This is an absolutely beautiful wedding dress by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin from his 2013 collection. He did several variations of this dress and I've included a few of them because I think that it gives you an idea of how the dress will look like on the body. It is stunning and doesn't feel like your typical wedding gown. As good as it looks on my dress form it is even better on an actual body that give it shape. It is a really beautiful dress.

The dress is gorgeous and I love creamy ivory colour of it. The dress is made from a fine silk detailed with ivory coloured silk ribbon. The bodice is strapless dress skins over the body from there to the hem. At the back it is gathered up in that elaborate ruffle detailing. This gathering brings the dress in slightly under the hips and gives it a pretty interesting shape as it falls around you. The ruffles are tremendously beautiful. They are set down the back where they trail down past the hips. They are elaborate and caught up with stitching to hold them in place. The top of the bodice is detailed with a silk grosgrain ribbon that wraps around the upper edge. This goes all the way around you and you tie it into a bow at the center of the back as the perfect topper to top the cascade of ruffles. To create the shape over the body is made from horizontal panels that are set on top of each other from the top of the bodice is all the way to the hem. Each panel is top stitched at its bottom edge and overlaps the one under it. The edges are finished with his signature slightly raw feeling edge on these and the ruffles. The fabric has a slight texture running over it and is just thick enough to hold the shape that you see. It is so pretty. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

The top has a lightly boned corset to help hold the dress in place and shape you. There is an attached  waist stay to also help. The inner bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the skirt is unlined. It closes with the signature exposed Lanvin zipper between the ruffles at the back. There is an attached ribbon that extends out from the neckline of the bodice that you tie into place at the back. It appears to be unworn but there is some very minor grubbiness here and there and a small area of spots that I have photoed. All minor. Please see the photo after the label shot. The color is slightly richer and creamier  in person. If you needed more or less room in the waist it would be easy to expand or take in the inner corset. Tagged a modern 40

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist stay: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from strapless bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4251

Reference Photos: (1) 2013 Lanvin Blanche Collection.  /  (2-5) Lanvin Wedding Dresses, credits unknown.

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

Anthony Vaccarello is currently the Artistic Director of Yves Saint Laurent and his rise to fame was meteoric. He started at Fendi under Karl Lagerfeld where he stayed for two years and then in 2009 he moved to Paris and launched his own self-named line with five looks. In 2011 his label won the ANDAM prize. One year later his muse, model Anja Rubik, wore a look to the 2012 Met gala and he rose to international fame as she went viral worldwide in it. By 2014 his collections sold out the second they dropped and were wait listed worldwide.'Girls are their most beautiful during their holidays,' Anthony Vaccarello explained backstage. 'I wanted to try to bring swim to the city.' His clever cuts for this show felt fresh and new and they were very sexy. Dresses like this one were cut micro mini short and were as bare as you could get. The twin of this one walked the runway for Look 14 on Cindy Bruna and its spectacular. This one is new with tags and has never been worn.

The dress is strapless with a built-in inner added corset for support. The dress is shaped through a series of vertical panels piece together with long seams running from the top of the strapless bust to the bottom of the mini skirt. The half seam at the front waist drops down on an angle to create length through the body and add tot eh sarong illusion that the skirt has. One side of the skirt is cut exceptionally short and then the other side drops down at the front to create the illusion of a wrapped around you piece. This is what gives the dress a sarong feel and brings in that swimsuit/vacation feel that he mentioned as being part of his influence. Fused onto the front of the skirt are huge cabochon feeling gold domed metal buttons. These buttons were applied to many of the pieces throughout the collection and gave everything a slight play on military dressing. The dress is short, fitted and meant to show off all your curves. It is sexy AF. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black rayon and has an inner additional lightly phone bodice to help shape. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. The colour is a black that in some light has a blue feel to it. All the original tags are attached and has never been worn. Tagged a modern 38

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" to hem and 30" to the longest point at the front

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4233

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2014 Anthony Vaccarello, Look 14. Model: Cindy Bruna.

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

This is the dress that was just worn by AnnaSophia Robb and this amazing dress is from the Spring 2001 Dior Boutique Collection and is a fantastic example of the work John Galliano was doing during this time period. There were two versions of this dress made. One that had a simple straight hem and the other that had the buckled garter strap that this one has. I personally prefer the one with the strap. It just elevates the entire dress to a different level and it has a bit of a subversive sexiness that you see in Galliano's work. I have included some shots from the 2001 show that show the use of the buckle in several pieces. This dress was a production piece and not shown in the show but I think it should have been. It is a fantastic dress and I'm very pleased to have it in the shop.

The dress is strapless and cut to follow and skim over the body. Shaped cups sit low on each breast and have underwire built in underneath them for a lift. It skims from there over the waist and hips. The shape is created by long panels that are sewn vertically together. Where the panels attach they are top stitched with a zigzag stitch for added detailing. Down the front two seams there are silver metal loops and pins. These are meant to be detailing but you could actually use them to lace the dress in at the waist if you wished by adding some cording or laces. The top of the dress is trimmed with a strip of blue stamped leather to appear like a snake skin. On one side just above the cup it buckles into place. A layer of deep blue tulle peaks out from above the edge. There is a second buckled leather piece that sits at the base of a high slit down one side of the leg. This is meant to strap around your upper thigh like an exposed garter beneath the slit above. This is what gives this particular dress is extreme sexiness. It is a fantastic dress and is fantastic on. Excellent condition with one small note below.

There is an inner cupped and shaped bodice made of lingerie netting that is lightly boned. There is rubber around the inner edges at the top and bottom of the corset to help hold it into place. The rest of the dress is lined in a blue silk. The corset closes with its own zipper inside and then the dress closes over that with hidden side side zipper. The garter buckles around the leg. Each side of the garter extends out from each side of the hem so you don't have to worry about the size of it around your leg as it is not a closed circle. I see a little bit of scuffing to the fabric. Please see the two photos after the label shot.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup
Inner waist: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to inner waist
Length: 35.5" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4235

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 2001 Christian Dior Runway, Looks 28 & 29.  /  (3-5) AnnaSophia Robb, in this dress, for the Women in Film Event, 2023.

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

This Oscar de la Renta dress is gorgeous. The Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal collection was amazing and this was one of the star looks of the show. His wedding pieces range from about $10000-$20,000 USD with the more elaborate ones like this tending to be in the upper range of that. Oscar launched his first bridal collection in October of 2002 and his wedding pieces have been worn by some of the most famous women in the world. He once said 'In the same manner that she fell in love with that man, I hope she's going to fall in love with that dress.' Countless brides have done just that. This gown is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bride looking for that very full princess feel then this is the ultimate dress for that. It literally takes your breathe away when you see and hold it in person.

The skirt of the dress is magnificent. It is made from many yards of multiple layers of a white tulle silk netting. The strapless bodice above that is a slightly more ivory colour and it is stunning. It is completely covered with tiers of lace and little scalloped silk chiffon rows. I took close ups of the work done there for you to see. The edges of the lace are embroidered and there are tiny curvy rows of ivory iridescent sequins mixed in. If that wasn't enough there are also little rhinestones set in rows over the bodice. The top curves in a pretty sweetheart neckline and it has a full built in hidden corset inside the bodice so you don't have to worry about additional underpinnings. The bust is strapless and fitted across the bodice. It is cut to follow your curves and there are built in hidden cups inside to lift the breasts. It tightly hugs the bodice and then nips in at the waist. The waist is detailed with elaborate appliquéd 'belt' that is made from various faux pearls, silver tube beads and glass cut rhinestones in different shapes. For the runway presentation it was shown with a simple sash and I believe that this was a custom add on. The skirt is extremely full and that beautiful volume would float all around you. There are 12 layers of tulle in the skirt and many of the inner ones have a double hem finish at the bottom. Under all of that there is a silk taffeta inner skirt in a deeper ivory. If you look closely you can see that under the top two layers of tulle the skirt has been gathered up all around in little drapes. This gives it this depth in fullness that is incredible. It's a subtle detail that you can see through those top layers of skirts that is just absolutely genius. I did not add any additional crinolines to the dress for these photos. It has enough built in layers in the  skirt already that it falls on its own perfectly. Every angle that you look at this dress from gives you drama and gorgeousness. It is cut longer at the back so that it flows out behind you when you walk. If you wanted even more of a real princes gown feel I think you could have the inner layers starched and you would get even more volume. I love the bareness of the shoulders the strapless silhouette gives you. It is the perfect balance to that full on princess skirt. It is a very stunning gown and is a beautiful example of Oscar's work. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The bodice is boned with padded inner cups for structure and support. The dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Multiple layers of built in tulle and skirting as described above. The hem of the inner skirt is grubby and some of the very inner layers of tulle have some marks at their hems and i see the very occasional small tear near the hem. You see none of these once on. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged an ODLR 8 but seems to be cut small

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam if inner hook is closed 13" if left unhooked or the hooks moved
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to front hem, 50" to inner back hem and 5*" to the ends of the tulle at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML maybe a smaller MED

Item# DD4222

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal Collection, Look 5. 

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 Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and quickly became one of the top couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant, as head of the brand. Pipart, who had previously worked for Balmain, Fath, and Patou brought a wide range of experience in all aspects of fashion to the brand. Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' He designed the Couture end of the label until 1998 making this a gown from one of his final seasons. This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture. Hey finding a gown at this level seems almost miraculous. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Haute Couture show that season and it was also photoed for L'Officiel that season and we also found a stunning editorial photo that caught it in the most spectacular shot. I love having all of this documentation because it shows you how phenomenal this dress is once on the body. This is truly a dress that you know has to be a true Haute Couture piece the moment you set your eyes on it. I think it is a work of art. The dress is strapless with an optional very tiny strap that comes out from the center of the bodice and wraps and ties around the neck. It will stay on with or without that small strap so it's your choice to wear it or not. The bodice is fitted to the body to hold the dress in place and the inner structure is outstanding. It is boned and cupped but all of that work is completely hidden underneath the silk lining. On the exterior the entire bodice is covered in glossy black beads that are spaced tightly together. The size of the beads vary as they run from the waist up to the top of the bodice. They are smaller around the waist and spaced further apart and then by the top of the bodice are so tightly spaced that they are almost stacked on top of each other. This creates a dense application of bead work that completely covers the black silk velvet base. In spots around the bodice are these large square-ish black pailettes for blocks of gloss to catch the light even more. Then interspersed among all of that are black iridescent feathers and long metallic strands. These are set to stand straight out from the bodice to create a cloud around you. The feathers add this fantastical sense of couture and fantasy. They also create incredible movement as each one moves independently from the other with the slightest bit of a breeze. The bodice is molded and shaped around you and then nips in the waist. The skirt under that is is a statement in its own right. It is an explosion of silk that poofs out all the way around you. The volume is so much that it almost creates a shelf as it come off of the hips. The silk curves up and under the hem to create a bubbled effect. It is shorter at the front so when you walk and sit you can see some leg. This helps to balance out the volume that surrounds you and add a flash of bare skin. It is longer at the back and depending on your height will trail out behind you just a touch. All of the volume is created by an inner structure that is hidden inside the skirt. You can feel stiffened netting and tulle that is all set inside the skirt so that the shape is held perfectly. I used no extra crinolines or anything else under the skirt to add volume when I shot these photos. The volume is all built in and the result of the masterful construction of this gown. The bead work is glass and between that and the sheer volume if the skirt the dress does have weight to it. When you hold this dress it is very heavy and you can feel that it is a Haute Couture piece. Once on the weight of it distributes and balances out wonderfully and the inner construction holds it all perfectly in place. This is truly an extraordinary piece of modern couture and is exceptionally beautiful. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. No matter how good you think it looks in the photos, it is better in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk with light burning through the bodice an additional added structure inside. The skirt loops under itself so the lining is the same fabric as the exterior. The skirt is filled with what feels like stiffened netting and tulle. This is placed throughout the entire skirt to give it the volume you see. There is an inner zipper to close the bodice and the waist stay to help the dress stay in place. Two tiny straps extend out from the center of the bodice and tie in place behind the neck. 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.

Waist: the inner waist stay has three hooks to accommodate a 23" 24" and 25" around waist size. If you left that unhooked or extended it the waist will accommodate up to a 26" sized waist.
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from highest point of the bodice to the waist
Skirt: approx 17" from waist to shortest part of the front hem, 52" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4240

Reference Photos: (1-3) Fall 1996 Nina Ricci Haute Couture Runway.  /  (4) Fall 1996 Nina Ricci Haute Couture. Photo by Bruno Bisang.  /  (5) Inna Zobova in Nina Ricci Haute Couture for L'officiel de la Mode n808, September 1996. Photo by Michel Nafziger.  /  (6-9) Jurnee Smollett, in this dress, at the Vanity Fair After Oscars Party, 2023.

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

This is a gorgeous dress from Alexander McQueen. It is from his Spring 2010 collection and it is a one of the original variations of a dress that they still make to this day. Julianne Hough recently wore a black version from my archives and I have included some shots of her so you can get an idea of how amazing it is on the body. The one that she wore was from a later collection released under the creative direction of Sarah Burton but it was based on the dresses released from this original 2010 collection. I have two versions of this dress in the shop from this season at the moment, you can find the other one here. This is basically the printed version of the one that Julianne wore. It is a fantastic example of his work. I love it

The dress is made from a printed silk chiffon that is covered with one of his signature intricate designs. Prince a trailing design of leaves and flowers that float over the dress and follow the amazing draping that the dress has. It is strapless with a built-in inner cupped bodice that gives you support and holds the dress in place. The cups are shaped and these cups are one of the things that you see that is different from the later versions of this dress. These earlier piece have distinctively shaped cups The seams in the inner cups are exaggerated and this gives them this beautiful curving angle shape at the sides and peak at the front. The silk that drapes over that is all cut on the bias. The dress glides over the inner structure and falls in column to the skirt. The silk is gathered in towards the center of the front and the back so that there is more draping there and then it fall in draping curves down the sides. The choice of silk chiffon for this one gives it a lighter than air feel and as you move the silk billows and floats around you. It also creates this incredible movement when you walk. The dress is original supermodel length and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is spectacularly beautiful.Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black bias cut silk and has a built in cupped corset. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 44. The inner corset has some stretch. You could have the inner corset adjusted if you needed more or less room. Buttons on the inner bodice to add straps if you wanted. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Inner corset waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4181

Reference Photos: Julianne Hough in Alexander McQueen from the Shrimpton Couture Archives for the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2022.

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

This is an incredible dress with its matching stole lands somewhere in that time period between the end of Christian's reign, Yves Saint Laurent's time there, and Marc Bohan's appointment as the was head of the Dior atelier. The closest I have found was a 1958 piece by Yves and I have added that reference photo here for nothing else but to give you an idea of what it will look like on the body. Regardless of under whose directorship it falls, it is a beautiful and early example of the work being produced by Christian Dior in this time period. This is the Christian Dior - New York label and is considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history. These where made for the American market based on the runway designs and with many of the same high standard finishes that Haute Couture pieces incorporated. This would be an incredible dress for any collector and it might even make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It is seriously beautiful

This is a dress that makes you draw in your breath the first time that you see it. The dress is made out of a very high end ivory silk that feels like it has some weight to it. It's not so heavy that is unwearable it just is that fantastic earlier silk that has a richness to it that is hard to replicate in modern fabrics. The dress is strapless and the bodice is simple and perfect. It is boned and shaped but that is all hidden inside. This hidden interior shaping allows it to perfectly mold to your shape. The waist is seamed and nips in. The dress falls to the floor from there and here is where it really gets incredible. The upper portion of the skirt is the same silk as the bodice so you get this sleek feel from the waist to just about the knee. Below that the silk has been sewn into horizontal ribbing. Each individual section of ribbing has interior padding inside of it so that they stand out for an incredible 3-D feel. This gives it this incredible texture. Besides being a beautiful design detail it also weights the fabric so that it holds the shape once the dress is on you. These are techniques that you often see in older couture pieces that you just don't see as often anymore in modern design. Inside, the dress is lined in silk and silk organza and it is almost completely finished by hand. There's also a wide inner waist stay that hooks to close and acts as an inner support so that the dress stays perfectly in place once on. The dress comes with its original matching stole. The stole is finished with the flat silk on one side and the same puffed ribbing technique on the other. These were worn to cover the shoulders and act as a evening wrap against cooler nights. It is wonderful to have this original extra piece still with this dress. The stole is also an exact match to the bottom of the skirt so in theory you could also add all or part of it the bottom if you needed more length. The colour is a touch richer feeling in person than how it photoed. Incredible in person. There are endless couture level details put into this one and the workmanship throughout is perfectly and meticulously done. It is an amazing example of the fine workmanship and attention to detail of this time period and it is a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

The dress is fully interlined in an ivory silk organza and then lined again with an ivory silk. Hand set hidden and exposed boning in the bodice. A wide waist stay hooks to close. Hand finished to demi-couture standard throughout. It closes with a hand set, back zipper. I see a tiny repair on the inner lining of the bodice above the center boning.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from to waist
Skirt: 41" from top of bodice to hem
Stole: 14.5" wide x 60"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4160

Reference Photo: A model poses for the presentation of the first Yves Saint-Laurent's Dior collection, 04 February 1958, Avenue Montaigne in Paris.

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

Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection with a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. This is a fantastic example of how he could do very luxe evening wear and I love it.

My client worked one on one with Issac when she had this dress made for herself. It is stunningly beautiful. The dress is made to demi-couture standards and to the best of my clients knowledge it is the only one ever made. The bodice is amazing. It is strapless and then the cups are heavily covered with black beads mixed with prong set black glass crystal rhinestones. They are so densely set together that it creates this fantastic 3 dimensional feel. I love that the bead work continues to the sides and then all the way to meet at the back zipper. The top of the bodice is set on a curve and the cups are shaped. The dress falls from directly under the bust and is cut to skim past the waist and hips. The dress is covered in a fine black lace set that over a inner nude silk lining. From a distance this gives the effect that you are covered in just a layer of lace. Once past the hips the skirt sweeps outwards and flares with a ton of volume. Underneath the lower skirt there are layers of attached tulle to help keep the volume. The extra fabric lets it move around you with your slightest move. It is even better in person. Just gorgeous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a two layers of a nude silk. The skirt has additional tulle built in around the hem to help hold the shape. The bodice has a built in inner corset that closes with its own set of hook and eye and the dress closes over that with a back zipper. Some small marks to the inside of the hems otherwise pristine. 

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx A-B cup
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3564

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

This dress is a tough one to date as the label style that is in it covers the period from the 1980s to the early 1990s. It is most likely from the time period when Karl Lagerfeld was the designer for the Chloe label but could potentially be Martine Sitbon. Karl designed for them from 1965 to 1983 and then Sitbon took over from 1987 to 1991. In 1992 Lagerfeld again headed the design team until 1997. Either way this is a rare find and I look forward to sending the new owner verification when I confirm one way or the other one day as I am sure I will stumble across it at some point. The dress is fantastic even beyond that question and I am obsessed with it.

The first thing you will notice about the dress is that it is as light as air. It is made from a feather light silk organza that has just enough crispness to it to hold the shape but that adds as little weight as possible. It also has this ultra fine finish that gives it a bit of a liquid look but in a subtle way. It is quite a remarkable fabric actually. The dress is strapless and the bodice is gathered into soft draping pleats that are gathered in and held in place down the seam on both sides, the back where the zipper is and down the front. There is no added inner foundation and just light boning down each side. It simple drapes over your body and your coverage is provided by the gathered top layer of gathered fabric and the opaqueness caused by a single inner layer of black silk. The gathers run from the top of the bodice to just below the hip. The seam that ends at the hip is softly curved as it is gathered in and up towards the center. The skirt falls under that to the floor and it is also made from a double layer of the silk. The two layers of the skirt float over each other and will move with your slightest movement. Attached at the center of the bodice is a wide sash of fabric that is shapes into a big soft bow. From that bow there are long ties that extend down to softly fall over the front of the dress. This adds so much detail and volume and I love it. The fabric has a touch of transparency to it and with the double layer of the silk there is a depth created by the layers sitting over each other that is fantastic. It is a beauty. Excellent condition

The second inner layer of the same fabric n the skirt acts as the lining and the bodice is lined in a black silk. It closes with a back set zipper.

Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 53" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent:

Item# DD4076

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

At the age of 31, Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier, making him the youngest of the 20 official couturiers at the time. That was in 1997 and he remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture business altogether. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation and it is the actual runway sample that was worn on the runway. It was Look 7 In the presentation that day. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. In addition this dress was lent and worn by Alexandra Daddario and we have induded those shots here as well so you can see just how fabulous this is on an actual body. This also adds to its provenance and I love that,

Having the actual Haute Couture runway sample is just that much more amazing even in the land of Couture. Having the sample means that the dress is still completely made by hand to Couture standards but has the added touch of all those last minute adjustments that would have been done  by Stephane and the atelier to perfectly fit the model to walk the runway that day. This is an amazing opportunity to see what few see; a dress straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway. The dress is covered with various sized panels of a red silk gazaar. These have been hand set to overlap as they cascade down the length of the dress. The panel size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. By layering the panels the dress has a sense of depth and texture then even the photos can truly convey. It also adds a subtle movement when you move. Each panel is secured to the base fabric just along its edges so that there is a movement and lightness created when it is on and you move about. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak there. The inner part of the dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a long flash of leg at the front. The rest of the dress flows back and around you from there. At the back the train is long and dramatic. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with one small note to review below.

Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. There is some deepening of the colour/ marks on some of the squares of silk that make up the train and some minor grubbiness from being worn for the runway and then stored. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Nothing that detracts once the dress is on. It is closest to a true zero

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner dress length: 26" from top of bodice to hem NOT including panels that go over the edge of the dress a bit above and blow the actual inner structure
Length including train to the very longest point:  Approx 92" from top of bodice to final tip of the train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3054

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.  /  (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.

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

John Anthony is an award-winning American fashion designer best known for simple, elegant clothing with a strong sense of chic. His work veers towards minimalism, with sharp tailoring, striking evening wear being his signature. He is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. From the day that he launched his atelier in 1971 his design philosophy is a fusion of function and purpose. The function is his logical, wearable approach; the purpose, his pared-down ideas. As a designer, he considers it his job to make things easy for the customer. He designs with focus and a narrow palette for both day and night, so items can easily intermingle. He uses natural fabrics and is noted for contradictory daywear fabrics in his evening collections. In the early 70’s he was one of the first designers to promote the idea of easy-to-travel clothes that resist wrinkling. By 1976, he was showing soft, liquid separates in muted colours that became his trademark and received 2 Coty awards, one in 1972 and one in 1976, as recognition. His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces did, and still do, retail for over $10,000. His work is a personal favourite of mine and I am thrilled to begin to offer these exclusive pieces and samples that John pulled from his own archives. I have included a reference photo of Janet Jackson wearing a similar version of the dress that he made for her Today's Black Women cover in 1998. That design was based on this original piece from 1982. It is stunning

The dress is very light in weight and the fabric is absolutely beautiful. The innermost lining is a blue silk chiffon and then a blue net lace is layered over that. Then onto the are thousands of blue iridescent sequins that follow the pattern in the lace and cover the entire dress. This allows the dress to catch the light from every angle. The effect that it creates is stunning. The dress is strapless and the bodice is set on a curving sweetheart shape to emphasize the bust. The edges at the hem and bodice are done to follow the pattern of the lace and I love the touch of romance this gives to the dress. To wear the dress, the closures have been set down the front of the dress with a hidden zipper. Tiny little hidden set snaps are set to follow the edges of the lace and these snap into place over the zipper. So once you have it on there is no zipper line to break the eye. The snaps under the lace run to about the mid-thigh. This leaves a subtle slit under the overlapping sides. This gives you a flash of leg when you move or sit and it is very sexy. The lower hem is set on a curve so that it comes up slightly at the front and is longer at the back. The skirt is lined in a blue silk chiffon and this gives it a slight transparency in the light. I love the little rosette sitting at the side at the waist for the perfect finishing detail. It is a wonderful dress. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set deep blue silky rayon through the bust and a silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes at the front with a hidden set zipper and a series of hidden fabric covered snaps. Lightly boned through the bodice. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from the top of the bodice to waist
Length: 46" from the top of the bodice to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3831

Reference Photo: Janet Jackson in John Anthony for Today's Black Women, June/July 1998.

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

I have had one of these dresses in the shop before and it is one of my favorites. It's twin walked the runway that season and then the dress was photoed by David Seidner before it was released to the public to purchase. It is a beautiful example of Yves work during this time period and one of my favorite dresses by him. I myself own one and I love it. It is extraordinarily beautiful.

The first thing you will notice about the dress is that it is as light as air. It is made from a feather light silk voile that has enough crispness to it to hold the shape but that adds as little weight as possible. The dress is strapless and the bodice is gathered into soft draping pleats that are gathered in and held in place down the seam on both sides. There is no shaping or boning inside. It simple drapes over your body and your coverage is provided by two layers of the fabric and the opaqueness caused by that double layer of silk combined with the draping. The gathers run from the top of the bodice to just below the hip. The seam that ends at the hip is cut on a slight downward angle so that the visual line it creates adds length. The skirt falls under that to the floor and it is also made from a double layer of the same fabric. The two layers of the skirt float over each other and will move with your slightest movement. Attached all the way around that seam at the hip is a wide sash of fabric. It extends out into extra long ties at one side. This is how you create that fabulous big soft bow at the side. This adds so much detail and volume and I love it. The print that runs over the entire dress is the perfect final finish. It combines a pretty purple with a muted green and an off-white. The fabric has a touch of transparency to it and with the double layer of the silk the pattern floats over itself and there is a depth created by the effect of the two patterns layered over each other that is fantastic. One of my favorite pieces ever. It is even better in person. Excellent condition

The second inner layer of the same fabric acts as the lining. It closes with a side set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3960

Reference Photo: (1-3) S/S 1984 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection. Model: Anna Bayle.  /  (4) Yves Saint Laurent 1983, David Seidner Archives.

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 set walked the the Fall 1984 Haute Couture runway and was worn by supermodel Kirat Young. It was also photoed that season for what I believe was an editorial shoot. I have included those reference photo here for you so that you can see how amazing it is on the body. Emanuel Ungaro launched his label in 1965 after working for both Balenciaga and Courrreges. He was a brilliant designer who was known for his of extravagant fabrics and flamboyance. His Haute Couture pieces are not easy to find and this set is stunning and even better in person 

I always love a set because of the versatility you get with one. You can wear these together as shown or wear the dress on its own and mix the jacket in with pieces you already have. The dress is particularly amazing. It is cut in that signature Ungaro silhouette for this time period. He made these dresses to hug and highlight every curve of your body. The dress is made out of a silver silk velvet that has a metallic silver and gold foil worked through the fabric. This gives allows it to catch the light from every angle but it feels subtle and not garish. The fabric is hand draped and stitched to give it an incredible soft pleated texture. The bodice has a highly modified sweetheart shape with one side set at a high peak and the other in a soft curve. The gathers are shaped to follow the line of the bust and emphasize the breasts. On the side that it zippers to close on there is a strip of hand applied beads and sequins that run down the full length of the dress for extra detailing. The jacket is made from an ivory lace that is hand applied over an ivory silk. Onto the top lace layer is a mix of embroidery work, little silk appliqué pieces, rhinestones and faux pearls. The shoulders are padded and the top of the sleeve is gathered around the shoulder so you have fullness there. They narrow from there to the wrist. The waist is brought in and shaped with vertical seaming and the hips flare out dramatically. There are no closures on the jacket, it is meant to just slip on and sit over the dress. It is finished with a dramatic Ostrich and silver foil feather border that that wraps around the neck, down the front and all the way around the hem. Both pieces are completely made by hand and the proper Haute Couture numbered tape is present. It’s gorgeous. Excellent condition

The dress is hand lined in a ivory silk and closes with a hand set side zipper. The bodice is boned. Interior waist stay hooks to close. The jacket has no closures. Padding in each shoulder. I see minor marks on the interior lining of the dress and perhaps a slight grubbiness to the inner arms of the jacket. Please see the last photo after the label shot.

Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Slightly extended shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: approx 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: approx 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem, including the feathers

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3367

Reference Photo: (1) Fall 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture. (via @only_french_couture).  /  (2-6) Fall 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture Runway Show. Model: Kirat Young.

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