carolina herrera
Prettiest Resort 2018 Carolina Herrera Runway Look 1 Blue Floral Silk Chiffon Front Plunge Sample Dress
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The resort 2018 collection ended up being the final collection that Carolina designed before handing over the reins to West Gordon, who made his debut with resort one year later. In their review of the collection Vogue noted that "Herrera said she looked to the gardens at her home in her native Venezuela for her flower motifs, and the exuberant colours she pulled from them for other pieces." This dress was part of Look one of the presentation and it ended up being one of the most documented pieces. And rightly so. It was one of the strongest pieces of the collection. Brie Larson wore one on the Today Show, Grace Gummer wore hers to the Emmys awards HBO party, and we found a photo of mega influencer Helena Bourdon in one. It feels as fresh today as it did then and I love it.
On the runway and in two of the reference photos, it was one with the red belt that it was shown on but from my understanding the belt was sold separately. I love that I have. Do you have that one shot where it was warm without the belt, so you can see how perfectly it works either way. It would be so easy to add your own belt and you could also go beyond choosing to read and really add to the versatility of the dress. It is also important to note that this particular dress is an actual sample dress and has its original sample tag on it. I can't say that it is a piece that was warned by any of the people that we've included here, but there's certainly that possibility. It also has a price tag on the back of the hangtag of 2890 which is the price for it as a sample piece. My client told me that it was higher in the shops. The dress is made out of a feather light silk crêpe chiffon in a beautiful, soft blue. That pretty floral print inspired by her gardens, runs over the entire piece. The front flange is right to the waist for a startling contrast to the romantic feel of the dressed. A tiny ruffle runs over each shoulder and the sleeves slim down to touch as they reach their cuffs. A series of buttons and loops decorate the ends of each sleeve. The waist is seams and buttons to close underneath that down the front of the dress. A slit at the front runs up to meet those buttons and allows for a flash of bare leg when you move. The skirt is cut, soft and full as it nears the hem. This gives it both a romantic feel an incredible movement when you move. It is a spectacular piece from one of her final collections. I love it. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a pale blue silk, chiffon and buttons down the front as seen. Decorative but functional button and loops on each cuff. Original hangtag and sample. Label attached.
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 53" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 21.5 fromt he hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4749
Reference Photos: (1-2) Resort 2018 Carolina Herrera Lookbook. / (3) Brie Larson on 'The Today Show' 2017. / (4) Grace Gummer at the 70th Emmy Awards’ HBO Party, September 17, 2018. / (5) Helena Bordon in Carolina Herrera.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
yves saint laurent
Incredible Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Look 50 Ivory Silk Dress
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The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1990 Haute Couture collection. Its twin was shown under a jacket on model Gloria Burgess and we found the original sketch of the dress in my YSL folio. I thought it interesting to see that Gloria was not the original model intended for the dress and that there was a change by Yves as to who wore it on the actual runway and you can see that interesting little detail in the sketch. I have included all the reference photos for you here and it gives you a beautiful idea of how fabulous this is once on the body. This is also the collection that the book 'Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk' notes that "The end of this catwalk show was greeted by 10 minutes of a standing ovation, following Yves Saint Laurent's homage - via 119 designs - to the hugely talented men and women who had thus far influenced him and made an impression upon him". The dress is gorgeous and Yves always cut his couture pieces so perfectly. It really is a beautiful piece and in my opinion, owning a piece of his couture work is one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.
The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful Yves Saint Laurent could cut a dress to flatter a woman's body. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is that heavier richer silk that you only see in the very best pieces of couture. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulders have padding to extend the line of them outwards a touch over the ends of the shoulder. The sleeves are cut full through the upper arms and then narrow to the wrists. Each cuff ends with four handmade silk covered buttons and loops and each button is perfectly functional. The neckline is set a touch wide across. The silk is gathered around the waist into soft folds to create a little extra bit of a detailing. The folds are set slightly off to the side and on an slight angle that visually helps to extend the body of the person wearing it. The waist is seamed but cut on the more generous side. To cinch it in we have added an ivory silk chiffon sash that is a beautiful match to the dress. The skirt falls under that in a simple shape that flares out as it nears the hem. It falls to just about the knee or above depending on your height and there are hidden pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is beautiful creamy ivory. This is a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. It really shows how sometimes simplicity can have so much of an impact. It would be a dress that might make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice, for a day wedding, or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in an ivory silk and all the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It closes with a hand set side zipper and a button at the back of the neck. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Each cuff has four hand made silk buttons and loop. Padding in each shoulder as described above. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. The silk chiffon sash is not original to the dress but will be sent with it. Any change in colour that you see in the photos is lighting.
