This is one of two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork, like these coats,  are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the colour and vividness of his homeland. 

This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below

Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see the teeniest bit yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and edge of the inner neck and makes on the inner lining under each arm. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage Small

Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4483

Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 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.

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The coat was probably meant to be a lingerie / lounge at home piece but works fantastically as a coat now. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi.  He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'

This coat is a dream. As good as it looks in the photos it is even better in person. The photos don't convey how soft the fabric is and how it really hold all that incredible volume around you. It is made from ultra short pile velvet type fabric that is top stitched into a shell patter. This pattern completely covers the coat giving it that texture that you see. The cut is huge and oversized. It's like having a blanket wrapped around you. The shoulders are soft and fall down the arm and the sleeve below that is cut wide and straight. You can wear them long or you could roll them up for a really relaxed feel. The body of the coat is equally as easy to wear. It is done with a loose, easy cut and cocoon feel. There are pockets hidden along each hip and the front is finished in a red piping that curves around and down to meet the hem. It closes down the front with red buttons and loops that leave a tiny bit of space showing. This will be one of your favourite things. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silky rayon and closes with the buttons down the front. Pockets along each hip. Piped edges. The cut is meant to be oversized and it is meant to be worn that way so should fit a range of sizes. It'll just be even more oversized on a smaller frame and feel more fitted on a larger.

Sleeves: 21" from the dropped shoulder
Dropped shoulders: 20"
Bust-hips: 23" and opening to 28" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4482

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 two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork, like these coats,  are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the colour and vividness of his homeland. 

This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below

Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see some faint yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and neck. Tagged a vintage Medium. 

Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

 Item# DD4481

Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 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.

Paul Whitney was a independent designer that there is not a lot of information out there on, but the pieces that I have seen are always extremely well-made. I think he did custom one-off pieces on request for his clients. This dress is absolutely stunning and shows the level of detail that he put into his work. The dress is numbered so certainly was a custom ordered piece. It is stunning.

The fabric on this dress is a beautiful deep red silk brocade that has a secondary gold design woven through its surface. This design runs over the entire dress and the silk seems to almost glow from within as a result of this color combination. The gold thread has been done in such a way that it almost sits on top of the base which gives the design this fabulous 3D feel. The red has a very rich and vibrant feel to it and in person, it has a more luminescent effect to it then how it photoed. I know the person who buys this will be very pleased once they see this one in real life. The bodice is strapless and it is cut to curve around the bust with inner boning and shaping to the front. The waist is seamed and defined below this with bead work. This tops a beautifully cut skirt that has a soft fullness as it widens out to the floor. The entire bodice is detailed with red and gold beads and there are 3D strands of bead work that sit in each of the medallions that circle the bodice. It is gorgeous. The construction of this dress is impeccable. It is also drop dead gorgeous and did not photo anywhere near how good it is in person. Excellent condition with one small note below to review.

Fully lined in a red silk though the bodice. It has an a hook and eye interior waist stay. Hand finishes throughout. Closes with a back painted metal zipper and has silk covered snaps over the bottom part of the zipper. The inner hem is unfinished around its edge.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for a B-C cup at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of dress to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4466

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 little set from the 1980s that would make an amazing holiday piece or that could be worn for any event where you really want to make an impact.

This set is gorgeous. Both pieces are completely covered in thousands of glossy red sequins that have been laid out flat beside each other. This  technique allows the silk underneath to be completely covered but still have the ease of movement that overlapping the sequins would not give it. It also allows for the maximum amount of sequins to show so that the entire suit catches the light beautifully. To highlight the seams of the jacket there is an edging of gold cording and bead work. It also details the tops of the faux pockets, the cuffs and the hem. The edging has an intricate design that builds on a gold silk cord with gold beads, rhinestones and large red dome beads. It's incredible to see and it acts like jewelry on the jacket. The skirt has a simple cut with a silk banded waist and then it widens out slightly as it falls to the floor in a long sleek column. The jacket has no collar and curves down and around to the hem. There are hidden set hook and eye closures down the front so it can be worn on its own or it is equally as good if worn open and over something else. The shoulders have rounded padding inside and it is cut to skim over the body. The sleeves are fabulous. Each cuff has a line of that elaborate detailing running up it. I love the versatility of having the two pieces because you can mix and match them with other pieces, but together they are truly spectacular. The silk base keeps them light in weight and its a very easy to wear set. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined in a red silk. The jacket closes with hidden set hook and eye below the V and the skirt hooks at the waist and zippers to close under that. Padding in each shoudler. Perhaps the occasional loose or missing sequin and a touch of patina on a bead here and there but just being picky

Jacket
Sleeves: 22" approx.
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# 4465

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

Holly Harp opened a shop LA in 1968 where she created custom clothing under the Holly's Harp label. When she started designing her clothing she tended to create her clothing out of a hodge-podge of new and old materials but once she opened her shop her designs became more slinky, and sexy. They began to reference the glamour of Old Hollywood and she preferred the bias cut feel of the 1930s. She had a huge following of Hollywood and Music stars; Liza Minelli, Diana Ross, Ali McGraw, Sally Field, Janis Joplin and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane were all huge fans. This is a phenomenal dress from the early - mid 1970s and it is even better in person.

