
I Have a Question
After much research I believe this to be from the Spring 1979 collection for Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld. In this collection he moved away from 1940s as his inspiration into the sex appeal of the 1950s, said the book 'Chloe Catwalk'. The silhouettes were based on the hourglass. In that same book there was a very similar floral pattern shown that is on this piece. Gathers emphasized hips, which this has, and the waist was emphasized. Feathers and the rooster were a part of both the prints and the accessories. Lagerfeld said of the collection to the press "Frivolity is important. I want shape and sensualness."
The dress is made from one of his signature feather light silks of this time period for Chloe that feel like magic on. It is screened with a custom print that mixes an ivory, pastel coral and a pale lavender purple. The entire dress is unlined and this is what helps to keep the dress so light in weight. An interesting detail is that the labels are on the side of the dress that I think is the front. The side that has the deep plunge is longer in length at the hem so I believe that should be the back. I have seen other dresses with this label placement from around this time period and when the back is plunged like this, so it is not unusual to see. I have photoed it both ways for you, with the plunge at the back and the front. You could potentially wear the plunge at the front if you don't mind the longer hem at the front. Much like that Lacroix dress from me that was worn to the Met Gala a couple years ago when they turned it around backwards. The sleeves are long and it skims over the bust to the waist. The back plunges into a low V to just above the waist. As mentioned above, it is possible that you could wear it either way around. It is incredibly sexy worn either way. The waist is seamed and the dress comes with it original striped screened silk belt that hooks into place around you. The stripes on the belt pick up the stripes that are on the end of each sleeve and circle around the hem. The skirt curves over the hips and there is a gathering of the silk there for added shape. It falls to the floor from there with the back cut longer then the front for a slight trained effect. You get the most fantastic movement as you walk. The dress is in its original uncut length. Excellent overall condition with a note below.
Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes throughout. There is light fading to the fabric here and there at the top of the shoulders and edges of the hems where there is the purple in particular. This all looks to be hand dyed and or screened and it presents perfectly once on. The belt hooks to close. It is amazing.
Sleeves: 22.5" and are 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from neck to waist
Total length: 60" from neck to front hem, 68" to the back hem with about 2" turned under the hem
Belt: 2.5" wide x 27" long where the hooks currently sit.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5008
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The Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.
I love whenever I get a fabulous Leonard dress into the shop. They are so chic. They are also very easy to wear and travel with. This one is a real beauty. It is made out of one of their signature silk jersey fabrics combined with a silk chiffon for the sleeves. This silk jersey fabric choice is what gives these dresses their perfect drape and fit. Each of their dresses were made of a custom designed print. The dress has a solid black full length skirt topped by that pretty bodice. The floral print runs over the sleeves and the entire upper bodice. The colours are a beautiful mix of pinks, pale purples, ivory, taupe and black. The flower print is large and very pretty. At the front the bodice plunges right to the slightly high set waist. At the base of the plunge is a tie that extends out from the fabric on either side of the bust and lets you to pull it in and adds the prettiest detail. The tie is silk jersey on one side and silk chiffon on the other. Each sleeve is cut to puff and balloon out over the jersey cuffs. The sleeves are made of a silk chiffon so have the added charm of being slightly transparent. Under that the skirt skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. I love the contrasting borders that define the neckline, cuffs and waist. It is a beauty. Excellent condition.
Unlined and closes with a back zipper. The fabric does have some stretch and I have put the comfortable range of measurements when laying flat below. The printed part of the fabric is signed throughout. Each sleeve buttons to close on the cuff.
Sleeves: approx 25.5" and are very full through the upper arm
Shoulders: 14-15"
Bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5"-15 flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from top of shoulder to top of the printed band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of the shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5006
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philip hulitar
Elegant 1950s Philip Hulitar Couture Gathered Front Panel Champagne Strapess Silk Dress
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Philip Hulitar designed from 1949 to his retirement in 1964 so his pieces fall in a very defined period of time. He was known for his sophisticated dresses and evening gowns. Shortly after the launch of his label a journalist gushed that; 'The star of a gifted designer has risen recently on the fashion horizon'. Prior to the launch of his label he was the in-house designer and head of the women's dress division for Bergdorf Goodmans for 18 years. His work is amazing. It would obviously make an amazing wedding dress for a bride but I think it is also a dress that could cross over and be worn to other events. It is just beautiful.
The fabric on this dress is a rich ivory champagne coloured silk and the cut of the dress is magical. The bodice is strapless and it is lightly boned to help to hold the shape once it is on the body. A little bow sits on one side to add pretty detail. The waist nips in and then the skirt curves out and over the hips. It widens from there to the floor in a stunning expanse of silk.Running down the centre of the front and also down the back are inset panels made out of the same silk. The silk has been hand gathered inside of each of those panels. I love how they add to the hourglass shape the dress has. The back is cut slightly longer for a beautiful sweep of fabric as you walk. It is a beautiful and rare piece of 1950s couture. Excellent condition with small notes below.
Fully lined in a tea coloured silk organza and closes at the back with a hand set metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. Boning through the bodice. The inner lining has some changes in colour throughout. I see a tiny foxing mark on one side of the outer skirt and there are minor areas of shattering along the edges under each arm. Please see the photos after the label shot. Beautifully made.
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a C cup at the front
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem and 62" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4373
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Anna Molinari and husband Gianpaolo Tarabini launched the Blumarine label in 1977 out of Capri and had their first catwalk show in 1980. By the 1990s they had opened their first stand alone shop. This is from the 2000s Sposa wedding collection and it is a really pretty dress.
This dress is so romantic feeling. It has a V at the front and the back and there are panels of chiffon that angle over the bust. At the sides the chiffon extends out into little cape sleeves that draped down and over the upper arm. This continues around to the back so you get this pretty soft feel all the way around. The edges are embroidered with ivory ribbon and blue thread to form little bows and flowers. The body of the dress skims over you from the bodice to the hips with a touch of shape near the waist area. It falls to the floor from there and gradually widens out as it hears the hem. The back is cut longer than the front so that it trails out behind you and gives you that beautiful sweeping trained skirt. More of the same embroidery runs around the hem with pretty little ribbon bows set around the skirt for the final perfect touch. It still has its original tag and appears to have never been worn. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a silky feeling ivory rayon and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Original hang tag attached. Some of the little organza flowers within the embroidery have darkened with time and oxidization. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a 44
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13.5" from top of shoulder to the seam under the bust
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem and extends another 18" beyond that at the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5001
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This gorgeous dress is based on the 1947 gown designed by Christian Dior. You can see the similarities and cut when you look at the photo of that dress that we have included here for you. The dress comes to me from the original bride who had it cleaned and properly stored since her wedding day. It's condition is pristine. She has allowed me to use some of her photos that she sent me so you can see how gorgeous this is on the body. This may not be an original 1950s Dior, but it is as close as you can get and it is stunning.
The dress is made out of a white tulle that is layered over an inner ivory silk and layers of built in tulle so that it has the beautiful shape that you see. It is suspended by two tiny straps that curve up and over the shoulders and then run down each side of the back to the waist. This leaves your entire back bare and exposed. I love the pretty curve that is created at the side as the dress curves around to the back. Inside the bodice it is shaped to accommodate your chest and then nips in at the waist. The waist is defined with a wide pale lavender band that is attached and runs around to the back. The skirt falls from there and has built-in layers underneath so that it stays full all around you. I did not add any extra crinolines under the skirt for these shots. If you wanted it to be even more full, you could add an underskirt as there is definitely room for more volume if you wished.The back extends out into a sweeping train behind you. The entire back of the dress is spectacular. The band that cinches in the waist curves around to the back and the ends of it loop and hook into place into place to create the feel of an oversized bow and then long trailing ends extend down the back of the skirt. Four large flowers are pinned into place to nestle at the back of the back and re-create the iconic look of the original 1947 dress. It is absolute magic and instantly recognizable. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in an ivory silk that runs under the train as well. All of the edges of the tulle are finished. A layer of tulle with a ruffled and lace edged hem sit under that and there is final layer of silk under that. It closes with a back low set zipper. Lightly boned through the bodice. The bow hooks into place along the waist. My client just pinned the flowers in place with safety pins and I have left them like that so that you can choose exactly where you want the flowers to be placed. It would be very easy to stitch them once you have them set where they feel best on you. The dress was worn once, but appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: the front panel is 17" flat across from side to side
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to top of the band and 15.5" top the waist
Total length: The top tulle layer ends at 56" and the inner skirt under that end at 58" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem. The train extends another 56" beyond that.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5002
Reference Photos: (1) Gown by Christian Dior, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, location Chateau de Madrid, 1947. / (2-5) Previous owner in this dress.
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This set is just absolutely gorgeous and pieces like this from her are getting increasingly hard to find, so it is a true treasure. The print on this one was featured both on the runway and in the ad campaign. A very close version of it walked the runway that season. It is absolutely gorgeous and a rare find. Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional. Hanae Mori excelled at creating beautiful prints and they always have a hauntingly organic feel to them as she was constantly inspired by nature.
This is everything you look for in a piece by Hanae Mori. The entire piece has one of her custom designed prints screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. It has all been printed with a really outstanding oversized floral design and the colour combination is fantastic. It is two separate pieces. There is the inner dress and then you wear the more caped feeling overlay over that. The inner dress is sleeveless and is suspended from tiny straps that curb over the shoulder. It's very easy to wear as it is meant to just skim down and over the entire body in a long column of fabric. This inner dress has a fine pleat set vertically into the silk and this lets it have extra movement when you move and gives it an extra detailing and texture that contrasts with the gorgeous flowers that cover it. It is lined in a pale taupe silk and the entire dress is extremely light in weight. The flower design starts out in soft taupes at the top of the dress and changes to that stunning pastel coral colour for the bottom half of the dress. The caped piece that goes over this is spectacular. It slips over the head to wear and the neckline is set in a wide slit across the top. It is shaped to be two long, rectangles attached across the top on either side of the neck opening and when this is on this, it lets the sides drape down longer around you. On the cape, the coral is set more towards one side and I love that she did it towards the edge on one panel and towards the other edge on the other panel. There is no true front or back so you can choose to wear it on whatever side you wish. When on, that top layer gives the dress a more caftan feel. As with the best of Hanae's dresses, the effect of having the same print on the top layer and the inner layer gives the design added dimension and depth as they float over each other. The movement and drama this creates is extraordinary. This is a piece that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing it and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning example of her work and beautifully made. I love it. Excellent condition
The cape is unlined and the dress is lined as described above. The lining of the dress zips to close at the back with a series of tiny snaps over that on the outer layer. The edges of the cape and hem of the dress have been hand rolled and stitched. Tagged a vintage 8. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
Dress
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59" from back of neck to inner seam
Cape overlay
Neck opening: 13.5" across
Width: 59" from side to side at the widest point
Length: 35" and falls to approx 51" to longest point when on
Item# DD4999
Reference Photo: (1-2) Spring 1978 Hanae Mori Runway. / (3) Spring 1978 Hanae Mori Bergdorf Goodman Ad.
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alexander mcqueen
Dreamy Resort 2018 Chloe Printed Silk Chiffon Caftan Dress w Flowing Sleeves & Skirt
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The Chloé Resort 2018 collection was the transition collection between the creative direction from Clare Waight Keller to Natacha Ramsay-Levi. This collections was designed by the in house team and they stuck to the house signatures including this very bohemian and easy to wear dress that feels utterly Chloe. Its twin was Look 20 in the line up and I love how it feels so thoroughly in line with what is on the catwalk even now.
The dress is made from a top layer of that pretty printed silk chiffon and then there is an inner layer of a pale nude pink silk underneath. This keeps the dress very light and airy in weight. The neckline comes down in a V at the front and the sleeves extend out from the shoulders at the top and then from the top of the band at the waist. This makes them very wide and full as they drape down and over the arms. It is really what gives it that slightly caftan feel that the dress has. I love it. A more generously cut band circles your waist and it is done in the same order pattern that highlights the neckline, runs down the skirt and across the sleeves. The skirt flows to the floor under that and widen out quite dramatically by the hem. There is quite a lot of fabric in the skirt and it is cut so the sides are a touch longer. This gives the dress tremendous movement once it is on and you are moving. It is all softly gathered into the waist and then falls outwards to the floor. The lightness of the chiffon allows it to float and billow around you as you walk and move. It is spectacular. I love the gorgeous print that covers the entire dress and you can tell that it was all pre-planned to highlight the curves and beauty of the piece. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a soft pale peach silk with the sleeves unlined. It closes with a side set zipper. A teeny nick near the zipper that you don't see once its on. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. Tagged a modern Chloe 38
Sleeves: fall to approx 21" and are open around the upper arms
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to band at the waist
Total Length: approx 65" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5000
Reference Photo: Resort 2018 Chloe, Look 20.
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Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were very well made.
This great little Arnold Scassi dress is just fantastic. The fabric used for this dress is equally fantastic. It is a black net with embroidered dots that cover the entire surface. Onto the skirt are little cut out organza flowers that are applied in rows. The bottom of the skirt changes from netting to a silk organza that has larger versions of the embroidered and organza flowers to create the lower hem. One side of the skirt is scooped up with a little cluster of the flowers to hold it in place. More of the cut outs are scattered over the bottom part of the hem. Underneath the skirt are two doubled over layers of silk tulle that give the dress the volume that you see. The bodice is strapless and the netting has been gathered vertically all the way around to create soft gathers. A wide band sits just under that to give a beautiful cinched in feel. Excellent condition with a small note below.
Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and the skirt is lined with layers of black tulle. Lightly boned through the bodice. It closes with a back zipper. I see some separation around the hem near the bottom here and there between the embroidered edges and organza on the flowers. Please see the photo after the label shot for an example. Hand finishes
Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of band under the bust: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the bottom of the band: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 6.5" from top of bodice to seam under the bust and the band is 3.5" wide
Total length: 51" from top of the bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4996
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.

