The twin of this coat was photoed with Yves Saint Laurent himself, backstage during the Fall runway show by Roxanne Lowit. We also found runway footage of the coat as it walked the catwalk that season. It is an exceptional rare and wonderful piece by Yves Saint Laurent. These gold brocade pieces are what defined that season and I am very pleased to have found this example. It is one of the only gold one I have ever come across and it is in mint condition. It is magical and is a definitive piece that you instantly identify as a YSL piece. 

The coat is made from a gold wool and metallic thread brocade that has an embroidered gold design woven through the fabric. This is done so that it has a slightly raised feel to it and gives the coat the beautiful texture that it has. The two parts of the design also allow for a play on the tones of gold used and the raised parts have a more metallic lame feel to them which makes the brocade pattern really pop. The coat perfectly represents this time period and what he was doing design wise. You can see the transition from the opulence and over the top feel of his earlier Russian collection and how he was slowly moving into simpler, sleeker shapes for the 1990s without sacrificing his love of high glamour and theatrical components. That touch of excess from the 1980s is still there through that gold fabrication, but the shape is getting slightly sleeker and more powerful in feel then his earlier collections. The collar is high to frame the neck line. Curved vertical seaming runs down the front and back from the shoulder. This draws the waist in and gives the illusion of more shape. The skirting of the coat is cut to be full and have that Russian feel to it. It is inset into the waist by a series of soft pleases and you can slip your hands into the hidden pockets to give it even more volume if you wish. The sleeves are magic. Each is set high into the shoulder so they cap and pouf at the top. They continue to be wide and narrow down just a touch to the wrist. Each cuff ends in a series of three gold toned metal and rhinestone encrusted buttons. These are set into proper dressmakers buttonholes that are decorative. Five larger versions of the same buttons run down the front to close the jacket. The buttons are a thing of beauty in themselves. With this one I think that if you wanted you could even add a series of hidden hook and eye under the waist so that you could close it all the way down and have it play double duty as a dress. It is amazing on the body and one of my favourite YSL pieces I have ever had in the shop. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk satin. It closes at the front with the buttons. Padding in each shoulder. Tagged a vintage YSL 34 and has a generous cut through the waist and bust. Pockets along each hip. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. It is a medium weight coat

Sleeves: 24"
Wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 28" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# C599

Reference Photos/Video: (1) Fall 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection. /  (2) Yves Saint Laurent, Avenue Marceau à Paris, March 1991. Photo by Roxanne Lowit.

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 fabulous dress is the twin the dress that walked the fall 1986 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche runway. I was so pleased to find a shot of it on because it really shows you just how much it comes to life when worn. He did several variations of this look for that season and I have included some photos of the one gold sided version as well since the cut is similar and it gives you some different angles to be able to see how the dress looks on the body. I am obsessed with his work and this one is so well known and documented. It is a pleasure to have it in the shop.

This gorgeous dress mixes a solid black silk crepe mixed with a gold lame that has a printed effect to it for the bodice. The skirt is then made from a slinky black jersey. It also comes with its matching sash in the same printed gold lame jersey fabric. The patterned portions of the gold have been used for each side of the front bodice and when it catches the light is gives the suggestion of a snake print. The bodice is set into a deep V. I have set it to be deeply plunged but you could cross it over a bit more and have the sash hold it more closed. The gold fabric is set to drape loosely over you at the front and it then curves up to the top of each shoulder. The bodice nips in at the waist and then the sash adds definition and shape. I love how the sash is so wide set around you and then the ties fall almost to the hem at the front. It makes it so glamorous and it gives the dress that wonderful 1940s feel too. The sleeves are short and simple so that all the focus is on the gold at the front. They are cut to have a slight pouf out above the elbows. The skirt is made of a black jersey and it falls to the floor in a pretty sweep of fabric. It is a gorgeous dress and a wonderful piece of his fashion history. Excellent condition with one small note below

The back of the bodice is lined in a black silk chiffon and the skirt, sleeves and front bodice are unlined. It closed with a side set zipper and the belt hooks to close. Each shoulder has light padding. Has its original matching belt. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Tagged a vintage YSL 34. There is one small repair on a sleeve. Please see the photo after the label shot

Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" across lowest seam at very top of hips, open under that
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3866

Reference Photos: (1-2) SS 1986 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection. Model: Mounia Orosemane.  /  (3) Model in Yves Saint Laurent, 1986.

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 exact twin of this dress was shown on the Fall runway in 2005 for Look 63. In Vogue's review of the collection journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'Oscar de la Renta's shows are always elegant and invariably luxe. But for fall, the designer really went to town with the signature embellishments loved so well by his mother-daughter fans (like Tina and Beyoncé Knowles, who made their way to their seats after the lights had dimmed)....Evening was just as ornate... His red carpet numbers ranged from streamlined racer-back columns with heavy dustings of sequins to Empire-line tulle princess gowns to brocade showstoppers that grazed the toes of audience members as they glided by—just the thing for a larger-than-life diva like Knowles.' This is one of the brocade showstoppers that the review mentions and is utterly beautiful. Its label has fallen out but it is from the same estate I am working my way through. The original owner was friend with Oscar so there is also the possibility that this one was made for her and it did not have/need a label if it was customized. It is unbelievable in person.  

This Oscar de la Renta dress is stunning. 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. It is coming from the same estate of a woman I am just starting to go through who was personal friends with Oscar and she bought some of his most beautiful pieces. The dress is made from yards and yards of a black silk brocade that has deep rich jewel toned flowers woven through the fabric. The silk he chose is just incredible. It has a black base with beautiful metallic feeling motifs woven through the silk. The flowers are done with varying states of fraying and this is deliberate. It gives the dress this worn decadence that is very beautiful and the flowers then become a three dimensional design element in themselves. The silk is just heavy enough to hold the shape and structure of the dress but even with all of that fabric it is not so heavy that it is uncomfortable to wear. It has a full built in boned corset inside the bodice so you don't have to worry about additional underpinnings. There are also full built in underskirts. I did add a crinoline to the dress for some of these photos so that you can get an idea of just how full the skirt is and see its full shape. I also photoed it without a crinoline so that you can see how it falls on its own with just its already substantial inner skirts. The bust is strapless and fitted with a modified soft sweetheart bodice. To highlight the bust even more there is a fabulous ruffled detail that curves and cups under the breasts. It tightly hugs the body, curving in at the waist, and then skims over the top of your hips. The seaming is all done on the vertical to create that beautiful shape and give the the dress a sense of added length. The skirt flows directly out from the bodice and is cut to sit slightly more sleek and flat at the front. You then have all that wonderful volume starting at each hip and going around to the back. The back of the dress is very dramatic. It is trained so that it flows out behind you in a dramatic swoop of fabric. There is a wide inner band of stiffened netting that circles the hem to help hold the skirt up and keep the shape rather then have it just drag behind you. On the sides of the skirt there are dramatic panels of the same fabric set into large ruffle detailing that give a slight bit of movement when you walk. The upper back is left bare. All of its details combined with that spectacular colour make it a very stunning gown. It is a beautiful example of Oscar's work. Excellent condition.

The outer layer is lined with a black silk organza. There is a full built in corset that closes with its own zipper and then the dress closes over that with a hidden set zipper. A wide band of stiffened netting finishes the hem as mentioned above. There is an inner silk layer with a stiffened hem and then a tulle and silk layer over that and between he outer silk. No size tag but most of her things were an ODLR 0 or 2 and this one is that same size. 

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 54" from top of bodice to front hem, 70" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3865

Reference Photos: Fall 2005 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection, Look 63. Model: Julia Stegner.

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 the 1980s and 1990s Gianni Versace ruled the catwalks. He was the favourite of the Supermodels and they were featured predominately in his runway shows and his ad campaigns. Versace launched his label in 1978 and in 1989 he presented his first couture collection. The days that Gianni headed the label were heady, glamourous ones and set the tone for the label as we know it today. He remained at the helm of the brand until his death by assassination in 1997. This is from those years in the 1990s when the label was everywhere and everyone wanted to own and wear a Versace. Vogue recently added this show to its runway archives and in the show notes Gianni was quoted as saying; 'To use art in a flat way, without creative intervention, is in bad taste. I mix it up'. Also of note is that this was one of the collections that Donatella pulled from when she re-issued some looks for her Spring 2018 collection which commemorated the 20th anniversary of her brother’s death. 

