I am now on the second batch of very interesting pieces that are coming from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was most likely made by 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, Lacroix and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the houses I am confident on. This one is similar to the work that a few of those ateliers were doing at the time so is a bit of a mystery. She also did buy Haute Couture pieces from the ateliers so this may be one of those pieces. She tended to remove the labels from the actual couture things so it is a bit of a mystery. Either way it would have been made during the time period my clients aunt lived in Switzerland, from the late 70s to 1993. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is beautiful.

The dress is made from a combination of a deep brown silk taffeta for the skirt and an embroidered silk netting for the top. This fabric choices allows it to hold the beautiful lines that you see. The dress is absolutely stunning and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. At the front the neckline dips into a deep plunging V that goes almost to the waist. This is edged with an elaborate ruffle that follows the plunge down and then circles the neck. The ruffle is made from an incredible six layers of silk that are stacked on top of each other. They alternate between a black and nude colour. They are incredibly full as a result and the effect they give is very dramatic. The ruffles are also used to finish each incredible sleeve. Here they circle around the wrist and then go up the back of the arm. It makes each sleeve feel like a work of art. The sleeves are set into the shoulders with a subtle capped feel and have very light padding inside to give them the perfect touch of shape. The bodice is made out of a soft embroidered netting in a muted coppery gold colour thread. This is backed by a black silk chiffon so that it has just a hint of transparency to it. The waist is seamed and it is tied with a long grosgrain ribbon for shape. The skirt is set into the waist in an elaborate series of closed pleats that give shape, detail and structure around the hips. The skirt then curves gracefully away from the hips widening out as it nears the floor. It has an incurable amount of volume with several yards of silk taffeta used in its construction. Underneath is a half length interior skirt around the inner hops to help hold the shape. Otherwise all of the volume is created by the cut and the fabric alone. The interior of the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every single seam done by hand. I took a detail shot for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

The bodice is fully lined in a black silk chiffon and the skirt is part lined as described above in a black silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the front and there are hidden set zippers at each wrist. Light padding in each shoulder. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The grosgrain ribbon belt is probably not original to the dress but is included. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It might fit a larger size if you are narrow through the shoulders. 

Sleeves: 25"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

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 am always on the look out for this style of dress by Halston. It is one of the most iconic of all of the Halston silhouettes. Countless women have been photoed in a version and I have included many of those reference photos here. Versions have been exhibited and there is always one included in every and any book on Halston and his work. This is a very unusual version in a terry cloth. I have had one of these a long time ago and was excited to have my client send in another! The terry makes it extremely easy to wear and travel with. These were issued in a variety of colours and are normally found in a jersey so a terry one is a fun find.

Halston was a master at this cut. There is a certain sexiness caused by the illusion that the entire dress is held in place with that one little tie at the front. And it actually is. Undoing the front tie would cause the entire dress to drop in a puddle around you. It is constructed from a deep brown coloured terry cloth and it skims over the body in a long sheath. The entire dress is cut to gather up and towards the bust so it falls in soft drapes all the way to the hem. At the bust there are two attached short ties that you can cinch in as needed to hold the dress in place. I love the long lean line that this creates and it is amazingly sexy despite the fact that it is not tight fitting. This is heightened further by your bare shoulders that add the perfect contrast to that covered feel below. This is an iconic dress by Halston that is easy to  care for. It is wash and wear and virtually wrinkle free which makes it perfect for traveling. It is very easy to style too - a quick change of shoe takes it the beach to the market and even for a night out. Excellent condition.

Slips on to wear and ties as seen at the front. These will fit a variety of sizes since they are not cut to be super fitted.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3802

Reference Photos: (1) ‘The Strapless’ in Women’s Wear Daily, August 1976. / (2) ‘The New York Collections: Easy Winners!’, Jacques Malignon for Vogue, September 1976. / (3) ‘Your Night to Star’, Ladies Home Journal, December 1976. / (4) Elizabeth Taylor in Halston at the 1976 Oscars. / (5) Marisa Berenson in Halston, Vogue 1976. Photo by Richard Avedon. / (6) "Yves Saint Laurent + Halston. Fashioning the 70s" Exhibit at the Museum at FIT, 2015. / (7) Halston's original sketch for the tie-front strapless dress & Lee Radziwell, 1976. / (8) Rachel Zoe in Halston at the Zoe Report Dinner, 2014. / (9-10) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

The Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.

I love whenever I get a fabulous Leonard dress into the shop. They are so chic and easy to wear and travel with. This one is a beauty that is made out of one of their signature silk jersey fabrics. This fabric choice is what gives these dresses their perfect drape and fit. Each of their dresses were made of custom designed fabrics and prints. I have had a very similar print to this one in the shop in the past and I think this one is even better as it has a broader range of colours in its mix. This one has a gorgeous floral print that runs over the sleeves and across the shoulders, trails down the bodice and then runs heavily around the hem and up and into the skirt. The colour palette is a beautiful mix of bright pastels and the flower print is large and very pretty. I love the soft cut over bodice and how each sleeve is cut to pouf out slightly over the cuff. The dress skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. You can wear it loose and easy or use the belt to give it shape. I love the contrasting borders that define the neckline, cuffs and hem. The matching belt is done in that same print as the borders are so it too becomes a design element. It is a real little beauty. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back, hand set metal and nylon zipper. The fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch with the fabric signed throughout. The buckle belt is in excellent condition. Each sleeve buttons to close on the cuff. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from shoulder to hem
Belt: has three holes set at 27", 28" and 29" respectively 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3792

