Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work from this time period. It is beyond gorgeous and it is one of my favorites from him. I have had this dress in the shop before and at last we have been able to date it. It is from the Spring 1984 collection

I have had the twin of this dress in the shop in the past and I love it more every time I find it. The main body of the dress is made from a deep royal purple silk that has a vivid pink ruffle that runs all the way down one whole side. The way that the pink is attached to the dress gives the dress the feel that that it has been wrapped around the bust and then tied into a dramatic bow at the shoulder with the ties trailing down your side. It actually is all attached and a part of the dress but I love how it makes the dress feel. The pink is gathered and warps all the around the bust and then is caught up at side to create that gorgeous bow that you see. The other shoulder is left completely bare for a little skin to show. Under the bow the pink silk runs down the side of the dress in an extravagant ruffle finish all the way to the hem. The inner bust has boning to support you and there is a little hidden strap under the bow to keep it in place. The body of this is cut loose and easy and it widens out it falls to the floor. It is extraordinary. Even more beautiful in person. It appears to have been worn a very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a deep purple silk. The inner bodice closes with its own zipper and then the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Lightly boned through the inner bodice.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the outer waist goes to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder strap to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4109

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1984 Bill Blass Runway, Model Dalma Callado.  /  (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

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 gorgeous dress was 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 favourites for the house. I especially love his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in his work with colour and cuts. This dress is extra special because we actually found documentation on it which gives us the exact date on it. It has one of the best prints I have seen and it just feels happy.

This Lanvin dress is gorgeous and is from the main label. I am in absolute love with it. The dress has a gorgeous bright colour and print combination. It uses two fabrics and both hold colour exceptionally well so the colors are still crisp bright and true. The top portion of the dress is a almost T-shirt feeling cotton and then the bottom skirt is smooth finish fabric that feels like a mix of silk and cotton. The sleeves go to just past the elbow and each is cut straight and wide. The neckline is scooped with a slightly wide cut. The top skims over you with a seam set under the bust. Then there is a wide band of fabric the circles around you for a bit of shape. Both of those parts are the same fabric and have an abstract circle print with red, blue, green and pink on a white backdrop. The waist is cut with a loose and easy cut. You can wear it like that or tie the matching fabric tie belt to cinch it in more. From there the skirt falls to the floor and it widens as it nears the hem. The fabric change on the skirt gives it a touch of weight so that it holds the shape well. It is set so that it ends in a pink print border down the center at the front with an open vent at the hem. The skirt has an abstract pattern with lots of flowers in it but the pattern uses the same colours at the top. So even though it's a mix of two crazy patterns it works exceptionally well. This full on pattern also makes the dress instantly recognizable as a piece of his work. It is fabulous. Excellent condition

The bodice is unlined with finished interior seams and the skirt is fully lined in a white silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper. Hand finishes. Original tie belt. Set up to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulder: 14" across
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11" from shoulder to seam under the bust, band is 5" high
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem with 5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4307

Reference Photo: Spring 1974 Lanvin Runway.

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 always thrilled to find a really great Emilio Pucci piece. The truly great ones from the labels earlier years are getting very hard to find and this one is fabulous. By the 1960s, the time period that this dress is from, Pucci was a world-wide phenomenon. Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and even Jackie Kennedy were huge fans. For all of the many attempts since to catapult the label back to the height of its glory, the days when Emilio himself oversaw the label and designed the prints will always be the most special to me.

The colors on this Pucci dress are gorgeous. The dress is made from his signature silk jersey and this fabric choice held the colour beautifully. The colours are still crisp and bright. The pattern is a this fabulous combination of a pink for the backdrop and then a lattice design is laid over that with trailing, vining leaves and flowers covering the entire surface. The silk jersey is light in weight and easy to wear as it has a touch of movement to it so that it skims over the body easily. The dress buttons down the front to the slightly dropped waist and the skirt falls below that in a widening out a bit to the hem. The button front allows you to open it as low as you wish for some skin to show or do it up right to the  the little pointed collar. His signature contrasting border highlights the cut and design of the dress. He has used down the front behind the buttons, for the collar, cuffs and around the hem. You could add a belt for more shape if you wished or wear it more loose and easy. The entire dress weighs ounces and is wonderfully bright and happy.  It is a beautiful Pucci. Excellent condition with one small note below

