This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client and is unlabeled. In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1979 Yves Saint Laurent dress and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways except for the length. It is always the prerogative of the couture client to change some elements of the dress to suit their needs and in this case, this woman attended many functions where a full length dress was required. She frequented the Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro ateliers. She often removed the labels to avoid customs and it is fantastic to be able to verify which designer and collection this one is from as many of the records she kept were lost. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is incredible. 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 crisp black silk and this fabric choice allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see. It's beautiful shape is a testament to the level of workmanship that you only see in true couture pieces. At the front the neckline dips into a V and the dress is vertically seamed to follow the curves of the body. The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. 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. At the back the dress scoops low to give you a bare expanse of skin. The back has a low set seam under the open scoop and this allows the top of the back skirt to lift slightly off and away from the body. A tiny detail that feels very sensual on the body. That same seam curves around the hips and angles up towards the waist at the front and then the skirt at the front is cut on a stunning curve that widens out as it reaches the hem. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer to give it the feel of it sweeping out behind you. Built in underneath the skirt is a ruffled black silk net underskirt and when you move or sit you see just a peek of the ruffle around the inner hem. Built inside the top of the inner skirt are layers of silk net that help to hold the fullness around the hips. The dress is detailed with hand applied sequins to form little varying sized circles that run over the entire bodice, the waist and the top part of the skirt. Two types of sequins have been used, tiny silver sequins one and others that are an iridescent pale blue. The blue ones catch the light and range in colour from silver to an ice blue. It is incredible. Mixed into that are some circles that are made from little glass crystal beads. All are hand applied and the entire dress is completely hand made to couture standards. I have taken some detail shots of the interior seams for you to see the fine Haute Couture workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. Excellent condition with a small note below

The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a built in underskirt in a black silk net and taffeta. Built in panniers around the hip area that I have photoed. 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. There is the occasional sequin or crystal missing on the dots here and there and I have photoed one area for you to see as an example. Please see the last detail photo for that. Unlabeled. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.

Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3677

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

Harvey Berin opened his self-named label in 1921 and by the 1940s his label was considered to be a leader in American fashion. The collections were designed by Karen Stark, his wife's sister, and it is said that all designs had to meet with Berin's approval before going into production. The dresses were made with high end finishes and were often based on the Parisian couture designs of the season. By 1952 Stark had won a Coty award for her work at the label. This dress is a beautiful example of the work she was doing during this time period.

This is a gorgeous dress that has that classic feel of its time period. It combines a stark black and white with incredible iridescent sparkling beads for even more glamour. The dress completely covers you and has a beautifully classic, feminine, elegant feel to it. The bodice is made out of a black velvet and it is meant to skim over you. The sleeves are long with a little notch at each cuff. The neckline is high and detailed with a wide band of tightly spaced glittering beads. The beads are tightly spaced directly next to each other and circle the entire neckline. A band of them runs straight down the center of the front to the waist seam. This adds an incredible sparkle to the top of the dress as the beads catch the light from every angle. The waist is seamed and the dress comes with its original matching black velvet buckle belt that allows you to cinch the waist in for an hourglass shape. From there the skirt falls to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of a rich ivory silk that  has a nice weight to it. There are pockets hidden along each hip and it is just incredibly graceful. Excellent condition with a small note below.

The top is fully lined in a black silk  and the skirt is lined in ivory. Pockets along each hip. Original matching belt. There is an attached inner netted half length underskirt that adds volume through the hips. I see a couple of tiny pin head size storage marks on the skirt but it otherwise looks unworn. Please see the photo after the label shot

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4424

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

This collection marked Dior's 60th birthday celebration. Sting was in the audience and his song 'Englishman in New York' set the theme. The show also marked John Galiano's tenth year with the label and he celebrated that by creating pieces based on some of his signature looks through the past decade. The result was a collection that was surprisingly wearable for a Galliano runway collection. It was filled with beautiful, pretty things that women instantly wanted in their closets. The near twin of this dress was worn by Caroline Trentini for Look 50 of the show. I have seeing this dress shown in other colours then what was presented on the runway and rarely in the perfect condition that this dress is in. I am very pleased to have such an exceptional example of his work and it's always extra special when you have a such a close piece to the runway piece in the shop. You just need to see the runway reference photos and video to see how amazing this one is.

The dress is made out of the deepest possible blue silk chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias which of course is one of his signatures that we all love. The dress falls from one shoulder and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures. The fabric has been pieced together with low dropped angled panels all through that skirt especially to create the widening of the lower skirt that you see. The dress is suspended from  that one single shoulder panel that curve over your shoulder and drapes across the bus to the other side. There's a large half bow and two wide panels that fall over each side of the shoulder. All of this has an intricate beading in black jet beads and sequins and these catch the light beautifully. The bodice under that extraordinary detailing is simple and soft with a slightly dropped waist seam. It glides over the body and then flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening of the hem is created by the way angled silk chiffon panels are inset all the way around. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The skirt falls longer at the back for a bit of a sweeping trained feel. There is an incredible amount of fabric through the skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk. It's stunning. His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in the same deep blue silk chiffon and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. Tagged a FR38, GB8, IT40, US4. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4422

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2008 Christian Dior Runway, Look 50. Model Caroline Trentini.

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

This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client, In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1982 Givenchy Haute Couture presentations and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body. This dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself 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 the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. 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.

