to cinch it in.
- The skirt skims over the hips to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. The added panels of gold on the skirt help to give the skirt support and help hold its shape.
- Fully lined in a purple silk chiffon through the top and a purple silk through the skirt. It closes with a back hand set zipper and there is elastic in each cuff. Hand finishes and hand finished inner seams.
- The label is numbered.
-
There is no size tag present and the bias cut of the lining and the net give it a little give so I have put the comfortable range of measurements where it will give a bit.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3925
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.
prada
Spring 2004 Prada by Miuccia Variation on Look 52 Printed Ivory Strapless Cotton Dress
I Have a Question
- This is a variation on Look 52 that walked the runway for the Spring Prada 2004 show
- Made under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada
- Vogue said of this collection: "Over almost a decade of ground-breaking experimentalism, Miuccia Prada has explored everything from irony to deliberate ugliness to intellectual subversion. She’s been there, done that, and has the souvenirs to prove it. For Spring 2004, the designer turned her attention to the stiffest fashion challenge of the day: how to make feminine, happily nostalgic clothes without rehashing the clichés of vintage?“ It was about tourism and craftsmanship, many things,” she said of a show that revisited the optimistic fifties to bring back a full set of densely packed suitcases."
- The dress is made of of an ultra fine, ultra light cotton in a deep ivory.
- It is strapless and the fabric has been done in extremely fine pleats with embroidered edges on some of the pleats. These sweep across and around the bodice. One one side the pleats are hand tacked down in a line that curves down one side. On the other side of that tacking the pleats begin to open up to sweep downwards and start to form the skirt.
- The skirt is made of five tiers of the cotton with attached under layers of silk and netting. This creates an extraordinarily beautiful draping all the way down the skirt.
- The cotton is printed with an ultra fine pattern made of fine little dots to form tiny clusters of flowers. These cover the entire dress. It is extremely beautiful and has a very delicate and feminine feel.
- Inside there is a net and cupped bodice that is lightly boned for support.
- It closes with a back zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The construction of the dress is a nod to the dresses of the 1950s and it is very beautifully done.
- Tagged a Prada 42
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 36" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5090
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.
chanel
Exceptional Spring 2009 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Runway Look 62 Silk & Tulle Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of the dress walked the Spring 2009 runway for Look 62
- Under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld
- This is the actual dress that was worn by Catriona Balfe for the Season 5 premiere of Outlander in 2020.
- In the book "Chanel Catwalk" the notes on this collection tell us that for this show they rebuilt the facade of 31 rue de Cambron inside of the Grand Palais. The collection played homage to classic Chanel style. The palette of the show was mainly black, white, pink and grey. Many of the pieces had a touch of a lingerie inspiration in them, including this gorgeous dress. It was one of the outstanding pieces in the show and it is even more beautiful in person. My photos don't come close to doing it justice.
- The upper bodice and shoulders of the dress are made of a fine silk netting that has a touch of transparency to it. It breaks at the back to leave a bare expanse of skin down the centre.
- A muted silk satin, with a more matte finish, is used to create a tiny little bodice piece that wraps around you. A little bow sits at the centre front for a pretty and feminine touch.
- The skirt falls from that empire cut and flows outward to the floor, expanding by quite a bit as it nears the hem.
- It is made of four layers, a top black silk net layer, a more ivory layer under that, and then two inner black silk organza layers that sit next to the skin.
- Fully lined in silk behind the bust area and the inner two layers of the skirt are a black silk organza.
- The bodice buttons to close with two pewter coloured silver metal buttons at the back and the dress zips to close under that.
- Tagged a Chanel 38.
- I see a couple of very tiny and little minor pulls and breaks in the skirt near the hem that don't affect it at all but are mentioned for accuracy and a repair near the edge of the arm opening. Overall excellent condition
Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from top of shoulders to waist
Total length: 62.5" from top of shoulders to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5050
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.















