This suit is the exact twin of the catwalk one and I am pleased to have some runway footage of the suit here for you so that you can see how it looks and moves once the body. You will note that for the runway they folded the tops of the pockets down. I lightly steamed them to match for one photo here but I prefer them they way they look when they lay out fully flat so you see every bit of the detail on them.  They also feel more 'naughty' that way. It was  belted for the show and it would be easy to add your own belt to get that same look if you wished. The suit is so very Versace. It is sexy and bright and you won't be missed by anyone once you have it on. Both pieces are made for a bright vivid lime green silk that is a touch brighter and more true then how it photoed here. It is stunning in person. The silk has a paisley design in a slightly more matte thread to give it this interesting tone on tone pattern.  The skirt is short and fitted with a flat front and no waist band. It is cut to curve up and into the waist so that it follows the curves of the body. The jacket goes over this and is cut full through the shoulders and bust, comes in at the waist and then sits snug over the hips. The epitome of the nineties silhouette.  Each sleeve is long and ends in this interesting flared cuff that end with a single gold toned metal button. You can wear the cuff long or flipped up like you see in the runway shot. More of the same buttons run down the front of the jacket to close and all of the buttonholes are done in the proper dressmakers technique. The collar is notched and simple. The jacket closes high enough up the front that you can easily wear it on its own without having to wear a top under it. The pockets are the star of the show. There are four and each is a round circle that has been top stitched. Of course the placement of the pockets on the bust have that very risqué feel to them and it is what gives the suit that shot of Versace sexiness. It is wonderful and very rare. It looks to have been worn very littlee if at all. Excellent condition 

Both piece are lined in a green silk. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper and the jacket buttons to close. The jacket is light padded through the shoulders and all of the pockets are functional. Tagged a 38. Amy colour change or little bit of yellow in the shots is just the lighting and camera. It is is perfect in person. 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 18" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3864

Reference Photo/Video: Spring 1991 Versace Runway Collection, Look 53.

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 exact twin of this dress was shown on the Spring runway in 2006 for Look 37. 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. In Vogue's review of the collection journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'After last season's Russian sojourn, Oscar de la Renta returned to his Latin roots for spring. And why shouldn't he? In the 40 years he's been in business (he celebrated the anniversary this year), regular flamenco infusions have served him well. With the Williams sisters, Eva Longoria and Candace Bushnell watching from the front row, de la Renta played to his strengths: flounces galore, toreador jackets, and a spicy palette of marigold, red, and warm neutrals, often finished off with a smattering of crystal embroidery. For day, wooden beading at the hip or contrast piping along seams gave classic silhouettes a sprightly flare....All told, an Oscar collection is like a trip to the Prado. Faced with such an embarrassment of riches, it's too easy to miss the many fine things.' This is one of those gorgeous pieces that have that latin flare and flounce and it was one of the best in the show 

On the runway the dress was worn by model Maria Fuema and it was styled with maximum simplicity. It was just Maria in all her beauty in this beautiful dress. Her makeup was barely there and they did not even add an earring to detract from her or the dress. It was a stunning moment and I am happy to have the runway clip included here so that you can see just how beautifully the dress moves with its flouncy lower skirt. We also found a photo of the dress on Jessica Simpson and we were especially happy to find a photo of the dress on her with Oscar himself. 

The fabric that the dress is made out of is very unusual and combines several elements. Through the body of the dress is a green silk organza and then this is covered in stripes made of embroidery, netting, lace, grosgrain and silk ribbon. The skirt is made of a series of overlapping tiers done in a silk organza that have been edged in a white thread and then detailed with circles of white sequins. I have taken close ups for you because the fabric is just incredible and all the small details in it add to the overall beauty of the dress. The fabric is just heavy enough to be able to hold the shape that you see but is still light enough that it moves wonderfully. The bodice is strapless and shaped to accentuate the bust. There is a full built in cupped corset inside the dress for support. The waist nips in and then continues to hug the body to past the hips. Below that the skirt is full and has a lot of movement thanks to the ruffles and tiers it is made out of. It moves when you move and it is just beautiful. Everything in the pattern lines up perfectly at the seams and no matter what angle you see it from the dress is stunning. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully interlined in a nude silk chiffon through the body and green organza in the skirt. There is a full cupped and boned corset inside the bodice. The dress has a hidden side set zipper on the exterior and then another second zipper on the side under that to close the inner corset. Tagged a modern ODLR 4. The green is slightly deeper in person.

Bust: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bust to waist
Skirt: 28" from waist to front hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3863

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 2006 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection, Look 37. Model: Maria Fuema.  /  (5-6) Jessica Simpson in Oscar de la Renta at the 10th Annual Accessories Council ACE Awards, 2005.

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 Look 70 on the Spring 2016 runway. In 2016 Valentino was headed by both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. They had stepped into Mr Valentino's shoes and were breathing new life into the brand. The show was based on Africa as its inspiration and at this period of time the world was watching refugees attempting the journey to Italy. In the Vogue review for this collection Maria and Pierpaulo were quoted as saying; 'We probably feel that the greatest privilege in doing our work is that fashion can give a message,” said Chiuri. “We think every person coming here is an individual, and we can show that we can improve ourselves by understanding other cultures.'... 'The message,' added Piccioli, 'is tolerance. And the beauty that comes out of cross-cultural expression.' Many of the pieces fused Italian and African traditions, 'They met in the textiles'. This dress was one of the simplest of the show but is also one of the most beautiful and best cut with its simple monastic lines. 

The dress is made from a high end silk crepe that is entirely cut on the bias. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric and that back cape catch the air and billows out around you. The colour is a deep hunter green and the dress is the twin of the runway version so you can see exactly how it moves in the video added here. It is constructed so that it drapes on the body perfectly. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by straps that curve up from the fabric of the bodice at the front and then change to skinny little straps that run down the back. It plunges into a low V at the front and the back is deeply scooped so that your entire back is left bare. It skims over the waist and then the skirt falls to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. That and the bias cut of it is what gives it the floating effect it has when you move. A low back panel of silk is set to follow the lines there and this panel is what gives the dress its caped feel. The dress has this clever wrap effect to achieve this at the back with the back panel simply snapping into place along the side of the waist. I love that where it snaps into place it creates the slightest fold that gives shape to the waist area. And how that same effect is done on the other side as well even though that side is sewn into place. The precision in cut to have these match and sit like that should not be underestimated. It is very beautiful. It has not been worn and still has it original Valentino hang tag. It is stunning and a beautiful example of how simple doesn't have to mean boring by any means. Excellent condition

Unlined with inner finished fresh seams. The inner dress has a low set zipper at the back and then the back panel wraps and closes with snaps at one side of the waist. Tagged a Valentino 38. The easy cut should fit a range of sizes. If you are not very big busted this might work on a medium as well. Original hang tag attached.

Bust: open at each side so variable. Each triangle is about 6" across at the base
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem, 64" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3860

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2016 Valentino Runway Collection, Look 70. Model: Bara Podzimkova.

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 exact twin of this dress was shown on the Fall runway for 2006 for Look 61. 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. 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 worn by model Liya Kebede and it was styled with maximum simplicity. It was just Liya in all her beauty and this stunning gown. Her makeup was barely there and they did not even add an earring to detract from her beauty or the beauty of the dress. It was a stunning moment and I am happy to have the runway clip included here so that you can see just how beautifully the dress moves. 

This Oscar de la Renta dress is stunning. 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. It is coming from the same estate of a woman I am just starting to go through who was personal friends with Oscar and she bought some of his most beautiful pieces. The dress is made from yards and yards of a black silk brocade that has a vivid teal blue pattern woven through the fabric. The silk he chose is just incredible. It has a black base with beautiful motifs woven through the silk. They become a design element in themselves. The silk is just heavy enough to hold the shape and structure of the dress but even with all of that fabric it is not so heavy that it is uncomfortable to wear. It has a full built in boned corset inside the bodice so you don't have to worry about additional underpinnings. I did add a crinoline to the dress for some of these photos so that you can get an idea of just how full the skirt is and see its full shape. I also photoed it without a crinoline so that you can see how it falls on its own. The bust is strapless and fitted with high peaks on each side of the bodice. They curve toward the centre with a scalloped pattern at the edge. It hugs the body, curving in at the waist, and then hugs over the top of your hips. The seaming is all done on the vertical to create that beautiful shape and give the the dress a sense of added length. It is cut to follow and highlight the curves of your body to below the hip. At each hip there is a panel of fabric added to create a fantastic curved ruffle. This acts like a modern day pannier and is quite a beautiful detail. The skirt flows directly out from the bodice with no seam at the waist to break the line. It is cut to sit slightly more sleek and flat at the front and then you have all that wonderful volume starting at each hip and going around to the back. The back of the dress is very dramatic. It is trained so that it flows out behind you in a dramatic swoop of fabric. There is a wide inner band of stiffened netting that circles the hem to help hold the skirt up and keep the shape rather then have it just drag behind you. The upper back is left bare and it is just impossibly wonderful. Those details combined with that spectacular colour make it one of the best gowns I have seen from this time period. It is a stunning example of Oscar's work. Excellent condition.

