• A gorgeous and striking piece that can be worn as a jacket or a dress.
• Made under the creative direction of Christian Lacroix 
• The piece zips up at the front and fully opens. This is why it can play double duty as either a dress or a jacket.
• The fabric has a black backdrop and then has beautiful flowers woven through it in a deep red and an almost purple colour.
• It has no collar and the front is detailed with a wide band on either side of the zipper that has a swooping pattern made out of a cord applied onto the fabric. This panel extends down the back with more cording there as well.
• The waist is brought in and seamed and then the skirt under that is pleated into that seam. This allows it to be very full.
• Little pockets sit on each side of the hip so you can put your hands into the pockets and exaggerate the fullness of the skirt even more.
• The sleeves are wonderful. They are set into a slightly dropped shoulder and widen out to be quite wide by their ends.
• It is lined in a black silk and there is light rounded padding in each shoulder for shape. It zips to close at the front.
• Tagged a IT40, FR38, GB32, US6
• Excellent condition

Sleeves from the drop shoulder: 17" and are 13" around the upper arm
Dropped shoulders: 20"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Total length: 36" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5081

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.

• Note that due to new regulations this coat can only ship to a Canadian address 
  
• This appears to be the actual Haute Couture sample coat that walked the runway for the Fall 1985 Jean Patou collection for Look 12
• Made under the creative direction of Christian Lacroix 
  
• This is an extremely rare and important piece of fashion history. Very few pieces of his work at Patou come up for sale and this is more then likely the only piece to exist.
• Made in the Paris atelier
• Made of a soft orange wool shaped in an enveloping cocoon shape highly reminiscent of a 1920s flapper coat.
• It is all cut on the bias so once it is on the body it wraps around you beautifully. It is extraordinary. 
  
• The sleeves are quite extremely wide and they have a long wide cuff that flips up and over the sleeve. The cuff is completely covered in hand dyed feathers.
• More of the same hand dyed feathers are used to create a huge shawl collar that drapes down and over the shoulders. It continues to run all the way to the hem and circles around to the back hem.
• The coat narrows in as it reaches its bottom. This is a classic cut for this style of cocoon coat
• It feels wonderfully decadent and opulent, both key design elements in Lacroix's work. It is literally like wearing a work of art.
• Partially lined in a silk through the upper body of the coat and through the sleeves. The rest is unlined.
• Has its hand written Haute Couture sample label in place and attached metal couture tag
• Excellent condition

It is very full and open and has no closures so should fit almost any size. It is approximately 52 inches from neck to hem but that will come up a bit once it is on the body.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD5048

Reference Photo: Fall 1985 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture.

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.

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 is extra special as it  includes the incredible brooches on both the front and back of the dress just like the runway piece. It is unlabeled but came to me directly from the original couture client from whom many of the other Haute Couture pieces I have had in the shop. She was fitted by Christian himself for the dress which makes it that much more special. It is a stunning example of his Couture work during this time period. 

The dress is made out of an iridescent silk taffeta. I love how the colour changes depending on how the light hits it. It can go from a deep bronze to a more iridescent blue / purple tone. The  sleeves are long and there is a row of five silk covered buttons at each wrist. It is gathered at one side at the front with the first of two incredible jewelled 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 jewelled brooch sits at the base of that. A panel of silk flares out 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 a minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk organza and closes with an elaborate mix of a zipper, snaps and hooks at the back with one panel looping through the other over the inner closures. There is a fused strip of rubber ribbon along the inner neckline to help 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. 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. Sourced from the original couture client and Christian Lacroix told me through instagram 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.

This suit is from Christian Lacroix's Luxe label that was only produced the very first couple of seasons after launching his label. It was very high-end expensive ready-to-wear that was made to demi-couture standards and was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was also the predecessor to his regular ready-to-wear collections. It is said that this label only lasted a couple of seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. Very few pieces were made of this line so they are almost as rare as finding one of his Couture pieces.

This suit is everything you want to see in a Lacroix. The colour is that bright vibrant Lacroix pink that is now associated with his name. The colour is even better in person than how it photoed too. Both pieces are made of an almost grosgrain ribbon feeling silk that has black velvet dots fused onto the top of the fabric. The fabric choice allowed him to cut the suit to really hold the shape that he intended. The jacket has a gorgeous notched collar and big faceted black jet buttons down the front. It closes with hidden set snaps behind those buttons. I love that you can close it all the way up to the neck which means you don't have to wear anything underneath it or you can leave it partially or all the way open. The shoulders have some padding and the sleeves are set into the shoulder with a slight capped feel. Each sleeve ends with an upturned cuff. The jacket is meant to fit the body with a structured and seamed waist and then the hips have a peplum that adds to the hourglass feel that the suit has. I love the extra flap that gives the peplum a double hem. That skirt is high waisted so that your waist is very defined and then it is a poufed, almost bubble skirt under that. It goes out and around the hips and then comes in at the hem. This was a Lacroix signature shape and it is gorgeous. Everything about the suit is meant to invoke curves and I love the play on curves with the curve of the dots on the pink silk. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

All pieces are lined in a black silk. The jacket snapped to close and the skirt closes with a hidden set side zipper. There is minor wear to some of the velvet on the dots here and there. Both pieces are tagged a vintage Lacroix 38.

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5" and are 13.5" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at the bottom seam: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 22" from waist to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4821

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.

This dress is very special and an extremely well documented piece from Spring 1988. It has the special added provenance of being the twin of one of the four dresses portrayed in that instantly recognizable photo taken in his atelier that year. That photo is perhaps one of the most famous photos in the Lacroix history. The dress is from his Luxe label that was only produced the very first couple of seasons. It was very high end expensive ready-to-wear that was made to near couture standards and was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was the predecessor to his later regular ready-to-wear collections. It is said that this label only lasted a couple of seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. We found numerous reference photos of the dress as it appeared on the runway so you have an amazing idea of how this dress looks on the body.

The dress is gorgeous. It is made out of a textured silk organza that has a slight texture running through it. Onto that is a glorious floral pattern in pinks and yellow with pops of green. It feels so vibrant and beautiful with that gorgeous print. The sleeves are long and they are cut on a slight curve in the traditional couture manner. The shoulders are lightly shaped and the front falls into a shallow V. The dress has a little bit of gathering just at the bust area down the centre seam and then it falls smoothly  to the hem under that. It is cut to skim over you through the body with just a suggestion of shape through the waist. At the back the bottom 9 inches of the skirt has an inset bustle. The fabric there is gathered into a curving seam and there are three black organza half bows stacked one on top of the other to create a bustle feel. This is one of his most famous dresses and its amazing. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the sleeves are lined in a white silk. The dress zips to close at the back and each cuff has a zipper to close it. Light padding in the shoulders. Tagged a vintage Lacroix 44

Sleeves: 22.5" and 13" around the upper arm
Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 35" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4401

Reference Photos: (1-5) Spring 1988 Christian Lacroix Collection.  /  (6-7) Models in Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Atelier, Paris, 1988. Photos by Arthur Elgort.

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.

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1990 collection.
• It was Made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
  
• The fabric that the dresses made out of is a stunning pale nude ballet slipper pink that has a beautiful weight to it. This and the cut is what helps hold the draping perfectly in place.
• It has a very unusual design hidden from the outside. There is an inner bodice that one side of the outer dress hooks onto around the inner waist and then the other side drapes over that and hooks along the outer waist. This gives you coverage over the bust on the inside but still allows the bodice to feel so loosely draped around you and allows the plunge to be so low at the front while still feeling secure and covered underneath.
• The sleeves are incredible. They are extremely full and each is lined with a pale pink silk chiffon to help hold the added volume of them. I love the way they drop over the cuff at the wrist to form that gorgeous puff at their ends.
• The inner waist closure holds the dress in place around you and then the exterior silk drapes and skims past the waist and hips. The skirt flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The silk drapes over the waist for a bit of definition in shape, even though there is no actual seam there.
  
• The inner bodice zips at the front and then the dress hooks to close around it. The rest of the dress is unlined. I see one tiny faint mark along the edge of a fold of the top, some very minor faint marks at the hem and a tiny scratch in the fabric at the back hem. All very minor but mentioned for accuracy. Hand finishes. The colour is slightly more pastel soft pink than how it shot.
• The fit of the dress as it is currently is based almost completely on the measurements of the inner bodice piece but the outer dress is more generous. You could easily alter/add to the inner bodice to get more room if needed.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 38 
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24.5"
Inner bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam. The outer bust measurement is very full and up to 22" across so if you needed more room you could easily add to the inner bodice to get more room.
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam with a similar note to above. The outer waist measures to 17".
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML 

Item# DD5203

Reference Photos: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent 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.

• The twin of this set walked the runway for the Spring 1993 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Giorgio Armani.
• Early Armani at this level has become extremely collectible and I love that the Met Museum holds what looks to be the same skirt with a different top in their permanent archives. Perhaps whoever donated that one did not buy the full runway set that we have for you today.
• The extensively beaded pieces that Armani was producing during this time period were on par with demi-couture and cost tens of thousands of dollars even then. It is such a pleasure to have such a well-documented piece and when it is as spectacular as this one it is even better. 
• This is actually a set and is two pieces. A skirt and a corset feeling top.
• The top is boned with interior structure to hold its shape and this is what gives it the nod to the corset. You can clearly see all of the hand work done in the detail shots here. Straps curve over each shoulder and these are extensively covered in beads, sequins and faux pearls. They are added onto the top by hand and it is lined by hand.
• The bodice is meant to be fitted and its nude silk chiffon base is covered with an ivory netting that has that gorgeous pattern added onto it. The bead work is so extensive on this set. Beautiful flowers are created by hundreds of thousands of added beads, sequins and faux pearls. The bodice dips slightly at the front and a panel crosses over the dip and is attached on the other side. This panel is made of the same embellished netting. It drapes over the front and past the edge of the waist of the skirt. I love that even underneath that added panel the bead work is as extensive as anywhere else.
• The waist of the skirt is embellished as heavily as a straps. The skirt falls from there and widens out around you to be quite full by the time it reaches the hem. The skirt is covered in the same elaborate combination of ivory netting that has been extensively covered at the same hand work done over the top.
• This is a phenomenal set and the craftsmanship on it is just outstanding.
• The top is hand lined in a nude silk and closes at the side with a zipper. There are boning and structure throughout. The skirt closes with hook and eye at the waist and a zipper under that. The skirt is lined in a nude silk chiffon. Extensive hand work throughout both pieces. I see a little bit of change of colour on the inside lining of the front of the top. It is very minor.
• Tagged a vintage Armani 40
• Excellent condition

Top
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 16" from top of shoulder to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 39" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5197

Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1993 Giorgio Armani.  /  (5) Spring 1993 Giorgio Armani Ensemble in the MET Collection.

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.

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1998 Versace show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace.
• This is a rare and early documented example of his work.
• The dresses made of two layers of silk. There is an inner silk layer that is a bright vivid pink and then this is topped with a black silk chiffon that has a touch of transparency. 
  
• Onto the top black layer is an elaborate pattern made of silver metallic thread and little tiny silver sequins. This adds a subtle sparkle over the entire dress.
• Two triangles sit at the front bust and they are brought inwards at the neck leaving an open keyhole underneath. The straps circle around both sides of your neck and then meet at the back. They curve outwards to meet the sides of a full open scoop that leaves most of your back bare and exposed. 
  
• It skims over the waist and hips from there and I love the lingerie effect created by having the black float over the inner pink layer.
  
• The inner pink silk layer acts as the lining. The neck of the dress slips over the head and then the dress closes with a hidden set side zipper. When the dress is off the body the pink under-layer appears to extend past the bottom by a couple of inches but it is bias cut so once on it lines up as shown in the photos here.
• Tagged a vintage Versace 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers up to 8" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to the seam under the bus
Total length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5194

Reference Photos: Spring 1998 Versace.

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.

• This is an original Gianni Versace label piece most likely from the late 1990s 
  
• This would have been made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace.
• The dress is made out of a knit that has a gold Lurex thread running through it so that it has a fantastic metallic feel but still soft and easy to wear.
• The knit has a pretty chain stitch that gives it added texture combined with the gold metallic thread.
• The front neckline edge is ribbed and the straps curve up and over to meet the side of the back. The dress comes with its original laces that you can slip through little slit openings down the sides of the back to have the entire back have a laced up effect. You can also wear it without the laces for a completely open and bare back. The very low edge of the back and the hem are also finished with that same ribbing effect as the front edging. 
• One side of the dress is slit from the hem up and and you can lace that up as well or you can wear it without the laces. 
• The dress slips on to wear and is unlined. The knit has stretch and I have given the range of measurements below. The length may come up a touch once on depending on how it sits on you.
• Tagged a vintage Versace 42/8
• Excellent condition

Bust: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5178

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.

• This is an incredible Christian Lacroix dress whose tag dates it to 1997.
• The dress would have been made under the creative direction of Christian Lacroix. 
• This has all the wonderful detailing that you want to see in a Lacroix piece.
• The dress is made out of a black silk that has a very slight texture to it. Onto this are black velvet details along with netting adorned with rhinestones.
• The front sweeps up to the neck and an attached velvet strap wraps around the neck and hooks into place. A little bow sits on the very top of the neck. I love how the top angles down on the sides. It curves down and around to the back and this leaves your entire upper back bare and exposed.
• There are little insets of velvet that follow the curve of the top and these wrap around to create added detail at the back of the waist. Each side has a lace edging that has tiny little rhinestones and faceted black beads fused onto the lace.
• The waist seam at the front is cut on a pretty upwards curve and there is a second bow set at the centre of the waist. A lace peplum has been added to follow the curve of the waist seam and this wraps all the way down and around to the back. Onto the lace are more rhinestones and faceted beads and here they are a greater variety of sizes. I love this detail so much.
• The skirt falls to the floor and gently widens out to the hem. Running up the back is a inset of lace. This gives the back extra fullness and a pretty detail. It is cut slightly longer than the front hem so you get this bit of a sweeping feel behind you. There is an inner layer of silk inside the ski skirt so while the lace has a touch of transparency, it feels safe to wear because of the inner lining.
• The dress is fully lined and closes with a hidden set back zipper. The strap at the neck hooks to close
• Tagged a vintage Lacroix 44
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 54" from neck to front hem, 59" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5164

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.