• This is a fantastically beautiful set from 1993.
• It was made under the creative direction of Domenico Solce and Stefano Gabbana.
• It has its three original pieces. There is a corset topped inner dress that ends at or just below the knee depending on your height. Over that is a white tulle over-skirt that falls to the floor and then there is a matching huge rectangle of white tulle that can be used as a full cathedral length veil.
• The inner dress has a slightly off-white silk corset style silk top. The sweetheart neckline is cut to highlight the bust and then it nips in to follow the body to the waist. All of the seaming is done vertically and pieced together all the way around you. Inside there is full boning and support to hold it perfectly around you.
• The corset curves to just over the top of the hips and then under that there are two layers of a white tulle that tops a ribbon edged silky rayon layer and an inner-most white layer that feels slightly stiffened. This makes the lower skirt full and also acts as the support when you add the outer skirt over it.
• The outer skirt is banded around the waist with a 3 inch panel in the same silk used over the corset. It curves over the top of your hips for a touch of added shape. Under that are multiple layers of tulle that give it the tremendous volume that you see. The very bottom hem of the top layer is finished in a band of pretty lace.
• The dress comes with a huge rectangle of the same tulle that both skirts are made out of. I have draped it over the top of the dress form so you can just how much of the fabric there is. It easily extends down and past the hem of the dress. Once pinned into place, or draped over your head, it can be worn as a full cathedral length veil. 
• I love the versatility of the two pieces since you can take the outer skirt off for dancing after the wedding. If you wanted it even more volume you could add another underskirt underneath.
• The inner dress is lined in the same silk as the outer corset and is boned and shaped. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. The skirt goes over that and closes with a button at the waistband a hidden sat back zipper under that. The veil is one large rectangle of matching tulle.
• Tagged a vintage D&G 42
• Excellent condition

Dress
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam and then it is open and full under that.
Bodice: 11.5" from top of bodice to seam just below natural waist
Total length: 35" from top of bodice to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 46" from waist to hem

Veil is just over 10 feet long x 9 feet wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5571

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

• The dress is from the Fall 1979 Bill Blass collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• I have had the twin of this dress in the shop a few years ago and I was very pleased to find another. Since we have had that original dress we happened to find the runway photo of the dress firmly dating it to Fall 1979.
• A similar version of this dress was worn by Slim Keith to attend the Met Museum Gala that year. We have also included a couple of shots of me in the one we had previously to give you an idea of how it is on.
• And a note to those who prefer not to wear fur; you could always un-tack and remove the sleeves and replace them with a faux version, feathers or anything you could imagine, or leave them without as Slim did and just store the cuffs for archival purposes.
• This dress is one of the best that he ever made. The dress has elements of his work that he would touch on continuously over the coming decades. It is also a wonderful example of just how sophisticated and glamorous he could be.
• The silk chiffon used for the base is feather light and it has a fine gold, metallic lurex thread that is woven through the silk to create vertical stripes.
• Hand applied gold sequins were then added to follow those gold threads. The sequins catch the light beautifully and add another dimension and texture to the dress.
• There is a subtle leaf print that runs through the silk and this adds a beautiful extra level of visual texture. 
• The upper part of the skirt is the same deep red as the bodice of the dress and then that leaf print gradually becomes more dense until it forms a solid soft brown around the lower hem. There is a slit up the front to let you walk.
• The dress has a nod to the 1930s in its cut but he has exaggerated some of the elements to keep it modern.
• The bodice crosses over itself and there is a built in brown silk under piece so that you can wear the dress and not have it completely transparent. On the bodice there are no sequins and this is deliberate to keep it lighter in feel.
• The sleeves extend directly out from the bodice and they narrow down as they reach the cuff. The cuffs are both finished with a 7" band of fur that is either a mink or a sable. It is gorgeous.
• The dress is fully lined in brown silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set box zipper. Hand finishes and hand set sequins. The cuffs have perhaps the very slightest of wear to the edges and are soft and supple. This one does not have its Bill Blass tag present, but has the appropriate size tag and a Saks Fifth Avenue tag inside. 
• Tagged a vintage Bill Blass 6
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: approximately 27" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Inner bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from the top of the shoulder to waist
Total length: 57.5" from the top of the shoulder to hem and the front slit is 19" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5563

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1979 Bill Blass.  /  (2-3) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.  /  (4) Socialite Slim Keith in Bill Blass (left) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala in New York City, 1979.

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

• When dating this extraordinary Yves Saint Laurent dress, we found a photo of a piece with almost an identical cut bodice from 1972 along with several runway photos that show other pieces with that same cut to the bodice.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
• I have included the reference photos here for you and it is interesting to note that the pleating technique that is used around the upper hip of the skirt was also done in a more intricate fashion for the 1974 Couture show.
• Yves often use ideas from both collections. - Rive Gauche and Couture - to build and develop ideas and it is fascinating to see the progression of his work from garment to garment.
• The dress combines a floral silk chiffon with a muted red silk on the skirt.
• This combination of silks give the dress just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but while still making it feel soft and romantic.
• The top is a printed silk chiffon and it has a floral pattern in red, purples and greens that float over the entire bodice and the sleeves.
• The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist nips in. It plunges at the front and crosses over itself. The neckline has been detailed with ruffles that begin at the back of the neck and circle around to follow the V at the front and then run down to the waist piping done in the same fabric detail.
• The skirt falls to the floor from there and it has yards and yards of fabric in it that creates the fullness and volume that you see.
• It is quite full by the time it reaches the hem and I love the volume that this type of fabric creates and how it billows around you as you move but at the same time it is as light as a feather.
• Under the waist are a series of tiny pleats that gradually open out to create the volume underneath. This intricate detail is a beautiful addition to the dress.
• The sleeves are outstanding and the perfect finishing detail. Each is a single layer of the silk chiffon and are wide and very full. They are caught up at the wrist with a circle full circle ruffle underneath. This creates a beautiful and dramatic finish to the top.
• The dress is fully lined in a red silk except for the sleeves which are unlined. It closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Attached ties at the waist and elastic in each cuff. Between the top silk and inner lining is a tulle ruffle that helps keep the volume of the skirt. I see some light marks around the hem of the skirt that are minor but mentioned for accuracy.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 38
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24" and they are 14" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Total length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5561

Reference Photos: Fall 1972 Yves Saint Laurent.

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

• The twin of this dress was Look 52 from the Christian Dior Cruise 2009 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• The Vogue report on the collection noted that: "Galliano has been mining the good old U.S. of A. for raw material from which to spin his dreams....grandes dames like Barbara Hutton, Millicent Rogers, and Nan Kempner—women who weren't afraid to make a bold sartorial statement, one that preferably involved a whopping piece of jewelry. From a shimmering backdrop that conjured a Tony Duquette garden, there emerged a full wardrobe for their modern-day counterparts in Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, and Dallas.... What this season is really about is not so much breaking the mold as delivering a vision of the good life—and Galliano can do that in spades."
• This is the actual address that worn by Caitlin Thompson to the 2024 Emmys.
• Emmy Rossum also appeared in its twin in 2009 and I love that the reference photos show just how wonderful this dress is once on the body.
• The dress is made out of a pale pastel silk chiffon that is in the beautiful pastel shade of a turquoise / seafoam green. It is an absolutely beautiful colour and even better in person.
• The bodice is cut slightly wider across the neck and it is meant skim lightly over you to the waist.
• The waist is defined by a wide beaded band that highlights and adds shape.
• From there curves back out over the hips and then cascades to the floor gently widening out as it near the hem. 
• The entire dress is finished with silk chiffon ruffles that are stacked and set to slightly overlap the ruffle sitting underneath all the way down to the hem, with the only break being the detailing around the waist for added shape.
• The ruffles add a lovely soft bit of movement as you move, and I love how he has played with the width of the ruffles as they work their way down to the floor. It makes it more visually interesting and also allows the dress more movement than if he had kept the ruffles all the same size.
• Extensive bead work wraps all the way around the band of the waist. The work has been completely done by hand and the beads are set out in a complex pattern with pale ivory beads mixed with beads of various sizes and finished in romantic pinks and soft greens.
  
• This is a phenomenal runway piece by John Galliano for Dior and is one of the prettiest dresses that he ever created.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching colour silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the side and there are hidden hooks on the top of one shoulder. I see one bead missing at the back of the waist. The bead work has all been added by hand. 
• There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5559

Reference Photos/Video: (1-6) Cruise 2009 Christian Dior Runway. Look 52.  /  (7) Emmy Rossum at the New Yorkers for Children Spring Dinner Dance, April 2009.  /  (8-12) Caitlin Thompson in this dress at the 2024 Emmys.

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

• The twin of this dress in red was Look 41 on the Fall 2006 Dior runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• He began his own label in 1984 and he was instantly a bit of a 'boy wonder' in fashion. He was British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1995. In 1991 he made his Paris catwalk debut. In 1995 he was asked to head Givenchy and then went to Dior in October of 1996. 
• His bias cut pieces have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. 
• The red version was used for the ad campaign that year and was worn by Kate Moss. It has become one of his most iconic dresses.
• We have had this dress in red in the past and it flew. I love having another in this soft pale grey colour. It is just dreamy.
• The dress takes inspiration from the bias cut couture pieces of the 1920s and 1930s. The seam work and simplicity of this dress is stunning to see and it is even better on an actual body.
• It is made from a beautiful silk velvet in a pale silver grey. A design that includes the Christian Dior name has been pressed into the velvet over the entire dress. This gives it this incredible added texture that you see in the photos.
• The dress is completely cut on the bias so that it flows over the body and skims its way over the bust, waist and hips as it falls to the floor.
• The neckline drapes down and there is a panel of silk chiffon tucked just inside the neckline at both the back and the front. This creates a bit of a swooping plunge that is slightly set to the side. Thin bands of a silver grey grosgrain ribbon run up the sides of the dress and around the waist. The velvet is gathered into the ribbon in various spots to create the asymmetrical draping.
• The skirt flows down to the floor from there, skimming over the hips and then flaring out as it reaches the hem. This gives you a ton of movement around the lower skirt when you walk or move. It also adds to the hourglass shape that the dress has. 
  
• This is an amazing example of his work from Dior and it is gorgeous. 
• The bodice is lined in a pale grey silk chiffon and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set zipper down one side. The bias cut fabric does have some stretch.  There is a small mark on the inner silk chiffon and a couple tiny marks on the velvet near the hem. Please see the photo after the label shot. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat. It is in its original unaltered length. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes
• Tagged a Galliano FR38, GB10, US6
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16.5" from neck to dropped seam
Total length: 62" from neck to front hem, 64" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5549

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 2006 Christian Dior, Look 41. Model Caroline Trentini.  /  (3) Kate Moss for the Fall 2006 Dior Ad Campaign by Nick Knight.  /  (4) Olivia Cooke at the 'House Of The Dragon' London Premiere, 2022.

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

• The twin of this incredible dress walked the runway for the Fall 1995 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino.
• I love that we have runway reference photos so that you can see how phenomenal this is once on the body. 
• This is a fantastically rare dress by the original Mr. Valentino and it is extraordinarily beautiful.
• The dress combines an inky black velvet with portions covered in glossy black sequins that are densely applied. Little bits of lace give it that touch of Valentino femininity.
• Black piping outlines the neckline and the neckline scoops in a soft V down the front. The piping continues up and over the shoulders and then crosses over the bare and exposed back. Lace has been added along the length of the entire piping for the prettiest finishing detail.
• The bodice is shaped and comes in at the waist to a low seam that sits just below the natural waist. The entire bodice has been finished with tiny little black sequins that are densely applied so that they slightly overlap. 
• I love how the rows that they are set in are slightly angled. This is all a clever way to give illusion of more shape through the body. The sequins sit inside four vertical panels across the front and the direction of the sequins changes so you get this incredible hitting of the light on the sequins from every angle.
• The skirt is made out of rich black velvet and I love the combination of the velvet and sequins together. The richness of each textile perfectly compliments the other.
• As the skirt falls to the floor it flares out dramatically and is extremely wide. When I lay it out flat the bottom is a full circle around. This has been achieved by long triangles of sequins set in around the entire hem of the skirt.
• The triangles have a black net backing so if the light hits them in the right way they have a sense of transparency contrasting further to the velvet and adding to the beauty of the dress once it is on the body.
• The sequin triangles have been laid out with the same technique as the rows on the bodice. They are set on angles that meet at a middle point. This allows them to catch the maximum amount of light from every angle.
• Each triangle is finished with the same lace edging that you see on the bodice. Inside the inner edge of the hem there is a band of stiffened netting that helps to hold the shape and volume around you. When you move the skirt moves around you and it is absolutely incredible.
• It is really an outstanding example of his work during this time period.
• The dress is fully lined in a silky black silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut should allow it to work on a range of sizes and frames.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under natural waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17.5" from top of shoulder to seam under natural waist
Total length: 61.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5546

Reference Photos: Fall 1995 Valentino. Model: Stella Tennant.