This is a beautiful example of her work and dresses like this from her are impossible to find anymore. Her work is magical. The dress is done in the most striking jewel toned red coloured silk velvet mixed with a red silk chiffon. It is completely cut on the bias so very easy and comfortable to wear. The neckline is scooped at the front and again at the back. The dress is suspended from two tiny red silk straps that curve up and over each shoulder. I love the delicate little sprinkle of bead work that sits at the base of each strap. The dress skims over you all the way down the body with no lines to break the eye. The top layer of the dress is a red devore silk velvet on a red silk chiffon base. Worked through the velvet is a tiny bit of silver thread and these catch the light fantastically. Under the top layer of fabric there are three layers of silk chiffon and then a final inner layer of red silk. The inner silk chiffon layers stack on top of each other at a hem that is longer at the center of the front and back. Layering the hem like this combined with setting it all on the bias gives the dress incredible movement. When you move it all moves around you and the lightness of the fabric makes it all feel incredibly easy on. The final perfect touch are red silk cording that are set on each side. These hang off the dress as they near the hem and have beads attached to them. These all move and swing as you walk and move and give the dress a little rick and roll edge. It fantastic. Excellent condition

Fully lined an a red silk as described above. Bias cut and just slips on to wear. Hand finishes throughout. It has a large range of movement and should fit a range of sizes.

Bust: 15-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 60" from top of bodice to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4096

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

Pierre Balmain began his career at Molyneux where he worked part-time until 1936. After a brief stint serving in the military he landed at the house of Lucian Lelong. He eventually made the leap to independence and his first show was held on October 12th, 1945 at his salon at rue Francois 1er. This is a dress that perfectly shows that Haute Couture does not always have to be an elaborate over the top creation. Sometimes the beauty of couture lies in the restraint of the cut and a simplicity that belies the hours and hours of handwork put into each piece. This dress is a numbered and a true piece of Haute Couture piece. It is a gorgeous.

The dress is made from deep burgundy red silk. The top is cut into a V at the front with slight gathers where it inserts into the shoulders. The way that it is made gives it the appearance that it is a separate top that sits over a skirt but it is a true dress and one piece. Each sleeves is cut to balloon out slightly above the fitted cuffs. They are cut on a curve in the traditional dressmakers technique and I love how each cuff has a little pleated detail to pick up the pleat work of the skirt. Three silk covered buttons sit on each cuff and each one of those is placed to sit perfectly in the center of a pleat. I love how this small touch shows you how no detail is too small in the world of Haute Couture. The bodice skims over you and falls slightly over the skirt at the waist. The skirt falls from under that and it is attached to its own inner silk bodice. The skirt is fantastic. Each individual pleat is perfectly matched to its neighbor with meticulous precision. When you stand still the dress falls more in a column and then when you move you get incredible movement and fullness because of the pleats. Depending I hate this will be full length or fall to the ankle. It is a brilliantly cut dress. Every stitch has been done by hand and it is a lesson in precision. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a matching red silk and closes with an inner handset back painted metal zipper and then closes with a second zipper on the outer bodice layer over that. The cuffs snap into place under three silk covered decorative buttons. The Haute Couture label is present with couture tape under the tag numbered 157888. Hand finished to couture standards throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 27"
Shoulders: no true defined seams
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55.5" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2913

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 launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old.  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. When you covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this set is an exquisite and very special example of his work.

This set was custom made for, and is from the estate of, 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.

This is gorgeous. It is made from a beautiful printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a red lace that has a metallic finish. The entire set combined weighs ounces. Huge flowers cover the entire surface of the silk chiffon. The pants are made from two layers of the chiffon and they are cut long and wide. An elastic waist makes them very easy and comfortable to wear. You then slip on that long piece over the pants. It is also constructed from two layers of silk that fall from under the lace bodice. Each side is slit open right up to the lace top. This gives the top piece a ton of movement and creates this fabulous floating effect around you when you walk. The bodice part is made of two panels of a metallic red lace that is connected along each side with a bit of a angled plunge above where they connect. The lace has that fantastic metallic finish to it for contrast against the pattern in the silk chiffon. The bodice has an inner nude silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. The top is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. This set is tremendously good in person and it really needs an actual body to come to life. Cut supermodel long in length. Excellent condition

The pants are made of two layers of silk chiffon and close with a back zipper and elastic through the waist. The outer layer is lined with a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is made from two layers of the silk. The outer layer closes at the side with hidden fabric covered snaps. There are a couple of very minor repairs and light snags near the hem of the overlay. This is a one-off, unlabelled custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate. 