Unlined with ribbon finished seams. There is a full built in corset that closes with its own zipper and then the dress closes over that with a hidden set zipper. A wide band of stiffened netting finishes the hem as mentioned above. There is an inner grosgrain waist stay that hooks to close. I see a break in the silk that covers the interior netting at the hem but it is inside the dress so does not show at all. Tagged a size 2. 

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53.5" from top of bodice to front hem, 75" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD3861

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2006 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection, Look 61. Model: Liya Kebede.

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

Vogue's review of this collection was done by Hamish Bowles who said in part; "With their ironed hair, pale lips, and exaggerated doe-eye makeup, the leggy girls on Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel runway were channeling Penelope Tree, the iconic and kooky sixties model. With a major Chanel retrospective opening in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, Lagerfeld also delved into Coco Chanel's history—specifically a 1920's liaison with the Duke of Westminster that saw her borrowing knits and tweedy pieces from his chic country wardrobe. Lagerfeld feminized his layered cardigan and plus fours with scarves twinkling with diamond camellias and topped them with adorable newsboy caps, knit cloches, or floppy berets." I love the nod to the tweed that the pieces had and the kicky skirts like this one are perfect to pair with a great boot. 

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning metallic tweed version of the Chanel signature fabric. The fabric combines a silk thread with mohair and a gold metal thread that he has worked through the entire suit. This gives it an exceptional but subtle sheen and a very luxurious feel. It is absolutely beautiful. To heighten that sense of luxury Karl added a rabbit fur trim to the jacket. The fur has been set to run down the front edges, curve around the back and then also circle the hem. It also details each cuff and the pockets. The jacket is cut in that classic Chanel box shape. The sleeves are long and I love the pockets that sit on each side. It hooks to close down the front with hidden set hook & eye so there is nothing to break the line. The skirt is cut with a slight flare as it nears the hem. It is set all the way around with series of wide flat pleats, giving that nod to the schoolgirl and the sixties the show was based on. The upper part of the skirt is more fitted around the hips and then it opens up to create the beautiful lines that you see. The entire suit is lined in the highest quality camellia flower embossed black silk. This is classic Chanel right down to the chain stitched by hand into the hem of the jacket. It is exceptional. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are fully lined in a black silk embossed with the Chanel camellia flower print. The interior hem of the jacket is finished with one of their signature metal chains. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper. The jacket hooks to close down the front. Pockets on the jacket and the skirt. The colour and texture are even better in person. Both pieces are tagged a Chanel 40. There is the slightest bit of pilling to the silk on the interior of the jacket from rubbing against the skirt when it was stored. 

And just a note on their fabrics.... The Chanel boucle and tweeds are created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3854

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.

McQueen's Fall 2006's collection was called "The Widows of Culloden" and it was dedicated to his muse and friend Isabella Blow. The Alexander McQueen site says of this collection: "The inspiration here is highly personal – the designer’s own heritage – which goes at least some way towards explaining the exquisite hand-craftsmanship that goes into each piece as well, of course, as bird head-dresses and McQueen tartan. The collection is luxurious and romantic but melancholic and even austere at the same time. The silhouette – all nipped waists, bustles and exaggerated hip lines – is designed to exaggerate a woman’s form and each piece is unique, a one-off couture creation with emotional content intended to be handed down from generation to generation like the most precious of heirlooms." This was also the show where Kate Moss made the famous glass box closing look. Vogue described that feat by saying; "Only Alexander McQueen could provide the astonishing feat of techno-magic that ended his show. Inside an empty glass pyramid, a mysterious puff of white smoke appeared from nowhere and spun in midair, slowly resolving itself into the moving, twisting shape of a woman enveloped in the billowing folds of a white dress. It was Kate Moss, her blonde hair and pale arms trailing in a dream-like apparition of fragility and beauty that danced for a few seconds, then shrank and dematerialized into the ether." They went on to talk about the collection saying; "The quality of the performance—and the extraordinary workmanship in the clothes that preceded it—was a timely reconfirmation of McQueen's unique powers as a showman-designer, and a far cry from the more straightforward presentations he¿s given the last few seasons. For this collection, he delved into his past, revisiting his Scottish family roots and refining the contents of the rampaging tartan "Highland Rape" show with which he began his career in London in the early nineties. Shorn of its original rawness and anger, the result was a poetic and technically accomplished tale that involved romantic images of Scottish fantasy heroines wandering glens and castle halls in vaguely Victorian tartan crinolines, bird-wing or antler-and-lace headdresses, feathered gowns, and pieces made from brocades that might have been dragged down from ancient wall-hangings." I have also included a shot from one of the McQueen book pages that tells more on the show and mentioned these suits specifically. This was one of his most extraordinary shows and this suit is the twin of the full shot that walked the runway for Look 15 in that show. It is fabulous. 

The suit is identical to the one that walked the show. Very few of these would have been produced and it is amazing to have such an wonderful piece of his work in the shop and to have the full suit. A piece like this truly showcases McQueen’s strong tailoring background and master cutting abilities. The suit is made from a mens suiting fabric and gives a nod to his heritage and strong tailoring roots. The jacket is also cut with a nod to a traditional men's suit and then he has twisted and shaped the collar and brought in the waist to create a more feminine shape. I love that it still feels very refined despite its avant grade shape and cut. The shoulders are shaped and lightly padded to hold their shape. Each sleeve is cut on a slight curve in the proper manner of tailoring a sleeve. The body of the coat is shaped with a female body in mind and is cut in at the waist for shape. It closes with a single button there. I am obsessed with the collar. It is cut to be very over-sized and covers the entire upper bodice. The lapels curve around the neckline and run down to the button at the waist. It is wonderfully wide and has been finished with a series of properly done button holes that run around the outer edge. This gives it a very unusual detailing and I love that he did not do the all too obviously step of adding buttons. The back collar is rolled and secured with a stitch at each side to create height and shape. Under the waist the jacket skims over the hips. Pockets sit on each hip and they still have their original tacking. At the back it is cut to have a panel that flares out a touch. The skirt is as wonderful. It is cut with a flat front and no band around the waist. It is also high cut so curves up at the waist a touch. It flares out as it nears the hem and there is a panel of extra fabric set to one side. This flares out and moves when you move and is quite extraordinary. You really need to watch the runway clip to see just how stunning it in on and moving. The inside is lined in a copper toned silk that picks up on the colour of the exterior. The workmanship is meticulous and it is an absolutely beautiful and a rare piece of his work. It still has its original Bergdorf's hang tag and was never worn. Excellent condition. 

Both piece are fully lined in a copper toned silk. The jacket closes with a single button at the front. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper. Both the skirt and the jacket are tagged a size 44. Padding on the shoulders and the pockets on the jacket have their original tacking to close them. It's original shop tag is still attached. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from neck to longest point of hem

Skirt
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from waist to shortest point of hem, 34" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent:

Item# DD3856

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Fall 2006 Alexander McQueen Runway Collection. Look 15. Model: Ana Mihajlovic.  /  (5-6) From the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams and edited by Claire Wilcox.

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 beautiful example of Valentino's work that he was doing during the 1980s for his ready to wear boutique label. I have had the dress that matches this coat in the shop a very long time ago and was very pleased to find the coat after all these years. A couple of versions of it walked the runway that season and they were captured in runway shots where the models are decadently dragging the coats behind them in that very eighties runway kind of way. This one has hand hand written tag on it near the label so is possibly one of the actual pieces shown on the runway or was perhaps a special order. I love it.