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

• The twin of this gorgeous dress walked the Fall 1986 runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr Valentino.
• This is an exceptional example of Valentino's work that he was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop.
• In 2022 Sara Sampaio wore one backwards on the red carpet. 
• I love having the red carpet and runway photo so that you can see how the dress can be worn either way around. We also photoed it both ways so that you can see how it lies. 
• The dress is made out of an inky black velvet and then the back inset and end of each sleeve are made out of a stiffened silk chiffon fine net that has the rows of glittering rhinestones set onto it
• The dress has all of the red carpet feel that you look for in the best of his work. The shoulders are shaped with inner padding, and then they extend down into the sleeves, which are wider at the tops near the shoulder and narrow to those amazing cuffs.
• Each cuff is a band of the silk that has hand applied horizontal rows of rhinestones wrapped around them for a glamorous finish. I love this extra detail that lets you have that bit of glitz no matter which way around you decide to wear the dress.
• The bodice is meant to skim out from the shoulders. The same shape is repeated at the back.
• The waist is brought in with subtle darting and then it curves out and over the hips to fall to the floor, widening out slightly as it near the hem.
• The inset of net and rhinestones has been set on a sharp angle that extends to the lower back. When this is turned around to be worn at the front, it goes down to the low waist. There is transparency here so if you do decide to wear it to the front you can also decide how daring you want to be as far as what you wear underneath.
• This is an exceptional and early example of his work.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk organza with the areas covered in rhinestones having transparency between the rows. It closes with a hidden set zipper placed at what was traditionally the front. Padding in each shoulder. Each cuff closes with a hidden set zipper. The back skirt extends slightly longer and has a bit of fullness. If you wear the rhinestone side to the front, you will have that little bit of extra fabric there.
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 8
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 23" and they are 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true seams and the padding let them extend slightly off the edges of the shoulder
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to front hem and the back extends another 3" past that at the centre longest point with approximately 2" turned under the ham. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5547

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1986 Valentino.  /  (2-5) Sara Sampaio at the Red Sea Film Festival, December 2022.

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.

• A shorter version of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 2002 Chanel collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld.
• Karl chose to show primarily short pieces for the entire presentation of the collection but many of the pieces that went to the shops were done in longer lengths.
• In the book Catwalk: Chanel they noted that the runway had a "sexy rock 'n' roll vibe translated into a collection that reinvented Chanel signatures, placing them into a rock context." There were several dresses on the runway presented using this beautifully weighted silk. We included a reference to one of the dresses that has the same feel as this.
• As good as this dress looks in the photos when you see this one in real life it will take your breath away. It is supremely well-made and absolutely stunning.
• The dress is made out of a beautiful combination of a rich black silk and an inky black velvet. I love the way that he has used the two fabrics to highlight and complement the lines of the dress.
• The dress curves over the shoulders and it is set so that it sits a bit wider across the front. The neckline comes down into a V and the velvet has been used to line the inside of the collar which flips over on both sides for that lovely bit of contrast there.
• There is an inner built-in bodice under that to hold the dress in place and that inner bodice is made out of Chanel logo and camellia flower embossed silk. It is a little extra bit of hidden luxury.
• The straps curve from the top of the collar and down the back, leaving the upper back exposed. The straps are very interesting because they actually have a button where they attach on both sides. The buttons are functional, even though you could not wear the dress without the straps. It is just one of those extra details that you see in a Chanel piece of this high of quality.
• The bodice is made out of the black silk and wraps around to the back where it closes with three more Chanel buttons set above a hidden zipper.
• The waist is defined by a band of black velvet that has an almost slight peplum feel to it. This sits over a wider band of black velvet that curves over the hips to add shape and definition.
• The skirt falls to the floor in a beautiful column of black silk and flares out dramatically as it nears the hem. A high slit runs up the front for a flash of bare leg.
• The back is as good as the front. That black velvet wide panel that wraps around the hips continues around to the back and is gathered in heavily at the centre and then flares out into a panel of black velvet that sweeps down to the floor and slightly past the hem of the silk skirt.
• The silk skirt that sits under the panel at the back of the dress is cut longer then the front so that you have the two layers of velvet and silk creating a beautiful bit of a sweep behind you as you walk.
• This is an exceptional Chanel dress. I cannot rave enough about it.
  
• The dress is lined through the bodice in a black Chanel embossed silk and the skirt and attached black velvet panel are unlined. It closes at the back with a series of Chanel embossed buttons that sit above a hidden set zipper. Each strap is attached and buttons onto the dress at the front and back with workable functioning buttons. Hand finishes. It comes with its original Chanel packet that has an extra piece of velvet in it. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage Chanel 36
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to the seam under the bust and 15" to the waist
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to the front hem. The slit is 22" from the front hem up. The back extends another 12" past that

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5548

Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2002 Chanel.

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.

• Note that due to new customs regulations this piece can only ship to a Canadian address. If you need assistance with this please touch base.
• This is a fantastically well documented piece Tiziani couture set that dates to the 1960s.
• It would have been made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld and is a very rare example of his work there especially with the amount of documentation on it.
• We have included the digital copy of the original sketch done by Karl along with photos of the dress on a model with Tiziani when it was originally produced. I do have modern photos of the dress on someone and will share those upon request. 
  
• The inner tag on the dress is numbered and handwritten and then it has its Tiziana tag on the cape. I was told that this is the actual original sample dress and came from the archives.
• I posted a video of the dress on my Instagram back in 2023 when it was still in my personal archives. You can see that here and it speaks more about its history and you can see the dress on video.
• The dress is made out of a peach silk chiffon that is heavily embellished around the V neckline. The coat is made out of a slightly deeper coral peach silk that is completely covered in hand dyed soft peach feathers.
• The dress has a V at the front and the neckline has a band of embellishment that mixes silver tube beads, peach embroidery, sequins and seed beads, with prong set rhinestones. This follows the neckline at the front and then runs across the top of each shoulder. At the back it creates a wide band across the upper shoulders.
• It skims over the bust to a higher set waist seam. From there it skims over the hips and the skirt falls to the floor widening out slightly as it goes.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching peach silk and it is entirely made by hand with all of the inner stitches finished by hand. This would be considered Alta Moda couture with its level of finishes
• The cape sits over that and comes down to just past the waist at the front and then falls around you on the sides and back in this incredible sweep of hand dyed soft peach feathers.
• The feathers are all set onto a silk organza backdrop by hand and they overlap each other all the way down the length of the cape. The collar of the cape is finished with the same hand beading you see on the dress.
• Both the dress and cape are a touch paler in colour than how they shot. They are more like the colour shots added here.
• The dress is fully lined in a peach hand-finished silk and zips to close at the side. The outer layer of the bodice snaps to close over that. The cape is a single layer of silk organza with the feathers attached directly to it. The cape is also completely finished by hand. It hooks to close at the collar. There is perhaps the tiniest bit of grubbiness to the hem of the dress. Some small areas of missing embroidery / beads. Some of the organza has shattered near the top of the cape on the interior side. I have included photos here after the label shot. It can be worn as is but if you want me to have some reinforcement added you can touch base with me before I ship it and I will have my seamstress add that for you. Please see the photos after the label shot. 
• There are no size tags so please go by the listed measurements below.
• Excellent condition with the note on the cape lining above.

Dress
Bust: 16-18" 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
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Cape
Neck: 15.5" around
Total length: it falls to approximately 17" at the shortest point of the front and the back falls to approximately 61"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5544

Reference Photos: (1) Sketch by Karl Lagerfeld for Tiziani, 1960s.  /  (2-4) Model in Tiziani, 1960s. Credit unknown.  /  (5-7) Photos from the client of this set.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 2017 collection for Look 52.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli and the print was done in collaboration with Zandra Rhodes.
• Historically, this was an important collection as it was Pierpaolo's first solo show at Valentino. It was also his first collaboration with Zandra Rhodes.
• On the runway the dress was shown without a lining so had a higher level of transparency that you can see in the photos and the video.
• The dress and collection were very well received and was one of the most documented dresses of the season.
• Meryl Streep famously wore its twin to the 2017 SAG awards. Laetitia Casta and Lee Young Ae appeared in one for Elle France and Elle US, and it was shot for other editorials. This really lets you see how spectacular it is on and in a variety of circumstances.
• The dress is made out of a beautiful lightweight white silk chiffon that has a custom Zandra Rhodes print covering the entire dress. Written in between the print are the words "In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora" which is the opening line of Ovid's epic poem, Metamorphoses, and translates to "My mind is bent to tell of bodies changed into new forms" or "My soul inclines to speak of forms changed into new bodies". This powerful opening sets the poem's central theme of transformation, with Ovid's narrative beginning from the creation of the world and continuing to his own time, weaving together many myths about how beings and objects were transformed into new forms."
• The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are long. They are a single layer of the silk chiffon so they have a beautiful delicacy to them.
• The dress skims over the bust from a scooped neck and drapes easily over the body to a more generously cut waist.
• Built-in and under the top layer of silk on the bodice is a second layer of the same silk that creates a covered curving deep plunge at the front. The same effect has been created at the back as well and there the V has been set wider across. I love the play on transparency that this gives the dress. You are completely covered but at the same time the plunge is there on both sides. It is an unexpected sexiness that still feels elegant and refined. 
• The waist is cut more generously so that you have a beautiful flow from head to toe. You can see this in all of the various reference photos and how it sits on the body. This cut was to become one of Pierpaolo signatures.
• The skirt flows to the floor from there and it is extremely full. It has a second ivory silk chiffon layer underneath so that it is opaque enough to wear. The excessive amount of fabric used through the skirt gives it a ton of movement when you walk and move. The back is cut slightly longer than the front for a beautiful sweeping feel behind you.
• The lightness of the silk and the way that it lays over the body allows it to move spectacularly over you and it will pick up the slightest bit of air.
• The dress is partially lined through the bodice to create the plunge as seen and described above. The skirt is fully lined in a solid silk chiffon layer. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. This is a dress that is easy to fit and wear because of the easy cut through the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 44
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24" and they are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approximately 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem in the back extends another 7" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5541

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-3) Spring 2017 Valentino, Look 52. Model Jessie Bloemendaal.  /  (4-6) Meryl Streep at the 2017 Sag Awards.  /   (7) Laetitia Casta for Elle France, June 2017.  /  (8) Photograph by Ken Browar & Deborah Ory.  /  (9-10) Lee Young Ae in Valentino for Elle.  /  (11) Harper's Bazaar, 2017. 

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

• This is an incredible and rare true Haute Couture dress whose pattern remarkably resembles a sketch we found from his 1953 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of couturier Jaques Fath.
• Jacques Fath showed his first collection of just twenty garments in the spring of 1937. It was well received and he steadily built a strong clientele to become of of the busiest ateliers in Paris.
• Fath is considered to be part of the 'big three' post-war Parisian designers, along with Dior and Balmain. The Fath label was shuttered in 1957 after Fath's death three years earlier. One of his signature looks was a strapless hourglass silhouette. The dress is gorgeous and a beautiful and rare example of his work during this time period. 
• It would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The fabric is a stunning silk that has a pattern suggested of an animal print running over its entire surface. This has been done in an ivory with shades of charcoal grey. Worked into the pattern is a subtle muted gold metallic thread.
• The dress is strapless and curves up on the bodice. There is a black silk inner panel that is set behind the front panels that you see here. This let those front panels sit slightly off of the body and create the illusion of more bust.
  
• The fabric is gathered in along an angled seam under that to a wide band that defines the waist. I love how there is a bit of the same black silk that peeks out along one edge to tie all of the elements of the bodice together.
• The waist is cinched in and to achieve that beautiful hour glass silhouette there is a full built-in boned couture corset attached to the inside of the bodice. I have taken photos so you can see how beautifully and intricately this is constructed.
• From there the skirt expands outward over the hips and curves beautifully down to the floor. The front has a slightly more sleek feel to it and then the back has added fabric built into it down the centre so that you get a beautiful soft fullness there. It is cut slightly longer at the back to help to add to that feel of more fullness there. If you really wanted the skirt to be very full you could add an underskirt. There is more than enough room.
• It is an absolute extraordinarily beautiful early Couture peace from the most magical era of Couture.
• The skirt is backed with a netting and there is a built-in boned corset. It closes with a back zipper and an inner waist stay hooks to close. There is light discolouration to the inner corset. At some point, someone added fabric tape over some small holes in the netting of the interior skirt and I see some tiny ones without tape. None of this shows on the exterior. There is light fraying on part of the front hem. Please see the photos after the label shot. All of the interior work is done completely by hand to Couture standards.
  
