
harvey berin
Early 1960s Harvey Berin Black Velvet & Ivory Silk Skirted Dress w Sparkling Beaded Detailing
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Harvey Berin opened his self-named label in 1921 and by the 1940s his label was considered to be a leader in American fashion. The collections were designed by Karen Stark, his wife's sister, and it is said that all designs had to meet with Berin's approval before going into production. The dresses were made with high end finishes and were often based on the Parisian couture designs of the season. By 1952 Stark had won a Coty award for her work at the label. This dress is a beautiful example of the work she was doing during this time period.
This is a gorgeous dress that has that classic feel of its time period. It combines a stark black and white with incredible iridescent sparkling beads for even more glamour. The dress completely covers you and has a beautifully classic, feminine, elegant feel to it. The bodice is made out of a black velvet and it is meant to skim over you. The sleeves are long with a little notch at each cuff. The neckline is high and detailed with a wide band of tightly spaced glittering beads. The beads are tightly spaced directly next to each other and circle the entire neckline. A band of them runs straight down the center of the front to the waist seam. This adds an incredible sparkle to the top of the dress as the beads catch the light from every angle. The waist is seamed and the dress comes with its original matching black velvet buckle belt that allows you to cinch the waist in for an hourglass shape. From there the skirt falls to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of a rich ivory silk that has a nice weight to it. There are pockets hidden along each hip and it is just incredibly graceful. Excellent condition with a small note below.
The top is fully lined in a black silk and the skirt is lined in ivory. Pockets along each hip. Original matching belt. There is an attached inner netted half length underskirt that adds volume through the hips. I see a couple of tiny pin head size storage marks on the skirt but it otherwise looks unworn. Please see the photo after the label shot
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4424
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

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I have had a couple of Harold Levine pieces in the shop in the past and they are always pieces that seem to have a little extra glamour to them. This amazing little dress is no exception. It is a stark black and white that has one side completely done in the white and the other completely done in black. The seam between the two literally runs down the center of the dress and this sharp contrast makes it a huge statement piece. The dress is made out of a rayon crepe and the fabric is easy to wear and drapes well. It comes down into a V at the front and then wraps around the back of the neck. The size are plunged into Vs as well and slightly wrap over each other at the base of the sides. This all serves to further emphasizes that great contrast of the two stark colors. The waist is seamed and I tied a black ribbon around so you could see it belted. I will include the ribbon but you could add any belt that you wish. The skirt flares out a bit as it reaches the hem and then it is finished with that incredible wide band of dyed ostrich feathers. In keeping with the spirit of the dress, half of the feathers are white and the other half are black. It is an incredibly fun and unusual piece and is one of those things you will only ever find in vintage. Excellent condition with one tiny note below
Unlined and slips on to wear with hidden snap closures at the front. The ribbon belt is not original to the dress but will be included. An inner waistband hooks to close. There is one tiny dot on the seam at the back near the waist. Please see the photo after the label shot
Bust: each side of the halter top has no true side seams that will cover up to 12" flat across from side to side
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 27" from waist to actual hem and the feathers extend past that a bit
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4415
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

malcolm starr
Wonderful 1960s Malcolm Starr by Elinor Simmons Pink Detailed Metallic Brocade Dress
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The dress is absolutely wonderful and it really showcases the higher end work that the label was capable of. This is the work of Elinor Simmons who designed for the Malcolm Starr label from the early 1960s to 1972. She excelled at the heavy embellished piece that the label was known for and this is a wonderful example of her work. It is even more amazing in person and the photos cannot convey the impact of the metallic parts and the presence of it. It is gorgeous
This stunning dress is a gorgeous example of the work being done during this time period by them. The best of this label always has lots of drama and impact and this dress has a ton of all of that. The fabric is gorgeous. A heavy dose of green tinted gold metallic thread is mixed into a pattern with the palest possible pink and a brighter more vivid pink. There is also a more golden yellow thread and the mix of all of these is fabulous. The dress is just heavy enough to hold the shape and volume you see but it is so easy to wear. The bodice skims over the torso and the neck is cut into a V at both the front and back for a little bit of skin to show. There is a border of a contrasting pattern that edges the V on both sides. This is also used to detail the cuffs and runs around the hem of the skirt. The sleeves are set on a curve to follow the shape of the arm and the waist is set a bit higher up to sit just under the bust. A piped band of the same fabric runs over the seam there to add more detail. The skirt cascades to the floor and widens out quite a bit as it nears the hem. This balances that shape of the bodice and is perfect to see. Pockets sit along the each hip. The fabric holds the shape of the dress beautifully and the entire dress has a subtle shimmer in the light. I love it. It is just a beautiful dress. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in an ivory silk and it zips to close at the back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Ribbon edged inner hem and hand finishes
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem with 2.5" turned under
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4406
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

malcolm starr
Prettiest Early 1960s Malcolm Starr by Elinor Simmons Hand Beaded Pale Yellow Silk Dress
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This is almost certainly the work of Elinor Simmons who designed for the Malcolm Starr label from the early 1960s to 1972. She excelled at the heavy embellished piece that the label was known for and this is a wonderful example of her work. Her early pieces did not include her name on the label but the presence of the B. Altman label and it style helps to date it to her time with the label. It is even more amazing in person and the photos cannot convey the weight and presence of it.
This is a stunning dress. This is the kind of piece that you only find in vintage because they just could not make things at this level anymore. The price would be too cost prohibitive. The entire dress is made from a pale yellow silk that has an extensive design done in silver and clear beads on top. The beading is all hand set and done into little curving swirls and patterns that cover the entire dress. A panel made of the beads stacked on top of each other defines and highlights the waist with the more abstract pattern above and below. To add yet another layer of glamour some of the beads are done in little 3D medallions in and amongst the pattern for a little added detail. The dress is completely covered in the bead work from to hem and this makes the entire dress shimmer and catch the light from every angle. The cut of the dress is simple so that the beading can take center stage. The bodice is sleeveless with a scooped front. The waist nips in slightly and then the skirt falls under that and widens out just a touch as it nears the hem. There is a small slit at the side for a little kick as you walk. It is a beauty. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a the same silk crepe and it closes with a hand set back zipper. There is a teeny bit of grubbiness to the inner neck line here and there biut it is super minor and mentioned for accuracy.
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 39" from waist to hem including the one inch band around the waist
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4407
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

tiziani
Incredible 1960s Tiziani Couture by Karl Lagerfeld Yellow Silk Chiffon Dress w Elaborate Beading
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This dress is from the archive of the couture house Tiziani. The Tiziani atelier was founded in 1963 by Evans Richards an American who moved to Rome to pursue his fashion dreams. Elizabeth Taylor quickly became a regular client along with Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida and Principessa Borghese to name a few. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This is from that era and is a stunning examples of Karl's early design years. My client originally bought it at an auction several years ago directly from the current owner of the archive. This is an incredible dress and an incredible piece of fashion history.
The dress is made from a very pretty pale yellow silk chiffon that is as light as air and gives the dress its incredible movement. The silk is used for the sleeves and skirt and then the bodice has been heavily and densely beaded. It is incredible to see in person and this is the level of workmanship that you were only find in a vintage piece anymore. The pattern is created in several layers. The silk base has a honeycomb design created by hand with a real metal wire sewn onto the silk. Prong set glass rhinestones are scattered over that. The bead work is set in round intricate medallions that cover the entire bodice at the front and the back. Each medallion is made from beads sequence and large shaped pailettes. In the center of each is an intricate 3-D flower and these are done in different colours of silver and pink. The bead work is extremely fine. The very top edge of the bodice is finished in a row of dangling beads that match the beads in the center of the medallions. These have just a touch of movement when you move. The bead work wraps over the shoulders and continues across the full back. Along the sides he has left part of the pale yellow silk which I found very interesting. It almost makes it feel like a breast plate or armoured vest over the silk chiffon and this is an idea that he continue to use throughout his career. The sleeves are very full and cascade out from a softly pleated shoulder. This gives them extreme fullness and they pouf out fantastically above the cuffed wrists. They are not lined so you get this fabulous touch of transparency through them. The skirt has many many yards of chiffon in its construction so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. I have included some photos of myself sitting in the dress and you can see how many yards of silk are around me. It is tremendously wonderful to move in. The very bottom of the skirt is finished with a thin strip of stiffening fabric that has been hand rolled inside a tiny hem. This creates a ruffled ribbon effect and the hem curves and swirls beautifully. The work on this dress is meticulous and by hand. It is an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a minor note to review below
Fully lined in a hand set yellow silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk and then covered in silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. Hand work throughout and hand finished inner seams. Unlabeled. There is just the start of some fraying to the inner edge of the top at the shoulders and a tiny bit of darkening under the arms inside the bodice. Please see the final two detail photos. There is couple of really faint darkened areas in the silk here and there but you really have to look for them. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem.
Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: approx 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3499
Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

norman norell
Museum Held Spring 1968 Norman Norell Unlabeled Couture Blue Button & Anchor Sailor Dress
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Norman Norell was one of the great American designers. His clothes were wildly expensive in their day and he was credited for the unique ability to translate Paris couture into American ready-to-wear. He started in the film industry and then was hired by Hattie Carnegie. In 1941 he left and and joined Anthony Traina where the Traina-Norell label soon appeared. Upon Traina's retirement in 1960 he launched his own self-named label. He won the very first Coty American Fashion Critics' award ever given in 1943 and then won it again in 1951. In 1956 he became the first designer to earn a place in the Coty Hall of Fame. His signature styles for day ran the gamut from shirtwaists, suits, beautifully tailored coats and clothes that seemed simple at first glance but were logistically complex. Norman himself once said 'To qualify as a designer one should not be afraid to repeat a good design, and certainly must have his own signature'. He achieved that and more. I think every serious vintage collector should have a piece of his work in their archives.
This is a rare dress. It is from the Spring 1968 colelction and its twin in white is held in both the MET's collection and in the Goldstein Musuems collection. As cute as those are n the cream colour I love this deep navy colour which is not only more wearable but very chic.
Norman Norell dresses were cut with an exception eye. Every line and seam is placed exactly where it should be to flatter the body. This particular dress is a fabulous example of his work during this time period. The dress is made from a deep blue wool jersey that has a bit of texture to it. The neckline is rounded and finished in a red to contrast against the blue. It is cut to skim over the bust and then disappears inside the waist. The waist is cut on the looser side and the skirt literally buttons into place over the bodice. It is so unusual. All of the buttons are attached and even though they are connected in some places it is the buttons that hold the dress together. This unusual detail alone makes me love this piece. The skirt extends out from there on an angle. It skims over the wait and hips and then from there it falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. It closes with two zippers at the back, one on the skirt and the other on the bodice. The waist is detailed with another band of red to pick up on the neckline and then there is an embroidered anchor on the front. It is amazing. The dress is made to demi-couture standards and the finishes within it are superb. Great overall condition with a note below
Fully lined in a blue silk and closes with a zipper on the skirt and bodice as described above. The buttons are all functional. There are a couple of light grazes here and there that are minor and some very minor light pilling here and there. Some grubbiness to the anchor thread. Please see the photos before the museum reference photos. Hand finishes throughout.
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36.5" from neck to hem with 3.5" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4379
Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1968 Norman Norell Ensemble in The MET Museum Collection. / (2-3) c.1960s Norman Norell dress in the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

thea porter
Extraordinary 1969 Thea Porter Black Silk Chiffon Dress w Red Print & Huge Balloon Sleeves
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This same print was used on dress from one of Thea's very first fashion shows that was held at her Greek street shop in London. But the label on this dress was unusual and did not match the ones that would have been used for that show so I reached out to fashion historian and author Laura McClaws Helms. Laura wrote the book on Thea Porter released a few years back and she also curated the museum exhibit on her work. She told me that in the very early days Thea would sometimes meet with boutique owners and agree to sell select pieces to them. This dress is from one of those collaborations and that makes this dress a very rare piece. Once that was known we ended up finding a photo of the twin of this dress within Laura's photo archives dating it to 1969. It is a stunning and early example of what was to come and it is just a beautiful dress besides.
The dress is stunning. It feels a bit like her 'Faye' dress in its design but with the addition of those incredible sleeves. I love the stark mix of black white and red and how the print is done in panels that run down the front and back of the dress. The the sleeves and side of the dress are made from a semi-transparent black silk chiffon and that touch of transparently is very sexy. The printed parts are also a silk chiffon that has been completely covered in a graphic swirling pattern of red, white and black. The body of the dress is backed in a layer of silk chiffon to make it slightly more opaque and wearable but the sleeves are a single layer of chiffon. Their volume is partly created by how they come out from the waist and because of how they are set from the waist like that you get a glimpse of the transparency along the sides of the bodice when you move which is just insanely sexy. It is still subtle though because of how full the sleeves are cut. Each one falls from the shoulder and connect down right to the waist. Each wrist is finished with a tie made from the printed chiffon. Once on they will sit up more and billow around you. There is banding at the slightly empire set waist and this extends out at the back into long ties that you can cinch to add more shape. The print runs down the front of the entire dress, circles round the hem and then meets the panel that runs down the back. Beyond its rarity and place in fashion history it is just a gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a black silk chiffon except for the sleeves which are unlined. The dress zips to close at the back. Stiffened tulle set into each shoulder to hold the shape. The band at the waist extend to ties that you can cinch in the waist as desired. Hand finishes throughout. One of the ties at the wrist has a tiny bit missing from its edge that you do not see when it is tied. I see a couple of tiny pinholes near one shoulder. Please see the photos after the label shot
Sleeves: approx 28"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: no true side seams
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3491
Reference Photo: (1) Model in Thea Porter, 1969. Photo courtesy of Laura McLaws Helms.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

bill blass
Stunning Fall 1970 Bill Blass Pink Quilted SIlk Floral Pattern Metallic Dress w Banded Waist
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This is one of two dresses that I have in the shop from Blass from this time period and it is incredible. Bill Blass worked for the Maurice Retner label for 10 years as the chief designer. In 1968 the Bill Blass Inc label became a subsidiary of the Retner label. Then in 1970 he fully bought out his partners at the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name as Bill Blass Ltd. 1970 was the same year that he won his third Coty American Fashion Critics' Award and with it, his lifetime membership in the Coty Hall of Fame. By 1980 the company was doing 20 million dollars in revenue. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. By the eighties his work was even more ornate and luxurious than what he had done in the past. Prices for dresses could be as high as $5000 (which would be about $15,000 today). He was once asked why his clothes were so expensive and he replied, 'I'm an avid believer that we have to have clothes made in this country. Therefore we pay more money. ... The cost of labor and fabrication is what makes the clothing expensive.'
This is an exceptional dress. It is a stunning example of his work during this time period and these metallic pieces are among my favorites by him. This one even more so with its pretty pink colour and extraordinary fabric. The fabric is the perfect shade of soft pink used to create a floral design and that is mixed with a soft green for the leaves. Some of the pattern is raised and has been embroidered into the fabric. The thread used is incredibly soft and this adds yet another dimenesion to the dress. Woven over and through the silk is a muted gold lurex thread that give the fabric its metallic glitz and makes it gleam and glitter in the light. This same thread is also used to create the horizontal rows that you see. The gold covers the dress from head to toe. The neckline is a cut into a high V and the bodice crosses over itself and skims over you. This is then is balanced beautifully by those spectacular sleeves. Each sleeve is cut extra long so when it is on an actual body it will bunch up a bit on the arm for added texture. Set just under the bust is a wide band of the same fabric that wraps all the way around you and snaps and hooks into place. The crossed over bodice above and this wise high set belt is what gives the dress its nod to a kimono and obi. This tops the skirt that is set to widen out as it nears the floor. On one side and extending down from where it crosses on the bust it has a soft pleat that falls all the way to the floor. This adds a little extra detail and volume and it also hides a small pocket set along the inner seam. The hem has been let down at some point and it is supermodel long as a result. Blass did a soft version of a kimono inspired dress for this collection as well and that one was photoed on Candice Bergen. I have included it here as they do share some similarities. This dress is an absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition with a note below.
The fabric is self backed in a muslin throughout. You step into it and then it closes with a series of hidden snaps. The belt is attached and it snaps and hooks into place. Hand finishes. The hem was let down at some point and it is ribbon finished. It poufs a bit at the edge as there are spots where it was stitch in to sit proper when it is hemmed. If you needed the full length you could just take those out. It could be worn as is but I've left it so you could redo the hem to your perfect length. You can see a slight grubbiness here and there were the hem was. The hem was very deep and the length turned up under the sleeves is also very deep.
Sleeves: approx 25" w 3" turned under. It is 16" around the widest part of the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 52" from seam under the bust to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4293
Referece photo: Candice Bergen Wearing A Bill Blass Dress, Vogue 1970
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

yves saint laurent
Rare & Exceptional Spring 1966 Yves Saint Laurent Sketch Documented Floral Print Dress
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Yves Saint Laurent opened his first ready-to-wear boutique on September 26, 1966 in Paris. For the opening he showcased his Fall 1966 Rive Gauche collection but what a lot of people don’t know is that he already had a rtw line. He created his first ready-to-wear collection for the Fall of 1964 with an in-house boutique collection of 35 designs including accessories. This dress is from one of those extremely rare collections that pre-dates the opening of the shop. It is from the Spring 1966 collection and represents one of the earliest ready-to-wear pieces he would have made. Because it pre-dates the actual boutique opening it would have only been made available to you if you were an existing couture client. Only a few of these would have been made. The numbers are probably along the same lines as the couture pieces as far as quantity. This one is extra special because it’s documented which is even more rare. We found a copy of the original sketch and fabric samples in one of the the Saint Laurent books and even they did not have the actual dress to show with that sketch. He did two pieces for the collection in this fabric. The first photo after the label shot here is the twin to this dress and the second is the other similar one that was a part of this collection. Finding a piece that was a forerunner to the boutique launch when that boutique concept went on to revolutionize the world of fashion is truly something truly special. This is a dress made valuable by its place in history.
The dress is beautiful in its simplicity. It is made out of a loose woven cotton feeling fabric that has a stunning and vivid floral print screen onto it. The print is the same that you see in the sketch fabric samples in the attached reference photo. It is a bright combination of blue, green, pinks, corals and yellows all done in an intricate floral pattern that covers the entire dress.The sleeves are cut to go to just past the elbow and are cuffed. On the cuff they have two sets of little snaps spaced close to each other so you can bring the cuff in a little bit to hold them in place in case you wear them pushed up higher on the arm. Above that they pouf out above the cuffs for a pretty fullness. The neckline is scooped at the front and at the back. At the back that scoop dips a little lower for a bit of skin to show. I love how it buttons to close above the zipper at the back with two matching fabric buttons. At the front there is a seam that is set just under the bust. You were meant to tie a ribbon under there as you can see in the sketch. I added a pretty blue grosgrain ribbon but you could add any colour ribbon that picks up on any of the colours of the dress or the accessories you choose to wear with the dress. The dress falls from there and widens out to be very loose and easy over the waist and hips before falling down to the floor. This beautiful A-line baby doll feel is a perfect representation of this era. It would have been the height of chic to wear this shape of dress at the time and its still a classic silhouette now. I photoed the dress without any ribbon so you could see how it looks that way and I also took a shot of it with the ribbon tied around the natural waist. The look of the dress changes completely depending on which of the three ways you wear it and I love the versatility that this adds. The simplicity of the cut lets that stunning floral design take center stage. This is a stunning museum worthy example of his earliest RTW work and it is fabulous. Excellent condition with one tiny note below
Fully lined in a black silk and closes at the back with a zipper and buttons above that. Each cuff has snaps as seen in the photo before the label shot. The hem is finished with a finished edged seam and may have been let down at some point. There is a tiny area on the bodice where a couple of the threads of the weave have broken. It is backed by the lining so only seen upon close inspection but I am pointing it out for accuracy. Please see the photo after the label shot
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.5" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 48" from seam under the bust to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4171
Reference Photos: Drawings of the Fall 1966 Yves Saint Laurent Collection. From the book "Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Fashion Revolution."
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

christian dior
Exceptional Early 1960s Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Pink & White Silk Twill Dress Set
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This is an incredible set that dates to the time period when Marc Bohan was head of the Christian Dior atelier. It is a beautiful and early example of the work being produced by Christian Dior in this time period. This is from the Christian Dior-London label and it was considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history. Pieces with this label where made for the London based Dior shops and the designs were based on the Paris collections. They were produced with many of the same high standard finishes that the Haute Couture pieces incorporated. The line was overseen by John Langberg who was the Artistic Director of Christian Dior London. Langberg would tweak the Paris looks of the house to meet the needs of Dior's London clients. All under the eye and approval of Mr. Bohan. It is exceptional and an excellent investment piece as well. Dior prices continue to skyrocket and finding early and stunning examples like and in this condition is getting harder and harder to do.
This suit is exceptional. It is actually two pieces. A skirt that has an attached upper body lining and then a top that zippers into place over that. The inner part of the dress has the skirt attached and suspended from a sleeveless inner top made out of an early silky rayon lining. This is a technique that you no longer see done because of the extra fabric it uses and the longer zipper requirements, both of which add to production cost and time. But this was the proper way to have a skirt hang perfectly during this time period and be the most comfortable for the wearer. The top just skims over you and then the skirt is cut in a sleek little flare that skims over the hips and flares out with hidden flat inverted pleats at each side for volume. The actual width around the bottom hem stops just short of a full circle skirt. This is all achieved by the cut because there is no pleat work done around the waist. This would have taken a tremendous amount of fabric to achieve and wouldn't be done in modern production. Around the waist the silk lies flat and neat. It is very flattering once on the body. When you stand still the skirt lays flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume. Over that goes the little top that closes at the back with a zipper. It is cut to perfectly fall just over where the skirt underneath begins. It is cut with the slightest of curving in at the waist. It is beautifully constructed and it is cut to fit and flatter the body. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are capped and simple. The neckline is set in a wide cut scoop. A large bow has been set off to one side at the back and partially snaps over the zipper. At the front it is gathered in slightly towards the middle and there is a little strip of fabric at the center for detailing. The fabric is a very high end silk twill dyed to a beautiful bright fuchsia pink. A white design is woven through the silk and it is stunning to see in person. It is chic and elegant yet still feels glamorous because of that stunning colour and fabric. Excellent condition with a note below
Both pieces are fully lined in an ivory silky rayon. The top zips to close at the back and the skirt with its attached lining also zippers to close. A bow snaps into place over the zipper of the top. There is some minor shattering of the inner lining of the top under the arms but they are clean and fresh otherwise and the lining is very stable. Please see the final shot after the label
Top
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17" from neck to hem
Inner Dress/skirt
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem with 4" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3847
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
Era The 1960s
