The duo behind the La Mendola label met in Rome in 1960 and started their business making dresses and selling them one by one, piece by piece. In 1967 they opened a shop and women like Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth quickly become loyal clients who were buying and even wait listing for pieces as they were produced. This dress is a wonderful example of their work. They are one of my favorite lesser known labels and their work is a joy to see.

This phenomenal dress is made from a gorgeous silk jersey paired with a matching silk chiffon overlay that has that same print. The cut is very loose and easy and it simply flows out from the shoulder to very easy to wear caftan proportions below that. The overlay slips over that and creates a beautiful movement to the dress because this light is as light as air. When you walk and move this top chiffon layer floats and billows around you at the slightest bit of air and it's incredible to see. The print that covers both pieces is a beautiful mix of greens in one of their signature self-created vibrant prints. The main dress has a simple cut with an open waist and a scooped neckline. The sleeves are long and simple. As it nears the hem it opens up to be quite generous in width. To wear it you just slip the inner dress on and then the overlay slips over that. You could easily belt and cinch in the waist on one or both layers for more shape or just wear it loose and easy. The overlays falls from the shoulders and is split down the center and down each side so it can have maximum movement. On one side there is a row of tightly space silk covered buttons that are decorative. Because of the easy shape of the overlay you can wear this to the back or to the front. It was made for a larger woman and she must have been very tall as well as it is exceptionally long. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. The length is supermodel long at 65" from shoulder to hem. It is an amazing piece. Excellent condition with a note below

Unlined and closes at the back with a painted metal zipper. The bias cut stretch fabric and forgiving design of the dress will allow it to work on a range of sizes. If you are smaller you could easily take the inner dress in where needed. I have given the measurements at a comfortable stretch lying flat but the fabric does have stretch beyond even those. The dress closes with a back zipper and the overlay slips over the head to wear. I see some watermarks to the print on the overlay but they get lost in the print and really make no impact. The opening under the button side goes off to the side a bit and it has been left as found. Otherwise it is excellent. Unlabeled but came from the same owner who had several of these made.

Sleeves: 27.5"
Shoulders: 19"
Bust: 28-32" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 27-29" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 65" from shoulder to hem
Overlay: follows the line so the inner drees and is a bit wider then the measurements above

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4155

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

My couture client had this stunning silk chiffon dress made for her and it was one of the last pieces she acquired from the house. It is an interesting thing in that it shows how the client can really direct and combine different runway elements to make a one of a kind dress like this one is. When we look at the runway from that season we can see that skirt is taken from one dress, the top from another, and the colour from a third. It's a dress that combines the runway looks 25 ,26 and 27. The experience of couture is really client driven and I love how this dress takes elements from the three Valentino's pieces, stays true to his vision for this season and yet is completely unique. We found video of the dress that shares the skirt design of this dress and I've included it so you can see how beautifully this will move once it's on the body. Being a custom piece that was made specifically for her also means that it truly a one-off-a-kind which makes much more special. It is an extraordinarily beautiful piece of Haute Couture. The workmanship is exquisite.

This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it will only truly come to life on an actual body. The bodice of the dress is fitted and nipped in at the waist. It is cut in a sweetheart neckline that softly curves at the top. The bodice is done in an extremely intricate manner. Panels of the silk chiffon are hand gathered and placed in soft pleats to form that complicated pattern that wraps around the entire bodice. Sitting at the top of each shoulder is a rounded soft cap sleeve done in the same pleating technique. This painstaking manner of pleating and gathering would have taken hours and hours to accomplish. It is of course all done by hand. There is a silk band around the waist and then the skirt flows out to the floor from there. The skirt is made from many yards of a beautiful bias silk chiffon. The inner skirt is made from four layers of the bias cut chiffon and then over that are two more layers of silk. At the front the top layers are cut to just under the hip and then they trail and curve down the sides to the back. If you look at the video we have included you can see how much movement this adds to the dress. The fabric is feather light and the fact that is is made from six layers of silk chiffon allows it to catch the slightest bit of air and float around you. It is incredible. The interior of the dress is made to couture standards with a full built in cupped corset that is boned and shaped to the waist. I am obsessed with the soft degrade ombre effect that dress has because of how the silk gradually changes from a soft deeper green at the top to the palest green near the bottom. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is an amazing example of original Valentino Haute Couture. Excellent condition. 

