• From the Spring 2020 collection that was produced for the shops that season.
• Made under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli 
  
• It is incredibly beautiful and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.
• The original retail on this was over $15,000 US because of the extensive hand applied sequins.
• Even though the outer layer is netting and transparent it has a built-in inner silk chiffon lining that allows it to be opaque enough to be worn.
• Over that the dress is made from a double layer of a pale ivory netting that has that amazing sequin and bead design applied over its surface.
• The neckline is scooped and set wide across the front with a little bit of a draped effect that I absolutely love. 
• The dress falls in a shift shape over the body with a generous but defined waist. It is a definite nod back to the 1920s. The lower skirt flares out from there and the vertical designs done in the gold sequins beads that circle around the hem emphasize the cut of the hem perfectly.
• The sequins and beads have been applied over the entire dress. I have taken close-up shots for you to see how beautiful it is. They mix tiny pale gold sequins with more copper feeling seed beads. Larger gold sequins have been embossed with a tiny pattern so they reflect the light differently. In between all of that are iridescent ivory sequins that give the dress a beautiful extra glint in the light. These are all set in vertical bands to form the pattern that you see over the entire dress. It is incredible.
• Because so much of the dress has those sequins applied onto it, the dress catches the light perfectly from every angle, and every angle but you view the dress from is absolutely stunning.
• At the back there is an open plunging V that leaves a good expanse of bare skin exposed. I love this nod to the sexiness of 1920s pieces.
• The dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper.
• Tagged a modern Valentino 44 and it has its original Valentino hang tags in place.
• Excellent condition

Bust: 17.5-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from the top of the shoulder to waist
Total length: 50" from top of shoulder to he

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5119

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 the twin of the dress that was presented in the Spring 2009 Lookbook for the Galliano label.
• Made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
• It is interesting to note the influence of his Cruise 2008 show for Dior in the style of the dress. It is very similar to the pale green dress shown for Look 58 in that show combined with a dash of the pale yellow dress shown for Look 57.
• The dress is made from a deep yellow silk chiffon that has a slight texture running through it.
• The bodice is gathered up on an angle that attaches into a wide chiffon strap. That strap wraps around the neck to one side and then attaches in at the back. A heavily detailed strap extends out from underneath that to the other side of the neck and then extends down the back to attach.
• The more detailed strap is covered with prong set rhinestones of various shapes and sizes along with muted silver beads in various sizes. It adds a really pretty detail to the dress.
• The waist is defined with a band in the same silk and then the skirt flows to the floor from there. There is a silk lining underneath the top chiffon and it has a very pretty movement when you move.
• Inside the dress has a full built-in white strapless corset that is cupped and lightly boned. The inner corset closes with a series of hooks at the side and then the dress closes over that with one of his signature row of tightly spaced silk covered buttons.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition and appears to have never been worn.

Inner bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam with approx c-d cups at the front
Waist: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 65" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5115

Reference Photo: Spring 2009 John Galliano.

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 fabulous dress from the late 1990s
• Made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace
• The dress is very sexy with its cut out and made of a stretch fabric that hugs and shapes the body.
• The colour is a bright chartreuse that is just exceptional.
• There is light padding in each shoulder, and this holds the dress and gives it a tapered field to the waist.
• It skims over the body and then is gathered in a long, one side all the way around. The other side has been left open and is meant to drape down on the top of one hip. This leaves a bear exposed cut out on that side that wraps around to the back.
• The fabric has been gathered under the hip on that side, and then the skirt falls from narrowing down as it reaches the ham.
• There is a high slit on one side that goes right to the bottom of the gathering on the hip and there is a little quirky gathering on the opposite side to that sitting several inches above the hem.
• All of these gatherings and cut out give it a really sculptural feel around the body.
• It's fully lined in a more Matt version of the same stretch material. The fabric does have stretch so the measurement below or the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. It has no closures and slips on to wear.
• Tagged a vintage Versace 38
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16.5-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56.5" from waist to hem
Slit: 33" but wraps over itself near the top

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5117

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 that was worn on the runway for the Fall 1995 Karl Lagerfeld show.
• He launched his self-named label in 1984 and by the 1990s it was firmly established. Pieces from his personal label were far edgier then the work he did for Chanel. It was a label where he explored a more avant garde feel with his designs and pushed the envelope more. 
• The dress that is made out of a mix of a light weight black net that is backed in more layers of netting and silk chiffon.
• Onto that is a pattern made from black velvet fused onto the netting. The velvet is set to highlight the cut and lines of the dress.
• It has a slightly more bare and fitted feel through the upper bodice and then flares and widens out very dramatically to the hem.
• The fabric is light in weight but the layering underneath the top layer of netting gives it enough weight and structure to hold the shape.
• The bust drops into a V and the velvet details on the bodice are set on angles to work into a centre vertical velvet line. This same striping runs horizontally all the way around the hem. The line that runs down the centre of the bodice extends all the way to the hem and then more vertical lines go all the way around the skirt to break up it up into panels.
• The waist comes in a touch, but has a more generous feel to it, and the skirt swings in a a wide A-line.
• At the back, the dress completely opens with a series of silk covered buttons that run from neck to just above the hem.
• The bodice is lined in another layer of the same netting and the skirt has three more layers of netting under the top layer and an inner nude silk chiffon layer under those. It closes at the back with the series of buttons that you see. 
• Excellent condition.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of the shoulder to waist
Total length: 55" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4926

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 1995 Karl Lagerfeld.

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

• In 1951, a 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award.
• His ready-to-wear line was made close to couture standards and with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. He was truly one of the great American designers and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world.
• This is a dress that is extremely well made with a very high level of construction techniques.
• The dress is made from two types of lace that contrast against each other.
• The dress falls from lace straps that curve up and over each shoulder. It dips down at the front and the back is scooped to leave a bare expanse of skin. It skims over the bust to the slight empire cut waist. The waist is generous and the lines of the dress are stunning.
• The bodice is covered with a beautiful black lace with a second layer of lace on top of the nude silk lining underneath so you get a little bit of extra depth to the pattern that you see.
• The skirt is made out of a heavy corded silk lace. The cording is also a clever way to help to shape the skirt so beautifully. The skirt curves out and over the hips and then widens out to the hem.
• The top lace layer sits over a deep green silk inner skirt. Having the deep moss green underneath highlights the cord and lace more than adding just a black under skirt would have. The silk underneath also helps to hold the fuller shape the skirt has.
• The workmanship on this dress is exquisite and to demi-couture standards.
• Lined in a nude silk through the bodice and the inner piece of the skirt is backed in a black silk organza. It closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes throughout.
• Excellent condition.

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 15.5" across
Hips: open
Bodice: 12.5" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Total length: 52" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4843

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.

• From the Fall 2015 collection with references to its design on both the RTW Couture show.
• In 2015 Valentino was headed by both Maria Grazia Chiuri and PierPaolo Piccioli.
  
• The fabric is a silk that is heavy and has an almost fine wool suiting feel to it. The weight of the fabric is what holds the dress in place over you.
• The front is cut straight across the neckline and then it is brought starkly down the sides and set to sit just over the seam at the waist. This is repeated at the back with an addition of a long open keyhole that displays a slice of bare skin from neck to waist.
• This creates a rectangular cut out on either side from your shoulder to the waist. 
• You can wear it bare or you can lay this over top of something.
• The waist nips in and and the skirt falls to the floor or ankle depending on your height.
• There is an amazing amount of fabric used for the skirt. It is flat pleated all the way around your waist and then each of those pleats open up at about 3 1/2 inches under the waist line to the hem.
• Inside each the open pleat are four more top stitched knife pleats that gradually open as they reach the hem. The detail that this creates all the way around the skirt when you move is amazing. When you stand still everything falls like a normal pleated skirt but when you move and they start to open and you see all those top stitched inner pleats the entire thing just comes to life.
• It beautifully executed and even better in person.
• Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a button and loop at the back of the neck and a hidden set zipper that starts at the waist.
• Tagged a modern Valentino 40.
• It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: the sides are open and the bust covers 11.25" flat across
Slightly dropped waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4769

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 2014 Valentino Couture, Look 8. Model Malaika Firth.  /  (2) Fall 2015 Valentino, Look 40. Model Irina Djuranovic.

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 as Look 5 for the Resort Givenchy collection.
• Made under the creative direction of Ricardo Tisci
  
• This was his fifth year at the label and in the Vogue review of the show they noted that Tisci told them that the colour palette of black, red and white mixed with the occasional leopard was inspired by Frida Kahlo and her animal-filled paintings.
• The dress was shown over a hot pant two-piece inner set but was shipped to the stores with the black half slip you see here. If you prefer the runway version you could of course easily re-create a more bare feel.
• The dress is made out of a black net with little silk insects, emphasizing the darts. It is set in with a seam under the bust that is angled upwards to the centre. It is suspended from two tiny straps that curve up and over the shoulder. The very upper edge of the bodice is finished with leather piping.
• It skims over the waist and then the skirt cascades outward from there to the floor.
• Red lace and red netting have been applied over the dress to create the striking pattern that you see. This pop of red against the transparent black net is even more striking once on the body and you see the transparency through it that contrast against the red lace and netting.
• It widen out quite a bit by the hem and the width of the lower skirt allows the dress to move beautifully around you as you move.
• The inner black silk chiffon slip acts as the lining and it slips on to wear for an easy fit.
• The net dress slips on over that with no closures.
• Tagged a Givenchy 40
• I see a couple of tiny repairs in the net near the raw edge finish of the skirt. Very minor but mention for accuracy.
• Excellent condition

Dress
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 14.5-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to lowest part of the seam under the bust at the sides
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem

Inner slip
Bust: 15.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5087

Reference Photo: (1) Resort 2011 Givenchy, Look 5. Model Daphne Groeneveld.  /  (2) Ciara in Givenchy by Cameron Smith for Wonderland Magazine, Nov 2010.

