From the Spring 2015 collection comes this fabulous little mini from Balmain. On the runway it was shown in a longer length but was also produced as this micro mini for retail. With the craze for micro short pieces still going strong it almost feels more relevant now then it did when it came out. The skirt is made from a denim feeling thick cotton canvas fabric that both holds its shape and shapes the wearer. The design is a graphic white on black and the white is placed to highlight the lines of the skirt and the cures of the girl wearing it. It is cut to sit higher up on the waist to really give you a curved feel. It cinches in at the waist and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. I love the stark lines and the two pockets that sit on either hip. Unworn and with original tags. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black ribbed silk and closes with their signature chunky back zipper. Tagged a 40. New and unworn with original hang tag still attached

Waist: 14.5" 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: SML-MED

Item# S836

Reference photo: Balmain Spring 2015, Look 18, model: Andreea Diaconu

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

From the Fall 2014 collection comes this fabulous little mini from designer Fausto Puglisi. With the craze for micro short pieces still going string it almost feels more relevant now then it did when it came out. The main portion of the skirt is made from a beautiful silk twill that has Lady Liberty printed on it in a repeating pattern of squares. They are printed in shades of a graduated grey on an ivory backdrop. The waist and edges are finished in a a border of black that has a little more weight to it so the shape of the skirt is held when on. It cinches in at the waist and flares out as it nears the hem. The front is made to look like a wrap and comes up slightly shorter for even more leg to show. Unworn and with original tags. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a 42. New and unworn with original hang tag still attached

Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 16.5" from waist to the shortest point of the front hem, 18" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S834

Reference Photo: (1) F/W 2014 Fausto Puglisi, Look 26, Model: Tami Williams. / (2) Chanel Iman, April 29th 2014

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 Chanel hat is amazing and I was very pleased to find a photo of Stella tenant wearing a version of it from the Fall 1996 collection. The hat is made to sit lightly on the top of the head. You can play with which direction you wish the feathers to face. It can literally be worn with the feathers at the front, either side, or at the back, This gives it so much versatility and the feel of it completely changes depends on how you have it sit on the head. It has an attached comb that holds it in place and then the glossy black feathers rise up from there for a very Haute Couture feel. It is an instant shot of high glamour to any outfit and a very collectible piece of Chanel. Excellent condition

Secures to the head with a comb. The base of a black felt wool and the feathers are still glossy and strong with no shedding. It will fit any size head. Each side of the triangle shape measures about 8" long.

Item# A339

Reference Photo: Stella Tennant by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel F/W 1996.

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 print was shown on the 1983 runway in a variety of color combinations. Here we have a little day dress cleverly fashioned to fut loose and easy over the body and yet still have a touch of shape.  The colors are amazing and absolutely pop off of the silk. Yves Saint Laurent was a master at choosing the fabrics that were the perfect compliment to the prints that he used. This dress is no exception to that rule with its riot of multi-colored, bright abstract design that covers its surface. The cut is pure Yves and a wonderful example of the work her was doing during this time period. The sleeves end just below the elbow and are cut with a full pouf above that. The bodice is set to sit loose and easy over the body with a high neckline that has a tie at the neck to tie onto a bow or loop and let the tie ends hang down. It has a slight dropped waist silhouette that gives it a bot of a twenties feel. The waist is cut full and loose with a dropped band of fabric to detail it. The band is finished at the front to extend into long fabric ties that you can wrap and/or tie for more shape. Below that the skirt flares out with a pretty swing feel. You can wear it loose and easy or cinch in the waist more with the ties. Adjusting the ties at the waist will also let you to change the length of the skirt depending on how tight and high you tie it. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes down the front with buttons. It is tagged a vintage YSL 34 but the loose and easy but will allow it to work on a variety of sizes. It appears to have been worn very little, if at all.

Sleeves: 19.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from neck to waist
Skirt: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2253

Reference Photo: Yves Saint Laurent S/S 1983 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.

