This is the short version of one of my most favourite Azarro dresses I've ever had in the shop. It is from the Fall 1995 collection. When I had the long one I shared the editorial photo I have included here and that photo is one of my favourite fashion photographs ever. In 2018 I lent the long version to Karen Fairchild who wore it for the 2018 CMT awards. She was styled by Karla Welch and Karla ended up falling so in love with the dress that she ended up purchasing it and she wore it to the 2018 Instyle awards. This version is the twin of that dress and everything except length which for some will make it that much more versatile and wearable. It's fantastic.

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and it is a dress that in person it is even better. The first thing you see is that the entire dress is covered in overlapping clear iridescent sequins that catch the light from every angle. This alone takes your beathe away when you see the dress in person. These cover a fantastic leopard print underneath. The shoulders are strong with underneath to hold the shape that you see. The neckline angles goes down from the shoulders and then goes across the shaped cups of the bust. The bodice is seamed to be fitted and shaped around you there is one of his signature strapless bras built-in underneath to add shape and support. The fabric has some stretch so it shapes to fit around you. It nips in slightly at the waist and then the skirt under that curves over your hips and the falls to the hem in a pencil shape with no vent making it fitted all the way down. The back as a huge all been cut out that leaves a bare expanse of skin. It is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The sleeves are long and the perfect balance to the shortcut and openness at the front and back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and the fabric has some give. It closes with a zipper at the back and hidden set snaps at the back neck. The lower seam of the open back has elastic for easy fit. Padding in each shoulder. Built in signature cupped and wired strapless bra.

Shoulders: to 16" with the padding
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4387

Reference Photos/Videos: (1) Fall 1995 Loris Azzaro Couture photographed by Alexander Ubeda. Model: Victoria Silvstedt.  /  (2-5) Karen Fairchild in Azzaro at the 2018 CMT Awards.  /  (6-7) Karla Welch in Azzaro at the 2018 InStyle Awards.

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

Yves showed the twin of this dress on the Spring 1993 runway AND during his Haute Couture presentation for the Fall 1992 collection. On both runways this dress was styled with a belt but otherwise looks identical to this version. Yves was a designer who mixed and matched ideas from couture to ready-to-wear with ease. More so than many other designers. Sometimes the details were exact copies like this one is, with the difference being that one would have been made to measure and completely by hand and this one produced with only some hand finishes and to his standard sizing. This dress has added interest to it because Catherine Deneuve actually owned one of the couture versions produced and it was part of her 2019 sale of YSL with Christie's auction house. This was already special due to its rarity and that little added linked provenance with its history makes it even more special. The dress is absolutely gorgeous and I'm happy to have photo references so that you can see just how beautiful this is on an actual body. Yves Saint Laurent was known for his leopard pieces and this one is exceptional.

In her review of the couture show that season, fashion journalist, Suzy Menkes, said; ‘Laurent took a three minute standing ovation Wednesday for a show that could be summed up in three words poetry, simplicity, authority.' It was also noted that by the time the final evening pieces came down the runway the crowd erupted into 'enthusiastic cries'. Even though this version is not from the couture runway I feel it is relevant to share that bit of her review because the dress is visually identical to the couture one as noted above.

The neckline is cut wide across and the distance from the edge of the neck line to the shoulder seam is just over an inch. Built-in underneath is a bit of a specialized padding that runs the width of that and then extends out just past the seam into the arms about a quarter of an inch. Then what gives you that high feel of the shoulder and holds the neckline in place so that it has that beautiful drop at the front. It is padding with the very minimal use of padding and it is genius. It is also important to note that this neckline and shoulder treatment are used in many of his pieces from this point forward and became a bit of a signature for him. From there the sleeves fall from the shoulder narrowing down to the cuff. From just above the elbow to the bottom of the sleeve he has gathered the fabric along the inside edge and then added a zipper at the wrist. The top is loose cut and is meant to billow out over the waist a bit. The silk panne velvet catches the light beautifully and emphasizes the curving lines the draping creates. At the back it falls in a smoother line to the waist and there is a keyhole and button above that for a tiny flash of bare skin. The waist is banded with a one inch band of the same fabric. On the couture runway he added a gold belt but the dress can easily be worn without one. From there the skirt falls to floor widening out a bit as it nears the hem. The fabric is a silk mix panne velvet and it has an exceptionally smooth pile finish that makes it soft to the touch. I love the way the leopard print falls over the dress with the darker part of the print running down the middle of the dress at both the front, back and running along the bottom of each sleeve. This would have been carefully and deliberately planned and placed in this fashion to help add height and draw the eye in when it is on. It is genius and it is beautiful. Poetry. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a brown silk and closes with a side set zipper that extends up and under the arm slightly. Each cuff has a zipper to close. There is a button and loop above a key hole at the back. Light padding on the very edges of the shoulder and little straps and snaps to hold your undergarments in place inside of each shoulder. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage YSL 40

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: no set seam because of the width of the neck
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to top seam at waist and meant to blouse over a bit.
Skirt: 41" from top seam of 1" band at the waist to hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4268

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 1993 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (4-10) Fall 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway.  /  (11)  Fall 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture long leopard silk velvet dress with gilt-metal belt from Catherine Deneuve's Auction with Christie's.

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

When this Balmain debuted it was sold exclusively through Farfetch. That means that very few were produced and it was a very hard dress to get. It immediately sold out and there as only one production run released which has made it a very rare dress to find.  'Welcome to my jungle' said Olivier Rousteing to Vogue that season and went on to say that this was his most personal collection ever. It's twin was worn by supermodel Karlie Kloss to the Balmain after party that season which give you an amazing glimpse of how it looks like once on. It is a very special piece and I love it.

The dress is made from a leopard print silk jersey that is cut supermodel long. The fabric has some weight to it because of the sheer amount of it that there is and this helps to keep the drape and flow of the skirt perfectly in place once on the body. It is cut in a high set halterneck at the front and the fabric there is gathered in vertical folds so that it skims over you. A wide band of black curves around the neck and then down the sides. At the waist it forms a criss cross pattern around the waist that curves around to the sides. At the side of the waist between the black the fabric is again gathered in for detailing. The black bands gives the illusion of a waist cinching corset belt and draws the eye while highlighting the curves between the bodice and that amazing skirt. At the back the dress closes at the nape of the neck with two snaps and both are topped on the exterior of the strap with a gold raised lion head. It scoops into a low curve under that to leave your entire upper back bare. The signature chunky, exposed Balmain zipper sits low at the back. The skirt falls to the floor from there and there are yards and yards of fabric in it. The hem is cut longer at the back so that you have a bit of a train and at the center of the front it is split to the thigh. So when you walk you have this flash of leg showing and when you walk away it is equally as dramatic. It is amazing. It was never worn and is like new. Excellent condition

The dress has a full black stretch jersey inner lining. It closes at the back of the neck with snaps and at the low back waist with a zipper. Tagged a modern Balmain 42.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 16 " from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 48" from waist to shortest part of the front hem, 65" to the longest part of the back hem
Front slit: 33" from hem to top of slit

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2970

Reference Photos: Karlie Kloss at the Balmain After Party on September 25, 2014 in Paris, France.

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