• This stunning and rare dress set is from the Fall 1981 Fabrice collection.
• It was made by Haitian born designer Fabrice Simon. 
• Simons launched his label in 1976 making this an extremely early example of his work and showcases how his early work especially was centred around hand, painted fabrics. He trained as a textile designer originally and pieces like this showcase his love of textiles beautifully.
• Fabrice was a Coty award recipient and one of the preeminent black designers during this time period and pieces by him are extremely difficult to find. Especially at the level that this one is at. It is a very important and collectible piece of Black fashion history. 
• The dress is especially iconic because it has two remarkable tie-ins. One with supermodel Pat Cleveland, who wore the twin of the top, and the second with Cicely Tyson who was photographed wearing a version of this set.
• His clothes were worn by some of entertainments most famous names - Kathleen Turner, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston, who wore one of his dresses to the 1988 Grammy's. The top supermodels of the time like Iman, Beverly Johnson, Christy Brinkley and Jerry Hall were all fans. 
• When worn together it does look like a dress but it is a set of two pieces.
• Both pieces are made out of a beautiful light in weight red silk that has a metallic gold design covering its surface. The the gold portion of the fabric have all been painted on by hand and this is where we see Fabrice background as a trained textile designer.
• The top is a remarkable piece of fashion that transcends into art
• Both the front and the back dipped into a V and it buttons down the front with a series of round gold metal ball buttons that slip through red silk loops. There was a little gap left between each button with how it's laid out so you would get a tiny glimpse of skin between each button.
  
• The top is edged in a metallic gold cord that has a black band twisted around it. This little pop of black and gold contrasts beautifully with the painted fabric and adds a little extra bit of detail.
• The front dips down into a point, and while it has seamed to follow the curve of the body it is soft without boning so very comfortable to wear
• Curving up and around the the shoulders are three rows of silk that has been gathered to form the phenomenal volume and detail that you see. These are stacked beside each other with silk between each row, so they cover the full sides of the top on both the back in front. They are finished in hand edged jagged points and the way they have been set onto the top creates the incredible volume and density that you see in the photos. They add an exuberance to the outfit that is hard to describe until you see it in person. It is just extraordinary.
• The skirt is as fabulous as the top. It is banded around the waist so that you have shape and then it falls very full around you to the hem.
• There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt and it's sheer amount of fabric allows that gorgeous hand painted print to be shown off to the maximum. To achieve the fullness that it has all of the silk has been tightly gathered in and around the waist and then expands outward.
• I love that the skirt has pockets. It is the perfect bit of unexpected ease on such a dramatic piece.
• Having two pieces makes it extremely versatile because you can mix a match either piece with things you already have in your wardrobe. It is beautifully dramatic one worn together and then you also have endless styling possibilities when paired with other things.
• Both pieces have an additional handwritten museum tag from being deaccessioned. One has to wonder if that is a regretted decision.
• The top is fully lined in a black silk and buttons down the front as described above. The skirt is unlined and closes at the waist with hook and eye and then a zipper below that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• The top is tagged a size Small and the skirt has no size tag.
• Excellent condition

Top
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 17" from top of shoulder to bottom edge, not including the added 2.5" extended angle at the front

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 47" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5462

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fabrice and Pat Cleveland for Essence magazine, November 1981.  /  (3) Cicely Tyson, in hand-painted Fabrice, at the Alvin Theatre in New York City, 1982.

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