It was during a visit to Tokyo in 1971 that Zandra first started sketching lilies after being sent lilies to her hotel room and the resulting print debuted in her 1972 Spring collection. The Lilly prints have become one of her most iconic and best known prints. Pieces from these original collections are hard to find and they are some of the most sought after of all her vintage pieces. The Lily prints also represent the introduction of handwriting and calligraphy into her textile designs. Another point of significance for Zandra is that the Lily dresses were the first dresses that she started applying beading to, which would become a future trademark. Zandra herself once said that she loved these prints and that they 'represent the best of my work'. I also found a reference to them in notes from the V&A Museum: 'Zandra Rhodes considers the Lily prints to be the best of her work, and particularly significant. It was while developing the Lily textiles that she developed the method of reversing the silkscreen to produce a mirror image of the print and create symmetrical patterns. This went on to influence many of her future significant prints, such as 'Lace Mountain', 'Cactus Volcano' and 'Scribble Turnaround'. This dress is a rare find and it is magnificent. 

This dress is one of the more complicated of her Lily dresses from that season. Versions of it with ruffled detailing at the collar and edging the sleeves were photoed on Twiggy and Anjelica Huston. I have also included two reference photos of the similar dresses from this collection found in her book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes'. The skirt of this one is cut the same as those but with even more ruffled netting at the bottom. The sleeves have that same tremendously wide cut that you see on both examples and are gorgeous. Pat Cleveland was also captured modelling a version and you really get a sense of just how full the skirt is from that photo. 

The dress is gorgeous. The first thing that you notice is that parts of it are actually the palest mint green that has a touch of blue in it. The colour is brought out in the skirt even more when you wear the matching underskirt that goes with it. This is because the inner part of the underskirt is finished in a pale baby blue silk. When layer over each other you get this amazing depth in textures and colour. To wear the dress you slip on the inner petticoat and then the silk dress is layered over that. The bodice is cut loose and full. The front dips into a low plunge that goes right to the waist. The entire bodice has been hand painted and you can actually feel and see the paint on top of the silk. The front is embellished with her signature flower shaped palettes with a pearl finish. The sleeves are magnificent. They are cut to fall tremendously wide and full. They drop right past the hip at the their longest points and they give the dress that wonderful dramatic feel while playing homage to the trip to Japan that led her to the Lilies print and the culture there that she fell in love with. The waist is a wide gathered elastic band and the skirt below that flows full and soft to the floor. The skirt is a literal work of art. On the upper part of it are her beautiful lilies that have been hand painted onto the silk. Amongst those you see one of her very earliest field of lilies text that she is famous for. Ruffles made of silk netting run down each side and then the entire bottom of the skirt is finished with ruffled ad curved tiers of silk netting. This gives the dress tremendous texture and a sense of romance. The layering and mixing of the ruffles, the netting, the hand painted silk and the play on colours and textures is genius. It is a true work of art. There is some fragility to the silk netting at the hem of the outer layer so please read the condition report below carefully. It is still wearable with care. This is a very rare and special piece. It is a true piece of fashion history. This would be an incredible choice for a bride who does not want a traditional wedding dress or as part of a wedding event. Presents as excellent condition with notes to review below.

The petticoat is made from a blue silk that has layers of soft tulle attached over it. The top layer of tulle on the underskirt has a ruffled silk net lace at the edge of the hem. It closes with hook & eye at the waist. The outer silk chiffon dress slips over the head to wear with elastic running through the waist. I see repairs and changes to the weave in the silk netting all through and around the bottom hems and I would rate some parts of the netting as very fragile and the netting is fragile overall. The silk netting is almost gossamer to start out and it is very delicate. There is so much volume through the skirt that the repairs get lost in the folds and netting. I see one small hole on the top of the front near the shoulder. The decision was made to just steam it out and not have it cleaned to not do anymore damage to the silk netting. It is wearable with care as it is and is in clean sound condition otherwise. Please see the photos after the label shots for the shoulder flaw and examples of the netting. 

Note that the size is based on the outer dress. The inner petticoat is currently a XS-SML in size but could be adjusted so I deferred in some to the outer dress. 

Outer Dress
Shoulders: no defined seam
Sleeves: approx 39" to longest points
Bust: no trued defined side seams
Waist: 15-17" across
Hips: open
Bodice: 13: from neck to top of elastic at waist
Skirt: 51" from top of elastic at waist to longest point at the back hem

Petticoat/Inner crinoline
Waist: 11-12" flat across from side seam to side seam depending on how you hook it to close. You could easily add some fabric to the waist band to expand this if needed
Hips: Open
Length: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3655

Reference Photos: (1) Anjelica Huston in Zandra Rhodes, Shot by David Bailey, Vogue UK, September 1973.  /  (2) Butterfly Dress no. 67, in 'Reverse Lily' print on silk chiffon; ruffles and frills on skirt in net; and satin sash.  /  (3) Twiggy on the cover of Vogue (top) and photograph for Harpers Bazaar (in Butterfly no. 67) (bottom).  /  (4) Butterfly Dress no. 70 - Off shoulder crinoline, in 'Reverse Lily' print on silk chiffon; net curtain ruching and frills in skirt.  /  (5) Pat Cleveland modelling Butterfly no. 70.  (Last four photos from the book "The Art of Zandra Rhodes").

This garment has been professionally steamed 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.

This coat would have been designed while Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youseef 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 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 color and vividness of his homeland.

