I have a small grouping of Chanel pieces that will be listing over the next week or so and they all come from an avid Couture and Chanel collector. Many of these pieces were extremely difficult to source when they were released and were only made in very limited quantities. They are in pristine condition and all but one have their original shop packet that has the extra fabric and style information. These are exceptional pieces for the collector and each is extremely special.

These pants are just fabulous. They are from the Fall 2012 collection and their twin walk the runway for Look 43 and again in Look 46. They are an exceptional piece of Chanel and are extremely well-made. The fabric is a silk lame that showcases a combination of silver and gold medal threads that have been layered to create a rich texture and the metallic colour that you see the button that closes the pants is also metal and it's made in the form of a crystal. The button is handmade which showcases how extraordinary Chanel ready-to-wear craftsmanship really is. "Nature is the greatest designer" said Lagerfeld. The skinny cropped silhouette was one of the main themes of the show and these pants were shown twice in the lineup and were one of the most interesting of fabrics.

The pants are cropped and made of a silver and gold metallic lame thread as mentioned above. The metal of the thread gives them just enough weight to allow them to keep that sharply tailored shape and silhouette. The way the thread is set is done to suggest the classic Chanel tweed which is extraordinary. They fall flat around the waist from a simple band, skim over the hips and then glide down the legs to just above the ankle depending on your height. A simple curved slash pocket sits on each hip  at the front and the back is left smooth and simple. Their beautiful minimalist shape hides master tailoring and they are immaculately constructed. The metal softly catches the lights from every angle, The metal of them makes them appear heavier than they are but once on they are actually extremely light and comfortable to wear. The fabric is extremely beautiful. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in soft taupe silk and closes with a front zipper and hand made metal button  at the waist. Tagged a Chanel 38. Current Chanel runway pants start at $3500 and range up to $8500USD + for pieces with this level of detailing. They appear to have been worn very little if at all.

Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 33" from waist to hem w 2" under
Inseam: 24" from waist to hem
Gusset: 35" from back of waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4544

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2012 Chanel Runway. (1-2) Look 43, Model Kasia Struss.  /  (3-4) Look 46, Model Monika Sawicka.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

I have a small grouping of Chanel pieces that will be listing over the next week or so and they all come from an avid Couture and Chanel collector. Many of these pieces were extremely difficult to source when they were released and were only made in very limited quantities. They are in amazing condition and all but one have their original shop packet that has the extra fabric and style information. These are exceptional pieces for the collector and each is extremely special.

This is a suit pieced together from the actual Chanel sample jacket for this look and then the pants were purchased at retail by my client. It is incredibly rare to find a sample piece so that is a little extra special. The twin of the suit was worn for Look 13 for the Chanel Métiers d’Art show. The show was set in the  Hamburg concert hall and that setting held an extra special place for Karl since it was his hometown. The concert hall had just been opened and for this show Karl mixed the modernity of the new space with his memories of Hamburg as a child “I’ve never left; this is part of me,” he reflected after the show. “I like Hamburg as an idea; something in the back of my mind.” Vogue noted 'You saw what that was, the essence of his inspiration, in a flash: Sailors in peaked caps on leave, girls in thigh-high boots and leather, the people who mill around docks and nightclubs. The clothes evoked ’60s beatniks, countercultural girls in sweaterdresses, smartly dressed officers in uniform, and naval ratings in sailor pants—looks that ran up and down the register of the cool, the hip, and the immaculately classic. It was an obvious, simple idea, really, but one marinated in a mind that has the sophistication to align the results with Coco Chanel’s heritage, and with what any girl would absolutely kill to wear right now.'

