I have held this in my archives for several years now and I think that it is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced at this point in Dior's history. I am no expert on furs but believe this it is mink. The color is a pale ivory with touches of a natural tint to it that is stunning in person. The fur is supple and soft and in very good condition. It is applied through the body of the coat in series of horizontal rows that become a design feature in themselves. In between the rows are bands of snake skin that contrast against the fur. The sleeves are a solid pelt with a large wide cuff defined with another snake inset above it. Each sleeve is cut straight and full and the collar is a classic notched wide collar. It is cut in an easy style that gradually widens out to a bit of a flared bottom. Pockets are hidden along the top of one of the snake insets on each hip. It has been properly stored and cared for and appears to have been worn very little if at all. There is one small issue to review below but is otherwise in excellent condition.

Fully lined in an ivory silky satin with velvet detailing on the inner front edges and has an attached tie inside. It has fur hooks at the front but I think they have been replaced at some point as the don't close 100%. If you wear your coats fully closed you will need to take this onto account. You could easily just wear this with a belt and wrap it. Slip pockets on each hip and one hidden along the inside edge at the front. I see no bald spots or shedding, the pelts are supple, soft and shiny. There is a break that goes right through the pelt of the of the fur under one of the snake insets at the back. It is fairly small and could be repaired from the back. Please see the photo after the label shot. Perhaps the faintest storage odor. For a vintage fur from such an important designer, I still rate this as near excellent. The fur is still supple and is stable with no signs of excessive shedding that would indicate that it is breaking down. 

Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C555

Reference Photo: 1969-72 House of Dior Coat from The Met Online Collection.

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This is one of two leopard printed pony hair jackets that I have in the shop this week that originate from Mexican during the 1960s or 70s. These would have been made by hand by local artisans for the tourist market and represent an important part of the artisanal history during this time period. This one has a single row of matching buttons that run down the front and a very wide collar that is rounded off at its edges. The sleeves are long and the waist is seamed so that is nips in a bit. The skirt of the coat flares out from under that. The coat has a ton of swag to it and is amazing in person. I love the little flap pockets on the hips. The coat is not 100% perfect but its in great condition and still very wearable.

Lined in a silky deep red rayon and closes with the buttons at the front. The very bottom button is missing. There is a small repair on the back of the coat that I have photoed.  The inner fabric around the label is also a bit grubby. The coat is in as found condition and does have a slight vintage odor. The pelts are still supple and glossy.

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C552

Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This coat is instantly recognizable as being by Bonnie Cashin and a version of it is actually held in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts collection. I also found a ad for the coat that ran in both the New Yorker and Vogue for the September issue. Cashin launched her label in 1952 after a successful career in costume design. She was a highly influential innovator who created loose-fitting sportswear and light, layered clothing. In 1972 she was inducted into the Coty American Fashion Critics Hall of Fame and her work continues to be regarded as an important part of fashion history

This is a rare opportunity to own one of her iconic pieces. The coat is a combination of a natural colored suede and a fox. The suede is used for the rounded shoulders and upper bodice all the way around to the back and the wide cut sleeves. It is cut to be more fitted around the shoulders and then flares out to have a ton of volume through the body and to the hem. The fur is used as a neat round collar to frame the neck and then covers the lower portion of the coat. The inside is lined a matching colored jersey which in itself is a very unusual fabric choice. I love that there are hidden pockets along the inset front seams. It closes with simple suede ties at the neck and where the fur starts under the suede part. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined in jersey and loosely closes with the ties at the front. The coat is in as found condition and does have a slight vintage odor. The pelts are still supple and glossy. There is a bit of grubbiness to the suede here and there and some natural patina from normal wear. There are some small pinholes scattered here and there on the lining. The open cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes

Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: no true seams
Bust: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 33" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C553

Reference Photos: (1) 1960s Bonnie Cashin Coat at The MET Online Collection.  /  (2) 1968 Bonnie Cashin Ad, New Yorker and Vogue 

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This is one of two leopard printed pi y hair jackets that I have in the shop this week that originate from Mexican during the 1960s or 70s. These would have been made by hand by local artisans for the tourist market and represent an important part of the artisanal history during this time period. This one has a double row of shiny buttons that run down the front and a very wide collar that is rounded off at its edges. The sleeves are long and the waist curves in slightly. The coat has a ton of swag to it and is amazing in person. I love the top set pockets on the hips. Each one is detailed with a patent leather piping that runs down dividing the pocket visually into three panels. This picks up on the patent covering the front buttons. The coat is not 100% perfect but its in great condition and still very wearable.

Lined in a silky black rayon and closes with the buttons at the front. One button is missing its cap. There is a small nick on the fur on the collar where the crease is and a small bald spot under one pocket. The coat is in as found condition and does have a slight vintage odor. The pelts are still supple and glossy. Should fit a range of sizes depending on how you like to wear your coat

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 17"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C551

Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This is the vintage fur everyone looks for. That simple box cut to just past the hip in a natural red fox. It was the jacket that every 'It girl' of the seventies wore. It has a strong nod to the 1940s in its cut and fits perfectly once on without overwhelming the body. The shoulders on this one are soft and rounded and the cut through the body is loose and generous. It has an almost swing jacket cut to it. All of the pelts run horizontally and I love how they all line up across the sleeves and through the body. Suede insets run between the pelts but the fur is so thick and plush that you don't see them once it is on - they are just there for a touch of structure. It has no collar and the neckline is cut a little wide across the top. Fur hooks are hidden down the front. The pelts are thick and glossy and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a golden silky rayon and the lining is spotless. Closes with fur hooks down the front. It has been specialty cleaned. Perhaps the teeniest of wear near on the fur at the edges of the cuffs but very minor.

Sleeves: 22" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C548

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

I have held this in my archives for several years now and I think that it is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced at this point in Gucci's history. It is made out of a sheepskin that has been brushed out so that is is soft and fluffy. The color is a combination of creamy ivory mixed with a pale taupe that has an almost pink cast to it in some areas. It is a little bit paler in real life then how it photoed and even better. The fur is very soft and very fluffy. The pelts are laid out vertically with bands of suede between them that run down the inside of each sleeve and through the body of the coat. It is cut in a classic swing style with a flared bottom. Big brass and leather buckles run down the front and pockets sit along the horizontal row on each hip. The sleeves are cut straight and full and the collar is also big and full. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

Fully lined in a taupe silk that is embroidered with the Gucci logo throughout. It closes with the buckles down the front. Pockets on each hip. I see no bald spots or shedding, the pelts are supple and soft. There is slight wear at some of the common points - edges of the sleeves. the inner edges pf the collar and hem, but it is very minor. Very light marks on the interior lining. Please see the final photo after the label shot

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 27" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 33" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C550

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This has a very Bonnie Cashin vibe to it with those fantastic turn key brass closures that run down the front. That little addition of those fabulous details really gives this one an extra shot of style. The jacket has a simple box cut to just past the hip and it is made from a natural red fox. This is the jacket that every 'It girl' of the seventies wanted and wore. The shoulders on this one are soft and rounded and the cut through the body is loose and generous. All of the pelts run horizontally and I love how they all line up across the sleeves and through the body. Taupey leather insets run between the pelts but the fur is so thick and plush that you barely see them once it is on. They are just there for a touch of structure. You do see the leather that runs behind the turn keys at the front and there is a thick band of it used to finish each cuff. Another thick band of it runs up each side and down the insides of the sleeves. The collar is wide and pointed and backed in the same leather. The pelts are thick and glossy and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Pockets on each hip are the perfect finish. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a brown silky rayon and the lining is spotless. Closes with the turnkeys down the front. It has been specialty cleaned. Perhaps the finest bit of wear to the very edge of the back hem but nothing that detracts. 

Sleeves: 28" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 28" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 34" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C549

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. When researching this dress I found a dress held by the Metropolitan Museum with a strikingly similar silhouette and also an editorial shot of a dress that uses the same printed fabric.

I love Geoffrey Beene's work during this time period and this particular dress is just divine. It is really a special piece and Museum worthy. The workmanship is very fine and it is surprisingly light weight despite all that is going on in it. The body of the dress is made from an ultra soft leopard printed chenille like fabric that is almost a faux fur but far lighter and more refined. It is almost like a long piled velvet. Very unusual and very interesting. This is mixed with a black silk netting that makes up the shoulders and sleeves. The netting is detailed with gold metallic thread and also with fused dots of a flat piled black velvet. The bodice is cut to curve around the bust and I love how the leopard printed fabric angles up the the mid-neck on both sides. The netting takes over at that point and curves over the shoulders and down the long sleeves. The extensive detailing work and the way the design is laid out is amazing. From there the fabric skims over the waist and hips and then narrows down to the hem. It is cut to curve in slightly and the hem is cut on a curve as well and has a high slit running up the center. It is really an amazing dress and a testament to Beene's genius. Excellent condition.

The fabric is self backed and the dress unlined. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each sleeve has a hidden set snap at the cuff. Ribbon edge finished for all inner seams. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Tagged a vintage size 6

Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to front hem, 58" to the back hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3484

Reference Photos: (1) Valerie Celis in Geoffrey Beene for Vogue US, 1994. Photo by Ellen Von Unwerth.  /  (2) Spring 1993 Geoffrey Beene dress from the MET Collection Online.

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

I have held this in my archives for several years now and I think that it is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced by designers like Pierre Cardin during this time period. This was the beginning of the movement of treating fur more like a fabric and making coats that had far more style to them then the previous norm. I am no expert on furs but believe this it is Fitch. The color is a rich deep brown that has an undertone ranging from a soft taupe to a creamy ivory. The fur is supple, shiny and very soft. The fur is set in horizontal rows with bands of a black suede in between. It is cut in a classic sixties cut that flares out as it reaches the bottom hem. The sleeves are incredible and each widens out to a flare finish at the cuff. It does up with hooks at the front and the collar is deep and rounded. Pockets sit along the edge of one of the rows at each hip. It has been properly stored and cared for and appears to have been worn very little if at all. No splitting, issues or shedding. Excellent condition with a minor note below to review.

Fully lined in a deep brown silky rayon and closes with the fur hooks down the front. Pockets on each hip. I see no bald spots or shedding, the pelts are supple and soft. There is slight wear at some of the common points - near the hooks and the edges of the sleeves, but it is very minor. The fur has no odd odor, is still supple and is stable with no signs of any shedding that would indicate that it is breaking down.

Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 42" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C534

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Pierre Cardin, 1966.  /  (2) Hiroko Matsumoto photographed in a white fur coat by Pierre Cardin, 1966.

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

I have held this in my archives for several years now and I think that it is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced at this point in Christian Dior's history. It is made out of a sheepskin that has been brushed out so that is is soft and fluffy. You can see in areas where the undercoat is very curly. The color is a combination of creamy ivory mixed with a pale taupe that has an almost pink cast to it in some areas. It is a little bit paler in the photos then how it is in real life. The fur is very soft soft and very fluffy. It is done in rows of fur that are interspersed with rows of a golden colored grosgrain ribbon. The collar is big and oversized. It is cut in a classic coat style with a flared bottom. Fur hooks run down the front and pockets sit along the horizontal row on each hip. The sleeves are cut straight and full. The pelts are thick and glossy and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition with a minor note below to review.

Fully lined in a deep taupe silk that is embroidered with the Christian Dior name throughout. It closes with the fur hooks down the front. Pockets on each hip. I see no bald spots or shedding, the pelts are supple and soft. There is slight wear at some of the common points - edges of the sleeves. the inner edge, but it is very minor. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C533

Reference Photos: (1) Models in Christian Dior fur coats, L'officiel Magazine, 1971.  /  (2) Christian Dior Coat from The MET Collection.  /  1960s-70s Christian Dior Coat from The Met Collection Online.

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This is the ready to wear version of what walked the runway for the Fall 1992 Haute Couture show. The runway version was leather and fur but here he has decide to go full on faux. The sleeves are magnificent and have all the fullness and impact of the couture version. They are incredibly full and made of a black faux fur that is glossy and thick. The body of the coat is a textured chenille velvet that does an incredible job of mimicking astrakhan. This is achieved by the swirling fabric and palette of greys and blacks. The neck line is high and the body of the jacket is cut in a straight line. It closes down the front with buffed wooden buttons. The sleeves are the star if the show and each is a full 24" around at their widest points. The come on at the wrist and I love the contrast between the two colors and the statement the strong black sleeves make. Such impact. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk satin and closes at the front with a row of carved wood buttons. Pockets on each side. It appears to have been worn very little, if at all.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C531

Reference Photos: (1) Yves Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 1992-1993, Paris, France.  /  (2) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

This is an extremely rare and early set by North Beach Leather dating to the late 1960s, early 1970s. Michael Hoban and Frank Morgan started the label in 1967 and quickly gained a huge following. Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John... all major celebrities that wore the label. It was expensive in its day and each piece was made entirely by hand.

