This wonderful little dress had a label when I acquired it many years ago but has lost it along the way somehow. It is not perfect which is why I have had it tucked away all this time. However, it is too pretty to not give it a chance at a second life and if you are creative and can find a way to restore it, or are just OK to wear something not perfect that this is an incredible high quality dress for the price point. The dress is made out of a very high quality silk and the entire thing has been meticulously knife pleated. The bodice has a deep V at both the front and back and even the side panels that wrap around the bust under this and show on each side have been pleated. The bodice panels go down and into a wide band at the waist where the pleats have been places the other way for a bit of visual impact. Below that the pleated skirt flares out with lots of movement. It is gorgeous but make sore to review the photos and read the full description below. 

Unlined and closes with a side set painted metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout to demi-couture standards. The fabric itself is strong and sturdy and has no issues but there is a spot on one side of the bodice and there are also watermarks that run up along the skirt. Please review the last two photos.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to top of waist band
Waist band: 5"
Skirt: 27" from bottom of the waist band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# E669

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 Adele Simpson dress is rather exceptional. It is made out of a pale pink cotton that in person is an even prettier shade of pink then how the camera captured it. It is sleeveless and the neckline is scooped at both the front and back of the dress. The waist nips in just below the bust line and then the skirt flares out from there and is very full. I have shows in styled over a light crinoline and you can just as easily wear it without one and get more movement, or even wear one that is more full then the one I used and get a real 'cupcake' effect. Over the dress is a piped and puffed pink cording made in the same fabric. This is all hand applied in the wonderful curving abstract design that you see covering the dress. This gives it lots of texture and detailing. It would work for day or evening. These earlier dresses are getting so hard to find and this one is quite exceptional and a wonderful example of her early work. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined with the same pink cotton and the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes with an inset side metal zipper. Hand finished throughout. Styled with a light crinoline underneath that is not included. Note that in person the pink is a more pastel baby pink

Bust: 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 43" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3301

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

The twin of this dress was photoed with Yves Saint Laurent himself, backstage during the Spring runway show by Roxanne Lowit. This was one of the main pieces of that season and I am very pleased to have found this example.

The dress is made from a gold wool and metallic thread brocade that has an embroidered gold design woven through the fabric. This is done so that it has a slightly raised feel to it and gives the dress the beautiful texture that it has. The two parts of the design also allow for a play on the tones of gold used and the raised parts have a more metallic, lame feel to them which makes the brocade pattern really pop. The dress perfectly represents this time period and you can see the transition from the opulence and over the top feel of the eighties slowly moving into simpler, sleeker shapes for the 1990s. That touch of excess from the 1980s is still there through that gold fabrication, but the shape is getting sleeker and more powerful in feel. The neckline is a simple scoop. Vertical seaming runs down the front and back on to create the slightest of shape through the waist but there is no break in the line that a waist seam would have made. The skirt is cut slim and straight. The sleeves end just below the elbow. The cut is restrained and simple so that the amazing gold fabric takes center stage.  It is amazing on the body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a gold silky rayon through the body and the sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back, hidden set zipper. Light padding in each shoulder. Tagged a vintage YSL 40 and has a generous cut through the waist and bust

Shoulders: 17"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3295

Reference Photos: Yves Saint Laurent, Avenue Marceau à Paris, March 1991. Photo by Roxanne Lowit.

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

This was sold to me as a Christian Dior but I have never been able to fully verify this with 100% accuracy. It's been priced for what it is and if it does turn out to be a verifiable Dior then you have gotten an amazing bargain. Regardless of its heritage it is an incredibly striking dress.

