This Roberto Cavalli dress is from 2007 and is gorgeous. It has an interesting backstory to it. The dress comes to me from the closet of a former stylist and she was part of the team that worked on the Bulgari ads that season that featured Kate Moss. She told me that they made and brought to set 6 dress options for the campaign shoot and that this is one of them. It was not one that was ultimately chosen, though it certainly could have been. It is incredible. It was never worn outside of being tried on that day and still has its original hang tag. She believes it was a one-off. We did find a similar dress from the Spring 2006 that this one is obviously based off of. This one has a bit more structure to it and would be more secure on the body but I have included that reference photo here so that you can see it on the body. Victoria Beckham wore that version that year as well. It is an exceptional and extremely beautiful dress. I personally love this black version more. 

The dress is made from a black silk chiffon with an inner body suit built into the dress to keep it in place once it is on the body. The dress is very sexy and shows off a lot of skin but in the best possible way. The silk chiffon that was chosen as the fabric is very lightweight. Once it is on it feels almost weightless. It is cut on the bias so once you slip it on the seaming and bias cut drape the dress over you and it feels like you are wearing nothing. The bodice is made up of two curving triangles that are set so that they plunge right to the waist. The interior of the front halter is all backed and structured so that they stay in place and give you shape. A panel of black lingerie netting extends out from each side and curves and narrow sot the back for extra support and shaping. The silk is gathered over the halter in soft gathers and then this ends at the center of a crossed knot of fabric at the waist.  These then wrap around you and secure at the back and the bottom parts of the gathered fabric are attached and a part of the dress that works its way over the top of your hips. Everything about this dress is done deliberately to give you curves. It is suspended by small clear plastic straps that curve of the shoulders and cross at the back This gives the illusion from a distance that the dress is somehow magically suspended over the body. These curve up and over each shoulder and then cross over themselves at the back. The rest of the back is left completely bare and open and at the front it plunges insanely low to right above that front knot detail. Inside the bottom extends out to a body suit made from black lingerie netting and snaps into place. The skirt flows out from under that and is spectacular in its own right. It is cut so that the hem curves around with the front cut into a high slit. The second you move or sit you get a glimpse of leg almost to the upper thigh as a result. There are yards and yards of silk chiffon in the skirt and it extends out at the back to form a train behind you. It is only one single layer so the entire skirt has a touch of transparency to it. This gives the skirt incredible fullness and movement. When you are standing still you still get the feeling of fullness but when you move this construction technique allows the skirt to billow out around you. The fabric is so light and airy that when you walk it creates this incredible floating sensation. As good as it looks here it only really comes to life once on. The dress is in its original supermodel uncut length. It appears to have never been worn and still has its original hang tag attached. Excellent condition

The halter is fully lined in a black chiffon and black silk. It has built in cups and boning. The dress closes with a hidden side set zipper. The waist detail and inner body suit both hook to close. Tagged a modern Cavalli 40. The fabric has stretch so should fit a range of sizes. There is one tony repair in the skirt. Please see the photo after the label shot 

Bust: has no fixed side seams. Each halter covers to approx 5.5" at its widest point

Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from shoulders to shortest point at the front hem, 92" to the longest point of the back hem
Front slit: 31" from the shortest point at the front hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4004

Reference Photo: Kate Moss, in Roberto Cavalli, for the Bvlgari Spring 2007 Ad Campaign.

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 Vogue review of the Spring 2003 show was done at the height of Ford's vision for Gucci and he could do no wrong in their eyes. The review said 'The Gucci girl’s got legs—long, tan, flawless ones striding along on silver peep-toe sling-back pumps. Follow them all the way up, and around two weeks later, they eventually meet the hem of the minutest piece of clothing that was ever called a skirt or dress. For spring, in a word, Tom Ford says short. Using lustrous fabrics in subtle makeup colors from blush to tawny brown, pearly gray and silver, Ford draped and wrapped his gorgeous girls in clothes that navigated that dangerous Gucci line between innovation and vulgarity. The tousled hair, the jackets and tops poised to fall off shoulders—the whole presentation stirred sensations that fashion hasn’t felt since the last days of the great supermodels. Still, don’t think tacky. Ford’s obsession now is integrating fine workmanship into abbreviated silhouettes." The feather dresses were mentioned specifically; "He brought couture finesse to racer-back feathered dresses with the merest flip of a skirt....it was a confident statement in the power of glamour. And fashion needs that.' To this day this is one of the most recognizable and desirable of his shows to find and collect pieces from. This is the twin of Look 27 from the runway and it is an exceptional piece of Gucci History. It was also featured in Vogue that season on Natalia Vodianova

When researching this look I came across a few references that declared this dress one of the top ten Gucci Tom Ford pieces. While you often see the other version of this dress in a brown and white feather, this pale yellow version that is the twin of the runway dress shown is a true rarity. One of the things that makes this dress exceptional is that it is true to the runway. It is also entirely original and according to the former stylist that it cane from was never worn. The dress is meant to be worn very short and daring. Once on you just see miles of legs topped by this extraordinary piece. The top plunges low at the front and the back curves in to create a sexy racer-back. It skims over the waist and hips and then flares out at the skirt. The skirt is actually two tiers of feather detailed ruffles and this extra little flounce gives it movement when you move. The body of the dress is made from two layers of virtually weightless silk with a silk grosgrain ribbon edging and detailing the lines of the design. It has an almost twenties feel to it and it is fantastic. The feathers are a mix of a dyed soft pale yellow mixed with some soft light taupe natural feathers for depth and interest. I took a photo of the back of the silk of the skirt and you can see that each feather was hand applied and fused into place onto the silk. Hence the couture reference in the Vogue review above. It snaps to close under the ribbon at the side so there is no break anywhere with a zipper. It just looks like it somehow magically formed around you. It is an incredible piece of the Tom Ford history with the brand and is one of the most recognizable pieces from his tenure with the label. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a pale taupe nude silk chiffon and has hidden set snaps at the  side to close. Tagged a YSL 42. Some of the ends of the feathers have separated a bit on the natural spots it curves but this is just part of aging for a piece like this. I don't consider this a flaw but its mentioned for accuracy.

Bust: approx 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with open sides. each halter is 6" wide at its widest point
Underbust - waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hips: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from neck to hem but can be pulled up as short as you want

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4001

Reference Photos/Video: (1-8) Spring 2003 Gucci Runway Collection, Look 27. Model: Louise Pedersen.  /  (9) Natalia Vodianova, wearing Gucci, Vogue, February 2003. Photo by Steven Klein.

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 Roberto Cavalli dress is from the Spring 2007 collection and is gorgeous. It's twin walked the runway that season and I am happy to have a video clip from the show so you can see how spectacular this dress moves when on the body. The first half of the Spring 2007 show was surprisingly soft and romantic for a Cavalli show and I loved the pieces. This was look seven for the show and I think it was one of the most beautiful dresses of that collection. The dress comes to me from the closet of a former stylist and it was never worn. It is exceptional and extremely beautiful.