This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. It has the added provenance of being the twin to the one featured in the ad campaign for 1970. The base of the coat is a black fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture in it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a red braiding and red ric rac that follows the lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run over the body of the piece and all around the hem. Pops of a white cotton are used to  create even more drama. A floral patchwork is set into all of this on big curving and angular cuts. This anchor all the various parts of the design and give a pop of contrast to the the starkness of the red, black and white colour combination. The collar has a beautifully curved cut out to it and it flares out dramatically at the bottom. The sleeves are deliberately kept simple so that all you see is that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a hand set red silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage 8

Sleeves: 22"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C536

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

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 far from perfect but it is an incredible vintage textile and is still wearable with care. This was probably made by Chinese artisans for the Western market and is an incredible example of the work being done during this period. I have seen a few of these older pieces but this one is especially special as it is all done by hand. It has the classic lines of a Cheongsam and is made out of a fine pink silk. It wraps and closes with frog knots and antique buttons down one side and up to the neck. The collar is high and the work on it is extraordinary. The pattern is a mix of hand applied sequins, that I believe are gelatin, and incredible embroidery work that has been all done by hand. The colours and designs are like wearing a piece of art. The set has lots of light overall damage. I see fading, missing sequins, fraying and shattering here and there, some marks... and yet it is still a thing of absolute beauty. Buy it knowing it is flawed but a true piece of history and beauty. 

Fully lined in a cotton muslin and closes at the side. The buttons are all present but some of the frog knots heat snapped. there is overall light damage throughout as described above and I had added quite a few photos so that it is fairly represented. Sold as found and has not been cleaned so that no further damage would be caused. 

Sleeves: approx 23" with no true seams "
Shoulders: no true seam
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# E691

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.

This garment is sold as found and has been thoroughly checked over before shipping

This caftan is so striking and unusual. It has the feel of a mish mash of cultures and is one of those pieces that you will only find in vintage. It is made out of a red chiffon that has a small dot fused and embroidered into the fabric. Around the neck is a bib design made out of flat plastic beads that are hand sewn into place. The collar is high cut and set wide across the neck line. The beads follow the shape this creates and the white on the red pops. More white beads are scattered over the front of the caftan. Surrounding each bead is a detailing of little silver beads. These circle the white beads down the front and  create a complex pattern around the ones on the bibbed neckline. A large band of them run around each cuff. The body of the caftan is cut straight and loose, widening out gently as it nears the hem. The sleeves have a kimono drop before being brought in at the wrists. Each of the dropped panels is edged with faux pearls. Presents as excellent condition with minor notes below. 

Fully lined in a red silk through the body and the sleeves are unlined. It slips over the head to wear and each cuff hooks to close. The colour is a deeper red in person. I see a couple missing white beads at the back of the neck, minor wear to some of the plastic beads coating and a small spot on the back of one shoulder. There is a tear in the lining only that you see a bit through the top layer. The occasion missing bead or pearl. Please see the last four photos. The open cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Sleeves:25.5 "
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to hem
Sleeve drop: 31" from top of sleeve to longest point on the drop

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# E690

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

Howard Greer started his career working for the famed Lucile. He then served int he war and upon his return in 1921 got a job in Hollywood. By 1925 he was the head of the wardrobe department of the studio that we now know of as Paramount. In 1927 he opened a couture salon patterned after Lucile and his time there. He was the first costume designer to open his own couture house. His pieces took weeks to complete and required numerous fittings. They were also exorbitantly priced. In 1946 he began a ready-to-wear line that incorporated hand finishes making them alongside the couture pieces. He shuttered the label in 1962. This is an earlier example of his couture work and it is exceptionally beautiful. 

It is rare to see a dress from this period as pretty and romantic as this one. It has that Old Hollywood glamour feel and it is easy to imagine that it could have been made for a Hollywood starlet. The bodice has shaped cups and wide straps that curve up and around the neck from the outside edges of the bust line. The top is curved in a sweetheart shape and then it skims over the body, past the waist and ends just at the top of the hips. The upper back is left bare. I also photoed it laying flat so that you can see the cut when it closes completely since it would not close on my dress form. The bodice has been entirely covered with hand done bead work. Silver glass tube beads cover every inch and have been densely spaced into curving rows. They catch the light wonderfully when you move. The skirt is divine. It is made up of three full tiers of silk tulle that has been stacked on top of each other with definitive edges. At first glance you would think that the effect the tiers have were achieved by using multiple layers of tulle over each other for each tier, but they are actually one single layer of tulle each. The netting that he used is so soft and so fine that he just has gathered it so that it has the volume that you see on each tier. This is a testament to the quality of the fabric found in this time period because I can honestly say that I have not encountered a finer, softer silk tulle. The edges of each tier have been left raw and this gives the dress a slightly deconstructed feel that adds to its beauty. It has this decadent feel to it that only a piece that is of this age and this well made has. This could also be a spectacular wedding piece for the bride looking to wear vintage. It is absolutely stunning in person. Excellent antique condition with some small notes below.

The skirt is fully lined with a cream silk and the bodice is unlined. Light interior boning on the bodice. You can see all the hand work on the back of the bodice. It may have been lined at some point. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and the halter slips over the head. It was folded and sewn to shorten the strap lengths at some point in its history. I see one tiny area of missing beads on the bodice and some loose beads here and there. Please see the photo after the label shot. The bead work is entirely done by hand. Hand work throughout. It's wearable as is but if you want to wear it for an event where you have it on for hours you might want to get to lined for extra re-inforcement. Note that is was photoed on a size 2-4 dress form and it would not close. Best suited for a 0-2

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam at the bottom of the bead work bodice
Bodice: 23" from top of neck to seam at the bottom
Skirt: 39" from the seam at the bottom of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# E590

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.

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

This collection was inspired by Zandra's trip to China. She came back with sketchbooks filled from her travels there that became the foundation for her 1979 'Chinese Square' print and then carried over to the Spring 1980 collection with this print that she calls 'Chinese Constructivist & Clouds'. You can also clearly see the carry over in shape from her famous Lilies dress from a few years before this. The twin of this dress appears on page 159 of the book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes' with her catalogue identification of 80/114

This rare and amazing dress is made entirely of hand painted silk chiffon over an inner layer of silk jersey. You can actually feel the paint on top of the fabric. The bodice is cut loose and full and dips down at the front with a V neckline. The sleeves are cut to be very wide and full and you can see in the reference photo just how wide they are. They come out from the waist and fall to about the elbow once on. Their edges are embellished with little droplets. Around the neckline there are pearlized beads and all of the edges there and elsewhere are hand rolled. Rows of rhinestones shoot out from the centre of the elasticized waist up and over the bodice and then more rhinestone rows run down the panel below the waist. These catch the light and add a little bit of extra glamour to the dress. The waist is finished with a gathered elastic band that looks good on its own or you can add a sash to tie over the elastic like you see in the book photo. The skirt is beautiful. It is made up of three layers. There is a panel that circles the waist that ends in points. These then have droplets at their ends to give them a touch of weight so that they sit properly. Then a second silk layer sits under that and this one falls the length of the skirt in an asymmetrical cut and ends in different lengths with more droplets applied to the points. Last is a ruffled edged pale blue silk jersey skirt that peeks out from under the top silk layers. It is a true work of art and very special. Excellent condition

Lined with a silk through the bodice and silk jersey through the skirt with the sleeves left unlined. The dress has an elastic waist and slips on to wear so should work on a range of sizes. Hand finished throughout. The edges are  hand rolled  and the silk chiffon is hand painted.