The lines of this suit are crisp and sharp and the tailoring is immaculate. Both pieces are made out of a pinstriped virgin wool that allows them to retain the exact lines that Lagerfeld intended while still staying light in weight. The jacket is cut so that it is fitted across the shoulders and then falls in a more box shape to the top of the hips. The collar is neat and small and I love how there is an inset of a white waffle weave cotton for a crisp little pop. That same little pop of cotton is set within each cuff so that it feels perfectly tied together. It buttons to close up one side and the buttons themselves are incredible. I took a detail shot so you can see that they are especially done with both Paris and Hamburg noted on them. The bottom hem is banded and there is a little top set pocket on one side. Each sleeve is long and straight and they end in a notched slit held by a button rather than a traditional cuff which falls in line with the sleek minimalist feel of the rest of the suit. Beside the little pop of white at the end there is also a little 'hidden' surprise of another functional pocket that sits at the end of the one sleeve nearest the pocket on the front. I am obsessed with this little detail. The pants are sleek and simple in their cut. They are flat fronted with a slanted slip pocket on each hip under the waist band. Two more pockets are at the  back and each is still tacked shut. The legs fall wide to the ankle with just the tiniest bit of a flare at the ends. Each leg is finished with a precise wide cuff. The inside of the suit is as immaculate as the outside and it is lined in a deep grey silk embossed with the Chanel logo. A signature Chanel chain runs along the inner hem of the jacket. Every stitch is perfection. Excellent condition with a minor note below. 

The jacket is lined in a grey Chanel embossed silk and closes with the buttons along the front panel as seen. It has a Chanel sample label and is tagged a modern Chanel 38. A pocket on the front and on each cuff. Metal embossed buttons and the signature Chanel chain around the inner hem. There is slight yellowing and grubbiness on the inner collar of the Chanel. The pants zip to close at the front and have hidden hook & eye at the bands. Slip pockets on each hip and two tacked shut pockets at the back The pants have their original Chanel packet and are tagged a modern Chanel 40

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to head 

Pant
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 29" from inner seam to hem
Gusset: 17" from waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4540

Reference Photo/Video: Pre-Fall 2018 Chanel, Look 13.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is a very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.

This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.

The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.

The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate. 

Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4509

Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.  /  (5-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is a stunning and extremely rare example of the Haute Couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. He quickly became known as one of the most promising designers to emerge after WWII and that reputation was part of why he was chosen in 1950 to become the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines. This is a very rare and early Haute Couture coat and we found a reference photo of its near twin that was styled with a belt, dramatic gloves and matching hat added. It is very beautiful and the colour is exceptional.

This coat is beautifully tailored. The double row of buttons at the front and curving cut makes it feel as chic and wearable now as it was when first made. It is entirely finished by hand and has its numbered couture tape under the label. It is so chic and a very important and rare piece. This is truly a vintage gem. It has a deceptively simple cut that hides the precise seams and masterfully tailored cut. It is constructed with the absolute minimal seam work to create the curves of the coat that you see. It is more fitted through the upper bodice and then skims over the waist and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The collar is neat with a notched front and each sleeve ends in a turned up cuff. A half belt is attached at the back and you could add a belt over it to emphasize the shape even more. The fabric is amazing with a soft finish to it. I believe it is an Alpaca or perhaps a type of cashmere and it is extremely luxurious. The fact that it is dyed that amazing blue makes it that much more brilliant. It is even better in person and the fabric has to be seen and felt to truly be appreciated. This fabric choice allowed Castillo to be able to sculpt the exact shape that he desired. The front has detailed seaming that becomes part of the actual design and inside that is a double row of blue buttons that run down the front to the waist. You can wear this one open or do it up right to the neck like the reference photo. I love the sculptural effect the coat has once on and that beautifully full lower skirting. No shortcut was taken in the construction of this lovely coat and it is an outstanding piece of fashion history in every possible way. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set black silk taffeta and closes with the button down the front. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. The Haute Couture numbered tape label is present under the main label and is numbered 15.418. This is a medium to heavy weight coat 

Sleeves: 22" and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4489

Reference Photo: Model in Lanvin, 1952.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work from the mid- to later part of the 1970s and is fantastically beautiful. No matter how good it looks on my dress form, in person and on the body it transforms into even more of a bombshell. It is spectacular. To give you an idea of the way the paper bodice fits I have included a photo of French singer Dalida and one if Raquel Welch both wear dresses similar to the bodice of this one. I think this one with its fantastical net tulle skirt is even more special 