The interior bodice is boned and corseted. The skirt has six layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with a zipper and then the dress zips to close over that. The top silk layer of the skirt snaps to close over. Two inner waist stays that hook to close. Finished with Haute Couture construction techniques throughout. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to bottom of waist seam
Skirt: 45" from bottom of waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4156

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2005 Valentino Haute Couture Runway, Look 27, 26 & 25.

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 fabulous caftan dress would have been designed by Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourite periods for the house. I especially love his work during this period. He was a genius at colour and he pushed the envelope in his work with his cuts. This caftan dress dates to the earlier part of the 1970s and it is incredible. It is numbered and the inner seams are all edged and finished by hand. I love that it could easily worn by just about anyone with the way it is cut. It is just incredible.

The caftan is cut to be big and oversized so it is exceptionally easy to wear. It's generous and open cut will suit a large range of body sizes and types. On a smaller frame it will have an over-sized feel but could also easily work on larger frames. No matter what size underneath this incredible piece will billow and float around you as you move. The sleeves are cut to be very wide and full and billow out above the elastic at each cuff. The neckline is so unusual. It is gathered up into an elastic around the neck line that has a ruffle about it. This creates this interesting draping and soft pleating texture on the green silk just underneath the neckline. He then dropped another seam below that top portion with another ruffle that runs all the way around the shoulders. This gives you this off shoulder feel even though you're completely covered up to the neckline. It's so unusual and so beautiful. From there it falls to the floor widening out to be quite full as it nears the hem. It is cut to be very loose and easy through the body. The caftan is a made out of a spectacular printed silk that has a paisley pattern running over it that is insanely beautiful. At the hem it has a wide felt finish that gives weight to the hem so that it holds the shape and gives that sense of volume. I love that inside that hem it is trimmed with a silver lame ribbon on the top and the bottom. This is a detail that you don't see right off but as you walk or sit you get that tiny flash of silver. For some of the photos I added a green velvet ribbon to show you how dramatically the dress changes by adding a belt to add shape. I love that you can wear this loose and easy as a caftan or by belting it you suddenly have a dress that feels like it has a completely different look. The colours combine of different tones of green with a deep red and pops of white. It is just spectacular and so beautifully made. All of the inner seams are finished by hand and this is a numbered couture piece. This is an exceptional piece of Lanvin during this time period. Excellent condition

Slips over the head to wear with no closures. Set the net and both cars. The silk is very light in weight. The belt is not original to the dress but will be included. The loose and easy cut should work on a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: approx 27"
Shoulders: no true shoulder seam
Bust: to 33+" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-XL, OSFA

Item# DD4157

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

Paul-Louis Orrier was a French designer who is not as well known by the masses but did produce beautifully made clothing. His best work was his pieces for the evening. Not every piece of his work is as fabulous as others but when you do find one of the truly fabulous ones it’s wonderful. This is one of those pieces.

The dress is made from a silk taffeta that gives it just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but without making the dress heavy or bulky to wear. The colour is spectacular and is done in a brilliant true emerald green that is so flattering on almost any skin tone. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist nips in. The dress comes with its original wide tie belt in a matching fabric that allows you to cinch the waist in further if you wish. I have tied it into a bow at the front but you could do the bow to the back as well or even wrap it around you for a more flat smooth finish. The skirt falls to the floor from there and has yards of fabric in it that creates the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. I love the volume that this type of fabric creates and how it billows around you as you move but at the same time it is as light as a feather. The ruffled finish on the collar and feathers are what make this one a stand out. You have this dramatic plunge at the front and then these wide tightly pleated ruffles frame and follow the neckline. There are two layers of for the collar and then the sleeves are made from two more layers. This creates a beautiful and dramatic finish to the top. I love everything about this dress. Presents as excellent.

