This is an extraordinary dress from an extraordinary show. The show was themed based on a heady combination of Russian and Balkan Fantasy. It was opulent and excessive and thoroughly Galliano in nature. John had done extensive research in the archives of the Benaki Museum and had delved into the eighteenth and nineteenth century folk dress and textile collection from the Balkan/Ottoman empire. The models walked in a laser light filled tunnel that created the illusion of snow falling on the models. The pieces were made in the Paris atelier and the beadwork was done by Lesage. The amount of detailing was to Haute Couture standards, an extraordinary fact given that this was a RTW runway show. The show closed with seven "Ukranian Ice Princeses" wearing transparent dresses that trailed behind the and with head wrapping and high fantasy makeup done by Pat McGrath. This is one of those dresses and is perhaps the most photoed and recognizable of the seven. 

My client is the original owner and bought this in Paris. It is the twin of the dress on the runway except it is lined and I feel that they made certain elements on it a touch more substantial so that it would hold up to being worn. On the ruway the dresses where just the single layer of tulle and very delicate and fragile. and not under the bright runway lights so the colour feels deeper then the runways shots. It is so beautiful it almost makes you cry to look at it. It is made out of a fine netting that is cut on the bias and is in its original supermodel length. The colour is a kind of dusky pale grey with a touch of pale blue to it. It is cut to skim over the bust with tulle rolled and gathered across the scooped front. The neckline is cut wide and sits almost shoulder to shoulder. I love how the waist is cut on to curve up in that beautiful graceful line. The sleeves are a work of art on their own. Each is incredibly full and puts out over the buttons cuffs. They are cut long so once on they fall in a decadent drop that you can see in some of the runway photos. The dress skims over the hips and is cut to follow your curves. It flares out as it nears the bottom and is incredibly long. At the back it trails out behind you. At the back is is cut into a low V that plunges right to the was it. The transparency of the tulle allows you to see every perfectly cut seam and dart and they become a design element in themselves. The final perfect finish is of course the beadwork. A dense application of tiny silver tube beads is done all the way down the front of the skirt and also all the way down the length of the back. I have taken several close ups so that you can see how beautifully the work has been done. This is a once in a life time find. It would make an amazing wedding piece for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration and of course it would work for any red carpet event or gala. It was never worn and still looks new. Excellent condition 

Lined through the body on a bias cut every silk. It closes with as tries of net covered buttons and loops down the side of the dress. Each cuff buttons with 6 net covered buttons. Tagged a FR42. It is cut on the bias so the comfortable range of measurements while lying flat is below. The length will come up a touch once on an actual body 

Sleeves:28 "
Slightly inset shoulders: "
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 69" from top of the shoulder to the front hem, 79" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3881

Reference Photos/Video: (1-9) Fall 2009 John Galliano Runway. Look 26 worn by Magdalena Frackowiak.  /  (10) From the book "Galliano: Spectacular Fashion" by Kerry Taylor.  /  (11) From the book "John Galliano: Unseen" by Robert Fairer.

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

Vogue's review of this collection was done by Hamish Bowles who said in part; "With their ironed hair, pale lips, and exaggerated doe-eye makeup, the leggy girls on Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel runway were channeling Penelope Tree, the iconic and kooky sixties model. With a major Chanel retrospective opening in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, Lagerfeld also delved into Coco Chanel's history—specifically a 1920's liaison with the Duke of Westminster that saw her borrowing knits and tweedy pieces from his chic country wardrobe. Lagerfeld feminized his layered cardigan and plus fours with scarves twinkling with diamond camellias and topped them with adorable newsboy caps, knit cloches, or floppy berets." I love the nod to the tweed that the pieces had and the kicky skirts like this one are perfect to pair with a great boot. 

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning metallic tweed version of the Chanel signature fabric. The fabric combines a silk thread with mohair and a gold metal thread that he has worked through the entire suit. This gives it an exceptional but subtle sheen and a very luxurious feel. It is absolutely beautiful. To heighten that sense of luxury Karl added a rabbit fur trim to the jacket. The fur has been set to run down the front edges, curve around the back and then also circle the hem. It also details each cuff and the pockets. The jacket is cut in that classic Chanel box shape. The sleeves are long and I love the pockets that sit on each side. It hooks to close down the front with hidden set hook & eye so there is nothing to break the line. The skirt is cut with a slight flare as it nears the hem. It is set all the way around with series of wide flat pleats, giving that nod to the schoolgirl and the sixties the show was based on. The upper part of the skirt is more fitted around the hips and then it opens up to create the beautiful lines that you see. The entire suit is lined in the highest quality camellia flower embossed black silk. This is classic Chanel right down to the chain stitched by hand into the hem of the jacket. It is exceptional. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are fully lined in a black silk embossed with the Chanel camellia flower print. The interior hem of the jacket is finished with one of their signature metal chains. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper. The jacket hooks to close down the front. Pockets on the jacket and the skirt. The colour and texture are even better in person. Both pieces are tagged a Chanel 40. There is the slightest bit of pilling to the silk on the interior of the jacket from rubbing against the skirt when it was stored. 

And just a note on their fabrics.... The Chanel boucle and tweeds are created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3854

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.

The lines of this dress are pure Yves Saint Laurent for this time period. It is just extraordinary. For the skirt of the dress he has used a silver grey silk taffeta. This fabric choice gives it the volume that you see and helps to support the edging that circles the entire hem. For that he chose a black, sequin detailed lace. This same sequin and lace fabric was then used for the bodice. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by two thin silk ribbons. I love this detail because it gives you the option to tuck those in and wear this as a strapless piece if you wanted. The bodice is fitted and covered in a black silk lace netting over a silk organza. Black sequins have then been applied by hand to highlight the curving design underneath. This same fabric as been used all around the hem where it has been used in a single layer with no lining backing it. This gives you a touch of transparency that is very sexy. Some parts of the skirt are actually cut quite high up the leg when you just look at where the grey silk part falls to and this transparency gives you a flash of skin behind the lace. The skirt is very full so that when you move you get a lot of volume and movement. A long silver silk sash wraps and ties to cinch in the waist. It also comes with its original matching wrap. This is very large and finished with a wide ruffle all the way around. This is a dress that is even better on an actual body and moves and feel fabulous once on. Excellent condition with a couple of minor notes below

Fully lined through the bodice with a black silk and the grey part of the skirt has a black silk chiffon inner skirt. It closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper. Tagged a vintage YSL 42. There is a faint mark on the side of the skirt near the seam and bottom of the grey part of the skirt that you only would see if you lay it out flat as I have. The straps show a bit wear and fraying at their very tops. Please review the first two photos after the label shot. The matching wrap has a small blue mark near a seam and there are some watermarks/scuffs to the fabric. These are shown in the last two shots. All of these are minor.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: approx 42" from waist to longest points and approx 25" to shortest
Shawl: 57" x 46"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3342

Reference Photo: (1) F/W 1981 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Show.  /  (2) Model in Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1981 Rive Gauche Collection. Photo by Helmut Newton. From the book "Yves Saint Laurent: Icons of Fashion Design" by Schirmer/Mosel.  /  (3) Andie MacDowell for Yves Saint Laurent, photographed by Helmut Newton, 1981.

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