Vogue magazine raved about this collection saying in part; 'With pop chanteuse Regina Spektor at the grand piano in his 583 Park Avenue show space, the designer sent out a Fall collection of impeccable clothes for gals young and old who are accustomed to the good life' .... They then went on to mention this gown specifically; 'Come evening, the collection went two ways: understated, as with a trio of black columns in velvet, hammered satin, and silk crepe; or gala. Gustav Klimt's work was a reference point not only for a strapless floral chiffon embroidered dress accessorized with several strands of beads, but also for a pair of black gowns—one in a realistic (gold-) leaf motif and the other in a more abstract brushstroke style.' The twin of this dress was the brushstroke dress they referred to and was Look 61 on the runway.

The dress is made out of a very light weight black matte satin silk. The light weight of the fabric is absolutely intentional. It is just heavy enough to be able to hold and carry the hand painted brush strokes that have been applied onto it, but is still light enough that with every move it billows out around and behind you. I have included the clip of Jessica Stam walking the runway in it so that you can see the effect as it moves. The bodice is strapless and the fabric is hand gathered over it in soft folds. It is shaped to accentuate the bust. Below that, the skirt is very full and billows out and around you beautifully. It skims over the hip and then flows to the floor. At the back it is longer and extends out into a train. At the base of the back there is a large bow made out of the same fabric and even this is done in just a single layer of silk so that it too moves and flows with you as you walk. From the side this creates a beautiful curving angle from the waist to back hem. No matter what angle you see the dress it is stunning. The fabric itself has been hand painted with gold and copper brush strokes and to further highlight these there are little areas of hand applied gold sequins, others are detailed in a gold glitter and there are rhinestones scattered here and there as well. It is stunning. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and a black silk organza through the skirt. It closes with a back hidden set zipper.  Light boning through the bodice. Tagged a modern ODLR 8. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. All of the detailing has been done by hand

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 7" from top of bust to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to front hem, 51" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3508

Reference Photo: Model Jessica Stam walks the F/W 2008 Oscar de la Renta Runway. Look 61.  /  Reference Video below: F/W 2008 Oscar de la Renta Runway Show.

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

A dress in a similar cut in a blue metallic was worn by Iman on the Fall 1988 runway. Just behind her shoulder you can see one that was done ina black and gold colorway like this one is. This figure hugging bodice with a low-slung voluminous skirt was a trademark look for Ungar during this time period and this is a stunning example of his work at the time.

This is a dress made to hug and shape your figure into an hourglass. The metallic gold used is fantastic and pops against the black silk. The metallic thread catches the light and intensifies the feel of the gown. The fabric itself is quite light in weight but the construction of the dress is so elaborate that the dress has a decent weight to it on the hanger. Once on the body it feel balanced and light. The inside of the dress is quite structured for support and it is molded and boned to hold the shape that you see. The bodice is a modified strapless sweetheart neckline that curved and dips across the top. Through the body the dress is elaborately gathered with hand placed and gathered folds. These run from the bust right down and over the hips so your shape is very emphasized. Under that, the skirt is set with tiers and panels of a black silk, and each panel is individually set on an angle. This gives the low set skirt a huge amount of volume and movement. This technique also allows each panel that makes up the skirt to move freely so that whenever you move it does as well. A little box at the back is the perfect finishing detail. It is incredible and even more so once on. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and zips to close at the back. Tagged a vintage 8. Note that the zipper stops a few inches above the low seam of the hips so there is no give in that part of the measurement. Looks to have been worn very little if at all. Boned through the bodice.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 26" from top of bodice to low seam below hips
Length: 54" from top of the bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3509

Reference Photo: Iman on the F/W 1988-89 Emanuel Ungaro Runway.

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

This dress is a personal favorite and it shows the range of what Hanae Mori was capable of. The dress is simple and beautiful but still striking. It dates to the late 1970s, early 1980s and it is an absolute work of art. Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York Runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional.