This is that perfect over-sized, padded shoulder coat that feels suddenly so fresh again. It's overdone proportions were meant to balance out more fitted things underneath and that still holds true today. That impact of its volume mixed with that huge rose print is just fantastic. The coat is made out of a wool that has a felted feel to it. This gives it a lovely matte and soft texture that I am sure he did deliberately to mimic the velvet texture of a rose petal. It also softens the print and gives it a dreamy romantic feel. The coat is cut in that very eighties way with wide set, strongly padded shoulders. The sleeves are long and lean and the coat is a straight column from the shoulder to the hem. On the dress form it comes in a bit toward the bottom and it will do that a touch on an actual body too, but when laid out flat out it does have a very straight, long feel. Pockets sit low on each hip and a third one sits at one breast to giving it a touch of masculine suit cut. The collar is high and done in a ring of black velvet. That play between the masculine and the feminine is something that Valentino excelled at and this coat is the perfect combination of the two. It is perfectly representative of the feminine 'power dressing' look of this era. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a quilted black silk satin and zippers to close at the front. Padded shoulders and all the pockets are functional. It is meant to be oversized so should fit a range of sizes.  

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: set over the natural shoulder due to the padding and are 17.5"
Bust: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 49.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# C595

Reference Photo: F/W 1985 Valentino Runway Collection

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

Say the name Zac Posen and you immediately think red carpet and glamour. He is one of the best known modern designers and his name was already a buzz with fashion insiders before he even launched his own self named label. He held his first fashion show at the age of 20 and that same year founded his own company, Outspoke, through which he opened his signature label. 2002 saw the debut of his first ready-to-wear collection and soon Natalie Portman was a fan, Vogue's Anna Winter threw in her support and the label was on its way. The label lasted until 2019 and was a red carpet favourite for all the years in between. My client told me that she had this dress for at least ten years and never ended up wearing it so it is as if it just stepped off a rack condition wise. A similar dress with some of the same design elements walked the runway for the 2014 season so I have dated it to that year. It is a stunning example of his work.  

This dress is just remarkable. It is very sexy and provocative once on the body. It is also in its original uncut length so perfect for my taller girls should they need the length yet would be alterable if you don't. The purple of it is very unique and in person it has a softer, dustier feel to it for lack of a better descriptive word. It is really stunning. The fabric is completely cut on the bias so off the body it is one ultra long swath of fabric but once on the body it settles around your curves and highlights everything perfectly. The front and the back are cut into a low V and then the waist nips it. The shape is all created by the most clever seaming that harkens back to the type of work they were doing in the 1930s. From the waist the dress curves out over the hips and then is cut inwards a bit so it sits along the legs. At about the knee the skirt flares out dramatically. When laid out flat the amount of fabric around the lower skirting is more than a full circle. When you move it moves and the effect is amazing. My photos don't come close to doing it its full justice and when it is on the body it really comes to life. If all of that were not enough it was then highlighted with series of raw edged, exposed seams that give it an almost futuristic feel and highlight the shape and curves of the body even more. It is incredible and even better in person and on a body. Excellent condition 

Lined in a mixed silk stretch fabric and has a hidden set zipper at the back. Bias cut and was never worn. Tagged a modern US 8 and the fabric does have stretch. The range given is the comfortable stretch laid flat. The bias cut will move to accomodate the body some as well. 

Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 66" from top of bodice to front hem, 70" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3852

Reference Photo: Spring 2014 Zac Posen Runway, Look 28.

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 an incredible and rare piece of Dior's history in the fur market. During this time period there were select furriers that had permission to make the Haute Couture pieces and the maker of this coat, Canton Furs in Lausanne was one of those. This coat was made in 1984 and this time period was known as the 'Golden Age' for the Dior fur division. Frederic Castet was appointed the head of the division after joining Dior in 1953. He single handedly restructured the fourrure department to follow the haute couture and the prêt-à-porter philosophy of the house in 1968. He was one of the first to treat fur like fabric and would dye it, trim it, pluck it and create whimsical fantasy pieces that had never been see prior. By the 1980s he was doing extravagant presentations that only showcased his furs. These were held on the second floor of the Dior mansion on Avenue Montaigne. They were as wanted a ticket as the couture shows were and they were legendary in terms of the extravagant spectacles that he would put on to showcase his work. His work was worn by all the major stars from Sophia Loren to Elizabeth Taylor.

This coat was originally purchased for the sum of CHF 120’000, on 11.10.1984. That was about $93,000 USD at the time. I have a digital copy of the original insurance value paper done for the coat that is dated to december 13th 1984 that states its insurance value at FR. 200,000. If you want to talk modern dollars that is well over an astonishing $248,000USD. The insurance papers along with the information given to me by the family also gives us an amazing amount of detail on the coat. It is the Haute Couture model nr. 3007 that was named 'Dynastie'. The sable pelts that is is made out of are some of the rarest on the planet. It is made of a Russian sable, 87 Bargouzine quality skin, ’sauvage pointée’, color grade 3 with a matching belt. We found a very similar model that was photoed for the cover of L'Officiel that year. It is of special interest that during Gianfranco Ferre's tenure at the house he used these same sleeves as inspiration for a sable piece that he post on the runway for the Fall 1994 Haute Couture presentation. I have included both these reference photos for you here. 

The coat is in exceptional condition and appears to have been worn very little if at all. The style is very much like a men’s evening smoking jacket with how it wraps to close at the front. I love that feeling of the masculine contesting with the feminine in this piece. I have done a video for this piece that you can watch to get a really great idea of its suppleness and how it moves. It also shows more of the details on the coat. The sleeves are especially of interest. They are cut exceptionally wide and full and the pelts have been set horizontally to contrast against the vertical pelts on the body of the jacket. At their cuffs they are a full 24" around. Everything about the coat is exquisite and exceptionally made to the very last detail. Even the belt has a special hook that allows you to keep it perfectly in place once it is tied at the front. And if you want to wear the jacket without the belt tied you can hook the belt at the back as I’ve shown in the video so you never have to worry about losing it. For those of you that collect and wear vintage furs this is one of the most exceptional pieces you will ever come across and and it is set at an extraordinary price given its original value. It is truly a one-of-a-kind find. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a brown silk with a second lining floating over that. It hooks to close at the front with fur hooks and the belt has it own hook as shown in the video. Silk lined pockets on each hip. The fir is exceptionally soft and supple. Because of the the tie front it should work on a variety of sizes. 

Sleeves: approx 24"
Shoulders: soft with no defined seams
Bust: to 22-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open and adjustable when tied
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C593

Reference Photos: (1) Original Purchase Insurance Papers.  /  (2) Model in Christian Dior, Officiel de la fourrure, 1984.  /  (3) Fall 1994-95 Dior Haute Couture Runway.

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.

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. This dress is from the main Nina Ricci line and it is made to level that I would consider to be demi-couture. It dates to the Fall 2006 collection and its twin walked the runway on model Jeisa Chiminazzo. Designer Lars Nilsson was the head of the atelier at the time and he had been there since 2003. His take over of the label was met with rave reviews and he was asked to reinvigorate the then floundering label. He remained there until 2006 so this dates to mid-way of his tenure. In the review of the collection that season by Vogue, they were harsh of the sportswear looks presented but raved about the evening looks saying; 'What his soigné fans love him for is his easy way with a dress. Several of the versions he showed today featured an artsy, swirling print, while the others came in those multicolored layers of organza, chiffon, or silk gauze. His facility with such concoctions makes spring a natural for Nilsson.''

This was a standout piece from the show and it is gorgeous and even better in person. The dress is a fantastical confection of black netted tiers that run from the top of the dress to the hem. The upper shoulders and bodice are a single layer of the netting and this curves over the shoulders and across the upper back to give you a glimpse of the skin underneath. Over the bodice it is cut into a modified sweetheart neckline that is caught up in a long loose and easy tie at the center for added detail. Under that the dress skims over you to the floor and each layer of the netting lies over the one beneath it. These tiers expand out in width as they progress down the body gently widening out as the dress nears the hem. This cut is incredibly flattering as the netting moves with you for a sensual feel but it hides all and every flaw. To give the dress the high glamour that it has, each edge of every layer has a wide band of beadwork that circles all the way around you. These bands are collectively made up of thousands of tiny tube beads hand sewn into place and following the edges of the netting. The gloss of the black beads against the black net is gorgeous. I love that the runway shots give you a bit of an idea of just how wonderful the dress is on. It is truly magical.  Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set zipper set the side. Tagged a US6 / FR 38. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3848

Reference Photos: Fall 2006 Nina Ricci Runway Collection. Look 34. Model: Jeisa Chiminazzo.