The Resort and Spring 1977 collections were some of the few that Halston worked some prints into the collections. He normally focused on a solid color palette and I love seeing this side of his work. I found a runway reference photograph and you can see the similar print done on a long silk tank dress. This shorter, day version still employs the minimal seaming that Halston excelled at but is finished in his iconic wrap cut. The photo is from a Halston book and in it there is a quote by Bob Colacello that says; "His colors were so American, they were like out of a Crayola crayon box. Halston's red and purple and green were like true colors; they weren't pastels, they weren't dark, they weren't iridescent - they were very true and very American" and this really sums up the true, beautiful blue that the silk is done in. The waist has a long attached tie belt that you wrap and cinch it in for as much shape as you wish. The silk is scarf weight so drapes beautifully over the curves of the body. I love the pops of color brought in by the abstract print that covers the dress. Excellent condition

Unlined and wraps to close. Hook & eye along the plunge that if left open will give you a deeper plunge then shown. Hand finished. he blue is a touch deeper in tone then how it photoed. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2348

Reference photo from the book: Halston, An American Original, Eliane Gross and Fred Rottman, 1999

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

Sybil Connolly was based in Dublin and her first major fashion show as a designer in her own right was in 1953 and quickly became a darling of the American market. Jacqueline Kennedy wore  Connolly for her official White House portrait and Connolly was a particular favorite of Carmen Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar. In 1957 she launched her couture label. She created Haute Couture pieces made from Irish textiles and in particular she became famous for her distinctive use of  pleated handkerchief linen. This excerpt from the FDIM Museum explains Sybil Connolly's techniques:

"Sybil Connolly's trademark gowns required a tremendous amount of fabric. To construct one pleated evening dress required between 72 and 90 yards of Irish handkerchief linen. After undergoing a secret pleating process, this initial yardage became 7 to 10 yards of slightly irregular, narrow linen pleats. Like the early 20th century designer Mario Fortuny, Sybil Connolly was very protective of her pleating process, swearing that it was a secret she would "carry to the grave." In her designs, Connolly usually oriented the pleats horizontally, covering the seams with self-fabric cording. The cords also lengthen the overall line of the garment, providing a counterbalance to the horizontal pleats. As Connolly tended towards solid colors, the stiff cording also provides a necessary visual contrast to the soft linen pleats."

Connolly was named the 'Dior of Dublin' by the press and rightly so. This dress is not 100% perfect but still a stunning example of the pleating techniques as described above. This best matched the sketch of the dress that Connolly named the 'Non-Chalance'. I found a sketch of it within the permanent collection of the Hunt Museum in Ireland and there is also a similar gown held in the collection of the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum. Sybil worked directly with the cloth when she did her design work and rarely did any preliminary sketches so it is a pleasure to have found one to reference. I found a quote that referred to the Irish linen she used to be 'of a quality so fine it was almost chiffon-like in weight' and that’s description is very accurate. This dress has a very formal feel to it that is heightened by that strong red color that the linen has been dyed to. The elaborately layered cuffs are a made from the same fabric but here the pleats are more a traditional tiny pleat and they are set vertically, rather then the horizontal pleating of the dress. They are dramatic and very full with their two layers stacked on top of each other. They add a touch of romance and whimsy to the dress and give it a lovely movement when you move your arms. This same treatment circles the hem as well and adds a touch of a flounce to the other wise structured skirt. The dress is otherwise kept to simple lines so that the pleating technique takes center stage. The bodice is fitted, with a slightly scooped neckline. The waist cinches in for shape and then the skirt billows out to a beautiful strong line that allows the many yard of fabric used to take full center stage. Soft gathers at each side of the hip and around the back create more volume. It is wonderful and rare example of her work. The gown presents as excellent condition at first glance but does have some condition notes below to review.

The dress is fully lined in a matching red hand set silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. The hand work done can clearly be seen throughout the interior. I see some shattering to the silk around each arm but other wise the inner silk appears to be strong and stable. The small amount of shattering does not affect the exterior at all. There are areas of darkening/discoloration to the fabric present. I see an area on the front skirt under the waist. A smudge on the piping edge of one sleeve and a darkening to an area on the front bust. One small smudge on the back of the skirt about half way down. Inside, there is a tiny bit of fading to the seam under the arm and the inside neck. There is a tiny repair to the base of the arm seam on each side. The dress is strong and stable otherwise. The discoloration ranges from a subtle darkening to a deep darkening of the fabric as photoed. You could easily get away with wearing it as is if you don't mind a piece that is not perfect. Please review the photos shown after the label photo. It is cut slightly narrow through the shoulders.

