• 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.

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• 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.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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. I see a couple of loose threads and missing beads at the back. Very minor. 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.

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.  /  (7-8) Sienna Miller at the premiere of Cold Mountain, December 2003  /  (9) 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 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 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 poet Rupi Kaur to the Vanity Fair and Elton John after parties for the 2024 Oscars. Amal Clooney recently wore a longer black version on the Cannes red carpet. This is a rare and early Galliano that is one of the best I have seen. 

The dress is made from an iridescent silk taffeta in a deep oxblood 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 now on the second batch of very interesting pieces that are coming from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was most likely made by in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas. She would purchase the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway. She also did buy Haute Couture pieces from the ateliers so this may be an actual Yves Saint Laurent. She tended to remove the labels from the actual couture pieces from the ateliers. Either way it is absolutely the twin of the Fall 1980 piece that we all know of. There are so many references to this particular dress it was almost hard to include them all. It has been exhibited, photoed and is in several books on Yves' work. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is beautiful. A truly iconic piece of couture 

The dress is made from a combination of that gorgeous patchwork appliqué for the skirt and a black silk velvet for the top. These fabric choices allow the dress to hold the beautiful lines that you see. The dress is absolutely stunning and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. At the front the neckline is scooped and cut wide across. The sleeves extend out from the shoulders and taper down slightly as they reach each wrist. The bodice is made out of a silk velvet and is cut to skim over you. The waist is seamed and brought in further by the matching pink silk sash. This adds shape and I love the strong band of vibrant pink there. It compliments and allows the colours in the skirt to really pop The skirt is set into the waist in a series of soft gathered pleats that allow for the fullness that you see. The skirt curves gracefully away from the hips and widens out to be quite full as it nears the floor. It has an incredible amount of volume with several yards of the base black silk taffeta used in its construction. Onto the base fabric are those incredible patchworks. Each has been individually applied and they are fabrics that range from silks to velvets to crepes. It is incredible. All of the volume is created by the cut and the fabric alone. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. I took a detail shot for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

The bodice is fully lined in a black silk and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back and there are hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The pink silk sash belt is original to the dress. slight wear here an there to the bottom edge of the skirt. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 4" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3807

Reference Photos: (1-2) F/W 1980 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Collection. (Book photo from "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: Catwalk".   /  (3) F/W 1980 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Collection Board.  /  (4-6) Henri Matisse Homage in the Yves St. Laurent Style is Eternal Exhibition, Bowes Museum, 2015.

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