Unlined and closes with a side painted metal zipper. It also buttons down the front as shown with functional silk covered buttons. Each cuff has hidden set snaps to close. Finished by hand throughout. The fabric has a little bit of stretch. Tagged a vintage Pucci 10. There is one light spot in the arm. Please see the photo after the label shot

Sleeves: 24.5" and to 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam above hips: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hip under the seam: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from neck to seam above hips
Skirt: 24" from seam above hips to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4301

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

The twin of this dress in a red colour walked the runway for the Spring 1987 show and its red twin was also used in the ad campaign that year. I am very happy to have those shots for you because it really shows how great this is once on the body. It is a gorgeous and very pretty example of the work that Mr Valentino was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop.

It is easy to see why this was chosen for the ad campaign that year. It is just so fabulous and so flattering. The dress is made from a bight pink silk chiffon that makes it as light as a feather. There is this fabulous black dot that covers the entire dress and adds to its charming feel. It is strapless and the upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it. The silk is gathered over the bust in tiny intricate soft folds that run down to the waist and then continue past that to be more fitted and hug the top of the hips. Just under the bust there is a little ruffle of the chiffon with wired edges so that it curls and twists for a pretty added detailing. This same technique is at the bottom edge as well and I love this little added feminine touch. That stunning colour combined with the soft gathers creates the most gorgeous effect. The skirt falls from that bottom edge of that and it has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It widens out quite a bit by the hem and it is made out of a three layers of silk. The lightness of these layers keeps it from looking bulky. The innermost layer is a silk organza in a pinky red tone. This is topped with a solid pink silk chiffon and the the top layer is the dotted silk chiffon. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. It somehow manages to feel sexy, romantic and feminine all at once. It is a tremendously beautiful little dress. Excellent condition

There is a built in corset made of lingerie netting with seaming for added support and then the skirt is made of three layers of silk as described above. The inner corset hooks to close down one size with a tightly spaced series of lingerie hooks. There is light boning in the corset. The dress zips to close over that at the side. I see a tiny repair on the inside seam of the neckline and the fabric has soften a touch at the edge of the back. Tagged a vintage Valentino 12.

Bust: to 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam, seam under the bodice is 15.5"
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 5" from top of bodice to seam under the bodice, 20" from top of the bodice to the seam above the hips
Skirt: 17" from waist to hem at its longest points

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4302

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1987 Valentino Runway. Models: Sonia Cole-Berry & Marpessa Hennink.  /  (2) Spring 1987 Valentino. Photo by Oliviero Toscani.

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

Bill Blass worked for the Maurice Retner label for 10 years as the chief designer. In 1968 the Bill Blass Inc label became a subsidiary of the Retner label. Then in 1970 he fully bought out his partners at the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name as Bill Blass Ltd. 1970 was the same year that he won his third Coty American Fashion Critics' Award and with it, his lifetime membership in the Coty Hall of Fame. By 1980 the company was doing 20 million dollars in revenue. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. By the eighties his work was even more ornate and luxurious than what he had done in the past. Prices for dresses could be as high as $5000 (which would be about $15,000 today). He was once asked why his clothes were so expensive and he replied, 'I'm an avid believer that we have to have clothes made in this country. Therefore we pay more money. ... The cost of labor and fabrication is what makes the clothing expensive.'