The dress is made from a deep copper gold silk taffeta and this fabric choice allows it to hold those stunning lines and volume that you see. It is absolutely beautiful and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. The colour of the silk is even better in person. I have managed to almost capture it in these photos but in person it is even richer feeling then what you see here. At the front the neckline is set in a simple high scoop. The bodice is cut to skim over your curves and is simple in cut. 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 and the skirt is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out from the waist slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is. On the runway it was shown with a black velvet bow and I have added one to emulate that same look. 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 made into two attached sections. The top comes out from the pleats all around the waist and it poufs out around you. A seam brings the skirt in and then the lower part of the skirt falls to the floor from there. That second tier has many yards of silk in it so that it flares out as it reached the hem. 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. All of the volume and shape that you see is created through the way it is cut and the fabric choice. The skirt does not have extensive underskirts to shape it. 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. 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. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully lined with a slightly gold tinged silk organza. It closes with a hand placed 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 out is not original to the piece but will be 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.

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
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 shoulder to waist
Length: 42" from waist to front hem, 45" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3685

Reference Photos: Fall 1982 Givenchy Couture Runway.

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

This dress is instantly recognizable as having been designed by Bob Mackie. He was best known for dressing Cher and for his signature glamorous looks. The best of his work are the pieces like this that are dripping with bead work. Modern girls are obsessed with his vintage pieces. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In many ways his creations defined their careers and that era of glamour. His work always has that touch of the best of the bygone glamor of Hollywood.

This is an amazing dress that is extremely flattering even though you are covered completely. The base of the dress is made of a soft peach silk and then onto that is the vertical bands of detailing that completely cover the dress. That design that you see is made up of a combination of muted gold and clear glass tube beads that have been set in vertical rows over the entire dress. There is a more intricate pattern over that on one shoulder, around the collar and down the sleeves that is made up of tinier tube beads, muted gold sequins and rhinestones. And then scattered within all of that are little highlights done in a silver sequin with a tiny clear bead at their centers. This ultra glamorous combination gives the dress an extra layer of texture and glamour as every inch of it catches the light and sparkles. The dress has a decent weight to it when it is off of the body because of that extensive bead-work, and yet once on the body it drapes in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The necklace is high and the collar is extremely detailed. I love the detailing on the outside of each sleeve. The waist is brought in just a touch to create shape and that curved down and angled seam there that is detailed with more rhinestones and beads helps to really lengthen the feel of the dress around you. The skirt call store from there and slightly widens out as it nearest the ham. It's a long slim shape combined with all those vertical rows of bead work make you look tall and lean once you are in the dress. Excellent condition.

Lined through the body matching peach chiffon and the sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back zipper and each sleeve has a zipper at its end. Padding in each shoulder. A touch more pastel feeling in person. Tagged a vintage Bob Mackie 6

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4426

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

This is a stunning Dior dress from the Raf Simons era and I believe that it is the production / retail version of Look 22 that he created for the Spring 2014 Haute Couture show. I have included a photo of the couture dress from the runway here so you can see. The fabric of the two pieces are very different but the same shape is there. You can see the similarities in the cut and that high squared off cut out at the front of the skirt. I love this one with its startling flash of that pale pink silk inside the skirt. It is extremely beautiful and perfectly representative of Raf's time at the label and what his vision for Dior looked like.

This dress is just magical. It is made out of a black silk that is completely and densely covered with thousands and thousands of the tiniest black sequins. They are densely applied and spaced to butt up against each other to cover every square inch of the dress. Because they are so tiny it almost makes the dress looks like it is covered in rock crystals or something of that effect. No matter what angle you see the dress from it will catch and glint in the light. The shoulders are softly rounded and they come slightly off the top of your shoulders. The opening for your arms curves back just a touch inwards towards the dress and I love how this is all shaped. It is all very subtle but it gives you this really pretty shape at the top. From under that the dress falls in one long column. The simplicity of the cut is offset by the thousands of sequins that cover it. The skirt widens out a touch as it nears the hem. At the front you have that incredible cut out. When you lay the dress out flat you realize that this cut out is created by splitting it up one side at the front to just above the knee and then he slit it across horizontally to a point a few inches from the other side. Where most would have removed that panel Raf allowed it to simply hang down. This created this stunning ruffled effect down the one side that has incredible movement. To highlight this unusual design even more he lined the whole thing in a pale pink silk crepe. This unexpected contrast between the black sequins and pale pink is just fantastic. This was an extremely hard dress to show properly on a dress form but once on the body it is 10X better because of the movement that lower skirt creates and the way it will fall over an actual body. It is this long elegant sheath with that unexpected twist. Very very Raf. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pale pink silk crepe. It slips over the head to wear with a button closure at the back of the neck. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Pockets along each hip. Original uncut length. Meant to be oversized on a smaller frame and will sit more like a sheath on a larger. Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8, IT40, US4

Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 65" from top of bodice to waist
Front cut out: 31" from the hem up

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4419

Reference Photo: Spring 2014 Christian Dior Couture Collection, Look 22. Model Georgia Taylor.

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

The Cruise 2000 show was held as a full scale show Paris and it is significant because it is the first Chanel cruise show that was presented as a full and independent show. Prior to this show, the cruise collection was always shown in a more intimate setting at the Rue Cambon salons or the place du marche St Honore. Women's Wear Daily said it was 'fresh breezy and charming' and pieces shown were relaxed and easy. Karl re-invented the classic Chanel dress to be worn in a easier jet-set kind of way. This dress with its added sequins is a stunning example of that.

This dress is easy to wear and yet still feels elegant and chic at the same time. The fabric is a mix of silk and a synthetic and it is purposely made to have a heavy texture that runs through the fabric. Adding the synthetic in with the silk is what helps to keep the texture in a more permanent way and really gives it the body that you see. The fabric is extremely light and easy so despite its more evening feel with the sequins it is as light as a day dress would be. Wide straps curve up and over each shoulder and then extend over the dress the full length to the hem. The bodice is cut straight across at the front and then it skims over bust and is easy through the waist. Long attached ties extended from those vertical panels so you can cinch in the shape of the waist. It widens out from there over the hips and is quite full by the time it reaches the hem. The back is cut slightly longer then the front and that combined with the fullness of the skirt gives it incredible movement around you when you move. At the back he has left the space between the back straps completely bare for a bit of skin to show. The perfect finishing detail are those tiny square sequins that cover the entire length of each of the vertical panels. These cover the panels from the back at the waist, over the shoulders and all the way down to the front. They catch the light from every angle and add yet another stunning dimension to the dress. It is so gorgeous and easy to wear. Excellent condition.