Sleeves: 18" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: variable
Waist: 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips on inner lining: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 45.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3634

Reference Photo: From the book "The Art Of Zandra Rhodes".

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

Ceil Chapman was an American designer of classic cocktail and party dresses who successfully took the revered Christian Dior 'New Look' haute couture designs that most woman could not even hope to afford and reworked them into designs that American woman could attain. She won the Coty American Fashion Critic's Award in 1945, the John Wanamaker Award, Foley's 'Golden Year' Award, and the Strawbridge and Clothier seal of confidence, for creative contribution in the area of American fashion. In 1955, she won the Mademoiselle Merit Award, after a poll asking college girls to cite the country's most popular designer for the young. She won by a landslide. Her self-named label was launched in the mid-1940s and continued to the to the mid-sixties.

I think this might be the most incredible Ceil Chapman that I have not only had but that I have ever seen. It is cut into a classic cocktail dress silhouette, with a fitted bodice, nipped in waist and a very full skirt. The bust has a wide strap that wraps around the neck and then curves under the bodice to give support. This shelf bust is very flattering and really highlight the bust and adds a lovely shape. I have styled the dress over a light crinoline so that you can see just how full the skirt is. It could go even fuller and if you really wanted to exaggerate the fullness you could easily use a a very very full crinoline underneath. The fabric is an inky black cotton velvet that helps to give the dress the structure it needs to hold its sculpted shape. The dress is covered in jewelled drops that are made up of beads and glass crystal rhinestones in different sizes. Each one has a huge teardrop pear shaped stone as its main feature and then more rhinestones and beads have been hand stitched into place above that so that they look like they are suspended from the tops and hanging on the dress. I love how the bits above the tear drop are done shorter near the bodice and then extend into longer strands as they reach the hem. It is just incredible. The entire dress catches the light and the jewels sparkle and shimmer with your slightest movement. It is like being dressed in a jewel box. It even has pockets hidden along each hip. These early Chapman pieces are very hard to come by and this one is in wonderful condition too. I also love the level of craftsmanship put into the dress. The bodice is all shaped by a series of vertical panels and the skirt is lined in a dressmakers paper so that it holds its shape. Truly an incredible find. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a combination of black silky rayon through the bodice and stiffening through the skirt. The interior bodice is lightly boned and shaped. It closes with a side painted metal zipper. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: approx 49" from top of neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3628

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

Paco Rabanne was a Spanish designer who became known as "l'enfant terrible (unruly child) of the 1960s French fashion world. He began making jewellery in unusual materials for many of the French couturiers and in 1964 at the age of 30 presented his first collection. In 1966 he had his breakout show: 'Twelve Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials.' and it was with this show that he found his calling. He was quoted as saying 'sewing is a bondage,' and made his dresses out of paper, plastic and metal, which were pieced together with wire and glue. By 1968 some of the most famous women in the world were wearing his pieces and along with André Courrèges and Pierre Cardin, he helped to create the 1960s Space Age movement. Dating his pieces can be incredibly difficult but I did find a 1967 photo of Actress Noele Noblecourt wearing a dress that used strips of mirrors and a similar bead technique where they linked. Based on the information given to me by my client I believe that this dress was made in and around this time period. 

The dress is absolutely incredible. The main part of the dress is made up of mirrored triangles. These are hand linked together one by one to create the shape and form that you see. The work and hours that would have went into pre-planning thee shape and figuring out how to lay out the pieces, drilling each hole and linking them together, is mind boggling. As you look closer you realize that the dress is made out of grouping of the triangles and that there is a pattern within the pattern. Each of these shaped sections are made from six triangles that have been linked together. At the centre where they all meet there is a huge crystal tear drop that has been suspended from a metal loop. He then took one of the triangles within each these six triangle clusters and wrapped a length of clear faceted beads over it. The beads have been twisted and curved over the top of that single triangle so gives the dress an even greater 3D feel that is already has. You can see on the back of the triangles that that beadwork was added with silver wire that was hand wrapped around its triangle to secure it into place. The six triangle cluster were then all linked together to form the shape of the dress that you see. To create the shoulder straps he used a linked metal chain set with large glass rhinestones. Each one is prong set within its own casement and then these are linked together by wire. The rhinestone straps are set so that they lie across the top of the front bodice, curve over the shoulders and then lie across the back. The dress skims over the body and ends in an ultra short mini length that shows miles of legs. At the back it closes with Rabanne's signature metal clips that are set to organically down the back, hidden between the triangle clusters, so that there is no apparent line down the back to break the eye. The dress comes with a matching bag that is made out of the exact same technique and has a matching rhinestone chain as its strap. Both piece are very heavy. The dress and bag combined weigh just over ten pounds. The way that this dress catches the light and the soft sound it makes when you move is extraordinary. With your slightest movement the tears drop beads move and the mirrors reflect the light. Most examples from this time period are a monochromatic silver chainmail and it is unusual and rare to find such an ornate example like this, never mind one that still has its matching bag. It is incredible and easily one of the best pieces I have ever seen in all my years doing vintage. Early examples of Rabanne's work are held mainly in museums around the globe and really ornate pieces like this rarely come to market. It is exceptional and appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Slips on to wear with metal clamping hinge hooks at the back. The linked together pieces give it an almost bias cut feel as far as the way it sits on the body. It is in incredible condition and appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Completely assembled by hand

Dress
Bust: approx 15-16.5" flat across from side to side
Waist: approx to 15" flat across from side to side
Hip: approx 16-18" flat across from side to side
Length: 31" from shoulder to hem

Bag
6"H x 9"W and linked flat together, It expands out because of the links. The rhinestone strap adds another 6.5" to the height of the bag

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD3630

Reference Photo: Noele Noblecourt in Paco Rabanne, February 1967.

