james galanos
Superb Late 1970s James Galanos Multi Layer Black Silk Chiffon Dress w Removeble Ruffled Collar
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James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this dress is a stunning example of his work. It is one of those dresses that really needs to be on an actual body to come to life but once it is on a body it is even better than what you see here. These black chiffon dresses that are all bias cut are almost impossible to photo properly on a dress form and only come to life once on.
This dress is spectacular and it is in its original uncut length. The dress is made out of four full layers of silk chiffon through the skirt that are perfectly stacked on top of each. The sleeves are made of two layers of the same silk chiffon and then the bodice is backed in a black silk to make it opaque. This dress is also interesting, because the way that the skirt is set into the back uses the same technique as this 1957 dress I that I have had in the shop before and whose version resides in the Met's collection. You can click through the link in the previous sentence to see that for reference and it gives you a bit of an idea of how this dress will look on the body but backwards. In the Vogue's description at the time the skirt was described as being; 'narrow in outline, but with beautiful easy folds from the waist, falling in self contained spirals' which is a lovely way to describe the way that it is set into the dress. I love that he referenced his own work in this way. The fabric is a beautiful light weight black silk chiffon that floats over the body. The skirt is cut so that it gathers up and into the middle of the dress at the back. This gives it that lovely draping down the back and it extends out a little longer at the hem. A high slit is also hidden in the draping so when you walk you get a flash of your legs. At the front the skirt has a very minimal feel that I love. The bodice above that is cut to skim and blouse over the body to the waist and the waist is cut with a more generous feel. You could add a belt if you wanted to cinch that in more and give it more shape. Adding a belt would also bring the waist line up a bit and give you even more of a blousing feel unless you put the belt a little lower at the top of the hip. The neck is high and then at the back it buttons down to close across the top of the back shoulders. I think that you could actually wear the dress either way and just have the hem fall a little longer at the front if you wished because it is that well-made. It has a more oversized feel through the top that is intentional and then the skirt is more narrow. The sleeves are spectacular and each one is cut wide and extremely full above the ruffled wrist. They are set deep into the bodice with a little bit of pleating around the top. so you get a touch of a capped feeling sleeve. The dress came with its original matching neck ruffle that hooks into place around the neck. I love how this in essence gives you two different dresses. If you choose not to wear the ruffle, it feels minimalist and stark from the front and when you add the ruffle it adds that extra bit of glamour and movement around the neck. It is a fabulous addition to the dress and it really showcases just what a genius he was. Excellent condition
Both pieces are fully lined in a black silk chiffon as described above. It closes with a low painted metal zipper at the waist and then has a row of buttons above that. Hand finishes. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Sleeves: 27"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 20" from neck to waist
Total length: 69" from neck to front hem, 73" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4611
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james galanos
Gorgeous 1960s James Galanos Meticulously Pleated Black Silk Chiffon Dress w Elaborate Belt
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This is a spectacular example of Galanos and the evening dresses that he did so very well. James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. When you covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this dress is fantastic.
The belt alone on this dress is what vintage dreams are made of. It is tacked all the way around the waist and it is this thick braided black cord that has rose of rhinestones attached to it. The belt has then been tied into big knots that are perfectly spaced from each other and then it ends in this elaborate silk fabric tassel that is unlike any tassel I have seen. It snaps into place at the front or you could wrap and tie it if you wished. It has such impact and it elevates the entire dress even more. The label on this dress is the one that dates from 1963-1977 and this is my personal favourite time period of his work. The fabric is a beautiful light weight black silk chiffon for the bodice and sleeves and then the skirt is a black silk jersey. The cut of the dress is incredible. The neckline is a slight scoop and then the dress skims over you to the waist. The waist is slightly dropped and seamed but a little more on the generous side and then the belt adds a touch of shape. The bodice is incredible. The entire thing has been done in tiny little knife pleats that are meticulously spaced and lined up. These run vertically down the front and the back. The very edge of the neckline has been piped with a tiny bit of silk for a finished look. It is just incredible to see and it is all done to the level of work that you are only going to find in vintage. The work is all done by hand. The sleeves are equally as fabulous. Each is made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon and are cut to be very full so that they balloon out over their cuffs. The sleeves are also pleated but in a wider pleat than the ones on the bodice. This gives some contrast to the pleating on the bodice and also allows the sleeves to fully open up and have the billowing fullness that you see. Even the cuffs are pleated and the pleating on each cuff perfectly matches the size of the pleats on the bodice. The skirt falls from the waist and is gathered in tiny delicate pleats all the way around the waist. This allows the skirt to flare and open out as it nears the floor. There is an incredible amount of fabric in it. The workmanship in this dress is fabulous It really showcases just what a genius he was. Excellent condition with a note below
Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and closes with a back zipper. Each cuff button to close with little embroidered dome buttons. I see a repair near the hem of the skirt and I feel like the zipper sticks slightly. Please see the photo after the label shot. Hand finishes throughout and beautifully made
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17.5" from neck to waist
Total length: 56" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4609
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
Gorgeous Spring 2020 Christian Dior Sunset Striped Cotton Dress w Silk Chiffon Under Slip
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A dress in a silk taffeta and a jumpsuit in this same fabric walked the runway for .the Spring 2020 show. This dress was made for the shops in that same stripe and when we looked for documentation on this one we also found a street style shot of Sharon Elongue wearing its twin. I love that we have that reference photo so that you can see how great it is on the body. Vogue's review said that said the collection was "Lovely, utterly lovely . . . gentle and shrewd and worthy of investment.... there were endless dresses—printed, appliquéd, embroidered, crystal-ed, filigreed—in which lace, raffia, jacquard, silk, and tulle were layered and interwoven to create thoroughly wonderful, artisanal items. The sustainability piece that Chiuri offers at Dior is precious handwork married to real design in ready-to-wear. These are buy-now-wear-forever dresses; they should take root in one’s closet and grow in emotional value over time." I absolutely love this dress. It is gorgeous.
I think this dress is the best version of the three pieces I have shown here and it is wonderfully easy to wear. When you add in that spectacular soft striped print that covers the entire dress it is just a joy. The dress is made from a fine and very light weight cotton that has a touch of transparency to it. This is then layered over an inner silk slip in a neutral nude colour. The lightness of the cotton is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the skirt catches the air and floats out around you. The entire dress has been finished to look like it was hand painted. The body of the dress is done in soft muted stripes that fade into each other where the edges meet. The colours are like a sunset and vary in warm beautiful tones to cover the entire dress. The neckline is notched at the front for a touch of skin to show and you can leave it open or tie it with the ties that extend out from the neckline. It skims over the bust to the waist. The seam at the waist is cut wide and generous so that the dress has an easy feel. The skirt falls from under there to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric to the floor. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. The sleeves are wonderful. Each is a different colour that picks up on the graduation of the colours in the dress and fall down the arm to a buttoned cuff. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
The separate nude silk chiffon slip acts as the lining as the outer dress is not lined. The dress closes with a hidden set zipper at the side. The inner slip is tagged a 40.
Outer dress
Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18-25"" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Total length: " from waist to hem
Inner slip
Bust: to 19" 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: 52" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4606
Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 2020 Christian Dior, Looks 35 & 37. / (3-6) Sharon Elongue in Dior at Paris Fashion Week, Fall 2020.
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
Prettiest 1960s Yves Saint Laurent Stoffler Fabrics Yellow Brocade Dress w Clear Beads
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This dress is a fascinating little bit of the YSL history. In the late 1960s / early 1970s you could buy YSL Vogue patterns and YSL approved fabrics in fabric stores and at fabric counters in the US and make a dress from an approved pattern book. This pattern book was a guide that recommended which sewing patterns went with the approved fabrics. Stoffler was one of the fabric distributors for this project and this dress has the label showing that collaboration. So basically someone could buy a YSL Vogue Paris Original pattern and make the dress out of a YSL approved fabric and then add in YSL label that came with your purchase of the pattern and fabric. I love it.
The dress has that fabulous hostess feel of this era and it was obviously made with great care and love. The Stoffler fabric is a happy lemon yellow colour that has a secondary floral applique applied onto the base fabric. I love how this gives the fabric a bit of a 3D feel and adds texture and interest to the dress. The dress completely covers you and has a beautifully classic, feminine and elegant feel to it. The bodice skims over you to a slightly higher set waist. The sleeves are long with a braided detailing at the cuff that is covered with clear beads The neckline is high and detailed with more of those same beads and then more circle the seam at the waist. On all of the areas that the beads have been set they are tightly spaced directly next to each other. They lay slightly off the fabric so they have just a touch of movement to them. This adds a pretty sparkle to the upper part of the dress as the beads catch the light from every angle. From there the skirt falls to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. Excellent condition with a small note below.
Unlined and closes at the back with a zipper. I see some missing beads here and there.
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 5" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4608
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
Gorgeous Early 2000s Valentino Roma Bias Cut Floral Print Dress w Bright Pops of Coral Red
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The Valentino Roma label launched in 2000 to take the place of the Miss V line. It was sold at a price point that was a bit more accessible then their main line and was meant to be available in more shops then the main line would be. The pieces were still very well made. This one caught my eye simply because of how gorgeous and sexy it is. It is a stunning dress with a beautiful amount of detailing on it.
I love this dress with its amazing use of bias cut silk chiffon. These bias cut silks are always an incredibly difficult fabric to work with and Mr Valentino and his team were masters at it. The silk is so light that you get this fantastic floating sensation all around you with your slightest move. The dress is suspended from the one single shoulder that curves up and over the shoulder with a little gather of the silk at the top. The strap glides into the fabric of the bodice and then the dress drapes over the body to the hem. On the other side the dress dips low and to hold everything in place there is a second tiny star there as well. The silk is all bias cut and the shape that you see is from the incredible way the fabric has been laid out and gathered up and into the one side. The top of the bust is angled down and over you and it does the same at the back. The shape though the waist is created by a seam there and I love that it is cut more generously so it feels easy to wear. If you wanted a really cinched in look you could belt it as well. the silk gathered into that sequin leaf and this makes it very easy and comfortable to wear. Under that the dress cascades to the floor in many yards of feather light silk chiffon. This is where the dress gets truly magical. Two layers of the silk chiffon flow over each other and it is all cut on the bias. The layers flow out in an ever widening silhouette to the ground on one side and on the other the hem curves up with a slit that shows some leg when you walk or sit. The fabric ruffles out around that opening and it is very pretty. It is very flattering on the body and it creates a fantastically dramatic effect as the silk floats around you with the slightest bit of movement. This is a stunning dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellentcondition
Made of two layers of the same printed silk chiffon and closes with hook and eye down the side of the bocce and a hidden set side zipper under the waist at the side. Tagged a vintage Valentino 44/8
Bust: 17-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 75" from top of shoulder to longest point of hem. On the shorter side it is 32" from the top of shoulder to the top of the slit on the skirt on that side
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4605
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.
celine
Spring 2017 Celine by Phoebe Philo Runway Look 4 Basket Weave Print Jersey Dress w Open Cut Outs
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This dress was so well documented and photoed when it came out for the Spring 2017 collection it is almost mind boggling. It is instantly recognizable as Phoebe's work and it is amazing. This is the second time we have had it in the shop and I remember that when we started to hunt for references for it we found all the ones that are here, plus there are probably more out there that I just have not yet seen. It is an insanely good dress. All of Phoebe Philo's pieces for Celine have reached cult status and the prices are just continuing to rise. Her work is a must have for the vintage collector and this is a particularly hard to find dress that is rare and collectible.
The dress is made from a stretch jersey and this one is finished in a mic of browns - one of the three colours and patterns that were released in this style of dress. The bodice is set over the bust with a wide flat cut at the top and then it angles down to the keyhole at the waist. There are elastic straps that you slip your arms through and the front just skims over you. The back is left completely bare and dips quite low so your entire back is bare and open. The key hole at the front is set so that it is twisted over itself and just this little detail alone give you a glimpse into the magic of Pheobe's vision and quirky aesthetic. The skirt is suspended from that knotted keyhole at the waist. Elastic runs through the top of it so it is very forgiving and accommodating. The skirt widens out into a loose and easy draping of jersey to the hem. Once you have slipped on the dress it simply hangs and drapes down and around your body. It is incredibly comfortable and easy to wear while still being devastatingly sexy. The jersey has a lot of stretch so the size on the tag is almost meaningless. This is true fashion history and one of the most documented pieces I have ever seen. A testament to the genius of Phoebe and the impact of her work on fashion. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
Unlined but the fabric is opaque. It slips on to wear with elastic at all the edges. It is tagged a 40 and should fit a range of sizes from probably about a 4 to a 8 or 10 with ease depending on your frame. The area through the waist will drape and curve down more on a smaller frame. Original uncut length and it appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The fabric has incredible stretch so it should fit a large range of sizes.