Lined in the same fabric through the bust and then the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes at the back with a hidden set zipper along an offset seam. Tagged a Chanel 40. Perhaps the occasional sequin missing but no bare areas. It appears to I've been worn very little if at all

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and you cinch it in with the attached ties
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of the shoulder too the front hem, 63" to the beck hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4420

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

This dress is from the archive of the couture house Tiziani. The Tiziani atelier was founded in 1963 by Evans Richards an American who moved to Rome to pursue his fashion dreams. Elizabeth Taylor quickly became a regular client along with Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida and Principessa Borghese to name a few. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This is from that era and is a stunning examples of Karl's early design years. My client originally bought it at an auction several years ago directly from the current owner of the archive. This is an incredible dress and an incredible piece of fashion history.

The dress is made from a very pretty pale yellow silk chiffon that is as light as air and gives the dress its incredible movement. The silk is used for the sleeves and skirt and then the bodice has been heavily and densely beaded. It is incredible to see in person and this is the level of workmanship that you were only find in a vintage piece anymore. The pattern is created in several layers. The silk base has a honeycomb design created by hand with a real metal wire sewn onto the silk. Prong set glass rhinestones are scattered over that. The bead work is set in round intricate medallions that cover the entire bodice at the front and the back. Each medallion is made from beads sequence and large shaped pailettes. In the center of each is an intricate 3-D flower and these are done in different colours of silver and pink. The bead work is extremely fine. The very top edge of the bodice is finished in a row of dangling beads that match the beads in the center of the medallions. These have just a touch of movement when you move. The bead work wraps over the shoulders and continues across the full back. Along the sides he has left part of the pale yellow silk which I found very interesting. It almost makes it feel like a breast plate or armoured vest over the silk chiffon and this is an idea that he continue to use throughout his career. The sleeves are very full and cascade out from a softly pleated shoulder. This gives them extreme fullness and they pouf out fantastically above the cuffed wrists. They are not lined so you get this fabulous touch of transparency through them. The skirt has many many yards of chiffon in its construction so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. I have included some photos of myself sitting in the dress and you can see how many yards of silk are around me. It is tremendously wonderful to move in. The very bottom of the skirt is finished with a thin strip of stiffening fabric that has been hand rolled inside a tiny hem. This creates a ruffled ribbon effect and the hem curves and swirls beautifully. The work on this dress is meticulous and by hand. It is an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a minor note to review below

Fully lined in a hand set yellow silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk and then covered in silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. Hand work throughout and hand finished inner seams. Unlabeled. There is just the start of some fraying to the inner edge of the top at the shoulders and a tiny bit of darkening under the arms inside the bodice. Please see the final two detail photos. There is couple of really faint darkened areas in the silk here and there but you really have to look for them. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: approx 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3499

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

This is from the Spring 2005 season. It does not have its date tag but at some point I saw a similar dress in a deeper ivory that did have its date tag. Like the other 2005 season dress in pink that I have in the shop right now the dress is exceptional and it would make a fabulous wedding dress for a bride, or be worn as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any glamorous event. No matter how good it looks in these photos it looks a million times better in real life. The photos do not fully capture the feather light fabric of the dress and how it moves. In the review of the show that season Vogue noted that Karl's runway was decked out with a red carpet. The show launched with a parade of super models walking the red carpet 'while men ran alongside them popping flashbulbs. The message was clear, in an era when celebrity dressing has become so over exposed, it's only exciting when an actress has exceptional talent in style'. This was in acknowledgement to the fact that Nicole Kidman was there with Baz Luhrmann and they had just starred in Chanel's new advertising campaign for Chanel No. 5. It was a spectacular collection

This is such a stunning dress. The first thing that you will notice when you slip this dress on is how light it is and how incredible it moves. It is a dream to wear. That panel of tulle that falls from the shoulder gives it the most amazing movement and the slightest bit of air will pick it up and make it float around you. The front is set low and has a slight V. Because my dress form has no bust it sits a little lower then it will on an actual body but once on an actual person it will pull up a bit more. Silver toned ribbon straps curve over each shoulder and attached to the back of one of those straps is a loop of silver ribbons that cascade down that side. On the other side is that fantastic panel of tulle that sits at the base of the ribbon where it attaches to the bodice at the front. That panel is extremely long and full and you can wear it over your shoulder for a slight caped feel or behind. It extends longer than the hem of the dress for a pretty trailing effect. The bodice is completely covered in two patterns of sequins. Over the bust area they are more scattered and densely applied and attached with a fine silver metal thread. Rhinestones and clear iridescent beads are scattered among them. From the seam underneath the bust to the dropped waist are vertical rows of sequins. These are set on a silk netting and have a silver thread in behind them. He then had tiny beads scattered here and there amongst the pattern. Around the dropped waist is a wide silver satin ribbon and there is a little ivory Chanel logo sitting at the side of the waist. The waist is open and easy and the dress has a bit of a flapper feel to it in shape. Under that the skirt flows out from a series of closes panels set all the way around the hips. These open up just past that so that the lower part of the skirt is full. Just above the bottom of the skirt there is a horizontal detailing done in the same bead work that is on the body of the bodice. These are set in rows spaced a bit farther apart than they are on the bodice and this add the perfect bit of detailing there. As you walk you get this sweeping feel created by the panel draping down from the shoulder that floats and trails behind you. The netting keeps it as light as a feather but also has enough structure to hold the shape and volume you see. I love the row of domed pearl buttons that close the back. It is absolutely beautiful. None of the photos here give it full justice. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk and it buttons to close at the back with a zipper set and hidden under the waist. The waist ribbon snaps and buttons into place at the back. A tiny bit of the colour has come off one button at the back and otherwise it appears to have been worn very little if at all. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 20" from top of bodice to seam at top of hips
Skirt: 37" from seam at top of hips to hem
Length: 57" from the top of shoulder to hem, 66" to the longest point of the attached tulle panel

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4413

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. This one actually looks like a sleeveless version of the one shot on Marisa Berenson. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.