Over dress
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem

Pants
Elastic waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Pant: 45" from waist to hem
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2278

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 Dior dress was Look 5 in the Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2011 collection. This collection was shot as a look book that year. At the time Dior said this of John's collection: ”Dior’s Fall ready-to-wear collection takes its inspiration from the legendary love affair between Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. English romanticism is channeled into Balmoral fringed tweeds and candy-coloured tartans with Prince of Wales checks. Ultimate luxury and expertise create evening glamour in elegant draped gowns and head to toe sequins to ensure that every head is turned.” Vogue commented that: "John Galliano galloped the Duchess of Windsor through This Is Your Life, with richly hued musings on what Wallis Simpson in her prime might've worn at specific times of day and across the decades." The Dior team styled the pieces in lavish settings to play on this theme. I think that this was one of the best pieces of the collection and I love having the photo reference so that you can see it on a body. This was John's second last collection for the house.

The dress is a play on a flapper dress with a soft oversized check pattern softened with more pastel coloured version of red and blue. It is printed on a silk chiffon to further soften the feel of the print and give it a bit of a vintage feel. The dress can be worn longer and more straight on the body or you can hike it up to be super short and have the top blouse over as I have done in most of these shots. The front plunges to the waist and then crossed over itself at the base where it meets the seam. It can also be worn long with the seam and the hips and I also shot it that way from the front, side and back. It ties behind the neck and the ties trail down your back. The back is completely bare and it is scooped open right to the waist. A band of the silk chiffon wraps around you at the top of the hips and this is what you use to hold the dress higher or lower on you. The skirt falls under that to the hem and the lightness of the fabric gives it tons of movement. His signature tightly spaced silk covered buttons run down one side of the dress and there is a little bow at the top of the skirt on each hip. These little details are always what makes a Galliano designed piece that much more special. The final detail is the green and red lace that edges the dress. The lace has been stiffened and has deliberate raw edges to further play on that feel of the dress being a piece from the past. It is laid out over a band of ivory velvet and this last little touch ties everything perfectly together. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a fine pink-salmon coloured silk. It closes with the buttons down the side and ties around the back of the neck. At some point someone added a snap under the front where it crosses to make it a little more secure. I have left it but it could easily be removed if you wished. I see a bit of residue on the lining on one side of the bust where a double sided tape was used to hold it in place. Tagged a Dior F 36, GB 8, IT 40, US 4. Note that this was very difficult to measure and depending on where you want the band to sit it should fit a range of sizes

Bust: no true side seam and each halter will easily cover a full range of cup sizes
Waist/top of hip at seam: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam and expanding to 17.5 at the bottom seam of the band
Bodice: to approx 21" from top of bodice to top seam of the waist/top of hip
Band: 4"
Skirt: 14" from waist to longest points of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4036

Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2011 Christian Dior, Look 5. Model: Alina Baikova.

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 dress is the twin of the dress that walked the Spring 1992 runway and it is fantastic. The show had a string lingerie theme running through it and this dress was one of the most literal interpretations of that theme. This one is also brand new with tags so it's like having address from a time capsule which is incredible. I love that I have tons of runway photos and the video so that you can see just how fantastic this dress is on the body.

The dress is strapless with a cupped and shaped bodice and short cut with a kicky little skirt. It is made from a red lace to really play on that lingerie feel and the lines of it have been highlighted with a black grosgrain ribbon. This little extra touch really adds to the impact the dress has. A pretty little edging of silk chiffon is set in a small ruffle that follows the curving edge of the bust. This continues all the way around to the back. The cups have light boning for shape and then go all the way down and around the back. the dress skims over the waist and hips with long black grosgrain ribbons sewn onto the lace to create curves and length. Another ribbon circles around the seam that separates the lower skirt from the body of the dress. I love the fear of the lower skirt. It is set to be gathered into that low set seam so that it has a little extra volume and flare. The bottom edges are set an a little scallop that follows the design in the lace. The dress is simultaneously beautiful, romantic and full out sexy. It is gorgeous and with its original hang tag in place a little like getting a time capsule piece. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk chiffon and the interior bodice and upper part of the dress is lightly boned for shape and support. It closes with a hidden set zipper under the black middle ribbon. Tagged a vintage YSL 40. New with original hang tag and never worn

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from the top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4447

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent 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.

This was Look 41 and the second last look of the Spring 2020 collection. Vogie said of the collection in their review: 'Erdem Moralioglu’s long, stately procession of women tread on platform sandals along the gravel of a wide, tree-lined path in a London square. Seeing them silhouetted against the green led to yet another thought: how perfectly they fit into the scenery, like guests at a particularly well-dressed summer wedding.' his inspiration for the show was 'Tina Modotti, whom he characterized as “a romantic and revolutionary, a woman of principle. Each outfit was like a postcard from a part of her life." The pictures of Modotti’s life inspired Erdem’s voluminous proportions, the exaggerated shape of yoke blouses, rose embroideries, and the fringed shawls he tailored to sit on the shoulders without slipping. “It was the waistless-ness, tiers, the combination of Victorian dress and traditional dress that interested me,” he said." This dress exemplifies that Victorian feel that he was after and was one of the best dresses of the collection I think. 