The dress is made from a light silk cotton gauze that combines its natural off-white colour with a pale blue that hints at turquoise. Onto this is a secondary pattern that is hand-painted onto the fabric. You can feel the paint on the fabric and this extra layer gives the dress added texture. The bodice is made from two simple triangles that extend out from the waist and tie behind your neck with a long gauze straps. I love how the blue design on them comes out from the bottom of each triangle to highlight the shape of the bust. These are then backed in extra layers of silk so that you can safely wear the dress with nothing underneath. Under that is a band at the high set waist for definition and shape. This tapers down to almost nothing at the back as it curves around your waist. The skirt is remarkable. It is im its original supermodel uncut length. It is constructed so that when it reaches just above the bottom hem it is caught up and gathered up in under itself. A seam holds it in place and then the very bottom of the skirt extends out from under that. This gives the skirt incredible fullness and movement. When you are standing still you still get the feeling of fullness but when you move this construction technique allows the skirt to billow out around you. The fabric is so light and airy that when you walk it creates this incredible floating sensation. As good as it looks here it only really comes to life once on. The halter front leaves the back completely bare so that you your entire back is exposed and bare. The design that runs over the dress has a soft, romantic feel to it and the pale turquoise on the natural linen colour is spectacular. It is an incredibly beautiful dress and no matter how good it looks in the photos the sensation and tactile feeling of the fabric and lightness when you have it in hand is just phenomenal. It is a beautiful and glamorous dress that is red carpet worthy and would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any big event. It has an inner hand written tag still attached and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The halter is backed with silk so it is opaque and the skirt has an inner attached lining in a solid ivory version of the same silk. It ties behind the neck and closes with a low hidden set zipper. Tagged a Cavalli 40.

Bust: has no fixed side seams. Each halter covers to approx 7"
Waist band under the bust: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: Approx 15" from top of bodice to bottom seam of 2" waist band and can be adjusted with ties
Skirt: 52" from bottom seam of band at the waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3997

Reference Photos/Video: (1-7) Spring 2007 Roberto Cavalli Runway Collection, Look 7. Model: Marija Vujovic.  /  (8) Gong Li at the Cannes Film Festival 60th Anniversary Dinner, 2007.  /  (9) Leona Lewis at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards, 2007.

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 especially interesting dress from Alexandra McQueen. It is from the Spring 2010 collection and it is a one of the original variations of a dress whose silhouette they still make to this day. Julianne Hough just wore a black version of one of those newer ones from my archives. The one that she wore was from a later collection released under the creative direction of Sarah Burton but based on this dress and others similar that McQueen designed. If you missed that you can see it on my Instagram here. This dress I have today is one of the originals that McQueen himself designed. This was a production piece that did not make it to the runway presentation but you can see similarities in the prints from that season. It’s a spectacular example of his work and it is still brand new with its original tags. It is like finding a time capsule piece.

The dress is made from a floral printed silk crepe that has an explosion of flowers in pale pastel colours covering the entire dress. It is strapless with a built-in inner cupped bodice that gives you support and holds the dress in place. The cups are shaped and these cups are one of the things that you see that is different from the later versions of this dress. In this version the cups are shaped almost like a 1950s bullet bra. The seams in the inner cups are exaggerated and this gives them this beautiful curving angle shape at the sides and peak at the front. The silk is all bias cut. The dress glides over the inner structure and falls in column to the skirt. The waist is just a suggestion created by the seaming and it skims over the hips. At the hem you see one of the biggest differences between this dress and later versions. He has gathered the hem up and underneath so that it is sewn to the inner lining. This gives it a slight bubble effect. It is also slightly twisted so that it narrows in around you at the hem. However, the fullness of the skirt is still there so that you are able to walk with ease. It is quite genius. It also creates this incredible movement when you walk and has the added bonus of always immediately going back to that long lean line. The print that covers the dress is spectacular. It is a beautiful and romantic floral print done in dreamy shades of blue-greys, pale purples, pinks and blue. It has its original tags attached and was never worn. It also comes with a detachable pair of matching straps if you don't wish to go fully strapless. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk and has a built in cupped corset. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 42. It has its original hang tag still attached. The inner corset has some stretch. You could have the inner corset adjusted if you needed more or less room.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Inner corset waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item#

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

When dating this great little Couture Yves Saint Laurent we noticed that the fabric is a variation of pieces for the Fall 1994 show and that also fits the style and feel of the dress. I also dived into my folio collection book and there were pieces in that collection that used this same fabric as evidenced by the swatch. I have included these reference photos for you hear so that you can share that bit of detective work with me. The dress is gorgeous and in person the fabric seems to have an inner glow. It really is a beautiful piece and owning a piece of his couture work is really one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.

The dress is amazing and a classic Yves Saint Laurent cut and silhouette. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is of the highest possible grade. It feels stupendous on. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulder have light padding just at their outer edges to slightly extend them outward. The shoulders are set into the bodice with gathers so that they slightly pouf above the shoulder line. The sleeves are full and voluminous above their ruffled cuffs. It does up along the neckline to one side and buttons to close. The buttons are hidden under a flap of silk and the fabric is matched on the side it buttons to. The neckline is high and there is a long attached scarf that wraps around your neck. It is set so that one side is longer then the other so that when you tie it is sits properly. Each end of the scarf ends with a two color silk fringe that I love. The waist is finished with elastic so it is incredibly easy to wear. You can add a belt over it if you wanted a really cinched in look. The skirt falls under that in a simple pencil to just about the knee or above depending on your height. There ore hidden set pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is the best thing about the dress. It is a mix of a bright pink fuchsia and a deep purple with the pink acting as a design that runs over the entire dress. It is truly a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. And it is just so good on the body. A masterpiece. Excellent condition with a note below.

Unlined with hand finished inner seams. It slips over the head to wear with elastic at the waist and hidden set buttons at the neck as described and shown. Each cuff buttons to close. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. Once of the buttons on the cuff has chipped and I see one small repair under the arm near the seam. Please see the two photos after the label shot.

Sleeves: 25" but will pouf up
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Skirt: 20.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3996

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1994 Yves Saint Laurent Couture Runway. / (3) From the book YVES SAINT LAURENT. Haute Couture. L'OEUVRE INTÉGRAL 1962-2002.

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 instantly recognizable dress from Prada. Erin O'Connor wore its twin as she walked the runway that season for Look 39 of the fall 2002 Prada show Style.com's review of this show in part said said: In a show that was densely layered with references to the history of fashion, Prada cut a strong, curvaceous and erotically charged line to give grown-ups a whole new reason to buy. ... Revisiting structured tailoring—which is where she began in the '90s—was only one of her ideas.  Prada referenced many of her own past collections, from her bourgeois ladylike phase to her militaristic moments and her love of vintage lingerie. But her achievement was in making something inspiringly new out of confronting a personal taboo. "I was fed up with people saying I can't do sexy clothes!" she stated backstage. It was said with a laugh, but the designer has done nothing less than change the fashion agenda overnight.' Anne Hathaway wore one that season and it is important enough that it is held in the permanent collection of Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I own the twin of this dress myself and its a fantastic dress

The dress is made from a super fine, super soft silk that is woven to feel like a high end thin t-shirt. This fabric choice makes the dress incredibly easy to wear. Choices like this are part of Miuccia's genius. The fabric has been vertically knife pleated and then that is gathered up and along an elastic neckline. The elastic allows you to slip the dress over your head but then draws the neck up and inwards once on the body so the the slits that are left open on each side for the arms are set on a flattering angle. The dress falls from there with minimal seaming. The shape that you see once it is on the body is made by the leather straps that are attached to the fabric. The one under the bust is fully attached and set on a curve that glides under the breasts. The ones at the waist and hips open on one side and are adjustable with metal loops that you can loose or tighten around you. This allows you to control where the leather sits on your body and how much shape you want to add to the dress. Under that the skirt falls with a slightly asymmetrical hem and is longer at the sides. When you move the movement it has is incredible. This is iconic Prada and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head with a hidden set zipper at the side. The leather straps close as described above. It appears to have been worn little if at all. Tagged a Prada 44

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Strap under the bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3994

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Fall 2002 Prada Runway Collection. Look 39. Model: Erin O'Connor.  /  (5) Anne Hathaway in Prada at a special screening of "Chicago" to benefit GLAAD and Broadway Cares at the Ziegfeld Theater, New York City. December 18, 2002.  /  (6) Fall 2002 Prada 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.