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

Jean-Louis Scherrer was a Parisian fashion designer and couturier. He trained under both Christian Dior and then Yves Saint Laurent when he started his career at Dior. He worked briefly for Louis Feraud and then launched his own fashion house in 1962. From 1962 to 1992, Jean-Louis Scherrer dressed some of the most prestigious women in the world including Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Paola of Belgium, Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch and many more. His work was known for known for being opulent with lavish trimming like the buttons in this dress. He sourced and used the very best of fabrics for his pieces. It is wonderful to have such a beautiful piece of his work in the shop. The dress has no labeled but comes to me from its original owner who removed the tag at some point 

This dress is exceptional and a remarkable example of his work during this time period. The colour is amazing. If you love it in the photos you will be even happier with it in real life because there is a richness to the silk that the camera could never capture. It is a bright spring green that is mixed with white and a slightly deeper green. This creates that spectacular floral print that covers the entire dress. The fabric that the print is screened onto is a fine silk gazar that has a secondary floral print that is woven directly into the silk. This adds to the rich feel of the fabric. The dress is light in weight because of this fabric choice but at the same time this particular silk allows the dress to hold its incredible shape. I did not add any additional crinolines under the skirt. That fullness is all created by seaming, how it is pieced together and the inner skirts that are there already. The print is huge and exuberant, covering the entire dress from head to toe. The skirt is wonderfully full and has been made from several yards of bias cut silk. This floats over inner silk and tulle skirts that create the shape and volume that you see. The bodice is constructed so that it has the feel of a sculpted evening jacket but it is actually fully attached and a part of the dress. The collar is set so that is sits slightly raised up so that it frames the neck and face. It is also cut wider across the front so that you get this lovely glimpse of the collarbones before it plunges into a V at the front. Large jewelled poured glass gripoix buttons run down the front giving it a slight Chanel feel. The sleeves are long and taper in as they near each wrist. The waist curves in and then the fabric flares out over the hips and curves down and around the back. An attached half belt is finished with that perfect oversized bow at the back. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a deep green silk and closes with zipper set down the middle of the back. Each sleeve has a zipper at its cuff. Under the buttons at the front are hidden hand set silk covered snaps. The skirt has an two inner attached skirts. There is a silk layer as described above and then there is an inner tulle layer that is attached starting just under the hips. The belt closes with velcro and that was almost certainly a later addition so that tar belt sits more flat. Hand finishes. There is one small repair and small marks near the hem of the back skirt near the side seam. Please see the last two photos. Very minor. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost lining hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3279

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 love finding Donald Brooks pieces. They are very well made and his boutique pieces especially have a sense of fun about them that I love. Brooks launched his main line label in 1964. He only designed for a very short time, closing his business in 1973. He had a secondary, boutique line that he started in 1971 that also closed in 1973. This dress is from the boutique line which gives us that small time period from 1971-1973 for its date. While researching we also found a two piece set that resides in the Goldstein Museum's collection made of the same fabric. I have had that one in the shop before and it is amazing to have another version now for you. 

For his boutique line, Donald Brooks really played into that whole 1960s flower power hippie movement. His designs were targeted towards a younger audience then the main line pieces where and they all have this sense of fun and ease to them. Pieces made regular appearance on all of the big name supermodels in the pages of Vogue and Harper's and women loved them. This dress is just darling. It is made out of a cotton mix fabric that has a  seersucker texture striping running through it to give added dimension. The colour combination is a gorgeous mix of primarily corals and yellows with other colours worked in. The top is cut onto a halter at the front with angled sides that carry up to the high neckline. It is nipped in at the waist and then the skirt is set under that to fall outwards on an angle, widening out as it nears the hem. At the back the straps that extend out from the collar curve down the sides to meet the waist. This leaves your back almost entirely bare and open. The long skirt also has two high slits running up either side at the front. This slit skirt technique is a signature of his work and lets your legs show when you walk or sit. Then, as the final finish, all of the edges on the halter, running down the front and circling the waist, have been finished with bands of embroidered multi-coloured flowers. And it has pockets in the skirt. I love it. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low set zipper at the back of the skirt and halter hooks to close at the back of the neck. My dress form's neck was too small but it will close completely in the proper size neck or you could add an extension there if needed. Pockets hidden along the sides of the skirt

Neck: 13.25" end to end
Bust: approx to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and there is a at least room or up to a B cup at the front 
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to top waist seam waist
Skirt: 38" from top waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3785

Reference Photo: 1970-75 Donald Brooks Ensemble from the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection.

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

Jean-Louis Scherrer was one of the great French couturiers in the grand Parisian style. He counted Sophia Loren and Jackie Kennedy as fans in his heyday and his work in the 1970s especially was wonderful. Opulence, hand beading and rich passementerie were his trademarks. He launched his own Haute Couture house after working at Christian Dior and by 1977, the year that this dress was made, he was just reaching the top of his game as a couturier. It is an incredible find and even more beautiful in person