The first thing that strikes you about the dress is the amazing color. It is an almost neon red coral that instantly draws the eye. On the runway it was shown over bare skin but this version includes a matching slip that you can choose to wear under it so you don't get that expanse of skin all the way down through the cut outs. The cut outs are incredible and cover the entire front of the dress. They are embroidered around their edges and have open spaces for your skin to show through between the embroidered flowers and designs. I love how he has carried these from the scooped neckline all the way to the hem and then down each sleeve. The body of the dress is cut to be more fitted across the very top and then widens out considerably as it near is the hem. This dress in particular is where you see that nod to the Victorian era in the way that it has been cut. The lines of it are stunning. The front panel has a more sleek feel and then the sides create volume on each side through vertical panels and then there is a massive amount of volume behind you. The top of the shoulders at the back have the same embroidered cut out continued onto it and then the remainder of the back and side panels are all a solid silk until the bottom of the skirt of the back where the embroidered cut out is again seen. The back sweeps out behind you in a train and I love that he has added a button and loop so you can bring that up so that the length of the back matches the front. This makes the dress that much more wearable because you can now wear it to a more non-formal event where a full train may be too much. It also gives the dress an even more interesting shape when you wear it with the train buttoned up. It is absolutely gorgeous and a wonderful piece of current fashion history. The dress comes with its original tags and has never been worn. Excellent condition

The slip axe as the lining and the dress it's self is unwind. It closes with a hidden setbacks zipper and each cuff buttons to close with for buttons and loops. The train buttons at the back as described above. The originals tags are attached and it has its original price of $6439. The slip is separate and slips over the head to wear. I have provided the slip measurements but you could always wear a slightly larger slip or no slip if you needed a bit of extra room. Tagged a modern UK8, US4, IT40, FR336

Dress
Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 58" from top of bodice to front hem and back when train is up, 70" at the back when train is down

Bias cut silk slip:
Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of straps to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4442

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2020 Erdem Runway, Look 41. Model Wang Han.

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

Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier in 1997 at the age of 31 which made him the youngest of the 20 official Paris sanctioned couturiers at the time. He remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture division. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection and it is the actual runway sample for Look 7 that was worn on the runway. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. This dress was also worn by Alexandra Daddario and those shots really showcase just how fabulous this is on an actual body. It is a gorgeous piece of Haute Couture history.

Having the actual couture sample means that Stephane himself would have fit the model to walk the runway that day. Runway samples are as hands on by a designer as you can get. It is an amazing opportunity to own what few people ever even see; a dress that is straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway.

The dress gorgeous. It is covered with various sized panels done in hand cut red silk that has a almost linen feeling texture to them. These have been hand set over the entire dress. The panels start out small and delicate around the bodice and then their size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. This layering technique of the panels gives the dress more depth and texture and movement. In person it is even lovelier then how it photoed. There is a subtle movement when you move that is not truly captured in the still shots. Each panel is secured to the body of the dress along its top edges only and this is what gives them that touch of soft movement as you move. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak. The front inner dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a flash of bare skin as you move or sit. The dress flows back and around you from there. The back is full and dramatic as it sweeps behind you. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. Some grubbiness here and there at the hem and some faint marks on one side. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon.

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from top of bodice to actual hem at the shortest point of the front and approx 92" from top of bodice to longest point of the back train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3054

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.  /  (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.

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 gorgeous Valentino dress whose twin walked the Spring 2002 runway for Look 79. For this show Valentino only showed a few red pieces which is unusual for the Mr. Valentino era as he did love to work the red into shows. This was one of a group of seven presented near the end of the show with only the finale dress also being done in red. I think it was the best of that group and it is a wonderful example of Valentino's work for his main line during this time period. I love having the runway photos and video of the dress for reference so that you can see just how amazing it is on an actual body and how beautifully it moves.

This is an incredible dress. I love its bareness at the top and the bandeau feeling bust that leaves that little keyhole of bare skin at the center. It has a very sexy feel to it in a very easy way yet, as with all his work, it still manages to feel elegant and refined. It is a dress that really comes alive on the body. It is very light and easy to wear because of the crepe silk chiffon it is made out of. It is cut to perfectly fit and skim over the body. The silk is completely covered in a dot pattern and I love how he has mixed two different size dots. This brilliantly plays on the different parts of the dress. The main body of the dress uses a tiny white dot so that the red seems to be more prominent and then the bust and ruffle around the skirt have a larger white dot that really give impact. The bodice is cut across the front and ties at the center with the little opening under the tie. The larger dot fabric continues all the way around the back so you get the sense of it being its own little bandeau top. It skims over you from there and there is no seam at the waist  to break the eye. The vertical seaming and slight bias cut to the silk simply curves it in and creates shape. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. It is wider then it feels standing still and I love the way that the skirt cut a little longer at the back to give the feel of a slight train there. Starting at around the hips is a ruffle that is set on a curve. As this wraps around you it dips down low at the back to create the bottom skirt there. The ruffle is made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. This allows it to really pick up the air as you walk or move and creates a pretty movement around you. It is made out of the same larger white dot silk and this perfectly picks up on the fabric used for bodice. The use of this crepe silk chiffon throughout keeps the dress wonderfully light. It is a beautiful example of Mr Valentino's work. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk crepe and closes with a hidden set side zipper on the exterior and a second zipper on the boned inner corset. The front ties into place and can be adjusted for bust size. Tagged a vintage Valentino 6 but runs small through the bodice

Bust: 15-16" across and the front ties so can be adjusted for cup size
Seam under the bust: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to front hem, 58" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4428

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2002 Valentino Collection, Look 79.