This dress is all bombshell. It has the feel of the Old Hollywood siren to it and one could easily imagine any of the big movie starlets of the day wearing this out as part of their glamorous lives. The fabric is a deep burnished gold lame that has a stitched effect running over it that gives it a quilted 3D feel but in a very abstract kind of way as opposed to any geometric pattern you would normally see with a quilting technique applied. It is very light in weight and feels like a wisp of air once on the body. It is cut for maximum attention. The top is set with two halter triangle tops that have that wide cut to them from this era. This lets the tops of each halter sit on the outer edges of the shoulders, emphasizing the cinched in waist. On an actual body you can cinch it in even tighter to create more of an hourglass shape. It plunges down to meet the wide sash that wraps and ties around you. The back plunges in the same fashion to leave a large expanse of your back bare. The partially attached ties that wrap around the waist are very long so you can really play with how you style them. Under that the skirt falls in a narrow pencil shape with a small vent at the back to allow for walking. It's gorgeous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in black silk and closes with a painted back zipper. Partially attached ties at the waist that very ling and wrap and tie. Pockets on each hip. Hand finishes

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 20" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E669

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 a must have. Gene Shelly dresses are amazing and they are some of the best of the early sequinned vintage pieces that you can find. All of the sequin work that covers this dress was done by hand in Hong Kong on American manufactured knit. The company would send the stretch wool fabric to be hand beaded or sequinned to Hong Kong. The fabric was then sent back to the US and the dresses were made in California. At the time, Hong Kong was doing the best sequin and bead work in the world outside of the specialty ateliers in Paris. Having the bead work down there actually helped keep the cost down though the dresses were still fairly expensive. Full length pieces cost around $600 dollars in the mid-1960s - which is the equivalent of about $4700 in current USD.

The dress has the label's signature stretch knit base which makes it extremely easy and comfortable to wear. This one has a gold knit to match the sequins that cover its surface. Onto the knit are thousands and thousands of tightly spaced, bright gold sequins. Each sequin has been meticulously applied by hand into place. Every inch of the fabric is literally covered with sequins. The neckline is cut wider across so that your collarbones show and the back has a low V dip to it. Edging the neckline is a dense application of larger gold paillettes that are set to stand up from the fabric to create a 3D feel. This same edging circles the end of each sleeve. The dress hugs the body from the neckline to the hem and I love how the hem has that little curved notch at the front More of those fabulous 3D paillettes circle the entire hem. The dimension and texture created from the result of all of the hand work done on the dress is wonderful. The dress itself is immensely flattering with its figure hugging shape. The knit is set on the bias so it shapes and molds to your figure once on. Excellent condition.

The base is a gold toned stretch knit and the dress closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. The sequins are all applied by hand and I see no bare spots. A little wear to the lustre of the sequins here and there that is normal for sequins of this age. The measurements are taken flat and shows the comfortable range of each spot. Note that it is a touch brighter gold in person and it is even more of a wow when you see it in real life. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The stretch will allow for a variety of sizes

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3294

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 1923, Jacques Heim took over the family business and started producing a line of couture that used original fabrics, most notably, those of Sonia Delauney. In 1930 the official Haute Couture label, Jacques Heim, was born, Jacques remained at the helm of his business until his death in 1967. The label was shuttered by 1969. This dress was sold to my client many years ago from the famed couture vintage seller Didier Ludot and was dated by him to that final year of Heim's presence at the label. I have included a photo provided to me by the owner.

I love the classic but still mod cut of this dress that reflects what was happening in fashion during this time period. It is cut to skim over your curves of the bodice and then the cut out under that sits higher up under the bust. The waist nips in and the skirt is cut so that it flares out as it reaches the hem. The base of the dress is a fine black velvet with a dense pile so it almost seems to absorb the light. This is in perfect contrast to the transparent panel set around the waist and that details each cuff. These panels are a fine black silk chiffon that is intricately hand detailed with glossy black bead work and those amazing and huge glossy acrylic pieces you see, It is simplicity mixed with a masterful seaming and extraordinary detailing. His pieces are very rare from this rime period and this is a real treat to have in the shop. Excellent condition with a note on the bead work below

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Hand finished throughout. All of the bead work and those tremendous glossy, thin acrylic pieces are hand set. All but two of the large plastic cut outs have breaks. All are fully intact with no pieces missing but they have cracked over the years. It is for this fact that I have priced it lower but I would like to emphasize that it is perfectly wearable and there are no huge gaps or missing pieces. The cracks are so fine that when on everything sits really well still. I have included a couple of closer shots of the breaks after the label photo.