This dress is a wonderful example of her range as a designer. It also showcases her extraordinary and meticulous attention to detail. The inner construction on this one is partially finished to Haute Couture standards and I have included a photo of the hand finished inner seams. I think that it may have been a special order placed through Saks Fifth Avenue based on the level of detail on the inner finishes. The dress is as light as a feather to wear because of the silk chiffon she has chosen to make it out of. The silk was then woven through with a gold lame thread that creates that beautiful design of huge stylized flowers that cover the dress entirely. The gold gives the dress its impact and the lightness of the silk chiffon is easy to wear. The bodice is suspended from the shoulders and has an almost chemise feel to it with the straps set slightly inwards. It skims down and over the body to the waist. The back closes with a series of silk covered snaps and her signature tiny snaps. Below this the skirt falls to the floor in two tiers of chiffon layered over each other for just a touch of fullness. It is astonishingly beautiful. Even more beautiful in person and the photos cannot convey the quality and feel of the high grade silk and the lightness of the dress when on. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes at the back with silk covered snaps to the waist and a series of her signature tiny snaps under that. Hand finished to couture standards throughout the interior. Tagged a vintage Mori 10. It will fit more like a loose chemise on a smaller frame and more fitted through the bust on a larger

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam of the inner corset
Hips: open
Length: 59" from top of shoulders to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3244

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

While researching this stunning dress I found the photo I included here of a dress from 1971 that the same lines and ruffle details. Based on the other work Mr. Givenchy was doing during this time period it makes perfect sense that this would be from that year's collection. In addition, I found a numbered tape inside the seam of the skirt and it may very well denote a special or custom order.

At first glance the fabric appears to be a metallic silk brocade, but as you go closer you realize it is even more special then that. It is actually a fine and very light weight woven netted lace with a blue metallic lurex thread running through the design. The play of the metallic thread against the non-metallic bits adds its own texture to the already textured lace. The fabric has just a touch of transparency to it and I love the unusual deep deep blue of it that has just a touch of purple to make it even richer in feel. Once you get past the sheer brilliance of the fabric you begin to notice the workmanship that has gone into constructing this. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust from the rounded neckline and then it cinches in at the waist. The dress comes with its original belt that can cinch the waist in more. The sleeves are long and are finished with a ruffled the wrist that creates a beautiful little bell shape. The skirt falls to the floor from the waist and gently widens out as is nears the hem. It is finished with a wide ruffled detail that ties on the ruffle on each cuff. It is stunning and even better in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a blue silk organza. It closes at the back with a fine metal zipper. Inner waist stay hooks to close. The belt closes with hooks. There is the teeniest of marks along the inner edge under the seam at the inner arms but they do not show through. Please refer to the photo after the label shot. There is a numbered tape along the inner skirt seam that I also photoed. Note that if you required more length it would be possible to move the ruffle down as it is set higher up the skirt rather then at the very edge of the hem. I think you could get a good 6" more in length. The sleeves are set the same way.

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3167

Reference Photo: Jours de France Issue 844, 1971. 

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

In 1962 Capucci opened his first atelier in Paris and took the fashion world by storm. In 1968 he went back to his native Rome and opened his atelier there. By 1972 his work was presented in a museum in Rome at the Museum of Etruscan Art. A remarkable achievement for a living designer. He exhibited again in 1990 and in 2005 he founded the Roberto Capucci Foundation to preserve his numerous drawing and archives. His pieces tend to be highly architectural and the ones you see in exhibits border on not being wearable, so it is a treat to find a beautiful and highly wearable example of his work.