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 stunning dress and shows the softer, more romantic side of Lanvin from this time period. This would have been designed by Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. In the book Lanvin by Rizzoli, that has a lovely forward from Alber Elbaz, it is noted that the Spring 1984 was Crahay's last RTW collection for the label before his retirement. Crahay's time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourite periods for the house and I think it is so special to have a documented piece from his last RTW collection. Having the runway photos makes it that much more special since you can really see how great this one is on the body.

The dress is made from a beautiful hand loomed red linen. The linen gives it a stunning texture and the depths of colour that is achieved by using linen is fantastic. It has been lined in a black silk and from the back this gives it that wonderful contrast that you see. From the front the dress is this beautifully simple and romantic feeling dress. The sleeve are softly gathered into the shoulders and they are cut wide and straight to just above the elbow. The bodice is squared off at the front and it is cut to skim over you to the waist. The cut through the waist area is loose and easy and depending on how tight you tie the back it can sit more loose and easy or with a bit more shape. The skirt is set into the waist in a series of tiny soft gathers. This picks up beautifully on the shoulders and adds a little volume around the hips and through the skirt. I love the pockets hidden along each hip. They really add to the easy feeling that the dress has. The skirt has tons of fabric in it. When you stand straight you don't really realize how much fabric has been used but when you move or sit it really flows around you beautifully. The back is almost shocking with the surprise of it when you turn around. He has scooped the waist down to expose the very lower back and then it is open above that and held in place by three ties. The linen extends out on each side of that scooped back in wide ties and then each tie is a combination of the red linen on the top and the black silk underneath. When you ties these into bows you get this fantastic combination of red, black and your bare skin peeking out between it all. It is a fantastically surprising dress that is sexy and easy at the same time. I love it. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk satin through the top and black silk through the skirt. It close with a the hidden zipper on the inner lining at the low back. The back ties into place above that. There is a slightly darkened spot on the front skirt that is very minor. The dress is numbered under one folded edge of the tag. I did not take a photo of it because it's really hard to get to but if you twist the edge up you can see it.

Sleeves: 12.5" and 14" around at the widest point
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to front hem, 47" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4429

Reference Photos/Video: (1) Spring 1984 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.

This was Look 54 of the resort collection and one of the best of the evening pieces from that collection. It was shown in black for the collection and then was also produced in this spectacular all red version for the shops. I love Clare Waight Keller's time as Creative Director for the house. Even though her time there was short there are many really stellar dresses that came from her time there and this is on of them. It is a dress that will only gain in importance as time goes by and it is a definite show stopper.

Clare said of the collection that year “There’s a powerful woman in there that I really love; she’s a very strong character who loves a strong shape—something that gives a real sense of fashion.”, and in the Vogue review of the resort collection, fashion journalist Amy Verner mentioned the black version of the dress in particular along with another comment from Clare; "This marks the first season since the passing of Monsieur de Givenchy in March and Waight Keller hinted that a more intentioned homage might be forthcoming. In the meantime, the collection’s evening looks—specifically the long-sleeved black dress showered with silver embroidery, and the gradient celadon and rust plissé lamé gown—further the couture spirit we’ve seen most recently at the Met Gala and at Cannes. “It’s a real joy to be able to work at both ends of the spectrum,” Keller said. “It’s what I believe in: everything from the really simple everyday to the absolutely fantastic and fabulous.”

The dress is amazing. It is made out of a light weight red crepe through the body mixed with a silk faille for the inset on the lower skirt and silk chiffon for those amazing sleeves. There is also the addition of the teeny tiny sequins and beads at the neck. The red is gorgeous and it is that vivid true red that will flatter most skin tones. The the dress is cut in a long minimalist sheath that widens out softly as it near the hem. The neckline is scooped and the dress is meant to skim over you from bust to hips before it starts to do that soft flare out on the lower skirt. The upper portion of the bodice is finished with vertical rows of tiny red sequins topped with tiny round red seed beads. These are set across the shoulders and then angle down to a point. The lower skirt is finished with a panel of silk faille that is just a touch of a shade lighter than the crepe fabric. This runs across the full front of the skirt and angles up on an angle so that it is the opposite of the angle of the sequins at the neck. This is a very subtle detail that adds beautiful impact to the dress. The sleeves are the absolute star of the show. Starting at each shoulder a silk chiffon caped sleeve Falls over the top of your arm and then widen out to cascade all the way to the hem and slightly passed. They are open underneath so this gives them the ability to catch the slightest bit of air in billow out around and behind you when you move. It's the perfect touch of drama that softens the rest of the dress. All this extra detailing shows the high quality in making this. The dress appears to have never been worn and it is in its original extra long supermodel length. It is absolutely amazing  and the dress originally retailed at just under the 9k mark. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The address is in its original length and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern Givenchy 36

Sleeves: 63"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4378

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2019 Givenchy, Look 54.  /  (2) Credit unknown.

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

Bob Mackie became a household name when he started dressing Cher. He started off his career freelancing for costumers Edith Head and Jean Louis and it was while there that he sketched the design for Marilyn Monroe's famous 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress. He met fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan who eventually became his life partner. Together they designed costumes for Hollywood and created a made to order line of RTW. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years and the launch of his own label. His work helped to define an entire era of high glamour on the small screen and beyond. The dress is stunning. I love how it shows his range as a designer beyond just his signature beaded pieces.

This is an extraordinary Bob Mackie dress whose twin walked the runway for the Spring 1989 collection. On the runway it was shown with a little beaded Bolero and I love that you could potentially wear it like that by adding your own little jacket. This one came with a matching oversize shawl made of the same silk chiffon and I love it this way just as much but it's always nice to see options. The dress is made out of a brilliant red silk chiffon. It has a surprise though. Under the top layer of the silk of the skirt is a second layer of silk chiffon that is done in a bright true pink. This gives the red a slightly pink undertone and there is also this amazing and unexpected flash of colour when you sit or move. It is a colour combination that is stunning to see together. The bodice is strapless and it has an inner shaped corset that is boned and shaped for support and to stay perfectly in place. The top of the bodice is slightly rounded and then it is notched at the center. Over that the silk chiffon has been gathered and draped so that it swoops upwards and in towards the center seam. The skirt flows out from under the seam of that top part of the dress and it is made up of yards and yards of feather light silk chiffon. There are two layers of the silk as described above with the red on top and pink underneath. All the layers of the silk are feather light and the movement it creates as you move is just incredible. All the silk is cut on the bias. The dress also comes with its original massive matching cape shawl piece. Draped over the shoulders the sides fall down and passed the hem of the dress. You can wear it as a cake and just draped over the shoulder or you could wrap it. This little bit of added glamour and drama just elevates the dress that much more. It is truly one of the best dresses of his that I have seen. Excellent condition with one small note below

The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a red silk. The skirt has an inner pink layer of silk chiffon as described above. The bodice is shaped and and boned inside and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It then closes with a back painted metal zipper. Hand finishes. There is a tiny repair to the inner edge of the bodice, a tiny one near the hem and a small mark on the edge of the bodice at the back. Please see the photos after the label shot.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 8.5" from top of the bodice to seam
Skirt: 42" from seam under the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4335

Reference Photo: Spring 1989 Bob Mackie 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.

This same print was used on dress from one of Thea's very first fashion shows that was held at her Greek street shop in London. But the label on this dress was unusual and did not match the ones that would have been used for that show so I reached out to fashion historian and author Laura McClaws Helms. Laura wrote the book on Thea Porter released a few years back and she also curated the museum exhibit on her work. She told me that in the very early days Thea would sometimes meet with boutique owners and agree to sell select pieces to them. This dress is from one of those collaborations and that makes this dress a very rare piece. Once that was known we ended up finding a photo of the twin of this dress within Laura's photo archives dating it to 1969. It is a stunning and early example of what was to come and it is just a beautiful dress besides.

The dress is stunning. It feels a bit like her 'Faye' dress in its design but with the addition of those incredible sleeves. I love the stark mix of black white and red and how the print is done in panels that run down the front and back of the dress. The the sleeves and side of the dress are made from a semi-transparent black silk chiffon and that touch of transparently is very sexy. The printed parts are also a silk chiffon that has been completely covered in a graphic swirling pattern of red, white and black. The body of the dress is backed in a layer of silk chiffon to make it slightly more opaque and wearable but the sleeves are a single layer of chiffon. Their volume is partly created by how they come out from the waist and because of how they are set from the waist like that you get a glimpse of the transparency along the sides of the bodice when you move which is just insanely sexy. It is still subtle though because of how full the sleeves are cut. Each one falls from the shoulder and connect down right to the waist. Each wrist is finished with a tie made from the printed chiffon. Once on they will sit up more and billow around you. There is banding at the slightly empire set waist and this extends out at the back into long ties that you can cinch to add more shape. The print runs down the front of the  entire dress, circles round the hem and then meets the panel that runs down the back. Beyond its rarity and place in fashion history it is just a gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon except for the sleeves which are unlined. The dress zips to close at the back. Stiffened tulle set into each shoulder to hold the shape. The band at the waist extend to ties that you can cinch in the waist as desired. Hand finishes throughout. One of the ties at the wrist has a tiny bit missing from its edge that you do not see when it is tied. I see a couple of tiny pinholes near one shoulder. Please see the photos after the label shot

Sleeves: approx 28"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: no true side seams
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3491

Reference Photo: (1) Model in Thea Porter, 1969. Photo courtesy of Laura McLaws Helms.