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15'
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11.5" from shoulder to top seam of transparent band
Transparent band: 4.25"
Skirt: 17.25" from bottom seam of transparent band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3269

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

Early Louis Feraud pieces are highly collectible and in their day they were sought after. Women like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot were huge fans of the line. From the sixties through to the early eighties the Feraud label was known world wide for piece that incorporated gorgeous graphics and cutting edge designs. This is a great little dress that showcases the sense of drama the label had during this time period. The dress is very unusual and gorgeous. The skirt is a lovely rounded bubble shape. It is constructed from a more fitted and lean inner skirt with two panels that curve over that and cross over at the front. These are shaped on rounded lines so give that wonderful shape that you see. This plays against the graphic top that combines rectangle blocks that wrap around the bodice and large round dots that make up the neckline. The shapes are covered with either a solid application of either black or white sequins that give the dress some glitz. I love the neckline with its huge dots that curve up from the center of the bodice and then down to attach to the back. Its so fun and unusual. A great little piece. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back nylon and metal zipper. Tagged a US10, FR42. The bodice is lightly boned for support. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner skirt hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3268

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 beautiful Pucci dress that is made from one of his signature silk jerseys. This one has a base that is done in a vivid coral with a bright pattern worked onto it in a mix of purple and green. The colors absolutely pop off that coral backdrop. The bodice skims over the bust and continues in a loose fitting sheath right down to the hem. One of his signature contrasting printed borders runs down the front for detailing. A horizontal band of that same border accents the upper chest and another one also runs down the center of each sleeve. The cut is a simple and classic sheath with a slight A-line cut as the skirt nears its hem. The sleeves are left simple and slim cut to the elbow. This one has the added bonus of still having its original silk and beaded crystal tassel belt. These belts were hand made by Coppola e Toppo and are very well documented. I have seen these sold on their own for several hundred dollars and even girls who have used them as necklaces. Still having it with the dress means that you are getting a little extra fabulous. This is a classic Pucci silhouette that is instantly recognizable and very sexy despite it not being super form fitting. This colorway is fantastic and his fabric choice and the high quality of the silk jersey that he used means that the colors are remarkably bright and true even after all these years. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear with silk covered buttons at the front. Hand finished. The fabric does have some stretch.

Sleeves: 18"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" from neck to hem
Belt: 60" from end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3266

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

We are huge Pucci fans around here and this one is a beauty. It is an unusual one in that it has a lot of black in the design, a color that you do not see used as often in his pieces. This is combined with a beautiful array of bright and vivid flowers that run over the entire dress to still give it that classic Pucci feel. It is an amazing mix of color and design. The print is screened onto a light silk jersey that feels wonderful once on the body. It has a simple silhouette and just slips on with a wide cut neckline that has no collar. Buttons run down the upper back and the cut is loose and easy. The bodice skims over the bust all the way to the hem in a soft sheath of jersey. It is a very simple cut that leaves the waist unfitted - though you could certainly cinch with a belt for more shape of you wished. This is a classic Pucci silhouette that is instantly recognizable and very sexy despite it not being super form fitting since the fabric drapes so wonderfully. Very easy to wear cut and super chic. The entire dress is light and comfortable when on and the silk jersey is very good quality. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear with buttons at the back neck. The fabric is signed throughout. It is tagged a vintage Pucci 14. The fabric does have some stretch. The top button was changed out at some point to a plain black button

Shoulders: 18" (set so they drop)
Bust: 20-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3265