I love the soft yellow silk organza that has been used for the skirt and the shawl in this dress. This choice of fabric allows it to have the volume that you see but without adding any weight at all. It also is a soft and romantic contrast to the sequin work on the bodice. The bodice is strapless and cut to be fitted to the bust balancing the volume of the skirt perfectly. Thousand of tiny sequins have been hand applied to create that stunning floral design that you see. As you look closer the work just gets more amazing. The edges of the green sequin leafs fro example are all finished with the tiniest glass tube beads possible. Little glass crystals edge other parts of the design and create a border across the top of the bodice. The workmanship is exquisite and the care and time to have created the design using these very small sequins and beads is astonishing. Under the bodice the skirt is cut to skim over the tops of the hips and than flows outwards with its first ruffle. There are three ruffles in total making up the skirt and each is cut to be very wide and each is made out of several yards of fabric. The skirt under the ruffles gradually widens as it reaches the hem. I photos most of the full length shots here with a light crinoline underneath so you could get an idea of just how full the skirt could be. The final full length shot is without anything underneath and even then it has stunning volume. The movement and airiness the skirt creates in person is amazing. At your smallest movement the ruffles float around you. The dress comes with a matching shawl that is so large it really could be considered to be more of a cape. It is made of the same silk as the skirt and is finished with the same ruffled treatment we see on the skirt. It can be wrapped or just lightly held. The entire dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and it is even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a small note to review below

Fully lined in the same silk organza that is used on the exterior. All of the work throughout is done by hand done to the edgings of the inner seams. It zips to close with a painted metal zipper and the exterior skirt snaps to close over the zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The bodice is lightly boned. I see one tiny dot of a mark just under the bodice seam and a tiny repair near the base of the back closure. Numbered tag 002576

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Shawl: 9 feet long x just over 5 feet wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3393

Reference Photos: (1) 1976-1977 Fall-Winter Women's haute couture runway show.  /  (2) Jean Louis Scherrer with model, 1977.

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 fabulous dress 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. I particularly love his patchwork appliqué pieces and this one is a stellar example of just that. 

This is a wonderful piece that would have originally been worn over pant or shorts based on that one side of the skirt that is completely open from the waist to the hem. The dress is made from a creamy ivory fabric that feels like a light mixed of cotton and synthetics. It has a slight ribbed texture that runs over it. The lines in the fabric all run vertically over the dress and this adds to the feeling of length that it has. The bodice is cut with a high collar and no sleeves. It skims over the bust and nips in at the waist. The skirt flows down from under there and the entire one side of the skirt has a ruffled finish in the same ivory fabric. The ruffles also hide that slit that runs right from the waist to the floor so that the side is completely split open. You could easy add a snap or two if you wanted to wear it as a true dress or wear it as it was originally intended by adding a pair fo shorts, tights or trousers underneath. Big gingham patchwork flowers run over the bodice and also trail down the skirt. I love the pop of colour and optimism the flowers give the dress. You cannot look at this piece with its big happy flowers and not feel wonderful. And if that was not enough, the entire inside lining of the skirt is finished in a matching blue gingham. With the skirt being open down the side you completely see this lining when you move. It's fantastic. The final finishing touch is the padded and piped gingham tie belt that wraps around the waist and ties everything together. It is an amazing combination of colour and textures. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a blue cotton gingham and zips to close at the  back. There is a slight hint of yellowing to the fabric at the collar and the upper back. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hemm

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3789

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

James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. The workmanship and craft put into them were made to a level that was on par with the official French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. I have had this dress in a version that had a sleeved overlay and I loved finding this one that has a more bare feeling bodice. It really allows the emphasis to be on that beautifully draped skirt 

The dress is made from a beautiful silk chiffon that is completely covered with an oversized flower print. The colour combination of the deep rich purple with the pop of deep green for the leaves in the print is just gorgeous. The skirt is cut to suggest that it is simply wrapped around you and could be unwrapped at any moment. It is attached most of the way around and then it simply hooks into place at the side of the waist. This clever little way to set it into the seam is what gives it that lovely curved line at the front. All of the excess fabric has been gathered along that side so that the silk cascades down in a lovely draped manner. The skirt is made up of thee full layers of silk chiffon. This is an important point in itself. Silk chiffon is notoriously difficult to wrk with and he was a master at this layering technique. The draped front lets you see all three layers and the edges of the three lates become their own design element. There is the top floral printed layer, a middle layer that is a solid purple in the same tone, and then the innermost layer that gives you that unexpected bright shot of green. When you move you get flashes of that green and the effect is fantastic. The bodice is simple and perfect. It has a slightly scooped neck and it cut into an say to wear tank that dips low at both the front and back. The dress comes with its long matching silk sash that you can wrap around the waist as I have done for these shots, or you could tie it at the neck or use as a head scarf. A stunning example of his work and beautifully finished. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a bright green silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set painted metal zipper. Bias cut so there is a little  with the measurements which I have given below. Ribbon edge finshes and hand done throughout. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The bias cut and easy fit combined with the sash to bring in the waist mean it should fit a range of sizes 

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seamed can be cinched in with the sash
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem
Scarf: 15" x approx 140"

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3576

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

James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. The workmanship and craft put into them were made to a level that was on par with the official French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