From the late 1970s comes this fabulous little deep blue chiffon dress that is cut to flow and drape over the body. The neck is cut wide to give a glimpse of the upper shoulders and the sleeves flow from there in an expanse of volume and fullness to above the buttoned wrist. The skirt has yards and yards of chiffon and flows to the floor in a pretty, light expanse of fabric. The back and bodice are especially pretty with their pin tuck lattice design that is detailed with a little clear beads where each pin tuck crosses over the other. It is lovely and a rare example of a hard to find designers work. Excellent condition

Fully lined except for the sleeves and closes with a back zipper on the interior fabric and snaps on the outer. Each cuff closes with a hidden snap under a silk covered button detail. Hand finished inside and hand applied beads.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2753

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

Zandra Rhodes is one of my favorite designers and it is always a treat to have one of her pieces for you. This print matches pieces from the Spring 1988 collection entitles the 'Fantastic Flower Garden' which featured little flowers set within curved lines in the backdrop and little crosses on the petals of the flowers.

This is a very wearable, gorgeous piece that can go for a fancier day piece to cocktail wear with ease. The fabric is her signature hand painted silk chiffon and this one is done in a flattering deep red with a charcoal print. This lies over a silk satin interior that feels wonderful when on the body. The dress has an asymmetrical hem and panels of fabric that are sewn on in tiers and on the bias to create a floating feel around you. They are set like a softer version of a handkerchief hem. This gives the dress a lot of movement. It is cut to skim over the body with a loose and easy waist and then the skirt flares out. The bodice has just a touch of detailing to highlight some of the floral prints with hand applied sequin paillettes and pretty faux pearls. The sleeves are left unlined and have that same panelled floating technique used on hem of the skirt so that they are light and airy feeling as well. It comes with a matching extra long sash that can be tied around the waist like I have done or you can wrap it around the neck or even tie it like a turban around you head. It is lovely and highly collectible. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in red, light silk satin and it closes with a back zipper. The bead and sequin work detailing are hand applied. Comes with a long wide sash and there are several pieces of matching fabric that came with it. This dress may have been a custom order and I think these are fabric swatches sent in advance of the actual making of the dress. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Shoulders: 14.5
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from shoulder to longest points on the hem
Sash: 17" wide x 102" long

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3507

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

This is likely the early work of Elinor Simmons before her name went on the labels. She designed for the Malcolm Starr label from the early 1960s to 1972. You can see her influence in this classic feeling Malcolm Starr dress with its almost sculptural lines and addition of the rhinestone embellishments on the bodice.

At fist glance the fabric used almost looks quilted, but upon closer inspection you realize that the little quilting lines are pressed directly into the fabric. This gives the dress an instant shot of added texture that is very pretty. The fabric seems to be a cotton or cotton mix. This allows it holds the shape and the colour beautifully. The bodice skims over the torso with darling little capped sleeves. The waist line is defined with a seam and set just a touch higher then the natural waist for a hint of an empire feel. The neck is high with a notched front. The skirt neatly falls from the waist and gradually widens out to just about the knee or slightly under. The fabric is a pretty pinky red that has a bit of a cherry feel to it in person. I love the little sprays of flowers that cover the surface. The centres of the flowers are finished with little coloured rhinestones and this gives the dress a touch of glamour. The colours used are wonderful and the dress is gorgeous. I love that it has pockets hidden away along the seams of the skirt. It is really a lovely dress. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a red silk and it closes with a painted back metal zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Note that the colour is more a pink red in person and even better then how it photoed

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem with 2.5" turned under the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3506

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

Glossy black sequins have been densely applied to a feather light silk chiffon to make top this amazing Bill Blass dress. These cover the entire surface of the fabric and each individual sequin has been meticulously placed and sewn by hand. This is a wonderful example of the high glamour looks that Bill Blass was doing during this time period. The neckline is cut into a low V above a nipped in waist. The sleeves have been left unlined so you get a touch more transparency between the spaces between the sequins. The waist is nipped in and the skirt falls to the floor and is quite full. The skirt is attached to the waist in a series of soft gathers which help to give the skirt the fullness and volume that you see. These soft pleats are meticulously set around the waist and the construction is beautiful. Inside, the skirt has additional layers of of netting that are set under the lining. This also helps to create fullness and shape so that the waist is emphasized and the skirt hangs exactly how Mr. Blass wished. The hem of the skirt is finished with a thick band of glossy black feathers that are mixed with thin, metallic cellophane strips. This mix of weightless metallic strips and feathers is signature of Blass' that he often utilized in pieces that he used feathers on. It is really a remarkable example of his work. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined with a semi sheer black crepe through the main part of the bodice and the skirt. The sleeves and shoulders are unlined. The skirt has an additional lining of a starched netting in two layers to support the shape and give it inner structure. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and each cuff has a zipper at the wrist. The back does close from waist to neck properly but it was too small to close on my dress form. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5 from shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: approx 40" from waist to bottom of feathered hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3128

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

Dan Werle launched his label just after the end of World War II and by the 1950s was dressing Hollywood starlets and his designs made regular appearances on Loretta Young for her TV show 'The Loretta Young Show' that ran from 1953 to 1961. She often launched her show wearing one of his designs and it was that publicity that made his label thrive.  

This is an absolute stunning dress from the label that mixes a textured organza with medallions of cotton lace and plays with transparency. The sleeves and skirt are made from a ripple textured organza that has just enough weight and structure to it to hold the lovely fullness that you see in the sleeves and the skirt. This is mixed with a embroidered cotton that is formed into round discs that are then attached and laid out flat beside each other to cover the entire front bodice. I love how this is angled up towards the neck to give a touch of transparency over the shoulders. This bodice treatment is backed in a nude chiffon so from a distance you have the illusion that you are here between the discs. A thick band of this same technique is also used at the hem. The cut is simple but dramatic and fully covers the body. The neck is high and the sleeves are long and cut with a huge pouf balloon sleeve finish above the wrists. The skirt is quite full and it flows to the floor in a lovely cascade of fabric. This sits over an inner skirt which gives the fabric on the skirt a touch of depth. At the back the dress has a single layer of the organza and once it closes at the beck of the neck you are left with a wide bare expanse of skin. It is chic but very sexy at the same time. This is the more glamorous version of the hostess dress and it is wonderful. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in a black opaque crepe and the front of the bodice is backed in a nuder silk. The sleeves and back are left unlined. It closes with a back painted metal and nylon zipper and hidden snaps at the back of the neck. Each sleeve has elastic at its ends. 

Sleeves: approx 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: approx 17-19" flat across but with no true defined seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 50" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3504

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

This dress is instantly recognizable as having been designed by Bob Mackie. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his undying love of opulence and bead work, both of which he incorporates heavily into the best of his designs. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In some ways he and his creations defined their careers and that era of glamour. I think he secretly always designed for the big screen and the bygone glamor of Hollywood as his work is always over the top and extravagant. This dress has the added provenance of being the twin of the one recently worn by Tracee Ellis Ross on a 2020 episode of Blackish where she portrayed Cher. 

This is an amazing dress that is heavily sequinned and extremely sexy and flattering once on. The base of the gown is made of a nude stretch silk netting that has a pattern made up of beautiful curving bands that feel like they are wrapped around you like flames. Mixed into this is an elaborated detailing made of faux pearls that curve down the front of the dress and highlight that very high set slit at the front. The pearl embellishments travel upwards right to the neckline and even run down each sleeve. The designs that you see are made up of ivory coloured sequins hand set in curving bands. White and silver tube beads are set vertically to create an edge around each of those curving bands. Additional silver sequins and even some rhinestones are scattered in between. This combination of the glass tube beads and sequins give the gown an extra layer of texture and glamour as every inch of it catches the light and sparkles. As a result the dress has a decent weight to it when it is off of the body because of that extensive bead-work, and yet once on the body it lies and drapes in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The bodice is cut to skim over the chest with a high, slightly angled neckline. The sleeves are cut straight and lined with an additional layer of nude silk to really show off the design that trails down and around each sleeve. The waist is brought in just slightly so that there is a bit of shape created but there is no horizontal seam to break the lines of the design. The skirt is incredible and is cut on a curve so the back is longer then the front and it wraps around you to that high, wide slit at the front. The effect of this is far more dramatic and fabulous on a real body and it really shows off the legs. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will dance when you see it in person as it is so, so, so much better in real life. Extremely well made and made to demi-couture standards. These were sent to the stores with a full lining made of a nude silk chiffon and you could remove this if you wanted a true nude, semi-see through dress that Mackie is so well known for. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a nude silk through the body and the sleeves have a more transparent nude chiffon lining. It closes with a painted metal and nylon back zipper. Hand finished throughout. Slight padding in each shoulder and zippers on each cuff. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but no bare areas. In person it is a touch more of a cream. It does have some stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat. 

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to longest point of back hem
Slit: approx 24" from front hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3503

Reference Photo: Tracee Ellis Ross in Bob Mackie for Blackish (from her Instagram and the Blackish Instagram).

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

In its heyday the Gene Shelly of California label was highly sought after. The label was doing some of the best of the early sequinned vintage pieces that you could find anywhere on the planet. All of the sequin work that covers this dress was done by hand in Hong Kong on American manufactured fabric. The company would send the fabric to be hand sequinned and beaded. After that was done the fabric would be sent back to California where the dresses were made. At the time, Hong Kong was doing the best sequin and bead work in the world outside of the specialty ateliers in Paris. This dress is not perfect but it is still very beautiful and with a little work it could be perfect again. 

This dress is especially interesting because it bears many similarities to the one I sold before that ended up being the twin of one worn by Diana Ross and The Supremes. This dress has a very similar layout of the beads and sequins but it has been done on a silk based rather then a knit. This base of this one is a beautiful pale ice blue that perfectly sets off the silver sequins that are applied to it. There are hundreds of silver sequins that are laid out flat onto the silk from shoulder to hem. Each sequin has been meticulously applied by hand into its set place. Every inch of the fabric is covered with sequins and the dress glimmers in even the lowest of light. Set in among the silver sequins are big faceted pink and coral paste crystals. These circle the neckline like a built in piece of jewellery. There is also wide band of them applied around the lower skirt. Each crystal has been is hand sewn into place and they are large enough that they each have a 3D effect. Tiny faux pearls and seed beads outline them. Around the neck line and sleeves are coral beads and faux pearls. The dimension and texture created from the result of all of this hand work is wonderful. The dress itself is immensely flattering with its figure hugging shape and all of the seams in it are set vertically to give the wearer a beautiful long line. The base dress is in excellent condition but there are sequins missing. Please review the condition notes below.

The base is an icy blue silk  and the dress closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. The sequins and embellishments are all applied by hand.There are areas of missing sequins. Most notably across the upper shoulders and down the top of the cap sleeves. Some other areas in the body of the dress. These could be filled in with modern silver sequins. Or it could be worn as is. Priced with the work needed to make it perfect taken into account. Please review the photos after the label shot. 

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3502

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

The Snooty Hooty label was sold at a small independent boutique of the same name in Atlanta. The boutique was open in 1966 under the name Serendipity by Barbara Weiss and it wasn't until 1969 when the name was changed after a grumpy client called one of the salespeople snooty and Weiss paired it with Hooty. My client bought this dress right in the very early years of the shop name changing. 

I love this dress with its combination of colours and that amazing cut. The printed parts are made of a floral brocade fabric that has an almost canvas feel to it and that really helps it to hold the shape that you see, including the pouf of the incredible sleeves. That fabric is used all along the sides and back of the dress and then each sleeve has it for the lower portion where it really poufs out above the wrist. A dusky pink was used all the way down the front and for the upper portion of the sleeves for an added pop of colour. Where the two fabric meet there is an elaborate border of a black cotton lace that adds some texture. The front plunges quite low and laces in a way that leaves bare skin exposed between the laces. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition 

Unlined and closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper and the front laces as shown. Elastic in each cuff. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The pink is a little lighter in tone then how it photoed. 