This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. The sequins extend right from the flame design at the front and then are set in long vertical rows to the hem. The top of the bodice is a single layer of black silk chiffon. This bit of transparency  adds an incredibly sexy feel. He used that same silk chiffon down the back where it dips into a low scoop. I love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and that low scoop at the back. A high slit up one side lets you have the perfect flash of skin when you walk or sit. It is fabulous once on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a black silk and it zips to close at the back.

Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under
Slit: 19.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL

Item# DD4403

Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini.  /  (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973. / (7) Spring 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture.

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

John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two of the dresses he sent for you with more to come. This is a runway piece from 2005. The bead work on it was done by hand by one of the same European ateliers who did beading for many of the Couture houses for this time period. John is one of my favorite American designers and right out of the gate he won the Coty Award for his work. The first time in 1972 and then again in 1976. He designed clothes that were simple and elegant but glamorous. His work veers towards minimalism with sharp tailoring. Striking evening wear was his signature and he is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. It is an extraordinary privilege to have pieces directly from his archives and these are things you will never see again. This one is a work of art and it is just extraordinary to see it in person with all of that extensive bead and sequin work

John's business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $20,000 and more during this time period. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing.

This dress is absolutely stunning. The fabric is completely covered in thousand of tiny deep silver seed beads and teeny tiny iridescent aqua coloured sequins.This gives the dress some weight - we weighed it and it is just over 6 pounds - but it is so beautifully made that it balances and glides over the body perfectly and does not feel unwieldy at all. The front plunges right to the waist with two long triangles curving up towards the neck and hooking at the back. On the inside of each triangle there is a panel of the same fabric sewn down their lengths. These drape over the bodice to create a ruffle that falls from the top of the halter to the waist and gives the front a soft and feminine finish. The back is left completely open as a result so when you turn all you see is bare skin I love that curving cut of the sides as it scoops down. The waist is seamed for a bit of definition and then the skirt falls from under there to the floor. It widens out to the lower skirt and this give it beautiful movement when you walk. The colour is this magical deep aqua and silver mix and the way the beads and sequins are set give it a stunning pattern over you. The way this catches the light is fantastic. It is a very special piece. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a low set side zipper at the back and hooks to close behind the neck. Hand finished throughout. Silk chiffon panel finished hem and edges. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 52" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4399

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

This is the short version of one of my most favourite Azarro dresses I've ever had in the shop. It is from the Fall 1995 collection. When I had the long one I shared the editorial photo I have included here and that photo is one of my favourite fashion photographs ever. In 2018 I lent the long version to Karen Fairchild who wore it for the 2018 CMT awards. She was styled by Karla Welch and Karla ended up falling so in love with the dress that she ended up purchasing it and she wore it to the 2018 Instyle awards. This version is the twin of that dress and everything except length which for some will make it that much more versatile and wearable. It's fantastic.

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and it is a dress that in person it is even better. The first thing you see is that the entire dress is covered in overlapping clear iridescent sequins that catch the light from every angle. This alone takes your beathe away when you see the dress in person. These cover a fantastic leopard print underneath. The shoulders are strong with underneath to hold the shape that you see. The neckline angles goes down from the shoulders and then goes across the shaped cups of the bust. The bodice is seamed to be fitted and shaped around you there is one of his signature strapless bras built-in underneath to add shape and support. The fabric has some stretch so it shapes to fit around you. It nips in slightly at the waist and then the skirt under that curves over your hips and the falls to the hem in a pencil shape with no vent making it fitted all the way down. The back as a huge all been cut out that leaves a bare expanse of skin. It is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The sleeves are long and the perfect balance to the shortcut and openness at the front and back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and the fabric has some give. It closes with a zipper at the back and hidden set snaps at the back neck. The lower seam of the open back has elastic for easy fit. Padding in each shoulder. Built in signature cupped and wired strapless bra.

Shoulders: to 16" with the padding
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4387

Reference Photos/Videos: (1) Fall 1995 Loris Azzaro Couture photographed by Alexander Ubeda. Model: Victoria Silvstedt.  /  (2-5) Karen Fairchild in Azzaro at the 2018 CMT Awards.  /  (6-7) Karla Welch in Azzaro at the 2018 InStyle Awards.

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

This is the twin of the dress that Anne Hathaway wore to the premiere of Brokeback Mountain in 2006. It is from the Cruise 2006 collection and it is extraordinary. For this show Karl Lagerfeld invited his guess to the Place de la Concorde. He had a fleet of green vintage buses adorned with Chanel logos and these transported his guests on a ride through Paris. Models paraded down the aisle among the passengers and at scheduled stops they would switch buses so that everyone saw the entire collection. Karl said at the time that he 'used to love riding the bus in Paris as a school boy' and that was the inspiration behind the idea of the show. Lagerfeld wanted the collection to be lighthearted and easy and to be a tribute to Paris. This is a stunning dress from that season and I love the tie in with Anne. It makes it that much more special.