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

• George Stavropoulos was known for his evening wear and his signature looks often involved draping and the use of silk done on a bias cut. He focused on cut and fabric to convey the beauty of each piece. It was said that his gowns 'seemed to float on air'.
• He launched his label in 1960 and soon was dressing women like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Barbra Streisand and Maria Callas. The majority of his gowns are almost entirely made by hand and to couture standards. 
• The dress is made out of a feather light black silk that has tiny little red lines that highlight the cut and line of the dress. 
• The neckline is cut straight across and the dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and over the shoulders. 
• The bodice is more fitted and the waist nips in. 
• From there the skirt falls in this extravagant swoosh of bias cut silk to the floor. It skims over the hips and then widens out substantially by the hem.
• The striping is set on angles over the dress and helps to add shape. I love the unexpected red lining through the skirt that picks up on that red stripe. When you sit or move you get these little flashes of it that is fantastic. 
• There is a slight elastic around the top of the dress and I think you could wear this as a strapless piece and just tuck the little straps in if you wished.
• Fully lined in a red silk and it closes with a side set zipper. 
• Excellent condition and appears unworn.

Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from the top of the shoulder to the waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem, with the inner lining extending slightly past the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5089

Reference Photo: Fall 1978 Stavropoulos 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 is a signature bias cut dress from the Spring 2002 collection by John Galliano
• Made under the creative direction of John Galliano
• There are no closures on the dress. It is completely cut bias and you just slip it over the head to wear and it just falls into place skimming over the body from head to toe.
• The cut of the dress has a strong nod to Couture pieces of the 1930s and 1940s decades that he continuously referenced in his collections.
• The fabric has a silk like finish and is a deep black. Various Galliano logos have been woven directly into the fabric in a different finish thread so as you move these catch the light. The effect is fantastic once it is on the body.
• The fabric obviously would have been custom designed by Galliano and made specifically for this dress
• It scoops down into a V at the front and the back with a band highlighting the entire neckline. It skims over the waist and hips from there and flares out at the lower hem. 
  
• The back is cut longer than the front so you get this fantastic sweeping feel behind you. It is in its original uncut length.
• A high slit runs up one side for a flash of leg when you walk.
• Unlined and slips on to wear with no closures.
  
• The measurements have a lot of range because of the bias cut and no closure so I have given the comfortable range for all below when laying out flat. There is probably a little extra room beyond my measurements, but I do not like to over pull when measuring.
• Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8
• Excellent condition and it appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 16–19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14–17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18–21 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to front hem and then it extends another 8" past that at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5080

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 2012 Valentino collection
• At this time both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were acting Creative Directors. 
• It has the feel of Looks 25 & 48 from the runway with that deep plunge at the front that is really fantastic. 
• The Vogue review for this collection stated in part; "For Fall, the designers wove an enchanting, globe-trotting story through the sweetly feminine silhouettes they've established as their own over the last few ready-to-wear and couture seasons".
• It is made in one of Valentino's signature silk crepes that gives it its sleek sculpted feel.
• The dress is very sexy and shows off some skin but still feels very elegant and refined. The fabric has just a touch of a bias cut to it through the body so its very comfortable to wear.
• Wider straps curve up and over your shoulders and all the edges of the bodice are set in a soft curving scalloped pattern.
• The front plunges to almost the waist with a band of the same fabric sitting part way down to keep it perfectly in place. This creates just a subtle little key hole below the breast. The result is a very deep plunge but a very wearable one.
• The back is a V to leave most of your upper back bare.
• The skirt widens out as it nears the hem. A wide band of fabric circles all the way around the hem and the bottom edge is the same scallop as around the bodice.
  
• The bodice is fully lined in a black silk and the lower panel of the skirt is a double layer of the same fabric. The skirt between is unlined.
• It closes with a back hidden set zipper.
• Tagged a modern Valentino 40
• Excellent condition
  

Bust: 16-17.5" flat across the back seam and each cup is approx 6.5-7" across at the widest point
Band under the bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to the top seam of the band under the bust.
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5078

Reference Photos: Fall 2012 Valentino Runway Collection, Looks 48 & 25.

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 twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1998 Versace show
• Made under the creative direction of Gianni Versace
• This is a rare in early documented example of his work
• The dresses made of two layers of silk. There is an inner silk layer that is a bright vivid pink and then this is topped with a black silk chiffon that has a touch of transparency. 
  
• Onto the top black layer is an elaborate pattern made of silver metallic thread and little tiny silver sequins. This adds a subtle sparkle over the entire dress.
• Two triangles sit at the front bust and they are brought inwards at the neck leaving an open keyhole underneath. The straps circle around both sides of your neck and then meet at the back. They then curve outwards to meet the sides of a low open scoop that leaves most of your back bare and exposed. 
  
• It skims over the waist and hips from there and I love the lingerie effect created by having the black float over the inner pink layer.
  
• The inner pink silk layer acts as the lining. The neck slips over the head and then the dress closes with a hidden set side zipper. When the dress is off the body the pink under-layer appears to extends past the bottom by a couple of inches but it is bias cit so once on it lines up as shown in the photos here
• Tagged a vintage Versace 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers up to 8 inches" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to the seam under the bus
Total length: 60" from neck to hem but will come up a touch once on because of the bias cut

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5056

Reference Photos: Spring 1998 Versace.

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.

• Late 60s maybe the first couple years of the 1970s and it seems similar to some of the pieces I've seen from the 1970 season. 
• Under the creative direction of Oscar de la Renta 
  
• The dress is made from a beautiful black silk taffeta that holds the shape and volume that this dress has perfectly.
• The fabric choice also keeps the dress fairly light in weight while giving the dress some structure and shape.
• Two shaped triangles cover the front of the bodice and there is a deep V for the neckline. The triangles extend all the way to the top of the neck and they are finished with a ruffle in the same fabric.
• Ties extend from just behind the peak of each triangle to tie behind the neck.
• It wraps around the waist and scoops low there. This leaves your entire back open and bare above that.
• The waist nips in and we have added a wide grosgrain ribbon to add a little more shape.
• The skirt is made out of the same silk taffeta and it is incredibly full by the time it reaches the hem. Tiers of silk allow this expansion and there are five tiers in total. Each tier is finished with that same ruffled detail that you see around the halter neck
• Inside there is a silk lining and then another netted lining sits between the outer skirt and that inner layer. This helps to hold the volume that you see.
• Fully lined in a layer of silk taffeta and the skirt is lined as described above.
• The dress closes with a low set zipper at the back. Hand finished throughout
• The ribbon at the waist is not original to the dress but will be sent with it
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle covers 8" plus there is an inch and a half a ruffle on each side. 
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59" from neck to hem and can be adjusted a bit depending on were you tie the neck

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4633

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

• The twin of this dress walked the runway in the Spring 2003 show for Look 64
• Under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino
• It was the only dress shown in this entire collection that season that was done in his signature Valentino red. So when you look through the collection photos it really stands out.
• The show was a huge success and Vogue especially loved the evening pieces; "For the evening review, it gets even better. Valentino's communiqués from his couture collection show up as delicate metallic-embroidered chiffons made into fragile capes, cardigans or dresses. And for the grand occasion, there's a full battalion of the designer's fabulous signature chiffon gowns." 
• Suspended from the shoulders by two tiny straps in the same red silk. The bodice is seamed just under the breasts and have minimal darting. 
  
• It skims over the waist and hips and then from there it falls to the floor in a beautiful column of the red silk crepe.
• The back of the dress is cut slightly longer so you have a tiny bit of a sweep behind you.
• Two panels of silk chiffon wrap around the waist area to add detail and shape the dress. The panels are attached all the way around you and then loop through openings at the front of the dress. The ties are cut extra long and fall to just above the hem at the front of the dress.
• The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper.
• The top panel of the bodice is lined in a red silk and the rest of the dress is unlined.
• Tagged a vintage Valentino 10.
• I see a touch of grubbiness here and there around the hem but otherwise excellent condition

Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Seam under the bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: just under 4" from top of bodice to seam under the bust at the middle and it is 10" from the top of the strap to the seam under the bust
Total length: 61" from top of shoulders to front hem, 63" to the back hem. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4916

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2003 Valentino, Look 64.

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.

• Circa late 1990s
• Under the creative direction of Gianni Versace
• A muted pastel salmon colour that is more pastel feeling in real life than how it photoed here
• The dress has a wide gathered band around the waist and a piece that is attached and loops in and behind one of the panels that form the top
• The panels are one piece of fabric that loops around the neck and the down to attach into the waist. You cross it over itself so that it goes behind the neck. You can then wear them high up on the shoulder or have it cape and fall over the upper arm.
• This leaves your entire back open and exposed
• The skirt has an inner piece that acts a partial lining. The outer skirt drapes over that and forms those interesting pocket like pieces on each hip. It then drapes inwards and down to the hem with a centre slit up both the front and back of the skirt
• It is a very interesting and an avant garde design
• The bodice is made of two layers of the same fabric and the skirt has a partial lining through the hips and the rest of the skirt is unlined.
• Tag a vintage Versace 42
• Excellent condition

Bust: each panel is 11" flat across from side to side
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: adjust depending on how you twist to wear it
Total length: approx 62" from neck to hem
Slits: approx 25" from the longest point of the hem to the top of the slit

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5037

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 production piece from the Spring 2008 collection
• Under the creative direction of Alexander McQueen
• Made from a red liquid silk. Both the cut and fabric are reminiscent of pieces from the thirties and forties 
  
• Wide straps curve over the shoulders and extend down to form the halter feeling bust
• It has a deep front plunge and the fabric is gathered into a centre knot at the base of the plunge.
• At the back the dress falls in one swoop down from the shoulders
• An extra panel of fabric is created from the front knot and it runs down the centre of the dress all the way to the hem. It creates that beautiful draping and also gives the skirt incredible movement. 
  