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 fabulous Emilio Pucci dress is particularly special as it still retains its original fully beaded crystal belt. These belts were hand made by Coppola e Toppo and are very well documented. I have seen these sold on their own for several hundred dollars and even girl using them as necklaces so you are really getting a little extra for your dollar with it still being present and with the dress. The majority of them are only beaded at their ends with tassels and the belt part done in a matching fabric to the dress but this belt is entirely crystals which was very exciting to find. The color palette of this gorgeous Pucci dress is also quite fabulous and the dress is made from his signature silk jersey. The fabric choice is light in weight and easy to wear and it also held color beautifully. Which means that the design is still as vibrant as when it was first made. I love the mix of that bright pinks base with its pops of green and yellow that covers the dress. It buttons down the front to the waist and the skirt falls in a simple A-line under that. The button front allows you to open it as low as you wish or do it up right to the  the little pointed collar. His signature contrasting border highlights the front, collar and cuffs. This one does have seaming through the waist for shape and then the belt can be used to give it more shape. The entire dress weighs ounces and is wonderfully bright and happy in feel as all the really great Pucci's are. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a side painted metal zipper. It also buttons down the front as shown. Finished by hand throughout. The fabric has a little bit of stretch but the waist seam has none. Tagged a vintage Pucci 10 but please make sure to check the measurements below.

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16.5" from neck to slightly dropped waist
Skirt: 25" from slightly dropped waist to hem
Belt: 61" from end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3264

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 am very pleased to begin presenting a collection of Bill Blass pieces from a woman who was a close personal friend of Mr. Blass for many years. Many of these pieces were custom made or tweaked specifically for her and all of them are in exquisite condition, having been stored and cared for properly over the years. These are rare and hard to find example of his work from the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Some may be the only version of its kind that were made. The family would also like it to be known that their portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to charity.

This is one of the best known of Bill's pieces during this time period. Lynn Wyatt was photoed wearing the jacket alongside of Bill himself and it was also featured in the book 'Bill Blass: An American Designer'. This version is even more special because my client's mother had the skirt made in that same gold brocade that the jacket is made out of. The lines of the suit are beautiful and I am glad to have found reference photos that give you an idea of just how great it is once on. The fabric is beautiful and the design covers every inch. It is a rich silk brocade on black and I love how you can see the threads within the gold and how these add to the texture of the pieces. The jacket is sleek with lightly padded shoulders and long sleeves. The waist curves in and the hips are cut on a rounded curve that is quite beautiful. I love the inverted pleat that opens out on either wide of the waist. This adds to the rounded curve around the hip. The skirt has a bit of that same rounding curve through the hip. The waist of the skirt is brought in by vertical seaming and then falls to about the knee in a simple and chic sheath. Everything about the cut and line of the suit is done to allow that gorgeous fabric to shine. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined in silk. The skirt closes with a side set zipper. The jacket closes with hidden snaps at the front and hook & eye at the neck and waist. It looks to have been worn very little if at all

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 20" 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: 29" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3259

Reference Photo: (1) Angela Shelton wearing gold, silk brocade dinner jacket by Bill Blass, Fall 1991. Photograph by Gideon Lewin. From the book 'Bill Blass: An American Designer'.  /  (2-3) Bill Blass & Lynn Wyatt, March 5th, 1992.

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

If you have been looking for a statement dress for the season look no further then this incredible Emanuel Ungaro dress that is absolutely amazing. The color is wonderful. It is a metallic feeling blue on a silk taffeta. This fabric gives it a touch of a shimmer and depth as it catches the light. The fabric is quite light in weight so despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not heavy to wear, but it does hold the intended shape fabulously. The bodice is cut with a strapless, modified sweetheart neckline and hugs the body. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with hand placed and gathered folds. This was an Ungaro signature and really made his pieces flattering once on. An angled sash wraps and hooks into place to detail the waist even more. Under that the skirt explodes in a pouf of shape and volume. Elaborate gathers mold the shape so the skirt feel asymmetrical on one side and on the other there is a huge half bow that gives even more volume to that hip. The opening of the skirt at the very bottom is deliberately kept to be as minimal as possible, forcing you to move in a way that highlights the shape even more. It is incredible. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side zipper from the waist up and silk covered snaps under the wait. The bodice is boned. Tagged a vintage Ungaro 10 but cut small. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem but can be worn up as high as you wish because of the way the bottom opening is cut.
Skirt opening at the bottom hem 32" in total around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3256