This particular dress reminds me of the pink colour blocked one that was worn so famously by Gloria Vanderbilt. It has that same feel created by his use of different panels of colour through the skirt. This is a technique that he used on several occasions and in several fabrics. The Vanderbilt dress for example was a silk chiffon and I have seen a darker, more column cut version in a silk jersey. This one is made from a silk taffeta and that choice of fabric keeps the dress extremely light while allowing it to have that wonderful volume that you see. The dress is extraordinary and is a testament to the couture construction techniques that he utilized in his work. The bodice is fitted with a slight sweetheart feel to the neckline. It is suspended by two tiny silk straps. The top port of the dress is lined in a silk but has no inner boning. It is meant to skim and hug the body underneath rather then to force a shape. The waist nips in and the skirt is set to feel very full with multiple soft gathers around the waist to create the fullness that you see. The skirt is made of four panels of silk taffeta, at the front here is a green on one side and a chocolate colour panel on the other. At the back both panels are the same blue as the bodice. All of the edges are finished with a gold cord that has been hand applied stitch by stitch. At the front the skirt is split quite high so that when you walk or sit you get an very unexpected flash of bare leg. The silk taffeta is so light that when you walk the skirt has a billowing effect behind you that it just magical. There are no extra underskirts added for these shots. All the volume of the skirt that you see has been created by the cut and the fabric alone. Around the waist the fabric from the silk has been gathered and held in place by more of that gold cording and then the edges of the fabric is set in an elaborate series of ruffles above that. This creates the prettiest ruffled finish that wraps all the way around you, cinches you in, and adds a pretty touch of romance. The work is all hand finished and all the inner seams have a beautiful ribbon finish. This is truly a stunning dress. Excellent condition  

Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Ribbon edge interior seams. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Front slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3736

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

This dress is one of the piece that were all sourced from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This one is from Spring 1976 and we were able to find a similar dress to it that was photoed for L'Officiel that year. This one has its top buttons hidden set instead of showing and I think that it makes it even more refined feeling this way. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. 

While this one photoed well I think when the person that buys it sees it on person they will be blown away. It is even better in person and the richness and quality of the silk only really can be appreciated when you have it in hand. The dress has been made entirely by hand and the silk is of the highest possible grade. It feels stupendous on. The top is cut ot skim over you and the long sleeves are slightly voluminous above their stunning cuffs. A tie extends out form the neck and as mentioned above the buttons are all hidden set under the seam so the line is not broken down the front. The skirt falls from the waist where the pleats open up so that when you move it lightly moves and floats around you. The dress is a masterclass in pleat work and an example of how finely done a pleat can be. Each pleat is exactly the same size as its neighbor and each lies perfectly as it runs over the dress from shoulder to hem. Every pleat on the dress has been top stitched along its entire edge by hand. The shape of the waist is created by a series of tiny stitched that gently bring the waist in while still holding the vertical line of the pleats. Each cuff is created by doing small pleats at the end of the sleeve and then bringing them in and stitching them down. And the loop for the buttons is on one long strip of silk with opening for the buttons to slide through. Just amazing. It is truly brilliant. Excellent overall condition with minor notes below.

Fully lined through the body in an ivory silk with all interior seams hand finished. It closes with hand made buttons down the front and at each cuff. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. Haute Couture number 54218. I see a small mark near the seam under the arm, a very faint mark near the hem and a faint mark on the upper back. Please see the photos after the label shot. Note that in person the colour is a rich feeling ivory and better then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 25"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3732

Reference Photo: Model in Chanel, L'Officiel Magazine, 1976.

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

True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. This one, like several other of the Haute Couture pieces in the shop at the moment, are from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This particular set has the added provenance of having its twin photoed on actress Sylvia Kristel. We also found the original presentation photo from the couture collection that year and it shows you just how gorgeous this set will sit on the body once on. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. 

The set is two pieces. A silk jersey dress that has incredible lines and then a matching silk jersey cardigan that is hand beaded. The dress is made out of two distinct layers. There is a complete inner dress made out of a silk crepe that is cut to skim over you and act as an inner lining. Attached to sit over that is a silk jersey exterior layer. The jersey is all cut on the bias and it is incredibly flattering. The neckline sweeps across the collar bones and sits wide at the front. A thin and open keyhole runs down the center of the bodice from just under the top of the neck to just above the waist. The waist itself is gathered into this elaborate circle that is entirely and meticulously made from hand set pleats. This creates a pretty and soft effect at the front. All around that circle is a series of soft pleats that span outwards. The back is cut onto a deep V for a little bit of skin to show. The skirt falls in a draped column and there is no seam at the waist so the line remains long and beautiful. Over this is a soft cardigan made from the same silk jersey on the exterior. Inside it has been hand lined in a matching red silk chiffon. All of the edges of the cardigan have been covered with beautiful beaded flowers and a border that is made from red and black glass tube beads. These would have been applied and created by hand by Lesage to the exact specifications given by Chanel. The bead work gives the design a slightly raised effect and they have a subtle glimmer in the light. I love this contrast between the bareness of the dress underneath with the coverage of the cardigan. It gives you two completely different looks to work with and wearing it with the jacket completely transforms the look and feel of the dress. It goes from a more bare and sexy dancing dress to something that feels more formal but still with that sense of ease created by the silk jersey. Both pieces are entirely made by hand as Haute Couture dictates and the fabric would have been made specifically for Chanel and this piece. This is a fine and rare example from this time period. It is truly brilliant and when you see it in person you will be astounded at the level of craftsmanship and care put into the construction. In excellent overall condition with notes below.

The dress has an inner attached silk dress and there is a wide grosgrain band that hooks to close at the interior of the waist, The inner dress zips to close under that and the outer dress buttons into place with a series of hand covered silk buttons in a matching fabric. The jacket is fully lined in a red silk chiffon and hooks to close down the front. Both pieces have been completely hand made. The label was removed at some point. There is a are some small marks that I have photoed. They may come out with a more aggressive or specialty cleaning. Please see the photos starting after the shot of the way it closes at the back.

The color in person is more a deep raspberry/ soft burgundy with a bit more of a red pink tome then how it photoed. The waist measurement is taken of the inner grosgrain band. You should be able to add to it if you needed more room and get another inch or two to work with. It is all hidden under the exterior dress so would be a very doable tweak.

