I love when I find these earlier examples of Oscar de la Renta's work. He would heave been more personally involved in them and they really showcase the designer he was to become. The dress beautifully combines several textures that work together wonderfully. It really showcases the the genius of his work and attention to detail. It has a couple of quirks to it so please make sure to read the full condition report below but it is still beautifully wearable.

The dress has a beautiful elegance to it despite all of its glitz and is as striking a dress as it could be. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love the earlier examples of his work. You can see how many of the elements he used so early in his career carried forward throughout his entire body of work. The dress is made from a sheer black silk chiffon that is lined in a black silk organza. This gives the base a bit of a transparent feel to it while still being completely covered underneath. Onto the top layer is an extensive pattern done in looping bands of sequins that have been sewn onto the dress in stacked rows. Mixed in with the gold sequins are the occasional green and red sequins. These catch the light differently and give the dress even more of a metallic feel. Worked into the sequins are these huge metallic paillettes that are cut into giant swirls. These are placed randomly over the dress and are done in green, gold and blue. Crystals are then hand placed and sewn on top of those. Every inch of the dress is covered. Each sleeve is left unlined for a touch of transparency and each is ringed with a deep brown sable mink cuff. If you are opposed to wearing fur it would be a simple task to un-tack them from the sleeves and wear it without the cuffs or switch them for a faux or feather finish. The neckline is cut wide across and scooped. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust and then the waist is seamed in a wide and generous cut. Below that the skirt falls to the floor, widening out as it nears the hem and it is finished with another band of the same fur as the cuffs. All the work is done by hand and each sequin meticulously placed. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. It feels even more gold in person. Great condition with some notes below

Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and a black silk organza through the skirt. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes at the back with a hand set, painted metal zipper. Hand finished throughout. There is the occasional sequin loss here and there and some of the crystals on the large palettes are missing. Some palettes have a bit of a grubby feel to them and show a slight patina. The sides of the dress have been tacked on the outside to bring them in at some point so there is a little bulk of fabric on the sides. I opened one a bit and it looks like a seam underneath was opened and then the dress tacked on the exterior. You could open it to get more room if needed but there may be some additional work to do by a seamstress on the very inside seam if you did. I chose to leave it as found. It looks like the sleeves were also opened at some point as the fur does not meet under the arm. That too could be taken back in if you wished. I took photos the the side, under the cuff and of one of the paillettes. Please see the shots after the label shot. 

Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3684

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed 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. Fur coats are final sale.

This is a beautiful two piece set by Oscar de la Renta. This is classic Oscar with its pink colour combination and feminine feel. The pieces are made to go perfectly together but you can also have them play double duty by wearing them separately. The dress is a classic day dress with a structured fit. The silk he chose is very high quality and it is covered in an exaggerated plaid done in several shades of pink. The choice of silk keeps it light and easy to wear but the construction techniques used for it give it the structure and shape that you see. The top is loose fitting and the sleeves balloon out above their buttoned cuffs. It does up down one side with a series of silk covered buttons. The skirt is gorgeous. It skims over the hips and falls with a slight flare as it nears the hem. On one side at the front he has added a series of flat pleats. These flare and move as you move and create a little extra detail that I love. You can see the care put into it with each line of the pattern in the silk brilliantly lining up with the ones beside it where the pleats close. It comes with its original silk covered wide belt that you use at the waist to cinch the dress in. Over this goes the matching pink coat that has been lined in the same pink silk as the dress. So if you wear the coat open you see the same fabric. I love that. The exterior is done in a light woven boucle feeling fabric done in several tones of pink. It has a boxier straight cut through the body with one pocket at one side. It closes with a series of large hand carved wooden buttons. It is marvellous together and classic Oscar. Excellent condition with one small note below. 

The dress is lined in an ivory silk through the body with the sleeves unlined. It closes down the front with buttons as seen. Snaps close it under the waist line and there are snaps to close each cuff. An inner waist stay hooks to close and there is padding in each shoulder. The coat is lined in a matching silk to the dress and buttons at the front with hand carved wood buttons. There is small padding in each shoulder and the pocket on the front is functional. The set comes with its original slip buckle belt. The belt has some grubbiness and there is one tiny spot on the front side of the dress. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage OLDR 12

Dress
Sleeves: 27" but do come up once on
Wide set shoulders: 17"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: dropped - 17" from neck to waist
Skirt: 23" from waist to hem

Coat
Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 16.5
Bust: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3660

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 twin of this dress was shown on the Fall runway for 2006. In Vogue's review of the collection journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'While other designers flit from one influence to another, Oscar de la Renta has made a four-decade-long career of staying true to his brand of ladylike elegance'. On the runway the dress was styled with long gloves and a wide expanse of black silk tulle wrapped around the neck. Once those styling elements are stripped away you really see how beautiful the lines of the dress are. 2006 was an important year in Oscar's history. This is the same year that Parsons awarded him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at their 58th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show.