First thing that will strike you about this dress is that it is almost shockingly light in weight. It is almost a surprise to see it with all of the embellishments on it and then pick it up and have it feel like you are holding a cloud of silk. The silk is so light and so fine that it feels like magic. It is a deep blue colour and the entire dress is made out of two layers of it with an inner silk chiffon layer to give it a touch of opacity. The dress falls from the shoulders with straps that curve up and around you. It is scooped at the front and back in a simple almost tank style. The bodice is meant to skim over you and there are built in round cups to help add a touch of coverage over the breasts. The top layer of tulle on the bodice is a separate piece that is tacked into place around the waist. The dress flows out below that and the skirt widens out as it reaches the hem. Around the lower part of the skirt there are built in panels of tulle set in triangles all the way around. This is a nod to the old Hollywood dresses of the 1930s and it's a stunning addition to the dress. They give the lower part of the dress tremendous movement and volume when you move. The palettes that cover the dress are the most striking part of the dress. They are done in soft muted pastels that range from gold to blue to pink. Each individual oversized sequin has a ombre affect on it. They are finished with a more muted metallic finish and are tremendously beautiful. These are overlapped to highlight around the neckline arms and around the waist and then they are scattered in rows down and over the bodice and skirt. They are denser around the hips and then are spread father apart as they reach the hem of the skirt. The panels that are inset into the skirt for volume are just the tulle alone so that you get this nice contrast when you move. The dress came with a matching shawl made of the same tulle. It's huge size lets you wear it almost like a cape over your shoulders. It is also so light and fine that you can wrap it around your neck, use it as a head scarf or as a turban. It is just phenomenal and I am very happy to also have a reference video of Anne in the dress so you can see how beautifully this moves. No matter how good it looks on her or on the dress form nothing will prepare you for the way it feels when you have it in hand. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a blue silk chiffon closes with a bat hidden sets zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.  The bias cut tulle does give it a bit of range. Tagged is Chanel 40

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem
Scarf: 68" x 74"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4385

Reference Photos: Anne Hathaway in Chanel at the premiere of Brokeback Mountain, December 2006.

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

This was Look 54 of the resort collection and one of the best of the evening pieces from that collection. It was shown in black for the collection and then was also produced in this spectacular all red version for the shops. I love Clare Waight Keller's time as Creative Director for the house. Even though her time there was short there are many really stellar dresses that came from her time there and this is on of them. It is a dress that will only gain in importance as time goes by and it is a definite show stopper.

Clare said of the collection that year “There’s a powerful woman in there that I really love; she’s a very strong character who loves a strong shape—something that gives a real sense of fashion.”, and in the Vogue review of the resort collection, fashion journalist Amy Verner mentioned the black version of the dress in particular along with another comment from Clare; "This marks the first season since the passing of Monsieur de Givenchy in March and Waight Keller hinted that a more intentioned homage might be forthcoming. In the meantime, the collection’s evening looks—specifically the long-sleeved black dress showered with silver embroidery, and the gradient celadon and rust plissé lamé gown—further the couture spirit we’ve seen most recently at the Met Gala and at Cannes. “It’s a real joy to be able to work at both ends of the spectrum,” Keller said. “It’s what I believe in: everything from the really simple everyday to the absolutely fantastic and fabulous.”

The dress is amazing. It is made out of a light weight red crepe through the body mixed with a silk faille for the inset on the lower skirt and silk chiffon for those amazing sleeves. There is also the addition of the teeny tiny sequins and beads at the neck. The red is gorgeous and it is that vivid true red that will flatter most skin tones. The the dress is cut in a long minimalist sheath that widens out softly as it near the hem. The neckline is scooped and the dress is meant to skim over you from bust to hips before it starts to do that soft flare out on the lower skirt. The upper portion of the bodice is finished with vertical rows of tiny red sequins topped with tiny round red seed beads. These are set across the shoulders and then angle down to a point. The lower skirt is finished with a panel of silk faille that is just a touch of a shade lighter than the crepe fabric. This runs across the full front of the skirt and angles up on an angle so that it is the opposite of the angle of the sequins at the neck. This is a very subtle detail that adds beautiful impact to the dress. The sleeves are the absolute star of the show. Starting at each shoulder a silk chiffon caped sleeve Falls over the top of your arm and then widen out to cascade all the way to the hem and slightly passed. They are open underneath so this gives them the ability to catch the slightest bit of air in billow out around and behind you when you move. It's the perfect touch of drama that softens the rest of the dress. All this extra detailing shows the high quality in making this. The dress appears to have never been worn and it is in its original extra long supermodel length. It is absolutely amazing  and the dress originally retailed at just under the 9k mark. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The address is in its original length and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern Givenchy 36

Sleeves: 63"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4378

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2019 Givenchy, Look 54.  /  (2) Credit unknown.

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the most awarded designers in the US. There is a currently an exhibit running of his work for the 2023 year titled MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene. I wanted to share the exhibit notes because they sum his career so well saying 'At his core, Beene was a fashion rebel who ignored trends, instead preferring to design garments that began as geometric shapes and evolved into silhouettes that moved naturally with the human form. His intuitive understanding of the body informed fashions that were unparalleled in their combination of luxury, thoughtful design, and comfort. Beene’s colorful, imaginative creations have been recognized with many accolades, including eight Coty American Fashion Critics Awards and three Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards. His work has also been celebrated through various exhibitions at institutions across the nation.'