Sleeves: 25.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 51" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D623

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

This dress is from the archive of the Roman couture house Tiziani, which was founded in 1963 by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, who was a regular client; Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer, Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This piece is unlabeled but has the provenance of being a part of a past auction that featured the sketches and a few select pieces of work from Karl Lagerfeld's time at the label, this dress being one of them. It also does have it couture tape present. 

The dress is constructed from a fine, pale blush pink coloured silk chiffon that in person has a prettier and softer feeling then how it photoed. The colour is even better when you see it in person. The dress is very beautiful and has a very romantic feel to it. The silk it is made out of is extremely light and airy so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. The work on this dress is meticulously done and I have included a shot of the interior so that you can see the couture workmanship inside. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust with light padding in each shoulder to give it just a touch of structure. At the neckline there is a pretty bow shaped cut out with an open lattice inside of the bows. This has been densely embellished with pink sequins, beads and rhinestones. I love the little flowers formed along the lattice and how Lagerfeld has used this touch of glitz almost like it was an attached piece of jewellery at the neck. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes tiny seed beads, sequins and prong set rhinestones. Being set onto a lattice means that you get just a touch of skin peaking through from underneath. The neckline is softly scooped above that with a ring of the same embellishment circling the neckline. The sleeves are cut to pouf above the buttoned and cuffed wrists. Each sleeve is unlined so that you get a touch of transparency through the silk. The skirt falls from under the bodice and is set along the waist on a curved line and a series of soft gathers. It falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to Haute Couture levels and is stunning. It is extraordinary and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a hand set pale pink silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk satin. It closes with a hand set back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. Hand work throughout and made to couture standards. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem and there is one button missing on one cuff

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3501

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

This is a very beautiful and unique piece that is not 100% perfect but could still be worn as is or have some restoration work done to to bring it back to its original condition.

It is an incredible, late twenties, early thirties dress that is made of a bright floral printed silk mixed with a nude silk chiffon and a black silk netting. The way the the silk is placed and the netting is used makes it incredibly sexy and yet demure at the same time. There is something very feminine about this dress. The upper bodice has a nude chiffon base which gives a feeling of wearing nothing underneath when you see it under the netting. Individual clusters of the flowers from the printed silk have been cut out of the fabric by hand and then hand applied onto the netting. This is scattered over the sleeves and shoulders and all across the back. A panel of the same silk runs down the front where the dress closes with a tightly spaced series of silk covered buttons. The waist is brought in and then the skirt skims over the hips and gently flares and swings out. The semi-transparent effect that the dress creates is stunning and was probably quite scandalous feeling in its day. The silk used for the skirt and appliqué is a beautiful quality and I love the bright colours. An incredible dress that feels very special. Sound enough to wear as is with the stated flaws but please review the notes below.

The dress is lined through the bodice with a nude silk chiffon and has a built in sleeves of the same fabric. The skirt is unlined. It closes down the front with the series of silk buttons and loops that you see. Hand work throughout. There are numerous breaks in the netting and a tear above one cuff to the netting. This type of netting can be repaired and you could just carefully close each break since it has no other flaws other then the ones on the netting. I took numerous photos of the worst areas. 

Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D622

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

My client purchased this spectacular Vivienne Westwood gown from her mothers shop. She wore it to a friends birthday gala and that was the only time it was ever worn. We narrowed down the date based on that info and also the reference photo of a similar gown that was shown for the Fall 1998 presentation.

The cut and line of this dress are pure heaven. It is strapless and has that famous dipped and front peaked bodice edging that Vivienne has become famous for. Inside the bodice is one of her boned and shaped corsets. This is constructed to cinch you in at the waist and push up the breasts. Once on an actual body you will get that full Westwood effect from that inner corseting. The large flat bow that sits at the top of bust only emphasizes this. The bow is constructed so that it curves out from the body and this adds more shape to the bust and gives the otherwise simple dress detailing. Below that, the waist curves in with vertical seaming. It then curves over the hips and flares out, widening out as it curves towards the floor. The construction of the skirt has an almost architectural feel to it and it reminds me of that famous Charles James gown in the way that it flares and curves outwards on each side. The fabric is a heavy black silk satin that gives the dress the stability it needs to hold that shape once on the body. It is incredible and a rare find. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk with an inner built in corseted bodice as shown. Inner wired peaks at the side of the bodice The corset zippers to close. The outer dress also zips to close with a hidden set zipper along the seam offset at the back

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 51" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3343

Reference Photo: F/W 1998 Vivienne Westwood Ready to Wear Runway Collection.

