• This is a very rare dress from the 1970s created by Holly Harp.
• Harp opened a shop LA in 1968 where she created custom clothing under the Holly's Harp label. When she started designing her clothing she tended to create her clothing out of a hodge-podge of new and old materials but once she opened her shop her designs became more slinky, and sexy. They began to reference the glamour of Old Hollywood and she preferred the bias cut feel of the 1930s.
• She had a huge following of Hollywood and Music stars; Liza Minelli, Diana Ross, Ali McGraw, Sally Field, Janis Joplin and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane were all fans.
• This is a phenomenal dress from the early - mid 1970s and it is even better in person. The bias cut really needs a body in it to truly come to life.
• Dresses like this from her are impossible to find anymore. Her work is magical.
• The dress is made out of a bias cut black jersey that is light enough so that it drapes fantastically but also has enough weight so that it is opaque.
• The combination of the fabric and cut make it very easy and comfortable to wear.
• The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are set into the body of the dress starting off wide and then they narrow to a cuff at the wrist. This lets the fabric puff out slightly above each cuff.
• The neckline crosses over itself at the front and has long attached ties which tie around the waist for shape and to hold that front V perfectly in place.
• The dress skims over you all the way down the body to a low set seam under the waist. The dress ties at the waist and then that seam sits at the top of the hip.
• The skirt is fantastic and it is made out of two layers of the black jersey. This gives it the weight to fall in a smooth column when you stand still but also explodes with movement when you move. When you move it all moves around you and the lightness of the fabric makes it all feel incredibly easy on.
• The bodice has a second layer of the same fabric acting as the lining and the skirt is made of two layers of the jersey. It slips on to wear and crosses over itself at the front and ties. The fabric does have some stretch and I have put the comfortable range below.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements below
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 26.5" and are 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 14-15"
Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hip: 14-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to ties at the waist, 19" to the seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5375

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Chanel 2010 Cruise runway for Look 33 with a jacket over it that was later sold separately in the shops.
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld
• The show was set on the boardwalk of the Venice Lido at dusk. "Coco at Lido" is how Karl Lagerfeld described this cruise collection. Vogue described the scene as Karl "reinstating the long-lost leisurely sensation of a fashion show as an exceptional one-off experience. The 350 guests reclining on sun beds in the famous white tented cabanas certainly felt privileged to be witnessing the extreme glamour of the designer's learned-but-light invocation of an important part of Coco Chanel's biography." The location was "one of Coco Chanel's favourite summer haunts—she visited Venice for almost ten years beginning in 1919 and met Diaghilev here".
• The inspiration behind much of the show was the twenties and thirties and you can see that in the lines of this dress.
• The dress is made out of a feather light ultra fine silk chiffon whose weave gives it the feel of a fine netting or mesh. These amazing fabric innovations were a keystone that you see in Karl's work. 
• The silk is covered in a beautiful oversized floral print in dusky pastels done in a way that makes then look like they have been hand painted directly onto the fabric. The base colour is a deep blue-purple and the colour combination of everything together is stunning.
• It is sleeveless and the very upper portion of the bodice around the shoulders is a single layer of the silk so that it has a touch of transparency. Just above the bust it becomes a double layer so it can be worn, It is cut to skim over the bodice down to the waist. An attached panel of the same fabric goes around your waist and hooks into place at the back for added shape and subtle detailing.
• The dress falls from there in a swoop of that feather light silk to the hem that widens out as it near the floor. The back feels slightly fuller than the front so you get this pretty billowing effect around you when you walk. This is a signature Karl silhouette to give the dress as much movement as possible.
• The famous double C logo is worked throughout the floral print of the dress making it impossible to not know that you are wearing Chanel. 
• The dress is lined with the same fabric through the bodice and the skirt is lined with a layer of a deep blue silk. It closes at the back with a hidden set zipper and has a hook and eye at the back of the neck with a keyhole between the two. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a modern Chanel 36
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.25" from top of shoulder to waist
Total Length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5309

Reference Photos/Video: Resort 2010 Chanel, Look 33.