This Oscar de la Renta dress is absolutely gorgeous. It is red carpet worthy and would even make an amazing wedding piece for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It is in fabulous condition. The dress is covered with a dense application of muted gold sequins and silver paillettes in various shapes and sizes. These are densely set onto the entire dress and even overlap each other for the majority of the application of them. I love how the are so tightly spaced to cover the top of the dress and then as they run past the hips and down the skirt they start to be spaced further apart so that you get more of a sense of the black netting underneath. It gives it this amazing fairy tale quality and makes you think of stars and the night sky. Running around the the neckline is a dense band of large gold toned beadwork and crystals. A smaller band of the same bead and crystal work runs around the opening for each arm. The dress is made up of four layers. Under the top appliquéd layer are three other layers of black silk tulle netting. All of the sequins and beads have been applied to the very top outer layer. The use of various sizes and shapes for the sequins that cover the dress cause the light to catch the dress in a slightly different ways as you move and it creates the most amazing effect and they also highlight the shape of the dress. The dress is sleeveless and cut to be fitted tot he body to below the hip. At this point the lower skirt flares out dramatically. It is cut longer at the back for a beautiful sweeping line and suggestion of a train. It is very well made and absolutely stunning in person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The black netting serves as the inner lining through the bodice and fitted parts. Below that the skirt is constructed from four layers of silk tulle as described above. It closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper and there is an inner grosgrain waist stay that hooks to close. There are couple areas where the netting shows through a little more then others. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a size 2. It does close completely at the back on the proper sized person.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to front hem, 72" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD3613

Reference Photos: Fall 2006 Oscar De La Renta Runway Collection, Look 62. Model: Emina Cunmulaj.

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 Oscar de La Renta boutique label first appeared in 1967 which makes this one from one of the very earliest collection for this line. His boutique label is important as is marked the first ready-to-wear line for a Seventh Avenue designer to be launched. These early pieces have lots of hand finishes and are just stunning example of his work during these early days of his career.

I love this dress. It is made out of a very unusual fabric. It is a silk organza that has been covered on little tufts of gold that are made from a combination of a small bit of velvet with gold metallic thread that has been pulled through the velvet base to create each individual tuft. To contrast this and give the dress a touch more of a metallic feel Oscar then added a wide, flat, silver and gold metal thread ribbon. This panel of fabric runs down each side of the entire front and back of the dress, circles around the waist and also finishes each cuff. A band of that same ribbon is then wrapped all the way around the lower hem. The fabric is very light in weight so that the dress is very easy to wear. It has short capped sleeves and it buttons down the front to close. I love the exaggerated pointed collar and how the silver detailing is set onto the front bodice so that it curves in a bit to perfectly accent the bust. The waist nips in just a touch and then the skirt cascades to the floor gently widening out as it nears the hem. It is really a gorgeous dress and very well made. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk except for the sleeves. Closes at the front with domed buttons and snaps & hooks. The fabric of the buttons show slight fading. In person the silver and gold feel more true silver and gold then how it photoed. 

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" 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 bodice to centre of band at waist
Skirt: 44" from centre of band at waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3603

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

I have had a version of this dress in the past in a paler icier blue so when I saw this one with it's deep sapphire blue colour I had to have it for the shop. It is a beautiful and romantic bias cut silk chiffon dress by the great American couturier Oscar de la Renta. It is constructed from multiple layers of a lightweight, slightly textured, silk chiffon in the most stunning deep sapphire colour. The bodice of the dress is gathered in an elaborate ruching of silk that meets in the center in a thick braided detailing. This runs down the centre of the front of the bodice. The strapless neckline above that is cut into a rounded sweetheart shape that is very flattering. The bodice is fitted and cinches in at the waist with interior boning to help hold the shape. The skirt cascades to the floor at the back and at the front it curves up higher so you get a flash of leg when you move. It is made up of three full layers of weightless silk chiffon that float over and around the body to give it the feel of airiness and lightness. The lightness of the silk gives it a billowing effect when you move and walk that is stupendous. A really lovely and romantic dress in one of the best blue colours I have seen. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined through the bodice in a hand set blue silk and the three layers of silk chiffon the skirt is made of serve as its lining. The dress closes with a side painted metal zipper. Hand finishes. I see one tiny area on the side off the skirt that has darkened. 

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 48" from top of strapless dress to back hem, 37" to the front hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3583

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

In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. The runway photo that we found shows the dress layered over a printed pant but all of the subsequent references of it match the set to the one we have here with the pants in the same striped silk as the top piece. The twin of this set was a part of the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco, curated by André Leon Talley where it is referred to as being 'evening pyjamas'. The exhibit was broken into different themed galleries and this dress was a part of the garden themed section. Oscar was an avid gardener and the works in this section took inspiration from that life long passion. And it holds an extra special significance because the one shown in the exhibit was loaned to the museum by Annette de la Renta, Oscar's wife and muse, giving it an extra layer of personal connection to its provenance. The dress also appears in the book 'Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style' by Talley. The Met Museum also holds one in their permanent collections and then this one is the third.

In an interesting twist, one of the other dresses that was a part of the garden section of the exhibit was a striped OLDR dress from 1999 and my client had a that dress as well. It is listing along with this one today. It is incredible coincidence to have both dresses in at the same time with that shared bit of exhibit history behind them and both are exceptionally beautiful.

It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. The fabric that both piece are made from is a fine chine silk taffeta that hearkens back to the 18th century with its washed pale blue striping. All of the edges are finished in that same fabric but for the edges it has been tightly knife pleated. These form a wide pleated ruffle all around the collar, down the front and around each cuff. One pale baby pink stripe runs along the edge of the ruffle for a magical bit of colour against the blue. That pink is then picked up on each hand made button that runs down the front and is set on each cuff. The buttons are amazing. They are hand made and they each have a tiny, perfect sprig of hand embroidered pink flower splayed across their tops. Under the evening coat, are a pair of silk taffeta pants in the same fabric. The pants are cut very simply with a flat front and no banding at the waist. They run in a slightly tapered cigarette shape and land just about the ankle depending on your height. Over this is that amazing evening coat that has the lines of a formal court dress worked into its cut. It is created with a nod to the decadence of the eighteenth century with a high pleated collar and softly defined shoulders. The sleeves are long and slim, ending in an elaborate ruffled cuff. It skims over the bodice and tapers in at the waist. The buttons to close it run from the collar to the waist at the front. From that point under the bottom button the front is completely open so that when you walk you see the pants underneath. The back of the coat is a work of art. The skirt trails out behind you, falling from that curved horizontal seam at the waist where the fabric is gathered in soft folds. It is tremendously full and when you walk it causes the skirt to billow out behind you. Haute Couture is always about the details and I love that for the seam that runs across the low back, Oscar used a fine pink silk piping to define the seam and where the gathers of the lower skirting are set. It is the perfect detail to tie in with the pink at the front. This is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, refinement and a dash of coquetry. It is ornate but sophisticated and feels wonderfully light and perfectly suited to his love of nature and botanical themes. “A garden is probably the most spiritual and pure of joys. It’s a communion with nature and beauty in the most simple and fundamental form.”– Oscar de la Renta. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

Both pieces are unlined and all the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The pants close with a hidden set side zipper. There is a built in gusset that is pristine. The evening coat/dress closes with a hand set zipper and then a panel that snaps into place over that with silk, hand covered snaps. Hand made, light shoulder pads. A series of hand embroidered buttons down the front. The inner waist stay hooks to close and you could adjust the hooks if needed or wear it unhooked if you needed the extra room. Each cuff zips to close with a hidden set zipper and has three of the same buttons as decoration. I see one pinhead mar near a front button and a nick out of the fabric near the seam under the arm. One inner seam on either side looks like it was slightly adjusted. There is an extra button sewn to an inner seam. Proper Couture tags on both pieces and the coat one has its couture tape underneath numbered 173 470. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Evening Coat Dress
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 56" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 62" to longest point of the back hem

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 28" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3568

Reference Photos: (1) 1998 Balmain Silk taffeta coat and pants from the book "Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style" by Andre Leon Talley.  /  (2) 1998 Balmain Ensemble from The MET Collection Online.  /  (3-4) Spring 1998 Balmain Haute Couture Runway. / (5-6) Photos from the ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco. Curated by André Leon Talley.  /  (7) Photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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 twin of this dress was showcased in a special presentation for the InStyle & "A Diamond is Forever" Sneak Peek at Red Carpet Fashion for the 2004 Awards Season. I have included photos from that so that you can see just how gorgeous this dress is once on. This is definitely one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop 

The dress is a dream. It is made out of a yellow printed silk chiffon that has a soft green fern print scattered across its surface. It has a soft rounded shape to the upper bodice and the silk is draped over the torso to fall down and around you in gentle draping that goes from the top of the bust to just below the hips. I love how it is scooped up at the middle and the skirt is set in and under the draped bodice. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It has four full sets of ruffled tiers that fall softly to the floor. The lightness of the silk causes the ruffles on the skirt to move with the slightest bit of air. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. It is held in place by the straps that come up and out of the front bodice and wrap around and hook behind the beck. This is made out of the same silk as the dress. This strip of detailing is gathered in a ruffle and the edges are left raw. Then, set along the entire length of the ruffle are little hand made flowers. This extra little detail is fabulous and adds an extra element of romance and femininity. This is Oscar at his best and a tremendously beautiful dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition. 

The bodice and torso are lined in a matching deep yellow silk. The ruffles of the skirt are set on top of the same silk chiffon so you get a touch of transparency as they move. It closes with an inner zipper to close the built in boned inner support and then a second hidden set zipper over that to close the exterior dress. The straps hook to close behind the neck. Lightly boned through the inner bodice. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand finishes through out 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5556

Reference Photos: Model wearing Oscar de la Renta for the InStyle & "A Diamond is Forever" Sneak Peek at Red Carpet Fashion for the 2004 Awards Season, January 2004.

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 is a super easy set to wear and I love the ease it has once on due to the bias cut of the fabric. The silk is a rust and white stripe that is set on a diagonal to follow the bias cut of the silk. It has a little secondary floral pattern woven through it that gives it some added texture. The skirt is a simple pencil silhouette that falls to just below the knee. It does up along one side and I love the white piped finish at the hem. The top slips on and has a wide, straight cut neck. The sleeves come out from the sides with no seaming so have a soft slouchy feel to them. They each narrow in to the cuffs and are finished with that same white piping. It is very chic and easy to wear and the fabric is very light in weight. Great overall condition with a note below.

Both pieces are unlined. The top slips over the head to wear and has snaps along the seam near its hem. The skirt snaps and hooks to close at one side. One pockets on the skirt where it closes. You could move the hooks up or down probably up to an inch either way to adjust the waist.

Top
Sleeves: approx 19"
Shoulders: no true seams
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hem: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam

Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3510

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 beautifully showcases the genius of Oscar de la Renta and the work that he was doing in this time period. The attention to detail alone is fabulous. The dress has a beautiful elegance to it and is quite striking. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love the earlier examples of it. You can see how many of the elements in this dress are a reflection of the  standards he adhered to for his entire career and body of work.

The dress is made from a semi-sheer silk chiffon in a deep dusky pink with a floral print screened over the surface. Through the body is a built in under dress done in two layers of a nude silk chiffon and this falls to just above the knees. This play on the sheerness allows the design that runs over the chiffon to have a different feel as it runs over you. Over the floral design of the silk is an intricate pattern that is made from sequins. The sequins are placed in two ways... some are placed flat side by side and then in other areas they are overlapped to form perfect little curved rows. This changes how they catch the light and adds even more texture and gives the entire dress its subtle glint. The bodice is cut to skim over the body and each sleeve is long, slim and left unlined for a touch of transparency. The shoulders have light padding to hold the shape and give the upper part of the dress a touch of formality. The skirt is fantastic and it flows to the floor, gradually widening out a touch as it nears the hem. At the back it continues to extend out into a modified train for the perfect dramatic finish. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Lined to the knee with two layers of built in nude silk chiffon. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes at the back along one side with a hidden set zipper. Tiny padding in each shoulder  - just enough to support that little cap. Hand finished throughout. I see a small repair on each of the seams where the train is set onto the dress and another near the hem of the back train. Please see the three photos following the label shot. Tagged a US4

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem and 72" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3482

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 incredible ball gown skirt from Oscar de la Renta has never been worn. In fact, it still has its original tags on it and feels like it just stepped out of a time capsule. The condition is pristine. The skirt is made of a deep fuchsia silk brocade that is a touch deeper in tone than how it photoed. The color is even better in person and has a richer feel to it. It somehow seems to land somewhere between a purple and a deep pink though slightly more towards the purple tone. The skirt is incredibly versatile as an evening piece - you could potentially pair it with anything from a simple white tee to an extravagant couture piece. it is cut supermodel length and has a built in silk taffeta underskirt that gives it that amazing fullness that you see. The waist nips in and the skirts flounce around the wearer in the most dramatic way. The construction is immaculate and while the skirt does have some weight to it due to all of that fabric once on, it feels shockingly easy to wear. Unworn and has all original tags attached. Excellent condition

Fully lined with a layer of silk taffeta, dyed a shade deeper then the exterior, that helps it to retain its fullness. Stiffening through the hem to also help keep the shape. It closes at the waist with a flat hook & eye and snaps under that. Pockets on each hip. Has all its original tags that give us its original price of $3100 which would roughly be $8500 (or more) in modern day dollars. Tagged a vintage OLDR 10

Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S900

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton 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.

This dress beautifully combines several textures to work together wonderfully. It also wonderfully showcases the genius of Mr. de la Renta's work and attention to detail. The dress has a beautiful elegance to it and is quite striking. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love the earlier examples of it. You can see how many of the elements you see here carried through his entire career and body of work.

The dress is made from a sheer black silk chiffon with a built in under dress done in a light, fine silk chiffon. This gives it a touch of sheerness and allows the design that runs over the chiffon to have more if an impact. That pattern is made from a combination of two velvet's fused to the underlying silk chiffon. One is a coppery brown with no metallic sheen to it and the other a full on metallic velvet that gives the entire dress its subtle glint. Each sleeve is left unlined for a touch more transparency. These are both full and poufed above their cuffs and add a touch of high drama. The bodice is cut in a low V at the front and I love the little high cap detailing at the top of each shoulder. The skirt falls to the floor and comes in more as it nears the hem for a lean silhouette. A high slot runs up the center front for a flash of leg and ease to walk in it. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. Excellent condition.

Fully lined with an inner built in bodice made of a nude and black silk chiffon and a black chiffon through the skirt. The sleeves are left unlined. The inner dress lining closes at the back with a hand set, painted metal zipper. The outer fabric snaps and hooks over that to conceal the zipper. Each cuff closes with a hidden set snap. Tiny padding in each shoulder  - just enough to support that little cap. A long slit up the front that is 21" up from the hem. Hand finished throughout. It looks to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: at inset seam approx 13" and to where shoulders sit - approx 15"
Inner bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16" from top of shoulder to waist and will blouse up a bit over the seam so sits at about 15"
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3166

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

Ashley Judd wore both a red version of this exact dress and a modified skirt jacket combo to the VH1 Divas Live event and after party on April 13, 1999 at the Beacon Theater in New York. Hers had more coverage on the upper bodice. I actually prefer the strapless that we have here. I think it balances out that hyper fishtail effect better. 

This Oscar de la Renta piece is very unusual and such a striking piece. If you are looking for a true statement piece then this absolutely fits the bill. It is made out of a silk taffeta whose color changes in different lights. In most it seems to be a deep purple but every once in a while it has an almost midnight blue tone if the light is right. This play with light and color only add to it intrigue. The design is very unusual as well. The bodice is strapless but made out of silk covered, spaced boning that gives it a ribbed texture that wraps all the way around you. It has built in cups and very slight padding so there is no need for any undergarment through the top. This tops a figure hugging skirt that follows the curve of the hip and then wraps in towards the ankles with just enough room to be able to walk (but not with a very long stride). At the back it gathers in just under the butt, which creates that narrowing at the bottom. From this gather and down and around the hem it is detailed with overlapping pointed cuts out of the same silk. These run down the center of that back skirting and all the way around the hem. It is extraordinary and dramatic. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined and boned all the way around and closes with two zippers, one that closes the interior and a second that closes the exterior. Slight padding in each cup. Tagged a vintage 12

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam, with B-Small C cup
Inner waist stay: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam. you can go to 14" if stay not hooked
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to longest point of front hem, the back skirt extend to about 62" from waist to longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2906

Reference Photos: Ashley Judd at the VH1 Divas Live Event & After Party, April 13, 1999 at Beacon Theater in New York.

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