guy laroche
Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Runway Wide Sleeve Dress w Cumberbund & Back Skirt Panel
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Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launched his own Haute Couture label in 1957 as a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne. He became known for his colour sense along with the young and sexy look of his clothing comparison to the older more established couturiers. In 1985 he won the Haute Couture Golden Thimble award and two years later he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur. His second Golden Thimble was given posthumously after his death in 1989. Michel Klein took over the couture division where he remained until 1996. This dress is from Klein's tenure and it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing during there. Laroche once was quoted as saying “It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.” and I feel that this dress tries to live up to that thought while still maintaining the feel that couture had during the mid-nineties.
This is the type of piece that is so bold and edgy that you will only ever find it in a Couture piece. It has some subtle differences from the runway version which is normal for couture since each piece is fitted to the client. The bodice is scooped wider across and the back skirt feels longer. A long panel has been added that falls down the back and matches the colour and fabric of the skirt. The pale taupe inner dress is a mini in length with a panel of silk attached at the side and back. The long skirt that is attached over that is done on a soft olive green silk. This part falls to the floor in a long smooth drape of fabric. A wide deep blue/black silk band wraps around the waist for shape. This narrows down at one end and hooks into place under a long swooping gold brooch which I believe is gold plated. A long panel is attached at the back and while I have left it extending down you could probably be clever and tie it to create a bow if you wished to emulate the runway photo more. The sleeves are spectacular. They are the same deep blue-black colour but in a silk chiffon and are cut extra long. They are very wide and full and this lets the hem to fall at an angle when your arms are down. The softness and transparency the sleeves have are the perfect contrast to the rich silk the rest of the dress is made from. It is a very unusual and uniquely gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in hand set silk that matches the colours of the various exterior silks. The sleeves are unlined. The dress closes with a hand set hidden back zipper and then there is another zipper that closes the inner mini skirt. The sash at the waist wraps and hooks into place. The brooch is detachable and shows a sight patina. Proper couture label present. The dress is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner silk of the long skirt is scuffed near the hem and I see slight grubbiness along the hem on parts. Please see the shot after the label photo.
Sleeves: 34" to the longest point
Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Mini dress length: 31" from top of shoulder to hem
Full Length: 60" from shoulder to longest point of the hem
Waist sash: 26.5" in length to where the hooks presently sit with an extension past that that wraps and hooks into place
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4012
Reference Photo: Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Runway Collection on Kirsty Hume.
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.

