Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection at a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. He loved to experiment and would often change his aesthetics from season to season. This is an amazing example of the custom piece that he was doing and comes directly from the client that worked with him and purchased it from him. 

My client had this dress custom made for herself and worked one on one with Issac on its design. It is a gorgeous dress and it really feels like its time period with its nod to Old Hollywood combined with a twist of modernity through the quirky placement of the bow at the back. It is made to demi-couture standards. The dress is very long and the lines have been kept simple. The bodice is molded and sculpted into a plunging V at the front and again at the back. The fabric on the bodice extends into the straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The simplicity of how it is made is what gives it is sculpted feel. The wonderful curving shape from there has all been created through long vertical seams. This means that there is no horizontal line at the waist to break the beautiful curves the dress creates. Even off of the body and on the hanger this one has curves. That is how well made and scalloped it is. The fabric that Isaac chose for the dress is a heavier silk matte satin that holds the shape he meant it to have but without being too heavy on the body. The light purple colour is beautiful. The photos have come close to capturing the colour but in person is a touch lighter and brighter and even better. It skims over the bust and waist and over the hips. Then at about the knee the lower skirt starts to begin to flare out in an angled and sculpted line. The lower skirting is set into the body of the dress on an angled seam and this clever seam placement helps to elongate the line of the dress to make you look supermodel tall. At the back of the skirt where it meets the rest of the dress there is an oversized bow that is also set on an angle that follows the seam there. I love how it makes a tremendous impact from the back as you walk away. Even from the front view you see that bow peaking out slightly on either side making you wonder what is there. The skirt is cut slightly longer at the back to create that beautiful shape that you see. All of the shaping has been creating by seaming and fabric placement and it really shows just how great Isaac could cut a dress. It is even better in person and once on an actual body it really comes to life as the skirt moves around you. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching purple silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. The slightest bit of scuffing to the very back hem. Please see the last photo after the label shot. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx A-B cup
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59.5" from top of shoulder to front hem, 62" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3595

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

Jean Paul Gaultier's career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred through his pieces and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his brilliant vision. In 1997 he entered the sanctified world of Haute Couture and for just over two decades produced stunning work cumulating with his final show for Spring 2020. His pieces of couture rarely come to market and I am very pleased to have this dress that is very well documented and instantly recognizeable. This is the twin of the dress shown for the Fall 2000 Haute Couture presentation entitled 'Paris and its Muses'. I have included the original runway photos for reference here for you. The dress was also photoed for Vanity fair on Doutzen Kroes. Fast forward to 2013 where the twin of this dress was featured in the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit. I actually attended the opening of that show in San Francisco and it is surreal to now have the actual dress in hand as I remember swooning over it on display. This dress was obviously a favourite of Jean Paul's because he chose to recreate a version of it for his Fall 2018 Couture collection. That 2018 version was then worn by Rita Ora for the 2018 MTV VMAs. This may have been the only original piece ever produced beyond the piece that was shown in the exhibition. 

The dress is an incredible work of art. It is made from a layer of silk netting that falls over an interior nude coloured lingerie weight stretch silk. This makes it very easy to wear and be comfortable in despite the dramatic feel it has to everyone seeing it. Onto the silk netting at hand made and hand applied tubes of silk with a stiffened netting inside that gives them the 3D dimension that you see. The entire dress would have had to have been careful planned out prior to its creation. Every single word that you see running over its surface would have had to have been laid out and planned for how it would be placed onto the dress before it was even started. Each word would have had to have been figured out as to the degree it would curve over the body and then it would have been all meticulously brought to life. The letters cover the dress from head to toe and the closer you look the more you see the French words 'Cherie',  'Mon Amour', 'Jean Paul Gaultier', 'Paris' and more as the hand written script cascade and curves it way down the length of the dress. It falls from the shoulders in a long swoop that widens out as it nears the hem. I love how the hem is curved and swooped to follow the final words across the bottom. The script and the netting inside the words also helps to keep the shape of the dress that you see in my photos as they act as structure and support. In a way like a crinoline but attached on the outside rather then worn underneath and hidden. The top is sleeveless and the straps are just wide enough to accommodate the lettering that runs over them. The front scoops down and the back dips into a V. The waist is easy and then it flares out dramatically to the hem. It is bias cut so should fit a range of sizes. Inside you can see how all of the seams are finished with proper couture techniques. This is a dress that would have taken hundreds of hours to complete and is literally like wearing an art piece come to life. To have a piece available for purchase is almost as rare as being able to have bought it as a couture client in the first place. Truly one of the most magnificent pieces he has ever created. Excellent condition with some very minor notes below 