This is an exceptional dress. It is a stunning example of his work during this time period and these metallic pieces are among my favorites by him. This one even more so with its pretty pink colour and extraordinary fabric. The fabric is the perfect shade of soft pink used to create a floral design and that is mixed with a soft green for the leaves. Some of the pattern is raised and has been embroidered into the fabric. The thread used is incredibly soft and this adds yet another dimenesion to the dress. Woven over and through the silk is a muted gold lurex thread that give the fabric its metallic glitz and makes it gleam and glitter in the light. This same thread is also used to create the horizontal rows that you see. The gold covers the dress from head to toe. The neckline is a cut into a high V and the bodice crosses over itself and skims over you. This is then is balanced beautifully by those spectacular sleeves. Each sleeve is cut extra long so when it is on an actual body it will bunch up a bit on the arm for added texture. Set just under the bust is a wide band of the same fabric that wraps all the way around you and snaps and hooks into place. The crossed over bodice above and this wise high set belt is what gives the dress its nod to a kimono and obi. This tops the skirt that is set to widen out as it nears the floor. On one side and extending down from where it crosses on the bust it has a soft pleat that falls all the way to the floor. This adds a little extra detail and volume and it also hides a small pocket set along the inner seam. The hem has been let down at some point and it is supermodel long as a result. Blass did do a soft version of a kimono inspired dress for his inaugural Bill Blass label in 1970 that was photoed on Candice Bergen and I think that this dress is a predecessor to that one. This dress is an absolutely beautiful and dramatic piece of vintage couture. Excellent condition with a note below.

The fabric is self backed in a muslin throughout. You step into it and then it closes with a series of hidden snaps. The belt is attached and it snaps and hooks into place. Hand finishes. The hem was let down at some point and it is ribbon finished. It poufs a bit at the edge as there are spots where it was stitch in to sit proper when it is hemmed. If you needed the full length you could just take those out. It could be worn as is but I've left it so you could redo the hem to your perfect length. You can see a slight grubbiness here and there were the hem was. The hem was very deep and the length turned up under the sleeves is also very deep.

Sleeves: approx 25" w 3" turned under. It is 16" around the widest part of the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 52" from seam under the bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4293

Referece photo: Candice Bergen Wearing A Bill Blass Dress, Vogue 1970

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

The John Kloss for Cira line was originally intended to be worn as lingerie pieces but many that you find now can be worn as a dress. The recent trend towards wearing items more sheer and layered over inner foundation garments makes them suitable as outwear now. They are very collectible and fabulous examples of 1970s lingerie / hostess wear

This one walks the edge as far as how sheer it is. It def has a touch of sheerness in a strong light but you could use it as a cover up, layer it, or be daring and just go for it with undergarments. I love his work and this piece is a great example of how his designs worked with the curves of a woman's body to show it off to its best advantage. He deliberately chose good weight and quality nylons that held the color well and would drape exactly as he wished. This simple cut piece is done in a bright barbie pink. It is better in person in my opinion as the camera is not quite catching the right tone of pink. It slips over the head with no closures. The straps curve over the shoulders and at the front the bodice has a curve seem that runs under the breast. The panel of fabric above this is cut so that it drapes slightly went on the body. At the back it is scooped very low that leaves the back almost completely bare. The skirt falls from there skimming over the waist and is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. That is it. It is bare on top and that brilliant colour and sexy fabric is all that it needs. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear no closures. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Cira large.

Bust: no true seems but will cover up to 15" across
Seam under the bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to seam under the waist
Skirt: 42" from seam under the waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4275

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 absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful pink silk taffeta that has a slight iridescent quality to it. The choice of this silk gives it just enough structure to hold the shape but allows it to feel almost weightless once on. That fabric choice mixed with the soft billowing cut that it has gives it feeling of high drama. The bodice is cut to skim over the torso and the neckline is cut so that it is scooped at the front and the back. The sleeves are unlined and are cut to be extremely full and wide so that they billow out to just past the elbow and above the elastic at each cuff. The dress can be worn off the shoulder as I have shot it for a bare expanse of skin to show across the top or fully on the shoulders. The shoulders on the bodice are edged with a little matching silk ruffles along their tops for a pretty detail. The front is set with an elaborate design made of little glass tube beads that are set in a 3D pattern that comes off of the silk. These are then mixed with clear iridescent and facetted beading. The beading follows the neckline and then comes down into a point towards the waist. It is repeated at the back where it is even more densely applied. The beads catch the light wonderfully and add a little bit of sparkle to the dress. The skirt is very long and full. It flows to the floor in a cascade of silk. I have shown it without any underskirts but you could easily add a crinoline if you wanted even more fullness. A long matching silk sash cinches in the waist. The dress has a fantastic romantic, pretty and light feel, but is still sexy and beautiful. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined in a matching silk, the sleeves in a silk organza and the skirt is lined in a pink cotton feeling fabric. It closes with a back painted metal zipper. Each cuff has elastic. Has its original matching sash belt. Hand finishes.

Sleeves: 18"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: open
Bodice: 18" from shoulder to waist
Slightly dropped skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Sash: 11" x 90"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4237

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 Galliano went from Givenchy to Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. During John Galliano's years at the house of Christian Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing bias cut dresses in the house's history. His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. This is an amazing example of his work from the Boutique line and it is gorgeous

This is actually a three piece set which makes it very versatile. It has a huge impact when you wear all three pieces together but you can also mix and match them so that you can spread a little Dior over your existing wardrobe. The strapless top is actually a corset that is lightly boned inside and finished with lingerie netting on the interior. The exterior of it is covered in a light fine silk jersey in a bubble gum pink. It zips to close with a sweetheart neckline at the front and is gathered in between the breasts. This tops a long skirt that flows to the floor in dramatic layers. The inside layer is a solid deep dusty pink and then over that is the beautifully printed silk chiffon. The silk is all beautifully cut on the bias. It skims over the hip and separates into panels of silk cut different lengths and on different angles. The lightness of the fabric and this car wash feeling hem give the skirt incredible movement when you move. The set also comes with its original matching shawl that is made from a single layer of the silk chiffon and is very wide. At each end of the scarf it is finished with very long hand tied pink fringing. This can be wrapped around the hips, worn over your shoulders, around the neck or worn as a headpiece. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The top is fully lined in pink cotton netting and is fully boned with interior built in cups. It closes with a zipper at the side The skirt closes with a row of tightly spaced fabric covered buttons at the side and is lined in a pink silk that follows the shape of the pieces of the skirt bottom. The corset is tagged a US6, FR40, GB12

Top
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 12.5" from top of bodice to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from waist to longest point of hem

Scarf
Width: 106"
Height: 26"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4238

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

The Dior Resort 2012 collection was focused on pieces that would travel from the city to holiday. The twin of this dress was Look 11 in the collection. Vogue said of the collection that; 'That blue (used in another piece, along with coral, helped create a summer-in-Portofino vibe. If a resort could claim royalties for atmosphere theft, Portofino would surely be that place this season, and Slim Aarons could stake a claim too, because his photographs of the monied at play have been equally influential.' ...they continued to mention the crochet pieces specifically saying 'Maybe that accounted for the sixties flavor, not just in those Liz Taylor-worthy caftans and a handful of crocheted hostess gowns'. To me this was one of the best pieces of the collection and certainly one of the prettiest.

This dress is just a stunning testament to the work that house of Dior does. It is out of a dyed cotton and entirely hand crocheted. This actually gives some weight to the fabric but the cut makes it feel perfectly balanced once on the body. The colours are extraordinary. They combine a natural un-dyed cotton with a bright coral tangerine and a strong bright pink. The crochet work has several different weights to it in terms of the pattern and these helped form the design that runs over the dress. The colours are used to further emphasize the pattern. Most of the weave has an open effect so that you catch a glimpse of bare skin underneath or the colour of whatever you choose to wear underneath. The neckline is high and I love the feather feeling pattern that runs around its base and over the shoulders. The opening for the arms are cut on an angle down from there. The pattern switches to horizontal bands over the bust and then the rest of the dress falls from under that to the hem. A large diamond pattern covers the main body of the dress and then around the hem it switches back to a more horizontal feel where you have a more elongated diamond design. I love the little Dior embossed button at the back of the neck. With Dior it is always these little details that are wonderful to see. The dress is absolutely gorgeous and a vacation or summer must have. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear with a button above a keyhole at the back of the neck. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a small. The knit does have some stretch and I have done the measurements at their a comfortable range laying flat.

Bust: 14-16.6" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4219

Reference Photo: Resort 2012 Christian Dior Look 11, Model Alexandra Tretter.

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 remarkable example of Courreges and the work that Andre was doing during that time period. I know we often associate his work with very mod and short pieces but he also did many dramatic pieces in fabrics like this. It is just incredible and the photos don't come close to conveying how beautiful it actually is in real life. I am sometimes more excited to find these bolder and more unusual pieces from him then the more common mod feeling ones. This one is also numbered on the back of the label. It is just gorgeous.

This beautiful dress is made out of a black silk chiffon and then it has a floral design that it's fused onto the silk. The colours that are used are absolutely gorgeous. They range from this deep fuchsia and pinks and then they slowly change to soft corals and even pale lavenders in parts. The velvet has a glow to it so the effect of the velvet popping off of the transparent silk chiffon is this fantastic play of texture and colour that has to be seen in person. Many of his pieces are a play on volume and proportion and this dress is an amazing example of that. It is a dramatic piece that is cut with a dropped waist much like a twenties piece would be. This blouses over an inner seam set around the top of the hips. The neckline is squared off at the front and again at the back. I love how it is edged in a little black velvet ribbon. Running across the front of the neckline is a skinny little velvet strap that has a flat bow at its center. Each sleeve is full above its own skinny little velvet ribbon edging. The blouse is full and easy and skims over you to that low drop scene under the seam the skirt falls from there and is actually quite full. When you're standing still it hangs straight but when you move you get this beautiful volume and floating affect around you. There's a little attached velvet ribbon on one side of the head that wraps around to tie in the bow on the other. I would love to play on transparency that you get there is a lining inside but you still have this feeling that there's a slight transparency between the flowers. This is Address that really only comes to life once it's on the body as pretty as it looks in the photos it's really when you see it in real life and you realize how much flow the bias cut fabric has how much drape the dress has and how much movement it will have once it's on the body. It's spectacular. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a single layer of silk chiffon through the bodice and has two layers of chiffon through the skirt. Slips over the head to wear and has elastic through the seam at the top of the hips. You can use the ribbon to tighten it further around your hips. Taged a Courreges zero and has a numbered tag on the back of the label. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes

Sleeves: 14" and the ends are 10.5" around
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Elastic seam at top of hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 22" from top of shoulder to elastic seam at top of hips
Skirt: 29" from elastic seam at top of hips to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4149

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

Other then the colour this is the twin of the set that walked the runway for the Fall 2000 as Look 17. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. I also have Look 11 from the show in the shop now that has a longer jacket from the same client. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love that this set has both the light car length coat and a chic inner dress. It makes it so versatile and you can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways. Both of the pieces are constructed from a stunning deep coral pink and moss green version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. From a distance it combines to give a more rust coloured feel but as you get closer you see the two distinctive colours. It is absolutely beautiful. It is then edged with a fringe made of the two wools. On the jacket this fringing follows all of the edges of the coat and then also circles each cuff. On the dress it circles around the hem. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a nice pretty and romantic touch. The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the ham. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. It is hand lined in a rich deep green silk. The jacket slips over that and has shoulder pads for a structure and  the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. It has no closure except for a hook and eye at the neck. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled piece that goes from the neck right to the hem. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem. This adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. The jacket is lined in that same extremely high-quality green silk and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. This is a classic Chanel set that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture is just the icing on the cake. It is meticulously made to the highest standards. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine deep green silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand

The Chanel boucle is 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: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem

Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4142

Reference Photos: Fall 2000 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 17. Model: Tetyana Brazhnyk.