Shoulders: approx 14" but no true seam
Sleeves: approx 18"
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to front hem and 46" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3137

Reference Photos:  (1-2) Sybil Connolly Design Sketches from The Hunt Museum.  /  (3) An original Sybil Connolly creation. Copyright Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum.  /  (4) Portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy by Aaron A. Shikler. Oil on canvas, 47 x 31 inches, executed between 1968-1995, from a Private Collection, courtesy Davis & Langdale Company, Inc., New York.  /  (5) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

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 Mollie Parnis dress was showcased on Beverly Johnson for Vogue in 1973 and I am very pleased to have it in the shop. It is cut to follow and skim over the body with a beautiful one shoulder silhouette. I especially love the strong coral red color of it. It is the kind of color that flatters almost any skin tone and helps the dress make a strong statement despite the simple lines of it. The dress cascades from that single shoulder in a swooping column of fabric. One side of the dress is cut wide to slight sit over the cap of your own shoulder while the other side is left bare. It zips up at the side of the inner part of the dress and then over that is a layer of jersey that is caught up under the arm and ties. It is set slightly towards the back and falls in soft drapes down the side of the dress. I love how this creates a low dip off of he side of the back just like how you see it sit in the reference photo. It is truly a gorgeous piece. Excellent condition.

All the layers are made of the same jersey. The inner dress is made of a double layer and then the outer exterior layer drapes over that. The inner dress closes with a painted metal zipper and the outer layer closes with hook & eye and ties at the side. I see a couple of teeny pinholes near the hem but nothing detracts and the fabric is strong and stable. Hand rolled edges. The fabric does have some stretch

Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: to 60" from top of shoulder to hem but will come up some as its bias cut

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2708

Reference Photo: Beverley Johnson in Mollie Parnis for Vogue, December 1973. Photographed by Kourken Pakchanian.

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 Bryce coat form the Fall 2013 Stella McCartney collection quickly sold out worldwide. It was spotted on celebrities like Katy Perry and Nicole Richie as a wonderful alternative to wearing real fur. It is actually made out of thick mohair blend that give it lots of texture and the feel and look of real fur but it is of course entirely faux. It has squared off shoulders that are lightly padded and the cut through the body is fairly straight as is the cut of each sleeve. Pockets sit on each hip and it snaps to close with ivory covered snaps that are hidden in the 'fur' sot hat you see nothing to break the line when it is closed or open. It is surprisingly light in weight and very warm. Looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in an ivory silk textured fabric and closes with the hidden set snaps at the front. Pockets on each hip. Tagged a modern 44 but Stella cuts small so please know your size in her line or make sure to check the measurements below.

Sleeves: 27"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust- hem: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# C495

Reference Photos: (1) Katy Perry in London, September 2013.  /  (2) Nicole Richie in Paris, November 2013.

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 used for the 1991 ad campaign shot by Arthur Elgort that featured the stunning Yasmin Le Bon. Two shots were used from that shoot so Yves must have especially loved this dress. It was also presented on the 1991 runway as seen on the beautiful Amalia Vairelli. This was one of the iconic pieces of that season and I am very pleased to have found this example.

The dress is made from a slinky silk jersey that has enough weight and drape to it to perfectly fall into the lovely draped lines that Yves desired it to have. The dress perfectly represents this time period and you can see the transition from the stronger, more angular shaped of the eighties slowly moving into simpler shapes for the 1990s. The vivid color and touch of excess from the 1980s is still there and present, but the shape is softening. It skims over the body and the skirt is made to look like it has been wrapped into place. A intricate series of hooks and snaps hold that lovely draping perfectly in place and it is these interior details that really showcase the high quality that Yves put into his designs. The neckline is slightly scooped and set in a wide crew neck. The gathers at its base and the masterful cut keep it firmly and remarkably in place. The waist is gathered across and a panel of draped silk jersey hang down over one leg. This sits over a high slit underneath that  is created by the wrap over shows off some leg when you walk, sit or move. It is amazing on the body and a rare find. Excellent condition with a small note to review below

Unlined but with a inner silk inset that is about 5" wide and circles the low waist so that the skirt sits perfectly. This inset is attached to the side zipper and hooks with a flat hook as well. The dress then closes above and below this on that same side with a series of hook & eye and snaps. Tagged a vintage YSL 42. There is a small scattering of marks on one shoulder which I have photoed and shown after the label photo. It gets lost in the print but mentioned for accuracy and priced accordingly

Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to dropped waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3136

Reference Photo: (1) S/S 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Ad featuring Yasmin Le Bon.  /  (2) S/S 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Ad from Vogue US, March 1991. (Both photos by Arthur Elgort.)  /  (3) Amalia Vairelli for S/S 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.

Reference Video (below): S/S 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Show from Fashion Channel.

