This is from my same client whose aunt purchased from Ady Couture who I explained in depth in this listing while she was living in Switzerland during the eighties and into the nineties. Prior to that, during the late sixties and seventies her aunt lived in both France and Brussels where she purchased pieces from Louis Mies. Mies was a small independent couturier who did custom work for his clients to couture standards. I have not been able to confirm that he had permission from the houses to replicate their Haute Couture pieces for his clients like Ady did but this dress certainly takes its inspiration from the couture collections. After some research I think this is inspired  by the Fall 1970 Givenchy collection. In that collection he used riffles at the neck and hem quite extensively and also used this same silhouette. Given her overall wardrobe and love of couture and having things copied I am quite sire that this is from that collection. It is stunning and one of my favourite personal pieces form her estate so far. 

This is such a gorgeous dress and it is beautifully made. All of the finished are by hand and it has all those lovely details that you expect in a couture level garment. It is made out of a black silk taffeta and this fabric choice helps it to hold its intended shape. On the main body of the dress the silk has been finished with hand embroidered flowers. Some are a pink with green leaves and then others are a turquoise blue with green. These add a pretty bit of bright fresh colour to the dress and give it such a lovely and romantic feel. The bodice is more fitted and the neckline is set wide across the shoulders. Circling the neckline is a ruffled collar. Two layers of silk have been used and each is sewn into place down its centre so that you get the effect of four layers. They have been sharply knife pleated to add even more texture. These frame the upper shoulders and if you are very slim cut through the shoulders I think you might be able to wear them off the shoulder too. From there the waist nips in and then the skirt flows to the floor and widens out quite a bit as it nears the hem. The bottom of the dress is finished with the same ruffle technique as the collar but there they are set so fold over each other as opposed to open up like they do at the neckline. Inside the skirt is a full built in under-skirt and I love that it has been done in a bright vivid pink silk taffeta. It is like a little hidden secret burst of colour that you will only get a glimpse of when you move or sit. That inner skirt is also finished with a layer of the black silk ruffles and it set slight below the top skirt in length. So the final effect is three layers of ruffles at the hem. Its wonderful and there are even pockets hidden on each hip. The interior is made to couture standards with all the inner seams finished by hand. I have included some shots of the inner seams for you to see. It is extraordinary and the kind of quality and beauty that you will only find with vintage. It appears to have been worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully interlined in a black silk crepe chiffon though the bodice and skirt. Built in pink silk taffeta inner skirt. It closes with a back fine metal zipper and has a waist stay that hooks to close. Pockets on each hip. It looks like its been taken in at some point through the bodice. There is at least an inch and a bit of fabric on either side of each inner seam through the bodice to let it out if needed. The inside is all hand done and it is finished to couture standards. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3672

Reference Photo: Fall 1970 Givenchy.

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 very pretty little dress that is made out of multiple layers of a synthetic chiffon. This layered technique and that pretty print give it a soft and romantic feel while the cut stays super sexy. The print on the top layer is done on a pale pink backdrop. Huge pink flowers with splashes of green and taupe cover the entire dress. Under that is a layer of a deep pink and then there is a pinky nude for the final inner third layer of chiffon. It is almost weightless and yet constructed so that it drapes on the body perfectly. The layers of chiffon give it a very floating effect when you move. To wear it you simply wrap it around you and it hooks into place along the waist. The bodice is cut very bare and low. The skirt is gorgeous. It wraps over itself and cuts up at the front so that you see more leg. The bottom hem is cut with a handkerchief finish with some parts longer then others. It is a great little dress. Excellent condition

Made up of three layers of chiffon and wraps to close and then hooks into place. Elastic through the waist. You could move the hooks up or down a bit to get the perfect fit. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to longest points on the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3659

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 several interesting pieces coming that are from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with permission make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs that prompted Ady to negotiate this arrangement with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the four houses I am confident on. I feel that this particular dress has a more Dior feel to it and it might even be a design that pre-dates the decades (the late 70s to 1993) where my client's aunt was buying and living in Switzerland. The dresses are completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and are incredible pieces.

This dress is spectacular. The fabric is extremely high end and the workmanship is amazing. It is the perfect LBD. The design is very Dior and has the feeling of Dior's earliest work and in particular his last collection of 1957 where he used the shawl collar with a flower to anchor them. The collar is amazing. It is cut to wrap around you and sits high up and above the shoulders to frame the face. It is made out of a matte silk satin and I love the way that it drapes and folds into place. It creates a fabulous 'film noir' feel. At the front where is meets and hooks into place is a removable silk and velvet flower that adds detail and a touch of romance. I love that the flower was kept black so that the eye is not suddenly jarred. The tone on tone feel this creates is wonderfully dark and rich. Underneath is a simple pencil skirted dress that is made out of a moire silk taffeta in black. It skims over the bust, goes in with a seam at the waist and then falls in a sleek pencil to just past the knee. The shoulder have a light padding and you can see the hand done work and silk edging that they have added in the shot I have included here. The dress comes with its original silk covered belt that you can use to really add shape through the waist. Inside it is hand lined in a sensual black matte silk satin. The workmanship is of the highest quality and I had added an interior shot so that you can see how beautiful it is finished. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk satin and closes a back metal zipper. The belt buckles into place and the interior shoulders are lightly padded. It appears to have been for very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to bottom of band at waist
Skirt: 24.5" from bottom of band at waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD

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

It was during a visit to Tokyo in 1971 that Zandra first started sketching lilies after being sent lilies to her hotel room and the resulting print debuted in her 1972 Spring collection. The Lilly prints have become one of her most iconic and best known prints. Pieces from these original collections are hard to find and they are some of the most sought after of all her vintage pieces. The Lily prints also represent the introduction of handwriting and calligraphy into her textile designs. Another point of significance for Zandra is that the Lily dresses were the first dresses that she started applying beading to, which would become a future trademark. Zandra herself once said that she loved these prints and that they 'represent the best of my work'. I also found a reference to them in notes from the V&A Museum: 'Zandra Rhodes considers the Lily prints to be the best of her work, and particularly significant. It was while developing the Lily textiles that she developed the method of reversing the silkscreen to produce a mirror image of the print and create symmetrical patterns. This went on to influence many of her future significant prints, such as 'Lace Mountain', 'Cactus Volcano' and 'Scribble Turnaround'. This dress is a rare find and it is magnificent. 

This dress is one of the more complicated of her Lily dresses from that season. Versions of it with ruffled detailing at the collar and edging the sleeves were photoed on Twiggy and Anjelica Huston. I have also included two reference photos of the similar dresses from this collection found in her book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes'. The skirt of this one is cut the same as those but with even more ruffled netting at the bottom. The sleeves have that same tremendously wide cut that you see on both examples and are gorgeous. Pat Cleveland was also captured modelling a version and you really get a sense of just how full the skirt is from that photo. 

The dress is gorgeous. The first thing that you notice is that parts of it are actually the palest mint green that has a touch of blue in it. The colour is brought out in the skirt even more when you wear the matching underskirt that goes with it. This is because the inner part of the underskirt is finished in a pale baby blue silk. When layer over each other you get this amazing depth in textures and colour. To wear the dress you slip on the inner petticoat and then the silk dress is layered over that. The bodice is cut loose and full. The front dips into a low plunge that goes right to the waist. The entire bodice has been hand painted and you can actually feel and see the paint on top of the silk. The front is embellished with her signature flower shaped palettes with a pearl finish. The sleeves are magnificent. They are cut to fall tremendously wide and full. They drop right past the hip at the their longest points and they give the dress that wonderful dramatic feel while playing homage to the trip to Japan that led her to the Lilies print and the culture there that she fell in love with. The waist is a wide gathered elastic band and the skirt below that flows full and soft to the floor. The skirt is a literal work of art. On the upper part of it are her beautiful lilies that have been hand painted onto the silk. Amongst those you see one of her very earliest field of lilies text that she is famous for. Ruffles made of silk netting run down each side and then the entire bottom of the skirt is finished with ruffled ad curved tiers of silk netting. This gives the dress tremendous texture and a sense of romance. The layering and mixing of the ruffles, the netting, the hand painted silk and the play on colours and textures is genius. It is a true work of art. There is some fragility to the silk netting at the hem of the outer layer so please read the condition report below carefully. It is still wearable with care. This is a very rare and special piece. It is a true piece of fashion history. This would be an incredible choice for a bride who does not want a traditional wedding dress or as part of a wedding event. Presents as excellent condition with notes to review below.