• No size tag is present so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent overall condition
  

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to bottom seam of the 3.25" waist band
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to front hem and the back hand extends another 6" past that

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5531

Reference Photo: Spring 1953 Jacques Fath Haute Couture. Illustration by Pierre Simon.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Spring 1997 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Gerard Pipart.
• The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932 at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris. 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.
• This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture and would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The upper portion of the dress is a strapless and structured ivory that is made out of a beautiful silk that has a slight texture.
• At the waist it changes to a black silk to create that gorgeous skirt. The silk there also has a slight texture and enough weight to hold the intended draping but without being heavy.
• Deep silver beads are placed by hand to run up from the waist over the bodice and then more beading runs down from the waist with some parts ending just past the hips. It adds the perfect amount of glitz to the dress.
• The skirt curves outward over the hips and then widens out as it nears the hem. On one side of the skirt an added panel drapes down past the hem and appears to be caught up with the handset bow that sits there. This adds a beautiful little bit of extra movement and curving line to the dress. It is a design detail that is just brilliantly executed.
• It is fully lined in a white silk through the bodice with light boning for support. Through the skirt it is lined in a black silk.  It closes with a side set zipper and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. I see the very slightest bit of grubbiness around the upper edge of the bodice that is mentioned for accuracy.
• The proper Haute Couture label is present.
• There is no size tag so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.25" from the top of the bodice to the waist
Total length: 52.5" from the top of the bodice to the shortest point of the hem, 57" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5532

Reference Photo: Spring 1997 Nina Ricci 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.

• This is the ready-to-wear version of the dres referenced here from the Spring 1999 Couture collection. 
• It was made under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler
  
• The dress is cut with Mugler's masterful eye and attention to detail.
• The openings for the arms are cut inwards towards the neck and the neck line is set on a beautiful curve. All the seaming on the dress is set either vertically or on a curving angle so that it enhances and highlights the curves of the body. 
• The bust and waist are created by the shaping of those beautifully curving vertical seams. I took a shot of the seams that curve over the hips as it is is really a part of what shapes the dress. Once on this emphasizes the curves of the body.
• It skims over the hips and then falls to the floor where the skirt widens out as it near the hem. The back hem of the skirt is cut on a slight downward curve so that it falls a little bit longer and gives a fantastic sweep at the back of the dress. 
  
• The upper portion of the neck line is detailed with a double layered panel of nude mesh. Onto this is a fantastic design that combines iridescent clear tube beads with iridescent mother-of-pearl finished plastic pieces that vary in size. These are all set to curve outward slightly and are in different sizes. It is a really pretty effect.
  
• It is an extraordinary dress that is rare and beautiful.
• The dress is fully lined in the same fabric and closes with a hidden set back zipper. I see one tiny very faint mark on the fabric near the seam of the neck line. Please see the photo after the label shot. There is very minor grubbiness and a tiny bit of fading around the hem. I see a stitch at the very base of the mesh at the front where there may have been one more additional plastic piece. All of these are very minor but mentioned for accuracy. The colour is a bit more of a baby pink than how it photoed. It is in its original uncut length.
• Tagged a vintage Mugler 42
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 61" from neck to the front hem, 63" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5525

Reference Photo: Spring 1999 Thierry Mugler 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.

• This is original dress from the 1950s, maybe the 1940s that is completely made by hand.
• It is an absolutely incredible example of the high level of hand work being done during that time period and you would be hard pressed to find anything modern done to this degree outside of true Couture pieces.
• I have no formal history on the dress but it does have a handwritten tag with the name Edith that sits inside the hem. The possibility of this being the name of the owner is fascinating and one wonders if it belonged to perhaps a showgirl, dancer or perhaps an actress who would have worn the dress. Having the name added like that certainly does imply that it was more of a stage piece as this was common in stage pieces from the era.
• The dress has hundreds of thousands of sequins and beads hand applied over every inch of its surface. The sequins are incredibly dense in the way that they have been applied. They are set so that they overlap each other to the point where they stand up and off the dress slightly. The black sequins were done in a swirling burst design and this lets it catch the light differently and creates the most amazing effect.
• Added to that is a floral design in pale pink, gold and greens that is also done in sequins. This wraps around the bodice and then runs down the entire skirt of the dress with the density of the design getting heavier as it near the hem.
• Then over all of that are over-sized faceted beads in a variety of colours that have been applied by hand to add an extra bit of detail and sparkle to the dress. They are all jewel tones mixed with gold and copper and it is just incredible to see.
• The dress does have weight to it but it is perfectly balanced once it is on the body. 
• It has straps but can also be worn strapless. Inside there is a full built-in boned and cupped corset that holds the dress in place and adds shape. The waist is brought in by this corset and then the dress skims over the hips. As it falls to the floor it narrows down. There is an overlapping curved slit at the back that allows you to be able to walk in it.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silky rayon. The dress has an inner corset that hooks into place with a double row of metal lingerie hooks. The inner corset is boned and cupped. It is lightly tacked into the dress. I see some wear on the inside of the corset here and there and a light dusting along the edge under the arm. The inner bust cups have degraded and there's dusting coming through the fabric on the inside of the corset. The dress zips to close over the inner corset. It is completely made by hand. 
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements below
• Excellent condition with the note above

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 53" from top of bodice to hem
Back slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5524

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Cruise 2020 Dior show for Look 107.
• It was made under the creative direction of Maria Grazia Chiuri.
• This collection was shown in Marrakech and Vogue review said the collection was "about luxury, globalism, and culture". 
• I love the pieces from this collection that were made out of these metallic knit fabrics. They have the feel of some of fabrics from the seventies and are just magical. 
• The fabric has more copper toned metallic thread running through a deep dusky blueish grey base with tones of deep, blues, and greens that form a print  that is worked over the skirt. 
• The metallic thread runs over the entire dress in a vertical pattern. Where it turns into a print, the metallic is used to highlight and edge the print. This gives the dress a subtle shimmer from every angle. 
• The bodice of the dress is loose and easy with a keyhole slit that runs down the centre. The more generous cut allows for a more easy fit.
• The shoulders are soft and extend out into wonderfully full sleeves that pouf out over their cuffs.The sleeves are meant to sit between the elbow and wrist as you can see in the reference photos and each cup closes with little hidden set buttons.
• The waist it seamed but has a more generous feel. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt.
• The skirt is cut to be very full and wide. It is gathered in around the waist and this is what gives it the incredible fullness that it has. And it has pockets. 
• It is a really an outstanding piece and beautifully constructed.
• The dress is unlined but comes with its original nude coloured silk chiffon slip that is worn underneath the dress. The inner slip closes with a hidden set side, zipper, and the outer dress closes with a hidden set box zipper, and a hidden set button at the front neck above the keyhole. Each cuff closes with two hidden set buttons. The label is on the slip. The metallic of the fabric has loose threads here and there over the dress. This is a natural occurrence with this type of fabric.
• The slip is tagged a modern Dior FR 42, GB 14, IT 46, US 10
• Excellent condition

Dress
Sleeves: approximately 23" and they are 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder hem 

Slip
Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MeD-LRG

Item# DD5523

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Cruise 2020 Christian Dior, Look 107. Model Evelyn Nagy.  /  (4) Bae Suzy at the SBS Drama Awards, 2019.

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

• The twin of the dress in white walked the runway for Look 46 for the Fall 2019 presentation.
• It was made under the creative direction of Alessandra Rich.
• Leonie Hanne wore the twin of this dress to the fashion show in 2019.
• The silk that it is made out of is feather light and cut on the bias. It skims over the body to follow your curves all the way down in a beautiful and flattering way.
• The sleeves are cut with a high peak on the shoulder and there is a little bit of stiffening along their inner edges to help hold the shape that you see. They narrow down as they reach the cuffs and there is a lace and net inset at their ends that forms the cuffs.
• The front dips low and has a touch of transparency. It is a combination of lace and netting with a second cut out layer that sits over each breast to make it a bit more opaque. The lace plunged down to the waist so it has a very sexy feel.
• All of that front detailing is edged in sequins that pick up the light fantastically.
• The netting continues down the sides and the back is covered with a layer of the black netting and lace for a gorgeous exposure of skin through the lace netting.
• The skirt is cut longer at the back than the front for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you.
• Unlined and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each cuff has a hidden set zipper. The fabric has stretch and the comfortable range of measurements are listed below when laying flat. The dress is new with its original tags and in its original uncut length. I see one tiny missed stitch in the netting at the back. Please see the photo after the label shot.
• Tagged a modern 42
• Excellent condition 

Sleeves: approx 29" and are 17" around the upper arm
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem and the back hem extends another 9"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5518

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 2019 Alessandra Rich, Look 46.  /  (2) Leonie Hanne outside the Alessandra Rich Spring 2020 Fashion Show in Paris, September 2019.  /  (3) Josephine De La Baume 'Waiting for Anya' film premiere, Feb 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.

• This dress was sourced from France and it was noted as being from the from the 1950s or earlier and into the 1930s or 1940s.
• The entire dress and its huge matching veil have been entirely made by hand and the lace itself is also handmade.
• Both of the veil and dress have been meticulously pieced together from larger sections of lace to create the shape of both pieces. That means all of the lace would have had to have been made and planned out ahead of time.
• The dress has higher neck and I love the soft scalloping around the edge.
• The shoulders are sloped and soft and extended into long sleeves that narrow at the cuff. Five little lace covered buttons and loops sit at the end of each sleeve.
• It is meant to to be more fitted over the bust and then comes in at the waist.
• From there it expands outward over the hips and is very full and open over the hips.
• The skirt is lovely and very full. It falls in beautiful soft rounded folds around you. There is enough room underneath that if you wanted it to feel very full, you could add a crinoline and/or additional under-skirting.
• The dress is made from a single layer of the lace so it does have transparency through the lace. This allows you to wear as little or as much of an undergarment underneath to be either daring or more conservative.
• The matching lace veil is two long continuous pieces of lace pieced perfectly together. It is narrow at one end and then opens up to be very wide by the other. A bride would have draped this over her head and then she could pin it into place or add flowers or some other decorations around the head to frame the face and hold the veil.
• This is an absolutely beautiful piece of history and an extremely rare thing of beauty. 
• The amount of hours and work to have made this is staggering to think about. 
• Both pieces are an excellent condition with perhaps a touch of very minor age related patina here and there on the lace. The colour in person is slightly more ivory.
• The dress is unlined and closes with a back zipper. Buttons and loops are at the end of each sleeve. I see a slight darkening to the fabric here and there but it is very minor. It makes it feel authentically vintage and does not detract in any way.
• There is no size tag present because it is a one off.
• Excellent condition

Dress
Sleeves: approx 22"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 58" from neck to hem

Veil
14" at the narrowest point at one end and 55" at its widest width at the other
It is 9 feet from end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD5514

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Fall 2001 runway for a Look 41 and was worn by supermodel Stella Tenant in the show.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• This is the actual dress worn by Caitlin Thompson to the 2024 Emmys
• Madison Headrick privately acquired the first example of this dress that we had in our archives and wore it as part of her wedding celebrations. 
• Besides the runway photos, we have included photos of both Madison and Caitlin so you can see how spectacular this is on the body.
  