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.

The 2008 Oscar de la Renta Bridal collection was amazing and this was one of the stars of the show. One of my clients recognized the fabric on the skirt when I posted a preview photo of this dress in my instagram stories and she actually got married in the twin of this gown. She shared with me that the dress was just under $20,000 USD when she purchased it. Oscar launched his first bridal collection in October of 2002 and his wedding pieces have been worn by some of the most famous women in the world. He once said 'In the same manner that she fell in love with that man, I hope she's going to fall in love with that dress.' Countless brides have done just that and I think this may be one of the most beautiful wedding dresses I have ever seen from him. It literally takes you breathe away when you see and hold it in person.

The dress is strapless and cut to hug your curves from the bust to below the hips. From there is flows into a stunning skirt that sweeps around you and trains outwards at the back. Inside is an intricately constructed corset with boning andand built in cups to shape and hold you and the dress in place. The fabric on this one is just extraordinary. The base is an ivory silk organza that has just a touch of transparency to it so it feels light and feminine. Onto this is a complex design that is made up of stiffen silk ribbon folded into flower like designs that run over the entirety of the dress. These are all placed so that they sit up and off the fabric so that it has this wonderful 3D feel to it. Interspersed around these are white thread embroidery and then more embroidery is done in the same ivory tone as the silk base. The ivory embroidered parts are a combination of knotting, to add to the dimension of the design, and flat embroidery work. The tiniest seed beads are then worked into this pattern to add yet another element to the design. The end result is that every inch is covered with this amazing hand work. The dress has a true old world haute couture feel to it and I have never seen a wedding gown done so elaborately over every bit of the fabric. No matter how good it looks in the photos it is better in person and on the body. It is wonderfully traditional in some ways but still feels fresh and modern. It is definitely a dress that will cause gasps when you walk down the aisle. It was never worn. Excellent condition with one note below 

Fully lined in an ivory silk. The bottom hem of the skirt is finished with a wide band of stiffened netting along the inner hem and the dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. It has a built in interior corset bodice that is boned and shaped all the way around. The interior corset closes with its own zipper. Finished to couture standards and tons of work by hand. There is a darkened mark on the back of the skirt and I have included a closer shot of the areas and also one where you can see the placement. You could wear it was is, replace the ribbon that is discoloured or it may come out with specialty cleaning. It was never worn. No size tag but best suited for a 0-2 or small busted/ narrow ribbed 4

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 55" from top of bodice to hem at the front and the back extends to 70" 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3615

Reference Photos: 2008 Oscar De La Renta Bridal Collection.

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. 

This dress is especially interesting for two reasons. The first is that a very similar version that was done completely in silver was done for Elizabeth Taylor. She wore the dress to the 20th annual Fifi Awards in 1992 and I have dated this one based on that dress. Shortly after her death in 2011, her all silver 'Platinum' version was sold through Christies as part of the 'Collection of Elizabeth Taylor' auction. Due to the association with her name it realized a incredible $72,000USD hammer price. The second interesting thing of note about this dress is that when I posted a preview of the fabric of skirt in my instagram stories I had many people think that the dress was actually the 2016 Balenciaga dress that I have included a photo of here. I ended up getting into a discussion with fashion journalist Alexander Fury about it and he suspects that both fabrics were done by the Jakob Schlaepfer company who has been creating fabrics for the most prestigious fashion brands in the industry for over 100 years. The Balenciaga team most likely selected the archive fabric that the Scassi dress was originally made out of and then had it recreated and tweaked for the Balenciaga dress. This is a common occurrence with the older more prestigious fabric houses and it is fascinating to see such a clear line of the progression between one dress to another. All of this makes this dress a very historically interesting piece. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards.

The dress is a showstopper. The skirt is made out of the silver embroidered and sequinned fabric that you see and the dense application of the embroidered work along with the underlying structure gives it a definitive and structured shape. That shape is all achieved by the inner structure and built in skirting and I did not add any additional underpinnings. The bodice is made out of a deep green silk velvet. It is shaped and fitted to the body. The waist is cut to nip in sharply. I love how the silver embroidery on the skirt is set on a sharp upward angled point at the front and then the neckline angles down towards that in its own sharp point. The sleeves are amazing. Each is set high on the shoulder and explode outward in hand gathered high poufed silhouette to create maximum volume. They are wonderfully dramatic and full with inner built in layers of silk and tulle to hold the volume. The inner construction of this dress is as amazing as the exterior. The very inner skirt is made from a fine deep green silk with a broad band of horsehair taping inside the bottom hem. Between that and the outer layer of silk are layers of stiffened white netted tulle. The sleeves are equally incredible and are shaped to have that gorgeous fullness to them. Each has an inner finish of tulle netting to hold the shape. The bodice is corseted and boned. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress and the history associated with it makes it that much more fascinating. Excellent  condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a fine deep green silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner skirts as described above. The sleeves are finished with tulle inside the lining. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. The bodice is boned and shaped all the way around. Finished to couture standards by hand. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem with approx another 4' turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3614

Reference Photos: (1) Elizabeth Taylor wearing Arnold Scaasi at the 20th annual Fifi Awards, 1992.  /  (2-4) 1990s Arnold Scaasi Dress from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor's Auction for Christie's.  /  (5-8) F/W 2016 Balenciaga Runway Collection.

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

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.