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.

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 always has a high fantasy element to it 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. Every piece I bring into the shop that was made by him is very special and this one is no exception. Bill had a great fondness for history and looked globally for his inspiration. This set pays homage to Asian culture and I love how he combined the traditional cherry blossom print with English roses. It is gorgeous.

I love that you can wear this set together or as separates to extend their wear. It is absolutely gorgeous either way. The skirt is made from two long panels that are attached along the waist band and part way down each side. This creates this wonderful line from the hip to the hem. It is seamed down each side to just past the hips and then below that it is completely open. When you move or sit you get this long flash of legs all the way up. It is almost scandalous for its time period. The jacket is cut with more of an oversized feel. The front has no closures. You just slip it on and go. The top of the collar flares out for a bit of detail and the sleeves are cut wide and full. The jacket is detailed with black flat braiding that highlights the cut and adds detailing. More braiding runs along the edges of the skirt. The fabric is a beautiful red silk with little cherry blossoms and English roses woven through it in a slightly metallic finished thread. This is one of those pieces that in person and on an actual body it is even better then how it looks on my dress form. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are fully lined in a red silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The jacket has no closures and slips on to wear. I see a tiny touch of foxing on the side of the skirt, a tiny pen mark on the front of the jacket and some slight lines running up the satin on one sleeve. Please see the photos after the label shot. All these are very minor. Tagged a vintage UK 8. You might be able to add a little extension at the waist to get a bit more room if needed

Jacket
Sleeves: 24.5
Shoulders: 15" across
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 13" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem
Slits: 20" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3436

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 stunning skirt was designed by Belgian-born 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 the 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 terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. His use of print and colour is just outstanding. This skirt has a boutique label but also has the inner handwork, the seams especially, that denotes it to be made-to-measure special order piece that would be considered demi-couture.

This Lanvin skirt is utterly fantastic. I am in absolute love with it. The color, the crisp design, the workmanship - everything about it is perfection. The silk it is made out of is a fine silk twill which gives it the perfect touch of weight to hold the lines that you see. The pattern is screened onto that and combines florals and leaves running in horizontal rows across the skirt. The backdrop is a clear red and then greens, blues and soft pinks are layered over that to create the print that you see. A Crahay signature was to finish his hems with something that contrasted the prints that he used. Here we see that done a flat pleated deep green silk wide ribbon that is then finished with a black lace under that that picks up on parts of the design of a silk above. The bottom detail on his pieces were not only a beautiful visual addition to his work but also help to anchor and hold the fullness and shape that he desired. The skirt falls from the nipped in waist and gradually widens out to the hem. It is quite full. I did not photo it with any additional underskirts but if you wanted more fullness you could easily add one. Inside it has a full separate red underskirt detailed with black ribbon near its hem. The beauty of the color combination is equaled by the fine workmanship that has gone into constructing it. It is really a work of art and a very special piece. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a red silk as noted above and closes with a painted metal zipper and a button at the waist. A combination of hand and machine finishes with all the internal vertical seams finished by hand. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Hips: open
Length: 37.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S990

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 Haute Couture dress is exceptional. It comes to me directly from the family that the other recent Gres pieces have come from. Her son told me that 'Madame Grès would let her wear many dresses as she was size model and those she really liked she purchased afterwards.' This was one of those that she kept and it is a very special piece. He remembers her wearing this around 1960 to some galas. This is also the time period that she would have had that relationship with Madame Gres. In the course of researching the dress we found that the 1958 and 1959 collections in particular were ones that featured braided details and cape elements like this dress has. I have included here some examples other dresses by Gres that share some of those common elements to this one from those years for you to see.

This is one of the most stunning dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a biased cut silk chiffon with a small abstract print on it. From a distance it gives you that beautiful mottled red effect. Then as you look closer at the fabric you see that there is a deeper red, coral, soft green and a blue that all work together to form a pretty abstract floral print. The dress itself is simple and minimalist. It falls from the shoulder with wide straps that are made from hand gathering the silk chiffon and hand stitching them in these incredible little curved sections to create the illusion that the silk has been braided. These curve over the shoulders and then follow the neckline for a square off feel at the front. At the back they run down to the mid back and then run across in a straight line there as well for that same squared off finish there. The body of the dress falls from under that detailing in a swoop of bias cut silk. By the time it reaches the hem it is quite full. When you are standing still you get a soft column feel but then when you move you get incredible movement. The dress is lined in a layer of biased cut ivory silk and this gives the top layer and that pattern more depth. The silk is as light as air. Every seam on the dress has been finished by hand. Working with a silk chiffon as fine as this makes that an incredible achievement that would've taken countless hours of handwork. The dress is stunning on its own but this is a set and it comes with a incredible matching caped piece that has such  an unusual and beautiful design. Two wide panels done in a single layer of silk chiffon are sewn together at the top of the neck at the back and then they hook together at the front. The panels fall over each shoulder to the floor and just past the hem of the dress. It is incredibly light in weight. This allows the slightest bit of air to pick them up so that they waft and float around you as you move. If that was not already beautiful enough the cape is topped by an oversized hood made of the same silk chiffon. It is cut extra long at the back and in such a way that when it is off the head the ends twirl on their own. I have taken a photo of this for you because it is just such an incredible detail. It's something that happens naturally and on its own as a result of how the silk has been placed and sewn into place. When the hood is up it falls gently around the face to frame it. The dress is in incredible condition and appears to have never been worn. It is literally a work of art and one of the most special things I've ever had in the shop. This is truly an extraordinary piece of modern couture and is exceptionally beautiful. No matter how good you think it looks in the photos, it is better in person. Excellent condition.

The dress is lined in a fine ivory silk. There is handmade soft inner corset set inside and under the ivory layer and it closes with its own zipper. The ivory silk lining closes over that with its own zipper and then the outer layer of the dress closes with hidden set tiny snaps. The cape hooks to close at the front. An inner waist stay hooks to close with metal couture hooks. I see a very tiny and finely done seam at the base of where it snaps to close at the front and I'm not sure if it is there deliberately or if it was a repair at one time but it's invisible when the dress is on. Please see the photo after the label shot. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present. The bias cut of the dress does allow for a range of measurements and I have listed those below to the comfortable range laying flat where that applies. Note that due to the value of this dress returns will not be accepted so that it ships only one time.

Inner waist stay: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder  to hem
Cape: 65" from neck to hem and will come up a touch when on the shoulders

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4254

Reference Photos: (1) 1958 Madame Gres Evening Dress in The MET Collection. /  (2) Madame Gres evening dress, L'officiel de la mode, 1958.  /  (3) 1959 Madame Gres Evening Dress in the Chicago History Museum Collection.

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person and it will really come to life once on an actual body. We found a very similar dress held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and it lets you see just how wonderful the dress will be once on. 

The dress is a showstopper. It is made out of a deep red coloured lace that is then detailed with cording that wraps around the edges of the floral design on the lace. Then he added tiny little rhinestones that are fused to the fabric of the larger flower patterns to give the dress an subtle bit of added glitz. The bodice is cut to skim over you with an inner silk lining in the same shade of red. The sleeves and neckline at both the back and the front are not lined so you get a little glimpse of the skin underneath the lace. The waist is not seamed so there is no line to break the eye. It simply comes in to suggest shape and then flares out to the skirt underneath. The skirt skims over the hips and then widens out as it nears the floor. I love the high low effect that the skirt has. It is cut to be shorter at the front and then the hem curves back and around you where it extends out to a trained effect at the back. All of the edges are scalloped to follow the pattern and shape of the designs in the lace. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior. It is fully lined in a red silk and then the back of the skirt has an added layer of stiffened net tulle to help hold the shape and volume. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine deep red silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner tulle skirting. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt ad there is an area missing in the tulle just above the hem. This does not affect the dress in anyway. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to front hem, 64" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3813

Reference Photos: Fall 1986 Arnold Scaasi dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection.

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 little Yves Saint Laurent dress has such a joyful feel to it. I am always excited to find examples of Yves' work from this time period and this one is extra special because it is the twin of the dress that was shown on the 1983 runway. We also found a editorial shot from that season with the same dress in a solid colour that was shot for L'Officiel magazine. I love the solid colour version as well but the printed one just has so much colour and joy to it I can't help but love it a little more. 

This is a gorgeous little day dress that you could easily style to work into the evening, especially during the warmer months. The colours are amazing and absolutely pop off of the cotton fabric that he chose for this dress. Cotton takes colour extremely well and it is the perfect choice to get these crisp vibrant tones. It also holds the shape well so that the dress has volume where Yves wanted it. Yves Saint Laurent was a master at choosing the fabrics that were the perfect compliment to the prints that he used. This dress is no exception to that rule with its riot of bright flowers covering its surface. The cut is pure Yves and a wonderful example of the work he was doing during this time period. The sleeves end just below the elbow and are cut with a full balloon sleeve pouf above their wide and easy elastic cuffs. The bodice is fitted with a V neckline at the front. The upper portion of the bodice is done in the same floral fabric as the sleeves and skirt but he then inset a blue fabric to define the waist and visually cinch it in. He then plays with proportion by adding a blue cotton peplum that runs all the way around the hips and flares outwards. Below that the skirt flares out with a pretty swing feel. And there are pockets hidden along each hip under the peplum. The combination of the prints and the cut is genius. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Unlined and zips to close at the side. It is tagged a vintage YSL 36. It appears to have been worn very little if at all but there is some fading to the tops of the curves on the peplum. You notice it more when it is off the body and laying flat but not when on. Please see the photo after the label shot. 

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3653

Reference Photo: (1) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Runway.  /  (2) Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, L'Officiel, 1983.  /  (3) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Ad Campaign.

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