• The dress is made out of a floral printed ivory silk chiffon that is feather light in weight. 
• Soft pastel flowers done in shades of pale, pink and soft greens run over the entire dress and add to the ultra romantic feel that it has.
• Ruffled cap sleeves curve over the shoulders and they are set wide so that they sit at the very edge of your shoulder. This allows the chiffon to cascade over the top of each arm.
• The bodice is extensively gathered around the bust to the sides and into a seam that curves down just above the waist. All of the seam work on the dress is a heavy nod to the Couture pieces of the 1920s and 1930s. John Galliano often use those dresses as inspiration and you can clearly see that in this piece.
• Gathered ties extend out from the sides of the bodice to wrap and tie around you. They are very long so you can get creative in how they are tied. They add a touch of whimsy to the dress and are also a clever way to add shape through the waist.
• The dress curves back out and over the hips and then narrow down slightly to about the knee.
• The lower skirt is set into a curved seam and the volume below that is amazing. There is a tremendous amount of silk in the lower skirting so that it moves and floats fabulously around you when you move.
• Little added tiered ruffles of silk have been added along parts of the patterned seams for yet another extra romantic touch.
• The dress is completely cut on the bias so moves beautifully over the body. It makes it easy to fit and comfortable to wear.
• This is a spectacular example of his work and one of the most romantic prints from him that I have ever seen. This is an important early piece that is highly collectible.
• The dress is fully lined in an ivory silk chiffon and slips on with no closures. The easy cut and movement in the fabric should allow it to fit a range of sizes. The dress is in its original uncut length. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
• There is no size tag present so please go buy the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 65" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5509

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Fall 2001 Galliano Runway, Look 41. Model: Stella Tennant.  /  (3-6) Caitlin Thompson wearing this dress at the Emmys, 2024.  /  (7-11) Madison Headrick in in its twin from us on two different occasions.

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

• The dress is from the Fall 2005 Galliano collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• The dress is absolutely dreamy. It is meant to skim over the body and it has that beautiful movement that Galliano is so well known for.
• It is made out of a combination of a cut velvet floral fabric that has been applied to a printed bias cut brown backdrop. This gives it an amazing texture. Highlighting the seams are little inset panels of lace with more lace added around the hem and edges.
• The dress is suspended from the shoulders with two brown lace straps and the lace continues around the neckline. The front is set into a shallow V and the back repeats that same V finish.
• The silk  is cut on the bias and the entire dress skims over the body in that perfect way that he always cut a piece.
• The bias cut allows it to be easy fitting over the bust, waist and hips. It is not tight at all but does drape and fall to accent your shape once it is on the body.
• The skirt is made up of panels set in and along angled seaming that is very reminiscent of Old Hollywood dresses from the twenties and thirties. The skirt is made of two panels that expand outwards and are open along the sides. So when you walk or move you get a bit of leg and extra kick along the lower skirting.
• Each panel has elaborate lace edging with ruffles made out of the lace for a pretty and feminine finish. I love how this ties all the elements of the dress together.
• The skirt has an amazing amount of fabric in it and the cut and open sides allow the smallest bit of air to catch the skirt and let it move around you as you move. When this is on and you are walking the movement it creates is absolutely gorgeous.
• This is John at his best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress.
• The dress is fully lined in a brown silk and slips over the head with no closures. It is cut on the bias so we put the comfortable range of measurements when the dress is laying flat below. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
• Tagged a vintage Galliano FR44, GB16, US10
• Excellent condition

Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 60" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5502

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.

• Irish designer Sybil Connolly had her first major US fashion show in 1953. The American press dubbed her the 'Dublin's Dior'. Jacqueline Kennedy wore Connolly for her official White House portrait and Connolly was a particular favorite of Carmen Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar.
• It was made under the creative direction of Sybil Connolly
• The dress would've been made entirely by hand in her atelier in Ireland.
• In 1957 she launched her couture label. She created Haute Couture pieces made from Irish textiles and in particular she became famous for her distinctive use of  pleated handkerchief linen.
• This excerpt from the FDIM Museum explains Sybil Connolly's techniques: "Sybil Connolly's trademark gowns required a tremendous amount of fabric. To construct one pleated evening dress required between 72 and 90 yards of Irish handkerchief linen. After undergoing a secret pleating process, this initial yardage became 7 to 10 yards of slightly irregular, narrow linen pleats. Like the early 20th century designer Mario Fortuny, Sybil Connolly was very protective of her pleating process, swearing that it was a secret she would "carry to the grave." In her designs, Connolly usually oriented the pleats horizontally, covering the seams with self-fabric cording. The cords also lengthen the overall line of the garment, providing a counterbalance to the horizontal pleats. As Connolly tended towards solid colors, the stiff cording also provides a necessary visual contrast to the soft linen pleats."
• She worked directly with the cloth on a model and rarely sketched beforehand.
  
•  I found a quote that referred to the Irish linen she used to be 'of a quality so fine it was almost chiffon-like in weight' and that description is very accurate.
• The dress has a fairly simple line so that the pleating technique takes centre stage. The bodice is strapless and fitted and the pleated linen runs horizontally across the dress.
• The waist cinches in under that for shape and has a wide attached band done in a matching pale purple silk for added detailing.
• The skirt billows out from there and is very full. To help create the volume that you see the skirt has been set in and around the waist in soft cleats that open up into the fullness that you see as it falls to the floor. An incredible amount of fabric would have been used to create the skirt. 
  
• The dress comes with its original matching shawl. This is cut into a simple triangle with loops set just inside the outer edges to slip your arms through and hold it in place.
• This is a wonderful and very rare example of her work. Most pieces are held in museums.
• The dress is fully lined in an ivory silk and boned through the bodice. It closes with a back zipper on the inner corset and then a second zipper closes over that on the outer layer of the dress. There are areas throughout where the fabric has faded. There are also areas where the it has slightly discoloured. Please see the photos after the label shot. The dress is sold as found and is not sold as perfect. A video can be sent upon request if needed.
• There is no size tag present because it is Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Overall great condition with the note aboce.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 8.5" from top of bodice to the bottom of the 2" band at the waist
Total length: 53" from top of bodice to hem with 2" turned under
Shawl: 41" across the widest point and 25" from the point to the top of the shawl.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD5499

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

• The dress is from the Resort collection from 2014.
• It was made under the creative direction of Riccardo Tisci.
• I have had the dotted one version in the shop before and this all white version is one of the most beautiful pieces to have come out of his time at Givenchy. We have added a reference photo of the dotted one so you can see the fit.
• In Vogue's review of the show it was noted that just the week before the Resort collection was debuted Tisci had won the CFDA's International Award and he was quoted as saying at the time that "This year has been beautiful and amazing for me". 
•  The dress is magnificent. It is made out of a silk chiffon that is a very fine scarf weight silk that is very difficult to work with especially given the elaborate draping that has been done on this dress.
• The fabric has the slightest bit of texture worked into it. This helps to give the dress a little bit of lift and volume so that it seems to float around you when you move. It would have taken many hours and a high degree of technical skill to drape that silk so perfectly into place.
• The dress is cut to flow beautifully around the body. The neckline is set high with a band that curves around your neck. The bodice is gathered into that and then drapes down over your front in a series of soft gathers. These are then set into the the waist so that the top and skirt gather in a pretty way into the seam.
• The skirt flows to the floor from there widening out slightly as it near the hem. It is cut slightly longer at the back for a pretty sweep behind you as you move.
• The halter front leaves your entire back completely bare and the waist line at the back is curved downwards slightly and above that is nothing but a bare expanse of skin.
• Two long panels of silk are attached at each shoulder so that they drape dramatically over and down towards the floor. You can wear them over the shoulder more so that you get a more caped effect or wear them more towards the back so that they act like long panelled trains that billow out behind you.
• All of the silk and layers are cut on the bias so the dress really has the most spectacular movement when you move.
• It is simple and classic but has a high impact feel at the same time.
• The bodice and skirt are lined in an ivory silk chiffon and the dress closes with a low set back zipper and hooks to close at the back of the neck.  It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.
• Tagged a Givenchy 34.
• Excellent condition

Bust: should fit a variety of sizes because of the open back 
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13.5" from neck to waist
Total length: 58" from the neck to the front hem in the back extends another 4" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5493

Reference Photo: Credit Unknown.

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

• This is an absolutely beautiful dress by Lanvin from the 2013 wedding collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Alber Elbaz
• He did several variations of this dress and I've included a few of them because I think that it gives you an idea of how the dress will look like on the body. I have had some of these in the shop before and each is stunning.
• I love that it doesn't necessarily feel like a typical wedding gown. A client, who bought the last I had, wore it for an event that was nothing to do with a wedding.
• The dress is made from a fine silk detailed with ivory coloured silk ribbon.
• The bodice is strapless and the dress skims over the body from there to the hem.
• At the back it is gathered up in that elaborate ruffle and bow detailing. This gathering brings the dress in slightly under the hips and gives it a pretty interesting shape as it falls around you.
• The ruffles are tremendously beautiful. A large bow tops them at the back and then they fall and are set all the way down to trail down past the hips, down the skirt and trail past the hem. They are elaborate and caught up with hand placed stitching to hold them in place.
• One of his signature, larger exposed zippers is the perfect finishing Alber touch.
• The fabric has a slight texture running over it and is just thick enough to hold the shape that you see. It is gorgeous.
• The dress is fully lined in an ivory silk with inner structure though the bodice that is lightly boned. An inner waist stay hooks to close. It closes with the signature exposed Lanvin zipper between the ruffles at the back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The colour is slightly richer and creamier  in person.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below. 
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: to 64" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5492

Reference Photo: 2013 Lanvin Blanche Collection.

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

• The dress is from the Fall 2009 collection and the same fabric was seen on the runway in other pieces.
• It was created under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• The show was inspired by 1920s and the 1920s Orientalism of couturier Paul Poiret and you can see that in the fabric of this dress and its nod to the metallic silk lames that were seen so prominently during that era.
• The dress is made from the most striking metallic silver & black fabric that has a subtle silver shimmer from head to toe. The photos capture the colour well, but it has a slightly more metallic feel in person that is really outstandingly beautiful.
• It is completely cut on the bias so that it falls and drapes beautifully over the body.
• The neck line is cut wide across and the shoulders extend slightly over the top of the arm. The bodice has angled darts that come out from the centre of the waist and it is cut to skim over you down to the waist area.
• The waist is shaped by a combination of the seam work there and the gathering at the front. After curving in around the waist it curves back out and over the hips.
• The skirt falls from there to the floor and I love how the bias cut narrows it in around the legs slightly and then the lower portion of skirt flares out dramatically. The back of the skirt is cut slightly longer than the front so you get this phenomenal sweeping feel behind you along with added movement as you walk and move.
• The way it is gathered in around the hips is a strong nod to pieces from the 1930s and 1940s. These are eras that John touched on quite often and that is showcased beautifully in this particular piece. There is a centre seam where all of the fabric has been gathered in towards to create shape and interest around the waist and the of the top of hips.
• The dress is in its original uncut length and just an incredible example of his work from time period. 
• It is fully lined in black silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. I see some faded marks to the interior lining around the hem. I think this is from storage. The exterior is pristine. When the dress is off the body, the inner lining hangs a bit past the hem but once it was on the dress form, it falls right. This is because of the bias cut of the inner lining - it doesn't shorten to match the exterior hem until there is a body in it.
• There is no size tag present so please go buy the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition.

Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 64" from shoulder to front hem in the back extends another 2" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5491

Reference Photo: Fall 2009 Christian Dior Runway, Look 35.

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

• The twin of this dress was featured in the Spring 2012 collection Lookbook sent out to select retailers. 
• It was made under the creative direction of Sarah Burton.
• Lace was one of the primary fabrics that Sarah Burton used for the Spring 2012 collection and Vogue reported that "She based her collection on the three Gs: Grès for the pleating and draping, Gaudí for the architecture, and Gaia for the sense of all-encompassing oceanic life that infused the clothes, like the outfits composed of coral or shells." 
• Pink wore its twin for an editorial shoot and Du Juan wore one on the red carpet.
• We have had a gold version in the shop before and I'm very pleased to have found this black one that matches the Lookbook and red carpets that it's twins appeared on.
• The dress is made out of a black lace that tops a pale nude silk underneath.
• The neckline is a scooped and the bodice is shaped to flow over your curves. The waist is a touch on the more easy side and you could easily add a wide corset belt to get the effect you see in the reference photos and really cinch it in.
• It curves over the hips to about the knee and then the lower skirts explodes out from there.
• Insets of the same lace with a layers of silk organza underskirts are set all the way around. If you lay the lower skirt out flat it has more volume than a full circle. This is what creates that incredibly full effect and the volume that the skirt has. We did not add any additional underskirts for these photos, all of that beautiful sweeping volume is all built-in.
• The back is cut slightly longer then the front so you get this beautiful sweeping effect behind you as you walk. 
• This dress is Sarah at her best and a highly collectible piece.
• The dress is fully lined in a pale nude silk through the body of the dress and then silk organza is set under the lower skirts. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged McQueen 40.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of bodice to front hem and the back extends another 8" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5490

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2012 Alexander McQueen Look Book.  /  (2-3) Pink photographed by Andrew MacPherson, Feb 2012.  /  (4) Du Juan at Deja Vu Screening, June 2012.