This Yves Saint Laurent dress is remarkable. The designs for pieces like this often built on previous Haute Couture collections and you can see the influence and progression from his earlier Russian collection in its lines. As time progressed, Yves exaggerated those lines used for the 1977 collection and by 1981 the sleeves were far more dramatic as you see here. Similar dresses from that year were photoed for various editorials and I have included two of those shots here for your reference. It is a stunning dress ad is instantly identifiable as being Yve's work.

The dress is made from a combination of two of his signatures fabrics, an iridescent silk taffeta and a rich silk velvet. The sleeves are very dramatic and the star of the dress. Each is cut in a classic gigot sleeve with this fantastic fullness that starts at the gathers in the shoulder and remains full  billowing out to the elbow. He the switches from the silk to a velvet and this covers the lower arm to the wrist. Four glossy dome buttons run down that cuff to the wrist. The top is cut to skim over the bust with a scooped neckline at the front. It is seamed at the waist and then the velvet extends down over the top of the hips. There is an attached silk taffeta sash that wraps around the waist and cinch you in for added shape. The skirt falls from there and is beautifully full. The photos do not really do the amount of fabric in the skirt full justice. Under the top purple layer of silk is a lining in a coral red silk taffeta. You don't see that inner layer when you are standing, but when you sit or move just right, you get that extra flash of color. It's a small detail that I absolutely love. The choice of the silk taffeta as the primary fabric allows the dress to still be fairly light in weight despite the layers. It also helps to retain its shape and fullness.  It is wonderful. Pieces by Yves from this time period have become an important piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk satin. The skirt is lined in a deep red silk taffeta and the sleeves are unlined. It closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper and each cuff buttons to close. The sash is attached at the back. Slight flattening to the velvet here and there along the waist seam that is covered by the belt once on. Tagged a vintage YSL 40.

Sleeves: 29"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2856

Reference Photo: (1) 1981 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (2) Model in Yves Saint Laurent, credit unknown.

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 dress is the twin of the dress that walked the fall 1998 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. That runway shot is a little extra special as it was captured with Yves in the photo with it during his final bow of the show. It is extraordinary. The dress has never been worn and still has its original hang tag attached. It is a stunning example of his work during this time period. I am in complete love with it

The dress is almost startling in its beauty and impact. It is made from a moire finished velvet in a deep blood red. The pile on this type of velvet lies flatter to the surface and the moire pattern in it is achieved by manipulation of the plush of the velvet in different directions when it is made. This allows it to catch the light much more then a normal velvet and it gives it a depth and texture that I love. The pattern is cleverly set over the dress to come in at an angle towards the center of the dress. This gives the illusion of extra height and curves.The colour is fabulous. Every line of the dress is perfection. It falls from the shaped off shoulders to skim over you and follow the curve of your body. From the waist it falls in one supermodel long sheath to the floor widening out gently as it reaches the hem. There are inset panels around the skirt set in so that the lower skirt flares out and balances out the shape at the top of the dress. When you walk the lower skirts kick out and add movement to the piece. The back is as sleek as the front. The sleeves are long and narrow in to the wrist. It has such impact to see it on person and the way the velvet catch the light from every angle. It is spectacular and a wonderful example of Yve's work during this time period. It was never worn and still has its original hang tag. Excellent condition

Fully lined in fine red silk and closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. Each cuff zippers to close. Tagged a 38. Light padding in each shoulder. Original hang tag attached.

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from neck to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3990

Reference Photo: Fall 1998 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Presentation.

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 57 on the Resort 2014 runway. In 2014 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 the ease of resort but as Vogie's Nicole Phelps noted: 'They do it the Valentino way, of course. There's nothing undone about their new collection.' Where many of the pieces in this collection had a more casual feel, when it came to the evening pieces they stuck to the glamorous DNA of the house. This dress was one of my favorites of the show but is also one of the most beautiful and best cut with its simple lines and extravagant yet refined beadwork. 

The lines of this dress are wonderfully simple and yet it still feels glamorous with the head to toe beadwork.

it is even better in person and on an actual body. As with many Valentino piece this dress has a bit of a bias cut to it through the body and it is meant to be on an actual body and not a mere dress form. As good as it looks here it only really comes to life once on. The dress is made from a pale champagne nude ivory silk satin that is then covered in a nude silk netting. Then onto the netting the dress is completely beaded from the top of the straps to the hem.  It is very beautiful. The dress is suspended from two straps that are completely encrusted with the beadwork. The neckline is cut straight across and its fitted around the bust. The dress falls from under that to the floor. The fabric and the way it is cut and draped allow it to skim over you and highlight your curves yet is very comfortable and easy to move in. The skirt gently widens out as it nears the hem and at the back it expands out at the center with panels of fabric to give you a trained feel. The skirt has yards and yards of fabric in it. There is a smoky coloured layer of tulle under the top nude that and this very subtle pop gives the beads more impact. The bead work that covers the dress is stunning.  On the bust it forms a lattice with edging on the seam above and below. Then it progresses down the dress in a panels of different densities. The beads are this amazing shade of a pale pink nude. Mixed in with the bead work are little embroidered 'leaves' that are connected at their bases so that they sit up and off the dress for a sense of texture and depth on the dress. As it nears the hem the beads and embroidery are spaced farther apart so that the final bit is more light and airy and just the tulle. This gives it a bit of a floating feeling once on. It is a beautiful and glamorous dress that is red carpet worthy and would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any big event. It has its original hang tags still attached and has never been worn. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in an ivory silk. The top layer is a fine netting and then is a layer of a palest grey netting between them. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the side. It appears to have never been worn and has its original hang tags. Tagged a modern 40. The original price tag would have been over $10,000 on this dress. It is even better in person then how it photoed

Bust: 16" across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14" across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11.5" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: approx 48" from seam under the bust to front hem, 53.5" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3981

Reference Photo: Resort 2014 Valentino, Look 57.

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

Karl's first collection for Chanel was in 1983 which makes this piece from one of his early collections. I was happy to be able to find a reference photo of the twin of the dress from the runway that season. Three pieces were shown in this gold metallic fabric and this was the third that walked the runway. In the photo of the models it is the one on the far right towards the back. We also found runway footage so you can see how it moves. The hand written tag on the dress is also dated to 1986 and there is also a special order tag from Bergdorf's with the exact date of September 1, 1986 along with the client's name who ordered it. I feel like that makes it that much more special. It is a wonderful example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period.

The dress is made from a of a metallic gold thread embroidered onto a black silk net and then backed by a black silk chiffon. The gold thread absolutely glows off of the black silks and it is wonderful to see in person. It also gives it a gorgeous texture with the thread slightly raised off the netting. Really exceptional fabric. The cut of the dress is gorgeous and its simple lines are done to allow the gold to take center stage. The neckline is cut straight across and is set wide so you get a glimpse of skin across the top of the shoulder. The edges of it follow the lace pattern for a pretty scalloped effect. Inside the bodice is a tank that adds extra coverage across the chest but leaves the upper shoulders and arms covered in just a single layer of the chiffon and gold for a touch of transparency. The sleeves have this same touch of transparency to them. The bodice skims over the bust and waist. The lace is finished just below the waist with that same scalloped edge and then the skirt falls from under that. It gives the illusion that you are wearing a top and skirt but without an added bulk that you would have if it was two pieces. The front of the skirt curves up to a slightly shorter length and then it curves down at the back skirt to a true full length skirt by the time it reaches the longest point of the back hem. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

Full lined in a fine black silk chiffon with an inner chiffon bodice suspended by tiny straps and in inner silk skirt. Hand finishes. The inner bodice has its own zipper to close it and then the outer layer closes with a series of buttons and loops down the back. Buttons and loop at each cuff. Cut slightly on the bias so may come up a touch in length when on depending on your frame

Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Inner bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 49" from top of shoulder to front hem, 60" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3345

Reference Photo/Video: Fall 1986 Chanel 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.