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body because this is a dress that in person it is even better. The movement it has cannot truly be captured until it is on a body and moving. The first thing you see is that the entire body of the dress is covered in overlapping glossy black sequins that catch the light from every angle. This detailing alone takes your breath away when you see the dress in person. The dress is strapless and the bodice is cut with a rounded sweetheart neckline and has shaped cups with one of hi signature inner tacked in strapless bras.  It skims over the body from there gliding over the waist and hips. There is some shape at the waist but it is with a more easy feeling which keeps the dress feeling long and lean. Under that the skirt falls to the floor in an explosion of netted tulle that is set in ruffle layers that curve up and toward the centre front. The layers give the skirt so much volume and movement when you move and it is just incredible. When you move even the slightest, they move with you and it's gorgeous to see. It has a full underskirt in a black silk but the way the ruffle are set give the illusion of being more open at the front. I love how the dress curves around the hips and dips down slightly before turning into the tulle to give you maximum curves at the back as well. Above that the entire back is also left bare and open and it is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The dress is wonderfully made. 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 silk and it closes with a zipper at the back. His signature copper strapless bra is tacked unsaid and you could remove or replace this is needed for a better fit. It is fuller through the waist and If you wanted a more hourglass feel you can alter the waist in. Elastic through the upper seam of the bodice. and the fabric has some give. Hand finished throughout.

Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with the current inner bra about a B to small C cup 
Waist: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item#DD4486

Reference Photos: (1) Raquel Welch with Loris Azzaro, 1978.  /  (2-3) Dalida in Azzaro, 1976. - First two photos from the book 'Azzaro: 50 Sparkling Years'.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is one of two identical coats landing in the shop today. The only difference its that one is a medium (this one) and the other is a small. This is from the time period that Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youssef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork, like these coats,  are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the colour and vividness of his homeland. 

This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or as a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. We were able to date it based on the very similar piece that was featured in the ad campaign for 1970. Which makes it a very early piece for his time at the label. The base of the coat is a red fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture to it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a deep blue braiding and blue ric rac that follows the detailing and lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run around the hem and panels in the palest possible blue follow the lines of the coat. A floral patchwork is set around the hem and edged by the rib rack to create that fantastic design that you see. This anchors all the various parts of the design and gives a pop of contrast to the colour combination. The coat is collarless and it zips up the front. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves widen out to be full at their hem. The coat falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. I took a shot of it laying flat so you can see the incredible shape that it has. It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. Because it zips to close at the front and fully opens, you can wear this as a proper coat or you can wear it on its own as a dress, which lets it play double duty. It even has weights in the hem so that once on it falls perfectly in place and pockets that are hidden along those front seams. I just love that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent overall condition with notes below

Fully lined in a hand set pale blue silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. I see some faint yellowing, grubbiness to the bottom pale blue panel and maybe a touch of the same on the blue on the cuffs but I am being pretty picky there especially. Grubbiness to the inner lining around the hem and neck. Tagged a vintage Medium. 

Sleeves: 24"
Inner shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

 Item# DD4481

Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 1970.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is an incredible set that is extra special because it is from the debut Haute Couture collection of Marc Bohan. It has the added province of being documented which is sometimes not easy to find with these very early pieces. The book Dior, Catwalk talks about the reaction to this first collection by Bohan; "Thundering applause, led by the Duchess of Windsor, rolled through the elegant grey and white salons of the House of Dior, the happy ending to the suspense story of the fashion year. At stake was the future dominance of Dior, and the career of designer Mark Bohan. The Chicago Tribune hailed him as being "Mister Dior, the third". The New York Times stated "the shouting, clapping, surging mob at the press show cause chaos in the elegant salon. Bohan was pushed up against the boiserie, kissed, mauled and congratulated. Chairs were toppled. Champagne glasses were broken. People were knocked down. It was a complete triumph for the designer". The book goes on to state that; Bohan called the collection the "Slim Line". It was a streamlined take on the original "New Look". He revisited the day suit with wide cut jackets and low waisted flared skirts fitted at the hips. The Times declared it "a success from the appearance of the first model and worthy in the tradition of the great maestro himself. And Women's Wear Daily wrote three months after the collection was shown that "the Bohan flare is everywhere. Bohan has done the impossible. He is a big commercial success and respected by the fashion intellect." 