This was a favoured silhouette of Geoffrey Beene that he was doing primarily through the late 1980s and into the very early 1990s. When looking through some of the images from the exhibit on his work there were dresses with very similar cuts from the 1990 season. It is a very pretty dress and very striking once on. The bodice is strapless and then it is completely covered in overlapping glossy black sequins at the front. At the back it is the same silk taffeta as the rest of the dress and I love how part of that extends and wraps around to the front just under the bust. This is all attached and adds a beautiful detail that really reflects his work from this time period. The bodice is meant to be fitted and has light boning inside to hold it in place. The top of it dips in the center and peaks slightly on either side to emphasize the bust. The waist is nipped in and then from there the skirt is cut beautifully full to the hem. The silk is all gathered into the waist and this is what helps give it that shape that you see. I love the oversized floral print that covers the silk and how there are these little woven dots running over the very top of the silk. These catch the light differently and are also a subtle nod to his love if dots in his work. Inside there is a black silk lining and the edge of that lining is finished with a sequin detailed lace. This peaks out from below the curving hem of the skirt  and ties all the elements of the dress together. The dress can be worn on its own or with the matching shawl piece that is original to the dress. This extra wide shawl is caught up at each end in an elaborate twisted fabric flower that anchors it and allows it to open between for the volume you see. It can be worn numerous ways and I have photoed some of those here. You could also wear it over the head for a very glamorous look. It is so pretty. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Ribbon finished hem. Light boning through the bodice. The shawl is unlined with no closures

Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to longest points of hem
Shawl: 100" x 46.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4353

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person.

This great little Arnold Scassi dress is just exceptional. It is so bright and happy in feel. It is just like a burst of joy made into cloth. The fabrics used for this dress are just incredible. The bodice is made from a net that is then backed in silk. The net is done in a variety of bright bold colours and the way the colours are done makes it look like the netting has been painted with this colours. It is quite an unusual and fascinating textile technique. The skirt is made of a silk with the same print screen over it and then the entire skirt was covered in iridescent sequins so that it catches the light from every angle. Most of the fullness in the skirt is created from the fabric choice and the seam work but there is a layer of tulle under there to help as well. The bodice is strapless and the netting has been gathered in all the way around to create long vertical soft gathers. This adds detail and also is how he has shaped the dress to create and highlight the curves of the body. The bodice glides over the waist and then extends past and below the hip. Again a trick to exaggerates your curves. This one came with its original matching belt that you can use to add more shape and exaggerate the curves and pouf of the dress. I love how the top of the bodice is all soft curves and gathers. It is just the most fun. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a nude netting through the bodice and the skirt is lined with an inner red silk skirt and a layer of red tulle between that and the top layer. Lightly boned through the bodice. It closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes and comes with its original belt

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 38" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4343

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. I've included those so you can get an idea of how great this looks on a body. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.

This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. And because of the way the pattern is done on the bodice the sequins also extends down to cover each arm. I love it. Where it meets the skirt is finished in the same jagged pointed pattern all the way around. And then what is perhaps my favourite detail is that the skirt is actually made up of individual patterns that are each sat up and into the points. There are 12 of them all together and they go all the way around you. Each panel is a single layer of black silk chiffon that is incredibly light in weight. When you move sit or walk they have tremendous movement around you. And because each is an individual panel that is only attached at the top you also get glimpses of bare skin between each panel. It's incredibly sexy. He then used that same silk chiffon at the top of the chest and down the back where it dips into a low scoop. It buttons down the back can you see a hint of skin between each button. I absolutely love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and runs all the way around the scoop at the back. It makes it instantly recognizable as an Azzaro piece. It is really gorgeous. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a black silk and the rest is as described above. Each sleeve is unlined so you get a bit of transparency between the sequins. It closes with a buttoned back. Each sleeve has a small zipper closure. Where is one of his signature strapless bras attached inside the bodice which could be easily removed if you wish. The colour is a perfect solid black. Any green or any other colours you see are just the light reflection from the camera

Sleeves: 23" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to the longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4347

Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini.  /  (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973.

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

The Antonelli Roma label was the Alta Moda / couture line launched by Maria Antonelli. She founded the label in 1930. She loved a long minimalist line in her work and she was one of the founding members of the group who pushed to establish Italian couture, or Alta Moda, as recognized couture in its own right. Her work was a a part of the V&A's 2014 exhibition titled 'The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014'. She was also one of the select group of couturiers that designed her work directly on the body rather than using a toile or muslin pattern. She has been hailed as a pioneer of Italian couture. Pieces of her work are exceptionally rare and this dress is an utterly beautiful example.

This is just a magnificent piece of early Italian Couture. The dress is held in place on the body with a built-in corset that is boned and structured.The exterior over that is made from an inky black velvet and the design of the dress makes it appear to be wrapped around the body. The bodice curved across the front and then it dips down to scoop lower at the back. It nips in at the waist, but there is no seams set across the waist to break the line. That shape was all created by the vertical seaming. It curves over the hips and falls to the floor, falling longer on one side than the other. The edges are finished with a wide and elaborate panel of beadwork with prong set glass rhinestones in the mix. These have all been hand applied onto the velvet. The beads and rhinestones are all placed to emphasize that feel that the dress has been wrapped in place around you. The detailing goes across the top of the bust and then dips down to the back. It crosses over itself at the back and there are hidden snaps to help keep the illusion that is has been effortlessly wrapped around you. More embellishments follow the curve of the skirt. It begins at the longest point of the hem and then curves up and under one hip, wraps around that and meets the beadwork of the bodice. At the very bottom point of the hem the appliques actulaly wraps into the interior of the skirt so that when you sit or move, you don’t visually lose the line of the beading. I love that detail. Inside and out and this is an amazing example of Italian Couture from this time period. A stunning and special dress. Excellent condition with a small note below.

The dress is fully line in a black silk taffeta and it closes at the back with a zipper that is sent on an angle to follow the seam and then the beadwork panels wrap and snap into place over that with hidden set snaps. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand finish throughout with hand finished inner seams. All of the beadwork is hand applied. There are some areas where there are some missing beads and rhinestones here and there. But this is scattered overall, so there are not any glaringly bare areas.