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

This dress is exceptional and unique in that is comes with all of its original tags. It's cost in 1975 was $2500USD which would be about $11,000USD in modern terms. If you recognize it from the shop from before you are right and it is the same dress. My client Katherine, pictured here, wore it to a prominent event and has asked me to handle the sale of it for her now. It is in the same perfect condition it was when I had it originally.

The dress has an exotic feel to it created by the combination of the pattern in the silk and the brass bells that edge the dress. The entire dress has a golden, metallic sheen to from the fine gold lurex that runs through the silk. The edges of the dress are finished with a braided gold metal cord. This cording runs around each cuff and down the edge of the skirt and circles the hem. The braiding also goes around the neckline and down the off-set side of the bodice. Where it goes down that one side, there are three high domed filigree buttons that are each finished with a crystal. Hundreds of little brass bells were then hand placed along the loops of the braided edging. These are real bells so every time you move there is a wonderful little sound that all those bells makes. It is very subtle and not overwhelming in anyway, more of a faint rustling sound rather then a true bell ringing kind of sound. It is quite amazing. The skirt has the illusion of being wrapped over itself, but it is attached along the waist. This bit of a overlap creates a slit so you see some leg when you sit or walk. The silk is surprisingly lightweight and fluid. Very exotic in feel and very well made. Excellent condition.

The bodice and sleeves are fully lined in a blue silk satin of high quality and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a back, hidden set metal and nylon zipper. Zips at each cuff. Light padding in each shoulder. Tagged a size 10. The matching, fabric covered belt closes with hook and grommets. All original hang tags are present

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from neck to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3134

Reference Photos: Katherine Parr on Park Ave in NYC.

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

Sybil Connolly pieces are very rare things to find and this particular dress is extra special. When we did our research on it we found the original illustration that Connolly did from The Hunt Museum in Limerick, Ireland. The sketch included the name that Sybil gave to this particular design. The Hunt Museum in Limerick, Ireland has a large collection of her sketches and the original sketch for this piece, named 'Cream Puff' is one of them. The notes that accompany the sketch state: A full-length dress with a centre seam running from neck to hem. There is a round, plain neckline. The sleeves are fitted to elbow and then flare out with bias cut fabric lined with lace. There is a bow detail at the end of the sleeve where the bell-like cuffs are attached.

Sybil Connolly was known for creating Haute Couture from Irish textiles, particularly finely pleated Irish linen, but she also worked with textiles like the silk that makes up this dress. She held her first major show in 1953 and launched her couture label in 1957. Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy were clients and her dresses were highly sought after. The dress is as described in the museum notes above, but with additional layers of silk organza set inside those extravagant sleeves. The added layers of black silk are finished with hand rolled edges and made of a fine, semi-sheer silk organza. Four full layers of this silk has been hand cut and placed inside the sleeves so that when you move you get this remarkable effect that combines color, texture and volume. The color of the body of the dress is remarkable color - a hand dyed pink salmon that is bright and true. The shoulders and upper arms are cut slim and then dress widens as it nears the hem. Really a fantastic gown and highly collectible. Excellent condition with one note to review below

Lined in a fine pink silk and closed with a back painted metal zipper. Written tape tag that has faded but seems to hold the fabric content (silk) and perhaps the date and name of the dress but it is very hard to decipher anymore. Hand done throughout. Note that there is the slightest overall mottling of the color. The silk is hand dyed and I expect that this is a natural patina. It does not appear to be a flaw, nor are there any areas outstanding - its a very subtle overall effect of natural aging of this particular fabric. The color is slightly more vibrant in person

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2664

Reference Photo: Photocopy of design sketch, "Cream Puff", by Sybil Connolly from The Hunt Museum.

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 is held in the archives of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and it was photoed for Vogue Magazine for the November 1970 issue giving us the exact date for it. The version here no longer has its ODLR label but is clearly the same dress. I have included the reference photos of both those examples.

The dress beautifully combines several textures to work together wonderfully. It really showcases the the genius of Mr. de la Renta's work and attention to detail. The dress has a beautiful elegance to it and is quite striking. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love the earlier examples of it. You can see how many of the elements you see here carried through his entire career and body of work. The bodice of the dress is made from a sheer black silk chiffon that is backed in a nude silk. This gives it the illusion of being quite bare underneath. It also gives the perfect backdrop to really showcase the hand applied, glossy black sequins that trails up from the waist and circle all the way around the back and front of the bodice. Each sleeve is left unlined for a touch of transparency and each is finished a glossy black feather cuff. These explode at the end of each sleeve and add a touch of high drama. A silk satin ribbon with a bow finish sits at the waist and below that the skirt falls to the floor, widening out as it nears the hem. The skirt is made from a rich jet black velvet that is then covered with an intricate, densely applied sequin design. Here too all the work is done by hand and each sequin meticulously placed. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and a black silk taffeta through the skirt. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes at the back with a hand set, painted metal zipper. Hand finished through out. It looks to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: approx 21" including cuff
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" 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 waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# E489

Reference photos: (1) Dress in the Philadelphia Museum of Art archives.  /  (2) Oscar de la Renta Dress in Vogue, November 1970.