I already had the documentation on this dress because I sold an unlabeled brown coloured version of it in the past. This one however, seems to be the near twin of the one that I have a reference photo of and have included here. It is an interesting piece because of the documentation and it also has an interesting design in the way that it wraps and closes. The dress is not perfect. The dye has faded substantially on parts of it. It may be possible to re-dye it but my client did not want to do that now in case it is important to a collector to have it stay as original as possible. It is an amazing example of his early couture work.

Regardless of its imperfections, the dress is amazing and the pink is an instant eye catcher. The inner dress is a long, sleek sleeveless sheath. Over this sits is an overlay that is made up of a long wide panel of the same silk as the inner dress. This overlay drapes down the front and then again down the back in a long stark column. The front overlay has straps that extend out from each side and these wrap and hook to close between the inner sheath dress and the back overlay. Down the front there is an extensive beaded design. The neckline is wrapped in curving bands of silver toned beads that circle the neck like a bib. Below that three huge diamond shaped medallions run down the front with the top one being the largest and the bottom and middle slightly smaller then the one above. In the centre of each beaded diamond are a mix of deep pink and paler pink prong set crystal rhinestone surrounded by pearls. The silver needs have been sewn into place using a matching pink thread to the silk of the dress and this gives them a slight pink tone. It's genius. That elaborate front is like wearing a jewelled bib and it is extraordinary. All of the work on the dress has been done by hand and to couture standards. The dress is wearable and sound outside of is obvious discolourations. 

Fully lined in a pink silk with hand finishes throughout. The dress closes at the back with a hidden set metal zipper. The wrap around straps hook to close at the back and there is a series of hook & eye across the top of one shoulder. There appear to be some repairs to the beading near the neck and a small area of shattering to the silk on the inside back neck. The silk has faded in areas throughout. Please see the photos provided to get a good sense of the parts that have lightened. Sold as found and final sale. All hand done and made to Haute Couture standards. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2577

Reference Photos: Model in Pierre Cardin, 1969, credit unknown.

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

The Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day."

This dress is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period. The dress is made of from a fine silk chiffon that has been dyed to the perfect red. Every stitch is done by hand and the hours that would have been put just into the hand rolling and stitching of all the edges on the various layers on the skirt alone is mind-boggling. The skirt is made of four full layers of bias cut silk that is layered over each other in cascading tiers of fabric. Each layer is cut to curve up slightly at the front and dip down longer at the back. The layers of silk create a beautiful sense of movement and lightness when you move. The bodice is beautiful. It is densely beaded by hand in a pretty floral pattern all the way around from front to back. Tiny silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. Along the very top edge of the neckline at the front is an attached panel of silk chiffon that wraps up and around the neck leaving the silk to trail down the back. This little extra detail creates a bit of high drama and intrigue to the design. The scarf is original to the dress but may have been attached at a later date. It would be an easy job to unattached it and have it as a separate piece again if you wished. It is stunning in person and on the body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in red silk chiffon and closes with a back hand set zipper. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. There are two small areas of a darkened spots on both sides of the attached silk panel. Please see the two photos after the label shot. Depending on how this is tied and styled it does not necessarily show and if was unattached again you would have the option to not wear it with the dress. The proper Haute Couture label is present.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2369

Quote and historical info on the house is taken from the Nina Ricci Website

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.

This is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work from the early 1990s. Finding true couture pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition and so well documented is a rarity and and I am very pleased to have this beautiful evening suit in the shop. The set comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. It was ordered from the runway collection as presented in 1994. It was shown on Helena Christensen on the runway with just the jacket and skirt. My client also ordered the matching silk top to go with it. Having the reference shots gives you a wonderful way to see the suit how it looks worn on its own and with the top under it as on my dress form. 

Each of the three pieces that make up this set is exquisite and would be an amazing vintage find on its own. The suit itself is true to the runway. The skirt is cut to hug the hips and then flares out in a wide 11" band of silk at the bottom hem. The silk has been folded into sharp pleats and then set into the skirt so that by the time they reach the hem they open and swirl and curve around you. The movement this creates is wonderful. Over this is that stunning jacket that is cut and tailored to perfection. The soft set shoulders have just a suggestion of padding. It falls from those shoulders and gently widens out and away from the body. This gives the detailing on the jacket an uninterrupted line to be displayed on. The hem of the jacket ends in a rounded curving edge and then under that is a panel of the same pleated silk that finishes the skirt. It layers over the top portion of the skirt and the tiered effect it creates is stunning. The detailing on the jacket is extensive and the pattern combines insets of black silk and silk velvet with hand beading. Glass tube beads are densely applied by hand around the insets and these run from the hem to just about the bust area and all the way around the jacket. Each sleeve is finished with the same treatment. It is insanely beautiful. My client also ordered the matching pleated silk taffeta top to go under the jacket and it is remarkable in its own right. When worn under the jacket it is cut so that the top two pleated tier and collar lie perfectly over the jacket's neckline. That top tier is cut at the back in a way so that it sits perfectly in place so that it can be worn like this. The front of the top has a high ruffled collar and then there are three tiers of silk set on a slight curve at the front. A velvet strop runs down the centre with glossy black dome buttons. These are set on the upper part of the top and then hidden snaps close the bottom part. Each cuff is finished with a pleated ruffle. You can wear everything together or mix and match any of the pieces with what you have in your wardrobe. This is a very special documented set and a fantastic way to add a piece of real Haute Couture to your closet. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The top is unlined and the jacket and skirt are lined in a fine black silk. The skirt zips to close at the side and then hooks at the waist. The jacket closes with the glossy black dome buttons as seen and hand set silk loops. The top buttons to close and has hidden set snaps from where the buttons end to the bottom of the front. My client had the pleat that runs around the the of the jacket made so that it can be removed and worn without the ruffle which makes it even more versatile. Made with Haute Couture techniques and by hand. Hand done detailing on the jacket. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little 

Top
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to first hem, 32.5" to the end of the pleated hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3554

Reference Photos: Helena Christensen for the Fall 1994 Valentino Haute Couture Runway Collection.

