This is one of the best Geoffrey Beene gowns that I have seen in some time and is really an outstanding example of his work. My client had this looked at by someone that actually worked closely with Beene and even they said it was one of the best Beene pieces they had seen. I love Geoffrey Beene's work during this time period and this particular dress is just divine. It is really a special piece and Museum worthy. The workmanship is very fine and it is surprisingly light weight despite all that is going on in it. It also has a very refined look to it which is a feat in itself considering how many details and separate elements have gone into its design. It is made form a combination of a gold backe, silk lurexy mixed with netting and chenille velvet yearn embellishments. The prints are a mix of pattern, lines, stripes, dots and  animal prints with a lurex trim detailing.

The body and skirt of the dress is made of a fine metallic silk lurex, with striped netting used  for the sleeves. This same striped netting curves around the back waist and up into the inset bodice. . The bodice has a silk muslin with velvet chenille dot embellishments covering it. It is cut full through the bodice so just skims over the bust and out into the sleeves. The extensive detailing work and lurex piping that details all the design is amazing. From there the skirt floats over the hips to the hem where it is finished with a fine band of black netting set just under the hem line. It is really an amazing dress and a testament to Beene's genius. Note that the dress also comes with a short lurex sash that you can tie around the waist or neck. I chose not to photo it ties around the dress so you could fully see the amazing detail at the waist and neckline. Excellent condition.

The fabric is self backed in gold and the dress unlined. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each sleeve has a hidden set zipper at the cuff. I see one small stitch where there was a break on the net at the top of one shoulder.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2807

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 dress was definitely inspired by the work that Loris Azzaro was doing during this time period. At first glance you would almost think that it was one of his pieces. It has that same signature looped keyhole neckline that has a highly detailed embellished neckline just like his pieces did. This version is made from a fluid silver-grey jersey that drapes fantastically. The color perfectly off-sets the detail at the neck and it has a cool, chic feel to it. It is gathered up and around the bodice with all the pleat work used for the gathers converging into the center keyhole. The skirt cascade from just below the bus line to flow to the floor in yards of fabric. I love the neckline and it is absolutely the center piece of the dress. It curves up and around the neck and the straps are completely encrusted with faux pearls, densely set, glittering rhinestones and beads scattered in between. It is a fantastically sexy dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching color silky rayon and closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. There is some light scuffing/grubbiness along the hem but nothing that detracts.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 11" from neck to empire waist
Skirt: approx 49" from empire waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2386

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 stunning dress is one of the most incredible Stavropoulos gowns I have had in the shop. I love the lightness and airiness of it that created by the layers and layers of the mint green silk chiffon. In person, the layers give it a depth not quite captured in the images here. The photos don't quite capture the tone of the color the layering creates. Trust me when I say it is even better in person. It is also a touch more of a pastel tone in person. The entire gown is cut on the bias and there are yards and yards of silk that have been used to make this beautiful dress. Four full layers of silk are used in the lining of the skirt alone and that is under and in addition to the top layer. The interior bodice has a simple V neckline that you see under the top layer of silk. A second V at the back mimics the front. The waist is shaped by vertical seaming and gives the dress just the perfect touch of shape. That seaming opens up into deep pleats on the skirt that allow the tremendous amount of fabric that makes up the the top layer of the skirt have full movement and drape. Each sleeve is a single layer of silk chiffon and flow cape-like over the arm. The sleeves are cut very wide and full. Each is fully open along the lower edge so you get a real flowing, cape feel from them. It is beautiful. Excellent condition

George Stavropoulos is one of my favorite designers and his work is extremely overlooked in my opinion. He was known for his evening wear and his signature looks often involved draping and the use of multiple layers of silk done on a bias cut. He did not like overt, flashy ornamentation and instead focused on cut and fabric to convey the beauty of each piece. It was said that his gowns "seemed to float on air". He launched his label in 1960 and soon was dressing women like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Barbra Streisand and Maria Callas. The majority of his gowns are almost entirely made by hand and to couture standards. By the early 1980s a gown by him started at around $8500 and they went up in cost from there - that starting price point equals to around $26,000 in today's dollars. So when you buy a vintage Stavropoulos gown you are getting incredible value for your money. The only reason many of his gowns are not considered Haute Couture is because he was not an official member of the association.

