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 acknowledged as being a true Haute Couturier, he certainly produced clothing that had all of the hallmarks that define couture. This attention to detail and cut gave him the status as being known as one of the 'American Couturiers'. This is a gorgeous little dress that you can wear a couple of different ways which makes it a little extra versatile.

This dress is gorgeous. It closes at the top of the neck with a single hook and then wraps and hooks into place around the waist and that it is. It feels so sensual once on because of this. The fabric is almost weightless and this feeling of it just being hooked and wrapped around you is very sensual. very unusual and I had a hard time deciding how to best have it sit on the dress form. It sits beautifully when worn as a one shoulder dress but you can also turn it around a bit and wear it as more of a halter with the back left more bare and open. I love that it has this little bit of extra versatility. It is made of an incredible five layers of silk chiffon. The top layer is printed with a gorgeous floral print done in greens, corals and deep yellows. Under that top layer are four more layers made out of a solid green silk chiffon. All of the edges are hand rolled. These added layers keep the dress from being too transparent when on. At the same time the silk chiffon is of such a high quality that the dress is as a feather. The neckline is finished with a ruffle of the chiffon layers for pretty detail and a touch of romance. The skirt wraps over itself and where it overlaps there is a slit that only shows when you walk or sit. I added a green velvet ribbon around the waist which I will include to show you how pretty it is with something to cinch in the waist a bit. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in the four layers of green silk as described above. Hand finished throughout. It wraps and hooks to close. Elastic through the edge of the halter top. Inner tag that defies the front. Teeny bit if fading along an edge here and there but otherwise looks unworn 

Bust: variable because of the wrap
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and you could adjust the inner hooks up or down as needed
Hips: variable because of the wrap
Bust: approx 18" from shoulder to waist but meant to drape a bit
Skirt: 45" 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.

John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two of the dresses he sent for you with more to come. This is a runway piece from 2005. The bead work on it was done by hand by one of the same European ateliers who did beading for many of the Couture houses for this time period. John is one of my favorite American designers and right out of the gate he won the Coty Award for his work. The first time in 1972 and then again in 1976. He designed clothes that were simple and elegant but glamorous. His work veers towards minimalism with sharp tailoring. Striking evening wear was his signature and he is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. It is an extraordinary privilege to have pieces directly from his archives and these are things you will never see again. This one is a work of art and it is just extraordinary to see it in person with all of that extensive bead and sequin work

John's business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $20,000 and more during this time period. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing.

This dress is absolutely stunning. The fabric is completely covered in thousand of tiny deep silver seed beads and teeny tiny iridescent aqua coloured sequins.This gives the dress some weight - we weighed it and it is just over 6 pounds - but it is so beautifully made that it balances and glides over the body perfectly and does not feel unwieldy at all. The front plunges right to the waist with two long triangles curving up towards the neck and hooking at the back. On the inside of each triangle there is a panel of the same fabric sewn down their lengths. These drape over the bodice to create a ruffle that falls from the top of the halter to the waist and gives the front a soft and feminine finish. The back is left completely open as a result so when you turn all you see is bare skin I love that curving cut of the sides as it scoops down. The waist is seamed for a bit of definition and then the skirt falls from under there to the floor. It widens out to the lower skirt and this give it beautiful movement when you walk. The colour is this magical deep aqua and silver mix and the way the beads and sequins are set give it a stunning pattern over you. The way this catches the light is fantastic. It is a very special piece. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a low set side zipper at the back and hooks to close behind the neck. Hand finished throughout. Silk chiffon panel finished hem and edges. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 52" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4399

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 very excited to bring you our latest mini capsule collection. This is one of nine dresses from a single owner collection. Her collection was lovingly sourced over decades and she has decided that it is time let them back out into the world for others to enjoy. For this capsule we have moved forward to the 1940s and 1950s. Really good examples from this era are becoming increasingly hard to find and these are all gorgeous little examples of that time period. This is just a tiny sampling of her overall collection and I hope to have more of these capsules for you in the future.

This stunning little dress is from the Jobere label out of New York and it is made from a bright emerald dress silk satin mixed with a cotton muslin and beaded detailing.  This is a fabulously beautiful little labelled 1950s piece. It is very well-made. The colour is spectacular and I love the contrast the green has with that detailing that runs around the top of the bodice. The panel there is made out of a pale nude cotton muslin. Its edges are finished with hand done bead-work and prong set glass rhinestones. The neckline sits wide across so that you see the collarbone. It curves up and over the shoulders to create tiny cap shoulders. The green falls under that and there’s a bit of an illusion that it’s extremely low busted by the way the green is curved underneath the bust. The waist nips in and then the skirt flares out. The dress has its own built in underskirts so it is full on its own. For some of these photos I added a light crinoline but it is full even without. It is very pretty and fresh feeling. Excellent condition with a note below.

The dress is fully lined and has its own attached inner tulle skirts. It closes with a back zipper. The beads and rhinestones are hand applied. Slightest barely fade at the edge under the arm. There is light fraying to the very edges of the shoulders - please see the photos after the label shot.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D644

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 so excited to bring you the second part of our 1930s capsule. This is one of a dozen dresses from a single owner collection of beautiful 1930s dresses. Her collection was lovingly sourced over decades and she has decided that it is time let them back out into the world for others to enjoy. Outstanding designs from this era are increasingly hard to find. Her collection represents some of the best of the era that I have seen in a very long time. Most are in excellent condition and the few included in the capsule that do have some flaws are such outstanding designs that I feel there is still room for someone to love them and wear them as they are, or perhaps to put in the additional work to repair them. This is just a tiny sampling of her overall collection and I hope to have more of these capsules for you in the future.

This pretty little dress is made from a bias cut silk that has a slight starched feel to the fabric. This lets it hold its shape. The bias cut makes it drape and move unbelievably beautifully once on the body. The pattern is a pretty pale yellow floral print on a deep green backdrop with lighter green thatching worked through the pattern that gives it the look of being painted onto the silk. It's cut loose and easy through the bodice with this pretty angled seam that sits just under the bust.  The waist is cut to be more loose and open and it has its original belt with a fabulous early acrylic buckle. This lets you add shape through the waist for a more defined silhouette. The skirt falls from there and it flares out all the way around the hem. The lightness of the fabric combined with the bias cut give the skirt incredible movement once on. It will move and flow around you with your slightest movement. Highlighting the neckline is this incredible pleated ruffled finish made from a soft yellow, starched silk organza. It's an incredible and pretty dress. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Unlined and slips on to wear. Hand finishes throughout. There is a tiny bit of a mark on the edges of the collar and the top decorative part of the buckle is missing on one side. Please see the last two photos. For a dress almost 100 years old it's in remarkable condition. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes.

Sleeves: approx 16"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length 50" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# PC013

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. A tiny little nick in the fabric near the side of the hem on the dress, 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.

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.