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 spectacular piece is by Pauline Trigere and is one of her best documented pieces even if you did not immediately recognize it. It's twin was featured in one of the most iconic editorials ever for the December 1966 issue of Vogue that was lensed by Henry Clark. The entire editorial was shot on location in Turkey. The fashion details in that issue described this piece as a: "High waisted drift of sun printed chiffon with a toga-scarf. By Trigere of Staron silk". This is an exceptional example of her work and I love that you can play with the attached scarf to create a number of ways to wear it. You are only limited by your own imagination.

When you look at the photos from Vogue, or the photos here, especially the published one, you think this is a dress. However it is actually a jumpsuit with extremely wide cut legs. Inside there is a built in body suit in a nude crepe lingerie fabric that keeps the semi-transparent fabric of the legs from being too scandalous. This inner suit is cut long and seems to extend down past where the leg meets your torso. I think this would give you the option of wearing the pant higher up if you were small enough. The silk used is almost weightless and the colours in it combine pink with a pale mint, shades of coral and a tangerine colour, to give it the feel of a sunset. Which was the exact mood it was shot for in Vogue. The pants flow to the floor and are cut to be extremely wide and full. A long panel of fabric is attached at the front under the waist band and gathered. This can be worn several ways. I have shown it swooped up and over one shoulder like they did for the Vogue shoot and I also curved it up one side around the neck and then tucked  it under itself to create a halter that leaves the back completely bare. You could even add a belt to really secure it in place. That front panel actually extends down past the hem in length so there is a lot of fabric to play with for styling. In the photos the model wore a body suit under it and you could do the same or even just wear a bandeau or a skimpy halter to allow more skin to show. It is a very unusual design and I love it. I purchased this years ago I and was told it came from a models closet so there is the possibility that it actually is the actual piece used in this shoot. It is very beautiful. Excellent condition with a note below.

The pants and front panel are unlined. There an attached nude crepe half bodysuit inside the pants. This inner piece zips up the back with a painted metal zipper. The silk of the pants then snaps in place over the bodysuit to fully hide it. Hand finishes. Has a hand numbered tag inside #159. I see wear and repairs to the fabric on the inside band of the waist where it hooks to close. Please see the photos after the label shot

Top band of waist/Underbust: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips of inner body suit: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length of inner suit: 23.5" from top of band to inner seams
Pant length: 45" from top of band to hem with a 4.5" turned up interior hem
The front attached fabric panel is 56" long from where it is inset to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED depending on how how you wear it

Item# DD2996

(1) Editha Dussler in Pauline Trigere, from the editorial Eastward to Eden, Vogue, December 1966. Shot by Henry Clarke. (2) Outtake from that same shoot.

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 exceptional silk taffeta dress is by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior. It is from the Fall 1985 collection. In the 'Dior Catwalk' book, they include a write up from WWD that said the collection felt; 'young at heart, naughty and smart-chic'. They went on to note that many of the pieces on the collection were designed so that the 'hips are wrapped for attention and the knees are revealed'. The dress is a wonderful example of that young feel he was after and it is certainly a dress that is a reflection of its era. It is also a stunning example of his work during this time period. The dress is made even more special since we found a runway shot of the twin of the dress. For the runway it was styled with a lace mask and a pin nestled in the ruffled shoulder. It is an exceptional dress. 

The fabric of this dress is fantastic and no matter how great it looks in the photos you will love it even more in person. It is made out of a black silk taffeta whose underside in a silver pewter that has a bit of a metallic feel to it. This creates an incredible effect with the ruffles that cover the dress. As they move and flip over themselves you see the silver grey colour and the effect is fabulous. The fabric is light in weight and despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not at all heavy once it is on. Inside the dress has light boning through the bodice to give you some support. The bodice is cut with a modified sweetheart neckline and it is meant to hug the body. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with all of the gathered folds coming in to the seams that run over the bodice at the front, back and sides. These emphasize your curves and it make the dress very flattering once on. There is a huge and elaborate ruffle that curves around and under the arm and covers the one shoulder while the other is left bare. This gives the dress this fabulous shot gf glamour. More ruffles completely cover the skirt. These ruffles are set all the way around the skirt in a series of vertically placed silk panels. Each panel has been individually set onto the skirt to create the exaggerated ruffled effect that you see. The way they are set onto the skirt allows each piece to sit off of the skirt to create that fabulous volume. I really fluffed them up for the photos and the silk taffeta choice helps to hold the shape that you place it into while still being soft and not stiff. It is gorgeous and I love that we found the reference photo so you can see just how fabulous it is one. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. The interior of the bodice is boned for support. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little.

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 21.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3841

Reference Photo: Fall/Winter 1985-86 Christian Dior Runway.

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

Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection through a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. He loved to experiment and would often change his aesthetics from season to season which was his ultimate downfall. After the fall 1998 show Chanel pulled its stake and the company folded. He did have a couple of subsequent come back attempts, but for collectors these early years are the most important pieces to find.

This particular coat is very special. It's near twin was a highlight of the "Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History" exhibit in 2016 and a version was featured in Town and Country that Year. We also have a copy of the original sketch included here. My client had this one custom made for herself that year and worked one on one with Issac on it. Isaac was only 30 years old at the time of this collection and he was the hottest ticket in town. This jacket in all its versions was dubbed the 'Tee Pee' series. When the New York times reviewed the 2016 exhibit they mentioned this series in particular and it's impact culturally; You get the feeling that Mr. Mizrahi is always daring people to criticize him just so he can prove them wrong. Besides “Desert Storm,” other pieces in the exhibition also seem to willfully court controversy — even more so today than when they debuted. From a 1991 collection called the “Tee Pee” series, for example, there’s “Totem Pole Gown,” a strapless, form-fitting sheath of yellow wool embroidered with imagery mimicking the faces and patterns of Native American totem poles from the Pacific Northwest. (Ms. Campbell appeared in that dress on the Sept. 16, 1991, European edition of Time magazine, making her the first black model to appear on that magazine’s cover.) Another from the series is “Tee Pee Shearling,” a red coat adorned with beaded patterns emulating American Indian motifs. Like a Pop artist, Mr. Mizrahi was thinking not of authentic Indian art but of cheap kitsch sold at roadside souvenir stands. Still, considering today’s ethnic and racial identity concerns, often inflamed on social media, you can imagine the uproar that would ensue were Mr. Mizrahi to introduce such garments now.'......  I agree and I don't think something like this would be produced today unless it was by an actual Native American designer, and rightly so, but the jacket still has its place as a mirror of the times and Mr Mizrahi's own personal sense of wit and way of looking at the world around him during this time period. 

The jacket is cut to be oversized and large as it sits on the body. This will allow it to fit just about any size. You just slip it on and it has no closures at the front. The collar and front edging flip over slightly when on so that you can see the red shearling on the inside. The entire jacket is shearling with the fur to the inside and the suede part to the outside. The cut is big and oversized. The sleeves are cut to an extra long length and you can flip up the cuffs to show the sheepskin there too. There are pockets on each side of the hips and the coat widens out as it nears the hem to be very wide and full. Onto the shearling are a series of hand beaded Native American motifs. These curve around and follow the shape of the jacket running across the front and over each sleeve. The design continues to the back where it is very extensive and elaborate. All of the bead work is done by hand and uses bright primary colours that pops off of the red. The jacket also has a band of suede fringe that runs along the bottom of the design all the way around you to the front and then all the way around the back and around each sleeve. The colour is a beautiful deep burgundy red and the beadwork pops beautifully against it. It is an extraordinary piece that definitely has it's place in fashion history. Excellent condition with one minor note below 

The suede is fully backed in sheepskin shearling. The jacket slips on to wear with no closures. Pockets on either hip. The cuffs can be flipped down or worn flipped up. I see an area of darkening to the suede around the beadwork at the back. Please see the photo after the label shot. The loose and over-sized cut should allow it to work on just about any size. 

Sleeves: approx 26" with the cuffs flipped down 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust-hips: 30-31" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD3827

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1991 Isaac Mizrahi Sketch.  /  (2-4) Photos from "Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History" at the Jewish Museum, 2016.  /  (5) Fall Fashions 1991 featured in Town and Country Magazine.