Composed of two layers, the inner nude lingerie weight stretch silk and then the netted layer over that. The inner layer closes with a zipper and the outer layer snaps to close with a tightly spaced series of tiny snaps.  The dress looks to have been worn very little if at all. There is some minor stress to the netting around the seam of the armholes. I see a couple of the ends of a word that have popped through the silk a bit and some small tiny snags to the netting here and there. All of these are very minor. Please see the photos after the Couture label. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tag present. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client  

Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3612

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 2000 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection.  /  (3) Doutzen Kroes in Jean Paul Gaultier couture from the 2000 collection for Vanity Fair, 2009.  /  (4-8) Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Grand Palais, 2015.  /  (9) Fall 2018 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 34.  /  (10-12) Rita Ora in Jean Paul Gaultier at the 2018 MTV VMAs.

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 comes directly from the original couture client and is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work that he was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop. I am also pleased to have found several documentations of the dress from that season. The dress is featured in the book "A Grand Italian Epic: Valentino Garavani" by Taschen, which is considered to be one of the definitive volumes on Valentino's work. It was also featured in the March issue of Italian Vogue. That layout was photoed by Steven Klein and the dress was modeled by Monica Gripman. It was also shot on model Brynja Sverris for one of the Valentino campaigns that year. This is one of his most recognizable dresses that he has ever created and you instantly recognize it as being by him the second that you see it. It is an extraordinary and historically important piece of Valentino's couture work. This would also make an exception bridal dress for the non traditional bride or as a secondary dress to change into.

This dress is extraordinary. The lines of it are pure poetry. The front of the dress has been done with a minimalist feel and its entire design is deliberate to give you just a glimpse of what will happen when you turn around. The top overlay is made of a black silk faille and the neckline is high and slightly scooped. It curves and skims over the bust and nips in gently at the waist. The shape that you see is all done with beautiful curving vertical seams so that there is no line to break the sweep of the eye. This then extends into a long panel that lays over the inner skirting. It is cut on one side with more of a curved line, while the other side is set on a slight straigher line that runs up to the the detailing at the back. This slight asymmetrical cut is fascinating and it is done so subtly that at first your eye does not see it. Instead you only see how this allows the underskirt to sweep out slightly more on one side then the other. From under that the skirt flares out and back in a tremendous sweep of fabric. The underskirt is also made out of a heavy silk faille in a creamy ivory with black dots. Many yards of silk have been used its construction and it designed to have massive volume at the back. From every angle of the dress you get these wondrous sweeping views. At the back the black silk is cut into a V and set slightly to one side. Where each side of the front overlay meet, there is a huge ivory silk flower. The lines that lead up and towards the flower are all curving perfection and the way that the black sweeps up to meet the flower is a moment in itself. The flower is huge and sits nestled in the crook of your low back. The interior of the dress is made to couture standards and is as stunning as the exterior. There are attached inner tulles that give the skirt its shape and volume. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen. It is an amazing example of his earlier Haute Couture work. Excellent condition with a couple of minor notes below. 

The dress is lined in a black silk and there are attached underskirts in silk tulle. It closes with an inner zipper that is attached to the underskirt with a second exterior zipper over that. Inner waist stay hooks to close. The panel where the flower is set snaps into place with hand covered silk covered snaps. I see some grubbiness at the hem and on the flower and a repair to one of the tulle underskirts at the back. Near the base of the inner zipper the fabric has come away from the seam. All of these are minor. Please review the photos provided after the label shot. Finished with Haute Couture construction techniques throughout. 

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3604

Reference Photos: (1) Brynja Sverris in S/S 1988 Valentino Haute Couture by Gianpaolo Barbieri.  /  (2-3) Monica Gripman in Valentino Haute Couture for Vogue Italia, March 1988. Photos by Steven Klein.  /  (4-5) S/S 1988 Valentino Haute Couture Dress as shown in the book "A Grand Italian Epic: Valentino Garavani" by Taschen.  /  (6-7) Queen Sofia of Spain in Valentino, meeting Queen Elizabeth, at the Palacio Real de Madrid, in Madrid, for a state banquet in Spain, 18 October 1988.