The set is entirely hand crafted using a combination of a deep chocolate suede, beads and feathers. The set is made up of two pieces. The top is a tiny halter top that ties onto place with the long braided suede cords that curve over the shoulders, cross and loop into the sides of the halter and then tie at the low back. This leaves you very bare across the back. The front dips low between each side of the halter triangles and the entire midriff is exposed. Hand placed feathers adorn the center. The same feather detailing is picked up on the skirt. The skirt is cut long and then wraps and buttons into place. Each button is hand covered in a matching suede and each button hole hand finished with their signature whip stitching. Feathers are hand placed in little bunches that are each finished with a a leather base that is accented with a hand made clay bead. These run down the high slit on the one side under the buttons and then around the hem. All of the edges are finished with whip stitching and you can easily see the hand work inside as well. It is incredible and a very rare example of the early work they were doing. Excellent condition

Made by hand. The top ties into place and the skirt buttons. Any variation in the suede is natural. Please read the note at the bottom of the description regrading feather pieces

Top
Bust: each triangle measures 4.5" across at its widest point. The base part of the front measures 17.5" across. The ties at the back make it variable in size otherwise
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem including feathers
Slit: approx 34" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3351

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, feather and fur/feather trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. All fur and feather pieces are final sale.

The Balmain transformation was definitely begun while under the tutelage of Christophe Decarnin. He was the designer to bring "more hard rock and punk" to the label, which has continued to the present day under Olivier Rousteing. The review from Vogue's Nicole Phelps that year stated: "And as promised, Spring's haute hippie feathers, fringe, and tie-dye were replaced by an all-Billy Idol soundtrack and enough leopard-print chain mail, python-pattern denim, and crystal-embroidered lightning bolts to make you wonder if there was anything at all left on the shelves at Trash and Vaudeville. To be fair, Decarnin's creations are much finer than the East Village emporium's, but they appeal to a similar kind of chick, one with a killer body and an active nightlife." This is the gown that closed the show that year and is perhaps one of the most memorable and significant pieces that he designed or the house. It was produced in very limited quantities and it is a pleasure to have one in the shop.

The gown is all about movement and showing off the body in it to its best advantage. Inside there is a fitted and shaped corset that runs fro bust to hip so that you are molded and shaped to confirm to the silhouette Decarnin wished the wearer to have. It cuts across the bust with inner built in cups to give you lift and shape. An incredible zig zag made up of crystals shape and define the body further. This lightening bolt then extends up and over the shoulder to create a single strap. At the hips the dress flares out into an extended train of fabric with a mix of leopard spots and zebra print for contrast. The panels that make up the skirt are attached only from where they flow out from the body of the dress. This leave slits up to the high upper thigh that open and flash your full leg when you walk, move or sit. The train is long and dramatic. You can see how amazing this all is once it moves by the runway pics that I have included for reference. Excellent condition with one very minor thing to note below.

It closes with the signature chunky silver zipper that Balmain uses and this is set along a curved seam so that it keeps with the form fitting construction of the dress. The inner bodice is constructed from a nude colored lingerie stretch corseting nylon fabric that has built in cups and is finished by hand. The fabric is hand draped over this and the crystals and lightening bolt attached by hand.  Tagged a 40. Note that there is one small repair along the hem of the trained skirts. I have included a photo after the label photo. It is very minor and with the extensive fabric making up the trained parts of the skirt, it is something you would never see unless you lay it out flat and look for it as I did. There are many hand finishes through the dress. There is perhaps the very occasion light line in the silk from a very slight thread snag - this is natural occurrence and so very minor but mentioned for accuracy. The inner foundation garment does have some stretch I have provided the range laying flat. You might be able to squeeze a bit more on the upper end when on a real body

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice:  33" from top of shoulder to bottom of inner foundation garment
Skirt: 28.5" from bottom of inner foundation garment to shortest hem, 53" to the longest hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3115

Reference Photos: F/W 2008 Balmain Runway, Final Look.

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

Karlie Kloss wore the twin of this dress to the Balmain after party in Paris that season and the photos instantly went world wide. This was a peice that was available exclusively through Farfetch so very few were produced making it even harder to get. This one still has its farfetch tags and has never been worn. Olivier Rousteing said of this collection to Vogue: "Welcome to my jungle," Olivier Rousteing pronounced backstage, declaring this fearless mash-up of safari chic and hip-hop style to be his most personal collection ever. "I'm French, I'm black, and I'm proud to be at Balmain, but this is a message of freedom and globalism."

The dress is made from a leopard print jersey that is cut supermodel long. It has a open back dress that leaves an expanse of skin bare. It has the signature Balmain chunky zipper at the back that sits low below the waist, becoming a design feature in itself. The halterneck sits high at the front with a gilded and embossed lion head snaps fastening it at the back of the neck. I love the black detailing that sweeps up and around the neckline and forms a criss-cross pattern around the waist. This draws the eye in and acts both as a fabulous detailing to the dress and also it gives the illusion of a waist cinching belt and makes you look even tinier through the waist then you are. The hem is cut longer at the back then the front for a trained effect asymmetric hem and a super model long, sweeping floor-length that features a thigh-high split at the front. Original tags still attached. Excellent condition

Has a full black stretch jersey inner lining. Closes at the back of the neck with snaps and at the low back waist with a zipper. Tagged a 42 but Balmain fits small. Original tags attached. Never worn.

Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 16 " from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 48" from waist to front hem, extends another 20" past that at the back
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.

In the Vogue review for this collection Sarah Mower noted: "Miuccia Prada had a sound bite for her Spring collection. "It's primitive," she said, "going back to what counts." ... When the chips are down, there is no one who can turn up the thermostat of subversive sexual provocation quite as high as Mrs. Prada. Her girls, their skin glistening as if on a fevered summer's night, might have been passing through on their way to or from lovers' assignations, their clothes disarranged in various states of falling-off or looking as if they might do so at any moment. Rumpled and crinkled fabrics have been appearing all over this season, but never with such sly intent. One pull of a trailing drawstring tape and, whoops! A person could find herself half naked. There was something fabulously Italian about all this shameless reveling in femininity. The fifties overtones, with the high chignons, the ruched bras, and swishing rear action in the below-knee pencil skirts, managed to channel the heyday of Cinecittà without cliché. Best of all, this is a collection destined to look even better on a woman with a real body than it does on a teen model. And that, Mrs. Prada surely knows, really is "what counts.""

 The dress is amazing and was one of the standouts in the show. These were photoed everywhere and this snake print was one of the biggest looks of the season. This dress is particularly fabulous because of its amazing cut. It has that sexy, fitted fifties feel to it and the open sides are shocking when you catch that glimpse of bare skin. The fabric is deliberately rumpled and crinkled and I love the slimming effect the panels of black on either side of the print have on the body. It skims over your curves and ends just past the knee. On the side it buttons and is partially closed over the hip area and then up the side it ties to close allowing you to tie or loosen it to fit as you please. At the top of the shoulder it ties. Really one of the stand out Prada pieces and it feels as wearable now as it did then, perhaps even more so. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes at the side as described above. Tagged a Prada 40.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2829

Reference Photos: (1-2) Look 26 from S/S 2009 Prada Collection.  /  (3) S/S Prada Ad Campaign by Steven Meisel.  /  (4) Racquel Zimmerman in Prada for US Vogue March 2009. Photo by David Sims.

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

This was Look 30 in the Fall Prada collection and was only produced in limited numbers and was wait listed worldwide that season. Style.com said of this collection:

When the going gets tough, no one can cut an argument for great design with as much substance, conviction and richness of intelligence as Miuccia Prada. Using an unlikely mix of potentially dowdy British tweeds and men’s shirting, bright, lustrous William Morris prints, humble lining silks and deluxe furs and skins, she performed sheer alchemy to create a vision of high chic for hard times.....

Part of this collection’s genius is that it has continuity and ingenuity: all the hallmarks of Miuccia Prada's talent are on show. Take the way she has of ordaining the peculiar as newly desirable. This season it’s Willam Morris–by–way–of–Liberty flower prints, used as formfitting knee-length dresses, shirts and a deerstalker hat. Or her way of letting the uptight formality out of eveningwear with form-skimming dresses in unpressed lining silks or crinkled georgette, shown with fabric neck pieces (a continuation of Spring’s beaded jewelry). Visually and intellectually, this is a collection that hit the high notes. Post-show, Prada explained her endeavor to be “a desperate search for beauty as we wait for war.” Bad times or no, it's fashion guaranteed to make women desperate to shop.

The one I have here is not only a great wearable size but was never worn so looks like it stepped out of a time capsule. It is made of a soft colored leather and is finished to look like an Ostrich skin. The leather is so soft it has an almost suede feel and look to it. The cut is classic Prada with that over-sized feel and loose and easy cut. It has no front closures but was worn belted with a thick leather belt that feels like you borrowed it form your boyfriends closet. It was intended to be layered and used as a style statement with its very simplicity being the design detail needed. It is an amazing piece that feels as fresh and cutting edge now as it did the day in walked the runway. Excellent, unworn condition.

Fully lined in a white silk satin. No closures but has its original belt as seen. Tagged a Prada 42 and meant to be worn slightly over-sized

Sleeves: 18"
Shoulders: 19"
Bust: 22"-variable flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 22"-variable flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23"-variable flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: "19.5 from top of bodice to top of waist
Skirt: 20.5" from top of waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C380

Reference runway photo from style.com / Photographed for creative purposes by Lily and lilac (Judy inc), Stylist: Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy inc), Hair and Makeup: Sheri Stroh (plutino group), Model: Dauphine (Elmer Olsen).

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