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

This gorgeous little dress is a version of the all pink dress that walked the runway and was featured in the ad campaign that featured Linda Evangelista. The 1987 collection with its pink bows and accents is one of my all time favourites and I am very pleased to have this wonderful example from it in the shop for you.

This gorgeous dress is made from a black silk faille base with a bright shot of the signature pink used throughout the collection that year. The ruffle is in the same fabric that has been specifically dyed to this exact colour of pink. This choice in  fabric gives the dress its structure and shape and also allows for the volume that you see in the ruffle detailing that wraps around the waist and hips. The bodice is strapless and cut to curve in a modified sweetheart neckline. It is lightly boned on the inside for a built in shape that molds your form to it. It then curves in to skim over the waist and curves back out for the hips. From there it falls past the hips and then gently flaring outwards at the hem. The hem is not as dramatically cut as the runway version but also feels more wearable as a result. It is cut slightly longer at the back and I love how there is a matching dip at the back of the bodice so that there is an illusion of added length created. The pink ruffle is the star of the show and makes a wonderful impact. It is attached starting at the back waist and then wraps and dips down and around the lower hip on the other side. It is precisely folded and set so that the ruffles flare outwards from the body. Where it meets at the back hem the fabric on each side extends into two long and wide panels. You can let them hang from a simple knot as I have shown it or create a more elaborate bow. It is fabulous. Excellent condition with a very minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. It has a built in inner bodice that is lightly boned and shaped. Inner waist stay that hooks to close with a flat hook & eye. Tagged a 38 and has no give. There is the teeniest bit of fading to the pink along the fold edge on the one hip. Please review the photo after the label shot.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from top of bodice to front hem, 49.5" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3276

Reference Photo: (1-2) S/S 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (3) Linda Evangelista for Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue, March 1987.  /  (4) Linda Evangelista in Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue UK, March 1987. Photo by Hans Feurer.

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

The twin of this dress was shown as Look 30 for the Fall 2016 Rosie Assoulin show and it was only offered for sale through the trunk show feature at Moda Operandi. Meaning that only the few dresses pre-ordered were produced in this style making it a rare piece of her work. This dress still has both its original Rosie Assoulin tags and the Moda Operandi tags attached and is in unworn condition. 

This dress is amazing and if you are not afraid of a strong colour then you will love the statement it makes. The yellow is incredibly vibrant, it is almost a neon and in real life is even a touch more of an true bright lemon yellow then the tone it photoed. The fabric is light weight, yellow embroidered wool on a crinkled silk chiffon. It is very easy to wear. When the ties are not done up the dress has an almost caftan feel and is cut very loose and easy through the entire body. The design is quite clever. Long ties loop through the plunge at the front neckline and then extend out for several yards. There are little double sided loops that slide and move along the ties that you can adjust to sit where you wish. These help to hold the ties in place and create a halter feel as you wrap them around your body. The front has a little squared off plunge that sits quite deep and the the neckline is cut wide and meant to sit almost off the shoulders. The ties help to suspend and hold it in place as you see it in the reference photo. The dress falls from there in a widening line to the floor and it is cut supermodel long. The sleeves are spectacular and were a cornerstone of this collection. They are each very full and voluminous with ties at their cuffs so you can cinch them in to where you wish. It is a remarkable dress and stunning on. Excellent condition. 