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist stay
Skirt: 53" from inner waist stay to longest pint of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4308

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

This dress is by Arnold Scassi and I love the choice of sequin and net that he used for this one. Scaasi worked under Charles James at the start of his career and many of his dressed reflect this early influence. His boutique line was launched in 1984 and was high end ready-to-wear and very expensive. Pieces from it often have a demi-couture level finish and really are an extension of his couture line. This one is especially fabulous and just is one of those pieces that feel joyful to look at.

This gorgeous little dress is constructed from multiple layers of feather light black tulle net that has hundreds of sequins sewn onto the very top layer. The sequins absolutely bring the dress to life. They are a mix of red, green, blue and gold and cover every square inch. The light bounces beautifully off them as you move. The top netted layer sits over multiple inner layers which is what gives the dress the volume that you see. The dress is strapless and the bodice is kept simple so the sequins take center stage. It is gathers down one side and the seam at the bottom is set on a sharp angle that dips down very low on one side. The skirt explodes out from that seam and that angled cut of the bodice is followed by the angle of the hem as is cascades towards the floor lower on one side. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt. Under that very top sequin embellished layer is another layer of tulle, then two layers of a stiffened netting and an inner black silk layer beside your skin. A flower made of the same black netting and sequins, with a black bow on top, sits on the one hip for the final perfect touch. It is fabulous and just a joy to see and wear. Excellent condition with a note below. 

The skirt is fully lined in layers as described above. The bodice is lined in a black silk with interior boning. The dress closes with a side zipper. The occasional missing sequin here and there but no large bare spots. There is a touch of patina on the sequins here and there.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 27" from waist to shortest part of the hem, approx 40" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4304

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

This gorgeous dress is not 100% perfect but it's still very wearable and its flaws are not as noticeable once on the body. This was a piece that was produced in limited quantities for retail and was not shown on the runway. I know the date because one of my followers on instagram bought the twin of this dress in December 2012 for her own wedding. The original retail on this dress was over $20,000. The dress is completely wearable and gorgeous. This would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.

The colour of the dress is a beautiful soft ivory. The base is a fine silk tulle netting that has panels of lace overlaid onto it and that run in horizontal rows down the length of the dress. The collar is set wide and is trimmed with two layers of silk chiffon. The upper bodice and sleeves are made from a netting that has little dots of embroidery mixed with beads. This same beaded technique is used on the double ruffled hem that circles the entire lower skirt. The other dress is meant to skim over you and widen out as it nears the ham. The back skirt falls slightly longer than the front and there's a bit of extra fabric at the back so you get the softer suggestion of a train. The body of the dress is completely covered with alternating layers of the lace mixed with tiny little rows of ivory iridescent sequins. These are all set horizontally and wrap around the entire dress. The top layer of the dress has a transparent quality to it and to make the dress wearable it is then lined in three layers of ivory silk chiffon. It is absolute beautiful. Overall excellent condition but please read the additional condition note below

It's flaw is an area of discolouration that runs down the side of the bodice on the right. If not for this discolouration the dress would have be rated as having been never worn. But I do want to be clear that it is there. I have taken both photos of it from all sides so you can see the extent of the discoloration and you can see those following the label shot. I did clean it and my cleaners said that if they were more aggressive they could probably get the discolouration out of the lace however the sequins themselves have been discolored. You could have those replaced. I think because of where it's placed you could also get clever with a sash and bow tacked into place on the side that would completely cover the discoloration. If not for this area the dress would appear to have never been worn. I have listed it for exactly what I paid for it excluding any of my cleaning costs and other costs I incur. Without the area of discolouration it would probably be double or more its price

Fully lined in three layers of silk chiffon. It has an inner corset that's zips to close and an outer hidden side zipper. Each cuff zips to close. The inner zipper is broken. It appears to have never been worn bit please read the additional description notes above. Tagged a modern Valentino 10. Sold as is and final sale.

Sleeves: approx 22"
Shoulders: no true defined seams
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem, 65" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4223

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

This is one of a dozen dresses from a single owner collection of beautiful 1930s dresses and I am very pleased to have this small capsule for you. Her collection was lovingly sourced over decades and she has decided that it is time let them back out into the world for others to enjoy. Outstanding designs from this era are increasingly hard to find. Her collection represents some of the best of the era that I have seen in a very long time. Most are in excellent condition and the few included in the capsule that do have some flaws are such outstanding designs that I feel there is still room for someone to love them and wear them as they are, or perhaps to put in the additional work to repair them. This is just a tiny sampling of her overall collection and I hope to have another series of these capsules in the future. Enjoy this first drop.

This dress is absolutely drop dead stunning. It is made out of a black crepe and is completely cut on the bias. Once on it drapes and molds to the body in a way that is absolutely fantastic. My photos do not come close to doing it justice. The upper bodice has incredible volume. There is an angled seam that sits under the bust and the fabric gathers slightly along that seam. The sleeves come directly out from the base of that seam and they are extremely wide at the upper shoulder and then narrow down to fit the arm to the wrist. There is this rounded drop of fabric that is then gathers into the seam that separates the two parts of the sleeve. The lower sleeve is shaped to the arm and there is a small gathering at the elbow so it can bend. The sleeves end in little pointed angles and they snap to close. Under the bodice it skims over the waist and hips and then flares out as it nears the hem. The bias cut molds the dress to the body and makes it incredibly comfortable to wear. The neckline is high and slightly draped out from the neck. It is detailed with gold sequins hand sewn into place. A decorative row of gold toned metal buttons runs down the back. It is incredible. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Unlined and closes with a series of snaps at the side and at the back of the neck. Hidden set snaps on each cuff. Hand finished throughout and the sequins are hand applied. Some of the gold sequins are missing but could be replaced or worn as is. The bias cit should allow it to fit a range of sizes.