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

For his second ever collection for the Saint Laurent label, Anthony Vaccarello stayed true to himself. Vogue's Mark Holgate said of the collection in his review: "Yves Saint Laurent is of course one of those houses where everyone has an opinion and no two are alike. It’d be nigh impossible to ever reach a consensus on what it should, could, needs to be; everyone is a yay-sayer, or a naysayer, just depends on who you ask. Vaccarello, for his part, realized that his way forward was to be referential, respectful even, just don’t ever get trapped into being reverential. As with last season he was, he said, inspired by one particular dress, an haute couture number with huge sleeves which dates from the early ’80s. “I always relate YSL to parties, to evening,” Vaccarello said backstage. “I couldn’t do a show without those golden years, but I wanted to take that further.” This dress is the twin of the one presented as Look 61 on the runway.

This dress is extraordinary and feels extremely futuristic. The cut is bold and sexy and the color is jaw dropping. The dress is made from a high gloss patent coated leather that molds the shape over you rather then you creating the shape as you would in a more 'normal' fabric. It fits over the body with a startling sculptural silhouette. The shoulders are extreme in their shaping and the top of each shoulder is constructed almost on a completely flat plane. Extra long sleeves fall from there and each is set on a slight curve to mimic the shape of the arm. It zippers up the front and has the ability to completely unzip so that you could potentially wear it as a layered piece. It skims over the body to a short mini length. There is the suggestion of shaping through the waist created by the gathering in towards the center zipper. Along that center line are two rows of ruffles set on either side of the zipper. These are constructed from the same patent as the rest of the dress and feel almost alien in the way they run down the front. It is a daring design made out of an incredible and bold use of leather. Never worn and still has part of the original tag still attached. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a front set zipper. Tagged a FR40. Part of the original tag is still present and the dress has never been worn. It has a skinny cut and the blue is even better in person as it is richer and has more depth. The color is more close to the runway photo in real life

Shoulders: exaggerated and are 17" across
Sleeves: cut extra long at 27"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3255

Reference Photo: Look 61 of the F/W 2017 Saint Laurent Runway Collection. Model: Adut Akech.

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 Pucci playsuit is one of those iconic vintage items that is synonymous with the sixties and seventies and that carefree, jet set life that Emilio Pucci and his clients often lived. They are very rare and hard to find as most were worn them extensively and most did not survive intact and in great condition. This example is in wonderful condition and the colors are still bright and true.

The piece is made of his signature silk jersey and is a stunning example of Pucci's work during this time period. It is an all in one playsuit with short sleeves and built in shorts. The print is a gorgeous curving geometric design that combines shades of purple with soft, pale blues and ivory. The front neckline is cut into a low V that meets the angled border that defines the loose cut empire waistline. The silk jersey glides over the body and ends in short shorts. I love the contrasting borders on it and how they run down the back as well. It is a joy to look at from every angle and it combines sexy with that girl-next-door innocence feel perfectly. The fabric is signed throughout. These are hard to come by and a fantastic collector piece. Excellent condition

Unlined with a fine ivory silk jersey interior border set around all the interior edges. It closes with a back metal & nylon zipper. The inside is clean and it appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The fabric does have some stretch which I have accounted for in the measurements below. The colors are a touch brighter then how it photoed in real life.

Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from shoulder to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3239

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

Vitaldi Babani founded the Babani atelier in Paris in 1894. Originally they imported art, furniture, embroideries, silks and exotic goods from China, Japan, India, and Turkey. By 1910 they were producing their own label garments. The designs were heavily inspired by the wares they were importing and they often incorporated some of the antique textiles that they were bringing into Paris. They were known for the exoticism of their designs and the heavy embroideries and high craft that was put int their garments. In 1928, Katherine Hepburn famously wore a white crushed velvet Babani dress with antique gold embroidery for her 1928 wedding to Ludlow Ogden Smith. This is a rare and wonderful dress by the House of Babani and it is remarkable in both its condition and its design.