The dress is interlined in a matching yellow silk organza. It slips on over the head and you can adjust the attached ties as you wish. Comes with an additional tie as well. All tags attached as per above description. Tagged a US 8. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: 15"
Wise set shoulders: approx 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3497

Reference Photo: Fall 2016 Rosie Assoulin Collection, Look 30.

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

This dress is from the archive of the Roman couture house Tiziani, which was founded in 1963 by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, who was a regular client; Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer, Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This piece is unlabeled but has the provenance of being a part of a past auction that featured the sketches and a few select pieces of work from Karl Lagerfeld's time at the label, this dress being one of them.

The dress is constructed from a fine, pale yellow silk chiffon that in person is a prettier and more pale lemon colour then how it photoed. The colour is even prettier when you see it in hand. The dress is very beautiful and has a very romantic feel to it. The silk it is made out of is extremely light and airy and the skirt has used yards and yards of it in its construction so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. The bottom of the skirt is finished with a edging technique that uses a thin strip of stiffening fabric hand rolled within its edge. This lets the silk ruffle and curve as you can see in the photos. The work on this dress is meticulously done. The bodice is equally as fabulous and it has been adorned with a dense coverage of a metal thread applied in a honey comb pattern. Over that is an intricate application of hand beading to create the little discs that you see covering the bodice at the front and the back. I love the little flowers formed in the centre of each medallion and how Lagerfeld has used the smallest hints of pink in there and along the edge to pop against the yellow. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes embroidery work, real metallic thread, seed beads, crystals and larger beads. These give the dress a touch of glitz and sparkle. It also adds a 3D feel to the piece. Note that he has curved the beadwork down but left a gap deliberately on each side. It almost feels like a suit of armour because of this and offers a touch of contrast against the soft feeling the dress has. The neckline is squared off at both the front and back. The sleeves are very full and pouf above the cuffed wrists. Each sleeve is unlined so that you get a touch of transparency there. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to Haute Couture levels and I have included lots of interior detail shots so you can see. It is extraordinary and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a minor note to review below

Fully lined in a hand set yellow silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk and then covered in silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set  back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. The outer skirt is finished with a thin stiffened strip that is hand rolled and encased in silk that helps to give the bottom of the skirt that ruffled effect that you see. All hand work throughout and made to couture standards. There is some fraying to the inner edge of the top of the neckline (see final photo) and some of the threads on the 3D beads have loosened slightly so tend to flop over a bit. There are a couple of really faint darkened areas in the silk here and there but you really have to look for them and they get hidden in all of the yards of silk used. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3499

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

The duo behind the La Mendola label met in Rome in 1960 and started their business making dresses and selling them one by one, piece by piece. In 1967 they opened a shop and women like Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth become steadfast clients who were buying, and even wait listing for pieces as they were produced. They were located in Italy and their atelier closed in 1974.

The prints that you see on the La Mendola pieces were all done in house. This one is suggestive of long feather rows and it has been screened onto a beautiful silk jersey fabric that is gorgeous and easy to wear. It is also a fabric choice that takes the colour and print of their designs exceedingly well. The set is made up of three separate pieces, a dress, a matching cape, and a turban. The dress has a simple scooped neck and an equally simple cut through the bodice and sleeves. It skims over the waist and then gradually widens out as it nears the hem. The simplicity of the design is a backdrop to how the printed fabric is set to make the the dress. You can see how beautifully it lines up at the centre seams. Over this is goes a cape made in the same fabric. The cape has soft rounded shoulders and slits at the front that you can put your arms through. It is cut to end just below the hem of the dress under it and it is a study of refinement. To tie it all together the set comes with a simple matching turban. Each piece is simple and elegant and when worn all together it makes a dramatic statement. Together they are absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition with one minor note below

All the pieces are lined in a black silk. The dress zips to close at the back and the cape closes down the front with a series of buttons. Hand finished throughout. The top button on the cape is missing its black cap that the others have as shown in the final photo

Dress
Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Cape
Shoulders: no true seams
Length: 42" from neck to hem

Turban
23" around with slight stretch 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3495

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