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

Christian Lacroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and his work was instantly revered world wide. He defined an era and he was crowned the King of Couture. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His collections were always exotic and lavish affairs. He drew his inspirations from across the decades and I doubt there was ever a more high glamour couturier. This dress is very special and a stunning example of his work during this time period. It has all the signature Lacroix drama that you could ask for. It comes to me from the original couture client. The twin of this piece walked the runway that season. My client ordered hers in a slightly different shade of silk taffeta and the atelier changed the colour of the stone in the jewelled brooches to match this fabric selection. His couture pieces rarely come to market and this is an exception example of his work. 

The dress is beautiful. It is made out of an iridescent silk taffeta that changes colour slightly depending on how the light hits it. It can go from a deep bronze colour to an iridescent blue tone. Each sleeve is long and slim and cut to end just above the wrist. A row of five silk covered buttons runs up each wrist with working silk loops. The body of the dress is cut into a simple sheath and then it has been gathered up along one side and secured in place with that incredible huge brooch. The brooch is a gold metal circle that has large golden topaz glass crystals mixed with brilliant blue glass stones. The neckline folds over in a curve of fabric and is set very wide across the shoulders, angling down to leave one shoulder bare. The back is tremendously beautiful. That wide neckline from the front dips and angles down at the back to leave a large part of your back exposed. I love how the silk takes on a draped and wrapped effect as it is brought down to the point where the bare expanse of skin ends. Another huge jewelled brooch has then been pinned in place there to anchor the draping. Below that a stiffened panel of silk flares out dramatically to one side in a half bow effect. I have included some shots of the clever way the dress and back close and you can see the meticulous work that has been put into the piece to ensure it drapes perfectly. Excellent condition with a couple of small notes below

Fully lined in a black silk organza and closes with an elaborate mix of a zipper, snaps and hooks at the back. One flaring panel loops through the other. It is in wonderful condition with a few small things to note from normal wear. There is rubber ribboning along the neckline to hold it in place and this has changed colour here and there. There is one stone missing at the bottom of the front brooch. The brooches are removable and you can see little marks on the fabric under them where the pin has been pushed through in different places. There are a couple teeny pinhead marks on the fabric where the brooches have caught on the silk near the brooches. Very minor. It is really in stunning condition. Unlabeled and sourced from the original couture client

Sleeves: 19.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3602

Reference Photo: Fall/Winter 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture 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 dress comes directly from the original couture client and is an exceptional example of Laurent's Haute Couture work that he was doing during this time period. Finding pieces from this time period in such wonderful condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop. I am also very happy to have the runway photo of this dress for you so that you can see just how lovely it in on. It is very beautiful and made more towards his aesthetic where he made the dresses to be very tailored and structure as opposed to his opposite side when he did pieces that were more along a drape and flow construction. This is a a dress that truly needs an actual body in to to come to life. It is extraordinary 

The bodice of the dress is highly structured and the choice of silk taffeta allows Yves to mold and shape the sleeves and bodice like sculpture. It is cut to be worn completely off the shoulder so that you get that full bare expanse of skin. A wide band of a deep fuchsia pink silk taffeta, that has a touch of a purple undertone to it, runs across the top of the bodice and then extends down to form each sleeve. He has manipulated and gathered the fabric into folds along the entire length of each arm. The remainder of the bodice is also constructed from a silk taffeta but this time in deep burnt copper that has a touch of a metallic glow to its finish. This too is gathered along each side so that there are soft pleats that lay across and around you. I love how the eye gathers feel cohesive from the body to the arms but the colour gives contrast and the gathers are set slightly different so that you have a slight change in how the texture feels. The skirt comes out from the waist and is a very formal feeling skirt that is attached into the waist with soft pleats that open up to allow it to be quite wide by the time it reaches the hem. The underskirt part is a beautiful rich purple. The purple silk is then covered in a layer of black French lace that has a stunning floral design set within medallions. These run over the lace and are repeated throughout to create the beautiful pattern that you see. I love that the bottom edge of the lace follows the curving shape of the design that is in the lace. His finishing touch is done with a wide silk ribbon in a bright green that wraps and ties around the waist. I love this unusual colour combination. You could also easily wear it without the sash or change it for a more structure belt to add more shape. It is very elegant and yet the bare shoulders add a touch of sexiness. I very much love this side of his work where he works within a strong, shaped silhouette and then created a gown to his exact intentions. Excellent condition 

Fully lined through the bodice in a fine black silk satin. There is a built in silk covered elastic that is attached and wired right between the breast for a slight bit of support and then wraps around you and hooks to close. It closes with a side set zipper and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. There is a series of snaps above the zipper that run under the arm seam so it opens enough to get into it. Each sleeve zips to close at the wrist. The exterior layer of the skirt closes with its own a hand set side zipper. The silk ribbon belt is tacked into place on either side of the waist. On the interior of the skirt at the inner waist the fabric has been folded down and it looks like it would be possible to lengthen the skirt from there by just about 4" but the side skirt zipper would need to be reset if you did that. There is perhaps a touch of dusting on the fabric on the folds under each arm. So minor I am just being crazy picky because it is couture. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques.

Sleeves: 20" from where they start off the shoulder 
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 54" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3598

Reference Photo: Fall 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Runway 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.

Jean Paul Gaultier's illustrious career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred through his pieces and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his brilliant vision. In 1997 he entered the sanctified world of Haute Couture and for just over two decades produced stunning work cumulating with his final show for Spring 2020. His pieces of couture rarely come to market and I am very pleased to have this unbelievably beautiful ensemble. This was look 33 for the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation entitled 'China and Spain'. For this season Gaultier combined elements from those two countries in a beautiful homage. Pieces from this collection were featured in the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit of 2013 and to have a piece available for purchase is almost as rare as being able to have bought it as a couture client in the first place. After the show Gaultier said of this collection “I wanted to do something more sensual than sexy. The idea was to bring together everything that you imagine when you think of China and Spain—theater, movement, color, history and richness.” The twin of this look was worn by Alec Wek on the runway with a huge red bib neckpiece over the top. This may have been the only piece ever produced beyond the runway set. 

It is extraordinary to think that Jean Paul Gaultier has only produced a Haute Couture line for two short decades given his long career. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. I was very pleased to have found the reference photos and video so that it shows you just how amazing it is on. The pants are a work of art. They are incredibly heavy. They have been densely beaded with glass tube beads in tightly spaced rows to cover every inch. Worked into the sequins are the brilliantly coloured flowers that you see. These are all hand embroidered and trail over the pant legs, wrapping around them to act as a living wall of art. The work to place each of these beads individually and do the embroidery must have taken hundreds of hours to complete. They are cut with a flat front and straight leg that is quite wide. So when you move they move and this adds another element to the design as the light catches the beads while the colours of the embroidered flowers burst around you. The top is made out of a silk jersey and my client ordered it in a solid black. It is ingenious how it closes with a complicated array of a hidden zipper front with two separate areas of silk covered snaps and hooks. I have included some photos of the stages of how it closes for you to see. It wraps around the body and drapes to the one side. The collar is high and you can see the reference to China with its shape. Each sleeve is incredibly long (see the third last detail photo before the label) and when they are pushed up the create a design detailing in themselves with a row of rounded gathers forming around the entire lower part of the arm. I love the long trailing swag of fabric that is set on one side. It cascades over the pants and to the floor. This panel of fabric elevates the design even more and gives it that Gaultier feel of going against the norm. It also has a nod to the trade de luces cape, part of the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters wear. It is a brilliant piece of Haute Couture and is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, breathtaking beauty and a dash of avant garde. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

The upper portion of the top is lined in silk and it zips to close at the inside front. A jersey panel wraps over this and closes with a series of silk covered snap and hook & eye along the side near the neck and also along the waist and hip area of that same side. The pants are fully lined in a silk and close with a hand set zipper. There may be the occasional bead missing from the pants. All the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tags on both pieces. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Top
Sleeves: 45.5" and push up to wear
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Interior waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 29" from neck to shortest point of the front side, 37" to longest point of the back
Hip swag: 47" from waist to longest point of the hem

Pant
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 30" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3581

Reference Photos: Alek Wek for Fall 2001 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture 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.

My couture client purchased this set in the spring of 2004 and it is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. This is one of the pieces made for retail sale that season and has many of the hallmarks we know and love about McQueen's work. Lace was used throughout the collection that year. Vogue said of the runway show; 'McQueen's signatures—elaborately pieced tailoring (now beautifully softened with delicate inserts of lingerie)... did star turns' and the this set lives up to that and more. 

Both pieces are made from a black silk taffeta and the top is detailed across the shoulder with a fine gossamer black lace. The skirt takes it reference from many of the cuts seen in the spirited dance show that the collection was presented with for that season. If you look through the photos of the show, you see many skirts were cut with this hip hugging silhouette that then flared outwards at the bottom skirting. On this set the flare is at the back with the front cut to be more of a sleek pencil shape. But when you turn to the side or around, you see that the silk hugs the bum and then flares out quite dramatically on either side at the back. The top showcases more of his elaborate and genius tailoring. It is cut and shaped by a series of vertical curved panels pieced together all the way around the body. It buttons down the front and has flap pockets set on each hip. The entire top of the shoulders and the capped sleeves are made out of a fine black lace that allows a glimpse of skin through its elaborate design. A wide grosgrain ribbon wraps around the top edge of the corseting and finishes with a neat flat bow at the front. The fabric choice gives it shape and holds the intended silhouette and the femininity of the lace is the perfect contrast against that sharp tailoring. This is Mcqueen at his finest and a stunning set that is even better once it is on an actual body. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

Both pieces are lined in a black silky rayon. The skirt zips to close with a hidden set zipper and the top buttons down the front. Note that it was a little small on the dress form and does button properly once on the correct size person. The skirt is tagged a 38 and the top is tagged a 40. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The entire set is a true black in person 

Top
Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Skirt 
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3572

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

Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection through a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. He loved to experiment and would often change his aesthetics from season to season which was his ultimate downfall. After the fall 1998 show Chanel pulled its stake and the company folded. He did have a couple of subsequent come back attempts, but for collectors these early years are the most important pieces to find.

My client had this dress custom created for herself and worked one on one with Issac on it. It is a dress that really showcases his depth as a designer and it is stunningly beautiful. It is made to demi-couture standards and it looks to have never been worn. The bodice is amazing. It is strapless and is densely covered with large, glossy black beading mixed with large prong set glass crystal rhinestones. These are so heavily applied that you cannot see even a smidge of fabric between them. The size of the beads, combined with the ultra tight spacing of them give it a 3 dimensional effect. The beadwork wraps completely around you to the back. The top of the bodice curves in the most flattering of ways and to is molded to follow the curve of the breast. The dress falls from directly under the bust so that there is no line at the waist to break the beautiful curve of the skirt. The body of the dress is made from a fine black lace and he has set that over a inner nude silk lining. From a distance this gives the effect that you are covered in just a layer of lace. The skirt sweeps down from under that heavily beaded bust, skims past the waist and then starts to flare out from there. It is cut so that by the time it has reached the middle of your legs it flares out tremendously for the lower skirt. This combination of the flared out lower skirt and the black lace give it a touch of a Spanish feel I think. Extra tulle attached to the inner lining help to keep that gorgeous shape that you see. It is even better in person and once on an actual body it really comes to life as the skirts float and swish around you at the slightest movement. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a two layers of a golden nude silk. The innermost layer of the skirt has additional tulle around the hem to help hold the shape. The bodice has a built in inner corset that closes with its own set of lingerie hook and eye. The exterior layer closes over that with a back zipper. Some marks to the inside hems but otherwise it appears to have never been worn or worn very little. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx A-B cup
Inner waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3564

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 longer skirted version of this was presented as Look 38 of the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection. For the runway it was shown with a full length evening skirt. My client ordered it with a more wearable pencil skirt length which gives it the added benefit of being able to be worn from day through to evening. The Fall 2001 collection was one of his final collections and to have a piece from this season is very special. Vogue noted that "Cocktail hour incorporated every possible variation on the tuxedo: There was a button-front dress, a smoking jacket that morphed into a full tulle skirt, and, naturally, an updated version of the masculine tux immortalized by Helmut Newton in the '70s." Yves play on the tuxedo and 'Le Smoking' suit is one of is most famous hallmarks  He first presented the now famous suit in 1966. His play on traditional menswear is lauded by many as 'having empowered women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power'. 

I love the extra wide collar on this one. It is so bold and yet still elegant and refined in feel. There is nothing quite like slipping on a tailored piece of true haute Couture. It feels different somehow and the feeling is something you can only really experience for yourself. The construction is meticulous and it is in wonderful condition. It is sourced from the original couture client. These suits were all done in a play on a men's tux and then were shaped and tweaked by Yves to be immensely flattering on the female body. The cut is masterful and its simple appearance is produced by genius tailoring that is sharp and meticulous. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that follows the curves of the body. It is slightly cropped to sit just at the top of the hip. It has his signature matte satin tuxedo collar and on this one that line is exaggerated to cover almost the entire front of the bust area. Yves produced many versions of this suit over the years but what I find remarkable is that each version is distinct in how it closes at the front and the way that the collar is shaped. This one has a single faced, glossy jet button to close below that amazing collar. Two discreet pockets are top set on the hips and the shoulders are sharp and perfectly padded. The fabric that he chose is has a fine rubbing effect to it and it has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. The skirt is cut in a simple pencil shape. Once on, the suit transforms and you can see how beautiful the lines are from the runway photos and video that I have included here for reference. His suits change the way we approach woman's wear and any example of the Le Smoking version is particularly collectible. They are a particularly wonderful example of how strong his tailoring was and vision for a woman's place in the world. This is an important piece of fashion history from one of his final collections. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in a rich heavy black silk. The jacket has a single button at the front to close. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Two pockets on the jacket. All hand finished to couture standards. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. All Haute Couture tags present and it was sourced from the original couture client 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem at the front, 22 at the back

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3559

Reference Photos: Diana Gärtner for Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2001 Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 38.

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

Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection through a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. He loved to experiment and would often change his aesthetics from season to season which was his ultimate downfall. After the fall 1998 show Chanel pulled its stake and the company folded. He did have a couple of subsequent come backs, but for collectors these early years are the most important pieces to find.

My client recalls having this made for her in 1998 which dates it to his final year. It is a one-off and was a custom created piece just for her. One of the keystones of Mizrahi's work was that he used surprising fabrics in unexpected ways and that is displayed in this set. The top is made out of a double layer of stretch jersey that is the same nude jersey that you would normally see in lingerie. That doesn't feel all that avant garde for our modern world, but in 1998, to use lingerie fabric for outerwear would have been startling. The top is easy to wear and has the simple lines that he preferred. It is sleeveless with a slight ruffled effect around each arm. It zips up the back with a large exposed silver zipper and the edges are left raw cut. Over this is a floor length silk taffeta skirt. It has a lovely long line with pockets on each hip. At the waist it is detailed with a nude silk netting that is set around the waist in a three dimensional pin-tuck triangle design.  The one-off, rare set is gorgeous on an actual body and in person the textures of the fabrics really play off of each other. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The top is a double layer of the nude jersey and the skirt is lined in a black silk organza. The top closes with the back exposed zipper that you see and the skirt closes with w zipper and hook & eye at the waist band. The top is tagged a S and the skirt a 4. Both pieces appear to have never been worn or worn very little. The top does have some stretch. The nude is a slightly different shade then how it photoed. Think the color of standard lingerie stretch nude fabric

Top
Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22"

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 48" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem. The ruffle extends an additional 1" up from the top seam at the waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3546

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

Philip Treacy was discovered by Isabella Blow in 1989. She was fundamental to introducing him to the fashion houses and Treacy quickly became known world wide. Vogue declared him as "perhaps the greatest living milliner", he was the first milliner in 80 years to be asked to exhibit during the Paris shows and his work is held in major museums worldwide. His work has graced the runways of Givenchy, Chanel and Valentino and earned him an OBE in 2007. I have three hats from my client who had each one made for her during the time period of 2001 -2006. Each comes with its original box and each is in perfect condition

This one is the softest possible pale pinkish color and it is made out of parasisal straw which is a fine natural straw woven from the fibres of the sisal plant, a type of agave. This straw is used in haute couture millinery because of its high quality and smooth weave and ability to take on color. Here he has hand blocked it into a high crown with a jaunty little curve and peak at the top. The brim is slightly asymmetrical and curved gently down to highlight the face. Wrapped around the base of the crown is a hand made straw band that has been hand dyed to a soft red. This wraps and then ties in a curling detail at the front. It is beautiful. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a bespoke piece from one of the preeminent hat designers of this century. Excellent condition

Lined in an ivory silk with a strip of ivory velvet at the inner front for comfort when wearing. Has its original box with its hat form inside. The hat appears to have never been worn. The box was what it was shipped in so has some marks from the packing tape, scuffs and a dent in a corner.

Item# A381

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