The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and quickly became one of the top couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant as head of the brand. Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' This dress is from the Fall 1994 collection and I have included the runway reference photo here. In an interview with WWD in 1995, Pipart was asked about the state of couture upon his arrival to Nina Ricci and I love his reply; 'When I arrived everyone was predicting the death of couture, so I was keen to get in for what were meant to be the final few years. And despite what people like Pierre Bergé and many others predicted, couture has lasted a lot longer than anyone ever thought.' Pipart's designs for the Couture collections often combined high fantasy elements and this dress with its ultra long back is an amazing example of his work during this time period. 

The twin of this dress walked the runway of the Fall 1994 collection. It is absolutely beautiful and every detail has been done by hand. The dress has a sculpted feel to it that is softened by the pale pink silk colour. It gets a second dose of romance with the lace finish that covers the inner pink silk. The pale pink lace is hand made. There is a floral design that has been worked through the lace and the each cluster of flowers are outlined with a fine silver metallic cording. On the inside of each flower there is a second detailing that uses a metallic pink silk cording. The hours to do this would have been staggering. Every stitch is done by hand and the work is meticulous. The cut of the dress gives is a regal feel. The neckline is scooped and the bodice cut to skim over you with just a suggestion of the waist above the seam that sits at the top of the hips. Under that the skirt is structured into two curving panels at the front. These cross over each other and the edges are curved so that when you walk you see a glimpse of leg. Two big soft pleats sit just below either hip and these add volume and lift. At the back the skirt curves around you and you see a repeat of the two pleats for volume. The centre of the skirt at the back has been split and a pale pink silk inset added. This panel of silk is pleated so that it expands and opens into an extensive train. A decorative row of hand made silk buttons run up each sleeve and then a series of them run down the back. This would be an amazing choice for a bride who does not want a traditional wedding dress or as part of a wedding event. Presents as excellent condition with notes to review below about the interior and panel hem.

The dress is fully hand lined in hand set pink silk and closes with a back hand set zipper behind the buttons. There is a hooked inner waist stay. Hand set snaps close the train over the inner zipper.  Each cuff zips to close behind the decorative buttons. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present. The pleats have softened and the dress shows grubbiness and marks under and along the back hem and train. There is discolouration under the arms of the inner lining and one teeny spot where this shows through along the edge of the seam. Please see the photos after the label shot. My client had the side seams let out slightly by Madame Paulette's in NYC. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19.5" from top of bodice to dropped waist
Skirt: approx 26" from waist to shortest part where the front curves meet. It curves to 42" at the sides and drops to 49" at the longest part of the lace covered skirt at the back. The silk pleated train extends to 61" from the dropped waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3080

Reference Photo: F/W 1994 Nina Ricci Haute Couture

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 Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day."

This dress is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period. The dress is made of from a fine silk chiffon that has been dyed to the perfect red. Every stitch is done by hand and the hours that would have been put just into the hand rolling and stitching of all the edges on the various layers on the skirt alone is mind-boggling. The skirt is made of four full layers of bias cut silk that is layered over each other in cascading tiers of fabric. Each layer is cut to curve up slightly at the front and dip down longer at the back. The layers of silk create a beautiful sense of movement and lightness when you move. The bodice is beautiful. It is densely beaded by hand in a pretty floral pattern all the way around from front to back. Tiny silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. Along the very top edge of the neckline at the front is an attached panel of silk chiffon that wraps up and around the neck leaving the silk to trail down the back. This little extra detail creates a bit of high drama and intrigue to the design. The scarf is original to the dress but may have been attached at a later date. It would be an easy job to unattached it and have it as a separate piece again if you wished. It is stunning in person and on the body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in red silk chiffon and closes with a back hand set zipper. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. There are two small areas of a darkened spots on both sides of the attached silk panel. Please see the two photos after the label shot. Depending on how this is tied and styled it does not necessarily show and if was unattached again you would have the option to not wear it with the dress. The proper Haute Couture label is present.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2369

Quote and historical info on the house is taken from the Nina Ricci Website

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 Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day." This late seventies gown is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period.

This dress is spectacular. It is one of the best Nina Ricci pieces I have seen. This is true Haute Couture label from the atelier and every stitch has been done by hand. The hours that would have been put into making this dress and ensuring that drape and line are perfect are mind-boggling. The dress is made out of a fine silk that has been dyed to the perfect clear red. In person it is perhaps a touch brighter and better then how it photoed. The silk that has been chosen for the fabric gives it that fantastic drape you see. The fabric is so light that the dress seems to  float around you when you move. The neckline is slightly scooped and the silk is gathered up on one shoulder. It skims over the waist and is gather into a low drape over the skirt. On the side opposite to the draped shoulder there is another gathering of the silk. The creates a lovely long line through the body. The skirt flows to the floor from under that. It is cut on an angle at the hem and one corner of the back skirt is left longer so that it trails down and past the lower hem to create a slight trained feel. There is a slit up the leg and above that, a tightly spaced row of buttons that run up the side and disappear under the drape of the bodice. The sleeves are amazing. They are each cut to drop to the floor and flow around you every time you move. Here Pipart has again played on the asymmetrical feel he has created for the dress and he has cut one sleeve to be longer then the other, with the longer one set on the same side that the skirt is longer. The final touch is that fabulous pleated double flower at the neckline that gives it the perfect finish. This little extra detail creates that last bit of high drama to the design. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

The body of the dress is fully lined in red silk crepe and the skirt and sleeve are unlined. It closes with a side, hand set, zipper and a second one at the top of the shoulder where the flowers are. Light padding in the shoulders. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. Note that there is some grubbiness on the trailing parts of the silk panels and some very tiny areas of thinning/picking of the fabric on the lower trailing panel of the skirt especially. Some small areas of darkening on the sleeves. Once on these do not detract at all and the fabric and dress is strong and stable. This is more from not being stored properly prior to my acquiring of it. I have included photos after the label shot to review. It is cut on the boas so there is a little play on the measurements. Haute Couture label present and made to couture standards.

Sleeves: the left is approx 62", the right is 52"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 60" from neck to front hem and the trailing panel extends another 15" longer

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3386

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 Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the most famous couture ateliers in the world. In 1954, Jules-François Crahay, Madame Ricci’s design assistant, succeeded her as Artistic Director. The house’s style became more structured. The signature curves of its silhouette elongated. Designer Gérard Pipart then succeeded Jules-François Crahay in 1964. Throughout the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision celebrated a more flamboyant, bold woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day. This coat is an early example of Pipart's work foe the house and is beautiful.

This coat came out of an estate of an extremely wealthy woman who was a regular couture client during the 1960s. For the 1965 collection Gérard Pipart debuted the side button closure that featured large button closures off to one side, a cloth version of which was photoed on Jean Shrimpton for Harper's Bazaar that year. I also found a reference photo for a similar all fur version. The coat I have here is a wonderful combination of the two. The exterior is a quilted silk that is dyed to a stunning ivory. The fabric is especially beautiful.  It has a 3D puff effect that is not just created by the stitching around the pattern in the silk that you normally see. Rather, different weights and thicknesses of thread have been woven into the fabric to create the design. The interior of the coat is lined a creamy colored sheepskin that makes it warm and cozy. The design of the coat has been centered around simple but structured lines. The front wraps over itself and buttons with one large silk covered button near the arm. The edges of the coat are detailed with a thick padded piping that runs along the front, around the hem and circles around the end of each sleeve. Pockets lie along the seam on each side. It is immaculate in its construction and an absolutely stunning coat. A beautiful example of how refined true Haute Couture can be. Excellent condition with one note to review below.

The coat closes with the button at the front and there is a button and loop to hold it perfectly in pace on the interior as well. The entire coat is lined in sheepskin. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. It appears to have been worn very little. Pockets along the seam. I see a very small amount of fraying to the fabric around the back collar. Please review the photo after the shpt of the label. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes.

Sleeves: 20"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam and gently widens out
Length: 38" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# C454

Reference photos: Jean Shrimpton in Nina Ricci for Harper's Bazaar 1965, Avedon; Brigitte Bauer in Nina Ricci for Vogue 1965, William Klien. Historical info on the house verbatim from the Nina Ricci website.

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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 wonderful pink silk voile dress is from the Nina Ricci Boutique ready to wear line. When hunting for a reference to date it by, I happened across a photo from 1976 that has a Ricci dress in a very similar print, color and ruffle trim finish. The Ricci atelier was launched in Paris in 1932, Ricci retired from designing in the early 1950s and then Jules Francois Crahay headed the design team until he left for Lanvin in 1963. That makes this dress land in the era of Gerard Pipart who took over from Crahay and stayed on with Ricci until 1998.

This wonderful dress is made out of a fine silk voile, one of my favorite fabrics as it holds color exceptionally well and it is very light in weight but still has a touch of structure to it. This unique combination creates volume where it is required, without adding unnecessary bulk. The dress is very pretty & feminine and  it is cut with a simple hostess dress feel to it which was a popular look for that time period. The bodice has a small ruffle finish around the V of the neck and is left with a touch of transparency through the upper shoulders, back and sleeve. The waist is seamed and under that the skirt billows out with light and airy fullness. The skirt is made of yards and yards of silk that drapes perfectly into place as it flows to the ground. The back of the skirt is cut just slightly longer then the front which gives it a pretty sweep.  I love the little ruffle trim that sits at the end of each cuff and also details the waist and lower tier of the skirt, effectively tying together all the elements of the dress. It is very pretty and feminine. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a pink silk through the bodice and skirt and closes with a  back painted metal & nylon zipper. Each sleeve zips to close.

Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to front hem, 43" to back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Reference Photo: (1) Joan Severance for Nina Ricci, 1976.  /  (2-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

Item# DD3031

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 pieces with the Haute Coutue boutique label were ready to wear but would have been made in-house. They were wonderfully finished and could be considered to be demi-couture. They often used proprietary fabrics and the dresses were made to order for their clients. This partially dress is extra special because it was the dress chosen for the ad campaign that year. Which also gives you a great idea of what it looks like on. 

This one is a stunning strapless dress made from a silk taffeta. This fabric choice really allows the ruffles and tiers to have some volume and retain their shape to give the effect that you see in the photos. The inner dress is very These fitted and meant to hug your curves. The waist is nipped in with a wide band of the same fabric gathered in soft pleats. This curves down into an interior fitted skirt that has two spectacular tiers of silk taffeta set facing downwards so that they come off the inner skirt and create shape and volume. The bodice is strapless and inside there is a built in corset. Over this is yet another shaped and formed panel of silk that opens upwards and towards the face. I love the way it is entirely constructed to emphasize the hourglass silhouette and show miles of leg. The print on the silk is beautiful. It is an abstract floral feeling design done in a combination of purple, pink, blue and teal. Its gorgeous and very flattering on. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined in a blue tissue silk. It has an internal built in, boned corset. It closes with two separate zippers an internal one that zips up the inner corset and then the exterior dress zipper over that. Interior waist stay made of grosgrain ribbon that closes with hook & eye. Hand finished.

Bust: 16" from side seam to side seam with A-small B cup room built in
Waist: 12.5" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of bodice to dropped waist line
Skirt: 17" from dropped waist line to bottom tier

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# 2-DD344

Reference Photos: Nina Ricci Ad, Vogue, February 1987.

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