bill blass
Incredible Fall 1987 Bill Blass Runway Deep Blue Silk & Black Velvet Dress w Back Bustles & Bows
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The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 runway and I love that we found a reference photo so you can see just how fantastic this is once on. It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person. Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. This dress is so unusual and I absolutely love it. It is truly one of the most spectacular of his dresses that I have had in the shop.
This dress is incredible. The fabric alone is a work of art. The base is a rich blue silk and then onto this is a fantastic design made of out a black velvet. The velvet is very soft to the touch with a chenille like finish that gives the design a beautiful texture and softness. The dress has the feel of an antique 18th century gown and I love this reference back to the past. The top is a fitted and strapless with a band of black silk wrapping around the breasts. The blue silk and black velvet fall from there to skim outward over the waist and hips and then narrow back down to the floor as it reaches the hem. This gives the front of the dress a more long and lean feel but with a hint that something special might happen as you turn. The back is the star of the show. Sitting over the top of the closure at the back is a large black velvet bow. This tops an added panel that has the feel of a bustle. I is made out of a tremendous sweep of the same fabric. It expands outward and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it swoops in. The sheer volume of fabric used to create this nod to a bustle is fantastic. From every angle of the dress you get these wondrous sweeping views because of this unusual detail. There is a slit under that at the back to allow you to walk. The combination of the beautiful fabric and that extra detailing is just amazing. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen from him. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper hidden under a seam and there is an inner hooked waist stay. Light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4995
Reference Photo: Fall 1987 Bill Blass Runway.
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.

oscar de la renta
Resort 2012 Oscar de la Renta Look 51 Deep Blue Dot Runway Dress w Ruffled Shoulder
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The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Resort 2012 show for Look 51. On the runway it was styled with a fabulous hat that gave it a very Spanish feel. I loved how it looked on the runway but it also looks as good on its own and not worn so specifically themed. This dress was mentioned in Vogue review specifically where they said "The artist's Spanish roots provided a through line to the collection's matador jackets; high-waist, narrow-cut pants; and pompom trim flamenco hats made of construction paper. If the headgear was a bit of a head-scratcher, a polka-dot evening dress was de la Renta at his best." It is fantastic and a rare larger size too.
The dress is made from a deep blue-black silk that has an abstract white dot screened over its surface. The bodice extends out and into an elaborate panel that curves up and over the shoulder on one side. The panel is made from a few layers to it to create a ruffled effect. Nestled into the ruffles are two red silk flowers. I love this little pop of colour. They pin into place so you can move them exactly where they sit best on you. The neckline is cut into a rounded curve that is very flattering. The bodice is fitted and cinches in at the waist with a full interior boned and cupped corset to help hold the shape. It curves out and over the hips and then the skirt cascades to the floor. The way the lower skirt is set into the body of the dress on a slight angle gives you a fabulous sweeping feel as you walk. The inner hem of the skirt is finished with a wide band of stiffening so that it holds the shape that you see. This also gives it a gorgeous movement when you move and walk. This is one of my own all time favourites from him. It appears to have been never worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
The dress is fully lined in silk and the bodice has a built in cupped and boned corset that closes with its own zipper. The dress closes with a back set zipper over that. Slight change to the dots near the back that looks like it was printed that way. Tagged a modern ODLR 14
Bust: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: LRG-XL
Item# DD4994
Reference Photos/Video: Resort 2012 Oscar de la Renta, Look 51. Model Bette Franke.
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.