It closes with a back painted metal zipper and buttons at the neck above the keyhole. I see one teeny bit of darkening to the fabric about mid-waist on one side and two tiny areas on the back of one shoulder.  The dress is entirely bias cut so it will drape to fit a range of sizes.

Sleeves: 31"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2502

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

Like the other dress by Biba that I have in the shop right now, the sleeves on this dress stand out immediately. They are just amazing and really take this simple black dress to a whole new level. Each sleeve ends in a full circle cuff that circles the wrist and gives you really dramatic movement once the dress is on. In typical Biba fashion, the rest of the dress is kept simple and easy with a figure hugging silhouette. It is that perfect British mix of saucy, sexy and girl next door. The fabric used for the dress that fabulous black moss crepe that was favored by the British designers during this time period. The front bodice is fitted and plunges in a V. From there the black moss crepe fabric is cut on the bias and flows out from just under the V neckline on the bust all the way to the floor in a beautiful sweep of fabric that widens as it nears the ground. It is an amazing, original Biba dress that is extremely collectible and still very wearable and fresh feeling. A real treasure. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. The occasional but of sheen to the fabric here and there from it being cleaned and pressed over the years but nothing that really takes away from the dress or would be considered anything but normal vintage wear and patina.

Sleeves: 28.5"
Shoulders: 11.5"
Bust: 16" 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
Length: 54" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2571

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

This is an absolutely incredible dress and once on the body it flows and drapes into place beautifully. It is from the 1970 collection and is documented in the "A To Biba" where a photo of a model wearing its twin was captured at the press launch party for the Biba make-up range on Kensington High Street in April of 1970. This is everything you look for in Biba dress, from the signature black moss crepe fabric that is so representative of this era, to the incredible flowing bias cut, to those amazing  Bishop cut sleeves. Those sleeves are the star of the show on this dress and they are incredible. This is classic Biba at its best and each billows out in a huge pouf of fabric above the elastic cuff. Above that they narrow to a slimmer fit over the upper arm which gives them balance and mimics the flared cut of the bodice and skirt. The front bodice is fitted and plunges quite low and it is gathered with seaming just under the bust. From there the black moss crepe is cut on the bias and flows from just under the bust to the floor in a beautiful sweeping column that widens as it nears the ground. The cut is supermodel long so it adds height to the girl wearing it. This is Biba at her best and even now feels incredibly relevant and modern. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Elastic at each cuff

Sleeves: 32" but pouf up and shorten once on
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under-bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from neck to under-bust
Skirt: 45" from under-bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD1290

Reference photo credits: Image from the "A To Biba" book by Barbara Hulanicki, Blogger Anita Clarke of "I Want, I Got"

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

George Stavropoulos was an amazing designer and his work is extremely overlooked in my opinion. He was known for his evening wear and his signature looks often involved draping and the use of multiple layers of silk done on a bias cut. He did not like overt, flashy ornamentation and instead focused on cut and fabric to convey the beauty of each piece. It was said that his gowns "seemed to float on air". He launched his label in 1960 and soon was dressing women like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Barbra Streisand and Maria Callas. The majority of his gowns are almost entirely made by hand and to couture standards. By the early 1980s a gown by him started at around $8500 and they went up in cost from there - that starting price point equals to around $26,000 in today's dollars. So when you buy a vintage Stavropoulos gown you are getting incredible value for your money. The only reason many of his gowns are not considered Haute Couture is because he was not an official member of the association.

This is a wonderful example of his work. The print that covers the exterior layer of silk is a beautiful combination of different purples mixed with greens. It is completely made of a fine silk chiffon and through the skirt alone there are four layers of the finest, lightest silk laid over each other. All of the silk used is bias cut which gives the dress incredible movement as you move. You will note that I have photoed the dress with that scoop showing at both the front and the back. I did this because I am actually not sure which way it is meant to sit. It completely sits fabulously on the body both ways and I suspect that on each person one way will feel better then the other - or if you are lucky, it will be like you are getting two dresses in one. The sleeves are very full and each is caught up at the wrist so that they pouf out beautifully. I love the floral print. It is a work of art, very romantic and ethereal in feel and even better in person then how it photoed.  Excellent condition.

The inner layers of silk act as the lining and there are a total of 5 layers of silk in the skirt and another single layer through the bodice. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes with a low hand set, painted metal zipper on the inner layers and hidden snaps to cover the zipper on the outer.

Sleeves: 28"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2806

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

George Stavropoulos was an amazing designer and his work is extremely overlooked in my opinion. He was known for his evening wear and his signature looks often involved draping and the use of multiple layers of silk done on a bias cut. He did not like overt, flashy ornamentation and instead focused on cut and fabric to convey the beauty of each piece. It was said that his gowns "seemed to float on air". He launched his label in 1960 and soon was dressing women like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Barbra Streisand and Maria Callas. The majority of his gowns are almost entirely made by hand and to couture standards. By the early 1980s a gown by him started at around $8500 and they went up in cost from there - that starting price point equals to around $26,000 in today's dollars. So when you buy a vintage Stavropoulos gown you are getting incredible value for your money. The only reason many of his gowns are not considered Haute Couture is because he was not an official member of the association.

This is a wonderful example of his work. The color is the most beautiful and romantic shade of pale lavender over inner layers of the palest blue and creams. There are five full layers of the finest, lightest silk laid over each other that make up the body of this gown. Each layer is bias cut ad float over each other and move beautifully. The three most inner layers are an off-white colored silk. This is then topped by a pale baby blue layer of silk and then the final exterior player is that pale, pastel purple. This gives the gown a remarkable and unique color. That combined with the incredible movement that silk has as you move is fabulous. I love that you you get a glimpse of the other layers and colors. The entire gown is entirely cut on the bias so drapes to skim over your body when on. This is also a feat of technical achievement to have all those bias cut layers sit over each other so perfectly. The sleeves are very full and each poufs out beautifully above the wrist and are finished with a bead applique cuff. The front and back plunge into V's and there is a hand done applique of fine bead work that curves over  one side of the bust and down to the waist on the other side. It is a work of art, very romantic and ethereal in feel and even better in person then how it photoed.  Overall excellent condition with some condition notes to review below.

The inner layers of silk act as the lining and there are a total of 5 layers of silk as described above. It closes with a back hand set, painted metal zipper. There are some faint water spots/smudges scattered across the front and a faint spot on one arm. I have had it lightly cleaned when it came into the studio and these may come out more with a more aggressive round of cleaning.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: Inset 13"
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD1378

Shown photographed on Laura McLaws Helms by Kimi Selfridge.

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

LaCroix was the master at creating the most fantastical gowns imaginable and I am immensely pleased to have this example of his work in the shop. This gown is absolutely beautiful and the colors and cut divine. It is made entirely from a fine, bias cut silk that combines a red-pink with deep pink dots strewn over its surface and covering every inch. The seaming is a nod to the 1930s and the asters like Gres and Vionnet and they are all angled and pieces together to crated curves and line. This cause the dress to curve around and hug the body while moving with you. The bodice is hand draped across the bust with one side sitting higher and suspended from a tiny strap while the other dips and is anchored by a wider strap. It curves on the bias, skims over the waist and flows to the dramatic skirting. Slits sit on either side of the front panel and these are kept from being scandalous with the wrapping of fabric at the sides. A panel of fabric is set into the back and this cascades to the floor and beyond in a beautiful train of silk. The bare back with its angled cut is the perfect finish. It is magnificent. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a silk organza and closes with a side set zipper. Tagged with the mainline demi-couture LaCroix tag and with a size 42 Tag. The bias cut will allow it to fit a larger range of sizes.

Bust: 15-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from shoulder to front hem, 73" to end of train at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD2803

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

I have a version of this dress in black in the shop already and am excited to now have a red one too. There are 4 or 5 Burrows dresses that I always look for because they are just amazing examples of his work, and still hold strong today. This dress is one of those. It is made of a fine, slinky, sexy jersey in red. This one differs from the black in that it ties around the neck and angles down and around from there. It then falls in a beautiful bias cut and ends with an angled cut. All the edges are finished in his signature lettuce hem seaming. It is the front bodice that is truly spectacular - it showcases a design done in sequins, seed beads and tube beads that pop against the red. This is all hand done work and you can clearly see that on the opposite side of the fabric. It is magnificent and a real collectible from a truly amazing American Designer who was the first African American fashion designer to really achieve international recognition for his work. Burrows won three Coty awards (1973, 1974 and 1977). He was also one of the five American designers to show at Versailles in 1973 when America was pitted against the French couturiers. Excellent condition

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2802

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

This dramatic and beautiful silk dress is by Bill Blass and is magnificent. The gown is a masterpiece and I feel that it really is one of the highlights of his career and work. It really demonstrates aspects of his work that he touched upon again over the coming decades. I have dated it to the 1974-78 range based on other designs during this time period where he used fur cuffs like the ones on this dress. It is made from one of the best fabrics I have yet to see. The silk is feather light and a deep red that graduates to a chocolate around the hem. Fine gold lame thread create vertical stripes and on the skirt is an additional application of gold sequins - all applied by hand. It has a definitive nod to the 1930s in its cut but he has exaggerated some elements to keep it modern. The bodice crosses over itself and there is a silk chiffon tank set inside that adds some coverage. If you wanted a full plunge feel you could remove this. The sleeves are of course the showstopper. Each widens as it nears the cuff and the wide band of sable fur helps hold the wide bell shape, They are each a full 18" around. A brown silk ties sits at the waist so you can cinch in for shape as much as you desire. The skirt falls on a perfect sheath to the floor.  A real treasure and important and beautiful gown. Excellent condition.

The dress has a full attached second dress underneath in a brown silk chiffon. Closes with a back painted metal set zipper. An inner waist stay inside hooks to close. Hand finished and hand set sequins.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2800

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 beautiful Bill Blass dress is so easy to wear and yet makes a huge impact style-wise. It is made from a deep burgundy silk chiffon which makes it extremely light in weight. It really feels like nothing once you have it on the body. Woven though the silk are wavy stripes in a gold lame thread. These curve over the dress and sash in three different densities which gives the dress texture and visual interest. On the bodice the striped are set horizontally and are wide and curving with little peaks of the silk between them. On the skirt they are set vertically and the gold is skinny and the silk part wide, so you get the full impact of the color of the silk. And on the wide, extra long sash, you have equal sized stripes of gold and silk. The cut is so easy to wear. The dress slips on and the top is cut loose with a wide boat neck. The waist is cut wide - on a smaller frame you use the belt to cinch it in. The skirt cascades to the floor from there in a pretty flow of silk. I love it. Excellent condition

The top is unlined and the skirt is lined in second layer of chiffon. It closes with a low set back painted metal zipper and buttons from the waist to the neck above that. Each sleeve has elastic as its cuff. The sash tie is very long so you can wrap and style it numerous ways. You could even wrap it and use it as a headscarf if you wished.

Sleeves: 23" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: open
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2798

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, for her weekly style column on our blog Curated. (Photos by Erin Leydon) Click here to see the full column >

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 gorgeous Estevez dress is perfect for the summer and can easily work during the day or at night. The jersey has an almost swimsuit feel and will travel and wear extremely well. The cut is very flattering with a ling lean body, tiny straps and a built in bodice inside that gives you shape. This inside foundation would even allow you to tuck in the straps and wear this as a strapless dress is you wished.  The base is black and onto this is screened a graphic print of lilies in white and greys. It is so pretty and chic and still feels fresh and current. Louis Estevez worked for Jean Patou for two years before starting his own label in 1955 and had a long and successful career. Excellent condition.

It has a built in bodice with elastic that sits just under the bust and the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper.Note the straps are extra long and work best if you slip them over your head so they cross as photoed. Or you can shorten them to the perfect length if you prefer then to not cross

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist to hip: widens from 17" to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 58" from top of shoulder strap to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2795

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

John Kloss for Circa were originally intended as lingerie pieces the vast majority are too thin or too sheer to wear as proper dresses now. This one walks the edge, perhaps not to be worn on its own out in public with its open sides, but as a layering piece. It def has a touch of sheerness in a strong light but you could use it as a cover up, be daring and wear nothing but a slip under it, or layer it over just about anything. I love his work. He deliberately chose good weight and quality nylons that held the color well and would drape exactly as he wished. This black tabard cut gown is simple in feel but big on style. It slips over the head with an elastic drawing in and adding shape under the bist and to the waist at both the back and front. It is left completely open on either side with just a simple tie. Quite amazing and daring. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on. The design will allow it to fit just about any size.

Bust to hips: open
Bodice: 11" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 39.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD2790

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 La Mendola label is highly collectible and sought after - when the duo behind the label where designing in Rome it was girls like Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth that were buying and even wait listing for pieces as they were produced. The Italian based shop closed in 1974 giving us a date for this prior to that. The silk jersey used to make this dress is the best possible grade so feels amazing on. The design is beautifully vibrant and bright with a mix of teal, green and lavender. These travel and wear exceptionally well, exactly what a jet set girl of that time, or now, requires. It has a simple and sleek cut with an undefined waist, high neck and long sleeves. I love how it covers the body completely and how the fabric drapes and skims over your curves so it is still sexy. A matching tie belt  of the same fabric allows you to cinch in the waist for more shape. A row of tightly spaced, hand covered silk buttons up the back of the neck are the perfect finishing detail. It is an amazing piece. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear with a row of hand covered silk buttons up the back of the neck. Original tie belt. The bias cut stretch silk jersey and forgiving design of the dress will allow it to work on a range of sizes. Appears unworn

Sleeves: 20"
Drop shoulders: 18"
Bust: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 53" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD2159

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 soft pink silk chiffon gown from the ready-to-wear Scaasi Boutique line is beautiful. That elaborately pleated and thatched strapless bodice give it a touch of Grecian goddess feel. The draping details through the skirt and that stunning bodice work in combination with each other to really create a pretty and romantic feeling dress. The bias cut and layered chiffon skirt flows to the floor in a floating swoop of silk. At one side of the skirt a panel of silk loops and drapes in a soft curve to create a that beautiful detail you see. The bodice above the skirt molds itself to the torso and the hand placed, crossed and gathered chiffon is done in a crossed over check pattern. The silk lies over a structured inner bodice that gives it structure. The strapless silhouette leaves the shoulders bare and the peaks of the front are set high for a touch of drama. This dress really moves wonderfully when on and is quite beautiful. The color in person is more of a truer soft pastel pink then how it photoed. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a matching pink silk with some parts hand set through the bodice. Closes with a back nylon and painted metal zipper. Lightly boned through the bodice. The skirt has an inner silk layer with a layer of the chiffon over that.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of dress to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2542

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

Scott Barrie was one of a group of black designers and models based out of New York's Seventh Avenue in the late 1960s. He quickly became known for his sexy designs and in particular how evening wear. Naomi Sims was a fan. His own label closed in the early 80s when he went on to join Krizia where he worked up to just before his passing in 1993  of brain cancer. This gives us a very small window for his work and since many of his pieces were of very limited production and the early pieces were even made by him out of his apartment on a makeshift cutting table and domestic sewing machine. To me this makes each of his found pieces that mush more special.

This dress is stunning and shows his range with fabric and the more romantic side of his work. He is known for his work in stretch jerseys but I rather love this silk chiffon dress, maybe even more then some of his jerseys. It is very sexy in a very pretty and romantic kind of way. It is made from a bias cut, almost weightless silk chiffon that is printed with huge pink and coral tropical flowers on a vivid green backdrop. It is almost too pretty for words and the silk seems to almost float around you when you move. The bodice is fitted and each sleeve is a pretty flutter of silk. The back is left completely open and bare with a small ruffle of silk edging the opening. It is just absolutely stunning. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a green tissue silk and closes with a low back zipper and ties behind the neck. There are some teeny tiny watermarks on the skirt here and there - they do not detract because of the pattern but are present if you inspect it closely and flat with the fabric spread out.

Bust: variable with no true side seams
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to slightly dropped waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to front hem, 44" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD1262

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 emerald green silk chiffon gown by Arnold Scaasi 's ready-to-wear line is stunning. The one shoulder cut gives it a Grecian goddess feel and the asymmetrical draping on the opposite side make it a little different form the standard one should dress you would see. I love how all of the curves of the dress work in combination with each other to really create something special and beautiful. The skirt flows to the floor in a beautiful asymmetrical line that is cut so that it sits longer at the back and one side. The other side of the skirt drapes up on a soft angle to allow for a little flash of leg when you walk or move. It also creates a pretty contrast and balance to the bare shoulder. All of the chiffon used on the skirt is bias cut so flows and moves with you. The bodice above the skirt is cut to follow your curves and the hand placed, gathered chiffon is draped down and over to create detail and line. This dress really moves wonderfully when on and is quite beautiful. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a matching green tissue silk that is hand set. Closes with a side hidden set zipper. Lightly boned through the bodice. The skirt has an inner silk layer with two layers of the chiffon over that.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam inside
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to dropped waist
Skirt: 45" from dropped waist to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1455

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 near twin of this dress is held at The Metropolitan Museum which enables us to exactly date it. The difference between the one in The Met's collection and this one is that this one is opaque top to bottom so even though it would have originally been intended as lingerie piece you can easily wear it out as a dress now. The vast majority of John Kloss pieces that one finds are usually too thin or too sheer to wear as proper dress, but every once in a while you find a fabulous little exceptions like this one. John Kloss was a contemporary of Ossie Clark and I love how you can see that same British sense of sexiness in his pieces. This gown has a simple but sexy cut that really shows off the body once on. The halter cut bodice has an almost scandalous plunging front that goes right to the waist. At the point where the waist and the halter join is an elaborately beaded pair of swan set so they highlight the plunge and add a beautiful detail. At the back it is cut so you have an almost slight cowled effect and the entire back is left bare above that. From there it flows to the floor in a column of bias cut nylon jersey. A slit up the front shows miles of leg. Kloss was genius at choosing extremely high quality nylons that held the color well and would drape exactly as he wished. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear and ties at the back neck. Tagged a vintage Kloss for Circa Small but please check measurements. The fabric does have some stretch so the size range is slightly more variable then usual.

Bust: variable with no true side seams
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2785

Reference Photos: John Kloss, 1971. Both from the MET Collection. ( 1  /  2 )

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

If you are a regular you will recognize this dress. I have had it in the shop for a bit. The owner of this is motivated to sell and it is a brand new price now - about 1/2 of what it was previously. So if you have been eyeing it up now is the time. Personally I am astounded that it has not already flown out the door as it is exquisitely beautiful and one of the best pieces form him that I have ever seen. It feels as fresh and relevant now as when it was made in 2002.

The dress is exquisite and only 20 of these with this rose print were produced worldwide. It is from the "Dance of the Twisted Bull" Collection of 2002. Digitally produced roses flow across the fabric and get denser as they near the hem. The dress is constructed with two layers of the silk chiffon fabric layered over each other so that you get this fantastic sense of depth with the screened design showing through. Each sleeve flows down the arm and then ends in a tiered full cuff whose edges are left raw. The skirt has that same deconstructed treatment to its hem and is  made from layers of silk set over each other. It skims over the hips and then cascades into different lengths that float around you as you move. The neckline is beautiful and has ties that curve up and around the neck and can be tied several ways. The shoulders are left bare.  You can instantly see the Spanish influence that Alexander McQueen strove for in this piece. It is a even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition.

The McQueen site says of the  collection: Body-skimming jersey cutaway to mimic harnessing is paired with sharp, low-slung tailoring, crisp white shirts are layered with laced corsetry in traditional Savile Row fabrics. Jewel encrusted epaulettes, polka dots, ruffled, tiered skirts and more crafted out of what look like Spanish fans are all executed with the complexity of pattern and attention to detail the designer is known for.", and Style.com's review said: "The Dance of the Twisted Bull" was the title of Alexander McQueen's highly anticipated collection, his first since partnering with Gucci Group and deciding to show in Paris. McQueen pulled off a bravura, Latin-themed romp. One particularly theatrical dress came equipped with banderillas—the long spears with which bullfighters pique bulls—that seemed to impale the wearer in order to support a long ruffled train in the back. Another, a severely deconstructed blood-red señorita dress, had part of a jacket attached at the waist, while a matador-inspired strapless gown featured a built-in sword. An assortment of polka-dotted frocks were layered over matching stockings, and cinched with corsetlike straps and holster-inspired tops. Alongside these dramatic statements came plenty of carefully tailored, eminently wearable clothes, deftly proving McQueen's ability to mix iconoclastic statements with commercially viable product. Razored jackets were softened via seashell-like pleated skirts with gently upturned fronts; flared-sleeve eyelet shirts, layered skirts, and embroidered white jeans all looked confident, as did the cut-out dresses and sharp-as-a-tack toreador suits." The full show is shown below.

Fully lined in a second layer of the same printed silk chiffon with more layers in the skirt. It closes with a hidden side zipper and the halter can be tied in several ways. Hand finishes. Purposely deconstructed edges. Museum quality

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" max flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to longest points of the asymmetrical hem but it is cut on the bias so will come up some when on the body as bias cut dresses do

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD939

Reference runway photos from style.com / Third reference photo from the ediorial "Dark Angel" Vogue UK, March 2015 by Tim Walker.  Stylist: Kate Phelan.  /  Last three photos: Amanda Lee Shirreffs. Click here to see her original blog post on this look >

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

Halston is one of those rare labels that the more time that goes by it actually feels more relevant. It is easy to think of this piece as both a treasured collectible and a closet staple - knowing that every time you slip it on you will look and feel amazing. It has his signature simplicity and masterful draping along with a touch of Studio 54 sexiness thrown in. The dress is made from a deep red, light wool jersey and simply slips on and you hook it into place at the waist. The front crosses over itself with a mid-level plunge that the placement of the fabric and interior hooks hold in place so that you feel safe wearing it. It is cut with the absolute minimal seaming - you can clearly see this especially at the sleeves and how there are no seams to attached them to the bodice, rather they just extend from the same fabric. It is cut on the bias, then wraps and drapes to follow your every curve. The skirt is lean and again it is the crossing over of the fabric that gives you the coverage to wear it and feel secure. The wrapped styling allows the entire front to look like you could step out of the dress at any moment but it is designed to stay in place. The waist is elastic so very comfortable and you could really cinch it in further with a belt. This is signature Halston Studio 54 sexiness but in a dress that you can wear day or night. Excellent condition.

Unlined and wraps to close with flat hooks inside and out at the waist to hold it in place. The waist could be adjusted approx 1" up or down by moving the hooks and has elastic running through it. The wool jersey is a very comfortable and easy weight and feels fabulous on.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: approx 16-17" flat across but has no true side seams
Waist: 11.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Skirt: 31.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2781

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