The base of the dress is an inky black silk velvet that has the same weight and feel of the Fortuny's I have seen from this period. Which would not be a stretch given that the Babani company had a license to retail textiles and garments by the Venice-based designer. To have used some of those velvet's for their own label would not have been out of question. The shape is very loose and easy. It follows the tubular fashion of the day with the middle portion of the dress almost curving outwards a touch. On the body it looks tremendously modern and oversized. Even a small framed girl could wear this and just carry it off in a different way then someone closer to the garment's actual measuremnts. Onto the black velvet is an elaborate and intricate geometric design. This has been created by using thick gold metallic cording to create the outer edgings of the design. The inner parts of the design are then filled with a thinner gold thread. All of the thread has that feel of being made out of actual metal. This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of rare fashion history from one of the most elusive of labels from this period. Excellent antique condition 

The dress slips on and is fully lined in a fine black silk. It has no closures. All of the embroidery work is present and fully intact. I see some waviness to the velvet under the arms where it has been worn and slightly folded over time. There is perhaps an area or two where the pile of the velvet has gone into a slightly different direction but there are no true flaws overall. For a garment of this age and this rarity it is in excellent antique condition

Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3225

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 sent in clean. as found condition

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

This wonderful dress would date to the late teens or perhaps the early 1920s. Dresses of this age are rarely 100% perfect and this one does have some small areas that are starting to show weakness, but overall is still very strong even after all of these years. It is a wonderful example of the workmanship that was being done during this time period.

The dress is made from a fine silk chiffon that has been covered in a dense pattern of glossy black jet tube and seed beads mixed with larger glass jet beads. The design is very extensive and is set over the entire surface of the dress. The execution of the design is very well done and it is quite beautiful. The bead work covers both the front and the back of the dress and the hand work involved would have taken hours and hours to finish. The dress is cut in a classic flapper tube shape with a high set neck and a long body with no defined waist. The silk chiffon top layer sits over an inner silk satin which is what has give the dress its stability and longevity. I love the romantic touches of the wispy bits of silk chiffon that finish each sleeve and care set to curve around the arm. Floating panels of chiffon sit on each hip and give the skirts a slight volume at the sides. Circled around the dropped waist is a heavily embellished belt that is made of large black glass beads that ends with a long tassel of beads hanging down one hip. This is then caught up and finished with a silk and velvet pink flower for a pretty pop of color against the black. It is incredibly beautiful and entirely made by hand. Excellent antique condition.

Lined with the inner silk satin dress under the chiffon overlay. The dress slips on to wear. The shoulders at the seams are starting to show signs of aging - please see the photos provided - you could reinforce them but I have left the dress as found and all original. There may be other areas of weakness here and there as well but I don't see any readily apparent ones. The bead and jet beads seem to be entirely present with perhaps the occasional one missing around the edge of the neck. The attached belt detail that wraps around the waist has no hook - I have twisted it in place for the photos. I think once the new owner gets it you should add a hook or secure it where it sits best on you. Some small areas of shattering on some of the inner silk petals of the flower. Even with these small defects the dress is remarkably sound and shockingly beautiful. It is almost 100 years old and is considered to be in museum quality condition.

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.

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41 from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E485

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

James Galanos was a designer who made couture-level gowns and dresses with a level of craftsmanship that left France’s most esteemed couturiers with their mouths agape. The immaculate construction of Galanos’ work oozed luxury, privilege, and high society. He was a master cutter and he used many couture level techniques in his gowns.

This little black dress is lovely and the type of dress that you will reach for endlessly as it is just dressy enough for any occasion that call for a cocktail dress but it also feels refined and elegant. The front is very pretty with black stone and rhinestone edged buttons. Behind those buttons the edges have been scalloped into little curves for a pretty and feminine touch. The neckline is done in a V and the arm opening are set inwards on a slight angle. The waist is set so that it is slightly dropped. This creates length and leanness through the bodice. The skirt has just a touch of fullness to it and it has pockets set along the seam on either side of the hip. Each of those pockets are finished with pipped edges and the scallop detailing along the front edge is top stitched to perfectly follow the cut. The sides of each arm are cut into a deep V. This was one of Galanos' signature finishes. It is just a lovely little dress and one that will easily transition from day to night. Excellent condition.

Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk and the skirt is unlined. All of the interior edges are very well finished. It closes down the front with buttons, hook & eye and fabric covered snaps. It appears to have been worn very little if at all

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD1448

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

From the front this Thierry Mugler dress falls in line with his more stark pieces with its all black color and sharp line, but the second that you turn around it is almost shocking. This is classic Mugler and the back has that wonderful, overt sensuality he worked into his clothes. It is made out of an inky black stretch jersey and is cut to hug your curves. The bodice is cut along those classic Mugler lines with rounded shoulders and a sharply pointed notched collar. The seams are all set into curving lines and they help to give the dress a touch of structure, shape and support. The waist nips ion and the hips curve out following the lines of the body. The skirt is cut to about the knee and curves in at the hem for a fitted silhouette. The back is spectacular. The entire back has an open cut work lace in lieu of the jersey. So you are completely covered but at the same time exposed to an almost scandalous level as the bottom of that panel dips quite low. Again at the back the seams are curved so add to the curves created by the dress already. Each sleeve is capped and has a little snap that adds just a touch of volume above them, The dress simply snaps down the front and can come off as easily. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes down the front with snaps. Each sleeve has a snap as well. Light, rounded padding in each shoulder. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Mugler 42. The fabric does have some stretch

Shoulders: approx 15" but no true defined seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
length: 42" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3221

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3218

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

This is an extremely rare Jeanne Lanvin Haute Couture dress designed by Antonio Castillo. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. In 1950 he became the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior, Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines of the clothes and his metallic embroideries were particularly sought after. This is a rare Haute Couture dress from that period and is very beautiful and representative of exactly those attributes. 

The fabric of this dress is the undeniable focal point of the dress and it is just wonderful. It is a very fine silk brocade woven with a very slightly raised pattern of flowers. Into the cloth are metallic threads of silver and gold and the give the dress an overall sheen that catches the light quite beautifully but is very subtle. In person this fabric almost seems to glow from within and it is very beautiful. The color is not quite captured in these photos and I think it is far better in person. The dress is cut to skim over the bust with a softer feel to it. The waist is shaped by a complicated crossing of flat ties that hook and snap into place. I tied it in the front but think it could be done to all sit flat as well. The skirt falls and flares out softly to just past the knee. It gently widens as it nears the hem and when you see it in person you will feel that there is more fabric in the skirt then how it photoed. The neckline is finished in a simple scoop that feels perfectly in tandem with its stark and simple line. It is made with masterful seaming and cut and the fabric is just extraordinary. Excellent condition.

Fully hand lined in silk and fully hand stitched on the interior to Haute Couture standards. The dress closes with a side set painted metal zipper. The straps circle the waist and there is a combination of hook & eye and hidden snaps to secure them. Real metal thread has been used to create the fabric. Note that the way the ties wrap the waist is brought in to about 12" flat across - you could move where the ties are attached to get the full waist if needed.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam but see above notes
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3217

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

20% Off Use Code: EXTRA20

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.

This dress is one of the prettiest pieces I have ever had in the shop. It is not perfect but its imperfections can be worked with and I think that some girl out there is going to feel very, very lucky to have snagged this dress at this price. It is cut into that classic party, cocktail dress of the era, with a fitted bodice, nipped in waist and a very full skirt. The fabric is a very fine silk organza that is the palest possible blush nude pink. The interior layers are finished in the same color and the layers of silk, netting, tulle and more organza, give it both structure through the bodice and fullness through the skirts. There are no extra crinolines used in this photo. The volume that you see is all the interior skirts that are built in. The dress is covered in a pale mint green velvet ribbon trim mixed with a second ribbon that has the sweetest little flowers made out of the ribbon fabric. Over the bodice the ribbons are set onto the silk in a basket weave pattern that emphasizes the fit. They are also set to bring extra attention to the bust. On the skirt these ribbons are set in rows that circle all the way around the skirt. I love how she has used this detailing to highlight the cut of the dress but it also gives the already feminine dress an even more romantic feel. It is an extraordinary dress in every way. These early Chapman pieces are very hard to come by and you can see the masterful dressmaking techniques she employed in this piece. This would also make a wonderful wedding dress for the bride who does not want to wear a traditional white dress. It presents as excellent condition but does have some areas that will need further reinforcement. Please review the full condition notes below.

Fully lined in a combination of palest pink silk, netting, tulle and more organza. The interior bodice is lightly boned and shaped and the interior layers of the skirt are built in. It closes with a side painted metal zipper. The organza between the two types of ribbon at the top of each shoulder is shattering. It is at the very top of the shoulder and then extends part way down but does not go into the bodice. I see one tiny area of shattering on the silk near the back of one arm hole that appears very stable. All the rest of the silk appears stable at this time. The straps could be backed with a similar colored, or nude colored silk and stabilized. There is an area of the inner layer of the skirt at the back hem that has a part of the edge missing. The way the skirt seems to falls once it is on the body, the hem area where this flaw is seems to land inside a soft inward fold and it is the layer under the exterior layer, so you really only notice it when it is off the body and laying flat. Some minor grubbiness to the fabric here and there. Photos of these areas can be seen after the photo of the label. It is sent in as found, clean condition and is sold as a final sale.

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 33.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3216

This item is in sound, as found condition

This dress is absolutely incredible and the workmanship that has been put into making it is just extraordinary. It really is one of the most phenomenal dresses I have ever had in the shop. Philip Hulitar designed under his own namesake label from 1949 to his retirement in 1964. He was known for his sophisticated cocktail dresses and evening gowns. Shortly after the launch of his label, a journalist wrote; 'The star of a gifted designer has risen recently on the fashion horizon'. Prior to launching his own label, Mr Hulitar was the in-house designer and head of the women's dress division for Bergdorf Goodmans for 18 years.

This dress is really a thing of beauty and shows the high level of meticulous care put into the execution of design during this time period. The fabric is a high end, luxurious silk in a pale dusty blue. Onto this is a hand screened  custom floral design. The print is set onto the silk in a soft washed feel like a watercolor painting. The silk has then been meticulously hand pleated into rows of sharp knife pleats that are stacked one upon each other. They are set so that the pleats are facing upwards rather then facing down as you would typically see. This gives the fabric a slightly surreal edgy feel and as gravity slightly pulls them and opens them the lines of the body are exaggerated. It is really spectacular in person. The bodice is strapless and fitted. Inside it is boned and shaped. The silk is draped into place by hand draping it to closely follow every curve. It cinches in at the waist and then follows the curve of the hips and narrows at the hem The back is spectacular with a large half bow that sits above a tightly gathered ruffle. This begins at the low back and slowly tapers out just above the knees. Everything on this dress is done to create that highly sculptural shape. Overall excellent condition with some notes to review below

Fully lined in a cream silky rayon and closes with a hand set back painted metal zipper. The interior bodice is boned. The back bow snaps into place. I see some extremely minor pinholes along the one part of the top pf the bodice at the fold and some very minor watermarks on the silk near the hem. It has a area of fading on one hip that I have photoed and placed after the label photo for your review. It can be seen in some of the photos before that as well. You could perhaps shorten it to remove this area or just wear it as is and not worry about it. It is marked a lot lower in price then it would be but for this area.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A to small B cup
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from top of the bodice to the front hem, 41" to the back hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3214

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