Unlined and closes with a low set zipper and hooks and snaps at the front. Original matching fabric tie belt. The color in person has a bit more depth to it then how it photoed. It is even better in person. There are some small marks on the bodice where the fabric has faded. They are pretty much covered with the ruffles and belt once on. If you look at the shots after the photos I have shot them without the belt and then with on each side so you can see. From the front you don't see them at all because the ruffle cover it. The inner seams are all hand finished and the dress is made to demi-couture standards.

Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4113

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 a great cape. Its a more recent piece from Balanciaga and it is such a statement piece. The cape is made from a felted wool mix that has a soft and fuzzy finish on the exterior. It is almost like a plush toy in feel and really different. It has some weight to it because there are yards and yards of fabric in there. The colour is an amazing shade of a brilliant bright green. The camera did not catch it to its full brightness and it is more vivid in person. It is so easy to wear. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. Long panels extend out from the neck and you can wrap they around you and there is a soft hood at the back. near the front edge on both side there are big soft pockets. Its just fabulous. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined with ribbon finished inner edges. No closures. One size should fit all. 50" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4114

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

George Stavropoulos was known for his evening wear and his signature looks often involved draping and the use of multiple layers of silk done on a bias cut. He focused on cut and fabric to convey the beauty of each piece. It was said that his gowns 'seemed to float on air'. He launched his label in 1960 and soon was dressing women like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Barbra Streisand and Maria Callas. The majority of his gowns are almost entirely made by hand and to couture standards. By the early 1980s one of his evening dresses started at a cost of around $8500USD and they went up in cost from there. To put that in modern terms, that would be about thirty thousand dollars now. It was an incredible amount of money at the time and women couldn't get enough of them

This dress is drop dead gorgeous with its wonderful pastel mint green colour and those silk 'leaves' that fall over the entire dress. It is stunning to see in person. The silk chiffon is feather light and I love the airy feeling that this creates. This lightness is highlighted even more by layering all of those little attached piece of silk chiffon over the entire body of the dress. Each is attached at the top only and each is stitched in a way at the other ends so that it has the slightest touch of a twist to it. This creates this beautiful pattern down the entire dress and gives them each just enough weight to stay in place when you are standing still. Then when you move they move with you and the effect is gorgeous. The slightest bit of movement on your part or bit of air around you will cause it to move. This is a fabric that is notoriously difficult to work with and it shows just what a genius he was by the way that he was able to make it flow and sit so beautifully. The majority of work is all done by hand and it would have taken many, many  hours of work to create this dress in this way. The silk underneath is fully cut on the bias so that once you slip it on it simply drapes into place and swirls around you. The neckline is beautiful. It is cut wide across so that you see the tops of the shoulders and collarbone. The dress falls from there and drapes down the back and across the front. The waist and hips are open and easy underneath and then the skirt falls from there to the floor. As it nears the hem it widens out considerably. The last perfect touch are those fantastic silk chiffon caped sleeves on each side. Each has panels that fall all the way to the floor and then a shorter piece falls over that to about the waist. These also pick up the air at your slightest movement. This is a dress that must be on a body to really come to life. As good as it looks here it is nothing compared to it on and moving. There is a high slit on one side that is just the absolute perfect finish. It is very beautiful. Excellent condition

Fully lined in four attached layers of the silk chiffon. It slips on to wear with no closures. The inner seams are finished by hand to couture standards. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes upwards and drapes more on a smaller size. The colour in person is softer and more of a pastel. It is even prettier

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to longest points beyond the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4115