Sleeves: 22" and 14" around the upper arm
Slightly wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4727
Reference Photo: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway. Model Gloria Burgess.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
yves saint laurent
Incredible Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Brilliant Green Jacket w Pink Lining & Black Skirt Set
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The twin of this set walked the Spring 1990 runway and it is one of my favourite looks from that show. This set is not 100% perfect but it is completely wearable and too good to pass by. I am very pleased to have found it and I love it. It is such a rare and special piece from this time period.
This set is one of those pieces that just stops you in your tracks. It is insanely cut and the colour combination is fantastic. The jacket is made from a fine lightweight silk and combines a bright emerald green and then an amazing hot pink interior. The skirt is made out of a light black silk jersey that moves exceptionally well. The colours are even better than how it photoed and it is almost shocking to see the pink interior in person. The jacket has a soft cut that has some fullness through the upper body. There is no collar and the neckline dips down into a V to just below the bust. There is a brilliant flower in a muted coral red that sits at the base of the V. The flower has beading detail at its centre and I love this added detailing. The shoulders are lightly padded for shape and the sleeves are set into the jacket with soft gathers to add a touch of a capped feel. Each sleeve is cut slightly wider at the top near the shoulder and is cut on a slight curve to follow the arm. There is a seam gathered at the very front of the waist under the flower which creates a little ruffled detail. Inside the jacket there is a built in waist stay to keep the jacket in place but it is only attached at the sides and front. This allows the silk to drape loose and soft across the back. It is quite a genius. The skirt is simple in shape but has its own wow factor. The waist is banded and there is an attached black satin tie to add a little detail. The jersey is all gathered into the waist and falls in a soft straight line to the knee depending on your height. Hidden pockets sit on each hip. This is a particularly wonderful example of how he combined strong tailoring with brilliant colour. Excellent overall condition with a note below
The jacket is lined in a shocking pink silk. The jacket hooks to closes under the flower pin and the inner waist stay also hooks to close. The jacket has its original hang tag. Light padding in the shoulders. I see some yellowing areas to the fabric lightly scattered over the surface and more apparent in the crook on one arm. Please see the photos after the label shot. The skirt zips to close at the side. Pockets on the each hip. The skirt has a numbered label and is hand finished throughout. It almost appears to be a couture piece. The jacket is tagged a vintage YSL 40
Jacket
Sleeves: 24" and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Outer waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist stay: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hip: open
Total length: 23" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4707
Reference Photos: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
yves saint laurent
Spectacular Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Look 47 Runway Dot & Embroidered Floral Pouf Dress
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This is a very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.
This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.
The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.
The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate.
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4509
Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture. / (5-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
andre laug
Dreamy Late 1960s Andre Laug Roma Alta Moda Couture Pale Turquoise Applied Dot Strapless Dress
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The Andre Laug label launched in 1968 in Rome. Laug was one of the grand Italian Couturiers who would now be considered to have designed "Alta Moda" the Italian equivalent of Haute Couture. He apprenticed under Nina Ricci and was the designer behind the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection in the summer of 1961. From there he freelanced, working for both Philip Venet and Andre Courreges. His clients included Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Diana Ross and countless others.This dress is all done by hand couture tags and based on its style most likely dates to those first early years. It is gorgeous.
The dress has a more fitted strapless bodice that tops a fuller skirt. Everything about this dress is dreamy. The fabric on this one is so pretty. The base fabric is an ivory silk chiffon that has pale turquoise dots applied and woven into the silk. These cover the dress from the dice to the hem. Each dot of the pattern looks like it was woven and also embroidered into the silk. The slight texture and dimension this adds is so pretty. The bodice is strapless and lightly boned inside. The dotted fabric is hand gathered horizontally across you and then a panel of ivory silk curved downing over the front and sweeps around to the back. At the back those ivory panels swoop inwards around the waist to meet at the small of the back. A little loop that snaps hold them together and then they trail all the way down the back of the skirt. Its incredible. The skirt itself is full and made of two layers of the dotted chiffon layered over each other. The inner layer falls slightly longer and at the back it curves up and under the panels. All the fullness that you see is created from the way it is set in soft folds around the waist. All the inner seams are down by hand to couture standards. This would make an amazing non traditional wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative 'something blue' dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous eventExcellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in an ivory silk through the bodice and the two layers of fabric serve as the lining through the skirt. Light boning in the bodice and an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It closes with a back hidden set painted metal zipper. There is a shadow of a grubbiness along the seam under each arm and a faint mark on the attached ivory panel. Please see the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem and the sash extends past that another 3.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS- SML
Item# DD4514
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.