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.

At the age of 31, Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier, making him the youngest of the 20 official couturiers at the time. That was in 1997 and he continued as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house closed is couture atelier. This gown and feather cape is from the Fall 2004 Haute Couture presentation and is the actual runway sample that was presented and worn on the runway, Look 35

I love when I have any Haute Couture piece in the shop and to have the actual runway sample is even that much more amazing. The dress is absolutely stunning and neither the photos on the mannequin or the runway photos really do it full justice. In person the impact of the color of the blue silk and blue feathers of the cape is far more then what a photo could ever convey. It is made up of yards and yards of silk chiffon and this creates the most beautiful movement when you move. The silk is set to flow down from the structured bodice and is as light as the air so that it billows and flows around you as you move. It is very sexy and made more so by the way the silk is wrapped and secured to the base of the bodice structure. It is down to leave a slit that opens almost scandalously high when you walk or sit. .The silk through the skirt is also unlined so it has a sense of semi-transparency to it. It is meant to be worn with just a body suit underneath so that you are just draped in silk and nothing else. The bodice is highly structured and formed with a full inner structured boned and shaped bodice that zips to close at the back. It is highly corseted and structured inside to firmly hold the dress onto the body and give you shape. I absolutely love the way the back is shaped to be more like an attached cape then anything and it also creates a trained feeling behind you. Topping this masterpiece is a unstructured capelet that you just hold in place. It is covered in hand dyed feathers and adds the final touch of absolute glamour to an already high glamour ensemble. It is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with a back zipper. It is a highly structured, formed, boned and shaped corset and is wired around the inner top as well. The skirt is unlined. Hand work appropriate to runway sample level work throughout (see the photo after the tag for the way it is hand tacked onto the main corset. The hand written runway sample tag is present. The father cape is back in a black silk and the feathers are hand applied to a white organza on the front side. There is a little loop for your hand and for hanging it. It is Couture runway model size tiny - probably closest to a true zero or even less then that!

Bust: 14.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Inner corset: 10" from top of bodice to inner edge at the waist
Length: 57" from top of bodice to shortest point of the front hem, 61" from top of bodice to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3122

Reference Photos: F/W 2004 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture 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.

In some kind of a vintage miracle, this is actually the second example of this dress that I been able to source in a very short time period This one is a little larger then the one I had in the shop before , and a slightly different cut as well. For those that loved it before but it was too small - you now have a second shot at scooping it up. It is extremely beautiful and a gorgeous example of his work during this time period.

This stunning dress is based on the pieces created for the 1985 Haute Couture collection. You can see the similar lines in the couture version's photo that I have included here as a reference from that show. Yves also used a similar color palette in several pieces from the 1985 collection and seems to have combined that and the silhouette of the other to make this stunning dress for the Rive Gauche line. The dress is made from layers of a light silk voile that feels almost weightless once on the body.  The fabric has a stunning print made up of a combination of purple and green with pops of an off-white. The body of the dress is strapless and gathered in soft pleats from the top of the bodice to just below the hip. The seam at the hip is cut on a slight angle so the line of leaner and you don't get that 'chopped' effect you would if it was cut straight across. The skirt floats out from under that and is quite full. It falls to the floor in a beautiful curving swoop and has two layers for a light and airy feel. It is stunning in person and even better then how it has photoed. One of my favorite pieces ever. Excellent condition

Closes with a zipper at the side and is fully lined and layered in the same fabric Through the body. The skirt is made up of two layers of the same fabric as well. Very well constructed. Tagged a YSL 42

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3119

Reference Photo: S/S 1985 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.

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

This collection is still one of the most memorable that Miuccia has done to date and this particular dress was the stand out piece of the season. I remember drooling over it as it hung in all its $15,000 dollar glory at the Prada boutique and it is a true pleasure to have an example of it in the shop. The dress sold out world-wide shortly after being released in extremely limited quantities. It was featured heavily in the ad campaign for that season, was worn by Lily Allen and it graced the cover of the January British Vogue on Eva Green.