• Fully lined in a red silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper.
  
• The bias cut should allow it to work on a range of sizes. I have put the comfortable range of measurements below when laying flat.
•  In its original length and appears to have never been worn or worn very little
• Tagged a McQueen 46
  
• Excellent condition 

Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5030

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.

• From the Cruise 2011 show. You can see a dress with similar front design details on Look 26 in the show
• Under the creative direction of John Galliano
• The show was shown in Shanghai that season. The red used for this dress and the single red dress in the show were a nod to the country, but overall Galliano chose not to do very specific references to Shanghai. He said at the time that he was more trying to "capture the feeling of Paris in its heyday" which was what he said he felt happening in Shanghai at that time.
•  Made from a muted red silk crepe chiffon that has a little bit of texture to it
• Wide straps curve up and around the neck and then extend into panels that cover your front and wrap around to the back.
• The neckline has a bit of a plunge at the front and the entire upper back is left bare.
• The silk is gathered down the front of the dress and is held in place by little horizontal ruffles of the same silk chiffon. The pleat work narrows down to a point at the waist. 
• The silk of the skirt is gathered up and into the centre point of the bodice and I love the extra detail this creates. The bottom skirt is quite full and widens out as it nears the hem.
• There is a slit that runs up the top layer of the skirt and this helps to creates beautiful movement as you walk. 
• Buttons are spaced down the side in his signature tightly spaced fabric covered buttons and loops and these hide a hidden set zipper.
• Fully lined in a red silk
• 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# DD5032

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.

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs 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. This is a stunning example of his work during the early seventies. We have had several examples of dresses from in and around 1973 that combined the same jagged 'flame' cuts with sequins. I have included some of those for you to see here. 

This is an amazing Azzaro. The skirt is made out of a black silk jersey that is cut on the bias and and falls to the floor. It widens out a touch as it near the hem. Topping this is the most amazing bodice. It is made from curving panels of sequins and the panels have been stitched and overlapped to create the shape that you see. When you realize that this all had to be pieced together in an exact way to create this, it seems that much more amazing. Panels covered in gold sequins extend up to wrap around the back of the neck. Those are covered by two panels of black sequins  at the front and then there is another black sequin panel on each side. The panels are stitched together to the waist so that they are one solid piece forming the bodice but where they hit the waist seam they fall freely beside each other. This is what gives the suggestion of the 'flame' feel. They extend past the waist seam by between eight and 9 inches adding some movement. The back scoops down so your entire upper back is left bare and exposed. Lots of hand finishes inside. It is a fantastic example of his work. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in black silky rayon through the bodice and a second layer of jersey through the skirt. A slit up one side. Closes with a back zipper and hooks behind the neck. Hand finishes throughout. 

Bust: each side of the bust covers 7" flat across from side to side
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total length: approx 60" from neck to hem
Slit: 17" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5014

Reference Photos: Reference Photos: (1-2) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (3) 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.  /  (4) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (5) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973. / (6) Spring 1973 Loris Azzaro 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.

The twin of this dress walked the runway for Fall 1975. Chloe was headed by Karl Lagerfeld at this time making it a historically important piece of fashion history. The evening pieces in this collection were a hit with the press. The Los Angeles Times even said they were "collectors items". On the runway, the dress was worn with a thin gold belt that matches the gold colour on the inside of the back floating panels. I love that this shows you that you can wear it either way and it looks equally fantastic.

The dress is made from a light scarf weight black silk and the back panels are made of the same and then those are completely lined in a darker gold metallic silk lame. The neckline is piped with the same silk and the fabric is gathered softly into it. The neckline is cut slightly wide across and then the dress falls from there to skim over the bust, waist and hips to the floor. It gradually widens out to be quite wide by the hem.  The back dips into a low V above hidden set snaps to close it. I love how this gives you a glimpse of bare skin behind the panels when you move a certain way. The two long panels that hide that open back are are attached along the back neckline and then fall loose to the floor. They are very wide by the time they reach their ends. Each one opens up a full 29" across the bottom. They are lined in a beautiful deep gold metallic lame that has an almost copper tone feel to it. The lame has a horizontal weave to it which gives it added texture. When this is on and moving, these billow out and float behind you. It is utterly fantastic. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The dress is unlined and closes with a back hidden set series of hooks at the base of the V at the back. There is also a hook behind the neck. Hand finishes throughout. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. I see one small area near the bottom of one of the panels on the black side where the fabric is just a tiny bit lighter. It is very minimal and I could not catch it on camera.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to front hem, 62" to the longest point of the back panels

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5012

Reference Photo: Fall 1976 Chloe Runway.

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Note that due to new regulations this can only be shipped to a Canadian address

This is the twin of Look 27 from the runway and it is an exceptional piece of Gucci history. It was featured in Vogue that season on Natalia Vodianova and I love that these show you how great this is on the body. The Vogue review said 'The Gucci girl’s got legs—long, tan, flawless ones striding along on silver peep-toe sling-back pumps. Follow them all the way up, and around two weeks later, they eventually meet the hem of the minutest piece of clothing that was ever called a skirt or dress. For spring, in a word, Tom Ford says short. Using lustrous fabrics in subtle makeup colors from blush to tawny brown, pearly gray and silver, Ford draped and wrapped his gorgeous girls in clothes that navigated that dangerous Gucci line between innovation and vulgarity. The tousled hair, the jackets and tops poised to fall off shoulders—the whole presentation stirred sensations that fashion hasn’t felt since the last days of the great supermodels. Still, don’t think tacky. Ford’s obsession now is integrating fine workmanship into abbreviated silhouettes." The feather dresses were mentioned specifically; "He brought couture finesse to racer-back feathered dresses with the merest flip of a skirt....it was a confident statement in the power of glamour. And fashion needs that.' To this day this is one of the most recognizable of his pieces. 

This dress is thought of as one of the top ten Gucci pieces that Tom Ford designed. The dress is meant to be worn very short and daring. It shows off miles of legs. The top plunges low at the front and the back curves in to create a racer-back leaving your back bare on either side. It skims over the waist and hips and then flares out at the skirt. The skirt has two tiers of feather detailed ruffles and this extra little flounce gives it movement when you move. It is made from two layers of weightless silk with a silk grosgrain ribbon edging. The feathers are a mix of a dyed soft pale yellow mixed with some soft light taupe natural feathers for depth and interest. I took a photo of the back of the silk of the skirt and you can see that each feather was hand placed onto the silk  Vogue referenced couture in the review I added above. It snaps to close under the ribbon at the side so there is no break anywhere with a zipper. It just looks like it somehow magically formed it on you. It is an incredible piece of Tom's history with the brand. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a pale taupe nude silk chiffon and has hidden set snaps at the  side to close. Tagged a YSL 42. Some of the ends of the feathers have separated a bit on the natural spots it curves but this is just part of aging for a piece like this. I don't consider this a flaw but its mentioned for accuracy.

Bust: approx 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with open sides. each halter is 6" wide at its widest point
Under-bust to waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hips: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from neck to hem but can be pulled up as short as you want

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4001

Reference Photos/Video: (1-8) Spring 2003 Gucci Runway Collection, Look 27. Model: Louise Pedersen.  /  (9) Natalia Vodianova, wearing Gucci, Vogue, February 2003. Photo by Steven Klein.

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 program notes told the audience of the Spring 2009 runway show that Mcqueen had been thinking of Charles Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest and 'the deleterious results of industrialization on the natural world'. The show was title 'Natural Dis-tinctions, Un-Natural Selection' and the McQueen book notes that 'the cat walk was filled with antique taxidermy, including an elephant giraffe tagger zebra and polar bear, in an art space that was formally of Paris morgue.' The twin of the dress was a part of the second portion of the show that was meant to 'continue to draw inspiration from natural forms, flowers, crystals and minerals, but here they were engineer with a hard as an enhanced to convey the synthetic qualities associated with modernity and human touch. Prints were angular and invoked crushed crystal, metallic structures such as the Eiffel tower and a granite mountain that was borrowed from a Dan Holdsworth triptych.' This collection was noted as being one of his most commercial to date during this time period and these print pieces especially had instant appeal.

This is a very recognizable piece that can instantly  identify as being a McQueen. The colours are amazing. The fabric is almost like a neoprene in the way it looks and feels and yet it is not a true neoprene. It is lighter and thinner with just enough weight to it to hold the shape but without it feeling restrictive on the body. The shape is built into the dress beginning at the shoulders. Each is lightly padded so that they sit up on top of the shoulders. It skims over the bust, nips in at the waist and then curves out at the hips. Even when laying flat you can see the shape built into the dress. At the neckline there is a keyhole that has a nude netting in behind it. I love the way that the seams at the hip curve in and over the waist to just under the bust. This precise seaming and cut are all done to give that exact shape that he wished the piece to have. When styled on the runway with the plastered hair around the face it had an almost alien feel to it that was fantastic. The dress looks to have never been worn and is in mint condition. It is an extraordinary piece of Alexander McQueen history and having a runaway pieces from him in the shop are always an exceptional thing. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a ivory tissue silk and it closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 38. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for an A-small B cut at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4360

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 24. Model Alex Sandor.  /  (3) Page from the book 'Alexander McQueen' edited by Claire Wilcox.

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 John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period. This is a production piece that was not shown on the runway but would have been made in limited quantities for the shops. For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always harken back to his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them. This dress with its cut out detailing and that fantastic draping of fabric across the shoulders is absolutely beautiful. This is classic Galliano and is extremely flattering once on the body.

