The first thing you think of when you see this dress in person is Ossie Clark. It literally looks like one of his designs but with the added detailing on the bodice. The fabric is an earlier, original version of the moss crepe that he adopted for so much of his work but otherwise it is almost mind boggling to look at this dress and not see Ossie. Especially in person as the dress has much more fabric in it then the photos convey. It is gorgeous in person. This is one of the best pieces from this time period that I have seen in a very long time and it is easy to see why Clark used these dresses as his start point to develop what would become his signature look. It is now so rare and hard to find these in such amazing condition too. It is also surprisingly long for a piece from this time period. The dress has been finished beautifully and it obviously is a high end piece. It was a hard dress to photo since it is entirely cut on the bias through the skirt and waist. It is meant to be on an actual body and my dress form is not doing it anywhere near the justice it deserves. The dress falls in a V at the front with the sides of the front V curving inwards. The bodice is cut in that loose and easy way over the bust that pieces from this time period were done in. The waist nips in and there are attached ties on either side of the waist that you can use to cinch it in or you can wear to more loose and easy. The skirt falls to the floor under that and is made from several yards of the black crepe. When you stand still it falls in a smooth column but when you move you see just how much volume is there. It does up with a side zipper so there is no line to break the eye at the back. It was then densely detailed with the most amazing pattern of flowers and vines that cover the entire front of the bodice. The design is made up of thousands of hand set sequins, beads and gold thread. They are so densely done that the pattern sits up and off of the silk underneath for the most beautiful 3D feel. The design follows the lines of the bodice covering the front, running up the top of the shoulder and down the charming cap sleeves. The embellishments catch the light and add a fabulous glitter to the dress. It is truly incredible and if you are a fan of these pieces from the late twenties ad into the thirties you know just how exceptional and rare it is. Excellent condition 

Unlined and closes with a side set metal zipper. Ribbon edged finished hem. Attached ties at each side of the waist. Light padding in each shoulder. It is in wonderful condition and appears to heave been worn very little. For a garment almost 100 years old it is truly amazing. The bias cut should allow it to fit on a range of sizes. 

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61.5" from neck to the front hem, 63.5" to the back hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# E697

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

The exact twin of this dress was shown on the Spring runway in 2006 for Look 37. 2006 was an important year in Oscar's history. This is the same year that Parsons awarded him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at their 58th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show. In Vogue's review of the collection journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'After last season's Russian sojourn, Oscar de la Renta returned to his Latin roots for spring. And why shouldn't he? In the 40 years he's been in business (he celebrated the anniversary this year), regular flamenco infusions have served him well. With the Williams sisters, Eva Longoria and Candace Bushnell watching from the front row, de la Renta played to his strengths: flounces galore, toreador jackets, and a spicy palette of marigold, red, and warm neutrals, often finished off with a smattering of crystal embroidery. For day, wooden beading at the hip or contrast piping along seams gave classic silhouettes a sprightly flare....All told, an Oscar collection is like a trip to the Prado. Faced with such an embarrassment of riches, it's too easy to miss the many fine things.' This is one of those gorgeous pieces that have that latin flare and flounce and it was one of the best in the show 

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3863

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

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

The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and quickly became one of the top couture ateliers in the world. This dress is from the main Nina Ricci line and it is made to level that I would consider to be demi-couture. It dates to the Fall 2006 collection and its twin walked the runway on model Jeisa Chiminazzo. Designer Lars Nilsson was the head of the atelier at the time and he had been there since 2003. His take over of the label was met with rave reviews and he was asked to reinvigorate the then floundering label. He remained there until 2006 so this dates to mid-way of his tenure. In the review of the collection that season by Vogue, they were harsh of the sportswear looks presented but raved about the evening looks saying; 'What his soigné fans love him for is his easy way with a dress. Several of the versions he showed today featured an artsy, swirling print, while the others came in those multicolored layers of organza, chiffon, or silk gauze. His facility with such concoctions makes spring a natural for Nilsson.''

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3848

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

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

Holly Harp opened a shop LA in the late 1960s and created custom clothing under the Holly's Harp label. She tended to create her clothing out of a hodge-podge of new and old materials. In the beginning she favored things like feathers and fringe but her aesthetic became more 'grown up' and glamorous as her career progressed and she started to focus more on jerseys and draping. She was an avid thrifter and you can often see the influence of earlier decades in her work like with the kimono-esque hand painting and embroidered work on this piece. 

This is an amazing dress that is so unusual and avant garde. It was very difficult to photo as it really need a moving body underneath it to really bring it to life. You can wear it in so many ways and I think once on the body you will quickly figure out the best way to wear it on yourself. It is one of the most interesting design pieces I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a beautiful fluid silk done in a rich ombre toned yellow that has a hand painted design on parts of it done in a brilliant purple. Black stripes are worked into the design as well and these highlight the line and cut. The silk also has dots that are woven directly into the fabric and these are finished with a different sheen so that they catch the light. To wear it you wrap the inner skirt part around you and secure it with a button at the side. The waist of this inner skirt has elastic so it will accommodate a range of sizes. From the skirt that entire upper body of the dress extends out as one extremely long panel. The motion of twisting it over and around the front of you is what keeps the side opening of the skirt covered and secure. Part of the way along that panel is the opening for the neck and it is at this point that it gets fun. You can literally wear it in as many ways as you can think of and I did all these options just by changing the way it drapes. Add a belt to help hold configurations in place and you would have a whole new slew of styling options. By changing the way you wear the upper draped part of the dress you get a whole different feel of the outfit. On the one long panel there is a crane applied onto the silk and there are also little squares of metallic gold thread that have been used to give just a little extra glint of high glamour. This subtle pop of gold is wonderful. The entire thing is meant to be worn loose and easy but you could also add any kind of belt for some added shape and it would look equally as incredible. It also comes with a little cream coloured stretch body suit that you can wear underneath. This is a set that really transforms on an actual body and is even better when on and moving. It is truly an incredible once in a lifetime vintage find. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt slips on with elastic at the waist and then buttons to close at the side. The top portion is attached and as described above. The body suit does not have her tag in it but did come with it so will be sent with the dress. The loose and easy cut should work on a full range of sizes. Larger sizes might not be able to use this bodysuit but you could easily substitute a larger modern one in its place. The size range is based on the dress. 