Dress
Bust: approx 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner grosgrain at waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Cardigan
Sleeves: 23"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3730

Reference Photos: (1) SS 1976 Chanel collection in Paris, January 23 1976.  /  (2) Dutch actress and model Sylvia Kristel in Chanel, January 27 1976.

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

True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. This one, like several other of the Haute Couture pieces in the shop at the moment, are from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This particular suit has the added provenance of having its twin photoed for L'Officiel. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period.

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning deep blue and white silk that is like a heavier in weight version of one of their silk scarves. It is beautiful and it is easy to see why it is such a well documented piece. The jacket is a simple box cut that has more softness to it then versions of the suit that you would see made from their heavier boucle. It buttons down the front and I love the added embellishment of a golden lions head that sits on the top of each button. These same buttons also adorn each of the two low set front pockets that are both fully functional and beautifully done. The sleeves are slightly cropped and each end in a white silk cuff. The collar is notched and it is also finished in a white silk. What is remarkable about the collar is that you can actually remove the white silk portion and the collar underneath is the same blue and white silk as the rest of the jacket. This simple change gives the suit an entirely different feel and makes it that much more versatile. I love the hand painted feeling of the dots that cover the silk and how the white of them pops so beautifully against the blue. Inside, the jacket it is meticulously hand lined in a white silk. Circling around the hem is the famous signature Chanel gold chain that adds a subtle even weight all the way around and helps to keep the lines of the jacket perfectly in place. The skirt is cut with a slight flare is it nears the hem and has a series of flat knife pleats on both sides. The waist line is finished to lie flat against the body and the pleats don't open up until after the hip. Once they do open you you get a soft flare to the bottom of the skirt. This is classic Chanel right down to the chain that is stitched by hand into the hem of the jacket. It is exceptional. Excellent condition with a very small note below.

Both pieces are fully lined in a hand set, fine white silk. The interior hem of the jacket is finished with their signature gold metal chain. The skirt closes with a series of snaps along with a hook & eye at the waist. The jacket buttons down the front. Both piece are hand finished to couture standards. Proper couture labels present. Sourced from the original couture client. There is one white dot on the jacket that has a touch of darkening to it. Please see the photo after the label shots. Minor grubbiness to cuffs and collar from natural wear and aging.

Jacket
Sleeve: 20.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from neck 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: 26" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3727

Reference Photo: S/S 1977 Chanel Haute Couture, L'Officiel

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 always 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 this one is no exception. Gibb had a great fondness for history and exploring the far corners of the earth for inspiration. This set has obvious Asian roots with the fabric choice but he has taken the lines of a traditional piece and extended and manipulated them to make a new silhouette. I also love how the fabric combines the cherry blossoms print with English roses within the woven fabric to further emphasize his combining of cultures in this set.

The set consists of a very long, slim cut skirt that has a more over-sized cut jacket that sits over it. The skirt is made from two panels that are almost perfect rectangles that are brought in for the waist. This gives it a very linear line from the hip to the hem. It is seamed down each side with  a very high slit running up each leg. This lets you be able to you to walk in it and it shows a ton of leg when you move or sit. Over this is a simple open front jacket. In comparison to the skirt it is cut with a sense of volume and meant to feel more towards the over-sized side of things. The jacket has no front closures and simply slips on to wear. I love how the top of the collar is set so that it kind of flares open at the very top of the neck. The sleeves are long and cut wide. The braiding that runs down them extends the length of them visually and adds a pretty detailing. More braiding runs along the edges of the set and highlight its lines. The fabric is a beautiful bright red silk satin with little cherry blossoms and roses woven through it in a slightly metallic finished thread. This is a rare and absolutely amazing set that is even better in person and is even better on an actual body then on my dress form. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are fully lined in a red silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The jacket has no closures and slips on to wear. I see a tiny touch of foxing on the side of the skirt, a tiny pen mark on the front of the jacket and some slight lines running up the satin on one sleeve. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a vintage UK 8

Jacket
Sleeves: 24.5
Shoulders: 15" across
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 13" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 11" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem
Slits: 20" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3436

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 notes for the 1972 collection in the book 'Dior, The Catwalk' tell us that The New York Times declared Marc Bohan's collection for Dior as 'the best of the season in Paris'  that year. There was also the information that of all the Dior collections, the full records for this particular one did not survive the passages of time so finding a piece that is so well documented is a bit of a miracle. The version of this dress that has a higher neck line and tie bow was photoed by Richard Avedon that year. It was also shot for the September issue of Vogue and one is held in the V&A collection. When I found these photos I also found the caption that went with the Vogie shot and I lovedhow it described the dress: "Pretty. That's really the word for it - the softness of everything at Dior. So feminine at night especially...The flirt of the sleeves on a short dress for evening...black mousseline, covered at the neck and yet...revealing lots of skin beneath and lots of leg below". During this time period Bohan often made a series of couture dresses that had different necklines so that his client could choose their level of modesty that they were comfortable with. I love both versions but I think I prefer this lower V neckline when it comes to actually wearing it. It allows those spectacular sleeves to take full centre stage and that little extra skin gives it a more modern twist. You can also wear a wide variety of jewels with this neckline and I think that gives you more styling opportunities. The dress is exceptional.

This is an exceptional example of his work during this time period. The dress is entirely made from a feather light silk chiffon. This fabric is notoriously difficult to work with and when you add in that it was all entirely made by hand the level of workmanship takes on a whole new meaning. There is a slight texture to the fabric and this helps to lift and add volume while still keeping the weight to the absolute minimum. The sleeves are incredible. Each sleeve is a single layer of that fine silk chiffon and they are cut to be extremely full. As they near the cuffs the shape is further exaggerated and they poufed over their cuffs. Just above the elbow is a panel of the same silk that has been wrapped and attached around the arm. This lays over the lower portion of the sleeve and is set so that it flares out. It is a very unusual treatment to the sleeves and instantly catches the eye. When you move it has a beautiful floating movement to it that you can see in the reference photos. The bodice skims over you and a simple collarless V runs down the front. It plunges almost to the waist and is stopped by a tiny stitch at the base of the V. The skirt is made of layers of silk chiffon that are set on the bias. There are two of the black and then a nude silk under that. The shape this creates mimics the detailing on the sleeve and when you move the skirt also will move. At the back is the final perfect detail. It has been finished with just a single layer of chiffon so that you see the entire bare back though the silk for an unexpected touch of sensuality. This is a rare piece of fashion history. The proper Haute Couture label is present and is dated and numbered. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a nude silk chiffon except for the sleeves and upper back above the waist. The back closes with a low set, fine metal zipper and then the dress snaps to close with a series of tiny snaps up the back of the dress that run over the zipper, past the waist to the neck. Each cuff buttons to close. There is a tiny area of thinning on the top of one shoulder. Please see the photo after the label shot. Entirely made by hand. The Haute Couture label is present and the dress is numbered #01340

Sleeves: 27"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3031

Reference Photos: (1) Karen Graham in a chiffon dress by Marc Bohan for Dior, Autumn/Winter Collection 1972, photo by Richard Avedon, July 1972.  /  (2) Dior dress in Vogue, September 1972.  /  (3) 1972 Christian Dior Dress part of the V&A 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.

One of the key elements of the spring 1973 collection was the snap closures that Courreges used. They played a two fold role in that they were a functional element that actually acted as closures and they where also a decorative design feature that helped to highlight his signature cuts. In the runway reference photo that I have included here, you can see the same snap detailing. This is a beautiful and rare example of his Haute Couture work from this time period that still feels fresh and wearable even now.

The suit is made from the classic wool that Courreges was using for his pieces during this time period. It has enough weight to hold the sharp angular lines of the suit but without adding bulk or making it feel too heavy to wear for our modern aesthetics. The colour is a beautiful deep blue that has been captured well in these photos. The wool has  a slight texture to it. The stitching and the snaps have all been dyed to match the colour of the suit. This lets you see the seaming and detail but in a way that gives you the full picture all at once. The jacket is beautifully cut. It is meant to skim over the body with just a touch of a boxy feel to it. The sleeves are capped and the shoulders are seamed but have no additional padding. The shape is all created by the cut and perfect tailoring techniques. To wear it you simply slip the jacket on and it snaps into place down the front. The top stitched seaming detail is done to follow the lines of the jacket and become their own design element. The skirt is spectacular. It is cut to be fitted around the waist and then is cut on an angle to the hem. I have photoed it flat for you as well as on the dress form so that you get a better feel for the shape. It has an unusual way to close. There are snaps that run down each side and you can fully unsnap it on both sides. The bottom two snaps at the hem are decorative so that you get a bit of a vent on either side but all the snaps above it open. This lets you open the sides up and leave the resulting slit as high up as you dare. It is an incredible example of his work. The exterior of the suit is in excellent condition and there is a note below regarding the lining

Both pieces are fully lined in a white silk and close with the snaps as described above. There is an area of fabric missing from the interior of the skirt. It is stable and does not effect the wearing of the suit. Tagged a vintage Courreges 00

Jacket
Shoulders: 12" across
Bust: 16.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 18" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across the back from seam to seam
Hips: 17" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 22.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD1091

Reference photo: Andre Courreges Haute Couture Spring 1973

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

Emilio Pucci is one of my favorite designers and every single dress is a work of art. His colors and prints are mixed with a masterful hand and when you get a good piece of Pucci, it is a piece that you can wear for a lifetime. This one is gorgeous. The dress is made out of one of his signature lightweight silk jerseys, a fabric that he preferred because of the way it moved and took colour. It is screened with one of his custom prints that he has laid out onto the fabric to highlight the cut and line of the dress. The sleeves are long and slim and the bodice is cut to skim over the bust with a V neckline. This flows past the hips to the floor in a fairly straight column of fabric.The colour is a bright salmon pink and over that is a floral and vine print in a white that is edged in black. The flowers and vines trail over the entire dress in the prettiest of ways. His signature band of a contrasting print comes into play to highlight the edges and cut of the dress. It defines the neckline, circles the cuff and runs around the hem. I love the wide band of print that wraps around the top of the hips to separate the bodice from the skirt without having to have an actual seam there. This gives it visual definition but still keeps the easy to wear cut. Another printed band runs up the upper back of the dress. You will note that there is also a band along one side of the skirt. This is an incredible detail as that entire side snaps open or closed. If left open it is open all the way to where the print circles the top of the hips so that when you walk it will show your full leg. If that's too much for you, you just snap it to close as far down as you like. The entire dress weighs ounces and it looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back hidden, painted metal zipper. The fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch. Note that the color is more intense in person - better then how it photoed. Hand finished

Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: are slightly dropped and are approx 17"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to hem
Side Slit: can be fully closed or opened to be 33" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3111

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

James Galanos typifies that true American glamour. His work combines a chic sophistication with bold design and fabric choices. He was particularly known for his amazing evening wear. His work was executed to the highest standards and the workmanship is on par with couture. He is often called one of the great American couturiers and that title is well deserved in terms of construction and quality found in his pieces. He was a master at working with silk chiffon and his technique of layering the skirts with multiple panels of silk is a signature.

I love this dress. The color combination is very unusual and the silk chosen for the layers that make it up are of the highest quality. The dress is made out of several layers of silk chiffon. The inner pink dress is made out of four full layers that are stacked perfectly on top of each other. For the skirt each layer is attached at the side seam and waist which leaves the hem free and gives the dress movement when you move. The top portion is also made out of layers of the silk and here is it finished with inner elastic through the waist and all around the upper seam of the neckline. This makes the dress very easy to wear and comfortable. It simply slips on and falls perfectly in place over the body. Over the skirt is a panel of green that is set on both the front and the back of the skirt. This is attached around the waist with the side left open down the length of each side so that the pink of the skirt underneath shows. It has its original matching fabric tie belt that you can use to cinch the waist for added shape or use around the neck or even as a head wrap. The choice of these unexpected colors work surprisingly well with each other and it is made to the Galanos couture equivalent standards. The dress form does not do the dress justice as to how it works on an actual body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

The various layers of silk also act as the lining for the dress. It closes with a hand set, painted metal side zipper above the waist and then has elastic through the waist and around the upper edge of the bodice. Hidden pockets along the seams of each hip. Hand rolled edges and hand finishes throughout. It does have tiny straps that you could wear over the shoulders but I feel they are more to hang the dress so presented it as strapless. There is the faintest watermark in the silk at the waist. Please see the last photo

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16"
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD1199

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 had moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and her designs always have that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and won one again in both 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She as 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 amply an African American model.

This dress is incredible and I love the lines of it. It is made out of fine black wool that has a hand painted design that is worked over the fabric in a variety of metallic paint. There is a gold, a blue and a red. The designs are clusters of little circles bunched in the various circles. Over each burst of color are hand placed and sewn sequins in the matching metallic color. Each sequin is then secured by a matching colored round bead. The fabric is just incredible and the overall effect this creates reminds me of perhaps fireworks. The cut of the dress is equally fabulous. The front plunges in a V and the bodice is more fitted with a curving seam just under the bust. The fabric skims over the wait and then flares out into a very full skirt that falls to about ankle length depending on your height. There is a lot of fabric in the skirt and when you move the movement of it is wonderful. The sleeves are gathered around each shoulder so they have volume and then they narrow down as they reach the wrist. It is even better on an actual body and one of the best Trigere pieces I have seen. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Hand finishes

Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 41.5" from seam under the bust to hem with 2.5" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3535

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

Glossy black sequins that are extra large in size have been densely applied to a structured and fitted base to make this amazing strapless dress. The sequins cover the entire surface of the fabric of the bodice. The dress is strapless and the neckline is cut into a sweetheart shape and the interior is boned and molded. The waist is nipped in and the sequin part curves over the top of the hips for a long and shaped line. Under that is a wide panel of glossy black feathers that gives volume that and movement. This fullness at the bottom adds shape so that your waist and curves are emphasized. It is cut very short and is an amazing vintage find. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined with a silky black rayon and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Light boning through the bodice. The bust is shaped and would probably fit up to a C cup. Tagged a UK 12. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 16.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 28" from top of the bodice to the bottom of the feathered hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3517

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 1962 Capucci opened his first atelier in Paris and took the fashion world by storm. In 1968 he went back to his native Rome and opened his atelier there. By 1972 his work was presented in a museum in Rome at the Museum of Etruscan Art. A remarkable achievement for a living designer. He exhibited again in 1990 and in 2005 he founded the Roberto Capucci Foundation to preserve his numerous drawing and archives. His pieces tend to be highly architectural and the ones you see in exhibits border on not being wearable, so it is a treat to find a beautiful and highly wearable example of his work.

From the late 1970s comes this fabulous little deep blue chiffon dress that is cut to flow and drape over the body. The neck is cut wide to give a glimpse of the upper shoulders and the sleeves flow from there in an expanse of volume and fullness to above the buttoned wrist. The skirt has yards and yards of chiffon and flows to the floor in a pretty, light expanse of fabric. The back and bodice are especially pretty with their pin tuck lattice design that is detailed with a little clear beads where each pin tuck crosses over the other. It is lovely and a rare example of a hard to find designers work. Excellent condition

Fully lined except for the sleeves and closes with a back zipper on the interior fabric and snaps on the outer. Each cuff closes with a hidden snap under a silk covered button detail. Hand finished inside and hand applied beads.

Sleeves: 24" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2753

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

This is the vintage fur everyone looks for. That simple box cut to just past the hip in a natural red fox. It was the jacket that every 'It girl' of the seventies wore. It has a strong nod to the 1940s in its cut and fits perfectly once on without overwhelming the body. The shoulders on this one are soft and rounded and the cut through the body is loose and generous. It has an almost swing jacket cut to it. All of the pelts run horizontally and I love how they all line up across the sleeves and through the body. Suede insets run between the pelts but the fur is so thick and plush that you don't see them once it is on - they are just there for a touch of structure. It has no collar and the neckline is cut a little wide across the top. Fur hooks are hidden down the front. The pelts are thick and glossy and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a golden silky rayon and the lining is spotless. Closes with fur hooks down the front. It has been specialty cleaned. Perhaps the teeniest of wear near on the fur at the edges of the cuffs but very minor.

Sleeves: 22" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C548

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.

This has a very Bonnie Cashin vibe to it with those fantastic turn key brass closures that run down the front. That little addition of those fabulous details really gives this one an extra shot of style. The jacket has a simple box cut to just past the hip and it is made from a natural red fox. This is the jacket that every 'It girl' of the seventies wanted and wore. The shoulders on this one are soft and rounded and the cut through the body is loose and generous. All of the pelts run horizontally and I love how they all line up across the sleeves and through the body. Taupey leather insets run between the pelts but the fur is so thick and plush that you barely see them once it is on. They are just there for a touch of structure. You do see the leather that runs behind the turn keys at the front and there is a thick band of it used to finish each cuff. Another thick band of it runs up each side and down the insides of the sleeves. The collar is wide and pointed and backed in the same leather. The pelts are thick and glossy and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Pockets on each hip are the perfect finish. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a brown silky rayon and the lining is spotless. Closes with the turnkeys down the front. It has been specialty cleaned. Perhaps the finest bit of wear to the very edge of the back hem but nothing that detracts. 

Sleeves: 28" 
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 28" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 34" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C549

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.

In the 1960s if you wanted to wear something with a dramatic flare then you chose the work of Ronald Amey. He was known for his original use of fabrics and colors and his dresses were priced into the thousands even in the 1960s. His career was very short-lived. From 1959-1969 he designed under the label Burke-Amey. Joseph Burke, his partner, took care of the business side of things. In 1970s he bought out Burke and renamed the company Ronald Amey where he continued to produce his dramatic clothing until the label shuttered in 1976. His clothing was of very high quality and he incorporated many couture level details into their construction. All of his pieces were sewn in-house at his New York atelier

One of his signatures was to combine bold colors, prints and fabrics in interesting, unusual ways and this dress is a splendid example of that. The colors are bold and the mix is dramatic. The bodice and sleeves are sheer orange printed silk chiffon that is layered over the same printed coral ribbon silk that you see used for the skirt. This gives the top a very couture and quirky feel. The neckline is cut wide across the collarbones and it is anchored by a wide band of blue silk satin that is top-stitched in gold thread. This curves around the neckline and then down the front on either side of the notched front. The panel continues past the seamed waist and runs down the center of the skirt where it ends with a large diamond of the same fabric in brown. More of the blue runs around the hem and then is used again for the cuffs on each sleeve. The combination of the orange, coral and blue is spectacular . The heavy dose of all those prints, colors and patterns should not work but it does. The perfect finish is the wide fabric belt made of the same blue as the banding and this wraps around the waist where you can cinch it in and leave it simple as I did or tie it in a far more elaborate way. The exterior is in excellent condition with a note about the lining to review below.

Fully lined in a bright peach silk throughout. Entirely hand finished. It closes with a front zipper and there are zippers on each cuff. The zippers stick a bit when you open and close them. There is shattering of the silk around each arm on the interior. The exterior fabrics are sound and show no wear at all. The exterior of the dress appears to have been worm very little. The dress is even better in person.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3478

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

This dress is made out of a rich black silk jersey that gives it that beautiful draping effect that you see. Its rich pleats and the way that the fabric is draped and placed gives it a touch of a Madame Gres feel and it is insanely beautiful. It has both a refined simplicity and yet is is very complex at the same time. The depth that the jersey creates adds to this while the fabric is still soft enough that it retains a sensual feel. The dress flows to the floor in a long and dramatic swoop of jersey. The skirt is set under the corseted top in a way that when you are standing perfectly still it falls in perfectly soft rounded pleats. This is very difficult to achieve with this type of fabric. The bodice is shaped and softly boned so that it has a more structured.feel to it and this is added to by the high peaks of the front bodice. The jersey is draped over this and crosses over the bust in the most beautiful of ways. The sleeves are very unusual. Each is a single layer of jersey with a peaked part created near the shoulders. You could wear then up and on the shoulders but I think they are best worn when they are left draped down and off the shoulders. This leaves the shoulders completely bare and that peaked cut  on each of them turns into a soft, wide draped along the upper arms. The cuffs narrow in for a simple finish. The dress is finished with lots of handwork and high quality construction technoques. The photos do not come near to how amazing this dress is in person. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in black silk and the skirt unlined. It closes with a hidden set side painted metal zipper. Boning through the sides and bodice. Hand finishes throughout. Tagged a 38. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: approx 24"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3472

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

This is an incredible belt by Yves Saint Laurent and dates to the time period from when he was creating his famous Russian collection. You can see in the reference photos how this style of belt was used in a variety of colors and finishing details to perfectly set off the collection. This one is a wider cut, more dramatic version of the other two that I have in the shop right now. The main belt part of it is made out of a black canvas on a black leather base combination. It is trimmed with a gold metallic flat piping and gold metallic rick rack and then has a long black and gold braided ties. At the end of each tie is a 4" black tassel. The tie part is not attached to the belt so to wear you simply wrap it around yourself and then use the hooks at each end of the belt to hook and tie it at the front. It can top just about anything and its wider width really defines the waist. This is an important piece of fashion history and a rare find. Excellent condition

Marked a brand size 2 and measures 25.5" from end to end of the actual belt part and then the braided tie is 54" long. The belt itself is 3.25" wide. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness to the braiding but no true flaws

Item# A373

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1976-77 Yves Saint Laurent evening ensembles from