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, was appointed the Artistic Director. The house’s style became more structured under his tenure and the signature curves of the Ricci silhouette elongated and became more modern in feel. Designer Gérard Pipart then succeeded Jules-François Crahay in 1964. Throughout the following three decades, Pipart's Haute Couture aesthetic 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 for the house and is beautiful. I have dated it to 1965 based on the reference photos included here showing similar pieces from that season. It is exceptional and absolutely 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 this design 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 for you is a wonderful combination of the two. The exterior is a quilted silk brocade done in a chic and stunning ivory. The fabric that was chosen for this coat is especially beautiful. It has a 3D puffed 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 that you see. The interior of the coat is lined an ivory 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 side seam. All of the edges of the coat have been detailed and finished with a thick padded piping in the same fabric. This piping detail runs down the front, around the hem and circles around the end of each sleeve. Pockets lie along the seam on each side. The construction is at a Couture level of course and it is an absolutely stunning coat. This is a beautiful example of how refined true Haute Couture can be anode Pipart's work during this time period. Excellent condition with a note to review below.

The coat closes with the button at the front and there is a button and loop on the interior. The entire coat is lined in sheepskin. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. Pockets along the seam. I see some fraying to the fabric around the back collar. There is a small mark on the back of one shoulder and a touch a a watermark on the silk of the other shoulder. Please see the photos after the shot 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 coat matches the tunic dress I had in the shop recently and I am very pleased to have had one of my clients send it to me. It's twin in the same pink, as well as a green version, are held in both the Fashion and Lace Museum Collection and the Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston respectively. This is a remarkable example of his Couture work during that time period. A piece in this shade of pink and in this exemplary condition is a rare find.

This beautiful, sculptural couture coat is stunning. The fabric is that classic Courreges thick textured wool jersey that despite its thickness is still decently light in weight and wearable. The slight texture to it and absolutely superb seaming details give the coat a rich, luxurious feel. Each curved seam and the soft but sculptural cut create a beautiful line that curves in slightly at the waist and then the bottom of the coat under that flares out. A half belt detailing anchors the back and is held in place by two large white buttons. The coat closes down the front with more of those same white buttons and they are also used to detail the pockets and belt detail at the front. Each button hole, including the back ones, are completely functional and are finished to couture standards. The collar is neat and round and the sleeves end in a jaunty turned up cuff with a notch for extra interest. I love the way it closes at the waist and how the detailing there gives it the feel of being belted. Two large pockets sit at the front of each hip. Very chic and very couture in feel. Extremely collectible and rare. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in a hand set ivory silk and buttons to close. Hand finished throughout. The color is a slightly different shade of pink - and even better I think - than how it photoed. Looked to have been worn very little, if at all. There is one small area of thinning to the fabric near the front hem. Please see the photo after the label shot. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C583

Reference Photos: (1) Courreges Coat, from Fashion and Lace Museum Collection.  /  (2) Courreges Coat, from the Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston.

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

John Anthony is an award-winning American fashion designer best known for simple, elegant clothing with a strong sense of chic. His work veers towards minimalism, with sharp tailoring, striking evening wear being his signature. He is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. From the day that he launched his atelier in 1971 his design philosophy is a fusion of function and purpose. The function is his logical, wearable approach; the purpose, his pared-down ideas. As a designer, he considers it his job to make things easy for the customer. He designs with focus and a narrow palette for both day and night, so items can easily intermingle. He uses natural fabrics and is noted for contradictory daywear fabrics in his evening collections. In the early 70’s he was one of the first designers to promote the idea of easy-to-travel clothes that resist wrinkling. By 1976, he was showing soft, liquid separates in muted colours that became his trademark and received 2 Coty awards, one in 1972 and one in 1976, as recognition. 

His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces did and still do retail for over $10,000. His work is a personal favourite of mine and I am thrilled to offer this exclusive nine piece capsule collection of pieces and samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you. 

This dress is absolutely stunning. It weighs ounces and is made from the most beautiful fabric. Netted lace is placed over a nude silk chiffon lining. The lace is then detailed with little swirls of cording that have little ivory iridescent sequins running through. This allows the dress to catch the light from every angle and create the most beautiful effect in the light. It all cleverly closes at the front with hidden snaps running under the edges of the fabric. I love how all if the edges follow the curving pattern of the lace so that everything has that touch of romance and detailing. Once on, the front plunges right to the waist. The fabric closes under that point and overlaps slightly. This leaves a subtle slit running up the front so that you see a flash of leg when you move or sit. The back is equally incredible. The front halter curves up and over the shoulders and meet in a band that runs behind the neck. Extending out from that are two wide straps made of the same fabric. These are set to curve and drape away from the body for this pretty 3D effect. The back is left completely bare under that right to the waist. I love how the seam at the bottom of all that bareness is set on a slight curve. No detail is too small with John's dresses. It is incredible. It is one of the most romantic and beautiful dresses I have ever had in the shop and I feel that this would make an extraordinary wedding piece for a bride looking for something not as traditional. It would work for any event really where you want to feel like a goddess. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a nude silk chiffon and closes at the front with a series of hidden fabric covered slaps. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Note that it is slightly creamer in person then how it photoed.

Bust: each halter provides 6" of coverage across 
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3829

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

John Anthony is an award-winning American fashion designer best known for simple, elegant clothing with a strong sense of chic. His work veers towards minimalism, with sharp tailoring, striking evening wear being his signature. He is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. From the day that he launched his atelier in 1971 his design philosophy is a fusion of function and purpose. The function is his logical, wearable approach; the purpose, his pared-down ideas. As a designer, he considers it his job to make things easy for the customer. He designs with focus and a narrow palette for both day and night, so items can easily intermingle. He uses natural fabrics and is noted for contradictory daywear fabrics in his evening collections. In the early 70’s he was one of the first designers to promote the idea of easy-to-travel clothes that resist wrinkling. By 1976, he was showing soft, liquid separates in muted colours that became his trademark and received 2 Coty awards, one in 1972 and one in 1976, as recognition. 

His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces did, and still do, retail for over $10,000. His work is a personal favourite of mine and I am thrilled to offer this exclusive nine piece capsule collection of pieces and samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you. 

This is a dress that when you see it in person seems impossible to have the level of detail that is does on the silk and netting fabric. It is magical in person. The dress is made from a beige nude silk chiffon through the body and then the upper bust and back are made out of a nude silk netting. It is cut to skim over the body with a suggestion of a waist worked in by vertical seaming. The netting above the front edge of the bodice curves up to the shoulders and then down the back. The back is dipped very low so you see your lower back peek through the netting. Onto the netting is a design that reminds me of coral in the way that it has been executed. A fine silver colour metal thread is first used to create the organic feel of the pattern. Then onto that is a dense application off silver sequins, soft pastel blue beads and rhinestones. These are applied thickly enough that they sit up and off the silk to give a 3D effect. They run over the entire dress and over the netting as well. When this is on the body the effect that this creates is astonishing. I think it is one of the most beautiful textile examples I have ever seen. A long slit up the side allows a flash of leg to show when you walk or sit. It is magnificent. Besides being a very wearable dress for any special evening  this would make a stunning wedding choice for the bride looking for something not as traditional or as an option for an event over a wedding weekend. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a node silk chiffon and closes with a hidden side set zipper. One of the shoulders has a Velcro close to help get in and out of it. There is a very tiny break in the net near one arm hole at the front and two teeny stress areas near a seam. Please see the photos after the label shot.

Bust: the front covers to 16" flat across and the sides are open right beside the bust
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 24" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3833

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

John Anthony is an award-winning American fashion designer best known for simple, elegant clothing with a strong sense of chic. His work veers towards minimalism, with sharp tailoring, striking evening wear being his signature. He is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. From the day that he launched his atelier in 1971, his design philosophy is a fusion of function and purpose. The function is his logical, wearable approach; the purpose, his pared-down ideas. As a designer, he considers it his job to make things easy for the customer. He designs with focus and a narrow palette for both day and night, so items can easily intermingle. He uses natural fabrics and is noted for contradictory daywear fabrics in his evening collections. In the early 70’s he was one of the first designers to promote the idea of easy-to-travel clothes that resist wrinkling. By 1976, he was showing soft, liquid separates in muted colours that became his trademark and received 2 Coty awards, one in 1972 and one in 1976, as recognition. 

His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces did, and still do, retail for over $10,000. His work is a personal favourite of mine and I am thrilled to offer this exclusive nine piece capsule collection of pieces and samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you. 

This dress is a little extra special as Janet Jackson wore a later version of the dress for her Today's Black Women cover. I included it as it is always fascinating to see the progression of a design. It also has some similarities to the ivory one we have in this capsule that is made from a similar lace and sequin fabric. The dress is very light in weight and it is made from the most beautiful fabric. A deep blue netted lace is placed over a silk chiffon lining in the same colour.  The lace is then detailed with thousands of deep blue iridescent sequins that run over the entire length of the dress. This allows the dress to catch the light from every angle and it creates the most beautiful effect in the light. It is strapless and the top of the bodice curves down into a sweetheart shape to emphasize the bust. It cleverly closes down the front with a hidden zipper and hidden snaps running under the edges of the fabric. I love how all of the edges follow the curving pattern of the lace so that everything has that touch of romance and detailing. To wear it you just wrap it around you and close the snaps down the front. The snaps run to about the mid-thigh and then below that a subtle slit is created so that you see a flash of leg when you move or sit. The lower hem is set on a curve so comes up slightly at the front and is longer at the back. The skirt is lined in a silk chiffon and this gives it a slight transparency in the light. Very sexy.  I love the little rosette created and placed to one side at the waist for a touch of detailing. No detail is too small with John's dresses. It is incredible. It is wonderful. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set deep blue silky rayon through the bust and a silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes at the front with a hidden set zipper and a series of hidden fabric covered snaps. Lightly boned through the bodice. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from the top of the bodice to waist
Length: 46" from the top of the bodice to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3831

Reference Photo: Janet Jackson in John Anthony for Today's Black Women, June/July 1998.

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 was Look 14 in the Fall 2004 line-up from fashion icon Miuccia Prada. This collection is still thought of as one of her most stellar achievements and I doubt the pieces and prints used in this collection will ever truly go out of style. The reviews were spectacular. Vogue.com said of this collection: 'Audiences always arrive at Prada shows tingling with anticipation, braced for Miuccia Prada's next departure from the last season's plot. This time, she confounded expectation again, not by taking off in a new direction, but by developing the cache of ideas layered into her spring collection. That, of course, was famously about the fifties lady tourist, with an overlay of hippie-ish tie-dye among the circle skirts and knits. For winter, she took that same woman into new realms of intellectual exploration on the print front: back to the future, in fact. This time, she confounded expectation again, not by taking off in a new direction, but by developing the cache of ideas layered into her spring collection...."It was a dream of extreme romanticism," she said. "The idea of eighteenth-century painting, with video games. A romanticism between past and future."....For colder months, she added more layers, adding in dip-dyed cable knits and buttonless cardigans betwixt tweeds and bejeweled fifties-style couture-like pieces. What held it all together, literally, were the cinched waists, circled in narrow grosgrain ribbon or with tie-on belts encrusted with sparkle. It was that idea of jeweling, on collars, belts, and fabric brooches, that added the news.' 

On the runway this was shown layered over a jewelled skirt that ironically we just had in the shop in a blue tone. It is one of the most instantly recognizable coats that she’s ever done I think. The coat is made out of a shearling with the sheepskin facing towards the inside to keep you warm while the leather side is on the exterior. When the coat is closed you only see the shearling interior on the flipped up cuffs. If you don't want any shearling to show you can flip them down. Putting the leather on the exterior gives it this amazing feeling of a natural patina and a slight vintage feel to it that I love. The coat falls from the shoulders and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. The shoulders are cut to slouch a bit which gives it an easy to wear feel. Most of the seaming is done on the vertical and cut so that it has some shape through the body. Pockets sit on each hip for a cozy place for your hands. Running down the front and over the hidden set fur hooks is a strip of luxurious natural coloured mink. There is no collar but there is a wide band of golden toned silk inset around the neckline. This was then covered in a pattern made up of gold beads and big oversized glass crystals. They have been applied by hand are are densely set to all the way around to highlight the neckline. It is just gorgeous. This is an iconic piece of Prada history. Excellent condition.

The leather is fully backed in sheepskin shearling. The jacket closes with hidden set covered fur hooks down the front. Pockets on either side. The cuffs can be flipped down. The leather has a natural bit of scuffing that is part of this type of leather and a desired effect. Tagged a Prada 46.

Sleeves: 23" with cuffs turned up, 25" with them turned down
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# C580

Reference Photos: Fall 2004 Prada Runway Collection, Look 14.

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.

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person and it will really come to life once on an actual body. We found a very similar dress held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and it lets you see just how wonderful the dress will be once on. 

The dress is a showstopper. It is made out of a deep red coloured lace that is then detailed with cording that wraps around the edges of the floral design on the lace. Then he added tiny little rhinestones that are fused to the fabric of the larger flower patterns to give the dress an subtle bit of added glitz. The bodice is cut to skim over you with an inner silk lining in the same shade of red. The sleeves and neckline at both the back and the front are not lined so you get a little glimpse of the skin underneath the lace. The waist is not seamed so there is no line to break the eye. It simply comes in to suggest shape and then flares out to the skirt underneath. The skirt skims over the hips and then widens out as it nears the floor. I love the high low effect that the skirt has. It is cut to be shorter at the front and then the hem curves back and around you where it extends out to a trained effect at the back. All of the edges are scalloped to follow the pattern and shape of the designs in the lace. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior. It is fully lined in a red silk and then the back of the skirt has an added layer of stiffened net tulle to help hold the shape and volume. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine deep red silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner tulle skirting. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt ad there is an area missing in the tulle just above the hem. This does not affect the dress in anyway. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to front hem, 64" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3813

Reference Photos: Fall 1986 Arnold Scaasi dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection.

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 am now on the second batch of very interesting pieces that are coming from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This suit was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with permission make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs that prompted Ady to negotiate this arrangement with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the houses I am confident on. This particular suit is a little extra interesting because its belt is actually stamped with the YSL name. This solidifies the connection with the YSL atelier and shows that the accessories were bought along with the fabrics. This suit would have been made during the time period my clients aunt lived in Switzerland, from the late 70s to 1993. The suit and its matching silk top is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is very well tailored and cut.

The suit is a marvel of construction and is in wonderful condition. I love that it even comes with its original silk top. It is so rare that you get all three pieces to a suit and it gives you incredible versatility with it since you can mix and match all of the pieces with things you already own. The suit's simple appearance belies the masterful cut and tailoring that lies behind it. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that has some fullness around the upper body and a wonderfully wide notched collar. Angled pockets are top set on the front of each hip and the shoulders are padded for shape. The nubby wool fabric has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. The belt that comes with it is intended for the skirt but you could easily wear it on top of the jacket if you wanted to cinch in the waist and add more shape. I love the big glossy crocodile patterned buttons. These sit at the low from top the jacket and then three run up each sleeve. The skirt is cut in a simple pencil shape. The waist is banded and has attached loops that match the suede of the belt. On each hip of the skirt are angled pockets. The original matching silk top has a high neckline and padded shoulders for shape. One shoulder is gathered across the top and buttons in place with hand carved wood buttons. The sleeves are fuller at the top and taper down as they reach the wrist. The body of the top is cut loose and easy. I love the puffed effect that the silk has. It is an incredible mix of textures against the patchwork print that is worked thought the wool of the jacket and skirt. Once on, the suit transforms and I think you will be shocked at how much better it is in person and on then how it looks on my dress form. Yves' suits change the way we approach woman's wear and this particular one is a particularly wonderful example of his strong tailoring and cutting skills. Excellent condition

Both the skirt and jacket  are lined in a rich heavy blue-purple silk. The top is unlined. The jacket has two buttons at the front and three on each cuff. All the buttons holes are properly tailored to couture standards. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist and the top slips on and buttons along the one shoulder. Two pockets on the jacket and pockets on the skirt. Shoulder padding in both the jacket and top. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into the construction of all three pieces. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Top
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem 

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3810

Reference Photos: (1) A/W 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Collection.  /  (2) Catherine Deneuve Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture A/W 1991 Suit from the Sale at Christies.