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

• The twin of the dress was presented as Look 20 in the Spring 2021 Rodarte collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Kate and Laura Mulleavy.
• “Everything we do is about fantasy and dreams, but we are located in a moment, and we are a part of what is happening now,” said Kate. A fanciful gown, both designers agree, has little place in today’s world, so instead they channeled their efforts into clothing they would want to wear now “without distilling the ideas".... Vogue continued their review by noting that the floral story continues in the 1940s dresses they played with last season, now relaxed in shape with prints that radiate from the navel or appear in handkerchief-like grids.
• Its twin was worn by Kourtney Kyung Smith and Anya Taylor Joy also wore one to the Venice Film Festival that year. Liz Gillies wore one while in character for Dynasty. 
• The dress is absolutely exquisite and really showcases the charm that the Rodarte collections have and why people love collecting them.
• With its pretty combination of white, pink and red this might also make a fantastic dress for a bride for one of her events around her ceremony.
• The dress is made out of the perfect white and pink bias cut silk that is a beautifully light in weight. It is very soft and supple and the bias cut lets it glide over your curves once it is on. 
• Onto the white and pink base is a gorgeous print that features tiny pink flowers ad black bows nestled among green leaves and dots. These are set in large medallions that cover the entire dress.
• Tiny black silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. The front dips into a shallow V and the back also dips into a V that is set lower for a bare expanse of skin to show above.
• The bias cut lets the dress skim over your bust, waist and hips to fall to the floor. It flares out prettily at the hem and this give it beautiful movement when you walk.
  
• A little silk flower in a pretty pink sits at the base of the V of the front. The flower is detachable so you can move it to where it sits on you best.
• The dress is unlined and slips on to wear with no closures. The flower pins into place and is also labelled at the back. The dress is in its original uncut length. I see a tiny bit of grubbiness near the hem in a tiny hole near the seam at the back of the hem. It doesn't look like the dress was ever worn otherwise so this is probably from improper storage. Please see the photo after the label shot. The bias cut allows for some give so I have put the comfortable range while lying flat below. The length may come up a bit because of the bias cut once it is on the body.
• Tagged a modern Rodarte 
• Excellent condition

Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 66" from top of the shoulder strap to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5276

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2021 Rodarte, Look 24.  /  (2) Model in Rodarte photographed by Kourtney Kyung Smith.  /  (3-4) Anya Taylor Joy at the Venice Film Festival, September 2021.  /  (5) Elizabeth Gillies in the show Dynasty, 2021.

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

• This is a phenomenal dress in a floral print version of various versions that walked the runway for the Spring 1980 YSL show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress is made out of what feels like a feather light cotton / silk mix. This fabric choice holds the colours beautifully. 
• The neckline is set wide across so that it sits at the edges of the shoulders. If you are not very broad across the shoulders you may be able to wear it fully off the shoulder but for most I think it will sit at the edges of the shoulder like you see on the dress form here. A wide 7" ruffle follows the entire neckline and gives it the prettiest flounce all the way around you.
• Under that the bodice skims down to a low dropped waist that is cut more generously through the middle. I have taken a photo without the belt so you can see how it is cut generously through the body. The dress comes with its matching tie belt that you can cinch in the waist as much as needed.
• The skirt is set into a slightly angled seam around the waist that comes up into a peak at one side. Tiny gathers are set in all along that seam and this is what gives the skirt its incredible volume.
• The skirt falls shorter at the side to match the peak of the seam of the skirt. As it circles around the back it gets longer. If you were to lay this out and open the skirt it is more than a full circle around. That volume combined with the lightness of the fabric gives you incredible movement when you move.
• This is an absolutely stunning example of his work during this time period and this particular cut of dress is one of my favourites from him. I have had it in several colours and patterns now and this is one of the prettiest I have had.
• The dress is unlined and closes with a side set zipper. The tie belt is original to the dress.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 45" from top of shoulder to the shortest point of the front hem, 57.5" to the longest point of the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5265

Reference Photos: Spring 1980 Yves Saint Laurent

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

• This is a dress from the Spring 2017 collection. It was not a piece shown on the runway but it was shown in the Lookbook for that season and has since become another of her iconic pieces.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pheobe Philo
• As with many of her pieces, this dress and the longer variation of it that were released, were loved by her loyal clients. We have included some photos for reference for you so you can see how this looks on the body.
• The knit has stretch so it is very easy-to-wear dress. This one is the slightly shorter length that has the added patchwork insets of extra colour at the sides. The longer length was a more monotone with the ivory hem. You can see the difference in the reference photos.
• The neck line is cut wider across the top and there is a slight seam that runs underneath the neckline where the striping has been offset for a little added detail. The sleeves are long and are slit at their wrist. There is a gusset set underneath each arm with the stripes set differently there as well.
• From there the dress skims over you to the hem. The stretch and ribbing allow it to expand and contract as needed as it follows the body. She has used seams to cleverly break up the stripes and change the direction of the ribbing. On one side there is an inset of a more densely woven knit that runs all the way to the hem for a block of extra colour.
• The front bottom portion of the hem and around partway to the back is finished with an ivory knit.
• The colours of the net are a pinky-red and an ivory. The way it has been knit creates a beautiful texture and colour over the entire dress.
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear with no closures. It has its original tag attached and was never worn. The easy cut and stretch of the knit should allow it to fit a range of sizes.
• Tagged a Celine large
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 26.5" from the drop show and are 8-12" around the upper arm
Dropped shoulders: approx 16" 
Bust: 15-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 52" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5253

Reference Photo: (1) Spring 2017 Celine Look Book.  /  (2-3) Irina Lakicevic at SS18 Paris Fashion Week, October 2017.  /  (4) Credit unknown.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the runway in a deep burgundy brown colour for the Fall 2002 collection as Look 65.
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino.
• The dress is made from layers of a feather light black silk chiffon that is cut on the bias. It is an extremely easy dress to wear and fit because it has a definite caftan feel to it.
• It is cut to sits either just at the edges of the shoulders as I have shot it here or can be worn off the shoulders like how you see it was worn in the runway photos. I love how that bare expanse of skin offsets the fullness of the dress underneath. 
• The sleeves are phenomenal. Each is cut so that it is very full and wide. They cascade down the arm in a double layer of silk and they are split along the upper edge. Each sleeve is cut so that it falls on an angle so that the innermost portion of the sleeve falls much longer than where the outer edge lies creating a cascade of silk down your arm. The lightness of the silk chiffon gives them a ton of movement around the arm when you move.
• The top of each shoulder is gathered into a series of rounded pleats and more of the same rounded pleats sits on the side of each hip. Long panels of silk chiffon fall from under the pleats set on the outside of each hip. These are cut much like the sleeves with a double layer of silk chiffon stacked on top of each other and ending in different lengths. This adds a tremendous amount of movement to the skirt when you move. I love how they tie in the sleeves and skirt together.
• The dress skims over the body and widens out quite a bit as it nears the hem. This is what gives the dress its caftan feel. The back hem is cut longer than the front so you get a sweeping feel behind you. 
• The body of the dress is made from three layers of silk chiffon and these act as the lining. The sleeves are made of two layers of the silk as described above. The dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Be easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. On a smaller frame it will just drape more.
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 12
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: to 33" at their longest points and are full and open around the upper arm.
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder to the front hem and the back extends another 10" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2002 Valentino, Look 65.

Item# DD5227

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

• When my client sold this to me I told me it was from 1978. We have not yet sourced a runway photo of it because these early collections were not always documented but if we do at some point we will forward that on to its new owner.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pierre Cardin.
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
  
• The dress is made out of a very high-quality black silk chiffon that is feather light in weight. It gives the dress phenomenal movement around you once on the body.
• This is a fantastic and surprisingly avant garde Haute Couture dress by Pierre Cardin that shows the breadth and depth of his talent. From a historical perspective it is also an interesting insight on the volume and play on proportion being done during this time period.
• The design is simple and has a minimalist feel but is still striking and dramatic. It is really a piece that will only truly come to life once on so is a bit of what I like to call a 'trust me' dress because you have to trust a bit on how phenomenal it will be.
• The neckline is squared off right to the outer edges of the shoulder on both the back in the front. The back dips down a little bit lower for more skin to show. I think that you might be able to also wear this fully off the shoulders if you wished.
• Inside there is a little strapless soft cupped bra made out of lingerie nude netting. 
• The silk falls from the shoulders and skims over the inner bra, flows generously past the waist and hips and then it widens out a touch more as it nears the floor.
• Under the top layer of black silk chiffon there is a layer of a dark brown silk chiffon. This keeps the dress from being too transparent and at the same time it creates the illusion that the dress has more transparency than it actually does as the two colours play against each other. 
  
• The sleeves are phenomenal. They are cut on a curve and are gathered into a piped wrist finished with a little bow, made of the same piping. Once on they pouf and balloon out fantastically above your wrists. They are one of the most exaggerated balloon sleeves that I have ever actually seen on a dress but in the best possible way. On my dress form they appear to hang very long and low but once on and held in place by your wrists they sit properly and billow out around the arm. They are quite brilliant.
• It is an incredible dress and like many of his pieces it truly will only come to life once there is a body in it.
• It is remarkable piece of true couture and a true piece of fashion history.
• The dress is fully lined with a layer of dark brown silk chiffon. It slips on to wear and the inner bra hooks to close. You could adjust the fit a bit by replacing that inner bra with one fitted to you and I have included the measurements of the outer dress for you as well as the inner bra.
• The dress has no size tag since it is couture so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24" to the actual wrist and then the sleeve extends another 10" past that when hanging loose. They are 17" around the upper arm.
Inner bra: tagged 34-35B and is 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer dress is to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5225

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

• This exceptional dress is by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior and it is a wonderful example of his work during this time period.
• This best matches the work that he was doing from about 1969 to 1972 when he was doing these wonderful dresses. We found a similar one to this with variations on the print that this dress has and I have included it so that you can see how perfectly this will drape and fall on the body.
• It is a very easy and comfortable dress to wear
• The dress is made from a cotton that has a pretty floral print that covers the entire dress.
• The neckline is set high and detailed with a black cotton collar that extends down the front and buttons to about the waist area.
• Under that the bodice is meant to skim over you to fall loose and easy over the natural waist and then the skirt billows out from under that to the floor.
• The sleeves are set into the shoulder with slight gathers and they have a more full cut that balloons out over the wrists. At their ends they are edged with that same black fabric that sits around the collar and this extends out and tie into pretty bows around the wrist. 
• The dress comes with its matching tie belt in the same fabric so you can wear it loose and easy or cinch in the waist for shape.
• Once on the body the entire dress has this stunning movement and yet feels minimalist and elegant.
  
• Unlined and slips over the head to wear. The front buttons up to about the waist and each sleeve ties with attached ties. The belt is original to the dress.
• Tagged a vintage Dior 12 and the easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 25" and are 13" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam and then you use the tie belt to cinch it in as much as you need
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 61" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5057

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Dior for British Vogue, March 1969.  /  (2) Model Kellie Wilson in gypsy-style Dior, wearing a long chiffon dress in lilac with white batik print, a ribbon belt and massive gold pendant Vogue October 01, 1969. Photo by Bert Stern.

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

This dress was designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. He mainly used this type of fabric for his 1971-1972 collections. This is the second time I have had a version of this dress and I love it even more this time.