Bust: covers to 24"+ flat across the front
Waist: 16-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to elastic waist
Total length: approx 63" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD4603
Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 2017 Celine Runway Collection. Look 4. Model: Mali Koopman. / (6) Edie Campbell photographed by Mikael Jansson, Vogue Paris, March 2017. / (7) Daphne Groeneveld phtographed by Zoltan Tombor for The Sunday Times Style, March 2017. / (8) Photo by Choi Yongbin, Harpers Bazaar Korea, 2017. / (9) Jip Boxstart photographed by Van Mossevelde for D La Republica, February 2017. / (10) credit unknown. / (11) Shin Min Ah photographed by Kim Yeong Jun for Elle Korea. April 2017. / (12-13) Vogue Australia's fashion director Christine Centenera in Celine at Vogue Australia’s 60th Anniversary Supper, December 2019. Photos by Hugh Stewart.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
valentino
Dreamiest Spring 2007 Valentino Pleated & Bias Cut Pink Silk Chiffon Dress w Open Tie Back
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When hunting for the provenance of this dress we found its twin attributed as being from Spring 2007 but I feel like it could be from somewhere between that the 2004 collection where he used ties like this one has to hold the dresses onto the body. I know I have seen this one somewhere at some point so one day on the future I am sure I will send its new owner a reference photo. It is one of the pieces that would have been made in limited quantities and it is utterly spectacular. It also has the significance of being from the final few years that Mr. Valentino was still designing before he retired. It is incredibly beautiful and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.
This soft romantic pink silk chiffon dress is stunning on the body. The layers of chiffon float over each other to allow it to drape beautifully over the body and highlight your every curve in a very flattering way. The bodice has a soft and romantic feel to it and it is finished with his signature tiny pleat work that follows the way the silk has been laid out. A panel wraps around the top of the bodice and then under that more panels are set on angles that cross each other. At the side it splits and extends into two long ties that open out into silk chiffon panels that you then wrap and tie across the back. Panels of chiffon extend out from the top of the bodice to tie behind the neck and then there is a final little tie at the small of your back. This leaves bits of your back exposed and bare. Despite the romantic feel the dress has this gives it a very sexy feel at the same time. It is just tremendously beautiful. The way that all of the panels and ties are set are done to perfectly emphasize your curves and add that signature Valentino femininity. The workmanship is exquisite. Under the bodice there is a little panel of chiffon that floats around the hips. The skirt skims over the hips under that and then falls to the floor in a beautiful drape of chiffon. The front centre of the skirt is split. This lets you see a mile of leg as you walk or sit and it also gives you a sense of the three layers of silk chiffon that make up the skirt. The split allows the air to catch the layers and float around you as you walk. The skirt extends down slightly longer at the back so that you get a pretty sweeping feel as you walk. The fabric is feather light. It is incredible and I love it. No matter how good it looks in the photos when this is on and moving it is even better. Excellent condition.
Fully lined with pink silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set zipper at the low back waist and ties in place above that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Valentino 8. The ties make it adjustable, so this should fit a range of sizes
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam and adjustable an inch or two from there with the back ties
Waist: adjustable with tie
Seam at the top of the hip/ low waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19 flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to front hem, 75" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4602
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
Romantic Spring 1974 Valentino Documented Pink Silk Chiffon Dress w the Iconic Shell Print
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This is the second piece from this collection I have had in the shop and both have been spectacular. For the lead up to the Spring 1974 collection the Daily Express said "It's Valentino's Day.... Tonight the Roman fashion designer, whom Jackie Onassis calls from New York to say -make me a dress for dinner a week on Thursday anything you like- will put on a gala show of 200 of his creations in London." That show was to celebrate the opening of his first British RTW shop there which was a huge step forward for his business. Women's Wear Daily reported that Mr. Valentino said that the theme of the show was 'feminine, relaxed, simple and sexy.' I was also happy that we found a reference photo of a dress in the same print that was shot for Italian Vogue that year. I love having this reference photo for you because it gives you an idea of just how elegant and gorgeous this is on the body. Though personally I think this one is even better then the one we have the shot of.
There are Valentino prints and then there are the really iconic Valentino prints. This is one of those iconic house prints and it is instantly recognizable as being his. It is so iconic that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli touched upon it once again for their 2015 collection for the label. This is of course one of the original versions and to have such a well documented print from this time period is just heaven for the vintage collector. The dress is absolutely amazing. The fabric is a soft pink silk chiffon with a crepe finish. This has then been screened with that perfect little shell print. I love how the size of the shells vary as it goes across the dress. This cleverly helps to draw the eye over the dress and emphasize the cut. The ones on the bodice are a touch smaller and then as they travel down the skirt they get bigger and more prominent. The silk is feather light in weight and just floats beautifully over the body once on. The neckline is scooped across the collar bone and finished with a padded piping in the same silk. At the top of each shoulder is a little tie for a pretty a romantic touch. Each side scoops down almost to the waist. The bodice has been tightly pleated into perfect little knife pleats to add texture and a softness to the bodice. There is a hook at the back of the neck and then the back is an open slit to the zipper at the waist. The softness of the pleats keep it from being very apparent that it is bare but when you move, you do get that glimpse of bare skin. The waist nips in and is banded in the same silk and then the skirt falls to the floor under that. The skirt is made of two layers. There is an inner solid pink silk layer and then the top printed silk chiffon floats beautifully over that. As it nears the hem is widens out beautifully to create a soft floating feel around you when you walk or move. It a just gorgeous and even better in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a pink silk crepe through the bodice and a pink silk through the skirt. It closes with a hook and eye at the back of the neck and a zipper that starts at the waist tag a vintage Valentino 8. I see one tiny mark on the side of a pleat on the front bodice. Please see the photo after the label shot.
Bust: the sides are open & the bust covers 13-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to top pf the band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4600
Reference Photo: Model in Valentino, Vogue Italia, July 1974.
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.
donald brooks
Sophisticated 1960s Donald Brooks Fine Black Wool Crepe Dress w Elaborate Rhinestone Detailing
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Donald Brooks launched his label in late 1963 with a collection for the Spring 1964 season after an already successful start as a costumier for Hollywood. He quickly became one of the most sought after of the American designers and his clients included Jaqueline Kennedy, Claudette Colbert and Faye Dunaway. The New York Times said that he was one of 'the three B's of fashion' alongside Bill Blass and Geoffrey Beene. He helped to launch the American Council of Fashion Designers and won three Cody Awards over the course of his career. He launched a secondary boutique line in 1971 all while also designing costumes for Movie and Television. He eventually closed his label to concentrate on costume work and only designed for the occasional private client. This is a gorgeous example of his work from his main made to order label.
I love this dress. The dress is made from a black wool crepe that is cut loose and easy through the body. It has an inner built in bodice that holds it perfectly in place and then the crepe just falls over that. This gives you that fantastic floating sensation all around you with your slightest move. The dress is suspended from straps that curve up and over the shoulder. Everything about the dress is done as simply as possible and this is all deliberate so that the bodice can shine. The bodice has a heavy embellishment of little steel beads mixed with a variety of prong set crystal rhinestones in different shapes and sizes. These catch the light beautifully. The rhinestones form flowers within the designs and I love how he used bigger stones so it has this fantastic 3D effect. The embellishments go across the entire back to create a wide panel and then wrap to the front where they curve up to leave a space between them at the centre. The top of the bust is cut straight across all the way around and then under that the dress cascades to the floor. It widens out as it nears the hem and has an easy-to-wear feel to it. It is very flattering on the body and it creates a fantastically dramatic effect as the dress floats around you. It is amazing and it has pockets on each hip. This is a truly stunning dress. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back zipper. There is an inner boned structure that hooks to close with a series of lingerie hooks up the back. Pockets along the seam of each hip. Tagged a vintage 8. I see a couple of tiny areas of thinning near the hem but am being pretty picky. Please see the photo after the label shot. You could add to the inner waist to get more room if needed
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4591
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
Spectacular Fall 2003 John Galliano Bias Cut Mauve Purple Silk Dress w Draped Arm Panels
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This dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period. This is a production piece that was not shown on the runway but would have been made in limited quantities for the shops. For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always harken back to his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them. This dress with its cut out detailing and that fantastic draping of fabric across the shoulders is absolutely beautiful. This is classic Galliano and is extremely flattering once on the body.
The dress is made out of a deep mauve purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well and that we all love. The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see here. The dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and around the neck. The strap meets and then drops down the centre of the back and panels are suspended from it. These curving panels are fascinating. They can hang down and under the arms at the side or you can drape your arms through them to create that beautiful curving panel at the back that you see in some of the photos. We tried to style and show it in the various ways it can be worn and I love the versatility of it. I think that on a real body you might even be able to get clever and do some other styling tricks with them as well. The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. On one side of the dress it buttons to close with a row of his signature tightly spaced buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip. The dress is lined in a crepe silk but you could choose to remove that lining and have that side be completely bare so that your skin showed through if you wished. I have seen this dress in another colour where someone did that and it made it that much more sexy. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. All minor and mentioned for accuracy. Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD4599
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.
Stunning Spring 2016 Maison Margiela by John Galliano Runway Look 32 Strapless Painted Dress
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This is from the Spring 2016 collection and its twin walked the runway for Look 32. This is Maison Margiela designed by John Galliano and I love having the photo references and runway video so that you can see how amazing the dress is once on the body. Vogue called this collection the "most rounded and product fulled collection so far" They went on to note that "He made a delightful merge of vintage-y eccentricity, Japanese geisha styling, and color—themes that have constantly been part of Galliano’s design territory from the beginning, of course....for evening and events, numerous dresses in extraordinarily subtle combinations of kimono-inspired prints and tints" This is dress was a part of that grouping and you see the elements of a traditional kimono in its padding detailing and painted silks. On the runway they showed it with a bag wrapped and tied around the bodice and I loved that clever staying that added that bright pop of unexpected green.
The first thing you will notice when you take this out of the box is how tiny it seems. It seems almost impossible to fit on an actual body but when you actually put it on you realize the amount of stretch that is cleverly hidden in it that allows it to form and fit you perfectly around the bodice. The colour is a muted plum and it is a fascinating and complicated combination of fabrications. The bodice has a built-in boned and cupped inner corset and then there is a layer of padding between that and the outer stretch silk jersey. It is strapless and meant to hug and fit the body. The skirt under that is fascinating. There is a layer of a thick stiffened mesh netting that sits over a white layer of the same netting and then that all sits over an inner printed layer of silk. Then that is backed in a black almost neoprene feeling fabric. This creates the slightly padded feel you see. If that wasn't enough the entire back of the dress has been painted with swaths of a bright turquoise paint that actually sits on top of the fabrics. It feels like he took a roller and just rolled over the fabric. John always pushes the edge in the way that he uses fabrics and this dress is no exception of that. It is a fascinating piece to see and an amazing future collectible. It has that brilliant tailoring and innovation that the label is know for combined with Galliano's genius. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.
Fully lined as described above and closes with a back zipper. Fully separate boned and cupped corset inside. Tagged a 40. The fabric has some stretch.
Bust: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to top seam at the waist
Total length: 48" from the top of the bodice to the hem with approx 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4598
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2016 Maison Margiela, Look 32. Model Martina Lew.
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
Gorgeous 2000s Valentino Roma Mauve Purple Silk Chiffon Dress w Sequin & Lace Detailing
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The Valentino Roma label launched in 2000 to take the place of the Miss V line. It was sold at a price point that was a bit more accessible then their main line and was meant to be available in more shops then the main line would be. The pieces were still very well made. This one caught my eye simply because of how gorgeous and sexy it is. It is a stunning dress with a beautiful amount of detailing on it.
The dress is made out of a combination of a feather light deep mauve purple silk chiffon and a matching lace that is detailed with sequins. It is a combination that is instantly striking and sexy. The top is cut in a halter with lightly padded triangles over each breast. Silk straps in a matching colour curve up and over each shoulder and then cross over each other at the back. The back dips low for a bare expanse of skin to show. At the front the bodice is detailed with a panel of lace that runs down the centre and then a wider panel circles the waist all the way around. The lace down the front has no backing so you get a glimpse of skin underneath. I love that. All of the lace is detailed with glossy purple sequins and beads. Under that the skirt falls to the floor and there are many yards of fabric in it. At just about the knee it opens and flares out so you have tons of movement around you when you move. It is gorgeous and very sexy. Great condition with notes below
Fully lined in a matching silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a size 40/4. There is very minor marks along the edge of the seam near the arms and a couple light marks on the dress and one strap. Please see the photos after the label shot. All minor.