Alexandros Pertsinidis is an Australian fashion designer who launched the Alex Perry label in 1992. His work has been featured on numerous the covers worldwide since then and is a favorite on the red carpet. It's been worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Lupita Nyong and countless others. This dress is from the Resort 2020 collection and looks to have never been worn. The original retail was just under $3500. It is a pretty spectacular dress.

The dress is made to give you length and curves. It has a sculpted feel to it that is incredible. The bodice is strapless and is seamed to be fitted and shaped around you. There’s light boning inside to help hold the shape and curves. It nips in at the waist and then the skirt curves around your hips and the falls to the floor in a chic sheath of sequins. His cut around the hips is actually done on a curve and when it is laid out flat you can see that hourglass shape sculpted into the dress. The dress is in its original super model length and there’s even a couple of inches turned up under the hem. The effect of that long sleek shape is all length and curves once on the body. At the back it closes with one of his signature chunky zippers which becomes its own design detail. To finish the dress there is a high slit that allows you to walk and lets a flash of leg show. The dress is covered in hundreds of thousands of gold sequins. These are laid out in flat side-by-side pattern set in vertical rows and they cover every square inch of the dress. The way that it catches the light is incredible. The dress is wonderfully made and it looks like it’s never been worn. It is in brand new off-the-rack condition. It is a stunning dress and you will definitely turn heads in it when you walk into the room. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes at the back with a zipper as shown. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. No inner size tag.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-small  cup
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 47" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Slit: 27.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3978

Reference Photos: Resort 2020 Alex Perry

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed on the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later. In 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. When researching this dress we found an editorial shot from Vogue that year of one of his dresses in the same fabric which verified the date of this piece. It is absolutely gorgeous.

I love Geoffrey Beene's work and this one is a beauty. It is made from an ultra soft leopard printed chenille velvet that is one of the softest things I have ever felt. It is very fine and very light in weight. It has this wonderful soft deep plush to it and is incredibly luxurious feeling. He then used a black silk netting to contrast that for the shoulders and sleeves. The netting is transparent and is detailed with a gold metallic thread and fused dots of a flat piled black velvet. The bodice is cut to curve around the bust and it is then cut on a sharp angle towards the neck on both the back and front. The netting is set on both sides of that so you get a glimpse of skin through it and then it curves over the shoulders and down to form the sleeves. From there the fabric skims over the waist and hips and then narrows down slightly to the hem. I have photoed the incredible seaming through the mid part of the dress. I also took a photo of the way the hem is cut from the side. It is just an incredible small detail that I love. A high slit runs up the center so that when you move or sit you get a flash of leg. Just an amazing dress and a fabulous example of his work during this time period. Excellent condition.

The fabric is self backed and the dress unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. Each sleeve has a hidden set snap at the cuff. All of the inner seams are ribbon edged. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Tagged a vintage size 6

Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to front hem, 58" to the back hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3484

Reference Photos: Valerie Celis in Geoffrey Beene for Vogue US, 1994. Photo by Ellen Von Unwerth

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 sold to me and dated as an unlabeled Yves Saint Laurent skirt and top set from the 1982 or 1983 seasons. While we did not find a photo of this exact version we did find a photo from the ready-to-wear collection that shows a similar draping technique around the waist and I found his sketch of a dress from the Spring 1983 that is similar in feel. I have included a photo of the inner seams so you can see the Haute Couture level of workmanship. It also still retains its couture hang tag loop that pieces from this period had added and has the appropriate X stitches at the waist bands to mark the front of the garment and which way it is to be worn. It is priced far less then what it would be if it had its label. Women often removed them during this period as this was well before our modern day importance that we give to them.

This is a wonderful example of Haute Couture utilizing a silk jersey. Both the top and the skirt are made from a fine black silk jersey that drapes over the body beautifully. This fabric is notoriously difficult to work with and when you add in that it was all entirely made by hand the level of workmanship takes on a whole new meaning. It is a set made up of a very low plunging top and a chic simple skirt that falls to the floor. The top is cut to skim over you and hooks to close at the hem of the bottom of the plunge at the back. The waist of the top is banded and you can wear it low to meet the band of the skirt so it looks like a dress or wear it higher to leave some bare skin showing between the top and the skirt. The front and the back fall from the shoulders where the fabric is gathered in a flat band there. This cleverly helps to add detail and also helps to hold the top in place when you wear it. At the front it plunges almost to the waist with just enough closure at the bottom to help hold it securely in place. At the back it opens right to the waistband to leave the entire center of your back bare. The skirt is made of the same high end black silk jersey. The waist is banded and there is a panel of fabric there that wraps around you to give it this fantastic gathered cummerbund effect and highlight the curve of the waist. It falls to the floor from there, gently widening out as it goes. If there ever was a piece that needed a real body in it this is it and I can guarantee you that once on this is as chic and sexy as they come. I also love that being two pieces the set gives you the versatility to break it up and wear it with other pieces you already own so that it extends the wearability of the set. This is a rare piece of fashion history. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with one minor note

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt closes with a hand set side zipper and the top hooks to close at the back. Entirely made by hand. Unlabeled but has a hand written tape with RV155 written on it in the top and another faint number in the skirt. I see one tiny repair to the skirt

Top
Bust: open
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 16.5" from neck hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 39" from top of bodice to waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Modern Sizing Equivalent:

Item# DD3976

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1983 YSL Haute Couture Sketch. / (2) Fall 1983 Yves Saint Laurent 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.

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 the 1991 collection and while its runway counterpart was a much simpler version that shared the same colour and buttons as this, the actual twin of the suit was worn by Whoopi Goldberg to the Golden Globes that year for her winning performance in Ghost.

The suit is fantastically Versace and it is fabulous. It is sexy and bright and you won't be missed by anyone once you have it on. Both pieces are done in a showstopping bright coral orange that is a touch brighter and lighter then how it photoed here. It is even better in person. The fabric is a fine wool silk mix, mixed with a top stitched satin finish fabric that he used on the collar cuffs and skirt. The jacket is cut to feel a touch fuller through the shoulders and then comes in at the waist. It is the epitome of the nineties silhouette.  Each sleeve is long and ends in a cuff made of the top stitched fabric. Sitting above that is a single enamel and rhinestone button in coral and black. Larger and more elaborate versions of those buttons also sit at the front base of the jacket to close the jacket and add detailing. All of the buttonholes are done in the proper dressmakers technique. The collar is notched and and the top stitching runs around the upper part of it. The jacket closes low on the front for a play on a tuxedo silhouette. Low shallow pockets sit on the outer edge of each hip. The skirt is insane. It is very short and fitted with a flat front and no waist band. It is cut on a curve all around the hem so that it is even shorter on one side. It is very short and sexy on the one side as a result of that curving hemline. It is a wonderful and a very rare suit. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Both piece are lined in an orange  silk. The skirt closes with a hidden set side 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. Note that the skirt is accidentally on backwards in the shots. The short side will sit on the other side of you once on.  There is one tiny dot of a mark on the side above the top stitching. Please see the shot after the label photo

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Slightly extended shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" 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: 20.5" from waist to longest point of the hem, 16" to the shortest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3969

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1991 Versace Runway Collection.  /  (2) Whoopi Goldberg, in Versace, at the 1991 Golden Globes (with her second Golden Globe from her role in 'Ghost').

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'. This top stitched bodice feature was an important part of that season's collection. The dress was shown in yellow on the runway and was worn by Yasmin Le Bon. There was also a jumpsuit that we found with the same bodice treatment. It is so good.

As good as the dress looks from the front as soon as you see the back you can't help but fall in love. The dress is made out of a linen silk mix and combines a bright tropical coral orange with black. The clever play on colour helps to emphasize the bust with making the waist and hips look slimmer. The bodice is a play on the bullet bra and intricately top stitched to follow the high rounded curve of the neckline. It is darted for shape at each side and then curves down in at the center. Under that is a band of the sane colored fabric that cinched you in just under the bust. The waist is set high in under that and the entire top portion of the fitted skirt is also top stitched so that you get that fantastic corseted lingerie effect. The skirt hugs the hips and then goes to about the knees, depending on your height, to fall in  a fitted pencil silhouette. Then when you turn around the dress gets even better. It buttons all the way down with a row of tightly spaced gold metal buttons. He has kept the closure on the bodice separate so that it is a like a front attached bustier. This leaves an open cut out of skin showing between the back strap and the skirt which is so sexy. The skirt then buttons all the way down from there leaving a bit of a vent below the final button to allow you to walk. It is fantastic. Excellent condition

Backed in a non top stitched version if the same fabric. It closes with the buttons done the back as shown. Tagged a vintage Versace 44

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for a B-C cup
Seam directly under the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 5.5" from top of bodice to seam under the bust, 8" to waist seam
Skirt: 26" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3970

Reference Photos: (1) Yasmin Le Bon for the Spring 1989 Versace Runway.  /  (2) Spring 1989 Versace 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 1952, Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season, he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodman and was eventually made available at other retailers. The line was high end and extremely well made and it was made to appeal to his non-couture clients who wanted to be able to purchase a piece of the Givenchy dream. This label continued until 1992 when it was retired and rebranded as the Givenchy Couture label which this dress is from. This dress is also interesting as it is the obvious ready to wear version of two of the Haute Couture dresses presented that season. I have included the photos of those two runway shots here as it is always interesting to see the progression and translation of Couture to ready-to-wear.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3973

Reference Photos: Spring 1994 Givenchy 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.

This is a remarkable example of Courreges and the work that Andre was doing during that time period. I know we often associate his work with very mod and short pieces but he also did many dramatic pieces in fabrics like this. It is a highly glossed, thicker weight, smooth finish cotton. At the time this would have been extremely experimental. I love that this one takes the shape that we so closely associate with him and extends and exaggerates it to full length. This dress would not have half the impact it has if it was shorter. I am sometimes more excited to find these bolder and more unusual pieces from him then the more common mod feeling ones. A version of this one was also photoed just after the Spring 1974 collection was shown. Having documentation on it makes it even more special as so many of his pieces don't have any.

This beautiful dress is made out of a coated cotton in an ivory and it is just absolutely stunning. Onto that is a print that is done to look like it was hand painted onto the fabric. I love that the print looks like little abstract hearts though I have to say that some of them almost have the feel of little curled up cats too. Many of his pieces are a play on volume and proportion and this dress is an amazing example of that. It is a dramatic piece that has a slightly more bare and fitted feel through the upper bodice and then flares and widens out very dramatically to the hem. The fabric is light in weight but has enough weight to it to hold the shape. The exterior has a coating that gives it a slight sheen and then inside it is lined in an ivory muslin. The slight sheen combined with the absolutely superb seaming details and ruffles create a fabulous look. All of the seams are set vertically to help add to the feeling of length. The bust drops into a V and it actually zips up at the front along the seam so that the zipper is hidden. Following the neckline is a double ruffle in an organza in two different shades of brown. The organza is finished along it's edge so that it has a bit of structure and can stand outwards from the dress. The same ruffle treatment runs around each opening for the arms. I love the little bow at the base of the neck too. It is just the sweetest with it's shaped and curving feel. It is an extremely collectible and rare dress. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined as described above. It zips to close at the front at the base of the V neck. Tagged a Courreges B. In its original length. I see one small area of spots near the hem and some grubbiness to the interior neckline, otherwise it appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 18" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from seam to seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from seam to seam
Length: 59" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3974

Reference Photo: Model in Courreges, November 1973.

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 walked the runway for the 2019 season. This was the show where Maria took a look to the past for her inspiration for the collection. Vogue's Sally Singer noted that; "Chiuri sought inspiration for this collection from Britain’s postwar Teddy Girls, those working-class, rock ’n’ roll–loving beehived vixens who hit the clubs in a mix of men’s Edwardian jackets, full skirts, blue jeans, leather, velvet, and eyeliner galore. She was struck by the similarity in silhouette and the optimistic excess that characterized Christian Dior’s designs of the same period. She was also moved by Yves Saint Laurent’s addition to the Dior pantheon of a men’s black leather jacket for women in the late 1950s. So, heritage, hipsters, and herstory" This dress is one of the ones that felt most like a heritage piece from that show while still having a modern flare. It is just absolutely lovely.

The dress is gorgeous and I love that it can easily have a more elegant evening feel by styling it with heels and some statement jewelry rather then the cap and low boots it was shown on the runway with. It is made out of a fabric that has a puffed and raised texture that combines a deep blue with a black. This added texture gives the dress more visual interest and it is quite stunning. The lines of the dress are simple so that the woman wearing it will take center stage. The neckline is cut across the bodice with a slight curve. Straps extend out from the gathered fabric that edges the neckline and they are meant to be worn off of the shoulder to leave your shoulders bare and free. The fabric is gathered across the front and around you to the back. The waist nips in and you could add a belt to accent the waist more if you wished. The skirt falls from there and hearkens back to the era of Mr. Dior with a fullness through the hips. It falls to the floor in a soft arching curve that is quite beautiful. There are no added crinolines underneath and all of the fullness and volume that you see is achieved by the way the skirt is inset around the waist. There are yards of silk in the skirt so you could add your own crinoline under it and wear it very full if you wished. The dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

There is a built in inner cupped corset and it closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML- MED

Item# DD3966

Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2019 Christian Dior Runway, Look 79. Model Louise Robert.

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 only ever seen one other jumpsuit like this. It was a red version and it was sold at auction several years ago. It was dated to 1973 by the auction house which makes sens given the version of label in it. Barbara Hulanicki and her husband started out their company as a mail-order business. A chance bit of press on one particular dress ended up with that dress selling into the thousands. That gave them the capital and confidence to open their first shop in 1964. By the 1970s it had become a cultural phenomenon. They next expanded into the US and opened a shop within Bergdorf Goodman's in New York City. In 1973 they opened the Big Biba store on Kensington High Street. That store was an entire lifestyle concept store where everything in it was for sale. It was a huge and new concept for the time and unfortunately maybe too big an idea as the store closed it doors in September 1975 marking the end of an era for British fashion. Biba pieces were loved and worn to death by fans and the really really good pieces like this one are very hard to come by in this kind of condition. This is one of the best Biba pieces I have ever had. 

The jumpsuit is made from a deep blue satin finish fabric. It is in its original length and the legs are supermodel length. It actually looks to have been worn very little which is almost miraculous with Biba pieces. Running over the entire jumpsuit is that fantastic pattern of a horse race with the horses and riders racing down a track. Scattered in and around that are little horseshoes. It is just wonderful. The cut is simple and easy but sexy. The front is two small halter cups that just cover the breasts. Straps extend out from that to tie around the back if the neck. The seams under the cups are curved and the rest of the jumpsuit falls from there. The waist is seamed but not super cinched in and then it skims over the hips. The legs are cut wide and full. They are a full 37" around at the hem. At the back the entire back is left bare below where it ties at the neck. It scoops down into a curve to the lower back. It is just an amazing piece. Excellent condition.

Unlined and has a low back zipper. It ties behind the neck. The pant hems have been let down at some point and are neatly finished with a serged hem. You can see the faintest line where they were turned up but I decided to leave it as it is still finished and then you can hem to your perfect length.

Bust: no true side seams but the front covers approx 15" across
Underbust: to just under 17" across
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to waist and adjustable with ties
Pants: 46" from waist to hem
Inseam: 35"
Gusset: 13.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3967

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

A version of this dress was shown on the runway in a printed chiffon. For production to the stores it was also released in this fabulous silk jersey version. This collection was shown in Marrakech and Vogue's Sally Singer said the collection was "about luxury, globalism, and culture". The dress I have here is simpler then its runway counterpart but that just makes it that much more wearable to that many more events. It is gorgeous.

The dress is a made out of a deep blue silk jersey that falls like a dream. It is heavy enough to feel like a high quality piece but still will move and flow as you walk and move. The front plunges into a low V just slightly crossing over itself where it meets the band of fabric at the waist. The tops of the triangle that cover the bust are twisted for detailing and then they fall into a deep V at the back. This leaves you bare on both the front and the back. There is a little jersey cord that runs across the back to hold the halter perfectly in place. The skirt falls to the floor at the front and the dress is in its original unaltered supermodel length. At the back the shoulders extend out to a caped panel of the same jersey. This also falls to the floor and is one long fabulous swath of jersey. At the sides the cape is curve back into itself and attached down the sides so that it is a part of the dress and not a separate piece. It catches the air and billows out around you as you walk. The effect this has once on and when you move is fantastic. It is fabulous on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The jersey serves as the lining and it slips on to wear with an inner elastic at the waist. The elastic is what gives it its shape. If you needed more room or ease through the waist it would be very easy to extend it so that someone with a larger frame could wear it since the rest if the dress is really loose and easy. There is a bit of a ripple in the jersey at the back that curves across the fabric. I think it might be deliberate but it is taken into account with pricing. It is impossible to photo and there is so much fabric you don't see it anyway unless you lay it out flat and spread the fabric out. It is more a mention for accuracy then anything. No size tag present

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 48" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3968

Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Christian Dior Runway, Look 87. Model Lineisy Montero.

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 Fall 2011 show was set in a 'forest' constructed on soil that was meant to look burnt and desolate. When asked why he did the set like this, Karl responded by saying 'The world is a dark place'. To offset that gloom he put bright white lights at both ends of the runway to signify hope. In talking about the clothing itself, Vogue's Tim Blanks said in part; 'He (Karl) elaborated on the audacious theme he established for Spring, where jackets and coats looked moth-eaten or tattered. Here, many of the looks had the ashy appearance of clothes that had weathered a natural disaster because they'd been packed tightly in a trunk.' He noted this dress in particular saying; "The palette stayed shadowy throughout, the proportions slightly man-sized, with rounded shoulders. Even the more overtly "feminine" pieces looked like damaged goods, say a skirt of spectacularly shredded chiffon or a pair of full-length knit sheaths that dissolved into loose strands of wool at the back.' and finished his review with; 'Aside from the mesmerizing scenario, the collection's genius lay in Lagerfeld's supernatural prescience about the way a lot of young women want to dress now, mixing the street with enough high fashion fantasy to make the result seem rich and strange.'. The dress is gorgeous and it is always nice to find the twin of a runway piece. I included reference photos, video and one bit of a shot of the back of the dress so you can see how it works on an actual body.

This Chanel dress is wonderful. The cut is simple and classic from the front and yet the back is very avante garde and unique. It is made from a soft but chunky boucle feeling knit that combines black with a grey tinged ivory to keep with the theme of the show. On the runway Karl paired it with knit versions of his signature gloves and a low boot. The wool is light in weight but with enough substance to hold the shape. The light weight makes it a lot easier to wear then you would think. The look of weight comes from the nubbiness of the knit but it is actually quite light. The bodice of the dress has a scooped neck that is finished with a ribbed pattern. The sleeves are barely there and are also edged in that same ribbed pattern for contrast. It is cut to skim over the bust and waist. The skirt continues from there, gliding over the hips and then the dress falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. It is in its original supermodel length. At the back it has a curved cut out that leaves the entire back exposed but then he has crossed straps over it for a bit of a peek-a-boo effect. All of the edges are finished in a fringe from the same wool to give the dress that tattered feel that was the theme of the show. Glittering black rhinestone encrusted buttons with the double C embossed onto them close the neck and straps at the back. The construction is immaculate. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. The straps at the back and at the neck button to close. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. It is tagged a Chanel 44. The fabric does have some stretch so should work on a range of sizes.

Bust: has no true side seams but will cover up to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3965

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2011 Chanel Runway Collection, Look 45. Model: Jac Jagaciak.

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 Alexander McQueen dress is from the Pre-fall 2016 collection. The presentation version was far more elaborate but I think I prefer this one. It allows you to really see the pattern on the lace and I think can be worn to more functions with its simpler more versatile feel. Vogue's Sarah Mower said in part of this collection; 'There’s a sensuous glamour emerging through Pre-Fall which seems to be hovering somewhere around the ’30s or ’40s. Sarah Burton has pinned it to a theme she called “thinking about a woman’s obsession with the possessions she treasures, like her jewelry and makeup, and the things she collects.” This Pre-Fall character is a properly elegant woman, with red lipstick and a penchant for feather chubbies and velvet ankle-strap platforms, who might reach into her extensive wardrobe and choose between any number of fragile, dramatic gowns for an evening out.' and the lace butterfly dresses were mentioned specifically; 'Well, it’s a delight when fashion can make you fantasize for a moment. Yet the fact is that Sarah Burton has steered this collection gently away from too much stylization. “It's quite feminine, and unconstructed,” is the way she puts it. The patterns of lipsticks, Fabergé eggs, butterflies, birds, and the McQueen skull motif appear as prints on silk dresses and on coats, as well as on the show-stopping embroidered sheer gowns.'

The dress is almost startling in its beauty. It is made from an inner taupey nude silk that acts as the backdrop for the black net lace that sits over it. This allows you to fully appreciate the pattern that is worked through the lace. From a distance it acts as an illusion that you are bare under the lace. The lace itself has large butterflies worked through it that are beautiful. Every line of the dress is perfection. It falls from the shoulder to follow the curve of your body. Seams worked through the dress create the shape that you see but they have taken great care to line up the pattern of the lace along each seam so that your eye is not broken and the pattern remains true as it trails across the dress. From the waist is falls in one long sheath to the floor widening out gently as it reaches the hem. At the back it has a large curved cut out that leaves you entire back bare and exposed. So when you walk away it has a very sensual and sexy feel. The sleeves are the final touch and they are fantastic. Each is unlined so that you see bare skin through the lace. They are cut high and peaked at the top of the shoulder with a little bit of tulle at the inner edge to hold their shape. It is spectacular and a wonderful example of Sarah's earlier work. It is a wonderful dress now and will be a collectible in the future. Excellent condition

Fully lined in silk as described above and closes with a low set hidden zipper at the back. Three button and loops behind the neck. Each cuff zippers to close. Tagged a modern McQueen 42. I see a slight bit of grubbiness around the inner lining of the neck but otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. The hips are slim cut.

Sleeves: 25"
Inset shoulders: 13" with natural shoulders approx 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Neck: 14" around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3964

Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2016 Alexander McQueen Collection, Look 33.

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 came from the house archives of the Tiziani label, which was launched in 1963 in Rome by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because a very young Karl Lagerfeld designed for the label. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969 which makes the pieces he designed while there some of the very earliest examples of his work. This piece is unlabeled but I sourced it from a person who had purchased it direct from the owner of the atelier archives through a verified auction.

The dress is made from a purple silk that is heavy enough to keep the shape that you see. It was then heavily beaded by hand in some areas to highlight the design of the dress. The bodice dips into a V neck that is detailed with a knife pleated ruffle edged with a pink silk satin trim. The ruffle is integral to the design of this dress. It is used throughout to accent the lines and design. It defines the band at the waist that gives you shape and is used on both the cuffs and hem. It is also used to define the panel of beading that sits on each sleeve. The sleeves are incredible. They are cut to be a very full pouf above the wrists. At the middle point of each sleeve is a wide panel that is completely beaded all the way around the arm. More beads sit in one shoulder and there is a heavily done design of them that runs over and down the front of the skirt. The bead work is amazing. It is a mix of hand done embroidery, real metal thread, seed beads, crystals and large oversized domed appliques. These catch the light to give the dress a touch of high glamour. The green of the beadwork pops against the purple silk and they add incredible texture. The body of the dress is fairly simple in design. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist is defined by that wide band at the waist. It is cut slightly more on the loose and easy side rather then cinched heavily in. The skirt falls to the floor from there and there is a substantial amount of silk in it. It is hand lined in silk. The bottom hem of the skirt is finished with knife pleating and ruffles to tie in the extravagance of the upper part of the dress. It is made entirely by hand and it is finished to a couture level. It is an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a purple silk and closes with a back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. The inner skirt is finished with a wide stiffened hem that is hidden in the silk lining. This helps to give the skirt structure and the volume that you see. Hand work throughout and made to couture standards. Light padding in each shoulder. There is the tiniest bit of fading to the edge of the purple silk lining on the inner arms. It otherwise looks ot have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 23.5"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from neck to first seam under the bust, and 17.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42" from the dropped waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

Item# DD3251

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

I have had one of these dresses in the shop before and it is one of my favorites. It's twin walked the runway that season and then the dress was photoed by David Seidner before it was released to the public to purchase. It is a beautiful example of Yves work during this time period and one of my favorite dresses by him. I myself own one and I love it. It is extraordinarily beautiful.

The first thing you will notice about the dress is that it is as light as air. It is made from a feather light silk voile that has enough crispness to it to hold the shape but that adds as little weight as possible. The dress is strapless and the bodice is gathered into soft draping pleats that are gathered in and held in place down the seam on both sides. There is no shaping or boning inside. It simple drapes over your body and your coverage is provided by two layers of the fabric and the opaqueness caused by that double layer of silk combined with the draping. The gathers run from the top of the bodice to just below the hip. The seam that ends at the hip is cut on a slight downward angle so that the visual line it creates adds length. The skirt falls under that to the floor and it is also made from a double layer of the same fabric. The two layers of the skirt float over each other and will move with your slightest movement. Attached all the way around that seam at the hip is a wide sash of fabric. It extends out into extra long ties at one side. This is how you create that fabulous big soft bow at the side. This adds so much detail and volume and I love it. The print that runs over the entire dress is the perfect final finish. It combines a pretty purple with a muted green and an off-white. The fabric has a touch of transparency to it and with the double layer of the silk the pattern floats over itself and there is a depth created by the effect of the two patterns layered over each other that is fantastic. One of my favorite pieces ever. It is even better in person. Excellent condition

The second inner layer of the same fabric acts as the lining. It closes with a side set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17.5" 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
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3960

Reference Photo: (1) S/S 1984 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection. Model: Anna Bayle.  /  (2) Yves Saint Laurent 1983, David Seidner Archives.

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 stunning set is from the Fall 1984 Haute Couture collection and its twin was photoed that season as well. Who knows this might be the actual set! I have included that reference photo here for you so that you can see how amazing it is on the body. I love how they pushed the sleeves up for the shots which gives it a totally different feel. Ungaro launched his label in 1965 after working for both Balenciaga and Courrreges. He was a brilliant designer who was known for his of extravagant fabrics and flamboyance. His Haute Couture pieces are not easy to find and this set is fantastic.

Both of the pieces that make up this set are stand outs and can be worn together as intended or you can mix and match them with pieces you already have to really extend their wearabilty. The inner dress is amazing. It is cut in that signature Ungaro silhouette for this time period. These little fitted dresses were meant to hug and highlight every curve of the body. The dress is made out of a silver silk velvet that has a metallic silver and gold foil worked through the velvet. This gives is a subtle shimmer and allows it to catch the light from every angle. The fabric is hand draped over the entire dress to give it an incredible texture. The bodice has a highly modified sweetheart shape with one side set at a high peak and the other in a soft curve. The gathers are shaped to follow the line of the bust and emphasize the breasts. On the side that it zippers to close there is a pretty strip of hand applied beads and sequins that run down that side of the dress for extra detailing. Over this is the jacket. The jacket is made from an ivory lace that is backed with a silk. Onto the lace is a mix of embroidery work, little silk applique, rhinestones and faux pearls. The shoulders are padded and the top of the sleeve is gathered around the shoulder for a bit of a high capped feel. The sleeves narrow in a touch from there as they reach their ends. The waist is brought in and shaped with vertical seaming and then the hips flare out. There are no closures on the jacket, it is meant to just slip on and sit over the dress. It is finished with a dramatic Ostrich feather border that that wraps around the neck, down the front and all the way around the hem. It is completely made by hand and the proper Haute Couture numbered tape is present. Excellent condition

The dress is hand lined in a ivory silk and closes with a hand set side zipper. The bodice is boned. Interior waist stay hooks to close. The jacket has no closures. Padding in each shoulder. I see minor marks on the interior lining of the dress and perhaps a slight grubbiness to the inner arms of the jacket. Please see the last photo after the label shot.

Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Slightly extended shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: approx 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: approx 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem, including the feathers

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3367

Reference Photo: Fall 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture. (via @only_french_couture)

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

The is from the Spring 2017 collection which was an important and interesting show for two reason. First it was the first solo show for PierPaolo Piccioli and second he brought in Zandra Rhodes to make prints for the fabrics shown in the collection. This dress did not make the actual show but I have included a photo of the dress with the same print that did. The show was a huge success and the Vogue review for this collection stated in part; 'They (the models) were wearing a collection he’d based on looking at a lot of medieval art, but particularly at Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights—not that the clothes read as historicist at all. “I like to know my history, and then forget it,” Piccioli said.... He’d also become fascinated by the work of Zandra Rhodes, the great British fashion designer of the ’70s and ’80s, known for her hand-drawn prints and floaty, haute hippy dresses, so he got on a plane to London to see her. “He was wonderful,” exclaimed the pink-haired designer, who was sitting in the front row today. “He and an assistant came to my studio for two days, I showed them everything in my archive, and he asked me what I could do to make prints from the Bosch painting. It’s just incredible to see what they did with them." In short, he aced it, not only meeting expectations but surpassing them too.'

I own the twin of this dress myself and I love it. It is one of my favorite pieces. It feels thoroughly Valentino but it also nods at the work and cut of Zandra. Then you add in that spectacular Rhodes print that covers its surface and it's just a joy. The dress is made from a fine light weight silk that is cut on the bias. Think scarf weight. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric of the skirt and those fantastic caped sleeves catch the air and billow out around you. The colour is a beautiful clear red and the print draws in several other tones and shades of red. It plunges into a V at the bodice at the front and then at the back it is scooped quite low with a crossover of skinny straps to hold it n place and still leave your back bare. The seams runs angled under the bust and then it just falls from there to skim over the waist with no seam there to break the line. Depending on your height, the skirt falls to just above the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. This is a signature length for him and it allows your shoes to peek out from under the skirt. 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. There is actually several yards of fabric in the skirt. The sleeves are wonderful. Each is extremely wide and falls from the wide set shoulders. I took a shot where I held one out so you can see how wide they are. I love them. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Lined through the front bust in a red silk and the rest of the dress is unlined. The dress has a low set zipper at the back. Tagged a Valentino 36. The easy cut should fit a range of sizes. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.

Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 56" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3958

Reference Photo: Spring 2017 Valentino Runway, Look 44. Model: Blesnya Minher.

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 version of a dress from the Spring 1998 Haute Couture collection. I have included a reference photo here and you can see the similarities between the two dresses. It was not unusual for a client to have a dress completely customized to her and this most likely is a one off with no other exactly like it made. The dress is absolutely exquisite. It is a stunning example of Mr. Valentino's couture work during this time period.

This dress is absolutely beautiful. It is strapless with a fitted and sculpted bodice. The bodice and back have been shaped and set by hand into wide flat curving panels  that wrap around the bodice. It is a masterpiece lesson in couture techniques. The top of the bodice has a wide panel that curves over the sweetheart shape and then extends down into the skirt. Inside it is boned and has a full an inner corset for support and to hold the dress perfectly in place. At the back the pleats wrap around toward the zipper, cross over themselves and then extend into the skirt. The inner skirt of the dress is made of a fine black silk netting that is backed by silk chiffon. That  netting is then completely covered with a dense application of bead and sequin work that is entirely done by hand. I believe that the bead work was done by Lesage. It is all done completely by hand and this level of fine workmanship that would have taken many many hours to complete, perhaps even into the hundreds of hours. The outer skirt lays over this inner skirt and opens in an angle down the front so that you see part of the inner beaded skirt. What is truly incredible is that even though the entire inner skirt is beaded al the way around, you only see that one part of it from the front. That is the level of work that you see only in couture. The dress appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Excellent condition

The inner skirt is fully backed in a silk chiffon. The outer panels of the skirt are unlined. The inner bodice has a netted silk corset that is boned and cupped. The bead work extends all the way up to just under the bodice on the inside. There is a zipper to close the corset with a second zipper over that to close the outer layer. Inner waist stay that hooks to close. The dress is completely finished by hand to haute couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. My photos do not do it full justice and it really needs an actual body to bring it to life. 

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, with a B-C cup
Inner waist: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist seam
Skirt: 40" from inner waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3156

Reference Photo: Valentino Spring 1998 Haute Couture 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.

For the Spring 1999 collection Oscar did a series of separates and dresses that featured these dramatic trained silk taffeta skirts. There were several variations shown on the runway and I have included some of those here. Ashley Judd wore a red sleeved version of the dress to the VH1 Divas Live event. She then changed and wore the skirt and jacket version to the after party at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The Met Museum holds a piece from this collection in their permanent archives too. This strapless dress version is spectacular and if it is a piece with drama that you are after - this is it.

This Oscar de la Renta piece is so striking and it has all the drama that I love to find when I look for vintage. The dress is made out of a silk taffeta and the colour of the silk changes slightly in different lights. In most it seems to be a deep midnight blue but in certain light it has a more purple tone. The bodice is strapless and is constructed from a series of silk covered boning placed vertically side by side all the way around you. Each boning is placed at exactly the same space away from the next one and this technique creates incredible texture. Inside the bodice it has built in cups and a small amount of padding for support. It nips in at the waist and then the skirt falls to the floor and beyond. The skirt is cut to skim over the hips and is shaped to exaggerate the curve of the hips. It them narrows in towards the floor. At the back it gathered in and up to the back of the mid thigh. The edge of the hem is detailed with a jagged edging. Where it is gathered up and into the back of the skirt these create their own fabulous design as they fall from the back of the skirt. The skirt then extends out into a sweeping curve of fabric to create a train behind you. It is extraordinary. My photos do not do it full justice and it really needs an actual body to bring it to life. Excellent condition

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2906

I also have another version form the runway in the shop at the moment and you can see that one here 

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 1999 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection.  /  (3-5) Ashley Judd at the VH1 Divas Live Event & After Party, April 13, 1999 at Beacon Theater in New York.

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

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work and I love that I can date it based on the very similar one that was used the a Vogue shoot that year. It gives you a better idea of how it will look like once on a body.

The dusty pink mauve coloured sequins that cover that entirely this dress are so densely applied that they actually overlap one another. There are hundreds of thousand of sequins used and it is incredible. Mixed in with those is a band of gold beads that wrap around the hips. This is set around the on one side and widens out over the hip and then narrows to a point where it meets the low set waist seam. Another triangle feeling band sits at the hem of the skirt on the opposite side. This time done in silver sequins. It is cut in that fabulous eighties big volume on top over a fitted skirt. The shoulders are strong and padded for shape. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are long. The bodice is cut long and it is meant to blouse out over the skirt. Inside there is a silk lining in that same purple and then the sequin fabric is also lined in silk. It buttons down the back and you get a tiny glimpse of skin between the buttons. The sequins catch the light at your slightest move and its fabulous in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk with a low set inner zipper at the waist and a series of buttons down the back. Padding in the shoulders, It is meant to be oversized at the top so the hips are the most important measurement to consider.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: open
Seam at top of skirt: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19.5" from top of shoulder to seam at top of skirt
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3953

Reference Photo: Models in Bill Blass, Vogue, October 1982.

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 the second time I have had this dress so despite that fact that it has no Bill Blass label I recognized it right away. It does still have its Martha label in it which is nice considering that its twin was used for the ad campaign that year in conjunction with Martha's, a high end boutique of this time period. It is as good as the first time I had it and is a dress that is a true classic. It is even more gorgeous in person too.

This beautiful sequin covered dress is absolutely stunning. It is also insanely sexy once on the body and it is beautifully made. The base of the dress is a snakeskin printed silk that is backed in a silk chiffon. Onto this are thousands of hand applied clear sequins placed side by side to completely cover the surface of the fabric. This flat application technique for the sequins is more time consuming due to the precision required and it also changes the way the light hits it as opposed to overlapping sequins. It gives the fabric the suggestion of liquid and when you move the light catches the sequins and creates the most magical effect. The neckline is a high and hooks behind the neck to leave the upper back and shoulders exposed and bare. The waist nips in and you can add a belt for even more shape as it was shown in the ads or leave it off if you prefer to not break the line. The skirt falls to the floor and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. It is truly beautiful. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine red silk chiffon. It closes with a low back zipper and the halter hooks to close at the very back of the neck. Hand finishes and original belt. I see a couple of sequins missing at the back of the neck near the hooks. Please see the final photo

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 41.5" from waist to hem with just under 3" turned up under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3950

Reference Photo: Bill Blass for Martha Ad, 1974.

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 one of the several versions that were produced for the Fall 1987 season. Versions  and variations of the dress were done for both the Haute Couture runway and Rive Gauche. A somewhat similar version in pink and black, worn by Naomi, was featured in the fall ad campaign for the Rive Gauche label. As much as I love the pink version, I think that the all black is even more wearable for a larger variety of occasions. This dress is also one of the most dramatic of all the similar examples I have shared here and I love that about it.

The dress is strapless with a wonderful curved bodice and short fitted cut. The fabric is so unusual. It has a slight bubbled textured feel to it which makes it a much more interesting choice than a plain black fabric would have. I love the ruffle detailing that finishes the edges. This is a classic YSL touch that adds to the impact the dress has. The ruffles follow the upward curving edge of the bodice and then go all the way down and around the back. A double layer of wider ruffles edge the bottom hem to give it extra volume and flare. The front of the skirt has an extra apron-like overlay that has allowed him to curve one of the ruffled finishes along its edge and up to the hip. At that side of the hip is a large black bow set slightly to the back if the side. The bow is made of the same silk taffeta that the ruffles are made from. This adds incredible volume and I love it. Everything about the cut of the dress is done to highlight the curves of the body from the way the hem is set to that final ruffle that curves across the back. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black cotton and the interior bodice is lightly boned for shape and support. Inner waist stay that hooks to close  and the back closes with a fine metal zipper. Tagged a vintage YSL 38

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 31" from top seam of the bodice to hem and the top ruffle adds 2.5" inches above the top seam of the bodice

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3090

Reference Photos: (1) Naomi Campbell for Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, F/W 1987.  /  (2-3) Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture S/S 1987 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.