Body suit
Bust: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: will stretch to approx 32" from top of shoulder to inner seam

Skirt
Waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Inner skirt length: 38" from waist-hem
The attached panels are several yards long

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3843

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

Pauline Trigere launched her label in 1942. She had moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and her designs always have that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and won one again in both 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She as a pioneer in the use of cottons and wool for evening, In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a stunning example of her work. 

This dress is just so pretty. I love the lines of it and the lightness of the fabric. It is made out of fine black silk chiffon that has an amazing pattern that has been created by fusing both silver and black glitter directly to the silk. This gives the dress its sparkle and glitz and allows it to catch the light from every angle. I love the curving vine and flower design that the glitter creates. The design has been laid out over the dress in a beautiful and intricate pattern. The workmanship to attach the glitter to the silk chiffon cannot be underplayed as this would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. The designs runs all around the lower part of the dress and also curved around each sleeve. The cut of the dress is equally fabulous. The front and the back are squared off and the sleeves extend out from the top of the shoulder. Each sleeve is made from a single layer of the silk chiffon. The glitter then runs down the lengths of each and they widen out to be a full 23" around by the time they reach their ends. They are stunning. The bodice is cut to skim over you and it then widens out gradually as it falls to the hem. The body of the dress is made from a double attached layer of the silk chiffon on top and then there is another layer of silk chiffon under that. This makes the dress just opaque enough to wear but with a subtle touch of transparency. It is beautifully made. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine black silk chiffon and closes at the back with a series of tiny snaps. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Hand finishes throughout. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: no defined shoulders
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 46" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3840

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs 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 this period. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

This is a killer dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and you can see your bare skin peeking through at the front and the sides of the bodice. I hope the photos convey just how fabulous it is because when worn and on an actual body this one will be even better. The top is cut to drape over you loosely with a touch of volume. At the front there are two simple panels that are attaches down the centre before curving up and over the shoulders. At the back it drapes and covers your entire back. I love how it is set to drape like it does and give some fullness. The silk jersey is gathered along each shoulder and the waist is seamed to bring it in and give you shape. Each side is cut to the waist so that you get a touch of skin down each side. The fabric is fuller there though so it is not a stark opening, rather you just get a glimpse of skin here and there as you move. The skirt under that is made from a bias cut black opaque silk jersey that sits and drapes beautifully around you. When you walk it moves and it is very easy to wear. To this simple black dress he then added the most exorbitant and over the top jewels I have ever seen on a dress. They run across and over the gathered shoulders and then crosses over the opening at the neck. The crystals are huge and it is laid out to sit like a grand jewel at the base of the throat. The impact of them is incredible. If that was not enough there is a matching belt that hooks into place at the front and has a buckle made of more of the same huge jewels. The rest of the belt is made out of the same black jersey as the dress and I wrapped it and then opened it to create shape over the hips. It brings all the emphasis to the curves of your body and the jewels are just a stand out. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on and as good as it looks in the photos it is even better in person. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low side set zipper on the skirt. The collar hooks into place at one side tf the neck and the belt has hook & eye to close. 

Bust: should fit a range of bust sizes wit the open cut and loose drape
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3837

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

Ted Lapidus began selling his designs in the 1950s in Paris. By 1963 he was an official member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and he debuted his Haute Couture label in addition to his already high end ready to wear. Starting in the 1960s and through the 1970s he did ready to wear and a boutique line. This is an exceptional dress from that time period and it is very beautiful.

This is a dress that has maximum impact once on but it so easy to wear. It is basically made from yards and yards of a black silk chiffon that is all cut on the bias. This falls from the little straps that wrap up around the neck and then run down the back after crossing over themselves at the front. It is fitted around the bust and the waist nips in. Under that skirt flares out beautifully as it nears the hem. The waist is seamed for a little bit off added shape and the skirt has tremendous movement when you move. It is very full with many yards of silk but so light that it falls in a sleek column when you stand still. The inky black silk chiffon that it is made of is feather and has a touch of transparency over its more opaque inner lining. This was then covered in an amazing pattern that has been created by fusing silver glitter directly to the silk. This gives the dress its sparkle and glitz and allows it to catch the light from every angle. I love the curving swirls and flowers that the glitter creates. The design has been laid out over the entire dress in a beautiful and intricate pattern. The workmanship to attach the glitter to the silk chiffon cannot be underplayed as this would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. I love the effect of this once on the body. It is just absolutely gorgeous and one of the best of his pieces I have seen. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk crepe and closes at the side with a painted metal zipper. If you did not like the straps crossing at the front it would be easy to move then to a more standard strap that runs over the shoulder. I see no bare areas. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3838

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3833

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

Vicky Tiel was backed by Elizabeth Taylor as a young designer after working on the costumes for 'Whats New Pussycat'. After a stint with a partner she launched her self named label in Paris in 1970. She as one of the very early boutique owner/designer that offered a ready-to-wear option in Paris. That said, her clothes often walk a fine line between ready-to-wear and couture in terms of their construction and techniques used. By the mid to late seventies her style had developed into the ultra sexy and feminine clothing that she is now known best for. By the eighties and into the nineties, she had a cult celebrity following. This is a stunning example of just how gorgeous and dramatic her work could get. 