Bust: 16" flat across the front from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 15" from top of bodice to top seam at the waist
Skirt: 62" from top of the shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4597
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
Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Runway Look 3 Blue & White Silk Organza Dress
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This dress is the twin of Look 3 for the Pre-Fall 2020 collection. For this collection Pierpaolo paid homage to the Fall 1968 Haute Couture collection and I have included the reference photos of those original pieces here. This famous print was originally done by Mr Valentino and were inspired by the blue and white in Chinese Delft print vases. It is also very close in style to the 2013 Valentino dress that was a part of the in the Met Museums 2015 "China: Through the Looking Glass" exhibit. When speaking of this collection to Vogue Piccioli said; “I want to maintain couture’s values even in the pre-fall collection. I like the idea of breaking its rules and translating them into a modern, spontaneous wardrobe, making something historical become contemporary.” and they went on to mention this print in particular saying that 'he picked from the archives... a beautiful print of Delft blue vases from a sophisticated 1968 couture collection. “I want Valentino to be lively and joyous,” enthused Piccioli. “For me, beauty means life, emotion, something that vibrates and is full of energy—not something removed that you look at from afar, as if on a pedestal.” Mary Holland wore its twin to a premier that season as well. It is beautiful and very special.
The dress is pristine and utterly beautiful. It is made of a feather light silk organza that has been printed with that beautiful blue and white design that gives a nod do the 1968 couture collection as described above. It is magical. The colour combines the soft ivory backdrop with that dreamy blue floral print. The print is beautiful and intricate. I love how he has placed the print over the bodice and skirt to accentuate the design and flow of the dress. The silk is feather light in weight and just floats beautifully over the body once on. It will softly move with the slightest breeze or movement on your part. The dress has a second layer of organza through the bodice and skirt which gives it just a touch less transparency and also helps to add to the airy and light feel that it has. The sleeves are a single layer of silk so you see your arm through the pattern. The neckline has a small neat collar and it buttons to close done the bodice with hidden set buttons. Note how careful the patterns has been lined up across the panel there. The bodice lightly skims over you to the nipped in waist. Each sleeve ends in a beautiful ruffles cuff. The skirt is spectacular. It is lazy gathered through the waist scene and then opens up to be very full to the floor. Because of the layering of the organza with the outer layer in the inner layer, it just floats and moves around you spectacularly when you move. It a just gorgeous and even better in person as you get more of a sense of the lightness of that stunning printed silk. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Lined in silk organza as described above. I buttons down the front with hidden set buttons under that front panel and zines to close with a hidden set zipper down the back. Tagged a modern Valentino 40
Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total Length: 65" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4588
Reference Photos: (1) Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino, Look 3. / (2) Models in Valentino, British Vogue, September 1968. / (3) Valentino dresses at the MET Exhibition "China: Through the Looking Glass", 2015. / (4) Model in Valentino Autumn 1968 Gown, photographed by Steven Meisel, 2015. / (5) Mary Holland in Valentino at the premiere of "Happiest Season", November 2020.
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.
luisa beccaria
Most Romantic Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria Runway Look 24 Blue & Ivory Silk Chiffon Dress
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The twin of this dress was Look 24 for the Resort 2020 presentation and I love having that reference photo for you to show how amazing it is on the body. The Luisa Beccaria label is out of Italy and is run by the mother-daughter team of Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria. They are known for their incredibly feminine pieces that have an almost story book feel to them. The cost of their pieces run into the thousands and their clothing is very well made. This season was a coup for the label as they were fresh from designing the wedding dress Lady Gabriella Windsor. And well deserved. The label's pieces always have a sense of romance to them. Vogue said of the collection that; 'Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza.'
This is everything you look for in a piece by the Beccaria label. It has a stunning floral design print screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. The entire dress has been printed with that gorgeous and romantic flower design in pale shades of blue and I love it. The neckline is set in a higher collar around the neck with a long tie that you can let trail down the back as they did in the collection photos or wrap and tie it into a beautiful soft bow at the front like I did for most of these shots. The silk has been gathered into the collar for pretty detail on the bodice and this adds a pretty softness there. From the neckline it skims to the waist and it comes with a matching tie belt in the same fabric that has a cut out flower that matches the print on the belt. I love this extra little thought into the design and how this gives you the option of wearing it more cinched in through the waist. The skirt falls to the floor under that, and the silk is all biased cut and there is a ton of fabric in the skirt. It is so light and there is so much fabric that your slightest movement causes the skirt to float around you as you move. It is beautiful to see. It is also in its original uncut length so it is very long. The sleeves are fantastic. Each is an incredibly full balloon sleeve made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. They pouf out dramatically above the cuff and each cuff ends in a split ruffle that is angled down longer on one side. The movement and drama the entire dress has is extraordinary. This is a dress that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing it and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning and very romantic example of her work and beautifully made. I love it. It comes with its original hang tags and was never worn. Excellent condition
The outer dress is unlined and it comes with a matching ivory bias cut silk chiffon slip to wear underneath. It closes with hook and eye at the back of the neck and a hidden set side zipper. Elastic through the waist and at the end of each cuff. The original tie belt is included. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller frame and be more fitted on a larger frame. In its original uncut length, and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern 46 and has its original hangtags.
Outer Dress
Sleeves: approx 29" but meant to come up once on and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem
Inner Separate Slip
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4590
Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria, Look 24.
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Dreamiest 2005 Blumarine Sposa Ivory Sulk & Tulle Ruffled Wedding Dress w Lace & Beading
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Anna Molinari and husband Gianpaolo Tarabini launched the Blumarine label in 1977 out of Capri and had their first catwalk show in 1980. By the 1990s they had opened their first stand alone shop. This is from the 2005 Sposa wedding collection and its just a beautiful dress
This dress is so pretty and romantic feeling. It is slightly more ivory than how it photoed and it is an even prettier colour in person. It has little netted cap sleeves that you can wear expanded out so they go over the edge of your shoulder or you can wear them up on top of your shoulders or sitting off of the shoulders altogether. I love that you have that versatility with them. The bodice is more fitted and then the dress skims over the waist and hips. It widens out as it hears the hem. The entire dress is made out of a silk organza and then it has bands of a pretty lace that is detailed with the tiniest little sequins and iridescent seed beads. These bands start at the top of the bodice and then run down the dress, carefully spaced out all the way to the hem. Tulle is set between the top two bands and the tulle there is gathered and sewn into place into those top two bands. Starting at the band just under the bust the tulle is only sewn into the band above it. The bottom edge of the tulle is left free and easy so that it forms these pretty little ruffles all the way down the dress. The dress gets wider and filler as each band progresses down the dress so that by the time you are at the hem the dress is quite full. The back is cut longer than the front so that it trails out behind you a bit and gives you that beautiful sweeping skirt. This is an amazing dress and I love how the tiny little beads and sequins catch the light so it has just a tiny glimmer as you move. It is absolutely gorgeous. Excellent condition.
Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam with up to a B cup at the front
Seam under the bust: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to the bottom of the band at the waist
Total Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, approx 68" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4584
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
Sublime Resort 2018 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Brilliant Pink Velvet Dress w Side Cut Outs
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The twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 65 for the 2018 Resort Valentino season. This was Pierpaolo's second pre-season show for the label and for it 'He said (to Vogue) that he fell for Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix show The Get Down. Connected to the street and erupting with color, it pushed the Valentino vocabulary forward, out of the realm of the inviolably precious and into the world of the everyday.' Even with that more street style feel in mind he still closed the show with a series of stunning long dresses that felt very grown up and elegant. The twin on this dress was the second last look of the collection and it is stunning. I am glad I have the runway photos and a reference video for you because they show how beautiful it is once on the body and moving.
I love this dress. It feels thoroughly Valentino but it also feels so timeless that it feels like a piece that you can own forever. Then when you add in that spectacular brilliant pink colour that it is done in, it is just a pure joy to see. The dress is made from a fine light weight velvet that is cut on the bias. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the skirt catches the air and billows out around you. The colour is a beautiful vivid pink and the velvet is the perfect fabric choice to hold that spectacular colour. The neckline is a shallow scoop and the bodice is cut to skim over you with deep cut arm holes at either side. The waist has a seam but is cut with a more generous feel. I love the little cut outs that sits above the seam on either side of the waist. This is very typical of how he adds a little sexiness into his pieces but still keeps them very elegant in feel. The skirt falls from there, skimming over the hips and then falling outwards to be quite full as it nears the hem. The skirt is cut beautifully with an inverted pleat down on each side at the front so it falls almost like a set panel at the front and back. That and the bias cut of it is what gives it that beautiful effect it has when you move. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. This was never worn and still has its original hang tags. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a pink silk, and closes with a hidden set side zipper below the waist. There is a combination of hook and eye and silk covered snaps on just above the cut out to close the bodice. It buttons at the back of the neck over a keyhole. There is a bit of grubbiness that looks like marks from being hung on the top of the shoulders and a faint pen mark near the waist. Please see the photos after the label shot. Ribbon finished interior seams. Tagged a modern Valentino 6 and is in its original uncut length. The original price of this dress was $9600 USD
Bust: the sides are open & the bust covers 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Underbust where the armholes end: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist at bottom of the bodice: 14.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist at the top of the skirt: 15.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 65" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4579
Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Resort 2018 Valentino, Look 65. Model: Tami Williams. / (4) Charlotte Groeneveld at the Harper's Bazaar Icons Party, 2018. / (5) Tiler Peck at the American Ballet Theatre 2019 Spring Gala, 2019.
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.
Romantic Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier Runway Strapless Pink Tulle Dress w Dramatic Skirting
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The twin of this gorgeous Monique Lhuillier was Look 15 in the presentation and we also found a photo of one on the beautiful Dee Hilfiger. This was one of the strongest looks from the presentation and the dress is beautiful. The Lookbook was shot at a picturesque French château and Lhuillier said of the show that she "wanted the clothes to be seen in the place where they might be worn”. How magical would it be to have that happen? Although in reality this is a dress that would instantly make anywhere it ended up being worn feel magical.
This was part of her ready-to-wear collection and it might even make for a magical dress for a bride who wants to go the non-traditional route and wear something that was not white. It would also make for an amazing wedding guest option or for any gala or fabulous event. The bodice is strapless and fitted and meant to hug you and shape your curves. The peaks at the front are high and I love how she has wrapped the netted tulle over the bodice and used variations in colour on the bodice to add a bit of interest and depth. Inside it boned and shaped and I love how it scoops down and around the back. The waist is nipped in and then the skirt explodes out from under that. The skirt is spectacular. It is layers and layers of tulle set on top of each other and cut in different sections to get that elaborate shape that you see. Underneath each layer is netting cut to follow the shape above and then that has a wide panel of stiffened netting that goes all the way around you and follows every single cut and pattern in the skirt. This helps to hold the shape that you see. As good as it looks on the dress form, I think seeing it on the two women shown here really gives you an idea of how it sits and floats around you once on the body. The layers also give it a sophistication and keep it from being just another big puffed tulle skirt. The back is cut a little longer so that you get a bit of a trailing effect behind you. This is the ultimate dream dress for the girl that wants to make an entrance. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.
The bodice has a built-in netted and lightly boned corset, and the skirt is lined in a pink silk. Layers of netting underneath the tulle as described above. This gown was over $10,000 and was done in very limited quantities. Tag a modern 4.
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with some room at the front cups to fit at least a B cup maybe a small C
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to waist
Total length: approx 60" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to the front hem and aprox 75" to the back
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4580
Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier, Look 15. / (2) Dee Hilfiger in Monique Lhuillier.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
thea porter
Exquisite 1960s Thea Porter Couture Rare Printed Silk Chiffon Dress w Gold Metal Thread & Sequin Detailing
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I have had this tucked away in my archives for quite some time and it is spectacular. This is it gorgeous little dress that is easy to wear and an extremely beautiful example of her work. It has a touch of a caftan feel to it and that combined with those spectacular sleeves makes it very special piece. Of all of Thea's pieces, her caftans and the dresses that had that caftan like feel, have come to represent Thea's work like no other pieces of her clothing that she designed. Everyone who was anyone wore her work back in the day, including the great Elizabeth Taylor who was a huge fan and collector. This dress is just spectacular and a very special piece.
The dress is very beautiful and is made from a printed silk chiffon. The fabric has a swirling paisley feeling design with a black backdrop and then the print is done in a greens mixed with pops of blue. The print runs over the entire dress. The bodice has an empire cut and the front scoops low and wide. Detailing the edge of the neck and down the front is an added antique gold metal cord embellishment. This goes all the way around the neckline to the back and then runs part way down the front where it closes with hand made frog knots made of the same cording. The cording also details the seam where the sleeves are set in and more of it sit above the scalloping detail of the skirt. Thea was known to hunt antique stores and markets during her extensive travels and use what she found in her designs and this is certainly a found antique textile. The dress buttons down the front to just past the waist. There is a seam set under the bust and then the dress falls from there in a loose and easy feel. The sleeves are magnificent. They are slim through the upper arm and then from just above the elbow to the cuff they balloon out to be spectacularly full. They are not lined for the lower balloon part of each sleeve and I love the touch of transparency this creates. The rest of the dress is lined in a black silk and the chiffon over it is semi-transparent like the sleeves. This see-through quality gives the fabric depth and a floating feel over the inner lining. The final detail is that little scalloped panel that runs around the skirt above the bottom hem. It adds just a tiny touch of movement, and added detail that is lovely. This is very special and rare piece of Thea's work and it is also very beautiful. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a hand set black silk lining. It closes down the front with gold antique cord loops and knots. Each cuff hooks to close. Tagged a vintage UK 12. Finished by hand throughout. There is some patina to the cording that is a natural occurrence of its age. A tiny bit of grubbiness to the seam under each arm on the inner lining. It is spectacular
Sleeves: 26" and 11" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from the top of the shoulder to the seam under the bust
Total length: 56" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4570
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
john anthony
Elegant Fall 1981 John Anthony Couture Hand Beaded Brown Silk Chiffon Top & Skirt Set
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John Anthony's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This dress is one of two pieces I have from his Fall 1981 collection and both are the original samples from his archives. No photos were found of the runway presentation of these exact two pieces but we did find a series of photos of pieces with the same beadwork so you can get an idea of how beautiful they are on the body.
The fabric this dress is made out of is a light weight silk chiffon in a deep brown colour. This is a set and I love that this gives you that bit of added versatility of having the skirt and top to mix and match or wear together. Onto the chiffon is a dense application of beads that are set in vertical rows that cover almost all of the dress except for the top of the bodice. This is done deliberately and acts as a part of the pattern of the piece. All of the beads have been applied by hand in perfect little rows onto the silk. This makes the set glimmer softly from every angle. Both pieces have a simple and easy cut so that they are easy to wear and are very flattering on the body. The neckline of the top is a simple scoop and closes with a hook and eye at the back of the neck above a keyhole. The bodice is cut to skim down over you to the waist. The waist is finished with elastic and the bodice is meant to pouf and curve under you a touch like how I photoed it. The skirt has a banded waist and falls to the floor under that in a swoop of fabric flaring out a touch as it nears the hem. It has a high slit on one side that has dangling beads hanging down and over the opening. The sleeves are completely beaded in the same vertical rows of beads and then they fall in a straight cut to the wrist for a touch of fullness. They are gorgeous when worn together. The work has all been done by hand and the workmanship is fantastic. They fall like a dream once on the body. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in a second layer of nude silk chiffon. The top closes with a hook and eye above a keyhole at the back of the neck and has elastic at the bottom seam. The skirt closes with hook and eye at the waist and a zipper under that. There are minor missing areas of beads here and there and some of the dangling beads over the skirt seam are missing. Please see the photo after the label shot for an example. The sample tag is stitched inside the cuff of one sleeve.
Top
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from waist to hem
Slit: 27" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4571
Reference Photos: Fall 1981 John Anthony Ready to Wear Advance Preview.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
givenchy
Fall 1978 Givenchy Haute Couture Original Runway Sample Black Silk & Velvet Dress w Beaded Sleeves
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The House of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy. He has always been strongly associated with the work that he did dressing Audrey Hepburn but his range was incredible as a designer behind that relationship with her. Some of my personal favourite vintage pieces over the years have been from his work. His Haute Couture pieces are always amazing to find and this wonderful dress is an extraordinary example of his couture work during this time period. It is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and the workmanship and craft out into this dress is extraordinary. This is also the actual runway sample and you can see its near twin in the reference photos that we have added here that would have been in the same grouping as this one, which makes its place in fashion history even more special. As good as the dress is on the dress form you can see how it transforms even further on an actual body. This is true Couture and it is fabulous. I love it.
What a beautiful piece of couture. The bodice of the dress is made from a black silk with a slight sheen to the finish and the fabric has a touch of weight that allows it to hold the shape that you see. For the skirt he used a black velvet with a thick pile finish and this fabric choice also really allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see in the photos. Its beautiful shape is almost sculptural and it is a testament to the level of workmanship that you only see in true couture pieces. The bodice buttons to close down the front and the buttons run all the way up to the neckline. Each button is a thick circle of black with a glass rhinestone set inside. The neckline has no collar and it is just a simple, elegant swoop around your neck. The bodice has vertical darts so that it follows and accentuates the curves of the body. It narrows in slightly at the waist and then curves out and over to the top of the hip below the natural waist. A ribbon is tacked at the back and then ties on the front to give the dress the same look as how it was shown on the runway. The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. There is stiffened tulle just inside the edge of the shoulder for shape and this lets them puff out slightly around the upper arm and then it narrows down to their ends.The skirt has some built-in fullness around the inside of the upper hip that allows it to lift slightly off and away from the body. There are also weights that are set all around the inner hip so that it sits perfectly on the body once on. The skirt curves down and inwards from there. The skirt at the front is cut on a curve that swoops up at the centre so that you see a flash of leg as you walk or sit. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer so you get a beautiful curving line from the side. The sleeves are works of art. Each is detailed with hand applied prong set glass rhinestones in red green and clear to form a stunning red flower with trailing leaves that run over and down the outer edge of each sleeve. Little hand cut velvet bits are hand applied in and around the flowers to give them depth. The rhinestones catch the light beautifully. It is incredible. These have all been added one by one by hand and the entire dress is completely hand made to couture standards. I have taken some detail shots of the interior seams for you to see the fine Haute Couture workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and beautifully made. Excellent condition with a small note below
The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined in a black silk organza. Built in panniers around the hip area with weights that I have photoed. It closes down the front with the buttons as shown and the skirt snaps into place under that. A little hidden set snap is set on each cuff. Hand finished throughout. The proper runway sample tag is present. One rhinestone is broken but it is the button that lies under the ribbon when it is tied. Please see the photo after the sample tag. Some of the seams show minor stress. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.
Sleeves: 25" and 14" aroid the upper arm. 6.5" around the wrist
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and meant be cinched with the ribbon
Seam across top of hips: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 20" from the neck to the seam at top of hips
Total length: 41" from neck to shortest part of the front hem, 58.5" to the back hem with 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Modern Sizing Equivalent:
Item# DD4562
Reference Photos: Givenchy Fall 1978 Haute Couture Advance.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
john anthony
Spectacular Fall 1988 John Anthony Bias Cut Taupe Silk Chiffon Wrap Dress w Hand Made Lace Detailing
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John Anthony's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This dress is from his Fall 1988 collection and is the original sample from his archives. We found a photo of a dress on the runway from this same collection with the same cut through the top so you can get an idea of how this will sit on the body. John told me that this dress was made for the runway as well and was edited out once the final line up was done. I love this dress and am so happy to let it have its full moment now. His work is amazing on the body and transforms once it is on and moving.
This dress is absolutely stunning and it is among my favourites from the pieces he has sent to us so far. It is very light in weight once on the body. It is made from the most beautiful feather light silk chiffon. Bias cut silk chiffon is incredibly hard to work with and for this dress he has layered it with each layer falling perfectly over each other. The dress is made of three layers of the chiffon. The two innermost layers are unadorned and then the top layer has the black lace detailing added to it. It slips on and zips up at the front and this is all cleverly hidden with a panel that wraps and snaps into place to one side. The snaps continue down under the lace detail on the skirt. The snaps only close it part of the way and a thigh high slit is left so that when you walk you will see a mile of bare leg. The front plunges into a V and there is a caped feeling panel of hand made black French lace that drapes over the shoulders for the prettiest romantic touch. This wraps all the way around the back and I love how it drapes there. The lace at the front curves down and to the side and then trails all the way down the skirt to the hem. A wide order of it is placed all the way around the hem. I love the way the lace is all perfectly and meticulously set onto the silk with thousands of tiny precise stitched done to hold it in place and follow the pattern in the lace. This is couture level detailing. At the back, the skirt extends out a bit past the hem to sweep behind you as you walk. The silk is so light that your slightest movement causes it to float around you. It is very beautiful. Excellent condition.
Made of three layers of silk chiffon as described above and closes with a hidden set front zipper and then hidden set snaps down the side. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 76" to the longest point of the back hem
Slit: 34" from front hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4555
Reference Photo: Fall 1988 John Anthony Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
john anthony
Exquisite Spring 1993 John Anthony Hand Beaded One Shoulder Dress on Pale Gold Silk Net
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John Anthony's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This spectacular dress is from his Spring 1993 collection and is the original sample from his archives. It is truly a special piece and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.
This dress is absolutely stunning. This is the kind of dress that you will only find with vintage or in modern day Haute Couture. The fabric is a fine pale gold coloured silk net that is cut on the bias. It is lined in a nude silk chiffon and then the entire dress has been hand beaded from top to bottom with thousands of tiny glass tube beads and seed beads in a mix of gold, clear and ivory beads onto the netting. The silk netting and chiffon lining are both feather light and the placement of the beads help it to hold the intended shape that John wanted it to have. The dress is suspended from a single shoulder that curves up and over the shoulder. It angles down in a soft line on the front and back. I love the beaded panel that falls from that shoulder and trails down the back. This adds a little extra detail and movement when the dress is on the body. The iridescent quality of the more clear beads mixed with those tiny metallic coloured ones catch the light and sparkle from every angle. The dress flows beautifully over the waist and hips. The bias cut lets it drape perfectly over you and shows off the body without being excessively tight. The skirt falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The back is cut longer then the front so you get a bit of a trained effect behind you as you walk. Around all of the edges including the hem is a dense border of the beadwork that gives the dress the perfect finishing touch. It also gives the skirt a touch of weight to hold the shape and volume as you walk and stand. It has this lovely feeling of being an heirloom piece and it is fantastically beautiful to see in person. It is a very special piece. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a nude silk chiffon and the outer netting is backed in a white netting. It closes with a hidden set side zipper slips over the head to wear. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. This is the original runway sample. Handwork throughout and cut on the bias
Bust: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 65" from top of shoulder to front hem, 77" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4554
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
Spectacular Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Look 47 Runway Dot & Embroidered Floral Pouf Dress
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This is a very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.
This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.
The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.
The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate.
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4509
Reference Photos: (1-3) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture. / (4-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
andre laug
Dreamy Late 1960s Andre Laug Roma Alta Moda Couture Pale Turquoise Applied Dot Strapless Dress
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The Andre Laug label launched in 1968 in Rome. Laug was one of the grand Italian Couturiers who would now be considered to have designed "Alta Moda" the Italian equivalent of Haute Couture. He apprenticed under Nina Ricci and was the designer behind the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection in the summer of 1961. From there he freelanced, working for both Philip Venet and Andre Courreges. His clients included Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Diana Ross and countless others.This dress is all done by hand couture tags and based on its style most likely dates to those first early years. It is gorgeous.
The dress has a more fitted strapless bodice that tops a fuller skirt. Everything about this dress is dreamy. The fabric on this one is so pretty. The base fabric is an ivory silk chiffon that has pale turquoise dots applied and woven into the silk. These cover the dress from the dice to the hem. Each dot of the pattern looks like it was woven and also embroidered into the silk. The slight texture and dimension this adds is so pretty. The bodice is strapless and lightly boned inside. The dotted fabric is hand gathered horizontally across you and then a panel of ivory silk curved downing over the front and sweeps around to the back. At the back those ivory panels swoop inwards around the waist to meet at the small of the back. A little loop that snaps hold them together and then they trail all the way down the back of the skirt. Its incredible. The skirt itself is full and made of two layers of the dotted chiffon layered over each other. The inner layer falls slightly longer and at the back it curves up and under the panels. All the fullness that you see is created from the way it is set in soft folds around the waist. All the inner seams are down by hand to couture standards. This would make an amazing non traditional wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative 'something blue' dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous eventExcellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in an ivory silk through the bodice and the two layers of fabric serve as the lining through the skirt. Light boning in the bodice and an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It closes with a back hidden set painted metal zipper. There is a shadow of a grubbiness along the seam under each arm and a faint mark on the attached ivory panel. Please see the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem and the sash extends past that another 3.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS- SML
Item# DD4514
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
Magical Fall 2019 Valentino Strapless Pleated Green Cotton Dress w Painted Floral Detailing
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I sold a pink sleeved version of this dress in the past and was very pleased to find this strapless green one. These dresses were not runway pieces and were produced for the shops as a special series in limited quantities. I had showed you the runway pic that is also presented here because it was the closest thing to the pleat work on the dress and at least give you an idea of how the skirt falls once on the body. Fall 2019 was a wild success. The Vogue review for this collection touched on Pier Paolos's inspiration for the show saying; "(he is) a man on an intuitive mission to place fashion on a positive plane. 'I feel that people are looking for emotion and dreams—but not distant dreams,' he said today before his ready-to-wear show was about to take to the runway. 'I want to create a community for Valentino. I mean something different from ‘lifestyle,’ which is about owning objects. It’s about people who share values.'” Every piece he does is special and this dress is no exception.
I love this dress. It feels thoroughly Valentino. When you add in that spectacular floral print that covers the entire side and length of the skirt it is just a joy. The dress is made from a fine and very light weight cotton that has been finished to have a slight sheen so that it looks at first glance to be a silk. It has a touch of transparency to it and I think he choose a cotton over a silk as it hold the soft pleat work far better then a silk would. I know from the previous dress that I sold that had its original hang tags that the cotton was spun in such a way that it may have variations in it. There was also a tag on that previous dress that said to maintain the plisse effect that dress has you were to wring it to compress the pleats after cleaning. I love that Valentino goes to these lengths and uses such natural fabrics. It is part of what makes the exceptional quality of his pieces. The lightness of the cotton combined with that soft open pleating is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric of the skirt catches the air and billows out around you. The body of the dress is done in a deep moss green and is has soft variations of that colour in it. The skirt of the dress has been finished to look like it was hand painted. There is a huge abstract painting effect that trails over the side of the skirt and down the length of it that has been done to suggest a field of flowers. It is actually screened onto the fabric yet it somehow feels as if it is hand painted into it. The dress is strapless and it is fitted over the bust and then brought in at the waist with a seam. The fabric is set vertically over the bust and there is an inner lightly boned bodice made out of an almost startling coral silk chiffon whose colour peeks through the exterior cotton very slightly. The skirt falls from that seam under the bust to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. There is a very deep ruffle that is attached to the hem of the lower skirt for even more volume there. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. There are yards of fabric in the skirt and the pleats expand to give it a floating effect as it moves with you. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
Lined through the bodice in a coral cotton and an inner chiffon, lightly boned bodice piece. The skirt is lined in a light white cotton. The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice also zips to close. You can see the hand tied stitches inside the bodice to hold the pleating in place. Tagged a Valentino 40.
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4499
Reference Photo: Fall 2019 Valentino Runway, Look 60. Model: Yoon Young Bae.
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
Extraordinary Spring 2011 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Well Documented Floral Silk Dress & Leather Jacket Set
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This dress and jacket set is extremely well documented. Not only was it's twin presented on the Spring 2011 Chanel runway for Look 48 that season, but it was featured in the ad campaign that year and Anna Wintour herself wore the entire set and the dress alone on three different occasions. Lydia Hearst wore a shortened version and Sarah Chapmen wore the dress on its own. In Vogue's review of the show, Tim Blanks said in part; "Karl Lagerfeld gets a lot of his inspiration from dreams, but he didn't need any help from them today, because he already had Last Year at Marienbad, that hallucinatory slice of avant-garde celluloid from the early sixties, on his mind. Some would say that, despite its storied reputation, it's the most boring movie ever made, but for Lagerfeld—and Chanel—it inspired a breathtakingly surreal setting: a monochrome ornamental garden, complete with fountains, which mirrored one of the film's most famous scenes." Karla himself said that new fabrics were one of his touchstones for the collection, but "he distressed them with selvedge, ragged edges, and a lattice of perforations. That chaotic quality persisted in dégradé chiffon florals or a monochrome tweed patchwork.... It loaned an enthralling urgency, and the fierce young spirit in the collection could be read as a swingeing riposte to the cutesiness that sometimes overtakes Chanel's ready-to-wear."
Both the pieces are magical in a way that only Karl could create. I love that they are perfect together yet equally perfect when worn solo. It is always nice to have the option of more wears with a set that you can mix and match with existing pieces from your wardrobe. The dress is gorgeous and the richness and quality of the silk only really can be appreciated when you have it in hand. The top is cut to skim over you and the sleeveless design makes it easy to wear on its own or under the jacket. The bodice is pleated in these perfect pleats that are set vertically. Pleating the silk like that adds an extra dimension to that beautiful floral pattern that covers the silk. The waist nips in with a band of silk but still has that easy feel to it that Chanel pieces have. The skirt falls from the waist and the pleats open up from just under the hip so that when you move it lightly moves and floats around you. The dress is a masterclass in pleat work and an example of how finely done a pleat can be. Each pleat is exactly the same size as its neighbor and each lies perfectly as it runs over the dress from shoulder to hem.
The jacket goes over that and is made from a butter soft black leather. He used that same floral print silk to create an open cut lattice and then built the collar and front of the jacket out of that as well as the lower parts of the sleeves. He wrapped more of that silk lattice work all the way around the hem so that when worn together, you get this play on depth, colour and print from the floral of the dress underneath. The jacket is cut in a traditional blazer feel with a notched collar and long straight sleeves. It is meant to be a little loose through the body with the waist brought in just a touch for shape and does up at the front with large hooks. I love the zipped pockets on each hip with their little dangling double C zipper pulls.
This is a stunning and important set from that season. The dress still has its original tags. Excellent condition
The dress is lined through the bodice in a black silk chiffon and the skirt in unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and a Chanel logo button at the back of the neck. It is tagged a Chanel 38 and has it original zip back with an extra square of silk. The jacket hooks to close at the front and lined in a. black logo embossed silk. It is tagged a Chanel 40
Jacket
Sleeves: 25" and 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: "
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to hem
Dress
Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to top of band at the waist
Skirt: 29.5" from top of 2" band at the waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4497
Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2011 Chanel, Look 48, Model Lisanne De Jong. / (3) Spring 2011 Chanel Ad Campaign. Photographed by Karl Lagerfeld. / (4-5) Anna Wintour in Chanel at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. / (6) Anna Wintour, June 2011. / (7) Anna Wintour attending the Fall 2011 Chanel Fashion Show. / (8) Lydia Hearst attends CHANEL and Liz Goldwyn Celebrate "Chanel: Her Life" By Justine Picardie, September 2011. / (9) Sarah Chapman in Chanel, 2015.
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
Stupendous Spring 2008 Valentino Runway One Shoulder Black Dress w Bow Details & Slit
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This gorgeous dress has the significance of being from Mr. Valentino's final show before he retired. Its twin in a pale green walked the runway for Look 75 and we have added some runway reference shots and video so that you can see just how fabulously the dress moves when on the body. Vogue said this last collection was; 'Crisply puncturing the potential for a predictable end-of-era wallow in sentiment, Valentino played it as an upbeat, fast-paced whirl of breezy, pretty, drop-dead gorgeousness that blew any lingering sense of ladylike stuffiness to the winds. If there's a problem, it's only being spoiled for choice. What to pick from the head-spinning plethora of dresses on offer?' ... and indeed the collection was full of stunning choices. This particular dress was one of my favourites of the show and I personally love it in black even more then the green it was presented on the runway. It is a beautiful example of his work.
I love the contrast between the black silk insets with its touch of a sheen finish against the matte back of the body on this dress. The dress falls from one shoulder and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. All of the shape created n the dress is by that clever seaming and insets that are part of the design. The silk parts are all bias cut and allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is intricate and beautifully done, showing what a master Mr Valentino really is. The dress is suspended from that one single shoulder panel that curves over your shoulder and runs across the bust to the other side. There is a large bow set at the front of that shoulder and a second bow below the hip on that same side. The bodice curves down into the side panel on the bow side and then under the bodice there is that gorgeous draped curved panel that cuts across the body. That silk insert extends down into the skirt. The waist is shaped by the insert and seaming. The dress glides over the body from there and then flares out as it reaches the hem. The skirt is quite wide by the time it reaches the hem but because it is a single layer of the silk it stays soft and flowing. It sweeps around you as you walk and even more movement is created with the high slit that runs up one side where it is topped by that bow. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as you can see in the video. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
The bodice is lined in the same black fabric and then the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. In its original uncut length and looks too have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Valentino 8
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to front hem
Slit: 25" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4493
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2008 Valentino, Look 75. Model Laura Blokhina.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
loris azzaro
Incredible 1976-1978 Loris Azzaro Strapless Glossy Black Sequin Dress wLayered Net Tulle Skirt
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work from the mid- to later part of the 1970s and is fantastically beautiful. No matter how good it looks on my dress form, in person and on the body it transforms into even more of a bombshell. It is spectacular. To give you an idea of the way the paper bodice fits I have included a photo of French singer Dalida and one if Raquel Welch both wear dresses similar to the bodice of this one. I think this one with its fantastical net tulle skirt is even more special
This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body because this is a dress that in person it is even better. The movement it has cannot truly be captured until it is on a body and moving. The first thing you see is that the entire body of the dress is covered in overlapping glossy black sequins that catch the light from every angle. This detailing alone takes your breath away when you see the dress in person. The dress is strapless and the bodice is cut with a rounded sweetheart neckline and has shaped cups with one of hi signature inner tacked in strapless bras. It skims over the body from there gliding over the waist and hips. There is some shape at the waist but it is with a more easy feeling which keeps the dress feeling long and lean. Under that the skirt falls to the floor in an explosion of netted tulle that is set in ruffle layers that curve up and toward the centre front. The layers give the skirt so much volume and movement when you move and it is just incredible. When you move even the slightest, they move with you and it's gorgeous to see. It has a full underskirt in a black silk but the way the ruffle are set give the illusion of being more open at the front. I love how the dress curves around the hips and dips down slightly before turning into the tulle to give you maximum curves at the back as well. Above that the entire back is also left bare and open and it is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The dress is wonderfully made. It is a stunning dress and you will definitely turn heads in it when you walk into the room. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk and it closes with a zipper at the back. His signature copper strapless bra is tacked unsaid and you could remove or replace this is needed for a better fit. It is fuller through the waist and If you wanted a more hourglass feel you can alter the waist in. Elastic through the upper seam of the bodice. and the fabric has some give. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with the current inner bra about a B to small C cup
Waist: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of the shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item#DD4486
Reference Photos: (1) Raquel Welch with Loris Azzaro, 1978. / (2-3) Dalida in Azzaro, 1976. - First two photos from the book 'Azzaro: 50 Sparkling Years'.
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.
malcolm starr
One of Two Identical 1970s Malcolm Starr Red Zipper Front Coats w Applique & Braiding Detail SZ MED
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This is one of two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork, like these coats, are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the colour and vividness of his homeland.
This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below
Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see some faint yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and neck. Tagged a vintage Medium.
Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4481
Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 1970.
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
Striking 1980s Arnold Scaasi Couture Black Silk Strapless Dress w Pink Lined Half Bow & Shawl
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Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, 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. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie 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. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi. He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'
You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to the waist. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and it is done with an asymmetrical cut so that one side of the skirt is linger them the other. This was a signature cut for Scaasi and a detail you see in many of his pieces. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is all created by the way the seams are done and the inner construction of the dress. The innermost layer closest to you goes to just past the hips and it is made out of a fine black silk. A layer of tulle sits between that and the outer skirt and this is how the shape is created. The outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary half bow that is set along the one side of the bodice. This is lined in a brilliant pink for an unexpected pop of colour. I have placed it to one side but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides. I think you might even be able to wear it with your arm slipped through and if you really wanted to create more drama you could add some wire inside to ensure it stays high and full no matter how you move as it may flop down when moving as out is now. This one also comes with its original high shawl that is black on one side and that same brilliant pink on the other. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned and it closes with a side set zipper. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 10" from top of bodice to natural waist
Skirt: 24" from natural waist seam to shortest point of the hem and 52" to the longest part of the hem with 4" turned under
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4477
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
Extraordinary Fall 2008 Alexander McQueen 'The Girl Who Lived in the Trees' Silk Chiffon Trained Dress
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McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. I have included two photos from the runway that year and you can see how the elements from these pieces were combined to create this dress. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress feels a bit like the embodiment of that centre piece they refer to above as you are wrapped and swathed in fabric once it is on. The way that the chiffon trails behind you is fantastic once on the body. This is an extraordinary example of his work.
This dress is beautiful and rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready to wear. The fabric is a silk chiffon with a soft almost waffle finish texture to the silk. It is feather light and once the dress in on it is magical. The cut is classic McQueen with a low cut squared off neckline at the front. Underneath the bodice where a seam would normally be there is a barely visible line of hand placed stitches. This tiny little detail adds the perfect suggestion of shape and gives the bodice its empire cut. The silk has been lightly gathered over the bust with the inside structured and supported. The inner support has been done with couture level seam work and the way the fabric is placed and shaped rather than extensive boning. It is genius. The skirt falls to the floor from beneath the bodice and there are yards and yards of silk used to create the skirt and train. Just under the bust on one side the silk extends out into a panel that drapes down the full length of the dress and then loops back up and around to attach to the top of the opposite shoulder. The effect this creates is fantastic and adds extra dimension to the dress. The skirts scoops up to floor length at the front so that you can walk and then starts to extend out at the sides to become the train that wafts out behind you at the back. The back skirts drop out from the upper seam of the back which creates a fantastic caped feel. As you walk this billows out behind you and it is extraordinary. This is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. The dress has its original hang tags in place and is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in black silk satin through the bust and black silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. The interior bust is shaped and lightly boned at the sides. Original tags attached. Tagged a McQueen 38.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist-hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from shoulder to seam under bust
Length: approx 60" from shoulder to shortest point of the front hem, approx 90" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3473
Reference Photos: (1-2) F/W 2008 Alexander McQueen Runway Collection (Look 7 & Look 27).
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
Louis Mies
1970s Louis Mies Haute Couture Off Shoulder Silk Taffeta Dress w Hand Made Lace Detailing
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This dress comes to me from my same client whose aunt purchased from both the couture houses and Ady Couture while she was living in Switzerland during the eighties and into the nineties. Prior to that, during the late sixties and into the early 80s her aunt lived in both France and Brussels where she purchased pieces from Louis Mies along with the couture houses. Mies was a small independent couturier who did custom work for his clients to haute couture standards. He designed many pieces for the Queen of Belgium and like Ady, he had permission from several of the Haute Couture ateliers to produce their Haute Couture pieces and bought the fabric directly from them. I have some new information that he might have sold actual couture pieces through his salon as well. This dress bears a striking similarity to some of the 1977 Valentino couture collection pieces and I have included some of those iconic photographs here and if nothing else to show you how this dress will look on an actual body. It is absolutely unbelievable in person and one of my favourite personal pieces from her estate so far.
The level that this dress is made to is incredible. The fabric is a fine black silk taffeta and then parts of the design are edged in a beautiful French Chantilly lace. There are yards and yards of fabric used in the construction of this piece but once on the body it is all perfectly balanced. It sits off the shoulder to leave a bare expanse of skin showing that balances the volume of the dress below. I love the cut of the top. There is a six inch caped ruffle that wraps all the way around your shoulders and is edged with a 3.5" band of lace. Under that are extra extra wide sleeves. The width of the inner sleeves give the illusion of a layered caped detailing but they are actually true sleeves. Each sleeve is edged in that same lace to give the bodice a tiered effect from the side. The bodice is cut to skim over the body and then the waist is seamed to nip in for shape. I added a grosgrain ribbon to define the waist even more and this will be included. The skirt curves out from there and falls to the floor widening out to be very full as it nears the hem. The skirt is made up of three layers. The innermost layer is a full built-in black silk under-skirt that has wide bands of stiffened netting at the hem and then again part way up the skirt. These bands help to hold the volume. There are these little ruffled details that run along the seams where this inner layer is pieced together despite the fact that no one would ever see them. I love that. The second layer over that is made of black silk taffeta and it has two ruffled tiers at the hem that are both edged with black lace. The final top layer sits over both these and it curves up at the front to meet the seam at the waist. It is stunning. The dress is completely made by hand and I have included a couple of shots of one of the inner seams for you to see the amazing handwork. Excellent condition with a note below
Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk and the skirt is constructed as described above. It closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. Made by hand to couture standards. There are a couple small repairs / tiny holes on the ruffle on the neckline. There is so much fabric they get lost in the folds. Please see the final shot after the label. It otherwise looks unworn
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of natural shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3882
Reference photos: Valentino campaign 1977 shot by Deborah Turbeville
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
Look 47 Resort 2018 Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri Silk Chiffon Runway Dress w Plunge
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I recently had this dress in the shop and I am very pleased to have found another so soon. The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the runway as Look 47 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California and Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles were there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' The twin of it with the front tacked closed a bit was also worn by Kate Mara in 2017 which shows you how it looks when you do close the plunge a bit. It is also interesting because a very similar dress was shown for the Resort 2008 collection and you can see that progression from the Dior archives to this.
This is a dress that is insanely sexy and bare feeling. I love its bright joyful colour and minimal lines. The dress is a made out of a feather light silk chiffon that tops inner layers of silk tulle and silk. This fabric combination makes it very light and easy to wear and it feels like a dream once on the body. The lightness of it lets it move and float around you beautifully as you walk and move. The front plunges low to the seam at the slightly empire set to the waist. It crosses over itself a touch at the front and the seam under the bust is detailed with a tiny little romantic feeling ruffle. The shoulders twist as they curve over your shoulders and then they fall into a deep V at the back. The panels sit a wider apart where it meets the waist so you get a more open back feel. The sides are equally as dramatic as the plunge in long Vs to the waist. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There is a tremendous amount of fabric in the skirt and this lets the skirt billow out around you as you move. The top layer of the skirt is that silk chiffon that has that touch of texture to it. Then there are two layers of silk tulle under that and a final inner layer of silk that acts as the lining. The effect all of these layers have once it is on and moving around you is fantastic. I love having the reference photos so you can see how fabulous it is on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a tiny note below
Lined as described above and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Tagged a FR42, UK14, IT46, US10. It appears that someone did tack this closed at the front at some point and there are a tiny couple of pinholes in the lining of the bust as a result. These do not show when on and are strong and stable.
Bust: no true side seams but each triangle will cover 7-9" across
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer layers are full and open
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4380
Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Runway, Look 47. Model Cara Taylor. / (3-4) Kate Mara in Dior at the 2017 Guggenheim International Gala.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
bill blass
Gorgeous Spring 1989 Bill Blass Runway Black Silk Halter Chiffon w Trailing Shoulder Panels
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Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a very chic little example of his work from this time period and is a little extra special because we have found its more colourful counterpart on the runway that season. The dress has a dated tag inside from Bergdorf's which was usually a special order. It is easy to imagine the client seeing the orange and yellow version and then ordering it in this very chic all black.
This dress is gorgeous. It is made out of a black silk chiffon that is a very fine scarf weight silk that is very difficult to work with especially given the draping that has been done on this dress. The dress is cut to flow beautifully around the body. The neckline is set high in a halter that comes up in a peek and the extends out into tiny straps that have panels draped over them that curve over the shoulders. The panels continue down to gather over the bodice. They drape down and around to the back in a series of soft gathers and then this top layer buttons over the back zipper. The structure that holds the dress in place is all hidden inside so that there is minimal seaming showing on the exterior. Instead your eye just follows down to the skirt that flows to the floor in yards and yards of silk chiffon. The halter front leaves your upper back bare. The panels that curve over your shoulder from the front extend down to drape dramatically towards the floor and billow out behind you as you move. There is a built in structure through the bodice and then three layers of chiffon float over you to the floor to create the skirt. This gives it the slightest bit of transparency that is fantastic. All of the silk and layers are cut on the bias so the dress really has the most spectacular movement when you move. It is simple and classic but has a high impact feel at the same time. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
The bodice and skirt are lined in black silk chiffon and that part is lightly boned. The dress closes with a back zipper and then the skirt snaps to close over that and the bodice buttons over the zipper above that. The panels drape over the shoulders.
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4469
Reference Photos: Spring 1989 Bill Blass Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
romeo gigli
Important 1990 Romeo Gigli One Off Haute Coutre Full Wedding Dress Set w Flower Filled Chiffon Coat & Accessories
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Every so often I am contacted by someone and entrusted with something very special and this wedding set by Romeo Gigli absolutely fits that bill. This incredible set is a one of a kind, Haute Couture made to measure piece that comes directly from its original owner and she has graciously given all of the original documentation on it to share with you along with a full write up on her experience with Romeo and a scan of the Elle article that was written a year after her wedding.
Romeo Gigli launched his label first in 1981 which failed. In 1983 he partnered with Carla Sozzani and in 1985 he presented a 25 piece collection in Milan. By 1986 he was an international sensation and his collections made world wide headlines. In 1989 he had his Paris debut. His work was romantic but dramatic. Hallmarks included shawl coats, which this set so perfectly displays, along with soft sloping shoulders and silhouettes that narrow as they come down the body. Historical references run through his work and his de-structured lines felt fresh and new.
This set has all of the original pieces that Marion wore on her wedding day and even includes the original boxes and silk bags that the set was delivered in. Every piece was made in studio by hand and when I tell you that my photos do not do the full set justice I have never been more honest as everything is more beautiful in person. This is a once in a life time opportunity to own this incredible and important piece of fashion history. The link to Marion's story is below and a short description of the pieces follows.
The wedding ensemble consists of a pale pink silk chiffon top, a gold lace hobble skirt and a deep gold silk jacket or top that was worn over those two pieces. An incredible silk chiffon coat that is filled with silk flowers and flows behind you in a knotted train was worn over that. The original pale taupe velvet shoes in their original box are present along with the hand made hair sticks and pins. The two original pink raw silk hand made bags that the skirt and tops were delivered in are included and the entire ensemble comes in its original raw silk covered box. The final piece included is the little hand held green silk bag that Marion carried that day.
The skirt and inner top are the base of the outfit. The top is slightly cropped and made from a pale dusty peach pink silk chiffon. The chiffon has been hand gathered into soft pleats and crosses itself over the front and back. It wraps around you and closes on one side, inside, with a series of silk covered buttons and then the other side wraps over that and closes at the back outside with buttons as well. The skirt is made out of fine gold lace and is banded around the waist for shape. It drapes softly over the body with volume through the hips created by the layers. It narrows down at the ankles for a touch of a hobble skirt in appearance with the ends curving up and under. It is an incredible design.
An oversized silk top goes over this that has a bit of volume through the body. It is made from a deep copper gold silk with a burnished finish. The sleeves are incredibly long and are meant to be gather along the arms and follow the cut and curve of them. The collar is very high and wired so that it stands and frames the face beautifully. One side is longer then the other and you can shape the wire to give it a quirky little curve in the direction and way that works best for you. I love the open cut out just under the collar. It hints at the silk chiffon top underneath and adds an unexpected flash of skin.
The coat is utterly remarkable. It is thoroughly Romeo Gigli in spirit and it is one of the most beautiful, magical things I have ever seen. It has those beautiful sloped shoulders he was known for and the front flips over into a deep shawl collar. It slips on over everything else with no front closures. It just falls over you in this exceptional drape of chiffon and flowers and then trails out behind you. The end has been knotted and I love this detail as it is absolutely Gigli at his best. The coat is made from a silk chiffon outer and inner layer that has a touch of transparency to it while inside and between the layers are thousands of silk flowers. Each would have been placed by hand one by one to form a solid layer of flowers that shows through the silk. It has weight yet it feels weightless. It has presence yet it feels ethereal. The top layer of the chiffon is a pale dusty pink and then the inner layer is a pale taupe. The flowers float between the two and it make this light rustling sound as it moves that it magical. It is one of the best things I have ever personally seen.
Finally are the accessories. Her original velvet shoes that slide on and then tie in place, the little green silk bag that is held by the tied straps and the various hand made hair and stick pins in their original box.
The entire set will be sent in it original box hand covered in a deep dusty pink raw silk as it came to Marion from the Gigli ateliers.
Everything is in superb condition. I see a teeny smudge of discoloration under the arms of the inner silk chiffon top and the wear to the soles of the shoes giving away the clue that it was worn that day. The silk on the large box it came in has more wear as seen in the photos
This is a once in a life time, absolutely remarkable piece of fashion history.
Inner top
Shoulders: no true seams
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 14" from top of shoulder to hem
Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from waist to hem and including the 4" waist band
Outer top
Sleeves: 39" from the dropped shoulder seam and are around 11" arond after the dropped shoulder
Shoulders: 27" across and meant to drop significantly
Bust: 30" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 27" flat across from side seam to side seam and narrows to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam by the hem
Length: 41" from neck hem
Neck: 13" around
Coat
Is about 36" flat across the inner bust and it is about 120" long from the neck to end past the knot and not including the deep shawl collar. It is pretty much OSFA
Bag
Approx 9.5" tall and about 5-7" in diameter
Shoes
Approx a 40-41
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED for the inner outfit and the coat is OSFA
Item# DD4458
Reference Photos: Courtesy of Marion Hume. (1-2) Fitting with Romeo Gigli. / (3-7) On the wedding day.
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.
mr blackwell
Stunning 1968 Mr Blackwell Custom Deep Copper Gold Silk Dress w Hip Swag & Flower Pin
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Richard Blackwell launched his label in the late 1950s and even at that time his dresses sold for between $800 and $1000, which in modern dollars converts to up to $10,000 a dress. Huge numbers for this time period. He dressed many of the big stars of the day including Jane Russell, Dorothy Lamour and Jayne Mansfield. His 'custom' label were the pieces that were made-to-order and were one-of-a-kind pieces that were fitted to a specific client in the couture tradition. This dress came directly to me from the original client which is how I have its exact date. It is an extraordinary dress from this time period and very beautiful
This dress is absolutely incredible and it is stunning to see it in person. The fabric is amazing in its own right and it would not be something you could produce anymore in our modern world. It is a luxurious deep copper gold silk that hold the lines and shape of the dress perfectly. The cut is pure Old Hollywood. The bodice is fitted to your curves and it is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny straps in the same fabric. Vertical panels and seams create the shape of the bodice and these all lead into a sharply angled seam that starts at the waist on one side and dips down tot he hip on the other. The seams are all perfectly place to give shape around the waist without having a horizontal line to break the eye. The fabric is gathered and curves over to one side of the hip and then falls to the floor in a column of silk. A long wide panel is swagged over on one side and then extends around to the back. This panel extends out at the side and falls longer at that side of the hem for a killer sweeping flare. It is just spectacular. This is pure Old Hollywood in the best possible way. The dress came with its original spray of pale baby blue, blush pink and ivory silk flowers that you can pin at the front, side or back depending on where you want to emphasize the shape created. I love the way the back dips low to show some bare skin for the perfect finish to this beautiful dress. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a copper silky rayon. It closes with a side painted metal zipper hidden under a seam. Light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. I see a tiny bit of colour run near the edge on the bodice and another small areas near the hem. There is a very small hole on the folds under the swag from the brooch. You don't see this once the flower is in place and its in the fold if you choose to wear it without the flower. Some minor grubbiness on the edge of the hem. The flower shows some storage marks and the petals have softened. Please the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to at least a B cup at front
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of the shoulder to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4457
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
Fall 1999 Thierry Mugler 'Vie en Rose' Collection' Black Dress w High Slit & Vivid Pink Lining
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The twin of this dress with a blue lining walked the Fall 1999 runway along with an all pink dress that also has the exact same cut. I have included both of these for you so that you can see how beautiful the dress is on and moving. I think that shock of pink is even better then the blue actually. I reached out to Ashley Scott, one of the leading Mugler collectors, who helped me source these runway looks and date the dress She expressed her delight on how rare this dress would be. The dress is stunning on the body and I am very happy to have video reference so you can see just how beautifully it moves.
The shock of seeing that vivid pink against the black when you walk is fantastic to see. The dress is cut with Mugler's masterful eye and attention to detail. It is suspended from tiny straps that curve over the shoulders. All the seaming on the dress is set vertically so that it enhances and highlights the curves of the body. The bust is shaped through the seaming to follow your curves. The neckline is scooped and the waist nips in and it is created by the shaping of those beautifully curved seems. It skims over the hips and then falls to the floor with a slight widening out as it near the hem. Depending on your height the dress will be full length or to about the ankle so that you see your shoes peek out from under the hem. On one side of the bodice the strap leads into a seam that is backed by that vivid pink silk. Where it meets the scoop of the neckline there's a little peak that is formed. I love that little detail. It is so Mugler. That seam has a bit of a stiffening to it so it holds its curve perfectly once on the body. It curves under and around the breast on the one side, then goes across the waist and down and over the other hip at the front. From there it splits into a dramatic high slit that allows your leg to show when you walk just like you see in the videos. The inside of the dress is lined in a vivid bright pink silk satin and as you walk your legs kick the skirt open and you see that flash of pink. It is an extraordinary dress. Rare and exceedingly beautiful. Excellent condition with one minor note below
The bodice is lined in a black silk and the skirt and behind that front curved seam is lined in the vivid pink as described above. There is a bit of a watermark on the inside hem at one corner. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a Mugler vintage 36.
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 53" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 27" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4462
Reference Photos/Video: Fall 1999 Thierry Mugler Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
christian lacroix
Fall 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Silk Runway Backless Dress w Original Jewel Brooches
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The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the Fall 1990 runway and we have included the reference photos of that so that you can see just how fabulous this one is on the body. This dress also included the incredible and detailed brooches on both the front and back of the dress as it was presented on the runway. This dress is unlabeled but came to me directly from the original couture client from whom I have, and have had, several other Haute Couture pieces. She was fitted by Christian himself for the dress which makes it that much more special. It is a stunning example of his Haite Couture work during this time period.
The dress is made out of an iridescent silk taffeta that has a slight colour change to it depending on how the light hits it. It can go from a deep bronze to a more iridescent blue / purple tone. I love it. The sleeves are long and there is a row of five silk covered buttons at each wrist. The body of the dress is cut to skim over you. It is gathered at one side at the front with the first of two incredible jeweled brooches the dress came with. The brooch is hand made from a gold toned metal with large golden topaz glass crystals mixed with brilliant blue crystals. The neckline angles down and across your shoulder to leave one shoulder bare and exposed. At the back the neckline dips dramatically down into a deep open V that leaves your skin bare and exposed. The second huge jeweled brooch sits at the base of that. A panel of silk flares out dramatically to one side to create a half bow, half bustle feel. The interior of that panel has extra structure so that it stays perfectly in place. The skirt falls below that and depending in your height will sit at about the knee or just above. It is fabulous. Excellent condition with minor notes below
Fully lined in a black silk organza and closes with an elaborate mix of a zipper, snaps and hooks at the back. One panel loops through the other over that. There is fused strip of rubber ribbon along the inner neckline to hold it in place and this has degraded a touch here and there. One stone is missing at the bottom of the front brooch. The brooches are tacked into place at present but are removable and you can see little marks on the fabric under them where the pin has been pushed through in different places. There are a couple teeny pinhead snags on the fabric where the brooches have caught on the silk near the brooches. These are all very minor and mentioned for accuracy. Unlabeled. Sourced from the original couture client and Mr Lacroix has mentioned to me on insta that he remembers fitting her.
Sleeves: 19.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3602
Reference Photos: Fall/Winter 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
alexander mcqueen
Beautiful 2007 Alexander McQueen Purple Bias Cut Liquid Silk Satin Dress w Amazing Sleeves
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This is an incredible dress. This was a dress produced for the shops and it is especially interesting because it is a dress that was produced again in 2011 and re-issued in an ivory for the wedding collection that year. I know this because I have that dress listed in the shop now and you can see it here. You will recall that I recently had a lace dress in that was also made under the same circumstances where a original dress done by Lee was re-issued at a later date for a wedding collection. I love having the original and as far as I am aware it was only produced in black and this purple in 2007. It has that same bias cut draped feel as the McQueen that Elle Fanning borrowed and wore recently so that will give you an idea of it on
This is a stunningly beautiful dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and will only truly come to life when worn. It is a dress that definitely takes inspiration from the bias cut couture pieces of the 20s and 30s. McQueen was a master tailor and the seam work and simplicity of this dress do not hide that fact. It is made from a beautifully weighted purple silk satin that has a slight texture running through it. It has that same liquid feel that the best of the 1930s pieces did that were made from this similar fabrics. Like those dresses of the thirties this is also cut on the bias but with a more shaped silhouette. I love that the fabric is heavy enough and that the dress is lined so that it will not highlight 'flaws' underneath like some bias cut pieces can. It is cut to flow over the body and skims over the bust, waist and hips to the floor. The neckline drops into a V at the front for a bit of skin to show. It glides over the bust and there is this interesting softly curved seam that starts at the bust and runs down into the side seam. This not only helps to add a little shape but it also becomes this interesting design feature and a subtle way for him to work in one of his signature angled seams. The skirt continues past and over the hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. At the back there is extra fabric worked around the center seam to give you a trained effect behind you. This flaring out at the bottom and the extra bit at the back give you fabulous movement when you walk or move. It also adds to the hourglass shape the dress has. The sleeves are incredible. They are set in these soft loops around each arm. They leave the sides of the shoulders bare and really add to the thirties feel of the dress. They are spectacular. It is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a purple silk satin and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a McQueen 40. The bias cut fabric does have some stretch. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat. It is in its original supermodel length. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. I see perhaps a touch of grubbiness and scuffing near the hem bit it is very minor and mentioned for accuracy only.
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to front hem, 72" the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4461
Reference Photo: Elle Fanning in Spring 2008 Alexander McQueen, from our archives, at the Critics Choice After Party, January 2023.
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
Fall 1987 Ady Couture Lausanne for Givenchy Iridescent Purple Metallic Dress w Velvet Bow
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This dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself 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 the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. 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 dress is from the Fall 1987 Haute Couture collection. Several variations of this dress where produced and we have included reference photos where you can see the strapless version from the runway. And a shorter version of this dress was also shown on the runway and one was worn by Audrey Hepburn as well.
The dress is made from the most incredible iridescent metallic fabric. It is purple first and foremost but when the light hits here it gets a highlight of a hint of the green that is just amazing to see. The fabric has enough weight to it to hold the shape that you see. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are set into the shoulders so that you get a bit of a peak where they are gathered into the bodice. They are cut wider near the top of your arm and then taper down to the wrist. The bodice skims over you to the slightly dropped waist seam. Around the hip area is a wide band of gathered fabric that creates that incredible volume. A black velvet bow sits the front. The skirt is cut on a sharp angle that widens out to be quite full as it nears the floor. The cut is meant to feel sculptural and contrast the volume around the hips. The back of the skirt is fuller and set a little longer then the front. One version on the runway was belted and you could easily add a belt to add shape. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. It is beautifully made and appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set zipper at the back and there are hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards
Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54.5" from top of shoulder to front hem, 58" to the longest part of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3808
Reference Photos: (1) A/W 1987 Givenchy Haute Couture Silver metallic lame brocade strapless gown dress with a black velvet chest and bow and 2-layer puffy skirt. L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987. / (2-4) Fall 1987 Givenchy Haute Couture Runway. / (5) Audrey Hepburn, in Givenchy, at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City for the 17th Annual International Emmy Awards in 1989.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
james galanos
1970s Galanos Couture Custom Made Silk Chiffon Pant w Metallic Lace Detailed Dress Set
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James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. When you covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this set is an exquisite and very special example of his work.
This set was custom made for, and is from the estate of, 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.
This is gorgeous. It is made from a beautiful printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a red lace that has a metallic finish. The entire set combined weighs ounces. Huge flowers cover the entire surface of the silk chiffon. The pants are made from two layers of the chiffon and they are cut long and wide. An elastic waist makes them very easy and comfortable to wear. You then slip on that long piece over the pants. It is also constructed from two layers of silk that fall from under the lace bodice. Each side is slit open right up to the lace top. This gives the top piece a ton of movement and creates this fabulous floating effect around you when you walk. The bodice part is made of two panels of a metallic red lace that is connected along each side with a bit of a angled plunge above where they connect. The lace has that fantastic metallic finish to it for contrast against the pattern in the silk chiffon. The bodice has an inner nude silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. The top is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. This set is tremendously good in person and it really needs an actual body to come to life. Cut supermodel long in length. Excellent condition
The pants are made of two layers of silk chiffon and close with a back zipper and elastic through the waist. The outer layer is lined with a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is made from two layers of the silk. The outer layer closes at the side with hidden fabric covered snaps. There are a couple of very minor repairs and light snags near the hem of the overlay. This is a one-off, unlabelled custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate.
Over dress
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem
Pants
Elastic waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Pant: 45" from waist to hem
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD2278
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
Minimalist 1970s Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Yellow Jersey Tank Dress w Three Tier Skirt
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This is a very chic 1970s Christian Dior dress from the Marc Bohan years. It is a wonderful example of the work being done during this time period. The dress perfectly shows the restraint that the label could have when it delved into minimalism. At the same time it is a definite statement piece with that bright shock of colour. The jersey makes it a very easy and comfortable dress to wear and don't let the simplicity of it fool you. This is a dream to wear and the simple lines are offset by the high quality silk jersey and the ease and beauty it has once on.
The dress is made from a silk jersey fabric that drapes beautifully over the body. Both the back and the front of the bodice has a scoop for a bit of skin to show. It is suspended from the shoulder by two skinny straps in the same fabric and skims over the bust. The waist is seamed and it is set slightly dropped for a long lean feel. I added a grosgrain ribbon tie belt in the same colour and you can use this to make the top blouse over more or wear it without the belt for a looser feel around the waist. The back drops just a touch lower that then front for a bare expanse of skin to show. It falls to the floor from there, skimming over the hips and then falls in a series of three tiers of jersey ruffles to the floor. These tiers give it the most incredible movement around you when you move. It is cut super model long and it is in its original length. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfect for day or evening. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Unlined and it closes with a hand set back zipper. The ribbon at the waist is not original to the dress but will be included. I see a minor repair / fraying at the base of the zipper and a pinhead size dot near the waist that is hidden when it blouses over. There are some minor marks and a couple of pinholes on the lowest tier that are covered by the tier above but mentioned for accuray. Please see the photos after the label shot. The colour is better in person
Bust: to 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML
Item# DD4327
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
Pre-Fall 2011 Christian Dior by John Galliano Lookbook Mini Dress w Plunge Front & No Back
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The twin of this Dior dress was Look 5 in the Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2011 collection. This collection was shot as a look book that year. At the time Dior said this of John's collection: ”Dior’s Fall ready-to-wear collection takes its inspiration from the legendary love affair between Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. English romanticism is channeled into Balmoral fringed tweeds and candy-coloured tartans with Prince of Wales checks. Ultimate luxury and expertise create evening glamour in elegant draped gowns and head to toe sequins to ensure that every head is turned.” Vogue commented that: "John Galliano galloped the Duchess of Windsor through This Is Your Life, with richly hued musings on what Wallis Simpson in her prime might've worn at specific times of day and across the decades." The Dior team styled the pieces in lavish settings to play on this theme. I think that this was one of the best pieces of the collection and I love having the photo reference so that you can see it on a body. This was John's second last collection for the house.
The dress is a play on a flapper dress with a soft oversized check pattern softened with more pastel coloured version of red and blue. It is printed on a silk chiffon to further soften the feel of the print and give it a bit of a vintage feel. The dress can be worn longer and more straight on the body or you can hike it up to be super short and have the top blouse over as I have done in most of these shots. The front plunges to the waist and then crossed over itself at the base where it meets the seam. It can also be worn long with the seam and the hips and I also shot it that way from the front, side and back. It ties behind the neck and the ties trail down your back. The back is completely bare and it is scooped open right to the waist. A band of the silk chiffon wraps around you at the top of the hips and this is what you use to hold the dress higher or lower on you. The skirt falls under that to the hem and the lightness of the fabric gives it tons of movement. His signature tightly spaced silk covered buttons run down one side of the dress and there is a little bow at the top of the skirt on each hip. These little details are always what makes a Galliano designed piece that much more special. The final detail is the green and red lace that edges the dress. The lace has been stiffened and has deliberate raw edges to further play on that feel of the dress being a piece from the past. It is laid out over a band of ivory velvet and this last little touch ties everything perfectly together. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in a fine pink-salmon coloured silk. It closes with the buttons down the side and ties around the back of the neck. At some point someone added a snap under the front where it crosses to make it a little more secure. I have left it but it could easily be removed if you wished. I see a bit of residue on the lining on one side of the bust where a double sided tape was used to hold it in place. Tagged a Dior F 36, GB 8, IT 40, US 4. Note that this was very difficult to measure and depending on where you want the band to sit it should fit a range of sizes
Bust: no true side seam and each halter will easily cover a full range of cup sizes
Waist/top of hip at seam: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam and expanding to 17.5 at the bottom seam of the band
Bodice: to approx 21" from top of bodice to top seam of the waist/top of hip
Band: 4"
Skirt: 14" from waist to longest points of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4036
Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2011 Christian Dior, Look 5. Model: Alina Baikova.
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.
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The twin of this dress walked the Spring 1979 runway and I love having that reference photo for you as it shows just how fantastic these are on the body. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. These one shoulder pieces are one of the most instantly recognizable of all of the looks that he ever created and have had a lasting impact on designers and their work since. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and these one shoulder dresses in particular were tremendously flattering to the body and have since risen to icon status.
This is an amazing couture Halston dress and a very special find especially since it does have the runway documentation that we found for it. It is entirely cut on the bias and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. It is also insanely sexy while still being extremely comfortable to wear. It is made out of three layers of a feather light bias cut silk chiffon in black. Even with the three layers stacked on top of each other it is so light that you are barely conscious of wearing anything. The lightness of the fabric allows it to move and drape beautifully around you. The dress is suspended by one hook at the shoulder and then you wrap and hook the outer layer around you at the waist. There is an elastic band through the waist that lets you let it sit lower at the top of the hips like I have shot it or wear it higher and belt it for added shape which gives you an entirely different look. One side of the skirt curves up and creates a ruffle and once hooks this sits perfectly at the side of the waist for pretty detail. The back of the skirt is longer then the front and falls to the floor. Where the skirt wraps over itself creates a high slit up the side for your leg to show when you walk or sit. The bodice is cut to skim over you and fall right to the waist in an open V plunge on the one side. It is spectacular. This is a rare example of Halston at his very best. Excellent condition
Constructed from three bias cut layers stacked over each other with elastic through the waist that wraps and hooks to close. It also hooks at the top of the shoulder. Hand finishes. It is all bias cut which should allow for a larger range of sizing. A wide grosgrain ribbon that is not original to the dress will be included (not photoed).
Bust: approx 14-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: approx 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: no true defined seams because of the wrap
Length: 41" from shoulder to the front shortest point and 65" to the very longest point on the hem but will come up a bit on once on
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4445
Reference Photos: Spring 1979 Halston Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
oscar de la renta
Romantic 1980s Oscar de la Renta Backless Black Silk & Lace Dress w Killer Pouf Sleeves
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Oscar was known for his beautiful and feminine designs and this dress really showcases that. With our modern day obsession with all things eighties and nineties this play on proportions and fabrics still feels extremely of this moment fashion wise. Oscar had an amazing sense of aesthetics and his genius was in making women look and feel beautiful. This is the type of dress you can easily imagine in an editorial of the day on one of the reigning supermodels. It is just gorgeous
There are actually three fabric used in the making of this dress. The sleeves are a perfectly light in weight silk taffeta, the bodice is a black lace and then the skirt is a fine soft black silk with a very fine thin ribbing. The play on those three fabrics together is very romantic feeling. The neckline is scooped low and set wide across the shoulders at the front. At the back it has an even lower scoop out so that you get this great expanse of bare skin there. The sleeves are spectacular. They have built in tulle to help hold their volume and they are cut to be extremely full so that they billow out to just about the elbow. They have elastic running through the edges nearest to the shoulders and you can wear them up and on the shoulder like I have shot them here or I think you can also let them cascade down to leave each shoulder bare. The bodice is covered ion the black lace all the way around and I love the little lace peplum that circles the waist and balances out those sleeves. The skirt fall from under there in a beautiful curve to the floor. The skirt is finished in a fine stripe that I love. Inside the interior of the skirt there is an additional underskirt of silk organza that has a wide ruffled bottom that helps to hold the shape of the outer skirt. When you move the skirt shows it volume and movement beautifully. Excellent condition
The bodice is lined in a black chiffon, The skirt in a black organza and the sleeves have tulle inside them to hold the shape. It closes with a back zipper. Tagged a vintage ODLR 6
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 17" from natural shoulder to slightly dropped seam under natural waist
Skirt: 44" from slightly dropped seam under natural waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4444
Reference Photo: 1982 Oscar de la Renta.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
jean louis scherrer
Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Original Runway Look 7 Sample Strapless Red Layered Panel Dress
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Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier in 1997 at the age of 31 which made him the youngest of the 20 official Paris sanctioned couturiers at the time. He remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture division. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection and it is the actual runway sample for Look 7 that was worn on the runway. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. This dress was also worn by Alexandra Daddario and those shots really showcase just how fabulous this is on an actual body. It is a gorgeous piece of Haute Couture history.
Having the actual couture sample means that Stephane himself would have fit the model to walk the runway that day. Runway samples are as hands on by a designer as you can get. It is an amazing opportunity to own what few people ever even see; a dress that is straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway.
The dress gorgeous. It is covered with various sized panels done in hand cut red silk that has a almost linen feeling texture to them. These have been hand set over the entire dress. The panels start out small and delicate around the bodice and then their size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. This layering technique of the panels gives the dress more depth and texture and movement. In person it is even lovelier then how it photoed. There is a subtle movement when you move that is not truly captured in the still shots. Each panel is secured to the body of the dress along its top edges only and this is what gives them that touch of soft movement as you move. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak. The front inner dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a flash of bare skin as you move or sit. The dress flows back and around you from there. The back is full and dramatic as it sweeps behind you. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. Some grubbiness here and there at the hem and some faint marks on a few of the panels. I have photos some examples of them. They are mostly covered by the layers over top so make no impact when the dress is on. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Perhaps the teeniest bit of fading to the edges of a panel here and there but this is natural to this type of fabric and is only mentioned for accuracy.
Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from top of bodice to actual hem at the shortest point of the front and approx 92" from top of bodice to longest point of the back train
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3054
Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show. / (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.
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
Incredible 1998 Valentino Sample Black Dot Net Over Ivory Silk Taffeta Strapless Dress
I Have a Question
This incredible dress has it's original tag that appears to indicate that it was a sample from 1998. I have not been able to verify if this dress was produced for the shops or if it remained a one-off sample. If it is the only one that would be an incredible thing to have and even if it was produced it's so utterly beautiful that it would just be adding more beauty to the world if there was more than one. Of course I will continue to hunt for that information and one day I hope to send its new owner verification. Regardless of its production status, the dress is one of the best Valentino pieces I've ever seen.
This is a really stunning dress. And it shows how beautifully Valentino emphasize the female body will always stay completely elegant. The netting treatment on the dress makes you feel like you have been wrapped in the tulle. Underneath, the inner ivory silk taffeta layer gives the dress structure and it makes this beautiful, slight rustling sound when you move. The silk netting over that has a dot pattern over its surface. It is gathered down and along both sides. This creates this fantastic ruching all the way down that highlights your curves. Where it is gathered down both sides there is an elaborate line that has been beaded with two types of tiny black seed beads. The neckline curves around you at the top and then the dress is cut to skim over you with the shape all created by inner vertical seaming. The bottom skirt of the silk ivory underlay has been allowed to peek out from underneath the netting. It flares out and has an elaborate pleated ruffle all the way around. It is cut a little longer at the back and has extra fabric there as well so that you get this bit of a train effect behind you and a little fabulous kicking out of fabric as you walk. This is an incredible dress and one of my favorite Valentino pieces I've ever had in the shop. Excellent condition
The ivory acts as the lining through the body and then the bodice is lined with an additional layer of black silk satin. Lightly boned through the inner built-in bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice piece has its own separate zipper. It has its original tag and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a vintage Valencia 40
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to front hem, 59" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4431
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
Fall 1979 Yves Saint Laurent Unlabled Haute Couture Black Silk Dress w Sequin & Rhinestone Detailing
I Have a Question
This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client and is unlabeled. In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1979 Yves Saint Laurent dress and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways except for the length. It is always the prerogative of the couture client to change some elements of the dress to suit their needs and in this case, this woman attended many functions where a full length dress was required. She frequented the Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro ateliers. She often removed the labels to avoid customs and it is fantastic to be able to verify which designer and collection this one is from as many of the records she kept were lost. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is incredible. 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 crisp black silk and this fabric choice allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see. It's beautiful shape is a testament to the level of workmanship that you only see in true couture pieces. At the front the neckline dips into a V and the dress is vertically seamed to follow the curves of the body. The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. 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. At the back the dress scoops low to give you a bare expanse of skin. The back has a low set seam under the open scoop and this allows the top of the back skirt to lift slightly off and away from the body. A tiny detail that feels very sensual on the body. That same seam curves around the hips and angles up towards the waist at the front and then the skirt at the front is cut on a stunning curve that widens out as it reaches the hem. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer to give it the feel of it sweeping out behind you. Built in underneath the skirt is a ruffled black silk net underskirt and when you move or sit you see just a peek of the ruffle around the inner hem. Built inside the top of the inner skirt are layers of silk net that help to hold the fullness around the hips. The dress is detailed with hand applied sequins to form little varying sized circles that run over the entire bodice, the waist and the top part of the skirt. Two types of sequins have been used, tiny silver sequins one and others that are an iridescent pale blue. The blue ones catch the light and range in colour from silver to an ice blue. It is incredible. Mixed into that are some circles that are made from little glass crystal beads. All are hand applied and the entire dress is completely hand made to couture standards. I have taken some detail shots of the interior seams for you to see the fine Haute Couture workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. Excellent condition with a small note below
The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a built in underskirt in a black silk net and taffeta. Built in panniers around the hip area that I have photoed. 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. There is the occasional sequin or crystal missing on the dots here and there and I have photoed one area for you to see as an example. Please see the last detail photo for that. Unlabeled. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.
Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 60" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3677
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.
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