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 am now on the second batch of very interesting pieces that are coming from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with permission make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs that prompted Ady to negotiate this arrangement with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the houses I am confident on. This one seems to be heavily influenced by the Fall 1987 collection by Givenchy. You can see the same skirting technique used in the runway reference photos I have included here. And if you put the top of the dress that Audrey is wearing with the runway piece together you pretty much get this dress. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is beautiful. A truly iconic piece of couture 

The dress is made from the most incredible metallic fabric. It literally changes colour from a purple to a green depending on how the light hits it. You get a hint of that in the photos but when it is on and in actual light and you are moving it can really go to a green colour. It is just amazing really. The fabric has a touch of weight to it and this helps to hold the shape that you see. The dress is astonishing and so bold. Pieces like this are really a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. At the front the neckline is scooped to show a touch of skin. The sleeves are set into the shoulders so that you get a bit of a peak. They are wider near the top and then they and taper down slightly as they reach each wrist. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist is dropped. Under the dropped waist is a wide band of poufed and gathered fabric that creates an incredible volume. You can see how it creates this bold and dramatic 3D feel. With the way the light catches the fabric and changes the colour the effect is even more dramatic in person. Nestled into the folds of that gathered part is a large black velvet bow. The skirt is set under that on a sharp angle that works it way away from the body to widen out to be quite full as it nears the floor. It is cut to feel sculptural and balance out the volume above. The front is cut a little shorter then the back and the I love the pleat effect the back has because of this. It did not come with a belt but you could easily add one to give it more of the feel of the runway version and add shape. It is incredible. All of the volume is created by the cut and the fabric alone. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set zipper at the back and there are hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. 

Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54.5" from top of shoulder to front hem, 58" to the longest part of the back hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3808

Reference Photos: (1) A/W 1987 Givenchy Haute Couture Silver metallic lame brocade strapless gown dress with a black velvet chest and bow and 2-layer puffy skirt. L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987.  /  (2) Audrey Hepburn, in Givenchy, at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City for the 17th Annual International Emmy Awards in 1989.

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 love finding Donald Brooks pieces. They are very well made and his boutique pieces especially have a sense of fun about them that I love. Brooks launched his main line label in 1964. He only designed for a very short time, closing his business in 1973. He had a secondary, boutique line that he started in 1971 that also closed in 1973. This dress is from the boutique line which gives us that small time period from 1971-1973 for its date. While researching we also found a two piece set that resides in the Goldstein Museum's collection made of the same fabric. I have had that one in the shop before and it is amazing to have another version now for you. 

For his boutique line, Donald Brooks really played into that whole 1960s flower power hippie movement. His designs were targeted towards a younger audience then the main line pieces where and they all have this sense of fun and ease to them. Pieces made regular appearance on all of the big name supermodels in the pages of Vogue and Harper's and women loved them. This dress is just darling. It is made out of a cotton mix fabric that has a  seersucker texture striping running through it to give added dimension. The colour combination is a gorgeous mix of primarily corals and yellows with other colours worked in. The top is cut onto a halter at the front with angled sides that carry up to the high neckline. It is nipped in at the waist and then the skirt is set under that to fall outwards on an angle, widening out as it nears the hem. At the back the straps that extend out from the collar curve down the sides to meet the waist. This leaves your back almost entirely bare and open. The long skirt also has two high slits running up either side at the front. This slit skirt technique is a signature of his work and lets your legs show when you walk or sit. Then, as the final finish, all of the edges on the halter, running down the front and circling the waist, have been finished with bands of embroidered multi-coloured flowers. And it has pockets in the skirt. I love it. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low set zipper at the back of the skirt and halter hooks to close at the back of the neck. My dress form's neck was too small but it will close completely in the proper size neck or you could add an extension there if needed. Pockets hidden along the sides of the skirt

Neck: 13.25" end to end
Bust: approx to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and there is a at least room or up to a B cup at the front 
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to top waist seam waist
Skirt: 38" from top waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3785

Reference Photo: (1) Photo by Helmut Newton for Vogue US, January 1972.  /  (2) 1970-75 Donald Brooks Ensemble from the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection.

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

Jean-Louis Scherrer was one of the great French couturiers in the grand Parisian style. He counted Sophia Loren and Jackie Kennedy as fans in his heyday and his work in the 1970s especially was wonderful. Opulence, hand beading and rich passementerie were his trademarks. He launched his own Haute Couture house after working at Christian Dior and by 1977, the year that this dress was made, he was just reaching the top of his game as a couturier. It is an incredible find and even more beautiful in person

I love the soft yellow silk organza that has been used for the skirt and the shawl in this dress. This choice of fabric allows it to have the volume that you see but without adding any weight at all. It also is a soft and romantic contrast to the sequin work on the bodice. The bodice is strapless and cut to be fitted to the bust balancing the volume of the skirt perfectly. Thousand of tiny sequins have been hand applied to create that stunning floral design that you see. As you look closer the work just gets more amazing. The edges of the green sequin leafs fro example are all finished with the tiniest glass tube beads possible. Little glass crystals edge other parts of the design and create a border across the top of the bodice. The workmanship is exquisite and the care and time to have created the design using these very small sequins and beads is astonishing. Under the bodice the skirt is cut to skim over the tops of the hips and than flows outwards with its first ruffle. There are three ruffles in total making up the skirt and each is cut to be very wide and each is made out of several yards of fabric. The skirt under the ruffles gradually widens as it reaches the hem. I photos most of the full length shots here with a light crinoline underneath so you could get an idea of just how full the skirt could be. The final full length shot is without anything underneath and even then it has stunning volume. The movement and airiness the skirt creates in person is amazing. At your smallest movement the ruffles float around you. The dress comes with a matching shawl that is so large it really could be considered to be more of a cape. It is made of the same silk as the skirt and is finished with the same ruffled treatment we see on the skirt. It can be wrapped or just lightly held. The entire dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and it is even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a small note to review below

Fully lined in the same silk organza that is used on the exterior. All of the work throughout is done by hand done to the edgings of the inner seams. It zips to close with a painted metal zipper and the exterior skirt snaps to close over the zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The bodice is lightly boned. I see one tiny dot of a mark just under the bodice seam and a tiny repair near the base of the back closure. Numbered tag 002576

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Shawl: 9 feet long x just over 5 feet wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3393

Reference Photos: (1) 1976-1977 Fall-Winter Women's haute couture runway show.  /  (2) Jean Louis Scherrer with model, 1977.

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 on. This is definitely one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. The movement it has when it is on and you walk is just incredible. 

This 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. The upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it and the silk is draped over the bust and then down the the body to fall down and around you. This creates a fabulous draping effect that goes right from the top of the bust to just below the hips crating an hourglass feel. The skirt is set in and under the draped bodice and the entire front part of the skirt has been scooped upwards which emphasizes all those ruffles even more. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of 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. The dress is suspended from the neck by the straps that extend out of the middle of the bodice and wrap around and hook behind the beck. These straps have been made out of the same silk as the dress but it has been gathered in a ruffle and the edges were left raw. He then set little hand made flowers all along the straps for the prettiest finishing detail that adds an extra element of romance and femininity. This is Oscar at his very best and it is 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.

In the 1980s and 1990s Gianni Versace ruled the catwalks. He was the favourite of the Supermodels and they were featured predominately in his runway shows and his ad campaigns. Versace launched his label in 1978 and by 1989 he presented a couture collection. The days that Gianni headed the label were heady, glamourous ones and set the tone for the label as we know it today. He remained at the helm of the brand until his death by assassination in 1997. This is from those years in the 1990s when the label was everywhere and everyone wanted to own and wear a Versace. While researching this piece I found several photo references of different variations of the dress from both the catwalk and ad campaigns. I have included those here. I love this chic graphic version in the black and white. It is an exceptional example of his work from this time period.

The dress is exactly what you think of when you think Versace from this time period and it is instantly recognizable as his because of that famous ad shot. The dress is made from a very fine wool and it is the kind of dress that instantly demands your full attention. The dress is almost weightless once on the body, an effect achieved by the use of the finest, lightest wool that there was at the time. The shape is as simple as you can get. It is a simple shift that is meant to hang suspended over the body underneath. The simplicity of it perfectly captures the mood of 1995 and it allows that little check pattern to take the spotlight. The pattern is a series of small 1/2" squares and I love the care and attention to line the pattern up at the seams and back zipper. It is truly spectacular and that perfect combination of sexy and yet still innocent because of the easy to wear shape. If there was ever a dress proven to be supermodel worthy this one is it. This is a rare and very collectible Versace. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. I see a tiny run on the fabric near the side at the front and an even smaller one a little ways up from that. You would never see these once on. Please see the shots after the label shot. Otherwise it looks to have been worn very little if at all. The easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes

Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 33" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3578

Reference Photos: (1-3) Fall 1995 Versace Runway Collection (Look 46-Claudia Schiffer, Look 47-Nadja Auermann, Look 48-Naomi Campbell)  /  (4) Shalom Harlow by Richard Avedon for Versace Fall 1995.  /  (5) Stephanie Seymour by Richard Avedon for Versace Couture Fall 1994.

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