• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1979 Bill Blass collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• I have had the twin of this dress in the shop a few years ago and I was very pleased to find another.
• A similar version of this dress was worn by Slim Keith to attend the Met Museum Gala that year. We have also included a couple of shots of me in the one we had previously to give you an idea of how it is on.
• If you prefer not to wear fur you could easily remove the cuffs and replace them with a faux version, feathers or anything you could imagine, or leave them without and just store the cuffs for archival purposes.
• This dress is one of the best that he ever made and it is a wonderful example of just how sophisticated and glamorous he could be in his work.
• The silk chiffon is feather light and I love the fine metallic gold thread that is woven through the silk to create vertical stripes. 
• Onto those tiny stripes of the skirt are hand applied gold sequins that catch the light beautifully to add extra texture and glamour to the dress. Worked into the silk chiffon itself is a subtle leaf print that also adds a beautiful visual texture. 
• The bodice skims over you and crosses over itself with a built in brown silk camisole that acts as the lining. 
• The shoulders are soft and the sleeves extend directly out from the bodice and narrow slightly as they reach the cuff. The cuffs are both finished with a seven inch band of mink. 
• The upper part of the skirt is the same deep red as the bodice of the dress and then that leaf print gradually becomes more dense until it becomes more of a soft brown around the lower hem. A slit runs up the front for a little leg to show. 
• The dress is fully lined in brown silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Hand finishes throughout and hand set sequins. The cuffs are soft and they have perhaps the very slightest of wear to the edges. This one does not have its Bill Blass tag present, but has the appropriate size tag and a Saks Fifth Avenue tag inside. 
• Tagged a vintage Bill Blass 6
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: approximately 27" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Inner bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from the top of the shoulder to waist
Total length: 57.5" from the top of the shoulder to hem and the front slit is 19" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5761

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1979 Bill Blass.  /  (2-3) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.  /  (4) Socialite Slim Keith in Bill Blass (left) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala in New York City, 1979.

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 dates to the 1970s
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• The dress is made out of a deep blue silk that has a beautiful depth of colour.
• The first thing you notice about the dress is that wonderfully dramatic floral collar that is made of the same silk as the dress. It has been hand cut and sewn into place to form a dense applique of flowers that follow the curve of the neckline, runs over the shoulders and outlines the V at the back.
• I love the bare expanse of skin that the open V reveals at the back and how it is surrounded by the silk flowers. 
• The dress is cut to skim over the bodice and then cinches in at the waist. If you wanted to add even more shape there, you could add a belt of your choice.
• The shoulders are soft underneath the applique detailing of the collar and the sleeves underneath are full. Each one becomes fuller as it runs down the arm. The wrists are cinched in for shape and then the cuffs have the same floral detailing that you see on the collar.
  
• Under that the skirt opens up to be very full as it falls to the hem. All of the silk has been gathered in all around the waist and this is what allows the fullness that you see.
• It may be possible to turn this dress around and wear the plunge to the front. You might need to use a double-sided tape to hold it in place but we think it is potentially possible.
• The dress is fully lined in the same blue silk through the bodice and a black silk organza through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. There are hand finishes throughout.
• The dress is tagged a vintage Blass 12
  
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 22.5" and they are full and open through the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips:  open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5585

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.

• The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 Bill Blass runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• I love that we found a reference photo from the runway so you can see just how fantastic this is once on.
• This is the actual dress worn Mikey Madison to the Oscars Nominees Dinner in February and she landed on several best dressed lists as a result.
• Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. 
• It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person.
• The fabric feels like art. The base is a rich blue silk and then onto this is a fantastic design made of out a black velvet. The velvet is very soft to the touch with a chenille like finish that gives the design a beautiful texture and softness.
• The dress has the feel of an antique 18th century gown and I love this reference back to the past.
• The top is a fitted and strapless with a band of black silk wrapping around the breasts. It falls from there to skim outward over the waist and hips, and then narrows back down to the floor as it reaches the hem. This gives the front of the dress a more long and lean feel but with a hint that something special might happen as you turn.
• The back is the star of the show. Sitting over the top of the closure at the back is a large black velvet bow. This tops an added panel underneath that is very extravagant. The panel curves outwards and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it is attached back into the dress. A slit is hidden under the panel to give you room to walk while keeping the narrow silhouette of the hem.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper hidden under a seam and there is an inner hooked waist stay. There is light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present, so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5411

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.