The dress is an amazing testament to the couture level construction techniques that the house of Prada employs in its runway pieces. The bust is fitted to the body and the construction is quite remarkable. It has a built in, boned corseting inside to hold the dress in place. It zips down the front and then a secondary out layer of the silk buttons over that. The top of the outer layer at the front folds back to reveal the upper part of the zipper for a more modern twist on the traditional corset. The waist is nipped in with the boning and gives you shape despite the tremendous volume of the skirts below. The skirt is a masterpieces - it is meticulously shaped with great swoops of fabric that are draped and then caught up over each hip. The silk all swoops and curves up to meet in a pleated point that sits on either side of the front zipper. Under these draped panniers is an inner skirt that is finished with a very wide ruffled hem for extra flounce. The skirt is extremely full and if you wished you could add extra crinolines underneath for a more defined bell shape. It is absolutely gorgeous and a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

The corset is boned and made out of a semi sheer black silk organza. It has an inner waist stay and zips to close up the front. It has no size tag but I would guess that it is about a  Prada 42 but of course check the measurements below. It appears to have been worn very little, if at all and is in mint condition.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam, with room for a solid B, maybe small C cup
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 35" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3117

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2008 Prada Collection, Final Look (Look 20).  /  (2-3) Prada Ad Campaign, Resort 2008.  /  (4) Eva Green in Prada for Vogue UK, January 2008. Photo by Patrick Demarchelier.  /  (5) Lily Allen at the National Portrait Gallery, February 2008.

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

This dress is from one of Gaultier's most memorable runway presentations, the collection where Madonna closed the show pushing an antique pram from which she lifted a young puppy to the great delight of the audience. Vogue'a Laird Borrelli-Persson wrote in her review: “We designers think we’ve invented something, but we haven’t at all,” Jean Paul Gaultier told Vogue when talking about his Fin de Siècle collection, the subject of which was a century of fashion, from S-curve corsets to Lycra. Gaultier’s aim was not to replicate the past: “It’s not modern to do an exact copy,” he told Vogue. “You have to mix up the decades in order to achieve a modern silhouette.” If current fashion is defined by a high-low mix, that of the late 1990s was fixated on an old-new one. “A lot of young girls like old movies and dream to have old dresses that you can’t find anymore,” Gaultier told The New York Times. “I played with that.”

This is look 61 from that same show and true to the runway version. It is actually two pieces, an inner fitted mermaid skirt finish dress with a scenic net overlay that zips over that. The inner dress is made from a lingerie grade stretch Lycra and is cut to hug and fit the body from bust to where the low skirt flares out. The skirt is amazing and poufs out low on the leg in a cloud of silk chiffon over a built in tulle and net base. It is made of three layers of chiffon, white, nude and black over an inner layer of chiffon that is finished with a 4.5" wide stiffened mesh tape that holds it shape and gives it the volume you see. All of the edges of this are left raw as it was for the runway. The straps on this inner dress are clear lingerie straps and the body a deep nude color. The fabric stretches to fit and shape the body. A large chunky zipper runs completely down the back, right to the hem of the skirt. This inner dress is good enough to wear on its own, or you can pop the lace overlay for the full on effect. The lace piece is done in black and has scenes of Paris, the Eiffel Tower and his initials worked into the design that runs all the way around it. It also zips to close with a big chunky zipper and is cut to follow the lines of the inner dress. The back is scooped low on both layers for an unexpected expanse of skin. It is beyond amazing. Overall excellent condition with a special note on the lace overlay to review below.

Both the inner and outer dress close at the back with the chunky zippers as shown..The inner dress is lined in a black stretch chiffon under the nylon lingerie weight exterior. The skirt is comprised of layers as per the above description. The outer lace layer is unlined and there are a couple of tiny breaks in the netting. There is also a tiny area on the seam of the inner skirt that has come away from the seam. All these areas are photoed and follow the photo of the label. My client told me that these are deliberate and in line with the raw, unfinished feel that the skirt has and is how she bought it. I chose to leave it as found based on that feedback and the fact that none seem unstable or comprising tot he design or construction. Hand finished with raw seams at the skirt. tagged a vintage JPG 38. Note the inner and outer dress do have stretch and I have measured both flat to tjeir comfortable ranges. You may be able to get a bit more out of the stretch on a real body.

Inner Dress
Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem

Outer Lace Layer
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3116

Reference Photo: S/S 1995 Jean Paul Gaultier Runway Collection, Look 61.

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