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 one of those magical things that you will only ever find with vintage. It has no labels and no indications of any designer but is very well made and just such a lovely thing to see. It is a set that has a dress and full length coat that goes over that. Both of the pieces are made specifically for each other but you still could break them up and wear them separately to extend the life and wears of them in your closet. The set has a nod to the regency period in its design combined with a bit of a sixties feel. The dress has a scooped neck and empire waist that sits under the bust. The sleeves are capped and poufed. The skirt falls from the seam under the bust and widens out gently as it nears the floor. All of the seams are covered with a metallic gold applique that has these huge oval milky faceted plastic beads sewn into place. At the base of the neckline and connecting to the waist they form a medallion effect. An even denser application is down at the back. There is even a row of it down each side of the skirt. That same applique work runs over the matching coat. More gold and beads circle the neckline, the edges of the sleeves and run around the waist and down the front to then run around the hem. The coat is cut to closely follow the lines of the dress underneath with capped puffed sleeves and a scooped neckline. It closes with a wide strap that runs just under the bust and this holds it in place but keeps it open and the edges apart about 2" so that you still see the dress underneath. It is gathered at the back so that is falls in more of a sweep of fabric there. The fabric itself is a silk chiffon in a soft lime colour. It is hand lined in an ivory silk. It is gorgeous and I love the versatility of the two pieces. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are fully lined in an ivory silk. The dress closes with a back zipper and the coat closes with hidden set hook & eye and snaps. There is a tiny area of soft faded marks on the side of the waist. The front hem falls just a tiny bit short from the underskirt. Please see the last two photos. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. Well made with tons of hand finishes throughout.

Dress
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 16.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist: 14.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 47" from waist to hem

Jacket
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# E709

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 one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. The movement it has when it is on and you walk is just incredible. It's exact twin was did not make an appearance on the runway but there were several dresses that had similar elements to this one. I have included the two closest here. I think that this one is even more gorgeous then either of those and I am kind of obsessed with it. In the review of the show Vogue's Janet Ozzard said in part; "It’s virtually impossible not to get swept up in Oscar de la Renta’s confident vision of the luxurious life. The designer played to all of his strengths for spring, showing more of the pretty dresses, chic suits, and slim coats that have made him a touchstone of relaxed, modern elegance....Judging from the cuts and colors of this collection, de la Renta has Palm Beach on his mind." and for the evening pieces she noted that; "Turning up the volume for evening, de la Renta progressed from a long, cool pour of pink charmeuse, to a giddy yellow satin strapless dress covered in nosegays of silk flowers, to embroidered and embellished showstoppers guaranteed to make it a memorable night—red carpet or not." This dress is definitely a dress that could walk a carpet and it would also make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration.

This dress is absolutely dreamy. It is made out of the perfect pale mint green coloured silk chiffon. It is strapless and the upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it. The silk is draped over the bust to give the feel of a bandeau and gathered in along the center. Inside it is cupped and shaped for support. Under that it is cut to hugs the body and the silk has been draped softly over the inner lining. The gathers are all set to curve and wrap around your body. That stunning colour combined with the soft gathers creates the most gorgeous effect. The dress is meant to hug the body and highlight your curves to past the hips to create an hourglass feel. The skirt is set in at about mid-thigh and it is spectacular. Here you see the genius of Oscar. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of a cascade of silk that becomes very full as it nears the hem. It is set longer at the back then the front so that you get this pretty curve from the side view and this fantastic sweep of skirts from the back. The entire skirt is covered with individually placed chiffon 'feathers' or 'petals' that move with the slightest bit of air and fall softly to the floor. The lightness of the silk causes all those appliques on the skirt to move with the slightest bit of air. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. The final perfect detail is that open keyhole under the center of the bust. This little flash of skin is the prettiest detail that adds that perfect finishing element of romance and femininity. This is Oscar at his very best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching pale green silk. The applique work on the skirt are set on top of the same silk chiffon as the rest of the dress so you get a touch of transparency under them. It closes with an inner side zipper to close the built in boned inner support and then a second hidden set zipper over that to close the exterior dress. Lightly boned through the inner bodice and built in hidden cups. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Tagged a US 6. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from top of the bust to front hem, 57" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4073

Reference Photos: Spring 2004 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection. Look 49 & 53.

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

Marie-Louise Carven, who founded her label in 1945, was one of the few female couturiers in the post-Chanel/Schiaparelli days of the Parisian designers. Her work was exquisite and she was a brilliant marketer, launching perfumes and a ready-to-wear line in 1950, something that couturiers still were not doing to a great degree at that time. She was known as being one of the great couturiers of the 'Golden Age' of Haute Couture and her designs became know for being so perfectly French and representing the spirit of Paris. She specialized in making dresses for a more petite sized woman. She was only 5'1" tall and found that there were often no options for herself so she decided to fill that gap saying that the other couturiers had no time for smaller stature women. Green was an integral colour for the house. Her atelier was green and white and her perfumes came wrapped in green and white striped paper. This dress is a stunning and very rare example of her work during this time period and encapsulates all that she meant to achieve with her work.