nina ricci
Fall 1996 Nina Ricci by Gerard Pipart Haute Couture Strapless Silk Chiffon Dress w Crystal Detailing
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The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932 at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and quickly became one of the top couture ateliers in the world. In 1964 Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant, as head of the brand. Pipart, who had previously worked for Balmain, Fath, and Patou, brought a wide range of experience in all aspects of fashion to the brand. Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' He headed the Couture division until 1998 which makes this a dress from one of his final few seasons. This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture. It is truly magical once on.
The dress is made out of layers of a deep blue bias cut silk chiffon. The bodice is strapless and it has an inner shaped corset that is lightly boned and shaped for light support. The top of the bodice is slightly rounded above each breast and then dips down and into the centre. The silk chiffon has been gathered and softly draped by hand over the body from the bust to the top of the hips. The draping goes all the way around you and adds to the hourglass feel the dress has. The waist cinches in and the dress comes with its original matching silk sash that you can tie and style around your shoulders or neck. The skirt flows out from under there and it is made up of yards and yards of feather light silk chiffon all cut on the bias. The layers of chiffon are feather light and the movement they create as they float over each other as you move is just incredible. It is incredible to see in person. I love that added bit of glamour from the beautiful band of glass crystals, silver tube beads and silver sequins that run from the centre of the bust to curve down and over one hip. It is like an added bit of jewellery to the dress and just beautiful. It is truly one of the best dresses of his that I have seen. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a hand set blue silk. The skirt has an inner layer of silk under the top layers of bias cut silk chiffon. The bodice is shaped and lightly boned inside with softly shaped cups. It closes with a hand set back zipper. The dress is entirely made by hand with its proper Haute Couture tag present. There are a couple of tiny repairs and tiny areas of thinning/pinholes here and there in the skirt. There is so much fabric you do not see them but this is mentioned for accuracy. Please see the photos after the label shot.
Bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to the seam at the top of the hips
Total length: 44" from top of bodice to shortest point of the front hem and 56" to the back hem
Scarf: approx 20" x 80"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4993
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.

luisa beccaria
Prettiest Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria Runway Look 24 Blue & Ivory Silk Chiffon Dress
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The twin of this dress was Look 24 for the Resort 2020 presentation. The Luisa Beccaria label is made in Italy and run by the mother-daughter team of Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria. They are known for their incredibly feminine pieces that have an almost story book feel to them. The cost of their pieces run into the thousands and their clothing is very well made. The label's pieces always have a sense of romance to them. Vogue said of the collection that; 'Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza.'
This is a gorgeous dress. It has the prettiest floral design screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. The print is done in pale shades of blue on an ivory backdrop. The collar wraps around the neck with long attached ties that you can let trail down the back as they did in the collection photos or wrap and tie it into a beautiful soft bow at the front like I did. The silk is gathered into the collar for added detail on the bodice. From there it skims to the waist where you can cinch it in with its matching tie belt in the same fabric. The belt has an added flower that matches the print of the dress. The skirt falls to the floor under that and the silk is all bias cut with yards of fabric in the skirt. All of that fabric means that with your slightest move the skirt floats around you. The skirt is in its original uncut length. The sleeves are fantastic. Each is a very full balloon sleeve made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. They puff out dramatically above the cuff with each cuff ending in a split ruffle. This is a dress that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning and very romantic example of their work and beautifully made. It comes with its original hang tags and was never worn. Excellent condition
The outer dress is unlined and it comes with a matching ivory bias cut silk chiffon slip to wear underneath. It closes with hook and eye at the back of the neck and a hidden set side zipper. Elastic through the waist and at the end of each cuff. The original tie belt is included. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller frame and be more fitted on a larger frame. In its original uncut length, and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern 46 and has its original hang tags.
Outer Dress
Sleeves: approx 29" but meant to come up once on and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem
Inner Separate Slip
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4590
Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria, Look 24.
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.

alexander mcqueen
Resort 2010 Alexander McQueen Silk Chiffon Blue Print Dress w Plunging Front & Open Back
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The twin of this dress in yellow was part of the Resort 2010 collection. This dress with it stunning agate inspired print is even prettier that the solid coloured version. Printed pieces and these blue tones were used for the Spring 2009 show and a tag inside of this dress does have a date of 2009 so either he repeated the cut of the dress in the solid colour for the Resort 2010 show or this was made in 2010 but based on the 2009 prints and the date reflects the production date. It is absolutely gorgeous.
The silk chiffon that has been used to construct this dress is wonderful. It is covered with that amazing design that is set over the dress in a pattern done to reflect the colours and hues that you would see in an agate stone. The combination of the silk, the plunging halter top and that amazing back give the dress a soft and romantic feel while still having a bit of that McQueen edginess. The bodice is made of two wide gathered triangle panels of silk that wrap partway around the waist and then extend up and around the neck. At the back two other panels extend up from the waist and curve around the straps from the front. The triangles at the front create a low plunge that goes to the waist. The sides are wrapped slightly to the back waist but you still have a feeling of openness above that and I love that detail. The back is beautiful with those straps running over the bare expanse of skin. There is a soft partially twisted band at the waist for shape and then at the back it extends into long ties that you can tie into a bow as I have or let them trail down to the hem. Under the waist the skirt skims over the hips and then opens out to be very full. The softness and movement that the ultralight silk chiffon create when you move adds to the feminine feel that the dress has. It is genius. The volume in the skirt really becomes apparent when you move and it billows out around you to give the dress a light and airy feel. The dress is gorgeous and even better in person. This is a piece that will really come to life once on an actual body. Excellent condition
The dress closes with a low set hidden zipper and the ties at the back are attached and tie. The triangles have a lining of the same printed silk chiffon and the skirt is lined with an ivory silk chiffon. It is in its original uncut length and appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a McQueen 40.
Bust: each halter will cover up to approximately 8"
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13.5" from top of shoulder to top of the 3" band at the waist
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4795
Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2010 Alexander McQueen Look 25. / (2) Daisy Lowe attends the premiere of Boogie Woogie in London, April 2010.
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.

valentino
Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Runway Look 3 Blue & White Silk Organza Dress
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This dress is the twin of Look 3 for the Pre-Fall 2020 collection. For this collection Pierpaolo paid homage to the Fall 1968 Haute Couture collection and I have included the reference photos of those original pieces here. This famous print was originally done by Mr Valentino and were inspired by the blue and white in Chinese Delft print vases. It is also very close in style to the 2013 Valentino dress that was a part of the in the Met Museums 2015 "China: Through the Looking Glass" exhibit. When speaking of this collection to Vogue Piccioli said; “I want to maintain couture’s values even in the pre-fall collection. I like the idea of breaking its rules and translating them into a modern, spontaneous wardrobe, making something historical become contemporary.” and they went on to mention this print in particular saying that 'he picked from the archives... a beautiful print of Delft blue vases from a sophisticated 1968 couture collection. “I want Valentino to be lively and joyous,” enthused Piccioli. “For me, beauty means life, emotion, something that vibrates and is full of energy—not something removed that you look at from afar, as if on a pedestal.” Mary Holland wore its twin to a premier that season as well. It is beautiful and very special.
The dress is pristine and utterly beautiful. It is made of a feather light silk organza that has been printed with a beautiful blue and white design. The print is intricate and I love how he has placed the print over the bodice and skirt to accentuate the design and cut of the dress. The silk is feather light in weight and floats beautifully over the body. The dress has a second layer of organza under the top layer which gives it just a touch less transparency and also helps to add to the airy and light feel that it has. For the sleeves, he kept them to one single layer so they have a touch of transparency. It has a neat little collar and buttons to close done the bodice with hidden set buttons. I love how carefully the pattern has been lined up across the panel at the front. The bodice lightly skims over you to the nipped in waist. The skirt falls from under the waist and is spectacular. It is lightly gathered into the waist seam and then opens up to be very full to the floor. This is a gorgeous dress and it is even better in person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a silk organza with the sleeves unlined. It buttons down the front with hidden set buttons under that front panel and zips to close with a hidden set zipper down the back. Tagged a modern Valentino 40
Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total Length: 65" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4588
Reference Photos: (1) Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino, Look 3. / (2) Models in Valentino, British Vogue, September 1968. / (3) Valentino dresses at the MET Exhibition "China: Through the Looking Glass", 2015. / (4) Model in Valentino Autumn 1968 Gown, photographed by Steven Meisel, 2015. / (5) Mary Holland in Valentino at the premiere of "Happiest Season", November 2020.
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.

thea porter
Rare 1960s Thea Porter Couture Printed Silk Chiffon Dress w Gold Sequins & Gold Metal Thread Detailing
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This is a spectacular example of Thea Porter's work. It is very easy to wear with a touch of a caftan feel to it. That combined with those spectacular sleeves makes it very special piece. Her caftans and the dresses that had that caftan feel to them have come to represent Thea's work like no other pieces of her clothing that she designed. Everyone who was anyone wore her work back in the day, including Elizabeth Taylor who was a huge fan and collector. This dress is just spectacular and a very special and rare piece.
The dress is made from a printed silk chiffon that has a swirling design with a black backdrop. The print mixes different shades of green with pops of blue and the print covers the entire dress. The bodice has an empire cut and the front scoops low and wide. Detailing the edge of the neck and down the front is an antique gold metal cord embellishment. This circles around the neckline and part way down the front. Hand made frog knots made of the same cording close the dress down the front. The same gold cord covers the seam where the sleeves are set into the dress and more of it sit above the scalloping detail of the skirt. Thea was known to hunt antique stores and markets during her travels and use what she found in her designs and this is certainly a found antique textile. The dress buttons down the front to just past the waist. There is a seam set under the bust and then the dress falls from there in a loose and easy feel. The sleeves are fantastic. From just above the elbow to the cuff they balloon out to be spectacularly full. This lower portion of the sleeve is unlined and this gives it a touch of transparency. The final detail is that little scalloped panel that runs around the skirt above the bottom hem. It adds just a tiny touch of movement, and added detail that is lovely. This is very special and rare piece of Thea's work and it is also very beautiful. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a hand set black silk lining except for the lower sleeves. It closes down the front with gold antique cord loops and frog knots. Each cuff hooks to close. Tagged a vintage UK 12. Finished by hand throughout. There is some slight patina to the cording. A tiny bit of grubbiness to the seam under each arm on the inner lining.
Sleeves: 26" and 11" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from the top of the shoulder to the seam under the bust
Total length: 56" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4570
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.

valentino
Fall 2019 Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli Strapless Strapless Green Dress w Floral Design
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This is a dress that was made for the shops in limited quantities. That said, I have included a runway photo here that has similar pleat work to give you an idea of how the skirt falls once on the body. Fall 2019 was wildly successful. The Vogue review for this collection touched on Pier Paolos's inspiration for the show saying; "(he is) a man on an intuitive mission to place fashion on a positive plane. 'I feel that people are looking for emotion and dreams—but not distant dreams,' he said today before his ready-to-wear show was about to take to the runway. 'I want to create a community for Valentino. I mean something different from ‘lifestyle,’ which is about owning objects. It’s about people who share values.'” Every piece he did for the label was special and this dress is a beautiful example of that.
This dress feels thoroughly Valentino. The floral print that runs over its surface is spectacular. It is made from a fine and very light weight cotton whose finish gives it the look of a silk. It holds the soft pleat work beautifully. The lightness of the cotton combined with that soft open pleating is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the skirt catches the air and billows out around you. The body of the dress is done in a deep moss green that has the feel of being hand painted. Flowers trail down one side and this also has the feel of being hand painted. The strapless bodice is fitted to the waist with an inner boning to hold it in place. Inside there is a coral lining and this unexpected colour peeks through the exterior cotton very slightly. The skirt falls from the waist and widen out quite a bit as it near the floor. A wide ruffle is attached to the hem of the lower skirt for added volume and movement. There are many yards of fabric in the skirt and as you move the pleats expand to move around you beautifully. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
Lined through the bodice in coral and has an inner lightly boned bodice piece. The skirt is lined in a light white cotton. The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice zips to close with its own zipper. Hand finishes. I have had another dress from the same collection in the shop before and that one had a tag that said to maintain the plisse effect that dress has you were to wring it to compress the pleats after cleaning. Tagged a Valentino 40.
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4499
Reference Photo: Fall 2019 Valentino Runway, Look 60. Model: Yoon Young Bae.
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 anthony
Incredible 2005 John Anthony Couture Runway Sample Hand Beaded & Sequin Plunge Dress
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This is the runway piece from 2005 and the bead work on it was entirely done by hand by one of the same European ateliers who did beading for many of the Couture houses for this time period. It's modern Providence includes being worn by supermodel Daria Strokous to the 30th amfAR Gala, which also lets you see how gorgeous this is once on the body. In 1972 John won the Coty Award and then he won it again in 1976. Striking evening wear like this became his signature. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $20,000 and more during this time period. This comes directly from his archives and is a dress that you will never see again since it is the only one that exists.
This dress is absolutely stunning. The fabric is completely covered in thousand of tiny deep silver seed beads and iridescent aqua coloured sequins. This gives the dress some weight - we weighed it and it is just over 6 pounds - but it is so beautifully made that it balances and glides over the body perfectly once on. The front plunges right to the waist with two long triangles curving up towards the neck and hooking at the back. A ruffle from the same fabric follows the plunging neckline all the way to the waist to soften the feel of that plunge. The back is left completely open for a bare expanse of skin to show when you turn around. I love the the way the sides curved down to the back. The waist is brought in and then it curls back out over the hips. From there the skirt falls to the floor widening out as it near the hem. This give it beautiful movement when you walk and move. The colour is this magical deep aqua and silver mix and the way the beads and sequins are set give it a stunning pattern over you. No matter what angle you see the dress from it catches the light fantastically. Excellent condition.
Unlined and closes with a low set side zipper at the back and hooks to close behind the neck. Hand finished throughout with hand, applied beads and sequins. Silk chiffon panel finished hem and edges. Made to Couture standards.
Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from neck to waist
Total length: approx 63" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4399
Reference Photos: Daria Strokous at the 30th amfAR Gala, Cannes, May 2024.
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.

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The Valentino Roma label launched in 2000 to take the place of the Miss V line. It was sold at a price point that was a bit more accessible then their main line and was meant to be available in more shops then the main line would be. The pieces were still very well made. This one caught my eye simply because of how gorgeous and sexy it is. It is a stunning dress with a beautiful amount of detailing on it.
I love this dress with its amazing use of that gorgeous pale turquoise silk chiffon. These super light silk chiffons are always an incredibly difficult fabric to work with and Mr Valentino and his team were masters at it. The silk is so light that if not for the belt that dress would be almost weightless. The front panels of the dress are vertically pleated from the top of the neck line to the waist to give it a bit of a bib/ tuxedo front feel. It curves down at the sides and goes around to the low back. This leaves the entire back bare and open. At the front the fabric is split from the neckline all the way to the waist so you get this flash of skin. The fabric drapes over the waist line on my dress form a bit and I think that depending on how long you are through the body it might not do that once on because my dress form is a bit short through the body. The shape though the waist is created by a seam that sits across the front of the pleating. I love that it comes with a matching belt. The buckle of the belt is a bronze toned metal and it depicts snakes twining around each other in an open circle. Under the waist seam at the front, a little bit of a peplum extends over the front of the skirt. This little panel has that same pleated technique as the panels above it. I love how he only used this at the front and the back stays sleek and simple. Under that the dress cascades to the floor in many yards of feather light silk chiffon. This is where the dress gets truly magical. At the front it falls in a fairly sleek column that widen out as near the hem. Then at the back there is an inset panel of gathered fabric in the same colour that creates a sweeping train behind you. This panel extends out past the floor and it is fantastic. This is a stunning dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a matching silk chiffon and closes with hidden set back zipper. There is one small darkened area on the back and the belt shows some darkening along the edges. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a vintage Valentino 40/4
Bust: each panel of the halter covers up to 9" flat across from side to side
Waist: to 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be cinched in with the belt
Hips: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to seam at the front waist
Total length: 65" from waist to hem 75"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML that's enough
Item# DD4989
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 galliano
Gorgeous Fall 2003 John Galliano Bias Cut Deep Purple Silk Dress w Draped Arm Panels
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This dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period. This is a production piece that was not shown on the runway but would have been made in limited quantities for the shops. For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always harken back to his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them. This dress with its cut out detailing and that fantastic draping of fabric across the shoulders is absolutely beautiful. This is classic Galliano and is extremely flattering once on the body.
The dress is made out of a deep purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well and that we all love. The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor. The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see. The dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and around the neck. At the back, the strap meet behind the neck and then drop down the centre of the back and panels of silk are suspended from it. These curving panels can be worn either down and under the arms or you can drape your arms through them to create a beautiful curving 'sleeve' effect over the arm. I think that on a real body you might even be able to get clever and do some other styling tricks with them as well. The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. It buttons to close down the side with a row of his signature buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip. The dress is lined in a crepe silk but you could choose to remove that lining and have that side be completely bare so that your skin showed through if you wished. I have seen this dress in another colour where someone did that and it looked great. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. It will only truly come to life when worn. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. All minor and mentioned for accuracy. Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD4599
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.

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This is from the Spring 2016 collection and its twin walked the runway for Look 32. This is Maison Margiela designed by John Galliano and I love having the photo references and runway video so that you can see how amazing the dress is once on the body. Vogue called this collection the "most rounded and product fulled collection so far". They went on to note that "He made a delightful merge of vintage-y eccentricity, Japanese geisha styling, and color—themes that have constantly been part of Galliano’s design territory from the beginning, of course....for evening and events, numerous dresses in extraordinarily subtle combinations of kimono-inspired prints and tints". This is dress was a part of that grouping and you can see the elements of a traditional kimono in its padding detailing and painted silks. On the runway they showed it with a bag wrapped and tied around the bodice and I loved that clever staying that added that bright pop of unexpected green.
The first thing you will notice when you take this out of the box is how tiny it seems. It seems almost impossible to fit on an actual body but when you actually put it on you realize the amount of stretch that is cleverly hidden in it that allows it to form and fit you perfectly around the bodice. The colour is a muted plum and it is a fascinating and complicated combination of fabrications. The bodice has a built-in boned and cupped inner corset and then there is a layer of padding between that and the outer stretch silk jersey. It is strapless and meant to hug and fit the body. The skirt under that is fascinating. There is a layer of a thick stiffened mesh netting that sits over a white layer of the same netting and then that all sits over an inner printed layer of silk. Then that is backed in a black almost neoprene feeling fabric. This creates the slightly padded feel you see. If that wasn't enough the entire back of the dress has been painted with swaths of a bright turquoise paint that actually sits on top of the fabrics. It feels like he took a roller and just rolled over the fabric. John always pushes the edge in the way that he uses fabrics and this dress is no exception of that. It is a fascinating piece to see and an amazing future collectible. It has that brilliant tailoring and innovation that the label is know for combined with Galliano's genius. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.
Fully lined as described above and closes with a back zipper. Fully separate boned and cupped corset inside. Tagged a 40. The fabric has some stretch.
Bust: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to top seam at the waist
Total length: 48" from the top of the bodice to the hem with approx 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4598
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2016 Maison Margiela, Look 32. Model Martina Lew.
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.

alexander mcqueen
Fabulous 2007 Alexander McQueen Strapless Silk Black & Grey Tone Feather Print Dress
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This is an interesting dress in that it is instantly recognizable as a McQueen piece and yet it was not one that was featured on the runway. It would have been a piece that was produced for limited production in stores. I have seen an all black version of this dress but this printed version is far more rare and more interesting I think. It is truly a wonderful original McQueen piece.
The dress is made from a black silk with that gorgeous feather print screened onto it. Once on it drapes beautifully over the body. It is strapless with a built-in inner cupped corset bodice to give you support and to hold the dress in place on you. The top of the bodice is curved and it crosses over itself at the front. This adds a pretty softness to the front. There is a skinny band of patent leather that sits under the bust and then the rest of the dress drapes down and over the body from there. The silk through the body of the dress crosses over itself at the front and the edge is curved down one side and then around the hem. The choice of feather light silk for this one keeps it light and easy and as you move the silk billows around you. It also creates this incredible movement when you walk. I love how the feather pattern is laid out specifically to follow this beautiful curve of the dress. The silk would've had to be specialty printed in order to achieve this feel. I also love how the pattern is carried up and over and into the bust so wonderfully. It is spectacular. Instantly recognizable as his work. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a black silk and has an inner boned structured corset with wired cups. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and then a hidden set exterior zipper closes over that tagged a vintage McQueen 42 and appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Band under the bust: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open because of wrap design
Bodice: 6" from top of bodice to band under the bust
Total length: 50.5" from top of bodice to longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4985
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alexander mcqueen
Spectacular Spring 2004 Alexander McQueen Backless Feather Light Silk Tie Dye Dress
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This dress is a piece from the Spring 2004 season at McQueen and it is stunning. In the show that year you can see dresses with a similar cut. This would have been a dress produced for the shops in limited quantities and it is gorgeous. The FIDM Museum said of the show; "Deliverance, Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2004 fashion show was the hit of the season. Based on the 1969 film, "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" Deliverance subverted the typical fashion show narrative by reversing the order of presentation; evening gowns kicked off the extravaganza while faux-homespun daywear and a tarnished evening gown concluded the show. This narrative mirrored the film, which documents a Depression-era dance marathon. In order to earn a cash prize the hopeful participants must dance for days with only brief breaks for food and short naps. Lack of sleep and food, paired with non-stop dancing, drives the dancers to the point of emotional and physical collapse and ends in tragedy... 20 trained dancers paired with 20 models, all of whom rehearsed for two weeks. Deliverance began with models and dancers moving about the dance floor with a sense of eagerness and purpose, dressed in delicate gowns. By the end of the show, the dancer/models struggle to stay upright while dressed in patchwork garments representative of their overall decline.The emotional and physical deterioration in Deliverance is typical of McQueen’s work, which frequently explores themes related to violence and decay. Garments, particularly in his early collections, are often intentionally cut and torn and his fashion shows have been called a “theatrical staging of cruelty.”Though it almost seems counterintuitive, McQueen has expressed a strong interest in creating a feminine persona that is intimidating in its visual power."
I love the strong nod to the bias cut pieces of the 1920s and 1930s that the dress has. Once on the body it just glides into place spectacularly. The fabric is fantastically light and easy against the skin. It is a bias cut silk that weighs ounces. Onto it is with a beautiful tie-dye feeling pattern that covers the entire dress. It is impossible to convey the lightness and movement that this dress has in person. The neckline falls into a V at the front and the silk is meant to just skim over the bust and waist. Little straps come out from the top on each side of the front, curve over the shoulders, and crisscross over each other at the back. The shoulder treatment on the dress is amazing. A panel of the same silk has been attached to each strap and set in on a soft ruffle from where it begins at the front to where it crosses over itself at the back. These create soft little caps on the top of your shoulders. Where the dress crosses over itself at the back is where the ruffles end and then the dress has an opening below that to leave a bare expanse of skin showing. It is so unusual and really illustrates his genius eye for the way a piece sits on the body. I also love how the sleeves sit so softly on the top of the shoulders. They have the feeling of being meant to slip off the shoulder at any moment. You can see how good this is in the photos and it is even better in person. It skims over the bust, waist and hips so is very easy to wear. Where the skirt is set in under the waist, it is all done in little curving peaks and individual panels that widen out as they near the hem. There are eight in total and the amount of fabric that this gives to the skirt is incredible. When you move the skirt swoops out with a ton of fabric and then falls in soft folds all the way around you when you stand. It is breathtaking. This is a stunning and rare McQueen and showcases just what a master cutter he was. Excellent condition.
Unlined and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a vintage MCQueen 40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut of the silk allows it some give and I have given the comfortable range of measurements below.
Bust: to 15-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total Length: approx 62" from top of the shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4987
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chanel
Outstanding Fall 2001 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Runway Strapless Sequin & Lace Panel Dress
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The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Fall 2001 Chanel show. The show title was "Coco Pop" and part of the show had references to pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. There were also beautiful pieces that worked in the Chanel logo, chains and flowers and you can see on this dress that when you look closely at the sequin pattern that runs down the front they actually form the famous Chanel Camellia flower. I love having the reference photos and video for you so you can see how gorgeous this is once on the body.
Everything about this dress has that chic Chanel feel that makes many of Karl's designs feel like forever classics. Even without the fact that its twin walked the runway show, the dress feels very Chanel. It is beautiful in person and the simple lines and cut make it the kind of dress that you can wear multiple times while the styling and accessories you choose to add can make it feel different each time. It combines a flat pile cotton velvet backed in silk for the body of the dress and then the front panels have a nude silk backing and the lace overlay with a sequin finish. I love the texture and interest that this combination gives the dress. It has just enough weight to hold the intended shape beautifully. It is strapless with boning inside to help to hold the dress in place around you. The waist is shaped and brought in but there is no seam going across the dress to break the eye. From there, it skims over the hips and widens out to the hem. I love how the back is cut slightly longer than the front so you get that beautiful line behind you. The front lace panel is divided into two sections. The one that goes over the bust is done on a curve with sequins outlining its edges. Sequin Camellia flowers sit on the lace and are made from a variety of muted metallic sequins. Another curving edged panel runs all the way to the hem below the waist and again we see beautiful flowers done over the lace. They are concentrated more towards the top area and then start to disappear as they reach the hem. There is a little mother of pearl and black logo piece that sits on the side of the waist with the Chanel logo embossed on the mother-of-pearl plate. Just to ensure that you know it is indeed Chanel. It is an exceptional piece of Chanel. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk and the lace panels have another layer of nude coloured silk between that and the lace. The inner bodice is boned and made of a lingerie stretch net. An inner waist hooks to close and the dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a vintage Chanel 40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 52" from top of bodice to front hem, 55" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4986
Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2001 Chanel Runway.
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.

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This was meant to be a slip when it was originally sold but a modern girl might dare to wear it as a dress. It is an easy to wear piece and very flattering once on the body. The bias cut silk and chic ivory colour make it easy to wear but still have high impact. The lines are simple and it has that perfect easy but sexy feel. It is made of a single layer of silk cut on the bias. Once it is on it moves with you. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by skinny straps in the same silk. The front dips down into a V and the back dips into a very low V to leave the back bare. It skims over your waist and hips and then falls to the floor, widening out slightly as it nears the hem. A band of open cut work set in a twirling fabric runs on an angle across the waist area. I love how this gives a little glimpse of their skin through the design. It is in its original length and very sexy on. This would make a phenomenal piece for a bride. Excellent condition
Unlined and slips on to wear It ties behind the neck with the attached strap. Completely cut on the bias so the measurements have some movement. I have put the comfortable range when laying flat below.
Bust: 14-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 60" from to hem and that length can be adjusted up or down an inch or so by how tight you tie the straps at the back of the neck
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4982
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.

valentino
Gorgeous 2000s Valentino Bias Cut Ivory Silk Dress Dress w Beading Detail & Chiffon Skirt
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This is an incredible dress that dates to the 1998-2002 era based on similar cuts that I have had in the shop and what was on the runways. It is a design from Mr Valentino and it is a dress that is easy to wear and very flattering once on the body. I had a version in the shop of this recently in black and I love this ivory one even more. It is a show stopper. The fact that it is easy to wear is just bonus. This would make an amazing wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous event.
This is a gorgeous dress. It has the perfect amount of sexiness but still manages to feel elegant in that classic Valentino kind of way. It is also a dress that really comes alive once on the body. It is very light and easy to wear. It is completely cut on the bias and this lets it skim over your body and highlight every curve, but not in a tight, constricting kind of way. It is made from an ivory silk with a matching ivory silk chiffon for the skirt. The dress falls from wide straps that curve around and over the shoulder. The front dips into a V and the back has a second V that i s touch shallower then the front one. It skims over the bust, waist and hips and then falls to the floor from there. The skirt is inset just above the knee and it is made out of a matching chiffon. The lightness of the fabric lets it have beautiful movement as you move. There's a slit up the front so you get a bit of leg showing as you move and I love how the back trails out behind you a touch for a sweeping feel. The dress has a crisscross of ivory beads that start under the bus wrap around the waist area and then down over the hips to the top of where the skirt is in inset. The bands are quite wide and have four rows of ivory tube beads on either side of a row of overlapping space ivory sequins. This gives this dress the perfect amount of added detail and elevates it to that next level. It is a beautiful example of Mr Valentino's work. Excellent condition with a very minor note below.
Fully lined in a matching ivory silk and closes with a hidden set size zipper. Tagged a vintage Valentino six. I see some extremely minor pulls here and there that are mentioned for accuracy and some very minor grubbiness/teeny yellowing along the edges of the hem and bodice and at the top of the shoulders, again mentioned for accuracy.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4983
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.

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This is from the high end lingerie line that Valentino did at one point. It was meant to be a slip when it was originally sold but a modern girl might dare to wear it as a dress. It is an easy to wear piece and very flattering once on the body. The bias cut silk and chic ivory colour make it easy to wear but still have high impact. The lines are simple and it has that perfect easy but sexy feel. It is made of a single layer of silk cut on the bias. I love how that silk has a floral pattern woven through it that gives it a bit of extra added detail. Once it is on it moves with you. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by skinny straps in the same silk. The front dips down into a scoop and the back scoops as well. It skims over your waist and hips and then falls to the floor, widening out slightly as it nears the hem. A band of fine ivory coloured lace has been set between the silk of the bodice and skirt at the front. This runs on an angle across the waist area. I love how this gives a little glimpse of skin through the design. It is in its original length and very sexy on. This would make a phenomenal piece for a bride. Excellent condition
Unlined and slips on to wear. Completely cut on the bias so the measurements have some movement. I have put the comfortable range when laying flat below.
Bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of the shoulders to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4984
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.

roberto cavalli
Extraordinary 2015 Roberto Cavalli Runway Feather & Net Dress w Bead & Sequin Detailing
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This gorgeous Roberto Cavalli dress is from 2015 and its twin was worn by Naomi Campbell for Fashion for Relief where she walked the runway. I am happy to have some reference photos from the show so you can see how spectacular this dress is once on the body. It is exceptional and extremely beautiful.
The dress is made from a combination of a black net mixed with silk chiffon. The bodice portion of the dress is made from the netting and then it has a layer of bead work applied onto the net with silk chiffon backing the bead work areas so that it is opaque enough to wear. The parts that are not beaded have a touch of transparency to them. The detailing on the dress is amazing. Gold tube beads, seed beads and sequins are set in swirling patterns across the bodice. As a pattern runs down and over the waist & the hips the colours of the sequins gradually changed to a more muted gold and then to a silver. There are prong set, gold and clear glass crystals scattered throughout. The edges of the neck and arms have been finished with silver beads and tiny silver sequins. The skirt remarkable and it is in its original uncut length. It is covered in black feathers and each one has been attached to the silk of the skirt with either a sequin or a little prong set crystal. It falls from the top of the hip and widens out to the hem. When you move the skirt has incredible movement around you. The fabric is so light and airy that when you walk it creates this incredible floating sensation. The back of the dress is cut a bit longer than the front so you have a sweeping feel behind you. It is an incredibly beautiful dress and no matter how good it looks in the photos the sensation and tactile feeling of the fabric and lightness of it when you have it in hand is just phenomenal. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.
The embellished parts of the halter are backed with a black silk so it is opaque and the skirt has an inner silk chiffon lining. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Perhaps the occasional bead missing here and there. Tagged a Cavalli 38.
Bust: has no fixed side seams. The front covers to approx 15-17" flat across
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from neck to front hem, 70" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4662
Reference Photos/Video: Naomi Campbell in Roberto Cavalli for the Fashion For Relief charity fashion show at London Fashion Week, February 2015. (Video by Tashie Tinks)
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This is a fantastic and surprisingly avant garde Haute Couture dress by Pierre Cardin. It is from the Spring 1985 collection and we have included some reference photos of the twin of the dress on the runway so that you can see how it sits on the body. They really give you an idea of how fantastic and unusual this is once it is on the body. It is a beautiful and elegant piece that may not be as mod in feel as some of Cardin's earlier pieces but it is one that shows the breadth of his talent. From a historical perspective it's also an interesting insight on the volume and play on proportion done in the 1980s.
Throughout his career Cardin often played with volume and for the 1985 collection he put huge voluminous caped bodices over narrow skirts, a silhouette we first saw him begin to do in the late 1970s. This dress is made from a fine silk that is covered in a dynamic and bold floral print. You can see that fantastic play on volume in the cut. The dress was completely made by hand and the fine workmanship is wonderful to see. That avant garde cut is all created by clever seaming and traditional couture methods and this mix is fascinating. There is an inner more sheath-like dress and then a caped piece attaches over that. The neckline is set higher across the front with a pleated over piece that falls from the shoulders. At the front it is set into a black silk ribbon that wraps around the hip area. Your arms slip underneath it at the sides and then the cape extends downwards into a long point at the back. The top layer has been softly pleated and this gives it more volume and movement as you move. It is also what gives it that incredible and unusual silhouette that you see. The skirt falls from under the wide black silk ribbon that is attached around the hip area and it is done in a sleek and simple cut to the floor. It is very chic and unusual. Excellent condition with minor notes below
Fully lined in a hand set white silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper on the inner dress. At some point the hem was let down and I have left it for the extra length. You can see a faint line where it was folded. There are light shoulder pads whose inner stuffing has degraded. I see some minor yellowing to the inner lining around the top of the zipper area and very light grubbiness to the very edge of the inner arm that you don't see because it is covered by the cape.
Inner bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 59" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD4981
Reference Photos: Spring 1985 Pierre Cardin Haute Couture.
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.