The petticoat is made from a blue silk that has layers of soft tulle attached over it. The top layer of tulle on the underskirt has a ruffled silk net lace at the edge of the hem. It closes with hook & eye at the waist. The outer silk chiffon dress slips over the head to wear with elastic running through the waist. I see repairs and changes to the weave in the silk netting all through and around the bottom hems and I would rate some parts of the netting as very fragile and the netting is fragile overall. The silk netting is almost gossamer to start out and it is very delicate. There is so much volume through the skirt that the repairs get lost in the folds and netting. I see one small hole on the top of the front near the shoulder. The decision was made to just steam it out and not have it cleaned to not do anymore damage to the silk netting. It is wearable with care as it is and is in clean sound condition otherwise. Please see the photos after the label shots for the shoulder flaw and examples of the netting. 

Note that the size is based on the outer dress. The inner petticoat is currently a XS-SML in size but could be adjusted so I deferred in some to the outer dress. 

Outer Dress
Shoulders: no defined seam
Sleeves: approx 39" to longest points
Bust: no trued defined side seams
Waist: 15-17" across
Hips: open
Bodice: 13: from neck to top of elastic at waist
Skirt: 51" from top of elastic at waist to longest point at the back hem

Petticoat/Inner crinoline
Waist: 11-12" flat across from side seam to side seam depending on how you hook it to close. You could easily add some fabric to the waist band to expand this if needed
Hips: Open
Length: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3655

Reference Photos: (1) Anjelica Huston in Zandra Rhodes, Shot by David Bailey, Vogue UK, September 1973.  /  (2) Butterfly Dress no. 67, in 'Reverse Lily' print on silk chiffon; ruffles and frills on skirt in net; and satin sash.  /  (3) Twiggy on the cover of Vogue (top) and photograph for Harpers Bazaar (in Butterfly no. 67) (bottom).  /  (4) Butterfly Dress no. 70 - Off shoulder crinoline, in 'Reverse Lily' print on silk chiffon; net curtain ruching and frills in skirt.  /  (5) Pat Cleveland modelling Butterfly no. 70.  (Last four photos from the book "The Art of Zandra Rhodes").

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

I recently had a red checked set by this same label in the shop and that one ended up going to museum. It's very exciting to have a second set in the shop so soon. This is a very rare example of the work of Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin. The two young women were staunch feminists and they were determined to launch a label without having to have a male name on the masthead. They quickly became known for their tailoring, lean cuts and outerwear. In 1962 Vogue featured one of their pieces and their customer base instantly expanded outside of London. Their work was featured regularly in the 'Young Ideas' section of British Vogue. The label closed in 1972 and pieces from the label are a very rare find. This is a highly documented set from 1971. The V&A holds an example in a similar fabric and we found photos of both a skirted version with the same jacket and a dress/pant set done in the same fabrics. British Vogue also ran a story that season using pieces from the collection. 

This was a key label from the British Fashion movement and this is a rare example of their work from right before they stopped producing the label. In the September British Vogue editorial on their work these sets were described as 'Pajama' sets that were meant to be worn outdoors. The first thing that strikes you about this is that it was made by hand and has an arts and crafts feel to it. You can easily imagine the young pair of designers making it themselves in their studio for some client. The pants have a flat front and zipper and are cut straight and wide all the way down to the hem. They will be cropped depending on your height. The jacket slips on and ties to close at the front. It is cut straight through the body and the sleeves are the cropped to just above the elbow. A large front pocket sits on either side. The fabric used for both pieces is a royal blue that has a bright floral print. Their signature red and off-white check has been used on the interior of the jacket, for the tie at the front and as edging. The top of the pants have a bit of a different red pattern to edge the waistband. All of the fabric has been top stitched into big quilted diamonds. The fabric gives it a touch of structure so that it sits on the body in a very straight and angular way yet the fabric itself is still soft and pliable. This set is extra special because it comes with its original hat. The hat is made from the red checked fabric on the crown and top brim. The blue floral fabric was then used underneath. It is seriously the cutest thing I have ever seen. Great condition  

The interior of the pants are finished in a black cotton and the jacket is finished in the red checked fabric. The top slips on to the wear and ties at the front. The pants have a front zipper.  It looks to have been worn very little if at all but still has a slight soft patina feel to it that I suspect was purposeful from day one. Some small areas of the quilting top-stitching has come off here and there on the interior. 

Top
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: widens out to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35" from waist to hem
Inseam: 25"

Hat
21.5" around with a rounded crown to 5" and the brim is 4" 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3652

Reference Photos: (1) 1971 Trouser Suit & Blouse by Foale and Tuffin from The V&A Collection.  /  (2-3) Credit Unknown.  / (4-6) British Vogue, Sept 15 1971.

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 gorgeous set would have been designed by Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in his work with colour and cuts. This set is from the early part of the  1970s and it is incredible. 

This Lanvin set is utterly fantastic. It looks like it could have been pulled from a collection this very season it is in such remarkable condition. I am in absolute love with it. The colour, the design, the workmanship; everything about it is perfection. The fabric that has been used to create both pieces is a fine silk twill on par in quality to the silk twill that you would see used to make Hermes scarves. It has a hand screened with a gorgeous and vibrant print that was applied and pre-planned for panel before piecing it together. Anywhere a seam is necessary, the pattern has been lined up along them so they are barely seen at first glance. The beauty and brilliance of the colour is equaled by the fine workmanship that has gone into constructing it. The top has a loose and easy shape that has been created by a straight cut through the body. The neckline is high and has attached ties that extend out from the neckline that you can then wrap and tie as you wish. The pants are more fitted around the waist and hips and then flare out to be incredibly wide. By the time they reach the hem they are a full 46" around. When you are standing still you get the feel of a skirt and then when you move you have the ease of wearing a pant. They are gorgeous. The choice of fabric has allowed it to retained the crispness of the colour even after all of these years making it feel  new. At the same time it is feather light so once on the body it is is easy to wear and it moves beautifully with you. It is far better on person then how it photoed and like the best of all high quality vintage and couture pieces, it will only really come to life once on an actual body. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. This is a set that is really like wearing a work of art. Excellent condition

The pants are unlined and close with a back zipper. The top closes with painted metal zipper that runs part way down the back. The top is lined in a bright yellow silk. All the inner seams are hand finished. Hand finished throughout. Made to couture standards. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Top
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 41" from waist to hem
Inseam: 29"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SMl-MED

Item# DD3654

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 little dress in a deep rich jewel toned burgundy velvet. The velvet gives it depth and the colour changes a bit depending on the light you are in from a deep deep burgundy to a lighter more ruby feeling tone in brighter lights. The cut is simple but has a lot of impact. It is cut to plunge extremely deep at the front. Two elongated triangles curves up and over each breast. A crepe tie runs through each of those at their tops and the wraps around and through the panels of velvet at back and then tie they into place. The front is left completely open on each side and it plunges between the triangle at the front to below the waist. At the waist there is another crepe tie that runs through the seam to tie and adjust it. There is also a hook so that you can choose to close the plunge at the waist and leave a keyhole under that or just use the ties to let the plunge go all the way down. At the back there are two long panels that run from the waist to the neck leaving the back almost completely bare. The skirt falls to the floor from there with just a touch of widening to it as it nears the hem. It's fabulous. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a burgundy silk. It slips on to wear and you adjust the neck and waist with the ties. There is some fraying to the tie at the neck. Please see the last photo provided. Its cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Bust: variable - each triangle is 7.5" flat across at the widest part
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be adjusted with the ties
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# E692

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 coat would have been designed while Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland.