The dress is made to the typical fashion of her work in this time period. She loved to add collars and trims and often used organdy and linen that were cut out and embroidered. This dress has all of those and it is tremendously beautiful. The workmanship on this dress is amazing. The body of the dress is made from a pale green organdy that has been embroidered around the edges and on each individual piece of the pattern as well. It has open cut outs between the green parts so that you can see the pale ivory silk organza lining underneath. The effect of this layering is wonderful. It gives the pattern even more depth and texture then it would have with just the embroidery work. It is also slightly transparent which adds to its feeling of airiness and lightness. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist is seamed and set slightly high. I have added a ribbon to some of the photos and you can wear it with or without a belt for more shape. The skirt widens out as is nears the floor and is cut slightly longer in the back for a pretty sweep of skirts behind you. The neckline is finished with an elaborate silk organza ruffle. The ruffle is made of four layers and each layer is edged with a silk ribbon finish. It can be worn on or off the shoulder. I prefer it off the shoulder so that you get that bare expanse of skin. The hem is finished with the same ruffle technique and this cleverly weights the skirt so that is fall perfectly and also gives it this beautiful little kick with you move. It is an extraordinary and rare piece of Haute Couture and it is fabulous. This is an amazing piece of fashion history and it is a simply beautiful dress. Present as excellent condition with some small things to note below

Fully lined in the ivory silk organza and zips to close at the back. It is in overall great condition and at first glance looks perfect. There are some tiny flaws that I think are inevitable with this type of fabric. There are some well dome repairs here and there to the inner lining that do not show from the exterior. Some tiny areas of darkening here an there to the ruffles. There are some small stress tears around the armholes. I photoed these. Here and there the connecting bridge to another pattern piece has come apart and there is maybe a couple of tiny tears on the fabric here and there. Please see the photos after the label shot. It is completely wearable as it is now. The ribbon tie belt is not original to the dress but will be sent with it. It is slim through the hips

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 39" from waist to front hem, 43" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4074

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 one of several versions that are well documented from the Spring 1979 Yves Saint Laurent runway show. I have included all that we could find so you can see how wonderful this collection was and what an integral part of that years show this dress and those like it were. The very first reference photo has the twin of this dress but in a different colour way towards the back of the shot. It gives you an idea of how fabulous this will be on. It is a spectacular piece and very easy to wear.

I love the pretty mix of colours in this dress and the incredible movement that it has. Yves was just a master with fabric and this dress is wonderful. The three colours used are bright and compliment each other perfectly. The top layer is a bright sea green and then there is a royal blue layer under that and a final red layer at the bottom. The entire thing is constructed from a beautiful light weight silk chiffon. Each tiered layer has been knife pleated. This allows the fabric to expand out as each layer reaches the hem. When you move the pleats are what gives the dress its incredible movement. The entire dress is cut to be as comfortable to wear as possible. The neckline is finished with a green satin finish flat ribbon piping to highlight its edge. This same ribbon is used for the straps that curve up and around your shoulders. I think that you could probably tuck the straps in and wear this as a strapless dress if you wanted and I love the versatility that would give you. The dress skims over your bust and then opens up to be full over the waist and hips. The layers flow to the floor and they widen out in with each tier to the bottom hem. The dress has a fantastic romantic and light feel to it and the bareness of the shoulders gives it a bit of a sexy touch. I love that the runway and ad shots show you how he would have styled this too. Tons of ideas to play with there. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The bodice is lined in a nude silk chiffon and then the tiers under that make it opaque enough to wear. It buttons to closes at the side above a small keyhole. I see slight colour run on one side of the green tier but it is very subtle and faint. Withe the pleats you really only see it if you spread it out flat as I did for the photo. Please see the shot after the label shot. Some of the pleats have softened slightly near the hems. Tagged a vintage YSL 38. The top edge seam has no give so that measurement is firm unless altered. Otherwise the easy cut should fit a range of sizes.

Seam at the top of the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 55" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4050

Reference Photos: (1-5) Spring 1979 Yves Saint Laurent Collection. Assorted runway & ad campaign photos.  /  (6) 1979 Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Photo by Francois Lamy for 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.

Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launches his own Haute Couture label in 1957 as a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne.  He became known for his color sense and the young, sexy look of his clothes. In 1985 he won the Haute Couture Golden Thimble award and two years later he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur. His second Golden Thimble was given posthumously after his death in 1989. Michel Klein took over the couture division where he remained until 1996. This dress is from Klein's tenure as the Haute Couture director and label and it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing during his tenure there. Laroche once was quoted as saying “It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.” and I feel that this dress tries to live up to that thought while still maintaining the feel of couture during this mid-nineties.

This is the type of piece that is so bold and edgy that you will only ever find it in a Haute Couture piece. I feel like whoever ordered this one had it tweaked slightly from the runway presentation and made it better. The bodice is scooped across on a more graceful line (I don't love how it fits Kirsty Hume who is the model in the photo) and the back skirt feels longer. They also eliminated the bow at the front, opting instead for a single long panel falling at the back that matches the colour and fabric of the skirt. These small details add up to a big difference in how it presents. I also feel that the fit overall is far better then how it appears on the runway. It makes me wonder if there was a last minute substitution of the model for this piece, because in person the dress that I have here is a far better cut and fit overall then how it looks like in the runway shot. The dress is a mini dress that has an attached long panel on the skirt that wraps part way around you to leave the full front open under the mini skirt. The bodice is scooped wide and low at the front and made from a pale taupe silk. It extends down past the waist so a very short mini skirt that has a slight flare to it as it reaches the hem. The long skirt wraps around and is attached at the side of the waist. It is a soft olive toned green and done on that same rich heavy silk that has a slight satin finish. It falls to the floor in a long smooth drape of fabric. A wide silk cummerbund wraps around the waist to give shape. This narrows down at one end and hooks into place under a long swooping gold brooch which I believe is gold plated. The cummerbund has a long panel attached at the back and I have left it hanging as an extra panel. You could probably be clever and wrap /tie it to create a bow effect if you wished to emulate the runway photo more. The darkness of the sash around the waist is then picked up by the spectacular sleeves. Each is made out of a deep blue-black silk chiffon and are cut extra long. They are also cut wide and full to fall at an angle at the end of each sleeve. This bit of softness and transparency the sleeves have contrast sharply to the rich silk the rest of the dress is made from. It is a very unusual dress and shows the experimental side of couture. This is one of those dresses that when the right person wears it, it is going to blow people away. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in hand set silk that matches the colour of the exterior silk that is being lined. The sleeves are unlined. The dress closes with a hand set hidden back zipper and then there is another zipper that closes the inner mini skirt. The sash at the waist wraps and hooks into place. The brooch is detachable and shows sight patina on the gold. Proper couture label present. The dress is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner silk of the long skirt is scuffed near the hem and I see slight grubbiness along the hem on parts. Please see the shot after the label photo.

Sleeves: 34" to the longest point
Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Mini dress length: 31" from top of shoulder to hem
Full Length: 60" from shoulder to longest point of the hem
Waist sash: 26.5" in length to where the hooks presently sit with an extension past that that wraps and hooks into place

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4012

Reference Photo: Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Runway Collection on Kirsty Hume.

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

Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This one is exceptional

I have dated this dress based on information from my client and on a variation of this dress held in the collection of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. I have included a reference photo of that dress and you can see the similarity in cut and fabric. The collection notes on the museum held dress even mention a matching cape. This 1970s period is about the time period where she turned her attention from using primarily jerseys to incorporating more taffeta and silks into her work. That and the fact that the Museum dress also has a matching cape feels too coincidental for it not to be from that same collection. It is also interesting to note that the Museum held dress has been exhibited twice. Once for the "New Look to Now", at de Young Museum, 1989-91; and it was lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for "Mme. Gres" in 1994. 

Both pieces are made from a fine silk taffeta dyed to a deep green colour. This fabric choice keeps the weight of the dress down despite its volume and the fabric also holds the intended shape beautifully. The bodice has no sleeves and is cut so that the shoulders slightly extend off the shoulder with this subtle little curved line. The bodice skims over the body in a long column to the dropped seam at the top of the hip. There is actually an inner skirt under the full top skirt that falls right to the floor with a high side slit up one side that allows you to be able to walk in it. This also gives a very unexpected flash of leg when you move or sit in the dress. The top skirt is pure drama. It is cut on a curve that comes up at the front and then swoops down to the floor and falls behind you at the back for a slight trained feel. That curving line is almost sculptural and gives the dress a different feel from every angle that you see it from. The outer skirt is set to fall away from the body with lots of volume and shape but the fabric is so light that you also get movement and a floating feel when you move. This was achieved by gathering the taffeta into soft pleats all along the curved seam there. Underneath the skirt there is a second shorter ruffled peplum layer that supports the fabric and holds the shape. Over this is a matching silk taffeta cape that is almost monastic in its simple lines. It simply hooks into place at the neck with one tiny hook and then falls beautifully over the shoulders. The cape flows and extends down the back mimicking the curved line of the skirt. At the front it hits right where the skirt begins and this is a clever way to extend the eye downwards. It is cut so that it falls in soft rounded folds that pick up the soft pleats of the skirt below it and ties everything together beautifully.  It is magnificent. Both pieces are completely made by hand. The proper Madame Gres Haute Couture label is present. This is an exceptional gown. I love it. This is a rare opportunity to own an original Haute Couture Madame Gres. It is an extraordinary thing to see in real life. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Both pieces are unlined with hand done couture seams throughout. The dress closes with a off-set back zipper that is camouflaged along a vertical seam. It then closes along the top of one shoulder with a series of hooks and snaps. The cape has one single hook & eye to close. Inner peplum that supports the skirt as described above. I see some very tiny marks on the bodice. Please see the photos after the label shot. There is a very faint perfume smell on the dress from a fitting for a potential award show. I did not want to clean it again as its extremely faint and not an issue. The dress should fit a range of sizes since it is not meant to be very fitted.

Dress
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at dropped seam: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 23" from neck to dropped seam where over skirt begins
Inner skirt: 37" from dropped seam where over skirt begins to hem
Total Length: 60" from neck to hem of inner dress, 67" to longest point of the back of the trained top skirt 
Slit: 20" from the hem up

Cape: will fit any size and falls to 30" a its longest point at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3227

Reference Photos: 1977 Madame Gres Dress from the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.  /  Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

This garment has been professionally steamed and sold in, clean, as found condition. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

In 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. 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. That said, his ready-to-wear line was made to almost true couture standards and piece in it were made with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in the construction of his dresses and other pieces. Grace Kelly was an early fan and he was truly one of the great American designers. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. This dress is exceptional and I was very excited to have it come into the shop.

The dress is absolutely gorgeous. The label that is in it was the one used starting in 1977. Looking at the dress it is almost hard to imagine that it is not from an earlier time period with its decidedly Old Hollywood feel. It is made out of a fine silk chiffon that has been dyed to a deep moss green. In the skirt they are also more olive coloured panels mixed in and this adds depth there. The bust is shaped and structured underneath that draped exterior. You would not think it to look at it but that part of the dress is very formed underneath and hides an inner foundation that follows the complete length of the bodice. The top is cut straight across and it curves in at the waist and then hugs the tops of the hips. A long chiffon panel snaps into place on one side of the interior and you can then drape this over your shoulder to create a few different looks. You can let it sit to cover your entire arm like a half cape or just have it trail down the back for a little floating detail as you walk away. You could also have it float over the entire upper chest to drape over the other shoulder. That panel is completely removable so you could also wear the dress without it for a true starless feel. The panel is long enough to play double duty as a sash or even a head piece. You have a lot pf options with it. The silk has been hand draped over the bodice and I love the contrast between the horizontal draping there against the vertical panels in the skirt. The skirt itself is a marvel. It is literally made up of vertical panels of silk that have been cut in different widths and slightly different lengths. These are layered over a inner single layer skirt of the same silk chiffon. When the dress is on it gives the illusion that you are very bare under the panels. Each panel is set in by hand and this would have been a meticulous and tedious method that would have added several hours of construction time to the dress. The panels give the dress a very unexpected sexy feel as they move around you and give the illusion that you will get a glimpse of your full leg at any moment. The dress is stunning on and the movement that the panel over the shoulder and the panels of the skirt have when you move is stupendous. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a green silk and closes with a hand set zipper at the side. Hand finished throughout. The shoulder panel snaps onto place with silk covered snaps. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at the bottom of the bodice: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 48" from top of the strapless bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3862

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 am now on the second batch of very interesting pieces that are coming from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with permission make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs that prompted Ady to negotiate this arrangement with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the houses I am confident on. This one seems to be heavily influenced by the Fall 1987 collection by Givenchy. You can see the same skirting technique used in the runway reference photos I have included here. And if you put the top of the dress that Audrey is wearing with the runway piece together you pretty much get this dress. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is beautiful. A truly iconic piece of couture 

The dress is made from the most incredible metallic fabric. It literally changes colour from a purple to a green depending on how the light hits it. You get a hint of that in the photos but when it is on and in actual light and you are moving it can really go to a green colour. It is just amazing really. The fabric has a touch of weight to it and this helps to hold the shape that you see. The dress is astonishing and so bold. Pieces like this are really a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. At the front the neckline is scooped to show a touch of skin. The sleeves are set into the shoulders so that you get a bit of a peak. They are wider near the top and then they and taper down slightly as they reach each wrist. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist is dropped. Under the dropped waist is a wide band of poufed and gathered fabric that creates an incredible volume. You can see how it creates this bold and dramatic 3D feel. With the way the light catches the fabric and changes the colour the effect is even more dramatic in person. Nestled into the folds of that gathered part is a large black velvet bow. The skirt is set under that on a sharp angle that works it way away from the body to widen out to be quite full as it nears the floor. It is cut to feel sculptural and balance out the volume above. The front is cut a little shorter then the back and the I love the pleat effect the back has because of this. It did not come with a belt but you could easily add one to give it more of the feel of the runway version and add shape. It is incredible. All of the volume is created by the cut and the fabric alone. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. It 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 with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. 

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) Audrey Hepburn, in Givenchy, at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City for the 17th Annual International Emmy Awards in 1989.

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

James Galanos was known as the designer that could rival the French in terms of construction and design. He launched his atelier in 1951 and though he was never a designer that was formally made a couture house he certainly produced clothing with many of the hallmarks that define couture, thus giving him the status as being known as one of the 'American Couturiers'. 

This dress is very unusual and I had a hard time deciding how to best have it sit on the dress form. It definitely works as a halter with the hook placed at the back of the neck. These leaves the upper back entirely bare and open and the ruffles that edge the halter run down the sides of the bust and around the neck. However, it also could potentially work with the hooks done up on the top of one shoulder. It does leave one breast exposed this way but I feel that you could wear it like this and have a bandeau underneath and it would be as amazing. You could also replace the elastic that edges the bodice and it would sit higher. The fabric is beautiful. The top layer is a floral print on a fine silk chiffon. Under that are four attached layers of a solid green silk and at the edges he has set these so each layer's edge can be seen. It gives the dress an opaqueness but it is still light as a feather. The bodice is finished with a ruffle that follows the curve of the fabric there. It wraps and hooks to close and inside there is a little label that says front on the inner waist band so you know which side to place at the front of you. The skirt wraps over itself and fall to the floor in a column of silk. It is fabulous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in the four layers of green silk. Hand finished throughout. It wraps and hooks to close. Elastic through the edge of the halter top. There is a small areas that does not seem quite as tight as the rest of it and I think you could tighten this and it would sit higher and cover the breast on that one side.

Bust: open
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bust: approx 18" from shoulder to waist but meant to drape a bit
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3398

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