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

• This incredibally detailed dress dates to the 1960s.
• It was made under the creative direction of Adolfo Faustino Sardiña, who professionally known as Adolfo.
• Adolfo started his career under Balenciaga and, like Halston, he was a successful milliner before opening his own fashion house. He became know for his Chanel inspired suiting and beaded pieces.
• Adolfo often did custom work for his clients who ranged from the Duchess of Windsor to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Gloria Vanderbilt and Nancy Reagan. He even won a Coty Award in 1969.
• The base fabric is a fine black silk chiffon over a black silk and then it is lined in a silk and then onto that are thousands of beads and sequins.
• The extensive bead and sequin work is set onto the silk in a gorgeous design that runs over the dress from top to bottom. The designs are clustered and the work sits up and off the silk for a slight 3D effect. All of the work is done by hand.
• It drapes and sits on the body in a very balanced way despite the elaborate work on it.
• The cut of this dress is a very flattering one shoulder silhouette. The one side curves up and over the shoulder and then from there it curves gracefully across the back. The shoulder strap is an extension of all of the design, so there is no break to the eye.
• The edges of the neck, down and around the one arm opening, and all the way around the hem are all finished with tightly, spaced bead work that is incredible. 
• It skims over the bust and there is no seam at the waist. Instead, it is shaped to curve in slightly for shape and then it curves back out and over the hips.
• The dress falls to the floor from there and the skirt widens out a touch as it nears the floor. The hem is on a slight angle and as it curves up to the one side, there is a slit runs up one side for a flash of leg to show as you move or sit. 
• I love the contrast of the silver white beads against the black. They catch the light with your slightest movement and from every angle. It is just a spectacular dress.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side zipper. Hand finishes throughout. There is a tiny bare area between the beading on the shoulder and two small areas around the arm. Please see the photos after the label shot. Otherwise it looks as if it was worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 60" from top of the shoulder to hem and the slit is 22" from the hem up.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5489

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

• This dress is from the Spring 2000 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• This John Galliano dress is incredibly beautiful and it is a stunning example of his work. No matter how good you think that this dress looks like in photos it is even better in person and moving.
• The dress is made out of a hammered black silk that has a beautiful texture woven through the silk. I love how that the added texture it has catches the light as you move and adds an extra layer of visual interest to the dress.
• The dress is cut completely on the bias so it just glides over the body. It is made to perfectly fall over you in a sweep of bias cut fabric.
• It skims over the bust with a draped front that falls in a soft fold. Wide straps sweep up and over the shoulders and then extend down into the back.
• The back is truly incredible. It is scooped down into a very low open soft V that leaves most of your back bare.
• At the base of the scoop, it crosses over itself and has a bit of the same drape that you see at the front. It is so well-made that I think there is the possibility that you could wear it turned around back to front with the V at the front, depending on how it worked on your body and how daring you wish to be.
• The dress skims over the waist with a bit of a more generous feel. It continues past the hips and the bias cut of the silk lets it follows your curves and highlights the body underneath without it being too tight and fitted. Galliano was, and is, a genius when it came to this cut.
• Once past the hips the dress flares out as it nears the bottom hem so that it has beautiful movement when you move. One perfect angled seam runs down the front of a skirt for subtle detail and the very bottom of the lower skirt flares out slightly.
• A row of tightly spaced black silk covered buttons and loops run down one side to finish it with his signature detail.
• The dress is fully lined in a fine black silk and closes at the side with the buttons. It is all cut on the bias so the measurements given below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. Being bias cut the length may come up a bit once on the body.
• Tagged a vintage Dior FR42, GB14, US10
• Excellent condition

Bust: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5485

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.

• Due to new customs regulations this dress can only ship to a Canadian address. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this.
• This dress is from the Fall 1982 Givenchy collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy.
• I believe this is the actual runway sample that walked the runway. The only photo that we have been able to find to verify its presence on the runway is one from the back but it is still a photo that shows that it is a runway piece.
• It would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The dress is unlabelled and it is made by hand in the same level other of his runway samples that we have had in the shop.
  
• The bodice and sleeves are made from a black velvet with a flat pile finish. I love how it is cut to sit off shoulder and leave a bare expanse of skin across the top of your shoulders. Two little straps curve over the top of the shoulder to hold it perfectly in place and then the sleeves drop so your upper arm is bare.
• The neck line and the very top of each sleeve have a finish of black feathers that add an amazing feel to the dress.
• The sleeves have been tacked into place along the edge of the bodice and they have an elastic running around the top edge for an easy fit.
• The bodice comes in for shape around the waist and then curves back down to the top of the hip.
• The skirt is spectacular. It comes out from the bottom seam of the top and explodes outward around you with incredible volume
• The skirt is made out of a fine black and silver-grey striped silk that has a pretty red metallic dot woven through its surface. It is the perfect subtle touch of colour and contrast.
• The way the feathers fall around the sleeves and upper bodice is just incredible. They also create slight movements when you move. This is a superb example of his Couture abilities.
• The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the skirt is lined with a black silk organza. It closes with a back zipper and each sleeve zippers to close at the wrist. It is finished a level appropriate to a runway sample and all of the work is by hand. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
• There is no size tag present given that it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 17" from their open top to the end and the elastic stretches from 8-10" around
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to seam at the top of the hips
Total length: 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and the back extends another 4 " past that. There is an additional. 5" of silk turned under the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5484

Reference Photo: Fall 1982 Givenchy 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.

• This dress is from the Resort 2007 Chanel collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld.
  
• Everything about this dress has that chic Chanel feel that makes many of Karl's designs forever classics.
• It is beautiful in person and the simple lines and cut make it the kind of dress that you can wear multiple times with the styling and accessories you add making it feel different each time.
• The dress is made of very light black knit that has different finishes depending on where the knit is placed on the dress. These help to define the various parts of the dress and add visual interest.
• On the bodice and the tiny sleeves the knit is done in a light ribbing. The ribbing is used again to circle around the skirt just under the hip area. In between the knit is a solid fine weave and that also carries down to the bottom portion of a skirt as well with a little cut out detail running all the way around the lower hem.
• Underneath the bottom hem there is an added double layer of a slightly stiffened lace for the prettiest detail. This same lace also tops each little sleeve.
• The dress has no closures. You simply slip it over the head and it drapes over the body perfectly once you have it on.
• The front and back necklines are scooped higher across and there is a little Chanel logo button on the top of each shoulder that holds the dress in place.
• It is meant to be more fitted over the bodice as the knit stretches over you. It runs past the waist and then the dress starts to widen out as it skims out and over the hips. It continues to gently widen out as it nears the hem.
• I love the little sleeves. They are attached along the side of the dress and the opening for the arm is cut a little lower than normal to accommodate this. They sit snuggly around the upper arm and add a pretty little detail.
  
• The dress is fully lined in a soft inner stretch knit layer and has no closures except for the two buttons at the top of the shoulders. The knit does have some stretch and I have put the range when laying flat below.
• Tagged a Chanel 34
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 6" and are just a touch over 7" around where the lace attaches. That is the area with the least amount of stretch. 
Bust: 12-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approximately 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD5483

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.

• A version with similar floral finishes walk the runway for the spring 1982 Givenchy collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy
• In 1952, Hubert de Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodmans and was eventually made available at other retailers. The line was high end and extremely well made. This part of his brand was created specifically to appeal to his non-couture clients who wanted to be able to purchase a piece of the Givenchy dream. This label continued until 1992 when it was retired and re-branded as the Givenchy Couture label.
• This dress is from those early days of the label and it is one of the prettiest Givenchy dresses I have seen.
• The dress combines a brilliant pink silk skirt with a more fitted strapless bodice.
• The bodice on this one is so pretty. The base of it is a slightly off-white silk that has a white netting covering it. Onto that is an explosion of the prettiest little silk flowers in a range of pretty pastels mixed with pops of pink and purple.
• These are all placed over the bodice and so they cover it all the way around from the front to the back. They have been laid out flat beside each other and only the centres are sewn down onto the fabric so the petals sit off the fabric and move with the smallest bit of air. This gives it a touch of a 3D feel and pretty movement.
• The skirt is as fabulous and it is very full with the silk layer on the top and an inner silk chiffon layer underneath. The colour is a brilliant pink that perfectly picks up in the pink flowers in the bodice.
• There is a lot of fabric in the skirt and it is set into the waist in soft folds so that it really has fullness and movement when you move.
• The dress came with its original green silk covered belt that you can add if you wanted an extra pop of colour.
  
• The dress is fully lined in a ivory silk though the bodice and the skirt is lined in a pink silk. Light boning in the bodice. There is an inner waist stay and another under the bust and both hook to close. It closes with a metal side set zipper. There is a touch of grubbiness along the edges of the bodice around the arm areas and the flowers have softened over the years. There is some grubbiness and slight fading to the edge of the skirt hem and I see one tiny hole in the silk. The belt shows fading and wear. Please see the photos after the label shot
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent overall condition with the notes above

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5481

Reference Photos: Spring 1982 Lanvin Couture. Model Anna Bayle.

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

• This dress is from the Fall 2003 Cavalli collection and is a variation of Look 30 
• It was made under the creative direction of Roberto Cavalli
• Leopard prints were predominant through the runway presentation and the backdrop of the catwalk was a giant wall of video screens. The runway equivalent to this dress was deeply plunged at the front but this production piece with its corset front is far more wearable and easy to fit in my opinion. We have included runway video and stills to show you the similar fit through the body and how it will move
• The dress is made of a leopard print bias cut silk chiffon that is phenomenal. Within the leopard print there are printed gold chains that run over the dress and accentuate the curves of the body underneath. They also build on the cut of the dress itself.
• The dress is suspended from two tiny straps in the same silk that curved up and over the shoulders. The straps have a touch of elastic inside to help it fit perfectly once on. At the back they curve slightly inwards and attach. The entire upper back is left bare and exposed.
• There is a built-in inner underwired bra that holds everything in place. This gives you the structure you need while still keeping the feel of a bias cut dress over that.
• The dress curves in at the waist with a combination of long curving vertical seams and ones set in peaked angles that curved downwards. It curves back out over the hips from there. Everything is cut on the bias and there are no horizontal seams to break the print or lines of the dress.
• The lower skirt flares out with quite a bit of fabric used for its construction. The back has extra fabric and is cut a little longer than the front so that you have a beautiful bit of fabric behind you as you move. The extra fabric also gives you wonderful movement as you walk. 
• I love how all of the seams around the bodice are pieced together with an obvious brown thread stitching them together. The way this is done allows for a little bit of bare skin to show between the stitches. It is a subtle detail but a fantastic one.
• The final perfect finishing touch is the laced back. This allows you to adjust the fit perfectly to you and it gives the dress the perfect signature Cavalli sexiness.
• The dress is unlined and closes with the laces at the back. The straps have slight elastic in them and there is a built-in underwire bra to create a corset effect. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a modern Cavalli Small
• Excellent condition 

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam when it is tightly laced up. Loosening the laces would give you whatever extra room you needed around.
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: the very front centre is 60" from top of shoulder and then it starts to curve around to end up being 67" at the back. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5479

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2003 Roberto Cavalli, Look 30.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Spring 2007 runway and it is an absolute stunner.
• It was made under the creative direction of Stephane Rolland.
• The dress is made of a beautifully printed feather light silk chiffon and the bow details are a brown silk.
• Wide straps extend up from the two front triangles and wrap and button at the back of the neck. This leaves a plunge right to the wide band that circles around the waist. The result is a low plunge, but because of the way the halter is cut and the width of each side, everything is held perfectly in place once on.
• The waist is defined by a wide band of the same fabric. It starts high up above the waist and is gathered horizontally around you ending at the top of the hip.
• All of the gathering through that area has all been hand tacked into place. I love the shape that it adds to the dress.
• The back is equally spectacular. It is completely bare and exposed from the strap that curves around the neck down to the top edge of the band that details and add shape to the waist.
• The skirt is spectacular. At the front there is a draped panel that falls down the centre and then is caught up with a deep brown bow underneath where is flounces. The lower tier of the skirt widens and flows out from there with extra fabric gathered in.
• The back of the skirt is cut so that it falls a little longer than the front. This creates a really pretty sweeping movement behind you as you walk.
• I love that the print is soft. All of the browns are more on the tawny feeling side to create this pretty softness over the dress. I think in person it feels even less of a contrast in the print than how it photos. It is very pretty.
• The dress has its original tag with its price of €4250 or just under €6500 in modern dollars.
• The dress is lined in a nude colour silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. There are three buttons at the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage Scherrer 42
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers approximately 7" flat across from side to side
Band under the bust: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to top of the 8.5" band at the waist
Total length: approx 68" from neck to front hem and the back ham extends another 5" beyond that

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5477

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2007 Jean Louis Scherrer.