The dress is made out of a deep purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well and that we all love. The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor. The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see. The dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and around the neck. At the back, the strap meet behind the neck and then drop down the centre of the back and panels of silk are suspended from it. These curving panels can be worn either down and under the arms or you can drape your arms through them to create a beautiful curving 'sleeve' effect over the arm. I think that on a real body you might even be able to get clever and do some other styling tricks with them as well. The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. It buttons to close down the side with a row of his signature buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip. The dress is lined in a crepe silk but you could choose to remove that lining and have that side be completely bare so that your skin showed through if you wished. I have seen this dress in another colour where someone did that and it looked great. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. It will only truly come to life when worn. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. All minor and mentioned for accuracy. Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4599

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

During John Galliano's career he has arguably produced some of the most glamorous dresses in the fashion's history. His work often has a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and thirties with their beautiful cuts. They mix Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s. This is an amazing example of his work that I am dating to 2006 based on similar work he was doing that season for both Dior and his own self named label. It is gorgeous. This is a production dress made for the shops in limited quantities. It is a really beautiful dress.

This sleek little number is cut so very beautifully. It is suspended from the shoulders by straps that curve over and down the back. The dress is cut to follow the curves of your body but without being super tight. The neckline dips in a scoop at the front and I love the elaborate sequin detailing that you see set across the bust area. The upper front bust is a single layer of silk organza and then below that heavy sequin work wraps around you to the back. I love the lace panel that peeks out above the scoop. The sequins and beads on the bodice have been heavily applied and sit up and off the dress slightly. The waist is a double layered band of the silk organza and then the area around the upper hips is a single layer that sits over an inner slip edged in a wide band of lace. He has created the shape around the hips with a series of vertical darts that go all the way around you. The long triangle shaped strips of fabric that make the darts become a design detail in themselves. The lace edged built in slip underneath is made from nude silk chiffon. This is what you see under the skirt in these photos. It is very sexy. It skims over the hips and then falls to the floor flaring out as it falls. The lower part of the skirt widens out as it reaches the hem and extra fabric has been worked all the way around so you get a sweeping feel. This one is so well made we think you. could wear it either way around and the those two full length shots grouped on their own are of it the other way around. It is so good. Excellent condition with minor notes below.

Fully lined to just past the hip with a built in inner nude silk and lace slip. It closes at the side with a hidden set zipper. There is some light snagging that goes across the waist and light stress on some seams. I see some very faint whitish coloured marks here and there around the hem and near some seams where the silk organza has faded slightly and some marks on the inner lining of the bodice that do not go through. Please see the photos after the label shot as I took a close ups of the waist area all the way around. 

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 65" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4980

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 spectacular dress walked the runway for the Spring 2019 show and was Look 86 in the show. It was the second to last look on the runway and one of the bext dresses shown. Ironically I think it may have been inspired by a dress that I have had in the shop - this Spring 1977 Jean Patou. When they show originally debuted I had shared this in my stories and now I have this modern Dior version for you. A true full circle moment. I think it was one of the most beautiful pieces in the entire show and it is absolute magical in person.

The dress is beautiful to see in real life. It is made out of a light in weight printed silk that is covered in a gold metallic thread. The gold has been applied onto the silk in its own pattern that suggest leaves trailing over the entire dress. The pattern allows the fabric to catch the light from any angle and gives it this wonderful added extra texture. I also love how the gold part softens and disappears as it near the hem so you get this anchoring feel of the silk without the gold all the way around the lower portion of the skirt. It is a very pretty effect. The dress had been softly pleated and the pleating adds yet another layer of texture to the dress. It is suspended from the shoulders by straps that are made out of the same fabric and have been twisted. These curve over the shoulder and cross over each other at the back. The front plunges into a V and the back is left bare underneath the crossed straps. I love the curving angle of the sides and how the twisted straps let them sit up and off of your back a touch as you can see in the side shot of the dress. The waist nips in and then the skirt falls to the floor under that in a sweep of silk and gold thread. There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt. The fabric is feather light and so fine that when you stand still it falls in a column but moves around you with your slightest movement. No matter how great the photos look it is that much better in person. The fabric is stunning and every line of the dress is perfection. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a nude silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Original uncut length. Tagged an FR36, GB8, IT40, US4.

Bust: the front will cover approx 14-18" flat across from side to side
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 14" from top of natural shoulders to waist
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4974

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 2019 Christian Dior, Look 86. Model Fran Summers.  /  (4-5) Spring 2019 Dior Ad Campaign photographed by Harley Weir.

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

John Galliano 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 work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, 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. This is an amazing example of his work from the Spring 2006 season and it is gorgeous. This dress was a piece made for production and is a more minimalist version of the dress that walked the runway for Look 40 that season. It has all the things we love about his work presented in a beautifully chic and minimalist package that still has that strong impact of colour that the runway version had.

The dress is made out of a feather light silk chiffon that moves beautifully over the body. It is all cut on the bias so is easy to wear. I love the cut of the bodice. Twisted silk chiffon straps extend out from a peak at the centre front. They curve up and around the neck and then they fall down each side of your back. The entire back is scooped low so you have this bare expanse of skin showing. It drapes over the bodice and skims over the waist with an easy more generous feel. A gathered band of the silk chiffon is wrapped around the top of the hips and a long tie extends down all the way to the hem from where that attached sash meets at the side. From there the dress drapes to the the floor and widens out a touch as it nears the hem. A slit runs up one side of the skirt and this allows the silk to catch the air and move easily around you as you walk. The seaming is a nod to the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The colour and the way that it changes as it moves down the dress is of course one of the most important elements of the piece. It starts out to be a soft taupe at the top and then gradually changes to a pale pink to a vivid pink around the lower skirt and ends in a deep dusty fuchsia. It is stunning to have this brilliant pop of colour. A signature row of tightly spaced silk covered buttons run up one side for the perfect finish. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how the dress moves once on the body. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a matching taupe silk and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. The bias cut allows some movement in the fabric and I have put the comfortable range when laying flat below. Tagged a vintage Dior F40, GB12, IT44, US8

Bust: 16.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 63" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4953

Reference Photos/Video: (1-7) Spring 2006 Christian Dior, Look 40. Model Michelle Buswell.  /  (8) Monica Bellucci wearing Dior at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

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.

James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old.  By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. When you covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this set is an exquisite and very special example of his work.

This set is from the estate of 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.

The set is made from a beautiful printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a red lace that has a metallic finish. The entire set combined weighs ounces. Huge flowers cover the surface of the silk chiffon. The pants are made from two layers of the chiffon and they are cut long and wide. An elastic waist makes them very easy and comfortable to wear. Layered over the pants is a long dress that is also made from two layers of silk combined with a lace for the top part. Each side of the skirt is slit right up where the top ends. This lets the top skirt billow and move around you when you walk. The bodice part is made of two panels of a metallic red lace and it is connected along each side. There is a bit of an angled V where they connect at each sire. The lace has that fantastic metallic finish to it for contrast against the pattern in the silk chiffon. The bodice has an inner nude silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. The top is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. Cut supermodel long in length. Excellent condition

The pants are made of two layers of silk chiffon and close with a back zipper and elastic through the waist. The outer layer is lined with a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is made from two layers of the silk. The outer layer closes at the side with hidden fabric covered snaps. There are a couple of very minor repairs and light snags near the hem of the overlay. It is unlabelled but is a custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate. 

Over dress
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19" from the top of the shoulder to the seam under the lace edge
Total length: 62" from shoulder to hem

Pants
Elastic waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Pant: 45" from waist to hem
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2278

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4935

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This is the second time I have had this absolutely gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress in the shop and I think I love it even more this time. The dress was the final look on the runway for the Pre-Fall 2015 show and it is absolutely stunning. The pieces from this collection feel to me like they have an extra bit of sentiment to them. As Vogue noted in their review. "Pre-Fall 2015 was the last collection he (Oscar de la Renta) had a hand in designing. The house's new creative director, Peter Copping, advised the studio a bit on how to finish it after de la Renta's death in October but this wasn't his debut. Copping sat in the front row taking it all in as a bystander." They continue the review saying, "How does one review a collection like this—one that operates not as a swan song, not as an homage, but as a coda to a great career, now definitively over? On its merits, of course. And though these clothes didn't serve to turn the fashion dial in any way, they manifested the soigné de la Renta signature in spades....It spoke loudest in the collection's clutch of cocktail frocks and gowns, particularly the champagne-toned finale gowns with allover gold or silver embellishment." This is one of those dresses and it is very beautiful.

This is truly a beautiful piece and it would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. The dress is made from a fine ivory net that is covered in beautiful curving gold metallic appliques that form flowers and pretty patterns over the entire surface of the dress. Each individual applique is made from a pale, muted silver-gold lame fabric sewn that is embroidered all the way around its edges. The lame has a slight vertical ribbing that combines the gold and silver thread and this adds a beautiful texture. I love how they catch the light in a subtle way from every angle. In person the dress has a more metallic and gold feel then how it photographed here. It is tremendously beautiful. It sits wide across the front and the straps are sent to the edge of the shoulder. The bodice curves up and over your shoulders and then at the back it falls in a V for a bit of bare skin to show. All of the edges follow the curving pattern of the applique and I love this little romantic touch. There is an inner lining inside the bodice that has a sweetheart neckline shape to it and then the netting has a touch of transparency above that. It skims over you from there, past the waist to the seam that sits at the top of the hip. From there the skirt explodes outwards in two tiers. Underneath each tier is a layer of tulle and then another layer of netting under that. The second layer has a stiffened edge to help hold the shape of the skirting. Then inside the skirt itself there is a built-in underskirt that has multiple rows of that same stiffened fabric so it holds the volume that you see in the photos. I have added no extra crinolines underneath the dress to take these photos. All of the volume that you see is all built into the dress already. The dress is cut shorter at the front and then the back is cut so that it trails out behind you past the floor. The lightness of the tulle and netting allows the dress to billow out around you when you walk. This is dress that feels like a fairy tale come true once it is on the body. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in layers of tulle and netting as described above. The bodice has an inner layer of silk and netting. The dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a modern OLDR US2

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room at the front for at least a B cup
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top of the shoulder to the seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 49" from top of the shoulder to the front hem, 80" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4933

Reference Photos: Pre-Fall 2015 Oscar de la Renta, Look 36.