The set is exceptional and is an excellent investment piece as well. Dior prices continue to skyrocket and finding couture examples like this from such an important collection and in this condition is getting harder and harder. 

This suit is fantastic. It is actually two pieces. A flared skirt and then a top / jacket that goes over that. The top is fascinating in the way that it is cut and we were very happy to find and see in the reference photo of it that its construction is deliberate. The front only buttons at the bottom and then there is a snap just above that button to hold it closed. It is meant to stay open above that and the button holes that you see continuing up along the edge of the jacket are actually faux. They do not open all the way through. You can see in the photo that the model is wearing it the way that it's meant to be worn. The very bottom is closed and then she has a light top on underneath. This lets the jacket play on its volume that it has. You could certainly open the fabric and finish the buttonholes if you wish to wear it fully closed, but it is meant to be like this. The jacket has a lot of volume and is meant to skim over you and then the skirt is cut in a sleek little flare that skims over the hips and flares out with a series of flat pleats all the way around the skirt. Around the waist the silk lies flat and neat. It is very flattering once on the body. When you stand still the skirt lays flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume. Over that goes the jacket with its wonderful to the elbow wide cut sleeves and oversized MOP buttons down the front. The shoulders are soft and there is no collar. The fabric is a very high end silk twill dyed to that pale tan mixed with white. Both pieces are entirely finished by hand to Haute Couture standards and I've shown some of the detailing inside. It is chic and elegant yet still feels edgy. An amazing find. Excellent condition

The jacket is lined in a fine silk in the same colour as the exterior tan and the skirt is interlined in a white silk organza. The jacket closes with the bottom button only and a hidden snap above that as described above. The skirt closes with hook & eye at the waist and hidden snaps below that.  Completely done by hand to Haute Couture Standards. Proper numbered couture label in place on the jacket. There are some natural, variations and lines in the silk that is inherent to this type of fabric and should not be considered a flaw. It is in remarkable condition.

Jacket
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16-17"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4484

Reference Photo: Christian Dior Haute Couture Printemps-Ete 1961. Photo Emerick Bronson. Model Nicole de Lamargé.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Every so often I am contacted by someone and entrusted with something very special and this wedding set by Romeo Gigli absolutely fits that bill. This incredible set is a one of a kind, Haute Couture made to measure piece that comes directly from its original owner and she has graciously given all of the original documentation on it to share with you along with a full write up on her experience with Romeo and a scan of the Elle article that was written a year after her wedding. 

Romeo Gigli launched his label first in 1981 which failed. In 1983 he partnered with Carla Sozzani and in 1985 he presented a 25 piece collection in Milan. By 1986 he was an international sensation and his collections made world wide headlines. In 1989 he had his Paris debut. His work was romantic but dramatic. Hallmarks included shawl coats, which this set so perfectly displays, along with soft sloping shoulders and silhouettes that narrow as they come down the body. Historical references run through his work and his de-structured lines felt fresh and new.

This set has all of the original pieces that Marion wore on her wedding day and even includes the original boxes and silk bags that the set was delivered in. Every piece was made in studio by hand and when I tell you that my photos do not do the full set justice I have never been more honest as everything is more beautiful in person. This is a once in a life time opportunity to own this incredible and important piece of fashion history. The link to Marion's story is below and a short description of the pieces follows. 

Click here to see the full photo set of Marion in the fittings with Romeo, on her wedding day, see the Elle editorial, and read Marion's story about the experience >

The wedding ensemble consists of a pale pink silk chiffon top, a gold lace hobble skirt and a deep gold silk jacket or top that was worn over those two pieces. An incredible silk chiffon coat that is filled with silk flowers and flows behind you in a knotted train was worn over that. The original pale taupe velvet shoes in their original box are present along with the hand made hair sticks and pins. The two original pink raw silk hand made bags that the skirt and tops were delivered in are included and the entire ensemble comes in its original raw silk covered box. The final piece included is the little hand held green silk bag that Marion carried that day.

The skirt and inner top are the base of the outfit. The top is slightly cropped and made from a pale dusty peach pink silk chiffon. The chiffon has been hand gathered into soft pleats and crosses itself over the front and back. It wraps around you and closes on one side, inside, with a series of silk covered buttons and then the other side wraps over that and closes at the back outside with buttons as well. The skirt is made out of fine gold lace and is banded around the waist for shape. It drapes softly over the body with volume through the hips created by the layers. It narrows down at the ankles for a touch of a hobble skirt in appearance with the ends curving up and under. It is an incredible design.

An oversized silk top goes over this that has a bit of volume through the body. It is made from a deep copper gold silk with a burnished finish. The sleeves are incredibly long and are meant to be gather along the arms and follow the cut and curve of them. The collar is very high and wired so that it stands and frames the face beautifully. One side is longer then the other and you can shape the wire to give it a quirky little curve in the direction and way that works best for you. I love the open cut out just under the collar. It hints at the silk chiffon top underneath and adds an unexpected flash of skin.

The coat is utterly remarkable. It is thoroughly Romeo Gigli in spirit and it is one of the most beautiful, magical things I have ever seen. It has those beautiful sloped  shoulders he was known for and the front flips over into a deep shawl collar. It slips on over everything else with no front closures. It just falls over you in this exceptional drape of chiffon and flowers and then trails out behind you. The end has been knotted and I love this detail as it is absolutely Gigli at his best. The coat is made from a silk chiffon outer and inner layer that has a touch of transparency to it while inside and between the layers are thousands of silk flowers. Each would have been placed by hand one by one to form a solid layer of flowers that shows through the silk. It has weight yet it feels weightless. It has presence yet it feels ethereal.  The top layer of the chiffon is a pale dusty pink and then the inner layer is a pale taupe. The flowers float between the two and it make this light rustling sound as it moves that it magical. It is one of the best things I have ever personally seen.

Finally are the accessories. Her original velvet shoes that slide on and then tie in place, the little green silk bag that is held by the tied straps and the various hand made hair and stick pins in their original box.

The entire set will be sent in it original box hand covered in a deep dusty pink raw silk as it came to Marion from the Gigli ateliers.

Everything is in superb condition. I see a teeny smudge of discoloration under the arms of the inner silk chiffon top and the wear to the soles of the shoes giving away the clue that it was worn that day. The silk on the large box it came in has more wear as seen in the photos

This is a once in a life time, absolutely remarkable piece of fashion history.

Inner top
Shoulders: no true seams
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 14" from top of shoulder to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from waist to hem and including the 4" waist band

Outer top
Sleeves: 39" from the dropped shoulder seam and are around 11" arond after the dropped shoulder
Shoulders: 27" across and meant to drop significantly
Bust: 30" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 27" flat across from side seam to side seam and narrows to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam by the hem
Length: 41" from neck hem
Neck: 13" around

Coat
Is about 36" flat across the inner bust and it is about 120" long from the neck to end past the knot and not including the deep shawl collar. It is pretty much OSFA

Bag
Approx 9.5" tall and about 5-7" in diameter

Shoes
Approx a 40-41

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED for the inner outfit and the coat is OSFA

Item# DD4458

Reference Photos: Courtesy of Marion Hume. (1-2) Fitting with Romeo Gigli.  /  (3-7) On the wedding day.

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This dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas. She would purchase the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway. This dress is from the Fall 1987 Haute Couture collection. Several variations of this dress where produced and we have included reference photos where you can see the strapless version from the runway. And a shorter version of this dress was also shown on the runway and one was worn by Audrey Hepburn as well.

The dress is made from the most incredible iridescent metallic fabric. It is purple first and foremost but when the light hits here it gets a highlight of a hint of the green that is just amazing to see. The fabric has enough weight to it to hold the shape that you see. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are set into the shoulders so that you get a bit of a peak where they are gathered into the bodice. They are cut wider near the top of your arm and then taper down to the wrist. The bodice skims over you to the slightly dropped waist seam. Around the hip area is a wide band of gathered fabric that creates that incredible volume. A black velvet bow sits the front. The skirt is cut on a sharp angle that widens out to be quite full as it nears the floor. The cut is meant to feel sculptural and contrast the volume around the hips. The back of the skirt is fuller and set a little longer then the front. One version on the runway was belted and you could easily add a belt to add shape. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. It is beautifully made and appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3808

Reference Photos: (1) A/W 1987 Givenchy Haute Couture Silver metallic lame brocade strapless gown dress with a black velvet chest and bow and 2-layer puffy skirt. L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987.  /  (2-4) Fall 1987 Givenchy Haute Couture Runway.  /  (5) Audrey Hepburn, in Givenchy, at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City for the 17th Annual International Emmy Awards in 1989.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

The Stella McCartney era at Chloe has since become extremely collectible. The fall 2001 show was fantastic. This was the opening look for the show and in Vogue's review they specifically mentioned the faux coats that were treated so glamorously with added details saying; "Stella McCartney continued with her exploration of grown-up, couture-inspired silhouettes for Chloé, without forgetting about the youthful, fun-loving basics that are the label's bread and butter. McCartney's forte is her ability to glam up casual street clothes. Her fitted jeans and corduroy trousers with zipper pockets, face-stenciled T-shirts and pearl-encrusted draped tops all had an air of insouciant cool to them; so did the faux furs with shaved bits that accommodated clusters of silver flowers." This was one of the strongest looks from the show and a true piece of fashion history.

The twin of this coat was the opening runway look and was worn by Angela Lindvall. The show had several piece sin this faux fur but this coat is the hardest to find. You will often see the shorter version that was made of this coat or the shrugs or collars but the actual coat is very rare. These had a pretty hefty price tag and not as many were made. They were only sent to certain stores and were a limited production piece. The coat is a 3/4 length and is made from a thick and soft faux fur. The cut is loose and easy and it widens out as it nears the hem for a bit of a swing coat feel. It has hidden fur hooks to close the top part of the front and then swings open under that. There's a hook at the top of the collar so you can wear it folded down like how I photoed it for these photos to give it a more loose and easy feel or you can close that top hook so that it wraps around the neck like how it was worn on the runway. The sleeves are cut extra long and they are gathered along the inside of the wrist. This gives them a curve so that they follow the curve of the arm and it also lets you wear them up a bit so they get that bit of a gathered slouchy feel you see in the runway pics. The inside is lined in a men's wear shooting fabric that she often used. There are two zippered pockets in the interior that have little chains attached to the zipper pulls. On the exterior there is a pocket hidden along each hip. It is meant to feel a little big and slouchy once on and I love that. The best part about is of course that extraordinary detailing done on the shoulder and collar on the one side of the coat. Fine silver metal strips have been applied to the coat to create a series of medallions. Swirling beads and sequins sit over those to create this fantastic design that goes across the top of the arm. under the shoulder at the front and then runs up and into the collar and around to the back. Its just brilliant and an amazing piece of fashion history. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined with two interior pockets as described above. It closes with hidden fur hooks at the front. Pockets on each hip. Tagged a vintage Chloe 40

Sleeves: 28"
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4454

Reference Photos: Fall 2001 Chloe Runway, Look 1. Model Angela Lindvall.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client, In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1982 Givenchy Haute Couture presentations and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body. This dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas. She would purchase the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway.

The dress is made from a deep copper gold silk taffeta and this fabric choice allows it to hold those stunning lines and volume that you see. It is absolutely beautiful and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. The colour of the silk is even better in person. I have managed to almost capture it in these photos but in person it is even richer feeling then what you see here. At the front the neckline is set in a simple high scoop. The bodice is cut to skim over your curves and is simple in cut. The sleeves are incredible. Each one is set on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of dressmaking. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends. The waist is seamed and the skirt is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out from the waist slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is. On the runway it was shown with a black velvet bow and I have added one to emulate that same look. The skirt is one of the best skirts I have seen both from a design point of view and by its level of construction. It is made into two attached sections. The top comes out from the pleats all around the waist and it poufs out around you. A seam brings the skirt in and then the lower part of the skirt falls to the floor from there. That second tier has many yards of silk in it so that it flares out as it reached the hem. Between the two sections is a wide velvet ribbon that wraps around the seam and ties into a bow at the side. Which beautifully picks up on the bow around the waist. All of the volume and shape that you see is created through the way it is cut and the fabric choice. The skirt does not have extensive underskirts to shape it. The silk of the skirts are lined in a silk organza to help give support but it is really the genius of the cut itself that creates the shape. An elaborate and intricate floral design runs across the front and back of the bodice and down each sleeve. Hand done embroidery work is combined with tiny black sequins and hand applied beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen. Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam finished by hand. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absolutely beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully lined with a slightly gold tinged silk organza. It closes with a hand placed back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. The velvet ribbon out is not original to the piece but will be included. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It is a slightly softer gold copper in person then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Length: 42" from waist to front hem, 45" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3685

Reference Photos: Fall 1982 Givenchy Couture Runway.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. This one actually looks like a sleeveless version of the one shot on Marisa Berenson. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.

This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. The sequins extend right from the flame design at the front and then are set in long vertical rows to the hem. The top of the bodice is a single layer of black silk chiffon. This bit of transparency  adds an incredibly sexy feel. He used that same silk chiffon down the back where it dips into a low scoop. I love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and that low scoop at the back. A high slit up one side lets you have the perfect flash of skin when you walk or sit. It is fabulous once on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a black silk and it zips to close at the back.

Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under
Slit: 19.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL

Item# DD4403

Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini.  /  (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973. / (7) Spring 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

The twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 38 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California. The show was star packed with Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' This dress to me also harkened back to  the earlier Galliano era and the times that he did knits in a similar colurway. It was a favorite of the street style crowd and it is a gorgeous little creation. I believe that I read at the time these were all hand knit.

The dress is easy to wear and makes a huge visual impact that I love. It is made of a knit virgin wool that is light and feels fantastic once on the body. I love the horizontal stripes of colour that were meant to depict desert sunsets. The weave is loose and open so that you will see either your bare skin underneath or whatever you decide to wear underneath it. It is cut to skim over the body. The neckline is a wide boat neck and then it travels down over the bust, waist and hips, opening up to be quite flared as it reaches the hem. You can see in the reference video that this flare allows the dress to kick out around you when you move. The sleeves are cut to just above the elbow and they are finished with hand knotted yarn tassels in black. These circle the cuffs for pretty detail. These same hand-tied tassels are also set all the way around the hem for added movement there as well. It is just gorgeous. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head to wear with no closures. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a US4, GB8, FR36, IT40. The knit has considerable stretch. I have put the comfortable range of measurements lying flat and there may be a little bit of room beyond that once on the actual body

Sleeves: approx 15" and are 7-13" around the upper arm and is 12-14" around the cuff above the 2" fringes
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 13-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4218

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Look 38, Model Zuzu Tadeushuk.  /  (4-7) Sofie Valkiers in Dior at Paris Fashion Week 2017.  /  (8) credit unknown.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1982 show and I love that we found photos of it for you so you can see just how spectacular it is one and how the sleeves sit once on a body. This silhouette with its dramatic sleeves and full skirts was an important element for that season. It is just a stunning example of one of his most recognized looks.

The dress is made from a combination of two of his favorite fabrics, silk taffeta and silk velvet. These became signatures of his and ran through his collections from the start of his career to the finish. It is a stunning piece. The top is cut to skim over the bust with a scooped neckline at the front. It is seamed at the waist and then extends down over the top of the hips. There is an attached silk taffeta sash that wraps around the waist and cinches you in for added shape and detail at the waist. The sleeves are full with a beautiful sweeping cut that starts at the shoulders and remains full to just past the elbow. At that point the fabric changes to to a velvet. Four glossy dome buttons  detail the lower part of the sleeve. These are meant to be pushed up slightly to exaggerate that pouf of the upper sleeve even more. The skirt falls from under the velvet and it is beautifully full. The photos do not really do the amount of fabric in the skirt full justice. I love that under the top purple layer of silk there is a lining finished 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 am obsessed with. The fabric choices helps keep the intended shape and volume. Pieces by Yves from this time period have become an important piece of fashion history and having documentation like this one has makes it that much better. 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 Photos: (1-2) Fall 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (3) Alice Englert wearing this dress for Harper's Bazaar, 2023.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

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: (1) Models in Bill Blass, Vogue, October 1982.  /  (2-4) Fall 1982 Bill Blass Collection. Model Alva Chinn.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.