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

• The dress is from the Spring 2016 Roberto Cavalli Collection and it is a piece that was produced for the shops.
• It was made under the creative direction of Peter Dundas.
• The dress is made out of a white jersey that has some stretch to it which makes it very easy to wear and comfortable once it is on the body.
• The neckline is scooped with a slightly wider cut. The shoulders are soft and the single sleeve that the dress has is long and slightly tapered into the wrist.
• It skims over the bust and is gathered in along one side to add some shape to the waist. From there it curves back out and over the hips to fall to the floor in one long sweep of jersey. The dress is in its original uncut length.
• The detailing on the dress is phenomenal. A heavily detailed snake that combines gold tube beading with rectangular and round prong set rhinestones and tiny silver tube beads is set on top of a three dimensional padding. This gives the snake a rounded out shape so that it slightly sits up and off of the fabric.
• The tail of the snake starts on one side of the neckline, wraps around the back collar, and then runs down the front to follow the low cut opening that your arm slips through. It curves around and into the waist, back around the side of the hip, and then the head of the snake sits just above an extremely high slit at the side.
• The snake detail is incredible. I love how he dropped the depth of the arm hole on one side and then balanced that with the high slit on that same side. It feels very sexy but the placement of the snake and the structure that is added by the under padding holds everything perfectly in place once it is on. It is quite ingenious.
• The dress is fully lined through the body with a second layer of the same white jersey and the sleeve has no lining. It zips to close at the back with a hidden set zipper and there is a zipper at the cuff of the single sleeve. I see perhaps the tiniest bit of grubbiness along the inside collar and around the edge of the hem. There are a couple of teeny tiny pulls in the fabric. I have photoed one for you that is at the back near the zipper. Please see the photo after the label shot. These are all extremely minor and noted for accuracy. The fabric does have some stretch so I have put the comfortable range of measurements below.
• Tagged a modern Cavalli 44
• Excellent condition

Sleeve: 24.5" and are 12" around the upper arm
Bust: covers to 15-17" flat across from side to side with no true seam on the side without the sleeve.
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem, the slit is 33" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5473

Reference Photo: credit unknown.

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

• This dress is a beautiful example from Nina Ricci Haute Couture.
• It was made under the creative direction of Gerard Pipart.
• 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 would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris ateliers.
• The dress is made out of layers of a deep blue bias cut silk chiffon that is feather light in weight. 
• The bodice is strapless and it has an inner shaped corset that is lightly boned and shaped for light support. The top 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 weightless silk chiffon that is all cut on the bias. The layers of chiffon create the most phenomenal movement as they float over each other.
• 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 and then curve down and over one hip. It is like an added bit of jewellery to the dress and just beautiful.
• 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.
• There is no size tag present as it is true Haute Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition with the minor note above.

Bust: 14.5-15" 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# DD5468

Reference Photo: Spring 1984 Nina Ricci 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.

• This is an original Givenchy Haute Couture gown whose number tag dates it to approximatelywho's number tag dates it to approximately 1985 to 1987.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy
  
• The dress would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
• If not for the tag inside and the number that seems to best place it in that time period we have assigned it to based on other Givenchy Couture pieces we've had in the shop, we would have absolutely thought this was a piece from the 1950s at first glance. It has all the beautiful lines you see in that golden era of Old Hollywood.
• It is made out of a deep blue matte silk that has a bit of a moire design running over its surface. It is a very unique fabric and because the dress is a couture piece it could very well have been specifically produced for this dress.
• The dress is strapless with a handmade built-in interior boned corset to hold it in place around you. It has a stay just under the bust and around the waist to hold it in place and it is lightly boned. I love the extensive hand work that you see inside that shows the high amount of detail that goes into a couture piece.
• The top of the bodice has a slate fullness to it with an added panel of fabric that wraps around the bodice that is gathered and stitched in place by hand to form soft curves and puffs.
• At the front of the bodice there is a large blue velvet bow that has been hand placed. Slightly smaller bows have been attached all the way around the skirt. The bows add a pretty and feminine detail and the contrast of the deeper blue of the velvet is the perfect highlight against the silk backdrop.
• The dress curves in at the waist and then flares out to be very full through the skirt as it falls to the floor.
• The shape through the upper portion of the dress has all been made from the immaculate piecing together of vertical panels. There are eight of them in total and each is shaped to create the curving feel over the bust and waist that you see.
• From there, the skirt curves back out over the hips to meet the first of two wide panels that make up the lower portion of the skirt and give it the volume that you see. 
• Each of those panels is set into a seam attached to the panel above, and they are slightly gathered all the way around you. This ties in the feel that the very top of the bodice has and also adds to the volume of the skirt.
• Underneath that gorgeous top layer is a built-in silk underskirt. It has multiple layers of panels built-in around the hem area and more built-in just past the knee. These fall softly under the exterior skirt to help to hold its shape. The inner construction of this underscored is quite extensive and again is a nod to the meticulous detailing that you find in a true Couture piece.
  
• It is incredibly well made as one would expect for a piece of Couture.
• The dress has weight to it because of all the internal layers but it is balanced perfectly once on the body.
• A full built in bodice closes with its own zipper and the inner stays hook to close. Handmade light padding cups are built in at the bust. The rest of the dress is lined in layers of silk. The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper. All the work is by hand and to Haute Couture standards. The dress has its proper couture label and handwritten tape underneath in place. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements below.
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 50.5" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5470

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

• This dress is from the Spring 2003 Dior collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• The twin of this dress was worn by Jennifer Aniston to accept her award at the 2003 Golden Globes. 
• This is a dress that was made for the shops on a limited basis. A version with no sequins or lace, was also made that season, but this one with the extra detailing was only produced for a very limited amount of shops or special order.
• The dress is made from a bias cut black silk that has a slight texture to it. This is mixed with a black lace and then the dress has additional sequin and bead detailing.
• The front curves over you and then dips low at the back. You can see in the try on photos that when this is on an actual body it dips lower down the back and on more of a curve. This leaves your entire upper back bare and exposed.
• Two straps extended out from the centre of the bodice and hook into place behind the neck. There is a heavy detailing of beads and sequins that follow the neckline of the dress and then scatter over and down the bodice. Both the straps are finished with a heavy detailing of beads and little black prong set black glass rhinestones. Where the straps attached at the front there is a panel of silk shaped to feel like the ends of a tie. This is made from one piece of silk that has been folded over onto itself and then cut into angles at its ends. It is heavily detailed with a beautiful scalloped pattern created by shiny black sequins and tiny little glass beads.
• The top blouses over the waist and then there is a wide 11" panel of gathered black lace that starts at the waist seam and curves over the top of the hips. The fabric has some stretch so that you can adjust where it sits on you. 
• The skirt falls to the floor in a beautiful line. It is cut to curve over your hips and then flares out dramatically for the lower portion of the skirt. A slit runs up the front centre for some leg to show and this combined with the flaring cut creates incredible movement as you move.
• It is a really exceptional dress and is extremely sexy once on the body. 
• The bodice is fully lined in a black silk chiffon and the skirt is unlined. It slips on to wear with no closures. In its original length. The bias cut and slight stretch of the fabric gives it some movement. I have given the comfortable range of the measurements while laying flat below. It appears to have worn very little if at all. 
• Tagged a vintage Dior US4, GB8, FR36. 
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam. The smaller you are through the bust the more the back will drape since the halter holds it in place at the front.
Waist: 12.5-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15.5-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 25" from neck to waist but once on the top drapes over the waist seam and it is approximately 15 to 16" from the neck
Total length: 73.5" from neck to hem but once on and the top drapes over it is approximately 63.5" long. There is some play with the length depending on how high you hike the area around the hips.
Slit: 27"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5467

Reference photos: Jennifer Aniston in Dior at the Golden Globes, 2003.

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

• The twin of this extraordinary dress walked the Fall 2011 Vauthier Haute Couture runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Alexandre Vauthier
• Alexandre Vauthier launched his label in 2009. He started his fashion career in 1993 working for Thierry Mugler as an intern and working his way up to assistant designer to Mugler himself. In 1997 he joined Jean Paul Gaultier where he in charge of the Couture collections for the following eight years. 
• He left in 2008 to open his own couture atelier showing his first collection in 2009. From 2011 to 2014 the label was a designated guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de haute couture and since December 2014 he has been a full Couture member. Vauthier departed the label in 2025 it was acquired by Revolve marking the end of the Couture division.
• This is the actual piece that was shown on the runway and may very well be the only one in existence. I love that we have both the runway reference photos and video. You can see how fantastically it moves and looks once on the body.
• The dress is made from a red silk chiffon that has an extensive and very dense application of red bead work hand applied onto it.
• Every line of the dress has been precisely cut and patterned so that it falls perfectly in the lines that he intended it to be shaped in. 
• The shoulders are soft and extend into long cut sleeves that are also completely and densely beaded to match the body of the dress. In the runway photo the shoulders look slightly more shaped than the dress in person to me and I think that they may have added temporary padding to style it for the show. Adding your own is a decision that could be made once you have it in hand and try it on.
• The dress is cut to skim over the body and highlight it everywhere. The sleeves are cut a little extra long so that once on the arm they bunch up a touch. There is a cut out. opening that is left under each arm. I have photoed that so that you can see. This was probably done not only as a design choice but to allow movement and not have to worry about the bead work being constricted.
• The neckline is scooped and the dress is shaped to come in at the waist and then curves back out and around the hips so that it skims perfectly over the body. 
• The beadwork that sits over the sleeves and body of the dress has been done and a little sections that curve around each other and catch the light differently as you move. You can see in the video how this creates an almost flame like feel over you.
• The skirt is absolutely amazing. As the beads run down over the hips to join into the skirt they become these long flame like ribbons of bead work that extend into varying lengths down and into the skirt. The effect is absolutely beautiful and perfectly picks up on the way the beads were executed through the body of the dress.
• Under the beadwork, the skirt is made out of a red silk chiffon that is very light and weight. It curves slightly up at the front and then extends out into two angled points at the back which again feels like an extension of the flame motif that the dress has.
• You can see on the runway that once very bright lights hit the skirt, it has a sense of transparency to it. That is quite extraordinary and done to highlight the bead work and add a bit of sexiness to the dress despite it full coverage. At the back it trails out past the hem to float around you as you walk.
• The dress is amazing on the body and it is just a beautiful and very sexy dress and an extraordinary little piece of true Haute Couture fashion history.
• The upper portion of the dress is lined in a silk chiffon through the body and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and each cuff closes with a hidden set zipper. This is the actual dress that was worn on the runway and is completely made by hand. It is the original runway sample dress. The beads have been hand sewn so closely to the edges of the zipper that you do have to take care when zipping and unzipping the dress as they can catch and you can see a little bit of catching of thread and perhaps the very occasional missing bead here and there along that edge. I am being pretty picky. This was done to give the illusion that the dress has no opening. Inside the silk chiffon that was used to line the dress is very delicate and there have been some repairs made. This was probably done after the runway show to strengthen parts of the inner lining and can be typical of runway samples. I also see a touch of a mark on one arm on the inner lining, a small tear and some repairs to the silk of the lining. None of this shows through but is mentioned for accuracy and is photoed after the label shot. Some of the seam work is handed basted and this adds to the feel that this is the original sample because that is often how you see runway samples finished.
• There is no size tag present because it is Haute couture sample so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 28" and they are 9.5" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-16.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 90" from neck to the very longest point at the back hem and the shortest point at the front fall to 49"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5463

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2011 Alexandre Vauthier 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.

• This stunning and rare dress set is from the Fall 1981 Fabrice collection.
• It was made by Haitian born designer Fabrice Simon. 
• Simons launched his label in 1976 making this an extremely early example of his work and showcases how his early work especially was centred around hand, painted fabrics. He trained as a textile designer originally and pieces like this showcase his love of textiles beautifully.
• Fabrice was a Coty award recipient and one of the preeminent black designers during this time period and pieces by him are extremely difficult to find. Especially at the level that this one is at. It is a very important and collectible piece of Black fashion history. 
• The dress is especially iconic because it has two remarkable tie-ins. One with supermodel Pat Cleveland, who wore the twin of the top, and the second with Cicely Tyson who was photographed wearing a version of this set.
• His clothes were worn by some of entertainments most famous names - Kathleen Turner, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston, who wore one of his dresses to the 1988 Grammy's. The top supermodels of the time like Iman, Beverly Johnson, Christy Brinkley and Jerry Hall were all fans. 
• When worn together it does look like a dress but it is a set of two pieces.
• Both pieces are made out of a beautiful light in weight red silk that has a metallic gold design covering its surface. The the gold portion of the fabric have all been painted on by hand and this is where we see Fabrice background as a trained textile designer.
• The top is a remarkable piece of fashion that transcends into art
• Both the front and the back dipped into a V and it buttons down the front with a series of round gold metal ball buttons that slip through red silk loops. There was a little gap left between each button with how it's laid out so you would get a tiny glimpse of skin between each button.
  
• The top is edged in a metallic gold cord that has a black band twisted around it. This little pop of black and gold contrasts beautifully with the painted fabric and adds a little extra bit of detail.
• The front dips down into a point, and while it has seamed to follow the curve of the body it is soft without boning so very comfortable to wear
• Curving up and around the the shoulders are three rows of silk that has been gathered to form the phenomenal volume and detail that you see. These are stacked beside each other with silk between each row, so they cover the full sides of the top on both the back in front. They are finished in hand edged jagged points and the way they have been set onto the top creates the incredible volume and density that you see in the photos. They add an exuberance to the outfit that is hard to describe until you see it in person. It is just extraordinary.
• The skirt is as fabulous as the top. It is banded around the waist so that you have shape and then it falls very full around you to the hem.
• There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt and it's sheer amount of fabric allows that gorgeous hand painted print to be shown off to the maximum. To achieve the fullness that it has all of the silk has been tightly gathered in and around the waist and then expands outward.
• I love that the skirt has pockets. It is the perfect bit of unexpected ease on such a dramatic piece.
• Having two pieces makes it extremely versatile because you can mix a match either piece with things you already have in your wardrobe. It is beautifully dramatic one worn together and then you also have endless styling possibilities when paired with other things.
• Both pieces have an additional handwritten museum tag from being deaccessioned. One has to wonder if that is a regretted decision.
• The top is fully lined in a black silk and buttons down the front as described above. The skirt is unlined and closes at the waist with hook and eye and then a zipper below that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• The top is tagged a size Small and the skirt has no size tag.
• Excellent condition

Top
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 17" from top of shoulder to bottom edge, not including the added 2.5" extended angle at the front

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 47" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5462

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fabrice and Pat Cleveland for Essence magazine, November 1981.  /  (3) Cicely Tyson, in hand-painted Fabrice, at the Alvin Theatre in New York City, 1982.

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

• The dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland
• Ady was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas.
• She would purchase couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway.
• This incredible Haute Couture dress came to me from the niece of the original couture client.
• The dress is an authorized copy of the 1982 Givenchy Haute Couture fdress that we have included reference photos of here. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body. 
• The dress is made from a deep copper gold silk. It is very light in weight but has enough structure to hold the stunning lines and volume of the dress. The colour of the silk is even better in person.
• The neckline is a simple scoop and the bodice skims over your curves. The sleeves are incredible. Each one is set on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of dressmaking. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends.
• The waist is seamed but with a more generous feel. You can use the ribbon belt to cinch it in and add shape.
• The skirt is one of the best skirts I have seen both from a design point of view and by its level of construction. It is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is. A seam brings the top part of the skirt inwards and then the lower part of the skirt falls to the floor from there.
• The lower portion of the skirt is made from several yards of silk so that it flares out beautifully as it falls.
• Between the two sections is a wide velvet ribbon that wraps around the seam and ties into a bow at the side. Which beautifully picks up on the bow around the waist. The silk of the skirts are lined in a silk organza to help give support but it is really the genius of the cut itself that creates the shape.
• An elaborate and intricate floral design runs across the front and back of the bodice and down each sleeve. Hand done embroidery work is combined with tiny black sequins and hand applied beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen. 
• The skirt is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is.
• Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam finished by hand. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absolutely beautifully made.
• The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully lined with a soft gold toned silk organza. It closes with a hand set back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. The velvet ribbon belt is not original to the piece but is included. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It is a slightly softer gold copper in person then how it photoed. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition 

Sleeves: 26" and they are 16" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of the shoulder to waist
Length: 58" from top of the shoulder to front hem, 61" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5461

Reference Photos: Fall 1982 Givenchy Couture 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.

• The twin of the dress in white walked the runway for the Spring 1980 Haute Couture presentation
• It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
• The Spring 1980 collection was called "Return to Classism". The book Dior:Catwalk noted that the collection "focused on paired back silhouettes with defined shoulders, subtle and belted waists... "My look is one of softness and neatness." Bohan told Vogue. Vogue also noted the one shoulder necklines that were integral to the collection and that is shown so beautifully in this dress.
• This dress would have been made entirely in the Paris atelier. 
• During this time period dresses with this black with white text Couture label usually denoted a custom order that was different from the presented piece on the runway. Being that the dress was shown in white on the runway this makes perfect sense.
• The dress is made out of a red silk crepe that is a colour that is flattering on most skin tones, especially with its touch of a coral undertone.
• I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress displays.
• A single wide shoulder curves up and over your shoulder and the opening that your arm slips through begins and is set slightly off the top of the shoulder so you have just the suggestion of a sleeve. It angles down across you on both the front and the back. The opening dips slightly low on the other side leaving that entire opposite side and shoulder bare and exposed.
• It skims over the bust and blouses slightly over the seam at the waist. The silk is gathered in slightly at the waist and done so that it falls perfectly around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt.
• The skirt falls from there and is constructed so that it wraps over itself to one side at the front and secured in place around the waist. A deliberate gap is left open near the hem and when you walk, move or sit, you get a flash of leg. You can see how this sits so beautifully on the body from the runway reference photos.
• It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed and planned.
• The dress comes with a huge rectangle of finished silk in a matching colour that can be used as a shawl or partial cape piece. It is not photoed but will be sent with the dress.
• This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching red silk chiffon and closes at the side with a hand set zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
• There is no size tag present because it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Dress
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17.5" from top of shoulder to waist but does blouse over a bit once on
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under the ham

Shawl (not pictured)
6.8 feet wide x 9.75 feet wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5454

Reference Photos: Spring 1980 Christian Dior 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.

• This gorgeous dress is from the Cruise 2011 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• On the runway there was a dress that used a similar pleat pattern on the front bodice for Look 26.
• The runway show took place in Shanghai and Galliano said at the time that he was trying to "capture the feeling of Paris in its heyday".
• The dress is made from a red silk chiffon that has a bit of a coral undertone and a touch of texture to it. 
• Wide straps curve up and around the neck and the back scoops down to leave your upper back bare and exposed. At the front the neckline plunges into a V.
• The silk is gathered vertically on both sides at the front. All of the gathered pleats are held in place by a series of horizontal ruffles in a matching silk that run down the front. I love how the pleat work narrows down to a point at the waist. This helps to add the illusion of both length and a tinier waistline. 
• The skirt is gathered up and into the sides of the point at the front. It skims and curves over the hips and then it widens out as it nears the floor.
• By the time it reaches the hem there is a lot of fabric there and this gives you fantastic movement as you move. This was a silhouette that Galliano loved.
• A high slit runs up from the hem on the top layer of the skirt only. This lets that top chiffon layer catch the air and add even more movement as you walk. 
• The dress is fully lined in a matching red silk. One of his signature rows of matching silk covered buttons and loops run down one side and this hides a hidden set zipper underneath to close the dress. It appears to have good morning very little if little effort at all.
• Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8, IT40, US4
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16" from neck to waist
Total length: approx 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5453

Reference Photo: Resort 2011 Christian Dior, Look 26. Model Sigrid Agren.

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

• This dress is from the Spring 2004 Valentino collection
• It was made under the creative direction of the original, Mr. Valentino
• We have included some photos from the Spring 2004 Valentino collection of dresses with similar elements to this one. This is a dress that was produced for the shops and it is absolutely gorgeous.
• The dress is made out of a feather light black silk chiffon and the lightness of this fabric choice creates a soft and romantic feel as it floats over your body.
• The entire dress is cut to allow it to drape beautifully over the body and highlight your curves.
• The bodice is finished with tiny and precise pleats that wrap all the way around to the back. The top of the bodice is gathered into a sweetheart and the back sits on a slight curve to leave the upper back bare and exposed.
• A ruffled panel of black silk chiffon is set along straps that are meant to sit off the shoulder. Once this is on a body, it will sit around the upper arm. I think, depending on the space between the shoulder and bodice you might also be able to wear this on the top of the shoulder.
• The waist is cinched and seamed to follow the curve of the body.
• From there it curves out and over the hips and the panels of chiffon that make up the skirt float around you as the skirt falls to the floor.
• The skirt is a little masterpiece in its own right. It is actually made of a series of panels that are all set in around the waist. They are attached together to just under the hip and sat in a way so that they overlap each other as they fall to the floor.
• Each panel is a long rectangle that widen out to their curved ends. Each of the individual panels are finished with a ruffle of a matching black silk chiffon that runs all the way around the entire panel. I love how the ruffle is smaller near the top of the hip and then also widen out as it circles around the bottom of each panel.
• The panels overlap each other as they curve around you but there is no inner lining. It is the overlapping and the multiple layers of the panels that make it opaque enough to wear.  Besides making it wearable, the separation of the panels once they get past the hip area is what allows the extraordinary amount of movement that the skirt has when you move. 
• The silk chiffon that was used is feather light and the dress is a dream in person.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is constructed as described above. It closes with a hidden set side zipper.  It is in its original uncut length. I see a tiny repair near the hem and along the hem. Both extremely minor. It otherwise.appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 6
• Excellent condition.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to "20 flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16" from the top of the shoulder to the waist and the bodice on its own is about 9.5" from the top edge to the waist
Length: 64" from top of the shoulder to the hem, 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5442

Reference Photos: Spring 2004 Valentino.

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

• The twin of this dress was presented for Look 3 for the Fall 2011 Pucci collection
• It was made under the creative direction of Peter Dundas. 
• Besides being shown on the runway it also made an appearance on the amfAR red carpet that season.
• I love that all the various reference photos and video give you an amazing idea of how gorgeous this is on the body.
• The dress is made out of the classic modern Pucci jersey that makes it extremely comfortable to wear but also perfectly defined your curves. The fabric has some stretch and it is lined in a black stretch silk so that it sits very flattering on top of the body. 
• The front neck is scooped and is edged in a bit of ruffled raw edged silk for a pretty detail. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are long.
• Each sleeve zips to close around the wrist and are finished with that same pretty little ruffle detail.
• The front bodice is phenomenal. It has an inner boned corset piece that starts near the top of the shoulders and then comes down in on angle to the waist. This helps to flatten out the front and push the breasts up. It is a nod to a historical front corset and is very flattering once on the body.
• It skims over the bust and waist around this front corset piece and is brought in slightly to add shape around the waist area. From there it curves back out over the hips and falls to the floor.
• The bottom flares out quite a bit so you have some movement around you when you move. You can see that on the runway video. The back is cut longer than the front so you get a pretty sweeping feel behind you.
• This is a gorgeous example of Peter's time at the label.
• The dress is fully lined in a black stretch silk layer. The back of the corset part is lined in a black cotton mix. It closes with a back hidden set zipper and has hidden set zippers at each wrist. The jersey has some stretch and I have put the comfortable range of measurements below. Its easy fit and stretch should allow it to fit a range of sizes. It is in its original uncut length. It appears to have been worn very little, if at all.
• Tagged a more modern Pucci IT40, FR36, US6, UK8
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 26.5" and they are 9-11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15-16" and are meant to sit a little wider across the shoulder
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 64.5" from top of shoulder to hem and the back extends 11" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5432

Reference Photo/Video: (1-4) Fall 2011 Emilio Pucci, Look 3. Model Daphne Groeneveld.  /  (5) Toni Garrn at the amfAR Gala in Milan, 2011.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 Bill Blass runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• I love that we found a reference photo from the runway so you can see just how fantastic this is once on.
• This is the actual dress worn Mikey Madison to the Oscars Nominees Dinner in February and she landed on several best dressed lists as a result.
• 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. 
• It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person.
• The fabric feels like 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. It falls from there to skim outward over the waist and hips, and then narrows 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 underneath that is very extravagant. The panel curves outwards and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it is attached back into the dress. A slit is hidden under the panel to give you room to walk while keeping the narrow silhouette of the hem.
• The dress is 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. There is light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present, so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

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# DD5411

Reference Photos/Video: (1) Fall 1987 Bill Blass Runway.  /  (2-6) Mikey Madison wearing this dress to the Oscars Nominees Dinner, February 2025, styled by Jamie Mizrahi. 

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

• The twin of this dress in a different colour resides in the permanent collection of the Met Museum.
• It was made under the creative direction of George Halley.
• Halley was one of the great American Couturiers.
• George Halley started his career working for Charles James who said of the young designer that he 'was a genius at draping'. By the time Halley opened his own atelier in 1966 he was well on his way to fame. He won the Coty Award in 1968 and his work is on par with true couture. He is one of my personal favourite designers.
• Women's Wear Daily called him 'a designer in a lovely world of his own' and that is how I feel about his work.
• This is an absolutely outstanding dress that shows the extreme level of detail that was being done with Couture pieces in this era. This would have been made entirely by hand in his Salon.
• A pale pink silk net tops a pink silk and then this has an elaborate detailing added over its surface with 3D velvet flowers, prong set rhinestones, hand beading and faux pearls
• Over that is a application of hand done metallic embroidery that covers the top layer of netting.
• The front has a high empire cut with an attached velvet band around the waist. This ends in a pretty and romantic bow at the back.
• The workmanship on the stress is spectacular and I've included a lot of close-ups for you to see. No matter how amazing you think it looks in the photos. It is better in person.
• The dress has been completely made by hand to a Couture level.
• It closes with a back zipper and snaps over the bow. The dress is hand lined in a pale pink silk. I see a little bit of grubbiness on the velvet sash and bow. I feel like this could be removed and replaced with the original just cap to side so that you have all of the pieces, but it would be easy to add a sash of your choice and maybe even extend it down the back. There is some very slight change in colour along some of the edges of the inner pink silk lining, some minor grubbiness along the hem and some splitting of the silk on the inner hem along the very edge at the bottom. These are all minor but mentioned for accuracy
•  There was no size tag present, so please go buy the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 7.5" and the opening is 10" around
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5410

Reference Photo: 1967 George Halley dress from the Met collection.

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

• This dress is a version of a series of dresses that Yves sent down the runway for the Spring 1987 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
• I have included reference photos of similar dresses used for the ad campaign and shown on the runway so that you can get an idea of how great this dress will be on the body.
• The 1987 collection is one of my all time favourites and I am very pleased to have this wonderful example from it in the shop.
• The dress is made from a black silk base with a layer of dotted black silk netting applied over the bodice in horizontal bands. This choice in fabric gives the dress its structure and shape so that it holds the shape around you once on.
• The bodice is strapless and cut on a soft curve across the neckline. It is lightly boned on the inside to hold the dress perfectly in place. It curves in over the waist and then curves back out over the hips. From there the lower skirts flare outwards to the hem.
• The lower skirt is quite full and makes an incredible statement. It has a fishnet style lace for its top layer. Under that is a layer of dotted lace to subtly tie in the lace of the bodice. Under those layers two more layers of the fishnet lace to give it its incredible fullness.
• On the bodice the lace is separated by five wide bands made out of a black silk ribbon that give a beautiful and rich feel to the dress. I love the contrast between the texture of the silk and the dotted netting.
• Each ribbon is stacked to run from the very top of the bodice to the lowest seam above the skirt. Each ribbon is gathered into a little folded bow and has a round metal circle attached that is finished with  glossy black glass rhinestones. There are five of those big jewelled pieces in total and they add the perfect amount of glitz to the dress. The combination of the silk ribbon, the dotted lace, the jewelled circles and that stunning full lower skirt is just gorgeous to see and it is even better on the body.
• The dress fully lined in a crisp black cotton and closes with a side set zipper. The inner bodice is lightly boned and shaped. I see some minor repairs in the netting of the skirt. You only see them if you are looking for them because of the amount of fabric in the skirt and the black layers. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a 40.
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from the top of the bodice to the inner waist, 24" to the bottom of the lowest seam above the skirt
Total length: 47" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5407

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Ad Campaign  /  (2-3) Spring 1987 Yves Saint Laurent 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.

• This amazing dress is from the Spring 1986 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
  
• The dress is made from a hand made black French corded lace and this choice in fabric gives the dress its structure and shape. This is mixed with silk satin details across the top of the bottom, around the hip, and finishing the hem.
• The bodice is strapless and is cut to curve across the front. Inside there is a full separate couture level corset that is boned and shaped to hold the dress perfectly in place around you.
• It curves in to skim over the waist and then it curves back out and over the hips. Just under the hips is an attached black silk ribbon that wraps around you and ties in a bow at the front.
• The skirt falls underneath the ribbon detailing and down to the floor. It widens out quite a bit around you for lovely movement when you move. The skirt is cut slightly longer at the back and has extra fabric for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you.
• I love how there is a matching dip at the back of the bodice that picks up on the shape of the extended back skirt. This is all done to add the illusion of length.
• As with all couture pieces, and Yves' especially, they only truly come to life once on the body. This dress looks so simple and easy but it is really a bit of an understated masterpiece in person.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. The inner corset closes with its own zipper. The corset is lightly boned through the bodice and shaped. An inner waist stay hooks to close.
• There is no size tag present since it is Haute Couture so please go by the measurements list listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 50" from top of bodice to front hem, 54" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5405

Reference Photos: (1-3) Spring 1986 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.  /  (4-6) Spring 1986 Haute Couture Sketches.  /  (7) Credit Unknown.  /  (8) Ahn Duong for Harpers and Queen, June 1986. Photographed by David Seidner.  /  (9) Iman in YSL, 1986.

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

• This is a very rare Paco Rabanne Haute Couture set from the 1990s, maybe 2000s.
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Paco Rabanne.
• This is a very rare collector piece and is almost certainly the only one in existence. It most likely was a runway piece but it is very challenging to find runway documentation for his Couture shows from this time period. If we do come across it at some point, we will certainly send it to its new owner.
• The set is made up of three separate pieces and you can wear them individually or together. 
  
• The inner dress is strapless and widens out substantially around the body as it falls, outward and down to the hem. The back is cut longer than the front so you get a fantastic swoop of fabric behind you as you walk.
• Inside, there is a built-in inner bodice to hold the dress in place. This is the only thing holding the dress in place since the fabric that lays over the inner bodice is cut to be extremely open and full as it falls down to the hem.
• The inner fabric of this piece is foiled silver fabric that has an black woven net with an orange woven applique set into the netting so that it that forms an organic pattern. This unique and innovative fabric is used for the entire dress part of the set. The fabric innovation that he was doing for his Couture shows really highlights how far he was pushing the envelope and how purely experimental his creations were.
• Slipping over the dress is a one of his signature chain-link pieces. It has a part cape / part top feel to it. It combines plastic silver links that have a rhinestone in each of their centres, with round circle loops that are hooked together, plus little orange plastic and gold pieces. All the pieces are hand linked together in a nod to his traditional metal chain link. The top drapes down over the bodice with an upwards curve at the front. At the back, it extends far longer to well past the small of the back, ending in a point that perfectly picks up on the shape of the back skirt.
• Each sleeve of the piece has been made to be very full and wide. They flare outwards at their ends and have an edging made out of with strands of the same pieces as the body of the top with an added little oval shape at their ends.
• The original hooded head piece complete the set. It is extremely rare to have the headpieces included. These were almost always made for the runway show only and is the biggest clue that this was most likely the actual sample piece. The little handwritten tag that says 49 that is attached under the label was probably the order number in the show, giving us the second clue.
• This incredible little headpiece simply slips over the head and is long enough that it covers the neck. All of the edges are finished with the same dangling embellishments you see edges of the on the top. An opening at the front allows your face to peak out but you are otherwise covered over your entire head. The beads are then all gathered into a 'knot" at the top. Once in place it gives the illusion that the headpiece and cap piece are all a singular piece of chain-link over you. It is incredible.
• The dress is completely made by hand and I believe that this is the original sample runway sample dress. Under the tag is a handmade tag that says 49 and I believe that is the Look number that would've been shown on the runway. The edges are all handed basted and this adds to the feel that this is the original sample because that is often how you see runway samples finished from this era.
• The dress has a built-in inner corset and this is what holds the dress in place around you. This inner bodice is lightly boned and has built in cups and meant to be fitted. Because of the excessive drape of the exterior dress you would be able to add and increase the size of the inner corset and you would never see any changes on exterior nor would it have any effect. That inner piece zips to close at the back and there is an attached waist stay that hooks to close. The dress closes with a series of snaps over that. There are dappled markings on a silver interior that show through to and under the netting. I believe this is all intentional as it is evenly distributed over the fabric on the silver parts of the fabric. There are some small pulls and stressing to the netting here and there. 
  
• There is no size tag present because it is Haute Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Inner bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 54" from top of bodice to the front hem and the back extends another 8" past that, with 1" turned under the entire hem. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML based on the interior corset only. The rest of the pieces are more accommodating to a greater range of sizes. Please read the notes above.

Item# DD5394

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

• The dress is from the Spring 2020 collection and its twin walk the runway for Look 76.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli. 
• This was one of the most heavily documented dresses of the collection and there is an outstanding number of references as it was shot and photoed everywhere. This dress was sold out and wait-listed worldwide. Very few were produced.
• Vogue said that the show felt like "a long gulp of fresh air and optimism centred on something known." They noted that "in technical terms Piccoli's aim for spring was casualizing the voluminous couture silhouettes he had established over the past few staggeringly well received seasons... The collection was joyful, touched on a myriad of occasions and lifted hearts." It ended with a standing ovation.
• I love the bright almost neon feeling orange that the dress has been done in. It is incredibly difficult to capture the actual colour in a photo and I think it is even better in person.
• The dress is made out of an almost parachute feeling fabric that holds its shape fantastically. This combined with the brilliant seaming and cut is what gives the dress its exuberant volume and shape.
• Both the front and back are deeply plunged and everything is kept perfectly in place on the body by the way that it is all cut and by taking into account all of the weight and fall of the fabric below. It is quite ingenious.
  
• Circling all the way around the arms from the top of the shoulder to the seam under the bust are the incredible sleeves that are made from the same fabric. The fabric has been folded over and onto itself to create a double layer. This is what gives them their volume and airy feel. I love that we have so many photos of this dress on so many different people so you can see how spectacular it all sits. They attach in just under the arm and after curving up and around the shoulder they attach down the back. It is almost like a stylized angel wing in the best possible sense of that idea.
• The waist has a generous cut and it is meant to feel more loose and easy. It is really a piece that is easy to fit and should fit a range of sizes. If you are smaller the waist is just going to drape down and off the lower back a touch.
• The cut and expanse of the skirt keeps everything in place so even though it has a plunge at the front and back it still feels safe to wear. I love the bare expanse of skin that shows at the back.
• The skirt is spectacular. It falls from underneath the seam of the bust in four tiers. Each tier gets progressively wider as it near the hem and the very lowest tier falls out and behind you for a dramatic sweep of fabric. The fabric of each tier is gathered into the seam above and below it and this also helps to add to the volume. 
• The amount of fabric in the skirt and the lightness of the fabric is what lets it billow and move around you in the most spectacular way. And it has pockets.
• This is an absolutely stunning example of his time at the label and it is a very collectible piece.
• The front triangles are backed with another layer of the same fabric and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set side zipper.
• Tagged a modern Valentino 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers to 6.5" flat across from side to side with no true side seams present
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem and the back extends another 11" past that

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5388

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 2020 Valentino, Look 76.  /  (5-6) Kathryn Newton at the SAG Awards, January 2020.  /  (7) Joan Smalls for Harper's Bazaar Spain, February 2020.  /  (8) Demi Lovato for Harper's Bazaar May 2020. Photo by Alexi Lubomirski.  /  (9) Naomi Campbell in British Vogue, March 2020. Photographed by Juergen Teller.  /  (10) Heidi Klum for Variety, March 2020. Photographed by Cliff Watts.  /  (11) Vogue US, March 2020.  /  (12-13) Marie Claire Italia, April 2020. Photographed by David Roemer.  /  (14) Binx Walton for WSJ Magazine, March 2020. Photographed by Gregory Harris.  /  (15) Priyanka Chopra in Tatler, May 2020.  /  (16) Sandra Oh for Elle Canada, June 2020.  /  (17-18) Phoebe Robison in Marie Claire, June 2020. Photographed by Tyler Joe.  /  (19) Maria Debicka by Jakub Plesniarski for Vogue Poland May 2020.  /  (20) Mojeh Magazine, April 2020. Photographed by Greg Adamski.

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.