This is a wonderful piece that can be worn as either a coat or a dress thanks to the zip front that completely opens. It has the added provenance of being the twin to the one featured in the ad campaign for 1970. The base of the coat is a black fabric that feels like a light wool that has a slight ribbed texture in it. The entire coat is detailed with a combination of a red braiding and red ric rac that follows the lines of the coat to emphasize the pattern and cut. Elaborate designs run over the body of the piece and all around the hem. Pops of a white cotton are used to  create even more drama. A floral patchwork is set into all of this on big curving and angular cuts. This anchor all the various parts of the design and give a pop of contrast to the the starkness of the red, black and white colour combination. The collar has a beautifully curved cut out to it and it flares out dramatically at the bottom. The sleeves are deliberately kept simple so that all you see is that spectacular design through the body of the coat. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a hand set red silk and closes down the front with an unpainted silver zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage 8

Sleeves: 22"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C536

Reference Photo: "The Malcolm Starr All Starrs" Ad, 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.

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. A dress from this same 1976 collection was photoed on Tina Chow by David Bailey for Vogue. I have included those reference photos here and you can clearly see the same ribbon detailing and pleating technique used on both pieces. His pieces were never produced in large quantities and this one is exceptional. I would not be surprised to find out that it was a one off and a custom piece. It is wonderful to have such a gorgeous example of his work in the shop.

This is an amazing example of his work. It is made up of two pieces. Inside there is a very long full length skirt. Over that sits that fantastic evening coat piece that has a built in silk part on the top and then flows to the ground in a cloud of netting. The inner skirt is beautiful. It is made out of a fine silk chiffon with a soft pink silk lining. The top layer of silk is knife pleated so that it has a lot of movement. It is detailed around the hem with a pretty ribbon finish made up of three stripes of silk satin ribbon in a pale blue, a pink and a mint green. This sits under the evening jacket that has a built in top that is made out of silk. The same striping detailed that the skirt has is used to edge the inner portion of the top. So you see the stripes on the skirt and the top through the netting of the jacket and it adds depth. The inner top is made from the same silk and chiffon combination as the skirt and treated with that same knife pleating technique. Attached and layered over that is the netted part. It is here that the high couture fantasy aspect of the piece goes into full play. The neckline is cut wide across so it almost sits off the shoulder. The fabric on this outermost layer is a fine ivory netting that has a stunning design of flowers and vines hand embroidered over it that covers it from shoulder to hem. I love how the pattern gets denser as it nears the hem. Each bit of that design is hand embroidered with a multi-colored pastel thread that has a metallic silver running through it. It is like wearing a work of art. The combination of the embroidery work and the metallic of the silver is incredibly beautiful and delicate in feel. All of the edges are finished with silver cording and there is a long tie of the same silver cording at the neck. The sleeves are even more incredible. They are cut extra long and each has an inner pleated base made out of a pale pink silk chiffon that is knife pleated like the skirt and inner top. Over this is a slightly more ivory toned silk netting that poufs out from the shoulder and is caught up just below the elbow. It then flares back out, widening as it reached the end of the sleeve. Each sleeve is densely hand embroidered with that same metallic thread as the body of the jacket. Long silver cords hang down from the seam at the elbow. No matter how much you might love the photos this one is even better in person. The workmanship in it has to be seen in person. It would even make a beautiful choice for a bride who is looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding dress or as a part of a wedding event. Excellent condition

Both piece are fully lined in a pale pink silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The top slips on to wear with snaps and hook and eye at the very top of the inner most silk part. The colours in person are softer and bit more pink feeling in person. There is some light fading to one side of the skirt near the closures but its very minor. 

Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from waist seam to hem

Top/Overlay
Sleeves: approx 31"
Shoulder opening: approx 17"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 25" from top of shoulder to hem of inner top, 58" from shoulder to the full length hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3081

Reference Photos: (1-2) Tina Chow in an ensemble by Bill Gibb. Photographed by David Bailey for British Vogue, April 1976.  /  (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

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

The twin of this dress in a red colour is held in the permanent archives of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and that red version was exhibited in the 'The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion' Exhibit in 2009. The dress also has the added provenance of being the twin to the metallic version that Halston custom made for Bianca Jagger. I have included several photos of her for reference. Photos of her in the dress also appear in two of my Halston books and it is fabulous to have found this very versatile solid navy version. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. It is one of the most instantly recognizable looks that he ever created because of the Bianca connection. It is an incredible example of his work from this time period. 

This is an amazing couture Halston dress and a very rare and special find. It is entirely cut on the bias and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and these jersey dresses that he did were tremendously flattering to the body. It is also insanely sexy while still being extremely comfortable to wear. The fabric is a beautiful deep navy silk jersey that moves and drapes beautifully. The dress is made to be one long tube with two extra, extra long ties that extend out from one end. At the front the fabric divides into two pieces to create the ties and this leaves a low V there. At the back the fabric dips in a graceful curve and the entire back is exposed to leave it bare. You can then wrap and tie those long ties in a variety of ways. I have shown a few ways to wear it on the dress form and I bet you could come up with more. Those ties make it incredible versatile and really it is like buying several dresses in one. They allow you to control how low the back dips and the the plunge at the front and this also allows you to control the overall length of the dress. You have the versatility to wear it with the ties wrapped around you for more shape through the waist or you can let the ties fall down the back so the the dress simply skims over the body instead of hugging your curves. It is spectacular. This is a rare example of Halston at his very best and it is easy to see why it would be favoured as a piece worthy of being in The Met. I would not be surprised to see the red version showcased in the upcoming Met Gala themed exhibit on American fashion. Excellent condition

Constructed from a single bias cut layer with the ties extending out from one end. The dress slips on to wear with no closures. It can be wrapped and tied several ways as shown. Hand finished. It is all bias cut which should allow for a larger range of sizing. I see a couple of tiny marks where the fabric has darkened a touch but nothing that would photo or that you see unless super looking. The fabric has stretch and I have put the comfortable range of measurements laying flat. You could probably get a little more if needed

Bust: the fabric is approx 16" flat across but there are no side seams so it will fit a large variety of bust sizes
Waist: 12.5-17"
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 58-59" from shoulder to hem but you can adjust it up or down depending on how you choose to wear it 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD3651

Reference Photos: (1) c.1977 Halston Dress from The MET Collection Online.  /  (2-6) Bianca Jagger and Halston at The MET Costume Institute Dinner, December 12, 1977.  (5) From the book "Halston" by Phaidon. (6) From the book "Halston: An American Original" by Elaine Gross and Fred Rottman.

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 caftan is so striking and unusual. It has the feel of a mish mash of cultures and is one of those pieces that you will only find in vintage. It is made out of a red chiffon that has a small dot fused and embroidered into the fabric. Around the neck is a bib design made out of flat plastic beads that are hand sewn into place. The collar is high cut and set wide across the neck line. The beads follow the shape this creates and the white on the red pops. More white beads are scattered over the front of the caftan. Surrounding each bead is a detailing of little silver beads. These circle the white beads down the front and  create a complex pattern around the ones on the bibbed neckline. A large band of them run around each cuff. The body of the caftan is cut straight and loose, widening out gently as it nears the hem. The sleeves have a kimono drop before being brought in at the wrists. Each of the dropped panels is edged with faux pearls. Presents as excellent condition with minor notes below. 

Fully lined in a red silk through the body and the sleeves are unlined. It slips over the head to wear and each cuff hooks to close. The colour is a deeper red in person. I see a couple missing white beads at the back of the neck, minor wear to some of the plastic beads coating and a small spot on the back of one shoulder. There is a tear in the lining only that you see a bit through the top layer. The occasion missing bead or pearl. Please see the last four photos. The open cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Sleeves:25.5 "
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to hem
Sleeve drop: 31" from top of sleeve to longest point on the drop

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# E690

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 gorgeous dress is by Alfred Bosand who was really one of the great American designers whose clothes where made to couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy, New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he returned in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality. The dress is unlabeled but I have had a few dresses in the shop now that share this same fabric and cut. 

Bosand dresses always have a sense of romance to them and this dress with its matching caplet is no exception. Both pieces are constructed from a lightweight silk net that has little dots woven through it. The top netted layer sits over an inner silk layer that is a pale mint green with just a touch of a grey tone to it. The overall effect is not quite grey, not quite ivory and not quite green. The photos come close but in person it is more towards an off-white in feel. The entire top of the bodice is covered in a iridescent sequins that are all hand applied. They are set so that they are more densely applied towards the empire seam and then scatter up to the neckline. The dress is suspended from two tiny straps that curve over the shoulder. The bodice is kept simple with a low scooped at both the back and the front and a high seam under the bust. From the empire waist the skirt cascades to the floor and widens out quite a bit as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt and it is made up of three layers, the top net layer that then floats over an inner silk chiffon layer. Under those two layers is an ivory silk satin lining. The dress comes with its original matching caped scarf piece. This has a built in collar that hooks to close and has the same sequin application over it. It is cut to end just at the empire waist seam at the front and then hangs with long panels that trail over each arm and around the back all the way to the floor. It is incredible and when you move it catches the air and moves beautifully. Excellent condition. 

The skirt is fully lined in an ivory silk satin with an additional layer of a pale green silk chiffon between the skirt layers. The bodice is lined in a silver grey silk. The cape is unlined. The dress closes with a back painted metal zipper and the cape closes with two hook & eye at the collar. Hand finished throughout. There is the teeniest bit of grubbiness feel to the straps.

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist at seam: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of shoulder straps to seam under the bust
Skirt: 46" from seam under the bust to hem
Cape: neck is 13.75" around and you could move the snaps to get it to 14". It falls 12" at its shortest length at the front and 59"to the longest length

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SMl-MED

Item# DD3646

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 fabulous silk Sonia Rykiel set that is very chic and French feeling. It has so much charm to it and the dress form it is on is not really doing it justice. This is the kind of piece that someone fabulous is going to buy and the instant you see it on you will be kicking yourself that you did not buy it for yourself. This would be from the days that Sonia herself was designing for the label. This is an earlier piece that would have been designed shortly after she launched her label in 1968 or a few years after that.

The silk is a very light and fine scarf weight and both pieces are made from it. I love the combination of the black with the very neutral soft taupe. This is a very French colour combination and you can easily imagine this with Chanel flats and a black banded boater hat. Stripes became one of her signatures and it is wonderful to see them used so well on this piece. The pants are amazing. The legs are cut wide with a slight flared cut at the ends and each is split high up the sides so that when you walk you get a flash of leg. The fabric is so light that they just move with your every move. Over this is layered a long straight cut tunic that is almost more of a tabard. The same side split detail on the pants is mirrored on the tunic but it is taken to the extreme and carried upon to just a few inches from the top seams. This leaves an open gap between the top and the pants at either side so that you get a glimpse of bare skin as the silk moves around you. The bit of seam that hold the tunic together above that is done inside out and is left exposed and deliberately unfinished looking. The tunic is suspended from skinny straps and is cut to skim over the torso and flare out over the pant. My favourite detail is the front pockets that are sewn in a low apron style and have a slight droop to them that gives them that perfect slouchy French country feel. When worn together everything lines up and even the stripes that circle the bottom of each piece sit perfectly aligned on top of each other. I love it. It appears to have never been worn for worn very little. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The top slips on to wear with no closures and the pants close with a fine metal zipper at the side. Handwritten fabric tag. All hand finished inside. The seams on the side of the tunic are set inside out for a raw feel. It appears to have never been worn for worn very little. 

Tunic
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 45.5" from neck to hem

Pant
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 33.5" from waist to hem
Inseam: 22"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2805

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 sleek black cape is wonderful. It is by Yves Saint Laurent and is a beautiful and easy to wear piece that will fit virtually any size. The label on it is an earlier one and its sleek and simple cut will make it an easy piece to work into your wardrobe. It has a surprisingly modern feel to it and it is a wonderful example of the work he was doing during this time period. The cut is very simple. You just drape it over your shoulders and it simply falls into place once on. It is made out of a light fine black wool jersey and there is one single button at the neck. It looks to have been worn very little if at all and it even has an extra button still sewn into an inner seam. This is the type of item that you can throw over almost anything. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulders to wear

It falls to approx 48" in length once on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# C570

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

In 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. That said, his ready-to-wear was made to almost true couture standards and were made with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in the construction of his dresses and gowns. Grace Kelly was an early fan. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

I love the coral and rust print that completely covers this amazing jumpsuit. It is very detailed and adds its own layer of interest to the silk. The silk chiffon fabric that he chose to use is very fine and light so that once it is on it feels like it weighs next to nothing. This creates a sense of lightness and airiness to the piece as it moves beautifully around you. Silk chiffon of this weight is notoriously hard to work with and the fact that he has structured this so beautifully is a testament to his skills as a designer. The top is cut with a simple scoop neckline at the front and the bodice skims lightly over you to the waist. The sleeves are cut long and each ends in a double ruffle of silk that has tremendous movement. The waist is seamed and you could add a belt to create even more shape or wear it loose and easy. The pants on this are truly amazing. Each pant leg is cut to be extra wide and full so that if you are standing still it appears that you are wearing a skirt. When you move you realize that they are pants and that each is wrapped around the leg and the edges where they meet is left open so that there is a slit almost to the top of the thigh. They only open as you move or sit. They are incredibly light in weight so you get this amazing billowing effect when you move. The pants are finished with a second layer of silk chiffon inside that is done on a solid red colour. So when you move the red flashes and it is fantastic. The cuffs on each sleeve are finished in the same way. It is fabulous. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a red silk chiffon throughout. The top part of the jumpsuit buttons to close at the back and then zippers to close below the waist. Hand rolled and hand finished seams and edges. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Also after photoing this I feel like perhaps the buttons could also be worn at the front. I think you can wear it either way which makes it that much more versatile.

Sleeves: 26.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Inseam: 36"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2759

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

Many people do not know that Emanuel Ungaro took a position with Balenciaga in 1958 and in 1960 he became the chief designer of the house, staying there until 1964 before he briefly went on to Courreges before opening his own couture atelier in 1965. The Ungaro label has fallen from its former glory of the sixties through to the eighties, but in its heyday, the label was a force in the world of Haute Couture.

This dress is a wonderful example of the range that Ungaro had. He had a brilliant way of using of print and colour that he combined with soft fluid tailoring. This gorgeous little day dress is simple in cut but it is gorgeous once on an actual body. These little day dresses are often underrated when it comes to Haute Couture but they should not be. They are beautifully made and the quality is beyond anything you will find in modern RTW. The dress is made out of a fine high end silk that has a lattice and floral print covering its surface. Pastel peaches and taupes cover a white backdrop for a pretty and refined feel. I love the very full balloon cut sleeves. Each billows out above the cuffed wrists and takes the dress a step up from the classic day dress. The neckline is high and yoked across the shoulders with soft gathers. It skims over the bust and then a silk tie runs around and through the waist. This allows you to wear the dress with a loose and easy shift dress feel or you can cinch it in for added shape. The skirt has two little slant pockets that sit on each hip. The fabric is very light in weight and backed in a fine silk. It is made by hand to Haute Couture standards and is even better in person and on an actual body. Excellent condition with one small note below

Fully lined in a hand set silk of very high quality. It closes with a hand set, painted metal zipper and hook and eye at the back. Each cuff has a fine hand set zipper and hook & eye. The belt is partially attached and snaps into place to close. There is a small amount of shattering under each arm of the inner lining. It appears to be stable and does not affect the exterior. Please see the shot after the label shot. Done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Haute Couture label present and the tape is numbered under label #H205-5-74

Sleeves: 25" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 28" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item#DD2522

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 iconic and classic look from the Rive Gauche collection. I have dated this one to the 1977 collection based on the version of the label and print that is similar to the one in the reference photo I have included here. That shot was used for the ad campaign that year.

These are so easy to wear and very comfortable. You just slip this on and you are ready to go. This can also be belted to add shaped and bring the length up which gives the dress a lot of versatility and styling options. They are a play on the smock style dress combine with that classic Yves Saint Laurent signature style of this time period. This one is made out of a scarf weight silk that is a soft and fluid silk. Around the neckline is a black cotton velvet bib that is edged with cording and closes at the very front with five glossy black domed buttons. The sleeves are full and ballon out above their velvet trimmed cuffs. The body of the dress is cut loose and easy with a low dropped seam to separate out the skirt and to tie all the velvet parts together. The skirt is constructed with lots of fullness so that it has a little extra swing. It really transforms when on an actual body. This is classic YSL and a great piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear. Buttons at the neck with five button and loops. Pockets on each hip t the seams. tagged a 36 bit the cut is generous so should fit a range of sizes. Meant to be oversized on the body. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: the velvet part is 14" and there are no real side seams on the silk part
Bust: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3639

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1977 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.  /  (2) Yves Saint Laurent, L'Officiel, 1981.

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

In 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. Just three years later in 1954 he won both the Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in the construction of his dresses and gowns. Grace Kelly was an early fan. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

Here we have a piece that dates to the late 1970s or early 1980s. It is absolutely gorgeous and as good as it looks in the photos, it is even better in person. The texture and quality of the fabric is remarkable. The skirt is cut to be one long and lean line. It has a high 19" side slit that allows for a good amount of leg to show and for you to be able to walk. The cut is curved and fitted. The fabric is very unusual. It it is a black silk jersey that has a puffed 3-dimensional quality to it. This unusual finish has been created by hand stitching the top layer into the bottom layer to  create the puffed pattern that you see. This extra volume adds incredible texture to the dress and it contrasts perfectly with the pleated bodice. There the fabric has been seamed with teeny little pleats that are all set on a curve. These are then hand gathered and placed over the inner corseting so that the bodice wraps and curves around you. He then inset a curved panel of black lace into the bodice. The lace is not backed with a lining so that it is transparent and allows your skin to peek through. This curved bit of lace begins just off centre between the breasts, curves under the bust, around your waist and then runs halfway down the low back to expose a sliver of the waist and hip. It is very sexy. Two skinny straps extend out from either side of the lace at the top and curve up and over the shoulder. It appears to have been worn very little it at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black and metallic stretch silk jersey through the bodice and it is lightly boned and formed. The fabric of the skirt is self-lined and the interior seams ribbon and piped finished. It closes with a side zipper. All hand work inside.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of straps to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2510

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 recently sold the near twin to this coat and am happy to have one more for you. These are the only two I have ever seen like this. This one has a slightly different collar and has a bit more grey tones through the cream parts. It is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced at this point in Christian Dior's history. It is made out of a sheepskin that has been brushed out so that is is soft and fluffy. You can see in areas where the undercoat is very curly. The color is a combination of creamy ivory mixed with a pale caramel that has an almost pink cast to it in some areas. You can also see some deep grey hairs here and there on this one too. It is a little more pastel feeling in person then how it photoed. The fur is very soft soft and very fluffy. It is done in rows of fur that are tightly set up against the next row above and below. The collar on this one is a little neater then the other one I had and wraps around the neck to create a gorgeous frame around the face. These were almost certainly made to order which would have allowed the client to make small changes to it like the shape of the collar. It is cut in a classic pea coat style with a flared bottom. There is a fur hook at the neck and pockets sit along the horizontal row on each hip. The sleeves are cut straight and full. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition with a minor note below to review.

Fully lined in a deep taupe silk that is embroidered with the Christian Dior name throughout and with the former owner's name - Clarissa. There is one fur hook at the neck and the clip part of one further down but no loop on the other side. Pockets on each hip. There is slight wear at some of the common points of contact. The edges of the sleeves, collar, pocket tops, the inner edge of the coat, but all are minor. Please see the photos provided. It is fresh back from the cleaners. 

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: approx 15-16" but no inner defined seam
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C565

Reference Photos: (1) Models in Christian Dior fur coats, L'officiel Magazine, 1971.  /  (2) Christian Dior Coat from The MET Collection.  /  1960s-70s Christian Dior Coat from The Met Collection Online.

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 a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element to it and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. Every piece I bring into the shop is very special and I love this one especially as it truly shows the range of his work. This set is a little extra special because its twin resides in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. They dated it with a general reference to the 1960s but I feel that it has more the feel of the 1977 collection after finding the reference photo of a piece with similar details on it. Bill Gibb's work is extremely rare to find and knowing that this one is important enough to have been acquired by a museum is just an added bonus for a collector .

My photos cannot convey how beautiful this dress is on person. The dress is amazing all on its own even without the jacket that goes over it. It has an empire cut with a halter style bodice. It is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny straps. The fabric that the dress is made out of is a fine ivory netting with a lace pattern worked through it made up of a gold metallic thread. This runs over the entire dress from the top of the shoulders to the hem. The gold that makes up the pattern is denser as it nears the hem and really catches the light and makes the entire dress take on a golden tone and shimmer in the light. The skirting of the dress has been meticulously pleated into tiny little micro pleats. The combination of those tiny pleats and the gold is incredibly beautiful and delicate in feel. It has a lining of the palest pink silk that gives the netting just a touch of a pink feel to it in certain lights. It is incredibly beautiful. You can then slip on the jacket which is cut to fall over the full length of the dress. It has long sleeves and is made out of a pale pink silk chiffon that has been embroidered by hand. The jacket is made up of four panels of fabric that are split along the seams between each panel from the hem right up to the waist line of the dress. Having these sit open along the seams like this allows the fabric of the dress to show underneath when you move. The chiffon that he used to make the jacket is a soft dusty pink silk. The embroidery work at the top of the jacket is done in a combination of soft corals, mint and ivory. The tiniest little seed pearls detail parts of the embroidery. All of the edges of the outer jacket are finished with gold lace. It is just stunning. This is a rare and absolutely amazing piece that is even better in person. It would even be a beautiful choice for a bride who is looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding gown. Excellent condition with one tiny note below.

The dress is fully lined in a pale pink silk and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. The overlay is unlined and slips on to wear with hook and eye at the very top. Note that it was a bit tiny on my dress form and will fall even better on the proper sized girl. Museum quality and appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. There is one small storage spot on the front panel of the chiffon jacket near the lower edge that is shown on the photo after the label shot. The colors in person are softer and more of a true gold and very soft dusty pink.

Dress
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist at seam: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of straps to empire waist seam
Skirt: 44" from waist seam to hem

Overlay
Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 52" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3079

Reference Photos: (1) Tree Allen in Bill Gibb by Barry Lategan, 1977.  /  (2) Bill Gibb Set from the V&A Online 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.

Pauline Trigere launched her label in 1942. She moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and I feel like her designs always retained that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and went on to win two more in 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She was a pioneer in the use of cottons and wool for evening. In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a lovely dress by her from the early 1970s. 

This gorgeous dress has a rope print that covers its surface and plays on the black and white contrast that you see on the dress. The bodice is made out of a semi-sheer silk that has a ribbon effect running through. Under that is a built in white lining and the silk floating over this gives it a bit of added depth. The skirt is made out of the the same silk but the parts between the ribbon finish are more opaque so it feels as if it is a heavier weighted silk even though it is not. This fabric choice gives the dress a wonderful lightness and ease once it is on the body. The top is cut to sit loosely over the bust. There are small gathers along the shoulders for a little bit of detailing and the neckline is set square and wide across. I think you could easily wear the sleeves off the shoulder if you wished. The sleeves are wide and full. They are cut to billow above the elastic cuffs. The waist is seamed and below that the skirt falls in a cascade of fabric to the floor that widens out just touch as it nears the hem. I love the two big pleats set on either side of the skirt that add a touch of volume there. This is a dress that will transform once on an actual body. You could also wear a belt to add more shaping through the waist. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

Both pieces are lined with a semi-sheer silk. White for the top and black for the skirt. The sleeves are unlined and attached at the top of the shoulder only with elastic on their tops. It closes with a metal and nylon zipper at the back. Elastic finishes each sleeve. There is the teeniest of discolouration to the fabric at the small of the back. Please see the last photo after the shot of the label. In person this areas is actually lighter then how it photoed

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: no true seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem with 4" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3434

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 lovely dress that has a very romantic feel with its use of lace and tiers. Alfred Bosand was an American Couturier and is often overlooked in my opinion. He was really one of the great American designers whose clothes where made to couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy, New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he returned in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality.

This dress is one of those pieces that once on the body it literally seems to transform into the stuff fairy tales are made of. The dress is made out of lace that has little floral medallions worked through the design. This top lace layer sits over an inner silk layer of white under the bodice and black under the skirt. I love the contrast between the black skirt and the white top. It gives it a bold feel that offsets the romantic quality of the lace. The top portion of the dress is amazing and really more of a cape with a top built in underneath. Two full tiers of lace overlap each other to fall from the neckline. The lace is set so that it hangs from the edge of the top of the neckline and the top of the sleeves so it simply looks like a caped effect that wraps around the body and arms. Elastic sits around the edge of where you put your arms through so the lace sits off shoulder and then simply falls from there. The waist is seamed and here the lace changes from white to black. There is a wide silk satin ribbon that details the waist and covers the transition of the colour. The skirt then cascades from there to the floor, widening out gently as it nears the hem. The skirt has three tiers of black lace that all cascade and overlap each other. Each layer is very full and is finished at its individual hem with a stiffened inner tap so that it has some structure and doesn't just lie limp. The back is slightly linger then the front so you get a beautiful sweeping line. It is very beautiful in person and even better on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in white through the bodice and black through the skirt. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and has elastic at the top of each shoulder. Hand finished throughout. There is the teeniest feel of grubbiness/yellowing to the edges of top of and into the inner bodice that you don't see when on.  

Shoulders: no true shoulder
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" on the inner lining flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to front hem, 48" tp the back hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3633

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 would have been designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. This dress dates to approximately 1972 when you saw a lot of these faux coated and coloured leather bits, added as either a design element directly onto the dress, or as a belt like in this case. 

This striped knit maxi dress from Lanvin is gorgeous. I am in absolute love with it. The colours are bright and happy but the stripes are perfectly balanced out by the solid top part so that it is not too overwhelming. I love how it goes from a classic simple T shaped sweater at the top to a riot of colours for the skirt. The bodice is fitted but in a stretchy sweater kind of way that is very comfortable to wear. The neckline is finished in a higher set scoop at both the front and the back. The knit there is a lovely deep blue and is light in weight and has been finished with a ribbed texture. Each sleeve is a cap of that same ribbed knit. The waist is seamed and the skirt falls to the floor under that, gently widening out as it nears the hem. The skirt has a more flatter weave and the fabric is thicker so that it holds the shape that you see. Colourful stripes are worked into the knit from the waist to the hem. I love the mix of using the same navy as you see in the top with a bright red, thin lines of white, yellow and a cornflower blue. It also comes with its original belt that is a white faux leather and is soft and pliant. I have wrapped it twice around the waist and tied it with a bow at the front for these photos. It is long enough that you could style and tie it a few different ways. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back, painted metal zipper. It has its original tie belt made out of a coated faux leather. . The belt has the teeniest bit of flaking that is normal for the age of it and in this material. 

Unstretched shoulders: 13"
Bust: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 41.5" from waist to hem
Tie belt: 69" from end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# 

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 had a version of this in the shop years ago and am so happy to have found another. This is an amazing and easy way to add a little Hanae Mori colour and joy into your wardrobe. The lightness of the silk chiffon that she chose for the fabric gives the jacket a delicate & feminine feel to it. This is then contrasted beautifully by the bold and brightly coloured print. The print mixes giant flowers with a multitude of other flowers in various sizes. Bright colourful parrots flit in an among the flowers. The colour is all done on a white backdrop so that they pop even more. The shape is simple and easy to wear. It is cut straight through the body with long sleeves and it ties at the neck. The front curves down and around you at the hem and then the back ends in a longer point. The shoulder are lightly padded with a nude covered padding for a touch of structure. This is perfect to layer over other pieces and could just as easily work for day or as an evening piece. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear with a tie at the top of the neck. The loose and easy cut should work on a variety of frames. Padding in each shoulder

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist to hips: open
Length: 51" from neck to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S933

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 think our modern world forgets just how important Oleg Cassini was as a designer in his heyday. From his first film in 1941 he was responsible for many of the best looks on film, dressing stars like Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney (who he married), Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and the list goes on and on. In 1952, he opened his own fashion house on Seventh Avenue. By 1961 he was appointed by Jacqueline Kennedy as her exclusive couturier. Some of his early works especially, were more on par with couture, using the same techniques and high fashion fabrics as the French couture houses. This is a later example of his work and yet it still shows the care and meticulous detailing that he put into his work.

The dress is amazing in person. It is made of a black silk chiffon that has been extensively covered with gunmetal silver glass tube beads. The dress is extremely heavy because of the bead work. It weights about 4 pounds and it is gorgeous. The bodice of the dress is suspended by beaded straps and then scoops down with shaping at the front and a lower set line at the back. It has a wide band of beadwork following the top seam and then is shaped by a series of vertically set rows of beads that go all the way around the bodice and end in little jagged ends. It is fitted to the bodice and then nips it in at the waist. The skirt skims over the hips into a pencil shape and then onto that are curved vertical panels that start just under the waist and go to just above the hem. These give the illusion that the skirt is tiered but that ruffled effect is actually created by the panels dropping and layering over each other. I did a photo of it laid out flat so you can get an idea of how much volume is actually in the skirt. When you move the movement this creates is fantastic. Each is finished along the curved edge with a series of stacked rows of beadwork. More vertical bead circle the hips and these are done to pick up that same jagged finish design as on the bodice. The hem is then finished with a wide band of yet more beading. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black muslin through the bodice and black silk through the skirt. It closes with a back zipper. Hand work throughout. Light boning in the bodice. It looks to have never been worn. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but no bare areas that I could see. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3629

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 fantastic piece by Yves Saint Laurent that manages to feel refined and chic, yet very bold at the same time. This is a piece that would have been produced in the early 1970s and shows all the hallmarks of his work during this time period. The body of the sweater is made of a wool mix and I love how it blends a deep rusty red with a darker taupe colour. This gives the piece a very chic country feel. It is cut to cut long and straight through the body with no waist so that it creates a simple line that stops at the top of the hips. If you wanted more shape you could easily belt it. Front pockets sit low on the front on eithor side of the buttons. The buttons themselves are round and thick and are a deep charcoal meant to highlight the fur trim. The fur circles around the tops of each arm and is a soft and supple black fox. This adds unexpected volume to the top. This came from a woman who was very fashionable and regularly bought couture and high end and her pieces were well stored. Excellent condition  

Unlined and closes down the front with the buttons you see. Tagged medium. The pockets at the front are shallow but functional. There is the slightest of wear to the edges of the fur but I am being extremely picky. 

Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust-hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 28" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S926

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 a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur pieces are final sale.

The twin of this dress is held in the permanent archives of The Metropolitan Museum. It would not surprise me to find out that these were the only two samples of this dress in existence. True Haute Couture pieces were never produced in any significant quantities. The dress is as wearable now as it was when first made and feels very modern. It is entirely finished by hand and is from the time period when the house was run by Hubert de Givenchy himself. This is a wonderful and well documented piece showcasing Givenchy's work during this time period. I have included the dress that the MET has in the final shot here for your reference

The dress is made of a deep blue grey silk crepe. It is cut with a strong nod to the classic Grecian silhouette that leaves one shoulder exposed and bare. The construction details throughout the dress are exquisite. The bodice has been gathered by hand to create a series of soft pleats that run from the shoulder to the waist. These are set on a curving angle to follow the cut of the neckline as it works it way up towards the shoulder. The draping and soft pleat technique adds a beautiful detailing to the bodice of the dress. The waist is defined by a slim gold leather cord that wraps and ties to add shape. The skirt falls below this to the floor gently widening out a touch as it nears the hem. A second panel of fabric is draped over the skirt and set so that it angles softly down one side mirroring the angle of the shoulder. Slipping over this is a short cape that is made from the same fabric. It is cut on an angle to point down the front and the back and gives the dress a beautiful flowing feel. The colour is richer and deeper in person and on an actual body the entire dress really comes to life. Excellent condition with a few small notes below to review.

The dress is fully lined in a hand set blue silk of very high quality. There is a wide waist stay that hooks at the inner waist. It closes with a hand set, side painted metal zipper and from the waist down there are hidden set snaps that close the fabric of the skirt over the zipper. The bodice is lightly boned and there are small bust pads that are handset inside the bodice. The cape is unlined and slips over the head to wear. There are some light snags in the fabric here and there and some small areas pf darkening on the skirt overlay - the snags are most noticeably on the back of the skirt near the bottom - these are seen most when it is laid out flat but once on the color and placement make all of them negligible. Please see the two images after the label shots. All the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tags on both pieces. Haute Couture tape label #55417

Dress
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder strap to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Cape
39" from neck to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2767

Reference Photo: 1973 Givenchy Evening Dress from The MET 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.

The Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day."

This dress is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period. The dress is made of from a fine silk chiffon that has been dyed to the perfect red. Every stitch is done by hand and the hours that would have been put just into the hand rolling and stitching of all the edges on the various layers on the skirt alone is mind-boggling. The skirt is made of four full layers of bias cut silk that is layered over each other in cascading tiers of fabric. Each layer is cut to curve up slightly at the front and dip down longer at the back. The layers of silk create a beautiful sense of movement and lightness when you move. The bodice is beautiful. It is densely beaded by hand in a pretty floral pattern all the way around from front to back. Tiny silk straps curve up and over the shoulders. Along the very top edge of the neckline at the front is an attached panel of silk chiffon that wraps up and around the neck leaving the silk to trail down the back. This little extra detail creates a bit of high drama and intrigue to the design. The scarf is original to the dress but may have been attached at a later date. It would be an easy job to unattached it and have it as a separate piece again if you wished. It is stunning in person and on the body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in red silk chiffon and closes with a back hand set zipper. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. There are two small areas of a darkened spots on both sides of the attached silk panel. Please see the two photos after the label shot. Depending on how this is tied and styled it does not necessarily show and if was unattached again you would have the option to not wear it with the dress. The proper Haute Couture label is present.

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2369

Quote and historical info on the house is taken from the Nina Ricci Website

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 cut of this dress is a very flattering one shoulder silhouette. The base fabric is a light silk that is cut on the bias so that the dress drapes and molds over you to skim and highlight your curves without having a super tight fit. This makes the dress extremely comfortable to wear. The one side curves up and over the shoulder where it hooks into place with a trio of hooks & eye. From there it curves gracefully across the back. The dress falls to the floor with a high slit running up one side so that when you move you get a flash of leg. The sequins are set flat and side by side onto the fabric in long vertical rows. They are an iridescent pink and catch the light at the slightest movement. Worked into the sequins are little graphic triangles that run in a line down the full length of both sides of the dress. The hem and neckline are edged in a band of silver tube beads. Each of the triangles are also edged in a double row of those same silver tube beads and the interior of each triangle has a pinky-coral glitter fused directly onto the silk. The glitter parts are actually multi-coloured and this creates a touch of a holographic feel to them. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silk. It closes with a metal and nylon side zipper. It is tagged a vintage 8. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3401

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

A version of this set is held by the Liverpool Museum and was a key piece in the exhibit at the Walker Art Gallery Collection for the Fashion Icons: Celebrating Gay Designers exhibit. The show notes for their piece stated; 'Bill Gibb was born in Scotland and moved to London to study fashion design at St Martin’s School of Art. Between 1969 and 1972 he worked as a freelance designer for the fashion house of Baccarat before launching his own company. This evening dress, with its petal-shaped hemline, and glowing jewel-like colours, is typical of much of Gibb’s work in the early 1970s. In particular, his use of an exotic pattern and a metallic Lurex thread in the fabric shows how he was often influenced by rich historic fabrics and non-Western cultures.'

Gibb was one of the most influential and famous designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. This set is a wonderful example of the kind of work he was doing during this time period. His use of these metallic lurex fabrics helped to add a fantastical twist to the story he was trying to tell through his clothing. This set has all four original pieces to it. There is a skirt, a sleeveless tank that buttons at the front, the most fabulous jacket and a matching belt. The skirt is cut to midi length and is made of a series of flat knife cut pleats that fall from a more fitted hip. The choice of the lightweight lurex lets it have a ton of movement when you move and the pleats swish around you when you walk. The sleeveless top tucks into that. It is made in the traditional tailoring manner with a panel of lining fabric attached all the way around the bottom. This is something you normally see in couture pieces. This additional panel of fabric is made so that when you tuck it into the skirt you are not adding any bulk or lines around the hip area. The top buttons down the front and closes with holographic faceted buttons. Topping these two pieces is the jacket. It is cut with high capped shoulders and has an over-sized dog eared collar. It cinches in at the waist by seaming and flares out below that to past the hip. There are big curved pockets on each hip and the same buttons close the jacket that are on the top. It almost has a slouchy cardigan feel to it. The set comes with its original belt that has an unusual finish of a flexible holograph strip on the front of it. This strip picks up on the buttons of the jacket and top. I have shown the belt over the skirt and top, and then also around the jacket, since it works either way. The colour in the lurex is a fabulous mix of a soft green with other colours running through. The heavy dose of glitter running over the lurex softens the fabrics and gives it a fairy tale quality. I love the nod to the forties that the set has and the fabric is truly incredible. This is a rare set from one of my personal favourite designers. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The skirt is lined through the hips and then where the pleats start it is unlined. It closes with a side zipper. The top is unlined and buttons to close with of lining around the lower half that you tuck into the skirt. The jacket is lined in a green silk satin and buttons to close. Two buttons on each cuff. Pockets on each hip of the jacket. Original tie belt. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Jacket
Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 16" from waist to hem

Top
Bust: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from shoulder strap to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 34.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2739

Reference Photos: (1) Evening dress, Bill Gibb, 1973 from the Walker Art Gallery Collection, Fashion Icons: Celebrating Gay Designers" exhibit / (2) Evening dress, cellulose acetate, nylon and lurex, Bill Gibb, 1973, Liverpool Museum Archives. / (3) Charlotte Rampling wearing Bill Gibb for Harpers & Queen, February 1973. Photo by Barry McKinley.

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

Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favourites. While at Malcom Starr he designed pieces that had his name on it and the Malcolm Starr International label as well. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture drama and cut that he learned while in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland.

The colors in this dress are amazing and when combined with the gold metallic thread that runs through the silk from top to bottom, the final effect is just beautiful. The exterior is made from a printed red silk chiffon. Woven through the silk are little golden dots made out of a metallic gold lurex. This adds a subtle shine to the entire dress. Picking up on that are curving bands of gold sequins that have been hand applied onto the silk. These follow the curving parts of the design on the silk. Some parts of the pattern have an even denser application of the sequins for added glitz and to highlight that part of the design. This multi-layered textural feeling makes the fabric feel rich and exotic. This is then layered over an interior red silk lining through the skirt and front bodice. The back and sleeves are not lined so you catch a glimpse of skin through the silk. The sleeves are wonderful. Each extends from the bodice in a wide swatch of fabric and then taper down as they reach the wrist so that they billow out. The neck is simple and slightly scooped. The skirt falls from the waist and gently widens out as it nears the floor. It is a beautiful, dramatic piece and it is even better on person and on an actual body. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a deep red silk with the sleeves, shoulders and upper back left unlined. It closes with a back painted metal zipper from the waist down and buttons above that to the neck. Each sleeve has a snap at the cuff.

Sleeves: approx 24" from natural shoulder
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: open with no defined side seams
Waist: 13" flat across the back from seam to seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across the back from seam to seam of the skirt's lining
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3224

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 from the famous Russian collection from the Fall 1976 Collection and these are rare and hard to find. The now legendary 'Opéra Les Ballets Russes' Haute Couture collection by Yves Saint Laurent for that season was one that took the fashion world by storm and has been endlessly re-interpreted since. Stylist Catherine Baba has the twin of this coat and versions have been well documented. The Met has a fabric version in their collection and the suede version was photoed for Vogue that season. This was a key look of the season and highly collectible. 

The coat is in exceptional condition and looks to have been worn very little if at all. The leather is soft supple and the color is a deep chocolate. The inner bodice has been lined in a sheared sheepskin that is very soft and fine and has been dyed to a deep chocolate color to match the leather. The sheared sheepskin is set to follow the front edges and goes all the way around the neck and down the front. There is also a a band of it set within each cuff. The lines of the coat are pure Yves from this time period. The neckline is cut high on the front to curve gracefully around the neck. The shoulders are set high with gathers so that they have a slight capped feel to them. Under the top portion of the coat the lower portion of the jacket is set into the waist seam and done like a proper skirt would be with slight gathers along the top so that it has some fullness. Inside the coat the upper bodice is lined with the sheared fur and the lower part of the skirt is lined in a quilted fabric.  I love how all the edges are top stitched with a deep red thread, placed to emphasize the lines of the coat and add to its Russian feel. This wide panel of red top stitching runs all the way down the front, around the collar and finishes each cuff. Highly polished buttons close the coat down the front. It really transforms when on a real girl and is just wonderful. Amazing and rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

The upper bodice and cuffs are lined in fur and the sleeves and skirting of the coat are lined in quilting. It closes with the buttons at the front. Tagged a vintage YSL 44

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C404

Reference Photos: (1) The Peasant Collection 1976 as photographed by American Vogue  /  (2) Coat from the MET  /  (3) Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (4) Catherine Baba at the S/S 2017 Haute Couture Shows in Paris. (Top Photo by Nabile Quenum; Bottom Photo by Phil Oh)

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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

A version of this coat walked the runway for the Fall 1982 Haute Couture show and the cloth version was photoed for Vogue Italia that season. Most importantly, a photo of Catherine Deneuve was taken in a version of the coat allowing us to see just how wearable the coat is despite its avant grade and bold lines. The dramatic and huge sleeve detailing was an important element for that season. This is a rare and collectible piece. 

A version of this piece walked the Haute Couture runway that season and that combined with the other documentation on it are able to give you an idea of how spectacular the coat is in person. It is made out of a soft, supple leather that has been dyed to a deep brown. The bodice of the coat is meant to follow the lines of the body and then curve down into a slightly dropped waist seam. He has treated the lower portion of the coat like a true skirt and it is set into the seam of the waist in soft gathers. This helps to give it the fullness that you see in the photos. Pockets sit on each side of the hip. The collar is high and neat. It sits above a dramatic double row of polished hand carved wood buttons. They are large and sit in a double row of six buttons that down the front to just past the waist seam. These same buttons are then used on each sleeve. The sleeves are incredible and at the time were probably startling to see on the runway with their excessive fullness. They still feel dramatic even now. Each is cut on a rounded curve that starts at the shoulder and curves down the arm to the cuff. They are very full and wide. Six of the polished and hand carved wood buttons are hand set down the extended cuff whose overlapped edging goes right up to the elbow. Those sleeve and how they are cut are really a testament to his genius. Each button is fully functional which shows you just how much care and detail was put into the piece. Despite it being leather, the coat has been made with the same care as if it was fabric, which would have been a very innovative approach to leather for this time period. It is absolutely stunning and very rare. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined and closes at the front with the buttons as seen. All the buttons, including the ones on each sleeve are functional. Pockets on each hip. There is some minor discolouration on the inner lining. The fabric used for it tends to change colour over time so it is a natural progression of aging. One small and minor scuff to the leather next to the collar on the upper shoulder. Please see the photo after the label shot 

Sleeves: 27"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C402

Reference Photos: (1-2) Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1982 Runway.  /  (3) F/W 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway in the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Catwalk".  /  (4) Outfits by Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue Italia, September 1981.  /  (5) Catherine Deneuve

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 runway for the Fall 1977 Christian Dior Haute Couture collection. It was also used in a Vogue editorial and photoed by Roland Bianchini that season. In the 'Dior Catwalk' book, journalist Alexander Fury references this suit specifically in his write up for that season saying; "The designers autumn/winter collections proposed a series of equally glamorous ensembles, including the 'white silk jacquard pants suit with the white fox, white pearls and bareness underneath - a soft white camisole' that Vogue predicted would be the 'sure fire' bestseller that season. Trouser suit aficionado Bianca Jagger was in the audience and 'said she loved everything''. It is exceptional and a wonderful example of the work that Marc Bohan was doing for the house during this time period.

The set is made from a beautiful ivory colored silk that has a secondary pattern woven through it. That pattern is made up of little abstract shapes and I love that every once in a while one of the shapes in that design look like a little heart. The pants are cut with a straight leg so that they have a soft flow to them. Pockets lie along the seams on each hip. The jacket is a simple, almost box cut that ends just at the hip to perfectly balance the line of the pants. It can be worn open like it was shown on the runway or fully closed. I love the clear lucite buttons with their little silver capped tops that run down the front. They are the only embellishment on the piece and give it a subtle bit of glitz. On the front of the jacket there are three top set pockets for detailing. Each sleeve buttons to close and on the runway these were left open and flipped back for an easy feel. This is a true piece of fashion history and an amazing example of Bohan's work during this time period. It is even better in person. All proper Haute Couture labels present. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Both pieces are fully lined. The jacket in a rich cream silk satin and the pants are lined in a slightly lighter version of the same silk. The set is entirely made by hand. The jacket buttons to close and pants close with a front painted metal zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Pockets on the jacket and pants. The pants have a slight line of a yellow mark at the lower front right leg near the hem. The jacket shows slight discoloration under the arms on the inside lining that does not go through. There is the very slightest darkening to the edge of the collar. All minor and it presents as excellent. Please see the photos provided after the label shot

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem with 2.25" turned under the hems
Inseam: 30.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Reference Photos: (1) Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show.  /  (2)  Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show from the book "Dior Catwalk: The Complete Collections".  /  (3) Photo by Albert Watson, Vogue, October 1977.  /  (4) Photo by Roland Bianchini, Dior, 1977.

Item# DD2793

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