Sleeves: approx 27" and will come up a bit when on
Shoulders: no true defined seams
Bust: no true defined side seams
Waist: 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# PC012

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the late seventies, early eighties period. An all sequin version of the dress was worn by the French-italian singer Dalida that same year. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

This is a killer dress. It is really one that will come to life once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is made out of a black ribbon finish with silk organza ribbons set on to the base in a curving design done to suggest flowers worked through it. Each flower design is finished with a series of curved and looped rows of glossy black sequins. This covers you from where it sits in a curving sweetheart neckline above the breast down to the top of the hips.  Where it meats the skirt it is cut on an angle, which softens the line and adds shape. This part of the dress is entirely opaque and shaped to give you curves. He then used a silk chiffon over the top of the chest and down the back where it dips into a low scoop. An open keyhole runs down the back for a hint of skin. Each sleeve is cut to be wide and full and the chiffon lets you have a glimpse of your arm through it. The cuffs sit under all that volume and they are done in the same ribbon lace and sequin fabric as the bodice. The rest of the dress is made from a bias cut silk chiffon that sits and drapes beautifully around you as you move. It falls from under the bodice and is pretty amazing in its own right. There is an under skirt that acts as the lining and then panels of silk fall to the hem that are only attached around and under the body of the dress. This gives them complete freedom to move so when you walk the panels will float and move around you with the slightest bit of air. It is really gorgeous. The inner skirt underneath keeps it from exposing everything but at the same time does give a suggestion of leg. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body and the rest is as described above. It closes with a back set zipper and then a black jet button at the back of the neck. Each sleeve has three jet buttons and loop closures. It appears to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4040

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

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 luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work and I love that I can date it based on the very similar one that was used the a Vogue shoot that year. It gives you a better idea of how it will look like once on a body.

The dusty pink mauve coloured sequins that cover that entirely this dress are so densely applied that they actually overlap one another. There are hundreds of thousand of sequins used and it is incredible. Mixed in with those is a band of gold beads that wrap around the hips. This is set around the on one side and widens out over the hip and then narrows to a point where it meets the low set waist seam. Another triangle feeling band sits at the hem of the skirt on the opposite side. This time done in silver sequins. It is cut in that fabulous eighties big volume on top over a fitted skirt. The shoulders are strong and padded for shape. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are long. The bodice is cut long and it is meant to blouse out over the skirt. Inside there is a silk lining in that same purple and then the sequin fabric is also lined in silk. It buttons down the back and you get a tiny glimpse of skin between the buttons. The sequins catch the light at your slightest move and its fabulous in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk with a low set inner zipper at the waist and a series of buttons down the back. Padding in the shoulders, It is meant to be oversized at the top so the hips are the most important measurement to consider.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: open
Seam at top of skirt: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19.5" from top of shoulder to seam at top of skirt
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3953

Reference Photo: (1) Models in Bill Blass, Vogue, October 1982.  /  (2-3) Fall 1982 Bill Blass Collection. Model Alva Chinn.

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person and it will really come to life once on an actual body. We found a very similar dress held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and it lets you see just how wonderful the dress will be once on. 

The dress is a showstopper. It is made out of a deep red coloured lace that is then detailed with cording that wraps around the edges of the floral design on the lace. Then he added tiny little rhinestones that are fused to the fabric of the larger flower patterns to give the dress an subtle bit of added glitz. The bodice is cut to skim over you with an inner silk lining in the same shade of red. The sleeves and neckline at both the back and the front are not lined so you get a little glimpse of the skin underneath the lace. The waist is not seamed so there is no line to break the eye. It simply comes in to suggest shape and then flares out to the skirt underneath. The skirt skims over the hips and then widens out as it nears the floor. I love the high low effect that the skirt has. It is cut to be shorter at the front and then the hem curves back and around you where it extends out to a trained effect at the back. All of the edges are scalloped to follow the pattern and shape of the designs in the lace. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior. It is fully lined in a red silk and then the back of the skirt has an added layer of stiffened net tulle to help hold the shape and volume. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine deep red silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner tulle skirting. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt ad there is an area missing in the tulle just above the hem. This does not affect the dress in anyway. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to front hem, 64" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3813

Reference Photos: Fall 1986 Arnold Scaasi dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection.

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

This wonderful little 1920s flapper dress was completely made by hand and a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has its original Made in France label still present and these pieces were always a little higher quality then some examples you see from the time period. It has no other label but it is not hard to imagine that it might have been a designer piece as well. The base of the dress is a black silk netting that is strong and sturdy. Onto this is an intricate design made up of gelatin sequins set boxes. Each is a combination of purple, pink & turquoise in an alternating design. The placement of each sequin is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to make the fabric alone. The center of each block makes me think of a cluster of little pink "hearts" that are then surrounded by an abstract shape. A metal based gold lame thread and tiny little gold tubes beads are then shaped around each to make the block design that you see.  These are then stacked in rows to cover the dress entirely with the black netting serving as the separation between each. This combination of colored sequins, gold thread & beads is absolutely fantastic. There is an extra panel of netting inserted at each hip to give the skirt extra flare. Excellent antique condition

The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The edges of the side net panels are raw and at one time there may have an extension to them but it is now cut even with the hem. I see no other flaws and it appears to have been worn very little if at all and is wearble with the care it would deserve to be worn with. Even with that small defect the dress is remarkably sound and shockingly beautiful. It is almost 100 years old and is considered to be in museum quality condition.

Bust: 17" from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40" from shoulder to bottom hem

Note that antique and twenties pieces are final sale. They will be packed exceedingly well and we only sell pieces that will stand up to the stress of shipping, however, having pieces potentially shipped multiple times through multiple customs and countries is too hard on garments that are historically important and deserve to be treated with love and care. Please purchase accordingly.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E290

This garment is in sound, clean, as found condition and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival