yves saint laurent

Spring 1978 Yves Saint Laurent Runway & Ad Campaign Off Shoulder Silk Chiffon Dot Dress

  • The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1978 collection.
  • It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
  • We found a reference photo from the runway and it's twin was also used in the ad campaign that season.
  • The reference photos show the dress with a sash that is in a solid print. When the dresses were produced and sold in the shops they were sent with matching dotted tie belts.
  • I have photoed it here both loose and easy without the tie belt  so you can see how it can be worn as more of a caftan feel and with the belt tied to add shape.
  • The dress is made out of a single layer of a black silk chiffon with a multi-colour dot print screened onto the chiffon. It is extremely light-in-weight and moves very beautifully.
  • The neckline of the top is set wide across and has an elastic finish so that you can wear it off of the shoulder for a bare expanse of skin to show. I love the little ruffled detail along the edge that the elastic gathering creates.
  • Sleeves extend straight out from there and are extremely full and open. They are brought in at the cuff and he repeated the same elastic gathering detail just like on the neckline.
  • Under that the dress skims and opens to be very full and easy all the way down to the hem. This gives an incredible movement around you because of the ultra-light weight of the fabric.
  • To get a more defined feeling through the middle you just tie the belt and cinch it in as much as you wish. On the runway and in the ad campaign it was styled belted with a solid wider sash. I love that it shows that by changing up the look of the belt it changes up the look of the dress.
  • It is very full by the hem and I love how the bottom is finished with a very wide band of the same fabric. The front is cut shorter than the back and that extra ruffle around the bottom and the changing length all help to really allow it to move around you.
  • This is an absolutely stunning example of his work during this time period and I love that it is so well documented.
  • The dress is unlined and it weighs very little. It slips over the head to wear with elastic through the neckline. Each cuff has elastic. The open and loose cut should allow it to fit a wide range of sizes. The belt is original to the dress and is included. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
  • The dress is tagged a YSL 36
  • Excellent condition

Sleeves: approximately 25" and the upper arms are very full and easy
Bust: "16-23 flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Total length: approximately 47" from top of bodice to shortest point at the front and the back falls to approximately 59" at the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD5795

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