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 near twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 65 for the Fall 2018 Valentino season. The entire world was in love with Pierpaolo and this collection was raved about. Vogue opened their review saying "Something is going very right at Valentino. It would be hard to name another designer in the establishment echelons of fashion who is putting out a more inclusive, relatable, and unforced sense of modern elegance than Pierpaolo Piccioli. They continued saying "How to put it? Where so many other designers have sought to meet these fraught times with throwbacks to ’80s-power-woman shoulder-padded templates, Piccioli has found a new cadence of expression. It includes flowing lines, flowers, layers, scalloped edges, and a vibrant, sophisticated colour sense. For evening, there was a wealth of options to cover all occasions, according to the person a woman might be. It might mean flowing, completely covered-up gowns or ankle-length A-line tunics with slim trousers beneath... Piccioli handled both minimalism, in spare, dramatic shapes, and decorative embellishment in blown-up floral appliques and jacquard... It recognized dignity and delighted in amazing colour. Bravo, Piccioli. This was outstanding." The dress on the runway had a more bare front and it was the third last look of the collection. I am happy that I have the runway photos and a reference video for you because they show how beautiful it is once on the body and moving. It was also worn on the red carpets and in editorials that season. It is one of the best from a show filled with outstanding dresses.

The halter of the dress is made from a deep forest green velvet and then the skirt is a slightly-heavier-in-weight silk brocade that has a beautiful floral pattern worked over its entire surface. An exuberant, oversized floral pattern covers the entire skirt. The black portions that you see are a finely ribbed velvet that has an almost ultra fine ribbed corduroy finish to it. You can feel the added texture of the black parts of the print and it makes the print that much better. The dresses that went to the shops had tops that had more fabric in them then the runway and sample pieces that were loaned out for the red carpets and editorials. It makes the dress much more wearable and I like the balance more between the top and skirt. The top is made from two simple triangles in a deep green velvet. Each has a vertical dart up the front centre to add a touch of shape. They extend out from the waist into two long straps at the top that curve behind your neck, cross over themselves at the back, and then button and snap into place on either side of the little bit of velvet that curves around the sides and into the low back. The halter front and tiny straps leave your sides and your entire back bare. It is the perfect balance between the dress feeling romantic and being very sexy. The skirt is remarkable. It is set in around the waist in a series of tiny gathers and there is an internal stiffening around the waist to create that fullness of the skirt coming up, out and over the hips that you see. The fabric choice helps to hold the shape and the fullness. There is weight to it, but it doesn't feel too heavy to move in once on. As good as it looks here it only really comes to life when the dress is on and you are moving. The back of the dress has extra fullness built in and it is cut a touch longer so you get this beautiful sweeping feel behind you that just adds to the overall glamorous feel of the dress.  It is incredibly beautiful . And it has pockets. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The halter is backed with silk and the skirt is unlined. The straps button into place and it closes with a low hidden set back zipper at the waist. Ribbon edged finished inner hems. Some minor grubbiness here and there on the hem and perhaps the tiniest snag here and there on the skirt. Presents pristine once on.

Bust: has no fixed side seams. Each halter covers to approx 8.5"
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: Approx 14" from top of neck to waist band and the length of the straps could be adjusted as needed by moving the buttons
Total length: 61" from neck to front hem, 62" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4915

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Fall 2018 Valentino, Look 65. Model Sterre Dekker.  /  (3-5) Amber Heard at the premiere for 'Sorry Angel' at Cannes Film Festival, 2018.  /  (6) Barbara Shilova for Fashion & Arts Magazine, 2020.  /  (8) Model in Valentino for The Financial Times UK. Photographed by Vikram Kushwah, 2018.  /  (9) 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.

When searching for the date of this dress, we found a runway piece from Fall 2003 that has very similar bead work through the skirt and was shown with a different bodice at the front, but with the same crossed over strap open cut back. I love that you can get an idea of how well it moves by the runway video. It is truly a beautiful and extraordinary dress and a gorgeous example of the work the original Mr. Valentino was doing for his self named label.

I love the bareness at the top of the dress with its bare back and the front draping neckline. It is a dress that really comes alive once on the body. It is very light in weight despite its extensive bead work and sequins that cover the dress. It is all cut on the bias so once you slip it on it just skims over the body. The dress is made from a bias cut black silk chiffon combined with a silk netting. The netted portions are covered with thousands of tiny black sequins and beads in a variety of shapes. A little beaded strap curves up and over the shoulders to criss cross over your bare back. A panel of silk chiffon at the front creates a pretty drape. It skims over the waist and then curves over the hips. The skirt flows to the floor from there and widens out a bit as it nears the hem. It is cut a little longer at the back to give a slate sweeping feel behind you. Panels of silk chiffon run down the back for a little added detail. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Hand finishes. I see minor missing beads and wear to the back hem and there is a couple small areas where the netting has popped out of the seams a tiny bit. Please see the photos after the label shot. All minor. Tagged a vintage Valentino 6

Bust: no true side seams but will cover up to 16" flat across the front bodice
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4632

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Fall 2003 Valentino, Look 70.  /  (5-6) Rupi Kaur in this dress for the South Asian Excellence at the Oscars Event, 2024.

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

This is a superb Christian Dior dress from the Marc Bohan years. It is a wonderful example of the work being done during this time period and shows how well the label could be when it delved into a more minimal cut combined with that full out glamour. The dress has classic feel of the best of Old Hollywood. Don't let the simplicity of the cut fool you. The closer you get to it the more you see the incredible and elaborate amount of detail that has been put into this fabric. This is a dream to wear and no matter how good you think it looks in these photos to see this one in person will make your jaw drop.

The dress is made from a black silk net that has an incredible lace floral pattern. The flowers in the pattern are edged in black silk cording that is worked throughout the lace. It is made from three layers. The top beaded layer, a black silk chiffon layer under that and then a nude silk chiffon inner layer that is itself backed in a black silk. Adding that nude layer gives the dress a bit of an illusion of wearing next to nothing underneath. The dress is suspended from two beaded straps that curve over each shoulder. The front neckline dips into a slight V and the back is a simple scoop. It is cut to skim over the body from bust to hips with no seaming to break the eye or the design created by the bead work. The shape of the dress is created by vertical seaming on the inner layers and then the top layer is shaped to follow. The skirt and widens out gradually as it nears the hem. The lace netting is covered with an elaborate design made of glossy black beads in various sized and black sequins. The design is heavier around the top the bodice, lightens in coverage as it goes over the hips and then becomes dense and heavy again at the hem. Glossy black sequins curve over the underlying floral pattern. The sequins are applied so that they are stacked and layered over each other to give a slight 3D feel. Small faceted beads follow other parts of the pattern and these are the same beads that are used to cover the straps. Tiny little seed beads are thrown into the mix and then there are square pailettes and oval faceted beads on a much larger scale to really create impact. The beads are all applied by hand and catch the light from every angle. It is an incredible thing to see and even better once on the body. The label on the dress is numbered and when you see that in a Dior Boutique label it most often meant that the piece was a special order or was a custom made order for a client in the atelier but fitted at the boutique store rather then in Paris. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfection. Excellent condition.

Fully lined as per the description above. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Numbered tag. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but you would never tell because of the extent of the pattern. The slight bias cut will allow for a bit of movement in the measurements. The comfortable range is listed below

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4909

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 beading technique used on this dress is distinctive and it led us to finding that he did in entire series of dresses in several variations for the Spring 1993 collection. The twin of this dress was a part of the runway show and we have included it here. We  also added some other shots from the collection for you to see since these dresses were an integral part of the collection that year. Examples of Karl's work during this time period are held in museums around the world and are rare finds. This is an important piece of his fashion history. 

The cut of the dress is simple but it is very sexy with its long silhouette and see through lower skirts. The dress is made out of a black crepe that has a slight bias cut to it that allows it to drape well over the body once on. The strap detailing that crisscrosses over the body, edges the bust area, and is used for the straps that go up and around the neck, are all made from a wide cotton weave looking ribbon that is applied directly onto the dress. Black seed beads were applied onto that ribbon and they catch the light beautifully when you move. The bodice is extensively beaded, sequinned and embroidered. The colours there are bright and brilliant and I love how they give the dress a fantastic pop of colour. The work completely covers each triangle of the front bust and then wraps all the way around the back. The straps are intricate and hook behind the neck and become a design detail in themselves. I love the wrapped illusion created by the way the beading is applied over the dress and how the straps of the neckline continue that feel. The dress skims over the body, following your curves, and then flares out with that inset of silk chiffon for the very lower part of the skirt. It is magic once on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk. The lower chiffon part of the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and hooks to close at the back of the neck. Hand finishes and beautifully constructed.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4901

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 1993 Karl Lagerfeld Runway.  /  (6-7) Kristen McMenamy for Spring 1993 Karl Lagerfeld Ready to Wear Advance.  /  (8) Helena Christensen for Spring 1993 Karl Lagerfeld Ad Campaign.

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.

No matter how good you think that this dress looks like in photos it is even better in person and moving. The heavy copper / gold coloured metal wire and rhinestones that were used to create the pattern on the silk catch the light from every angle when you move. The dress is made out of the palest ballet pink silk. The dress is cut on the bias so it just glides over the body. It buttons down the back in a row of tightly spaced silk covered buttons and it is cut to just fall over you in a sweep of bias cut silk. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny silk straps and the front falls over the bust with a V neck plunge at the front and the back. The dress skims over the waist and hips with seams that are reminiscent of the couture dresses of the thirties. All are done so that the bias cut of the silk follows your curves and highlights the body underneath without it being too tight and fitted. Once past the hips the dress flares out as it nears the bottom and it is incredibly full. A wide panel circles all the way around the lower skirt and there is stiffened netting placed behind it so that it holds the fullness around you. When you walk or move the skirt kicks out to add beautiful movement and volume. The final perfect detail is that spectacular design made out of a combination of metal wire in a deep copper gold tone. This is set so that it curves up and off the silk for a 3D effect. Prong set rhinestones are scattered in and among the designs on the bust and around the hips. These catch the light beautifully as you move. It is just wonderful. Over all great condition with a note below

Fully lined with a pale pink silk chiffon and closes with the buttons down the back. The measurements given below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. The bias cut of the dress should work on a range of sizes. On smaller frames it will drape more and be more fitted on larger frames. The very slightest yellowing to the silk here and there and around the waist area in particular. You can see it in the photos presented and I would say the photos make it look worse than it is in real life. Tagged a Cavalli XS

Bust: 14-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 70" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4825

Reference Photo: Jaime Tisch attends a preview gala dinner for the Metropolitan Museum's "Wild: Fashion Untamed" exhibition, hosted by fashion designer Robert Cavalli, on December 6, 2004.

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.

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." They went on to remark on the beautiful pastels and golds used saying "this collection proved how hot-wired into the core of McQueen Burton truly is. The colour palette—as translucent as the inside of a shell—had the kind of unambiguous prettiness that McQueen himself might have felt inclined to disrupt in some way". The twin of this stunning dress in black was featured in the  Spring 2012 collection Lookbook sent out to select retailers. Pink wore one in black for an editorial shoot and Du Juan wore one on the red carpet. I love it in the gold. It is so striking.

The dress is stunning and it might even make for a spectacular bridal dress or to be worn for the events surrounding a wedding weekend or as a gala / event piece. It is made out of a muted gold lace that tops a pale nude silk underneath. The dress is cut to follow the curves of the body from the top of the neckline to below the hips but in a way that doesn't feel overly tight or confining. It just curves over the body in the best possible way. 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 explode out from there. Insets of the same lace with masses of a silk organza underskirt are set all the way around the skirt. If you lay the lower skirt out flat it has more volume than a full circle. This is what creates those incredible rounded effect and the volume that you see in the photos. We did not add any additional underskirts on this dress. All of that sweeping volume is all built in. It also creates beautiful movement as you move. You can see in the photos that the back is cut slightly longer then the front so you get this beautiful sweeping effect behind you as you walk. It is so special and absolutely stunning. This is Sarah at her best. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pale nude silk for the body of the dress and then silk organza through the lower skirts. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged McQueen 42.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of bodice to front hem, 66" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4824

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

This is the twin of the dress that was shown on the Fall Christian Dior Fall runway show in Prague. This was a special presentation that showed looks from both Fall and Resort 2008. On the regular runway for that season this look was not shown but you did see a similar cut though the bodice and bead work for Look 26. A shorter version in black that had a slightly different bodice was worn that year by Penelope Cruz when she attended the 2008 Cruise collection show. The dress would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event.

The dress is entirely cut on the bias and it falls beautifully over the body once on. As good as it looks on the form it is even better in person. The dress is made from a rich looking champagne coloured silk that has a slight silver undertone to it. The fabric and the way it is cut and draped allows it to hug the body but without being tight. It skims over you to highlight every curve but is very comfortable and easy to move in. At the front it scoops down at the front into the squared off neckline. From the base of the neckline a wide panel of the same fabric runs down to about the hip. The silk is gathered and hand draped under that front panel in big soft folds. It is then covered with little silver flat metal sequins meant to suggest tiny leaves, hand sewn tube beads and prong set glass crystal rhinestones. These catch the light beautifully as you move. Under the panel the skirt open into soft folds to expand out tot he floor. There are  yards of silk in the skirt and I love the draping around the sides of the hips.At the back the fabric is lightly gathered into the zipper area and then it opens up with a series of panels that are built in for added volume. It extends out past the hem so that you have a sweeping feel as you walk. A very beautiful dress. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined with a fine ivory tissue silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a vintage Dior US8 

Bust: 16" 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
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 64" to the longest point of the back hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3875

Reference Photos: (1-2) Dior Runway Show in Prague showcasing Fall 2007 RTW/Resort 2008 pieces. Dress shown worn by Miss World 2006 Tatana Kucharova.  /  (3) Fall 2007 Christian Dior Runway, Look 26. Model: Patricia Schmid.  /  (4-6) Penelope Cruz at the 2008 Dior Cruise Collection Presentation.

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.

Philippe Venet apprenticed to a local tailor who is authorized to make Balenciaga designs. In 1951 he moved to Paris and became a cutter to Schaparelli. From there he met Hubert de Givenchy and in 1962 joined his atelier where he was the head cutter. In 1964 he opened his own Haute Couture label with Givenchy's blessings and support. His work tended towards minimalism and clean lines. His business was never as large as Givenchy's which allowed him to be more hands on for a longer period of time. Couture pieces from him are rare and hard to find and the early were ones like this even more so. This was almost certainly a piece custom-made for somebody and it is incredibly beautiful.

The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful a piece of true Haute Couture can be. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is that beautiful rich silk that you only seem to see in the very best pieces of couture. The dress wraps over an inner dress and this added inner structure keep the dress perfectly in place and also gives it the structure needed so that the outer layer falls perfectly over you. The bodice is cut into a V and it wraps, snaps and hooks into place. I love the way that he has brought in angled seaming and pleating to create the design that you see at the base of the plunge. On the panel that sits underneath the wrap everything is angled towards the centre of the dress and then the panel that sits over the wrap is set so that the pleats fall vertically all the way down to the hem. The hem is set on a curve that goes up at the front and around at the back. So when you walk you get a flash of bare legs. The back is cut longer and depending on your height you will have a bit of a sweeping behind you. The cut also gives you some pretty fullness and shape through the hips. At the back the seams are set vertically so that you just get one long swoop of fabric that extends out as touch at the bottom hem. There are even weights placed inside of the back so that it sits perfectly once on. Underneath this is a structured foundation piece. It has a structured corset top with boning and shaped cups in an ivory silk. The skirt is made of the same silk as the exterior and it is cut to just about the knee depending on your height. All of the inner seams are finished completely by hand and seeing how it is all piece together is a joy in itself.  The colour of the silk is a beautiful creamy ivory. This is a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is. It really shows how sometimes simplicity can have so much of an impact. It would be a dress that might make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice, for a day wedding, or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The inner dress acts as the lining and then the outer dress is also fully lined in an ivory silk. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner dress closes with a hand set side zipper at the front. The outer dress snaps into place directly onto the inner dress and then the outer dress wraps and snapped onto itself. The zipper on the inner dress was slightly moved at some point but of course you don't see this once on. I have included a photo in the detail shots. I see a tiny hairline mark of thinning near the neckline and some wear to the edges of the top of the seams. Please see the photos after the label shot. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. 

Outer Dress
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to longest point of the back hem

Inner dress
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4779

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

This dress was designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. He mainly used this type of fabric for his 1971-1972 collections and in the book on his work 'Jules Francois Crahay" by Lannoo there is a detail photo of a couture fabric noted as been most likely from the fall 1971 Couture collection and you can see it has the same weave as this one. I love it.

This Lanvin dress is gorgeous. I am in absolute love with it. The dress has a gorgeous bright colour and print combination. The cotton pique it is made of is light in weight and holds colour exceptionally well so the colours are still crisp, bright and true. It has a beautiful texture running through it that adds visual interest and structure to the fabric so that it holds the intended shape. The front halter is created by two triangles that extend and curve up and behind the neck. They meet at the top of a wide band that defines the waist starting just under the bust. This leaves the back completely bare and open for a bit of a sexy feel to the dress. The band that gives the dress the shape is a full 5 1/2 inches wide. From there the skirt falls to the floor and it widens as it nears the hem. I love how the pattern is laid out onto the dress to emphasize the different parts of it. The halter has the smaller floral pattern and then the waist has stripes that are set just under the bust. You see the smaller floral anchored with stripes around the hips and then a giant floral pattern wraps around your legs. A double stripe anchors the whole dress at the hem and ties everything together. The colour is a coral red with those pops of yellow, green and soft orange. The pattern is spectacular and it is an instantly recognizable piece of his work. The perfect finish is the top set pockets that sit on each hip. I love it. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the band of the waist and the skirt in an orange silk and the halter top is unlined. It closes with a low set back zipper. 

Bust: each halter covers approx 7" flat across from side to side
Seam at the top of the band: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist seam at the bottom of the band: 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 10" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4756

Reference Photo: From the book "Jules Francois Crahay" by Lannoo.

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 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

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E290

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.

James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. Galanos pieces were all produced in very limited quantities in his workshops and his work was as close to couture construction that you could find outside of Paris. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

This is one of my favourite pieces I have seen by Galanos and it is incredibly beautiful in person. The dress is made from a feather light silk and that choice of fabric is what gives it that bit of volume that you see through the skirt. I did not add any underskirts, the shape that you see is all created by the way the skirt is set in and around the waist and the lightness of the silk. Two piped blue silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. The neckline dips in a slight sweetheart at the front with the silk gathered and softly pleated all the way around the top of the bodice for detailing. The silk on the bodice is that same brilliant blue as the straps and it is softly gathered down the sides to the waist. The silk extends out past the waist seam into a edged ruffle that meets a ruffle underneath created by the extension of the silk of the skirt. I love the detailing there that this creates and that underneath the ruffle the waist seam is anchored with a gold braided cording. The skirt has been softly gathered all around the waist and then it open outwards to have the volume and fullness that you see. Four panels of silk have been pieced vertically together to construct the skirt. At the front you see  a deep green panel on one side and a slightly metallic feeling copper brown on the other. At the back both of the panels are the same beautiful blue as the bodice. All of the edges where the panels meet are finished with a hand applied metallic gold cord. Between the green and brown panel at the front the skirt is slit open between the cording so when you walk or move you get a flash of bare leg. The silk is so light  that when you love the skirt billows out around you. Incredible. Excellent condition  

Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Ribbon edge interior seams. Hand finished throighout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Total length: 59" from waist to hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3736

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 recognizable Alexander McQueen piece. While there are many of his pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that you instantly know is McQueen. Lee had only recently joined the Gucci Group at this point and his shows were becoming bigger and more commercial. The Fall 2003 collection was titled 'Scanners' and he went to the frozen arctic tundra for the show set. The runway was a wasteland set against an icy mountain. Models walked among rubble and rocks on the runway and and a dusting of snow covered everything. The name of the show came from the invitation that had scans of McQueen's actual brain on them. In the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams, they noted that "the collection engaged McQueen's interest in Eurasian culture and was presented as a journey of displaced travellers from west to east, from dark to light across the harsh planes of Siberia through Tibet, and into Japan, the land of the rising sun." The looks touched on both Russia and Japanese themes as well as mixing in a little bit of his signature punk. This is the twin of the dress that walked the runway for Look 55 and it is outstanding. It also has a strong tie-in with red carpets and we have included photos of some of the people that have worn one here including Eve and Naomi Campbell. This is an exceptional, very rare and extraordinary piece of his work for the collector. It might even make an amazing choice for a bride looking a non-traditional choice or alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration.

This dress is beautiful and rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready-to-wear. The fabric is a feather light white silk chiffon that moves with the barest breathe of air. The cut is classic McQueen with a low cut squared off neckline at the front that is meant to hold and push the breasts upwards. Underneath the bodice sits a band of silk to add some shape and structure. This tiny little detail adds the perfect bit of shape and gives the bodice its empire cut. The back is scooped to show a bare expanse of skin. I love how the straps are meant to sit at the very outer edge of your shoulders. Inside it is lined in an ivory silk satin and has hidden set boning. The construction is beautiful and done to the high level that you expect from runway McQueen. The skirt falls from the band beneath the bodice and there are yards and yards of silk used to create the skirt. At the front it is cut to just past the knee or just above mid-calf, depending on your height. It curves around the back where it drops in length at the centre and then there are two long panels on either side of you that fall to the floor. The effect this multi-length hem creates when you move is fantastic. As you walk it floats out behind and around you. You can see the movement in the runway video and it is extraordinary. If that was not enough, the entire dress was then hand, beaded and sequin with a combination of silver thread, tiny little silver beads and tiny silver sequins. They form an exquisite and highly detailed trailing flower design that is denser around the hem and then trails up the dress into the bodice. Attached ties extend out from the centre back of at the waist with extra extra long ties that can be wrapped around you or tied and left to trail out behind you. This is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a white silk satin through the bust and white silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a series of large hidden set hooks at the back. The hooks could be moved a quarter to half inch up or down to get more or less room. The interior bust is shaped and boned. Hand finishes throughout. No size tag present. 

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of shoulder to the top of the 1" band under the bust
Total length: 39" from top of shoulder to the front hem, 44" to the shortest pont of the back hem, 59" to the longest point of the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4744

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2003 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 55. Model Natalia Vodianova.  /  (4) Eve at the 2003 CFDA Awards.  /  (5) Naomi Campbell at a Party thrown in honor of McQueen, November 2004.  /  (6) Lily Donaldson on left at the 2006 Met Gala.  /  (7) Julia Schlaepfer wearing this dress at the BAFTA Tea Party, 2024.

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

This magnificent dress is the silk version of the Fall 2000 Look 54 leather dress that Galliano sent down the runway for the final look of that show. This version was made in this stunning silk taffeta for the shops. It is very rare and wonderful piece of his history. This dress has the added modern provenance of being the actual dress worn by esteemed poet Rupi Kaur to the Vanity Fair and Elton John after parties for the 2024 Oscars. This is a magnificent rare and early Galliano that is one of the best I have seen. A truly incredible example of his early work.

The dress is made from an iridescent silk taffeta in a deep ruby red. The iridescent quality of the fabric make it catch the light in the most incredible way that you could imagine. It doesn't need a single embellishment because of the fabric choice. I actually prefer the dress in this silk over the leather version as this feels more wearable and the impact of the fabric is beautiful. This is one of John's classic corseted pieces. Inside the dress there is a full built-in corset that has wired cups and extensive boning to hold you in place. The dress came to me with a thick, almost shoe lace like cord that was used to lace it up at the back and I love the contrast this gives. This is a detail however that is hidden from sight. The corset and its lace is all hidden inside the dress and then the dress zips to close over it. The dress is seamed vertically so there is no horizontal seam to break the eye. The shoulders are cut so they sit off the shoulder and you can see this both on the runway and on Rupi. The inner corset holds the dress tightly in place around the bodice and the breasts are pushed up from the internal cupping. It skims over the hips and then the skirt narrows inwards slightly before flaring back out. The lower skirt is set on an angled seam and has extra fabric to create that little fabulous flare that it has. The seaming at the back is incredible. On one side he has run a slightly curving seam sett on an angle from the top of one hip to the centre seam of the back. Attached along this seam is an extensive long curved panel that picks up the flare and curve of the skirt. This panel drapes lower down to past the hem as you can see in the photos of Rupi. It is stunningly beautiful and shows what a genius he is. This is a rare opportunity for a beautiful piece of his early work that shows his love and devotion to corsetry and that Galliano flare we know and love. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The inner corset is lined in the same silk and it is bone and cupped. It laces at the back as described above and seen. The rest of the dress is lined in a deep burgundy red silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. I see a couple of very tiny areas of darkening on the fabric but they are extremely minor. This is exactly how the dress was worn on the red carpet so they have no impact on the wearability of the dress at all. Please see the photos after the label shot. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup at the front
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 57" from top of the natural shoulder to hem and the panel extends another 7 inches past the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4693

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-10) Fall 2000 John Galliano, Look 54 (Final Look).  /  (11-12) Rupi Kaur in this dress for the Elton John Oscars Party, March 2024.

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

I have two of these in the shop today and this one is the larger one and it is a FR42/US10 in size. The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the runway as Look 47 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California and Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles were there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' The twin of it with the front tacked closed a bit was also worn by Kate Mara in 2017 which shows you how it looks when you do close the plunge a bit. It is also interesting because a very similar dress was shown for the Resort 2008 collection and you can see that progression from the Dior archives to this piece. 

This is a dress that is insanely sexy and bare feeling. I love its bright joyful yellow colour and minimal lines. The dress is a made out of a feather light silk chiffon that tops inner layers of silk tulle and silk. This fabric combination makes it very light and easy to wear and it feels like a dream once on the body. The lightness of it lets it move and float around you beautifully as you walk and move. The front plunges low to the seam at the slightly empire set to the waist. It crosses over itself a touch at the front and the seam under the bust is detailed with a tiny little ruffle in the same silk. The shoulders twist as they curve over your shoulders and then it falls into another deep V at the back. The panels there sit a wider apart where it meets the waist so you get a more open back feel. The sides are equally as dramatic as the plunge in long Vs to the waist. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There is a tremendous amount of fabric in the skirt and this lets the skirt billow out around you as you move. The top layer of the skirt is a silk chiffon that has a touch of texture to it. There are two layers of silk tulle under that and a final inner layer of silk that acts as the lining. The effect all of these layers have once it is on and moving around you is fantastic. It is fabulous on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Lined as described above and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Tagged a FR42, UK14, IT46, US10. A tiny pinhole in the lining of the bust. The easy cut should work on a range of sizes.

Bust: no true side seams but each triangle will cover 7-9" across
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer layers are full and open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4653

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Runway, Look 47. Model Cara Taylor.  /  (3-4) Kate Mara in Dior at the 2017 Guggenheim International Gala.

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.

Sophia Loren wore a green version of this dress to Cannes in 1989. Hers had a different neckline that met at the front where this one comes out at the side ps of the bodice so you get a cleaner feel. Both are gorgeous and the photos of Sophia really give a sense of how gorgeous this is once on the body. Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia, 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 this time period. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

I absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful iridescent silk taffeta in a deep peach with coral undertones. The choice of this silk gives it enough structure to hold the shape but still keeps it fairly light in weight. That fabric choice mixed with that full on glamorous  cut that it has gives it feeling of high drama. The bodice is cut to hug the torso and the neckline is cut so that it is scooped in a sweetheart neckline at the front and then another scoop sits at the back. The sleeves are amazing. They are cut to wrap around your shoulders. Each extends out from the back and then wraps around the top of the shoulder before sweeping back in to be secured at the sides of the bust line. They are so pretty. You can adjust them a bit once on to wear more up on the shoulder or leave them draped more around the upper arm to leave a bare expanse of skin to show across the top of the shoulders. The bodice is intricately gathered and it angles down a touch where it meets the skirt. The skirt is very full. It flows to the floor in a massive cascade of the silk. There are no additional underskirts added for these shots. All of that incredible volume is built into the skirt. I love the rosettes that gather and pick up the skirt all the way around. It makes it so incredibly romantic in feel. The front is scooped up and the back is cut longer for a bit of a sweep behind you. It is gorgeous. A cluster of flowers sits at one side of the waist for the final perfect romantic touch. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set matching silk and closes with a back zipper. Inside the bust there is one of his signature strapless bras tacked into place. Hand finises. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: open
Bodice: approx 12" from top of the bodice to shortest part of the side seam at the waist 
Total length: 33" from top of the bodice to the shortest part where it curve up at the front hem, 58" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4644

Reference Photo: Sophia Loren in Loris Azzaro at Cannes, 1989.

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 2014 collection and when Fausto did a series of these in every colour combination you could think of they sold out worldwide and seemed to be everywhere on all of the fashion people. His forst collection debuted in 2006 and Italian fashion editor Anna Dello Russo started to wear his pieces everywhere and is largely responsible for bringing his work to the spotlight. His style during this time period has been called Greco-Roman glitz which to me is the perfect way to describe pieces like this. This dress is fantastic and you can see how amazing it is on the body on the reference editorial shot that we found.

The dress is absolutely gorgeous. It's made out of a light wool that has a slight texture to it finished. It mixes the six different colours that makes it up with a masterful hand. The bodice is a pale purple, and it has lemon straps that are wide and curved up and over the shoulders to meet the back. Around the waist at the front, there's a wide panel of ivory that plays double duty to also not only anchor the shape of the dress, but provide a beautiful backdrop to that huge metal and rhinestone medallion that sits at the front. The band at the back is a beautiful spring green and then you have black panels that wrap around the hips to the back zipper on either side. The skirt is a deeper purple at the front and that same pretty yellow at The skirt has been knife, pleated all the way around and has little slits on either side to show even more leg than the short length already does. It is beautifully made and that piece of jewellery at the front combined The skirt has been knife, pleated all the way around and has little slits on either side to show even more leg than the short length already does. It is beautifully made, and that piece of jewellery at the front just gives it combined. with that masterful mix of colours, gives it fine but sexy feel. It's an incredible mix of sexiness glitz and a sense of lightness and fun. its gorgeous on the body and I love it. Excellent condition with one small note below 

The bodice is fully lined in an ivory silk, and there is light boning at the sides. It closes with a back hidden, set zipper and an inner waist stay snapped to close. A touch of a mark on the inner lining. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged modern a US6, UK10, IT42, FR38

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 31.5" from top of shoulder to hem
Slits: 5.25" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4629

Reference Photo: Model in Fausto Puglisi for En Vie Fashion Magazine, July 2014.

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 Monique Lhuillier was Look 15 in the presentation and we also found a photo of one on the beautiful Dee Hilfiger. This was one of the strongest looks from the presentation and the dress is beautiful. The Lookbook was shot at a picturesque French château and Lhuillier  said of the show that she "wanted the clothes to be seen in the place where they might be worn”. How magical would it be to have that happen? Although in reality this is a dress that would instantly make anywhere it ended up being worn feel magical. 

This was part of her ready-to-wear collection and it might even make for a magical dress for a bride who wants to go the non-traditional route and wear something that was not white. It would also make for an amazing wedding guest option or for any gala or fabulous event. The bodice is strapless and fitted and meant to hug you and shape your curves. The peaks at the front are high and I love how she has wrapped the netted tulle over the bodice and used variations in colour on the bodice to add a bit of interest and depth. Inside it boned and shaped and I love how it scoops down and around the back. The waist is nipped in and then the skirt explodes out from under that. The skirt is spectacular. It is layers and layers of tulle set on top of each other and cut in different sections to get that elaborate shape that you see. Underneath each layer is netting cut to follow the shape above and then that has a wide panel of stiffened netting that goes all the way around you and follows every single cut and pattern in the skirt. This helps to hold the shape that you see. As good as it looks on the dress form, I think seeing it on the two women shown here really gives you an idea of how it sits and floats around you once on the body. The layers also give it a sophistication and keep it from being just another big puffed tulle skirt. The back is cut a little longer so that you get a bit of a trailing effect behind you. This is the ultimate dream dress for the girl that wants to make an entrance. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built-in netted and lightly boned corset, and the skirt is lined in a pink silk. Layers of netting underneath the tulle as described above. This gown was over $10,000 and was done in very limited quantities. Tag a modern 4.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with some room at the front cups to fit at least a B cup maybe a small C
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to waist
Total length: approx 60" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to the front hem and aprox 75" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4580

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier, Look 15.  /  (2) Dee Hilfiger in Monique Lhuillier.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I am very excited to bring you our latest mini capsule collection. This is one of nine dresses from a single owner collection. 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. For this capsule we have moved forward to the 1940s and 1950s. Really good examples from this era are becoming increasingly hard to find and these are all gorgeous little examples of that time period. This is just a tiny sampling of her overall collection and I hope to have more of these capsules for you in the future.

This stunning little dress is from the Jobere label out of New York and it is made from a bright emerald dress silk satin mixed with a cotton muslin and beaded detailing.  This is a fabulously beautiful little labelled 1950s piece. It is very well-made. The colour is spectacular and I love the contrast the green has with that detailing that runs around the top of the bodice. The panel there is made out of a pale nude cotton muslin. Its edges are finished with hand done bead-work and prong set glass rhinestones. The neckline sits wide across so that you see the collarbone. It curves up and over the shoulders to create tiny cap shoulders. The green falls under that and there’s a bit of an illusion that it’s extremely low busted by the way the green is curved underneath the bust. The waist nips in and then the skirt flares out. The dress has its own built in underskirts so it is full on its own. For some of these photos I added a light crinoline but it is full even without. It is very pretty and fresh feeling. Excellent condition with a note below.

The dress is fully lined and has its own attached inner tulle skirts. It closes with a back zipper. The beads and rhinestones are hand applied. Slightest barely fade at the edge under the arm. There is light fraying to the very edges of the shoulders - please see the photos after the label shot.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D644

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.

Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find.

This Haute Couture dress is exceptional. It comes to me directly from the family that the other recent Gres pieces have come from. Her son told me that 'Madame Grès would let her wear many dresses as she was size model and those she really liked she purchased afterwards.' This was one of those that she kept and it is a very special piece. He remembers her wearing this around 1960 to some galas. This is also the time period that she would have had that relationship with Madame Gres. In the course of researching the dress we found that the 1958 and 1959 collections in particular were ones that featured braided details and cape elements like this dress has. I have included here some examples other dresses by Gres that share some of those common elements to this one from those years for you to see.

This is one of the most stunning dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a biased cut silk chiffon with a small abstract print on it. From a distance it gives you that beautiful mottled red effect. Then as you look closer at the fabric you see that there is a deeper red, coral, soft green and a blue that all work together to form a pretty abstract floral print. The dress itself is simple and minimalist. It falls from the shoulder with wide straps that are made from hand gathering the silk chiffon and hand stitching them in these incredible little curved sections to create the illusion that the silk has been braided. These curve over the shoulders and then follow the neckline for a square off feel at the front. At the back they run down to the mid back and then run across in a straight line there as well for that same squared off finish there. The body of the dress falls from under that detailing in a swoop of bias cut silk. By the time it reaches the hem it is quite full. When you are standing still you get a soft column feel but then when you move you get incredible movement. The dress is lined in a layer of biased cut ivory silk and this gives the top layer and that pattern more depth. The silk is as light as air. Every seam on the dress has been finished by hand. Working with a silk chiffon as fine as this makes that an incredible achievement that would've taken countless hours of handwork. The dress is stunning on its own but this is a set and it comes with a incredible matching caped piece that has such  an unusual and beautiful design. Two wide panels done in a single layer of silk chiffon are sewn together at the top of the neck at the back and then they hook together at the front. The panels fall over each shoulder to the floor and just past the hem of the dress. It is incredibly light in weight. This allows the slightest bit of air to pick them up so that they waft and float around you as you move. If that was not already beautiful enough the cape is topped by an oversized hood made of the same silk chiffon. It is cut extra long at the back and in such a way that when it is off the head the ends twirl on their own. I have taken a photo of this for you because it is just such an incredible detail. It's something that happens naturally and on its own as a result of how the silk has been placed and sewn into place. When the hood is up it falls gently around the face to frame it. The dress is in incredible condition and appears to have never been worn. It is literally a work of art and one of the most special things I've ever had in the shop. This is truly an extraordinary piece of modern couture and is exceptionally beautiful. No matter how good you think it looks in the photos, it is better in person. Excellent condition.

The dress is lined in a fine ivory silk. There is handmade soft inner corset set inside and under the ivory layer and it closes with its own zipper. The ivory silk lining closes over that with its own zipper and then the outer layer of the dress closes with hidden set tiny snaps. The cape hooks to close at the front. An inner waist stay hooks to close with metal couture hooks. I see a very tiny and finely done seam at the base of where it snaps to close at the front and I'm not sure if it is there deliberately or if it was a repair at one time but it's invisible when the dress is on. Please see the photo after the label shot. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present. The bias cut of the dress does allow for a range of measurements and I have listed those below to the comfortable range laying flat where that applies. Note that due to the value of this dress returns will not be accepted so that it ships only one time.

Inner waist stay: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder  to hem
Cape: 65" from neck to hem and will come up a touch when on the shoulders

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4254

Reference Photos: (1) 1958 Madame Gres Evening Dress in The MET Collection. /  (2) Madame Gres evening dress, L'officiel de la mode, 1958.  /  (3) 1959 Madame Gres Evening Dress in the Chicago History Museum 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.