The dress is gorgeous and it is cut to highlight all of your curves. I love that it is made out of silk chiffon and that is is done in the prettiest colours. So many of her pieces are black and have that very dark sensual feel to them. It is a real treat to see her more romantic feeling work and use of colour while still keeping her signature sexiness. One of her signatures was a dress that is strapless and you could easily tuck the tiny silk straps in on this one so you can wear it either way. In 1985 People Magazine declared her to be 'the Queen of the strapless dress' and her dresses were a favourite on the red carpet. The body of the dress is made of an extensively draped silk chiffon that has been entirely hand set into place to create the layers that you see. These are hand set into place and cover the entire dress. It is cut to be very fitted at the top of the bodice where it is meant to hug your curves. The silk is gathered to highlight the shape even more. The cups of the dress are finished with a dramatic beaded and sequin design and this same design peaks out again at the back. More bead and sequin work sits just to one side where some of the silk is gathered up for added detailing. I love the cascading effect the silk has as it falls in the different layers and lengths down the body. The changing of the silk from a pink to that beautiful sea green just adds to its beauty. It is gorgeous.  Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silk and pink silk chiffon and closes with a back metal and nylon zipper. Light boning on the sides of the bodice. Hand finishes throughout and very well made. I see one pinhead size mark on the back near the zipper. Please see the photo after the label shot. The silk is bias cut so there is some give

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of straps to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3805

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3393

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

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

True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. This one, like several other of the Haute Couture pieces in the shop at the moment, are from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This particular set has the added provenance of having its twin photoed on actress Sylvia Kristel. We also found the original presentation photo from the couture collection that year and it shows you just how gorgeous this set will sit on the body once on. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. 

The set is two pieces. A silk jersey dress that has incredible lines and then a matching silk jersey cardigan that is hand beaded. The dress is made out of two distinct layers. There is a complete inner dress made out of a silk crepe that is cut to skim over you and act as an inner lining. Attached to sit over that is a silk jersey exterior layer. The jersey is all cut on the bias and it is incredibly flattering. The neckline sweeps across the collar bones and sits wide at the front. A thin and open keyhole runs down the center of the bodice from just under the top of the neck to just above the waist. The waist itself is gathered into this elaborate circle that is entirely and meticulously made from hand set pleats. This creates a pretty and soft effect at the front. All around that circle is a series of soft pleats that span outwards. The back is cut onto a deep V for a little bit of skin to show. The skirt falls in a draped column and there is no seam at the waist so the line remains long and beautiful. Over this is a soft cardigan made from the same silk jersey on the exterior. Inside it has been hand lined in a matching red silk chiffon. All of the edges of the cardigan have been covered with beautiful beaded flowers and a border that is made from red and black glass tube beads. These would have been applied and created by hand by Lesage to the exact specifications given by Chanel. The bead work gives the design a slightly raised effect and they have a subtle glimmer in the light. I love this contrast between the bareness of the dress underneath with the coverage of the cardigan. It gives you two completely different looks to work with and wearing it with the jacket completely transforms the look and feel of the dress. It goes from a more bare and sexy dancing dress to something that feels more formal but still with that sense of ease created by the silk jersey. Both pieces are entirely made by hand as Haute Couture dictates and the fabric would have been made specifically for Chanel and this piece. This is a fine and rare example from this time period. It is truly brilliant and when you see it in person you will be astounded at the level of craftsmanship and care put into the construction. In excellent overall condition with notes below.

The dress has an inner attached silk dress and there is a wide grosgrain band that hooks to close at the interior of the waist, The inner dress zips to close under that and the outer dress buttons into place with a series of hand covered silk buttons in a matching fabric. The jacket is fully lined in a red silk chiffon and hooks to close down the front. Both pieces have been completely hand made. The label was removed at some point. There is a are some small marks that I have photoed. They may come out with a more aggressive or specialty cleaning. Please see the photos starting after the shot of the way it closes at the back.

The color in person is more a deep raspberry/ soft burgundy with a bit more of a red pink tome then how it photoed. The waist measurement is taken of the inner grosgrain band. You should be able to add to it if you needed more room and get another inch or two to work with. It is all hidden under the exterior dress so would be a very doable tweak.

Dress
Bust: approx 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner grosgrain at waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Cardigan
Sleeves: 23"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3730

Reference Photos: (1) SS 1976 Chanel collection in Paris, January 23 1976.  /  (2) Dutch actress and model Sylvia Kristel in Chanel, January 27 1976.

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 several interesting pieces that have come in from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with their permission would make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs and this was the work around that that Ady negotiated with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information on the label I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the four houses I am confident on. I feel that this particular dress has a more Yves Saint Laurent or Ungaro feel to it and I am still actively searching to find its counterpart. The dresses are completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and are incredible to see.

The dress is made from a silk taffeta and this fabric choice allows it to hold those extravagant lines 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 extraordinary. 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 to let the other details shine. The sleeves are a work of art. Each is made on a curve to follow the shape of the arm. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a beautiful sense of volume there. They then taper down to the cuffs where they zip to close around the wrist. The waist is seamed and the skirt is set around the waist in a series of soft gathers that sit out from the waist slightly. This gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is and is quite genius. 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 sections. The top section comes out from the soft gathered pleats all around the waist and then it balloons out all around you in a full pouf. It is seamed underneath to catch the fabric back inwards and then the second part of the skirt falls to the floor. 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 then you tie it into a bow at the side. What is truly incredible is that all the volume and shape that you see is created purely 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 interlined in a silk organza to help give it more weight but it is really the genius of the cut that gives it the intended shape. The final perfect detail is the elaborate detailing that runs across the front and back of the bodice and over the sleeves. All of the work is by hand. The intricate floral design has been created by combining embroidery work with tiny black sequins and beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen and I love how they have deliberately laid the sequins out so that you get a more matte feel for parts of the design. Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam is hand finished. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absoluteyly 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 interlined with a slightly gold tinged silk organza. It closes with a back fine zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over it. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.

Sleeves: 26"
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

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 worked for the Maurice Retner label for 10 years as the chief designer. In 1968 the Bill Blass Inc label became a subsidiary of the Retner label . Then in 1970 he fully bought out his partners at the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name as Bill Blass Ltd. 1970 was the same year that he won his third Coty American Fashion Critics' Award and with it, his lifetime membership in the Coty Hall of Fame. By 1980 the company was doing 20 million dollars in revenue. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. By the eighties his work was even more ornate and luxurious than what he had done in the past. Prices for dresses could be as high as $5000 (which would be about $15,000 today). He was once asked why his clothes were so expensive and he replied, 'I'm an avid believer that we have to have clothes made in this country. Therefore we pay more money. ... The cost of labor and fabrication is what makes the clothing expensive.'

I have had versions of this dress in the shop in the past and I love it every time one comes in. It is bold and dramatic and it still feels perfectly on point with so many designers focusing on the eighties right now. Few designers would be able to make this mix of fabrics work. The neck is high and the sleeves are long. There is an inner silk chiffon bodice and then over that is an attached netted lace top. This is then covered in glossy black sequins. The winning through the lace and sequins are little rosettes that are made from a white ribbon that has been woven through the netting and stitched into place in little twirls. Blass used dots in his work quite often and the ribbon work that has been done is a bit of a play on his signature dot pattern. The shoulders are padded and strong and the edge of the bodice is shaped into a curving scalloped pattern. I love how it sits away from the body because it emphasizes the waist more. Quite a clever trick. The waist is accented by a wide black silk satin ribbon that is attached to the inner dress. Under that the skirt falls with a nice bit of fullness to it. Inside it has an inner organza lining that helps to hold the shape but most of the volume comes form the pleating at the waist and the horizontal banding that helps to give the skirt structure. It curves out full over the hips and has a bit of a bell shape. Alternating stripes of black and white silk organza run all the way to the hem and each black stripe has a little band of lace edging it on both the top and bottom of the stripe. Excellent condition with a small note to review below.

The outer bodice is lined in a black silk and that sits over a black silk chiffon inner bodice. The skirt is lined with a white white silk organza. The dress closes at the back with a hand set zipper and the top buttons to close over that. Padded shoulders. I see the the slightest of darkening to some of the ribbon on the top. Too faint to capture in a photo but mentioned for accuracy. There is a minor mark on the skirt and a tiny area of fading near the hem. Please see the photos after the shot of the label

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to bottom seam of band at the waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3387

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 Balmain transformation from what it was originally to what it is today began when they hired Christophe Decarnin. He was the designer that gave it its edgy feel that has continued to the present day under Olivier Rousteing, the label's current Creative Director. When the Fall 2008 collection showed Vogue's Nicole Phelps said in part: 'And as promised, Spring's haute hippie feathers, fringe, and tie-dye were replaced by an all-Billy Idol soundtrack and enough leopard-print chain mail, python-pattern denim, and crystal-embroidered lightning bolts to make you wonder if there was anything at all left on the shelves at Trash and Vaudeville. To be fair, Decarnin's creations are much finer than the East Village emporium's, but they appeal to a similar kind of chick, one with a killer body and an active nightlife.' The twin of this dress closed the show and it is perhaps one of the most memorable and significant pieces that Decarnin designed for the label. It was produced in very limited quantities and instantly sold out world wide despite a very hefty retail price. 

The dress is incredible and the skirts are all still their original lengths. I note that as I have only ever seen one other of these for sale and it had its skirts shortened at some point. The length is integral to the design in many ways. The skirt panels are incredibly long and light in weight so that when you move they float and billow around you as you can see in the runway footage. Above the skirts it is extremely fitted long curving bodice that is constructed to highlight your every curve. On the interior of the bodice there is a full boned corset with built in cups. The corset is cut to run from the bust to the top of the hips so that you are molded and shaped into place. On the outside the silk is hand draped and placed into position to form soft gathers that run around you. A huge zig zag bolt runs down the front. It is densely covered in crystals and it separates the prints on either side of you. The silk on one side is zebra and the silk used for this is a light scarf weight silk. The other side is finished in a black and white leopard print. On that side the silk is more of a silk faille and slightly heavier in weight then the zebra printed silk is. This change in weights of the silk is genius because it means that the way the silk moves in the skirts changes and you get more movement. The crystal covered panel that divides the two printed sides curves over just one shoulder and then runs down the front in the dramatic zig zag that you see. At the back it extends just past the shoulder and curves to the side. To close the dress Decarnin  has used one of the signature chunky Balmain zippers to divide the two prints. The zipper is set on a curve that follows the curve of your body and it becomes an incredible design detail in itself. The dress is fitted to the top of the hips and then the skirts flare out into long trains of fabric. The predominant part of the skirt is made from the leopard print and this is set on a curve at the hem that extends out to the side and to the back. There is a smaller panel at the front that is made out of the zebra print silk that also extends out and back. Where the two fabrics meet at the front side, they are only attached at the to and not together. This means that an opening is created that goes right up to the top of the thigh. When you move your entire legs shows. We have included the runway footage for reference so that you can see just how incredible it is when it is on and you walk. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The inner bodice has a fully built in boned corset made from a nude colored lingerie stretch corseting nylon fabric that has built in cups and is finished by hand. The fabric is hand draped over this and the crystals and lightening bolt have been attached by hand. It closes with a curved set zipper that allows the form fitting construction of the dress. Tagged a 40. There are a couple of small repairs along the hem of the trained skirts. Some tiny pulls in the silk of the bodice. Please see the photos after the label shot. Hand finished throughout. The inner foundation garment does have some stretch. You might be able to squeeze out a bit more room when on a real body.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 33" from top of shoulder to bottom of inner foundation garment
Skirt: 28.5" from bottom of inner foundation garment to shortest hem, 53" to the longest hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3115

Reference Photos: F/W 2008 Balmain Runway, Final Look.

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 think our modern world forgets just how important Oleg Cassini was as a designer in his heyday. From his first film in 1941 he was responsible for many of the best looks on film, dressing stars like Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney (who he married), Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and the list goes on and on. In 1952, he opened his own fashion house on Seventh Avenue. By 1961 he was appointed by Jacqueline Kennedy as her exclusive couturier. Some of his early works especially, were more on par with couture, using the same techniques and high fashion fabrics as the French couture houses. This is a later example of his work and yet it still shows the care and meticulous detailing that he put into his work.

The dress is amazing in person. It is made of a black silk chiffon that has been extensively covered with gunmetal silver glass tube beads. The dress is extremely heavy because of the bead work. It weights about 4 pounds and it is gorgeous. The bodice of the dress is suspended by beaded straps and then scoops down with shaping at the front and a lower set line at the back. It has a wide band of beadwork following the top seam and then is shaped by a series of vertically set rows of beads that go all the way around the bodice and end in little jagged ends. It is fitted to the bodice and then nips it in at the waist. The skirt skims over the hips into a pencil shape and then onto that are curved vertical panels that start just under the waist and go to just above the hem. These give the illusion that the skirt is tiered but that ruffled effect is actually created by the panels dropping and layering over each other. I did a photo of it laid out flat so you can get an idea of how much volume is actually in the skirt. When you move the movement this creates is fantastic. Each is finished along the curved edge with a series of stacked rows of beadwork. More vertical bead circle the hips and these are done to pick up that same jagged finish design as on the bodice. The hem is then finished with a wide band of yet more beading. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black muslin through the bodice and black silk through the skirt. It closes with a back zipper. Hand work throughout. Light boning in the bodice. It looks to have never been worn. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but no bare areas that I could see. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3629

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

Jean Paul Gaultier's career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred through his pieces and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his brilliant vision. In 1997 he entered the sanctified world of Haute Couture and for just over two decades produced stunning work cumulating with his final show for Spring 2020. His pieces of couture rarely come to market and I am very pleased to have this dress that is very well documented and instantly recognizeable. This is the twin of the dress shown for the Fall 2000 Haute Couture presentation entitled 'Paris and its Muses'. I have included the original runway photos for reference here for you. The dress was also photoed for Vanity fair on Doutzen Kroes. Fast forward to 2013 where the twin of this dress was featured in the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit. I actually attended the opening of that show in San Francisco and it is surreal to now have the actual dress in hand as I remember swooning over it on display. This dress was obviously a favourite of Jean Paul's because he chose to recreate a version of it for his Fall 2018 Couture collection. That 2018 version was then worn by Rita Ora for the 2018 MTV VMAs. This may have been the only original piece ever produced beyond the piece that was shown in the exhibition. 

The dress is an incredible work of art. It is made from a layer of silk netting that falls over an interior nude coloured lingerie weight stretch silk. This makes it very easy to wear and be comfortable in despite the dramatic feel it has to everyone seeing it. Onto the silk netting at hand made and hand applied tubes of silk with a stiffened netting inside that gives them the 3D dimension that you see. The entire dress would have had to have been careful planned out prior to its creation. Every single word that you see running over its surface would have had to have been laid out and planned for how it would be placed onto the dress before it was even started. Each word would have had to have been figured out as to the degree it would curve over the body and then it would have been all meticulously brought to life. The letters cover the dress from head to toe and the closer you look the more you see the French words 'Cherie',  'Mon Amour', 'Jean Paul Gaultier', 'Paris' and more as the hand written script cascade and curves it way down the length of the dress. It falls from the shoulders in a long swoop that widens out as it nears the hem. I love how the hem is curved and swooped to follow the final words across the bottom. The script and the netting inside the words also helps to keep the shape of the dress that you see in my photos as they act as structure and support. In a way like a crinoline but attached on the outside rather then worn underneath and hidden. The top is sleeveless and the straps are just wide enough to accommodate the lettering that runs over them. The front scoops down and the back dips into a V. The waist is easy and then it flares out dramatically to the hem. It is bias cut so should fit a range of sizes. Inside you can see how all of the seams are finished with proper couture techniques. This is a dress that would have taken hundreds of hours to complete and is literally like wearing an art piece come to life. To have a piece available for purchase is almost as rare as being able to have bought it as a couture client in the first place. Truly one of the most magnificent pieces he has ever created. Excellent condition with some very minor notes below 

Composed of two layers, the inner nude lingerie weight stretch silk and then the netted layer over that. The inner layer closes with a zipper and the outer layer snaps to close with a tightly spaced series of tiny snaps.  The dress looks to have been worn very little if at all. There is some minor stress to the netting around the seam of the armholes. I see a couple of the ends of a word that have popped through the silk a bit and some small tiny snags to the netting here and there. All of these are very minor. Please see the photos after the Couture label. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tag present. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client  

Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3612

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 2000 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection.  /  (3) Doutzen Kroes in Jean Paul Gaultier couture from the 2000 collection for Vanity Fair, 2009.  /  (4-8) Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Grand Palais, 2015.  /  (9) Fall 2018 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 34.  /  (10-12) Rita Ora in Jean Paul Gaultier at the 2018 MTV VMAs.

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 lovely dress by Reem Acra who for twenty years has been producing ready to wear and bridal collection. Her pieces tend to combine traditional elements with modern aesthetics and her work can be very beautiful. This was shown on the Spring 2006 runway with a slightly different bodice and then a version with sleeves and upper shoulders was used for the Bridal campaign ads that year and that one matches the bodice of the one I have in the shop today. 

The dress is very simple in cut and very flattering. It is made out of a pale silver grey silk chiffon through the skirting and then the bodice is a silk satin that is covered in a combination off seed beads and prong set rhinestones. The strapless bust is set in a high empire line and it is meant to be fitted and just cover the breasts. It is boned and formed inside to created that banded effect and to keep it in place. On to this is a lovely and intricate design that covers the entire bust all the way around. The design combines the tiniest of silver seed beads with small rhinestones. These catch the light and add a bit of glamour against the grey silk chiffon. Under the bust the skirt falls to the floor in a cascade of silk chiffon. It is feather light and made up of multiple layers of silk. There are two top layers of silk chiffon and then under that are two more layers of a silk dyed to the exact same colour. There are lots of little details that portray its high end origins. Each of the two pairs of layers of skirting are attached by little slips on the side so they hang perfectly in place. And at the back each layer closes with its own zipper and closure. It is very beautiful and even better in person as the camera doesn't quite capture the right shade of soft grey that it is or the glimmer of the rhinestones as they catch the light. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Has a built in inner corset through the bust that is boned and closes with a back zipper. Another zipper closes a layer over that and then the outermost layer snaps into place. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3573

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 2006 Reem Acra Runway Collection.  /  (3) 2006 Reem Acra Bridal.

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

Renato Balestra launched his couture label in Rome in 1951. His work quickly gained international fame and was one of the cornerstone ateliers of the Italian couture 'Alta Moda' movement. On their website they state: 'The Balestra brand blends the mastery of the artisans and the style of the designer to express its vision to the fullest, thanks to hundreds of hours of craftmanship and the highest attention to details.' This is a beautiful example of his work and is in remarkable condition. This particular piece has the added provenance of having been more for the Ebony Fashion Fair and could very well be the only one ever made exactly like this. 

The jumpsuit is made from a very fine silk satin that uses both a yellow and a purple for an electric clash of colours. The purple silk is used for the halter cut top of the jumpsuit and then a bright clear yellow has been used for the wide cut pants that start just under the high set waist. Under the bust the same purple silk has been individually cut into an intricate design and laid out onto the yellow silk. This was then appliqued onto the silk using a mix of a purple metallic thread embroidery, rhinestones and tiny tube beads to give it a 3D feel. These have all been meticulously laid out and done by hand. This touch of glitter around the waist is what gives the jumpsuit its sparkle and glitz. The bodice is simple and perfect with a deep V front that plunges right to the band under the bust. A sweet little flat bow sits there for detailing. The back secures with a hook and eye at the neck and then is left open in a long slit to the banding at the waist. The pants are cut wide and full so that you have this beautiful long line and a touch of movement when you move. The interior is all done to Haute Couture standards and is beautiful to see. The top is lined in a hand set silk crepe and the pants have been interlined with a yellow silk chiffon. The workmanship and care need to work with these types of fabric when all the work is done by hand cannot be underplayed. This would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. The workmanship is exquisite and the liquidity of the fabric and the cut of the jumpsuit once on the body is very sexy. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the bodice in a hand set purple silk and fully interlined through the pants with a yellow silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set zipper starting at the waist and then has a hook & eye at the back of the neck. This leaves an open slit between the two at the back. All hand finished with hand finished interior seams and all the beadwork and embroidery work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Note that the yellow in person is a slightly lighter shade then how it photoed. It did not quite do up all the way on my mannequin at the back but will close as described above on the proper sized person for its size. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at under-bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of bodice to seam under the bust
Pants: 46" from seam under the bust to hem
inseam: 35"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3498

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

Ruben Panis was known for his flair for drama. He started off his career designing costumes for showgirls in Las Vegas and eventually honed his skills by working for both James Galanos and Norman Norell. His gowns were worn by many Hollywood icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor. At the height of his career he was charging up to $5000 for a dress which at the time was an exorbitant amount. This is an excellent example of his work and very well made.

The dress is made out of a beautiful silk jersey that has been dyed to a clear, bright red. The way it is cut is very forties in feel with a bit of that old Hollywood charm. The bust is gathered in soft horizontal drapes that run from the top of the bodice to the top of the hip. Inside it is lightly boned. This gives it structure as well as creating a beautiful curving line that accentuates the body underneath. Running up and around the neck is a tiny strap made of the same jersey. This strap hooks into place at one side and you have the option of tucking it in and wearing the dress as a strapless piece. The skirt falls to the floor under that and the jersey gives it lots of swing and movement. To finish the dress, Panis added a little drama with elaborate beading that runs on each side of the dress. A large abstract flower with dangling bead in its center sits on each side. The petals are ling and curved. The effect is wonderful. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined in a red silky rayon and the skirt has an inner lining made of the same jersey fabric. It closes with a back, painted metal zipper and the strap hooks at one end. Light boning through the bodice and hand finishes.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of neck to natural waist, 20" to bottom of the draping
Skirt: approx 42" from natural waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3304

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

This dress is from the archive of the Roman couture house Tiziani, which was founded in 1963 by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, who was a regular client; Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer, Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This piece is unlabeled but has the provenance of being a part of a past auction that featured the sketches and a few select pieces of work from Karl Lagerfeld's time at the label, this dress being one of them.

The dress is constructed from a fine purple silk that has been adorned with dense areas of hand beading. It is almost overtly ornate in its design and is a strong statement piece. The bodice has a V neck that is edged with pink silk satin trimming. This same ruffled trim work circles under the bust and at the waist. It is carried through and around the sleeves, the cuffs and the hem. The sleeves are full and pouf above the wrists. Each sleeve also has a dense panel of bead work circling the elbow area. More beads adorn the bust and run around one side of the skirt. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes embroidery work, real metallic thread, seed beads, crystals and larger beads. These give the dress a touch of glitz and sparkle, The green of the designs pops against the purple silk and I love the 3D feel this detailing adds to the piece. The bottom of the skirt is finished with knife pleating and the work done there is meticulous. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to couture levels. It is extraordinary and 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 an extremely wide stiffened hem encased in silk that helps to give the skirt structure and the slight bit of volume you see. All hand work through out and made to couture standards. Light padding in each shoulder. There is the tiniest of fading to the edge of the purple silk lining on the inner arms that does not effect the exterior in anyway. 

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.

American couturier, James Galanos, made gowns with a level of craftsmanship that left even France’s most esteemed couturiers astonished that an American could equal their craft. The immaculate construction of a Galanos gowns are amazing. His price points were high, but his clients were more then willing to pay for the quality of what they received. He was a master cutter and he used proper couture techniques to create his pieces. Galanos was particularly known for his evening wear and this is one of the most glamorous pieces I have ever seen from him. It is truly extraordinary and I have never seen another like it.

This dress needs an actual body in it to really come to life. As gorgeous as it looks in my photos, it will look even better once on. The fabric is amazing. It is a black silk net that has little explosions of gold and silver covering its surface. Each of these three dimensional 'dots' is make from silver and gold tinsel lame that has been set into the net and tufts out from it. These are densely applied over every inch of the dress and each would have been done by hand. The way that these catch the light and make the entire dress glint is wonderful. The dress is cut in a classic baby doll with a high thin bodice that sits low on the bust and is suspended from the shoulder by two thin straps covered in the 3D tinsel florettes. The bust is then detailed by a band of of hand applied matte gold sequins set just underneath the bust. The skirt explodes out from under that in a  full and voluminous curve to the floor. Once on an actual body, the effect of this volume is even more pronounced. Under the top netted layer is a base of gold knit lame that adds to the metallic feel of the dress. I love how the bottom hem is finished in the same band of gold sequins that sit under the bust, even though you just barely glimpse them through the netting that lies over the inner skirt. It also comes with a matching jacket made of the same gold and silver detailed netting. This is cut loose and wide through the body with no front closures. Each sleeve of the jacket is cut wide and full. It is an extraordinary set. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined in a nude silk organza and support is added by shaping seams and grosgrain. The body of the dress is lined in a olive toned, fine silk. It closes with a back painted metal and nylon zipper. The jacket slips on with no closures.

Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under bust seam: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11.5" from top of shoulder strap to lower edge of the sequin waist band
Skirt: 46" from lower edge of the sequin waist band to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3234

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

Harvey Berin opened his self-named label in 1921 and by the 1940s his label was considered to be a leader in American fashion. The pieces were actually designed by Karen Stark, his wife's sister, though it is said that all designs had to meet with Berin's approval before going into production. The dresses were made with high end finishes and were often based on the Parisian couture designs of the season. By 1952 Stark had won a Coty award. This dress is one of the best I have seen from the label and is extraordinary.

The dress is absolutely wonderful and could easily stand side by side with any of the couture dresses being produced in this time frame. The base fabric is a pale ivory with just the barest touch of blush to it. It then has a beautiful floral and leaf pattern worked into the silk that is made from a nude toned netting. The weave of the netting varies and these variations become a layer of the design itself. Over these fabrics the dress has been densely beaded with thousands and thousands of little white glass seed beads. These are applied by hand in a dense scattering cover over the main silk part. More beads are worked into dense ropes that follow the edges of each leave and flower. More beads are used to make up the inner design of the flowers and leaves. The heavy profusion of beads makes the dress feel that is has a good solid couture feeling weight to it. The cut is kept simple to off-set that amazing design. The straps are cut wide and curve over each shoulder. The bust is fitted with a sweetheart neckline at the front and a simple scoop at the back. The waist nips in and the skirt flares out to be very full under that. I put a light crinoline under it for the photos and I think you could go even fuller if you wished. In person the dress has far more impact and beauty then the photos could ever convey. You will honestly be floored when you see it in person. The color is a more true ivory-nude and the dress has more depth and a 3D effect in real life. It is wonderful and would perhaps even make a fabulous wedding dress for the bride looking for something non-traditional. Excellent condition with a couple of tiny items to note below.

Fully lined in a pale pink silk and closes with a side set painted metal zipper. There is a teeny tiny area of the slightest of darkening to the fabric under one arm and a couple of tiny storage spots. Nothing that I feel detracts in any way. I have photoed the areas and you can see then after the shot of the label. Hand finished throughout. There is a 4.5" hem turned up and it appears that someone has turned it up at some point already and this prior shortening takes up about 2.5" of the total

Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 29" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3218

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 Malcolm Starr silk chiffon gown is wonderful. The unusual color combination of that soft pink combined with a soft pale yellow is brilliant and the two colors really compliment each other. The dress has a simple and classic cut - it is a simple sheath with a seamed, easy waist line and a long skirt that cascades to the floor. It is sleeveless with a scooped front and slightly lower scoop at the back. The bodice is cut to draping softly over the bodice with an inner foundation that leaves the upper shoulder area covered only in one layer of the silk chiffon. The waist is seamed but cut loose and generously and the skirt cascades to the floor in a column of silk under that, slightly widening out as it nears the hem. The chiffon has a pretty abstract pattern screened onto it in soft lilacs and pinks on an pale yellow. Onto this and following parts of the pattern glass tube beads, paillettes and crystals with a more dense embellishment circling the waist. All are hand applied. The effect is beautiful. This beading is done from shoulder to hem and gives the gown an added bit of high glamour while still keeping that soft, feminine feel. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a yellow silk. It closes with a painted back metal zipper. Hand applied bead-work and finished.

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3054

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

There are 4 or 5 Burrows dresses that I always look for and this dress is one of those. The dress is made out of a fine, slinky, red jersey. I have seen the top of these cut in a couple of different way and on this one it ties around the neck leaving the shoulders bare. The dress falls to the floor from there in a beautiful bias cut that and ends with an angled, asymmetrical hem that leaves one leg more bare. The edges of the dress are finished in his signature lettuce hem seaming. The front bodice is where all the glitz and glam is and it is finished with a design that is done in sequins, seed beads and tube beads that pop against the red. All of the bead work has been applied by hand. You can clearly see this is the case on the back side of the fabric. Burrows was the first African American fashion designer to really achieve international recognition for his work. He won three Coty awards; in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He was also one of the five American designers to show at Versailles in 1973 when America was pitted against the French couturiers. Excellent condition

Recently, the first major examination of Burrows' work was held and was aptly titled; 'When Fashion Danced'. Here is what the museum said of his work: "Stephen Burrows: When Fashion Danced looks at the period spanning the 1970s when Stephen Burrows’s meteoric rise to fame made him not only the first African-American designer to gain international stature, but a celebrated fashion innovator whose work helped define the look of a generation. With vibrant colors, metallic fabrics, and slinky silhouettes that clung to the body, Burrows’s danceable designs generated a vibrant look that was of a piece with the glamorous, liberated nightlife of the era. Through photographs, drawings, and original garments, the exhibition will trace Burrows’s evolution from creating eclectic looks for his friends in the 1960s to his work with the chic 57th Street retailer Henri Bendel to the floor of Studio 54, as he dressed such 70s style icons as Cher, Liza Minnelli, and Diana Ross."

Unlined and slips over the head with no closures. Tagged a vintage 4 but please check actual measurements. The fabric does have stretch so will accommodate a range of sizes - the comfortable range of that stretch when laying flat is noted in the measurements.

Bust: variable as there are no true side seam
Waist: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 58-60" from top of shoulder to longest point of hem, 40-42" to the shortest part depending on high you tie the neck.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2802

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 wonderful little 1920s flapper dress was completely made by hand and a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has its original Made in France label still present and these pieces were always a little higher quality then some examples you see from the time period. It has no other label but it is not hard to imagine that it might have been a designer piece as well. The base of the dress is a black silk netting that is strong and sturdy. Onto this is an intricate design made up of gelatin sequins set boxes. Each is a combination of purple, pink & turquoise in an alternating design. The placement of each sequin is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to make the fabric alone. The center of each block makes me think of a cluster of little pink "hearts" that are then surrounded by an abstract shape. A metal based gold lame thread and tiny little gold tubes beads are then shaped around each to make the block design that you see.  These are then stacked in rows to cover the dress entirely with the black netting serving as the separation between each. This combination of colored sequins, gold thread & beads is absolutely fantastic. There is an extra panel of netting inserted at each hip to give the skirt extra flare. Excellent antique condition

The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The edges of the side net panels are raw and at one time there may have an extension to them but it is now cut even with the hem. I see no other flaws and it appears to have been worn very little if at all and is wearble with the care it would deserve to be worn with. Even with that small defect the dress is remarkably sound and shockingly beautiful. It is almost 100 years old and is considered to be in museum quality condition.

Bust: 17" from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40" from shoulder to bottom hem

Note that antique and twenties pieces are final sale. They will be packed exceedingly well and we only sell pieces that will stand up to the stress of shipping, however, having pieces potentially shipped multiple times through multiple customs and countries is too hard on garments that are historically important and deserve to be treated with love and care. Please purchase accordingly.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E290

This garment is in sound, clean, as found condition and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival