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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5549

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5546

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD5547

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5548

Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2002 Chanel.

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

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1999 Jean Paul Gaultier collection. 
• It was made under the creative direction of Jean Paul Gaultier.
  
• Miley Cyrus famously wore the twin of this dress in 2013. I love that the reference photos of both her and the runway photos that give you an amazing idea of how this looks on the body.
• The dress is made from a black stretch jersey that has some movement and is very comfortable to wear and easy to fit.
• Contrasting with that or padded pipe bands of black velvet that circled the collar and each cuff.
• The velvet collar that circles around the neck is cut wider across in a true circle that sits up and off the body slightly as you can see in the photos. 
• The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are cut extra long. Each one flares out dramatically and is finished with that same round piped velvet finish that the collar has. Each cuff is also a full circle around and it is quite extraordinary and dramatic to see. They have fantastic movement once they are on the body and I love how they are set on an angle so that they fall longer at the back behind your hands.
• It skims over the bodice and is cut more generously through the waist. If you wanted to add more definition you could add a belt but it does falls beautifully in a sleek column when worn as intended.
• The jersey curves back out over the hips and then the skirt falls to the floor below that. The black jersey stretch fabric has incredible drape and movement around you as it flares out.
• This is a phenomenal and very well known piece of Jean Paul's work and highly collectible
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear with no closures. The jersey does have some stretch to it and I have put the comfortable range of stretch below. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 21" to the shortest point and 30" to the longest. They are 9-11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 16.5-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5506

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-2) Fall 1999 Jean Paul Gaultier.  /   (3-7) Miley Cyrus in Vintage Jean Paul Gaultier at the Bambi Awards, 2013.

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

• This gorgeous dress is a true couture piece from the Fall 1970 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
• The book Dior:Catwalk noted that the Vogue proclaimed that "Any woman anywhere on earth would want to own these total feminine clothes"
• In the few photos that survive of pieces from this collection, it is interesting to note that he showed most of these shift dresses under capes, which would be a lovely combination even now.
• This dress would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
• The dress is made out of a jet black silk velvet that is extremely soft to the touch and has beautiful drape.
• I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress displays.
• Straps in a matching black velvet curve up and over your shoulders and then the front and back have just the most gentle bit of a scoop across. Just enough to take away the harshness a straight line would have.
• It skims over the bust and is cut more generously over the waist so that it falls in a perfect shift or column feel around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt or corded rope tie.
• It flares slightly out over the hips and then the skirt falls from there widening out as it near the hem.
• The dress closes down one side with glossy black buttons and I love the deliberate contrast in texture that it has against the black velvet. That pop of shine of the high gloss of the buttons is the perfect subtle detail against the inky texture of the velvet.
• The buttons close the dress down one side to just past the hip and then the rest of that seam is completely open all the way to the hem. When you walk, move or sit, you get a flash of bare leg all the way up that one side. It is almost startling to have that flash of bare skin against the column of black and I love this play between elegance and sexiness.
• It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed and planned.
• This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
• The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set black silk and closes at the side with the row of buttons. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards and it has its appropriately dated couture tag present. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
• There is no size tag present because it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 29" from the hem up to the last button.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5505

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1984 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
• We were so pleased to find shots of it on because it really shows you just how much it comes to life when worn. It is extraordinary and it is a stunning example of his work during this time period.
• The wrap design of the dress is easy to fit and is also very flattering for so many body types.I love the soft and romantic lines that this dress has.
• It is made of a black velvet that has enough weight to hold the shape that you see but still feel light on the body.
• A wide ruffle in a deep olive coloured silk taffeta runs around the neck starting at the base of the front plunge. It curves up and around the neck and then comes back down across the front is caught up at the side and then falls all the way two the hem and around.
• This stunning framing of the entire front of your body is beautiful and gives the dress is dramatic feel.
• To wear the dress there is an inner strap that wraps around your waist and hooks into place and then a long attached silk tie in a matching green ties into place at the side.
• On the runway, this was shown tied into a bow, a signature Yves detail.
• The wrapping of the dress allows you to adjust the fit around you so that it sits perfectly on you.
• The skirt curves over the hip and falls to the hem and because of the wrap over design when you move or walk, you will see a flash of bare leg. The ruffles hide most of your leg but it does peak out as you walk . It is an insanely sexy detail that is in total contrast with the sweetness of the ruffles.
• As good as the dress looks on the dress form, it is even better in person and on a body. It looks remarkably simple yet is genius in its execution.
• Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a inner strap that hooks around the waist. It ties to one side on the exterior as described above. A zipper at each cuff. I see a tiny bit of pressing of the velvet at the crease under the arms. The easy wrap cut makes it easy to fit a range of sizes. You could easily adjust the inner waist if needed.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 40
• Excellent condition.

Sleeves: 23.5" and they are 15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: both the inner and outer waist are 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from neck to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5504

Reference Photos: Fall 1984 Yves Saint Laurent.

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD5502

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

• The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 Bill Blass runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Bill Blass.
• I love that we found a reference photo from the runway so you can see just how fantastic this is once on.
• This is the actual dress worn Mikey Madison to the Oscars Nominees Dinner in February and she landed on several best dressed lists as a result.
• Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. 
• It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person.
• The fabric feels like art. The base is a rich blue silk and then onto this is a fantastic design made of out a black velvet. The velvet is very soft to the touch with a chenille like finish that gives the design a beautiful texture and softness.
• The dress has the feel of an antique 18th century gown and I love this reference back to the past.
• The top is a fitted and strapless with a band of black silk wrapping around the breasts. It falls from there to skim outward over the waist and hips, and then narrows back down to the floor as it reaches the hem. This gives the front of the dress a more long and lean feel but with a hint that something special might happen as you turn.
• The back is the star of the show. Sitting over the top of the closure at the back is a large black velvet bow. This tops an added panel underneath that is very extravagant. The panel curves outwards and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it is attached back into the dress. A slit is hidden under the panel to give you room to walk while keeping the narrow silhouette of the hem.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper hidden under a seam and there is an inner hooked waist stay. There is light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present, so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5411

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

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

Sleeves: 22.75" and are 13" around the upper arm
Soft slightly slouched shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem with about 1.5" turned under the hem
Gusset: 16" from the back waist to inner seam
Inseam: 30"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5326

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2019 Giorgio Armani, Look 80.  /  (4) Cressida Bonas at Harpera Bazaar Women of the Year Awards, October 2019.  /  (5) Kelly Chen in Giorgio Armani.

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 for the Fall 2005 show for Look 82 and was worn by Erin Wasson. 
• It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino.
• Vogue said of the collection that "Valentino's couture touch brought exquisite workmanship to filmy lace blouses and brocade jackets as well as evening gowns that captured the seasons passion for Victorian and Edwardian effects." They went on to mention the feel of this gown specifically saying "courtly evening gowns had trains, composed of tiers of ruffles."
• On the runway they showed the dress with the ruffles backed in a silk taffeta in what looks to be a more coral red. When the dress was produced for shops this version has a pink behind the bows and it is lined in pink for just a hint of colour. The silk ruffles cascading down dress have no lining in a different colour. I think the dress is more striking this way. It is not so busy as how it looks and was presented on the runway.
• The dress is absolutely spectacular and showcases what made these original Valentino pieces so special under Mr. Valentino's direction.
• The dress is strapless and curves across you at the front and is fitted around the bust. Inside there is a built-in corset that is lightly boned to keep the dress perfectly in place.
• From there it is shaped so that comes in at the waist without any seams to break the eye. It curves back out to glide over the hips.
• The skirt widens out to be very full by the time it reaches the hem. The back of the skirt is cut longer than the front so that you get a beautiful sweeping feel behind you.
• Beginning just under the bust is the first ruffle. It is 7.5" wide and is set to curve down and around you before dipping lower at the back for a very pretty line. And its long longest point in the back it extends to 12". A bow in a matching silk sits at the top centre of the front and this is backed in a pink silk for a tiny touch of colour.
• The second ruffle begins just under the waist and this one follows that same beautiful curve around you. It dips lower and longer at the back to a full 21" at its longest point. This ruffle is also topped by a pretty black and pink silk bow at the front.
• Each of the tiers is gathered in lightly along where they are set into the dress so that they have lots of volume and movement. Under the last ruffle the entire lower skirt at the back widens out substantially and trails behind you in a swooping train. Under the skirt is a pink silk organza lining that is finished with a pink edging made of the same pink silk that the bows are backed with. When you move and your legs kick the dress outward you get a little hint of the pink and it all perfectly ties in with the pink of the bows.
• This is a truly spectacular dress and one that you will not see come around very often if ever again. 
• The dress has a built-in black silk corset that is lightly boned and zips with its own zipper. The dress closes with a hidden set zipper over that. Where the ruffle goes over the zipper, there is a series of hidden snaps to fully close the ruffle over the zipper so that it is all hidden. The skirt is lined in pink organza as described a book. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56.5" from top of the bodice to the front hem and the back extends another 9" past that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5240

Reference Photos: Fall 2005 Valentino, Look 82. Model Erin Wasson.

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 special edition dress from 2012 and that same year its twin was worn by both Katy Perry and Sonam Kapoor. I love that this gives you the chance to see just how gorgeous this dress is once on and that it is a dress with incredible modern provenance given these two moments. Dolce and Gabbana launched in 1985 by founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who still run the label to this day. After a shaky start in the first few years, by the 1990s, they had started to open their own boutiques and had become a force in fashion. In 1993 Madonna chose them for her 1993 Girlie Show tour and they gained world wide recognition. They are known for their dramatic designs that are heavily inspired by their Sicilian heritage. 

The dress is made out of a deep red velvet and that colour, combined with this fabric, gives it an extra depth and richness that it would not have in any other fabric choice. The top portion of the dress is treated in an almost corseted fashion. It is meant to be very fitted to the body. The bodice is peaked at the front and the velvet is placed over it to drape and wrap around the body in the most flattering way possible. Inside it is boned and shaped so that everything stays in place. The waist is cinched in and the illusion of a tiny waist is made even more so by the elaborate skirt that billows out all around you. The skirt is a work of art in itself. Layers and layers of net and tulle are built-in underneath that top velvet layer so that the volume you see in these photos is actually the volume that the dress has. You see that in the photos of Katie and Sonam as well. It is an extraordinary dress. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in red silk with boning and a cupped inner corset. Added layers under the skirt as described above. It closes with a back zipper and then the skirt snaps to close over that starting under the waist. The zipper pull was not present on the dress and we replaced it with twisted black rubber finished wire so you're able to zip the dress open and closed. Please see the photo after the shot of the label. Other than that one small detail, it appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage DG 36

Bust: 13-15"" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of the peak on the bodice to waist
Total length: 38" from top of the peak on the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD5016

Reference Photos: (1-3) Katy Perry at the premiere of 'Part Of Me', July 2012.  /  (4) Sonam Kapoor at Cannes, 2012.

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

Hubert de Givenchy moved to Paris in 1942 where he worked for Jacques Fath, then Elsa Schiaparelli, and eventually Cristobal Balenciaga. Givenchy often attributed much of his later success to the years with to Mr Balenciaga and what he learned while there. In 1952, Givenchy founded his namesake house in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the great couturiers of our time. I am always pleased to find any of his Haute Couture work as it is so rare. This particular dress is exceptional with every detail on it finished to Haute Couture standards.

This is an amazing true Haute Couture Givenchy dress that is a very rare and special find. Two things of immediate note for this dress. First is the absolutely beautiful fabric combination. The bodice and sleeves are an inky black silk velvet and then the ruffles on the neckline, end of each sleeve, and the entire top layer of the skirt is a starched cotton and silk mix netting that has beautiful little gold metal thread flowers hand embroidered over the netting. I took closeups of both the front of these flowers and also their backs so that you can see the beautiful workmanship put into each individual flower. I also included close ups of the hand finished seams on the interior of the dress. The time and technique to complete this dress would have been astounding and I cannot even imagine how many hours this would have taken. The second thing of note is that stunning cut through the neckline. It is tremendously flattering to have that bare expanse of skin across the top of the shoulder like that. It feels a little bit sexy with the way the top sits off the shoulder to leave that expanse of bare skin. You could also wear it on the shoulder but I chose to show it off. I love that you have the versatility of the two different ways to wear it. A ruffle goes all the way around the neckline and around the end of each sleeve. It is shaped to come in at the waist and then curves out over the hips. The skirt is set into a seam that sits at the top of the hips and the netting is softly gathered into that seam so you get a touch of fullness. As the skirt flows down to the hem it expands outwards to give you pretty movement as you walk. There is a full black silk organza inner skirt under the top layer of the skirt so that it is opaque enough to wear. It is spectacular. This is a very beautiful example of Givenchy from this time period and an amazing example of the technical skills that can be achieved in Haute Couture. It is easy to see why his work is the subject of so many books and retrospective shows at museums worldwide. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set black silk. It zips to close and an inner waist stay hooks to close. Completely made by hand throughout to Haute Couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Proper couture tag and numbered tape present. 

Sleeves: 26" and are 11.5" around the upper arm
The opening across the neckline is 18" flat across from side to side
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hip: 16.5" flat across from side to side
Hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top of natural shoulder to seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 61.5" from top of natural shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4975

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

The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1982 show and I love that we found photos of it for you so you can see just how spectacular it is one and how the sleeves sit once on a body. This silhouette with its dramatic sleeves and full skirts was an important element for that season. It is just a stunning example of one of his most recognized looks.

The dress is made from a combination of two of his favorite fabrics, silk taffeta and silk velvet. These became signatures of his and ran through his collections from the start of his career to the finish. It is a stunning piece. The top is cut to skim over the bust with a scooped neckline at the front. It is seamed at the waist and then extends down over the top of the hips. There is an attached silk taffeta sash that wraps around the waist and cinches you in for added shape and detail at the waist. The sleeves are full with a beautiful sweeping cut that starts at the shoulders and remains full to just past the elbow. At that point the fabric changes to to a velvet. Four glossy dome buttons  detail the lower part of the sleeve. These are meant to be pushed up slightly to exaggerate that pouf of the upper sleeve even more. The skirt falls from under the velvet and it is beautifully full. The photos do not really do the amount of fabric in the skirt full justice. I love that under the top purple layer of silk there is a lining finished in a coral red silk taffeta. You don't see that inner layer when you are standing, but when you sit or move just right, you get that extra flash of color. It's a small detail that I am obsessed with. The fabric choices helps keep the intended shape and volume. Pieces by Yves from this time period have become an important piece of fashion history and having documentation like this one has makes it that much better. Excellent condition.

Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk satin. The skirt is lined in a deep red silk taffeta and the sleeves are unlined. It closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper and each cuff buttons to close. The sash is attached at the back. Slight flattening to the velvet here and there along the waist seam that is covered by the belt once on. Tagged a vintage YSL 40.

Sleeves: 29"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2856

Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (3) Alice Englert wearing this dress for Harper's Bazaar, 2023.

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.