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

This is an incredible set that dates to the time period when Marc Bohan was head of the Christian Dior atelier. It is a beautiful and early example of the work being produced by Christian Dior in this time period. This is from the Christian Dior-London label and it was considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history. Pieces with this label where made for the London based Dior shops and the designs were based on the Paris collections. They were produced with many of the same high standard finishes that the Haute Couture pieces incorporated. The line was overseen by John Langberg who was the Artistic Director of Christian Dior London. Langberg would tweak the Paris looks of the house to meet the needs of Dior's London clients. All under the eye and approval of Mr. Bohan. It is exceptional and an excellent investment piece as well. Dior prices continue to skyrocket and finding early and stunning examples like and in this condition is getting harder and harder to do. 

This suit is exceptional. It is actually two pieces. A skirt that has an attached upper body lining and then a top that zippers into place over that. The inner part of the dress has the skirt attached and suspended from a sleeveless inner top made out of an early silky rayon lining. This is a technique that you no longer see done because of the extra fabric it uses and the longer zipper requirements, both of which add to production cost and time. But this was the proper way to have a skirt hang perfectly during this time period and be the most comfortable for the wearer. The top just skims over you and then the skirt is cut in a sleek little flare that skims over the hips and flares out with hidden flat inverted pleats at each side for volume. The actual width around the bottom hem stops just short of a full circle skirt. This is all achieved by the cut because there is no pleat work done around the waist. This would have taken a tremendous amount of fabric to achieve and wouldn't be done in modern production. Around the waist the silk lies flat and neat. It is very flattering once on the body. When you stand still the skirt lays flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume. Over that goes the little top that closes at the back with a zipper. It is cut to perfectly fall just over where the skirt underneath begins. It is cut with the slightest of curving in at the waist. It is beautifully constructed and it is cut to fit and flatter the body. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are capped and simple. The neckline is set in a wide cut scoop. A large bow has been set off to one side at the back and partially snaps over the zipper. At the front it is gathered in slightly towards the middle and there is a little strip of fabric at the center for detailing. The fabric is a very high end silk twill dyed to a beautiful bright fuchsia pink. A white design is woven through the silk and it is stunning to see in person. It is chic and elegant yet still feels glamorous because of that stunning colour and fabric. Excellent condition with a note below

Both pieces are fully lined in an ivory silky rayon. The top zips to close at the back and the skirt with its attached lining also zippers to close. A bow snaps into place over the zipper of the top. There is some minor shattering of the inner lining of the top under the arms but they are clean and fresh otherwise and the lining is very stable. Please see the final shot after the label 

Top
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17" from neck to hem

Inner Dress/skirt
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem with 4" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3847

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

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. I love finding his worn becasue its rare and exceptionally well made. It represents the more fantastical side of British fashion during this time period and I love that. 

This dress is amazing and a wonderful example of his work. It may not be what you typically think of when you see Gibb's work but it does show the range that he was capable of. The dress is made from a silk chiffon that has been dyed to a deep fuchsia that gradually darkens to a deep mauve. I love how the color deepens as it goes down the dress. The bodice is cut with a wide sleeve that comes out from the gathered and corseted waist. The neckline at the front and back dip in a deep V to meet the high set waist. This creates a beautiful shape that is far better on a real body then how it looks on my dress form. The front neckline is detailed with a little fabric flower that is finished with sequins to pick up on the detailing on the skirt and to tie the top and skirt together. The body of the dress is one large extra wide band. The silk is gathered over it and it is given  support and shape by that gathering and the seam work inits construction. This runs right to the top of the hip. The skirt cascades to the floor from there in a sweep of silk chiffon. Fused directly minor the silk of the skirt is a fantastic pink glitter that catches the light every time you move. The inner lining s a pale silver blue silk and having that colour layered under the top colour gives it a very unique effect that is conveyed better in real life then how it photoed. It is gorgeous and really needs an actual body in it to bring it to life. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined in a pale silver blue silk and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. There are hook and eye along part of the bottom seaming of the arm on that side as well. Big iridescent glass buttons on each cuff. Small areas here and there where the glitter has fallen off but its minimal and I am being picky. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little

Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: no defines seam
Bust: no true side seams so open and variable
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of gatherings 24" down from the shoulder: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, skirt is open under that
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3068

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