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

Vogue magazine raved about this collection saying in part; 'With pop chanteuse Regina Spektor at the grand piano in his 583 Park Avenue show space, the designer sent out a Fall collection of impeccable clothes for gals young and old who are accustomed to the good life' .... They then went on to mention this gown specifically; 'Come evening, the collection went two ways: understated, as with a trio of black columns in velvet, hammered satin, and silk crepe; or gala. Gustav Klimt's work was a reference point not only for a strapless floral chiffon embroidered dress accessorized with several strands of beads, but also for a pair of black gowns—one in a realistic (gold-) leaf motif and the other in a more abstract brushstroke style.' The twin of this dress was the brushstroke dress they referred to and was Look 61 on the runway.

The dress is made out of a very light weight black matte satin silk. The light weight of the fabric is absolutely intentional. It is just heavy enough to be able to hold and carry the hand painted brush strokes that have been applied onto it, but is still light enough that with every move it billows out around and behind you. I have included the clip of Jessica Stam walking the runway in it so that you can see the effect as it moves. The bodice is strapless and the fabric is hand gathered over it in soft folds. It is shaped to accentuate the bust. Below that, the skirt is very full and billows out and around you beautifully. It skims over the hip and then flows to the floor. At the back it is longer and extends out into a train. At the base of the back there is a large bow made out of the same fabric and even this is done in just a single layer of silk so that it too moves and flows with you as you walk. From the side this creates a beautiful curving angle from the waist to back hem. No matter what angle you see the dress it is stunning. The fabric itself has been hand painted with gold and copper brush strokes and to further highlight these there are little areas of hand applied gold sequins, others are detailed in a gold glitter and there are rhinestones scattered here and there as well. It is stunning. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and a black silk organza through the skirt. It closes with a back hidden set zipper.  Light boning through the bodice. Tagged a modern ODLR 8. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. All of the detailing has been done by hand

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 7" from top of bust to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to front hem, 51" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3508

Reference Photos: (1) Model Jessica Stam walks the F/W 2008 Oscar de la Renta Runway. Look 61.  /  (2) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.
Reference Video below: F/W 2008 Oscar de la Renta Runway Show.

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

In 1962 Capucci opened his first atelier in Paris and took the fashion world by storm. In 1968 he went back to his native Rome and opened his atelier there. By 1972 his work was presented in a museum in Rome at the Museum of Etruscan Art. A remarkable achievement for a living designer. He exhibited again in 1990 and in 2005 he founded the Roberto Capucci Foundation to preserve his numerous drawing and archives. His pieces tend to be highly architectural and the ones you see in exhibits border on not being wearable, so it is a treat to find a beautiful and highly wearable example of his work.

From the late 1970s comes this fabulous little deep blue chiffon dress that is cut to flow and drape over the body. The neck is cut wide to give a glimpse of the upper shoulders and the sleeves flow from there in an expanse of volume and fullness to above the buttoned wrist. The skirt has yards and yards of chiffon and flows to the floor in a pretty, light expanse of fabric. The back and bodice are especially pretty with their pin tuck lattice design that is detailed with a little clear beads where each pin tuck crosses over the other. It is lovely and a rare example of a hard to find designers work. Excellent condition

Fully lined except for the sleeves and closes with a back zipper on the interior fabric and snaps on the outer. Each cuff closes with a hidden snap under a silk covered button detail. Hand finished inside and hand applied beads.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2753

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 instantly recognizable as having been designed by Bob Mackie. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his undying love of opulence and bead work, both of which he incorporates heavily into the best of his designs. Modern girls are obsessed with his vintage pieces. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In some ways he and his creations defined their careers and that era of glamour. I think he secretly always designed for the big screen and the bygone glamor of Hollywood as his work is always over the top and extravagant. This dress has the added provenance of being the twin of the one recently worn by Tracee Ellis Ross on a 2020 episode of Blackish where she portrayed Cher. 

This is an amazing dress that is heavily sequinned and extremely sexy and flattering once on. The base of the dress is made of a nude stretch silk netting that has a pattern made up of beautiful curving bands that feel like they are wrapped around you like flames. Mixed into this is an elaborated detailing made of faux pearls that curve down the front of the dress and highlight that very high set slit at the front. The pearl embellishments travel upwards right to the neckline and even run down each sleeve. The designs that you see are made up of ivory colored sequins hand set in curving bands. White and silver tube beads are set vertically to create an edge around each of those curving bands. Additional silver sequins and even some rhinestones are scattered in between. This combination of the glass tube beads and sequins give the dress an extra layer of texture and glamour as every inch of it catches the light and sparkles. As a result the dress has a decent weight to it when it is off of the body because of that extensive bead-work, and yet once on the body it lies and drapes in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The bodice is cut to skim over the chest with a high, slightly angled neckline. The sleeves are cut straight and lined with an additional layer of nude silk to really show off the design that trails down and around each sleeve. The waist is brought in just slightly so that there is a bit of shape created but there is no horizontal seam to break the lines of the design. The skirt is incredible and is cut on a curve so the back is longer then the front and it wraps around you to that high, wide slit at the front. The effect of this is far more dramatic and fabulous on a real body and it really shows off the legs. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will dance when you see it in person as it is so, so, so much better in real life. Extremely well made and made to demi-couture standards. These were sent to the stores with a full lining made of a nude silk chiffon and you could remove this if you wanted a true nude, semi-see through dress that Mackie is so well known for. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a nude silk through the body and the sleeves have a more transparent nude chiffon lining. It closes with a painted metal and nylon back zipper. Hand finished throughout. Slight padding in each shoulder and zippers on each cuff. In person it is a touch more of a cream. It does have some stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat. 

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to longest point of back hem
Slit: approx 24" from front hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3503

Reference Photo: Tracee Ellis Ross in Bob Mackie for Blackish (from her Instagram and the Blackish Instagram).

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

In its heyday the Gene Shelly of California label was highly sought after. The label was doing some of the best of the early sequinned vintage pieces that you could find anywhere on the planet. All of the sequin work that covers this dress was done by hand in Hong Kong on American manufactured fabric. The company would send the fabric to be hand sequinned and beaded. After that was done the fabric would be sent back to California where the dresses were made. At the time, Hong Kong was doing the best sequin and bead work in the world outside of the specialty ateliers in Paris. This dress is not perfect but it is still very beautiful and with a little work it could be perfect again. 

This dress is especially interesting because it bears many similarities to the one I sold before that ended up being the twin of one worn by Diana Ross and The Supremes. This dress has a very similar layout of the beads and sequins but it has been done on a silk based rather then a knit. This base of this one is a beautiful pale ice blue that perfectly sets off the silver sequins that are applied to it. There are hundreds of silver sequins that are laid out flat onto the silk from shoulder to hem. Each sequin has been meticulously applied by hand into its set place. Every inch of the fabric is covered with sequins and the dress glimmers in even the lowest of light. Set in among the silver sequins are big faceted pink and coral paste crystals. These circle the neckline like a built in piece of jewellery. There is also wide band of them applied around the lower skirt. Each crystal has been is hand sewn into place and they are large enough that they each have a 3D effect. Tiny faux pearls and seed beads outline them. Around the neck line and sleeves are coral beads and faux pearls. The dimension and texture created from the result of all of this hand work is wonderful. The dress itself is immensely flattering with its figure hugging shape and all of the seams in it are set vertically to give the wearer a beautiful long line. The base dress is in excellent condition but there are sequins missing. Please review the condition notes below.

The base is an icy blue silk  and the dress closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. The sequins and embellishments are all applied by hand.There are areas of missing sequins. Most notably across the upper shoulders and down the top of the cap sleeves. Some other areas in the body of the dress. These could be filled in with modern silver sequins. Or it could be worn as is. Priced with the work needed to make it perfect taken into account. Please review the photos after the label shot. 

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3502

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. It also does have it couture tape present. 

The dress is constructed from a fine, pale blush pink coloured silk chiffon that in person has a prettier and softer feeling then how it photoed. The colour is even better when you see it in person. The dress is very beautiful and has a very romantic feel to it. The silk it is made out of is extremely light and airy so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. The work on this dress is meticulously done and I have included a shot of the interior so that you can see the couture workmanship inside. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust with light padding in each shoulder to give it just a touch of structure. At the neckline there is a pretty bow shaped cut out with an open lattice inside of the bows. This has been densely embellished with pink sequins, beads and rhinestones. I love the little flowers formed along the lattice and how Lagerfeld has used this touch of glitz almost like it was an attached piece of jewellery at the neck. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes tiny seed beads, sequins and prong set rhinestones. Being set onto a lattice means that you get just a touch of skin peaking through from underneath. The neckline is softly scooped above that with a ring of the same embellishment circling the neckline. The sleeves are cut to pouf above the buttoned and cuffed wrists. Each sleeve is unlined so that you get a touch of transparency through the silk. The skirt falls from under the bodice and is set along the waist on a curved line and a series of soft gathers. It falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to Haute Couture levels and is stunning. It is extraordinary and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a hand set pale pink silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk satin. It closes with a hand set back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. Hand work throughout and made to couture standards. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem and there is one button missing on one cuff

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3501

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.

This elaborately sequin and bead covered dress is even better in person. The workmanship on it is outstanding with a dense, hand applied application of large black paillettes, smaller sequins, beads and curving ropes of seed bead work that give it even more of a 3D effect. The bead work covers every square inch of the fabric and each one has been meticulously placed by hand onto the black stretch knit base. Once that dress is actually on, it hugs and molds to the body. The dress has a very intentional simple cut to offset the extensive bead work. It is a chic sheath silhouette with a slightly nipped in waist, long skirt, a barely there suggestion of a cap sleeve and a V neck. The back is also finished with a V cut that is set so that it dips lower down the back then the front. The hand work done on the dress gives it a three dimensional quality as they are set raised up from the knit. Glossy black flowers are formed from the combination of the various beads used and thick ropes of twisted black seed beads loop and curve through the design from top to bottom. Everything has a high gloss finish and I love the way it gleams in the light. It is also a great wearable size and the knit base makes it feel fantastic once on and extremely comfortable to wear. Excellent condition.

The bead work and sequins are hand applied onto what feels like a cashmere mix knit base. It closes with a back metal zipper. The edges of the slit on the skirt are finished with a black silk panel of fabric but it is otherwise unlined. The knit gives it quite a bit of stretch and the measurements give below are the comfortable range lying flat. You may be able to get a bit more then that if needed.  It still has the high end department store Neusteters label but if it had another designer label at some point that is now a mystery.

Bust: 18-22" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: 37" from waist to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# E416

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

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

Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launches his own Haute Couture label in 1957 at 37 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt in Paris. He was known for being gracious and humble and eventually ventured into ready to wear in 1961. This dress is from his Haute Couture label and is even though it is not perfect, it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing in Paris at the height of his career. Laroche once was quoted as saying "“It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.” 

The dress is very beautiful and of course made to exquisite standards. It is entirely hand made and bears the Haute Couture label. It is made out of a heavy ivory silk. The cut of the dress is simple. The neckline is cut wide across so that you get just a glimpse of the top of the collarbones. The sleeves are to the elbow and are cut wide and straight. There is just the suggestion of shape through the waist and then it falls to the floor in a gently widening curve. Inside the hem the skirt is weighted so that it always falls perfectly and this also helps to hold the intended shape that you see. The entire bodice is densely covered in a combination of tiny black seed beads and large black paillettes. These are set on 3 dimensional loops that cover the upper shoulders and sleeves and then gradually become more of a flat embellishment and are spaced out more as they reach the waist area. Because of the way they are set onto the silk these have a ton of movement so when it is on and you move they have a real tactile quality to them. At first glance the dress seems to be in great condition and it is structurally sound but it does have scuffing and light marks throughout. I have included lots of photos after the label shot. Even with the small flaws it is an incredible example of couture being produced at this time period. Good overall condition

Fully lined in a white silk organza through the bodice and a silk through the skirt. It closes at the back with a hand set fine painted metal zipper. Weighted hem and completely made by hand. Haute Couture label preset. Scuffing, light foxing and small water marks throughout. Please review the photos after the label shot and read the description above.

Sleeves: 15"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54.5" from top of shoulder to front hem, 56" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3432

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 on 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 stayed there until his dismissal in 1992. By that time period he had sold out all but 10% of his company. In 1977, the year that this gown was made, he was just reaching the top of his game as a couturier.

This dress, with its matching ruffled silk shawl, is tiny but perfect. I love the soft yellow silk organza that has been used for the skirt and the shawl. This choice of fabric allows it to have the volume that you see but without adding any weight at all. The skirt is cut to skim over the hips and that drops to that first extravagant ruffle. There are three ruffles in total that circle the skirt and each is wide and has yards of fabric in them. The skirt under the ruffles gradually widens as it reaches the hem. The movement and airiness the skirt creates in person is amazing. The shawl is made of the same silk as the skirt and is very long and finished with the same ruffled treatment we see on the skirt. It can be wrapped or just lightly held. Once this is removed that bodice of the dress is revealed and here is the true magic. It is strapless and fitted to the bust which balances against the volume of the skirt perfectly. Tiny sequins are hand placed to create that stunning floral design that you see. The edges of the green sequin leaves are done in the smallest glass tube beads. 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 only the finest, smallest of beads and sequins is astonishing. 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. It will of course close all the way but was small on my dress form. 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' long x just over 5' 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.

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seem to have a way of flattering the wearer even at their most extravagant.

I have had a shorter version of this dress in the past and I swear I have seen this used for an editorial or advert but have not yet been able to track that down. This showcases Bill's more extravagant side and is a heady combination of sequin detailed lace, trimming and silk organza. The bodice is an attached overlay that sits over an inner silk chiffon base. The outer layer of the bodice is made up of a combination of glossy black sequins and white ribbon that have been hand applied onto a black lace backing. The ribbon has been applied under and through the sequins and lace to form little rosebuds that peek through the sequin work. It also is a clever way to give the appearance of being his signature dot pattern from a distance, but have that extra bit of texture and visual interest when looked at closer. This sits over a tiered skirt constructed from a combination of black and white silk organza stripes. Each stripe is edged in a black lace trim. A wide silk satin sash circles the waist and nips it in. The skirt has a nice fullness to it. This is partially due to the cut and the way it is gathered and set into the waist and there is also a full layer of organza underneath to help hold the shape and give it volume. Overall excellent condition with a note to review below.

The bodice is lined in a black silk and sits over a black silk chiffon under-bodice.The skirt has a full second layer of white silk organza. It closes at the back with a hand set zipper. The top overlay buttons to close over that. Padded shoulders. There are a couple of marks on the dress that I have photoed. There are two small areas of yellowing of the ribbon on the front. It would be possible to replace these. There is a small mark on the third white tier down on the skirt and a small touch of fading to the black near the hem. All fairly minor. Please review the photos provided 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.

Nat Kaplan was a dress manufacturer that opened in 1935 and produced well-made mid-range garments for about 50 years. They tended to use great fabrics and the pieces were finely tailored. Fit was paramount and they did not skimp on details to give their clients amazing value for their money.

This dress is beautiful and and very feminine feeling. The bodice is fitted with little cap sleeves. The waist is set high and is detailed with a pretty flat bow that is made from the same fabric as the dress. The skirt falls from there to a midi length. The fabric itself is wonderful and unusual. It is a lovely silk brocade that has a slightly raised flora design covering its surface. You can see a very subtle striped effet in the base silk. The is part of the fabric itself and these bands change rom the palest pink to the palest green. The pink, gold thread and green print is then woven though that. A gold metallic braiding details the sleeve edges and the neckline. There are little pink and clear rhinestones set into that and down the front there are also bug huge glass crystals for extra glamour. It is just lovely. Excellent condition with one small note below

Full lined though the bodice in an ivory silk satin. The sleeves and skirt have a silk interlining. It closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. I see a bit of grubbiness to the edge of the hem at the fold.

Shoulders: 13.5
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 37" from waist to hem with 2.5" turned up under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3320

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.

This wonderful gown with its exquisitely beaded bodice and attached cape is a numbered Haute Couture piece designed by Pierre Balmain. Both pieces would have been  made entirely by hand at the Paris atelier and the bead work done by Lesage. We found a similar gown from that same Couture collection that was featured in Harper's Bazaar that year It is an extraordinary example of the work being done during this time period of the label's history and is very beautiful.

The impact that this gown has cannot be denied. You instantly get the feel of Ancient Greece and yet is has a touch of modernity to it as well. It dress is made out of a very fine ivory silk chiffon. The neckline is high and the skirt flows to the floor with two layers of of silk chiffon over an interior silk skirt. The bodice is covered with hand placed glass tube beads that is most likely the workmanship of the famed Lesage ateliers. Eash bead has been carefully placed by hand and then they are mixed with a real metal gold thread that has been used to outline the design created with the beads. More of that same metallic thread is used to create a gold and ivory braiding that runs down the front and back and highlight the neckline. The cape detail on this one is unusual and really what makes it extra special. This cape is made of that same high end ivory silk chiffon. It ties at the front neck but it also is secured to the shoulders so that it stays perfectly in place no matter how you move, stand or sit. It is attached by tiny snaps, hidden under the inside collar of the neckline. There are endless couture level details put into this one and the workmanship throughout is perfectly and meticulously done. It is an amazing example of the fine workmanship and attention to detail of Haute Couture. and it is a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

The dress is fully lined in an ivory through the bodice and innermost skirt. The skirt has two layers of silk over the inner lining. There may be the occasional loose or missing bead or thread. Both pieces have their numbered tag present under the main label and both bear the same number of 764027. Hand finished. It closes with a hand set, back painted metal zipper. I see one tiny yellowed spot on one tie and a pinpoint of a spot on the cape. There are two teeny smudges on the lower portion of the skirt. None of these detract - I am just being super picky. There is a slight darkening to the silk around the waist under the seam. I have photoed it all the way around and you can see that after the photos of the Couture label.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Cape: 57"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2945

Reference Photo: Gleb Derujinsky in Pierre Balmain, Harper's Bazaar, April 1961.

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.