This Lanvin dress is gorgeous and is from the main label. I am in absolute love with it. The dress has a gorgeous colour and print combination. It is made from mixing two fabrics and both hold colour exceptionally well so the colours are still crisp bright and true. The top portion of the dress is an easy silk jersey and then the skirt is one of his signature waffle weave cottons. The sleeves are long and simple. The neckline is scooped with a slightly wide cut. The top skims over you and the back goes down in a scoop to leave a bare expanse of skin showing. The waist is seamed and I love how the skirt is set into the waist in soft gathers so that it puffs out slightly around the waist. It also has a bit of a wrap effect where one side is open down the full length, but it is fully wrapped underneath so that you are completely covered. From there the skirt falls to the floor and it widens as it nears the hem. The fabric change on the skirt gives it a touch of weight so that it holds the shape well. The pattern is the same on both fabrics and yet they look slightly different because of the change in texture. It is brilliant. This full on pattern from head to toe makes the dress instantly recognizable as a piece of his work. Excellent condition with a note below.

The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined in a white silky rayon. It closes with a back zipper. I see what looks like remnants of a lining here and there along the seams of the top. I see a mark at the front. Please see the photo after the label shot. Hand finishes. The fabric of the top has some stretch. 

Sleeves: 25" and are up to 11" around the upper arm
Inset shoulders: to 14"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hip: 13"
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19" from top of shoulder to seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4941

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

The Resort 2018 collection was Carolina's last collection that she designed before handing things over to Wes Gordon. In the Vogue review they talked abut the inspiration for the pieces saying, "Herrera said she looked to the gardens at her home in her native Venezuela for her flower motifs, and the exuberant colours she pulled from them for other pieces." This dress was Look One of the presentation. Brie Larson wore one on the Today Show that year, Grace Gummer wore hers to the Emmys awards HBO party and we found a photo of Helena Bourdon in one. It feels as fresh today as it did then. 

The dress is made out of a feather light silk crepe chiffon in a beautiful soft blue. A pretty floral print runs over the entire piece. The front plunges to the waist for a startling contrast to the romantic feel of the dress. A tiny ruffle runs over each shoulder and the sleeves slim down a touch as they reach their cuffs. The waist is seamed and buttons to close. A slit at the front runs up to meet the buttons and lets a flash of bare leg show when you move. The skirt is cut to feel soft and full as it nears the hem. This gives it a romantic feel and pretty movement when you move. This is the actual sample dress from the brand and has its original sample tag. Which means it very well may be the dress that was worn by some of the people that we have included here for reference. I love it. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pale blue silk chiffon and buttons down the front. Buttons on each cuff. Original hang tag and sample label attached.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 53" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 21.5 from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4749

Reference Photos: (1-2) Resort 2018 Carolina Herrera Lookbook.  /  (3) Brie Larson on 'The Today Show' 2017.  /  (4) Grace Gummer at the 70th  Emmy Awards’ HBO Party, September 17, 2018.  /  (5) Helena Bordon in Carolina Herrera.  

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

In 1952, Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season, he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodman stores and was eventually available at other retailers as well. The line was high end and extremely well made. He launched this line to expand his customer base and it made to appeal specifically to his non-couture clients. This label continued until 1992. This dress is a gorgeous example from the time period. I love it. 

The dress is a fantastical confection of dotted silk organza tiers that run from the top of the dress to the hem. The bodice is suspended from the shoulder with straps made of the same silk. Each strap curves over the shoulder and then the first ruffle of silk starts from around the top edge of the top. The neckline is cut fairly straight across on both the front and back. The ruffles continue down the entire length of the dress and each one gets wider than the one above it. There are eight ruffles in total and it is just spectacular. The movement that the ruffles create as you move is fantastic. The dress underneath is made from the same dotted fabric and it also follows that widening line of the dress all the way to the hem. The skirt falls to the floor in a dramatic sweep that widens out as it near the floor. This cut is incredibly easy to wear and flattering. I love how the silk ruffles move around you beautifully with the slightest movement. There is a little silk flower attached at the base of one strap that gives the dress a little extra pop of colour for the perfect finishing touch. Tons of hand finishing throughout. It is truly magical. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a red silk and closes with a back set zipper and then each tier has tiny snaps to close each of the ruffles over the zipper to hide it. Tagged a vintage Givenchy 8. I see one tiny hole near the hem of one ruffle near the bottom. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. Hand finishes throughout. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner seam under the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4935

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

John Bates founded the Jean Varon label in 1960 and it quickly became known for the futuristic designs and innovative use of fabrics. He dressed Dianna Rigg portraying Emma Peel in the 1965 season of the action TV series 'The Avengers' and that helped bring him even more commercial success. By the late sixties and into the seventies his work tended more towards more floating, feminine designs. Some of the very best pieces were made during this time period. His more caftan feeling dresses in particular are fabulous and they are some of my favourites to find. This one with its dramatic sleeves and plunge front is fantastic. 

The cut of this dress is spectacular. The fabric is a rust clay coloured silk that is very light in weight and drapes beautifully once on. There are two secondary patterns woven into the fabric and this gives it a little pop that I love. The border on the neck line, around the waist, the bottom of the sleeves, and all the way around the hem have a square check design worked into them, and then the bodice and skirt have stripes. I love how he has put the stripes horizontally on the bodice to really highlight and add to the feeling of width through the sleeves and then the skirt is done the opposite way. The dress feels very sexy but in an easy to wear kind of way. It slips on and zips at the back. The top is spectacular. It is cut to skim over you to the waist. The waist is set on an upward curve and sits slightly below the bust line. The front plunges to the waist band for a gorgeous expanse of skin to show. There is space left between the two sides of the plunge and I love that little detail. The sleeves extend out from the fabric on the bodice with no side seams at all. They come out from the waist and are cut wide and straight. That makes them very full and they just sit beautifully on the body. The dress falls to the floor from there and the skirt widens out slightly as it nears the floor. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Unlined and closes at the back with a zipper. I see some tiny areas where the fabric has changed colour just very slightly. It's so minor, but I mentioned for accuracy. I could not capture it on camera.

Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: no true side seams
Seam under the bust: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of the shoulder to seam under the bust
Total length: 57" from top of the shoulder with just about 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4920

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

This is a spectacular and rare dress from the Fall 2004 McQueen show and its twin walked the runway that season. On the runway it was shown with a sash wrapped around the hips and you could easily replicate this if you wished. It is equally as good on its own. The runway pieces were not produced in significant numbers and were often only found at the flagship stores in very limited quantities. For this collection McQueen was quoted as saying that he wanted to 'strip away all theatrics and focus purely on design'. The colours in the show focused on a nude palette and these taupe pieces were a predominant element in the collection. He also kept the embellishments to the bare minimum throughout the collection and this dress showcases that nod towards simplicity. 

The dress is made from a very fine knit jersey that has a slight sheen to it. The seams are then either surged and top stitched, or have been covered and highlighted with a silk cording. This use of the seams as a way to create design details within the dress is a very McQueen feeling signature and it really highlights the cut of the piece. The neckline on the dress is a wide ribbed panel that has a lot of stretch available to it. You could wear it up and off the shoulders but it is best worn as shown on the runway, stretched and pulled down to leave the shoulders bare and exposed. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has some fullness above its 4" cuff. On the runway, they pulled the cuff up and inside so you just saw the part that blouses over and not the cuffs itself. A very clever styling trick. From there it continues past the hips to the floor. If you thought the way the seams have been detailed on the bodice is pretty, the skirt is magical. There are stacked side by side peaked panels whose tops sit at different heights around the entire skirt. Each has a touch of open cut work around their seams which gives the dress more depth and detail. This piecing of the side by side panels also allows the skirt to have more of a flare at its bottom. You can see how beautifully it moves in the runway video here. It is my understanding from my client that only a limited amount of these were produced. This is an iconic piece of McQueen's history. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in an ivory stretch lingerie type fabric and slips over the head to wear. The knit jersey has stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. I see a tiny area on the knit where it misses a stitch. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a McQueen 38. Any change in colour you see is just the lighting. The stretch fabric should allow it to accommodate a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: variable
Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Total length: approx 60" from the top of the natural shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4816

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2004 Alexander McQueen.

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

 Item# DD4481

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4218

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

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