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

The dress is absolutely gorgeous. The label that is in it was the one used starting in 1977. Looking at the dress it is almost hard to imagine that it is not from an earlier time period with its decidedly Old Hollywood feel. It is made out of a fine silk chiffon that has been dyed to a deep moss green. In the skirt they are also more olive coloured panels mixed in and this adds depth there. The bust is shaped and structured underneath that draped exterior. You would not think it to look at it but that part of the dress is very formed underneath and hides an inner foundation that follows the complete length of the bodice. The top is cut straight across and it curves in at the waist and then hugs the tops of the hips. A long chiffon panel snaps into place on one side of the interior and you can then drape this over your shoulder to create a few different looks. You can let it sit to cover your entire arm like a half cape or just have it trail down the back for a little floating detail as you walk away. You could also have it float over the entire upper chest to drape over the other shoulder. That panel is completely removable so you could also wear the dress without it for a true starless feel. The panel is long enough to play double duty as a sash or even a head piece. You have a lot pf options with it. The silk has been hand draped over the bodice and I love the contrast between the horizontal draping there against the vertical panels in the skirt. The skirt itself is a marvel. It is literally made up of vertical panels of silk that have been cut in different widths and slightly different lengths. These are layered over a inner single layer skirt of the same silk chiffon. When the dress is on it gives the illusion that you are very bare under the panels. Each panel is set in by hand and this would have been a meticulous and tedious method that would have added several hours of construction time to the dress. The panels give the dress a very unexpected sexy feel as they move around you and give the illusion that you will get a glimpse of your full leg at any moment. The dress is stunning on and the movement that the panel over the shoulder and the panels of the skirt have when you move is stupendous. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a green silk and closes with a hand set zipper at the side. Hand finished throughout. The shoulder panel snaps onto place with silk covered snaps. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at the bottom of the bodice: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 48" from top of the strapless bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3862

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 my same client whose aunt purchased from Ady Couture who I explained in depth in this listing while she was living in Switzerland during the eighties and into the nineties. Prior to that, during the late sixties and into the early 80s her aunt lived in both France and Brussels where she purchased pieces from Louis Mies. Mies was a small independent couturier who did custom work for his clients to couture standards. I have not been able to confirm that he had permission from the houses to replicate their Haute Couture pieces for his clients like Ady did but my client seems to think this was the case based on family records. I also have some new information that he might have sold actual couture pieces through his salon as well. So this may be an actual Yves Saint Laurent. Either way it is definitely the Fall 1973 dress that I have included several reference photos for here. It is beyond beautiful in person and one of my favourite personal pieces from her estate so far. 

The level that this dress is made to is a beautiful thing to see. All of the finishes are by hand and it has all those lovely details that you expect in a couture level garment. It is made out of a silk taffeta and then the different sections are all of different colours. Using the silk taffeta helps it to hold its intended shape and I love the fullness of the skirt. The bodice is more fitted and cut to skim over you. It crosses over itself at the front and has that lovely ruffle detailing there that swoops down on an angle to the waist. The waist is cinched in under that and I have added a velvet ribbon to emulate the bow that Yve's originally showed it with. The sleeves are beautiful. Each is made on a curve to follow the shape of the arm. They are softly set into the shoulders and then taper down to the wrist where they close with a zipper. The skirt is a work of art. It curves out from under the waist and falls to the floor where it widens out as it nears the hem. It is incredibly full but betas the fabric is so light it does not seem that way at first. It is only when you move that you realize just how full it is. The skirt is made by altering panels of the silk taffeta over each other to create the ever widening tiers that you see. This technique also helps to hold the shape of the skirt and give its its volume. Each tier is finished with a ruffle that has been gathered and set by hand. The hours of work that it would have taken to implement this detail is mind boggling. I love that the tiers are done in different colours The same red as the bodice mixed with pink and burgundy. The interior is made to couture standards with all the inner seams finished by hand. I have included some shots of the inner seams for you to see. It is extraordinary and the kind of quality and beauty that you will only find with vintage. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a hidden set zipper at the side and then a series of hand covered snaps that run along the waist. Each sleeve zips to close. The inside is all hand done and it is finished to couture standards. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3859

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Yves Saint Laurent Couture, L'Officiel de la Mode n602, 1973.  /  (2) Model in Yves Saint Laurent Couture for Femme Chic Magazine, 1973. Photographed by Claus Ohm.  /  (3) Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture hiver 1973/74. L Officiel 1000 modèles.

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 piece is wonderful and shows the range of what Hanae Mori was capable of. It is simple and beautiful but still striking. It dates to the late 1970s, early 1980s and it is an absolute work of art. Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York Runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional and plays a strong part of my own personal archives. I own the exact twin of this kimono and would never part with mine as it is so versatile. 

I have worn variations of this exact kimono for years now whenever I head out for the evening. It is the perfect pop of color over a dress and is light and luxurious feeling for evening. I have even in a pinch have wrapped and closed it with a large pin, or just wrapped and belted it with the matching belt, and worn it as a dress. It is absolutely stunning. This really shows her talent for taking traditional elements from her own culture and giving them a more western world twist in terms of modifying the cut. It is made of a red silk and lined in silk as well. The colour is beautiful red and that is softened with the pretty and romantic flower and butterfly print that covers its surface. The red of the silk is that perfect shade that flatters most skin tones and the print is done in a mix of pretty soft blues and greys. It has a matching sash belt that you can use to add shape and cinch in the waist. The sleeve are cut to be wide and full and the body is loose and easy. It looks to have never been worn or used and would be perfect to use as wedding kimono, to take on your honeymoon, or to top an evening ensemble. Of course it also works as a lingerie piece and a dress. It is the ultimate multi-tasker. The print that covers the kimono is hand screened and painted with hauntingly beautiful butterflies that flit across the surface of the silk. The butterfly is a Hanae Mori signature and I love that they are used with such romantic abandon on this kimono as they trail across its surface. Excellent condition

The kimono is fully lined with a pale soft purple/blue tissue silk and has no closures. This one comes with , its matching sash belt. The fabric is signed throughout. Tagged a S but the open, loose cut will allow it to fit just about any size. It looks like it has never been worn. 

Sleeves: approx 27" from the natural shoulder to the longest post they fall and are 23" around
Shoulder: no defined seam
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: to 21" flat across the inner seam but adjustable with the sash
Length: 56" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD3857

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

After the premature death of Jean Patou in 1936, his sister took over the house and eventually had other designers head the atelier. On the Jean Patou site the history of the houses designers is clearly laid out; 'Marc Bohan, born in 1926, made his debut with Jean Patou at the age of 18. He left the couture house to better find himself as the artistic director. He kept the legend alive from 1954 to 1957. He moved on to serve as the head of creation at the Dior house for the following thirty years. Karl Lagerfeld joined the fashion house as head designer in 1958 and left Jean Patou in 1963 to devote himself to ready-to-wear houses with whom he collaborated. Michel Goma remained at the head of the fashion house from 1963 to 1974. He developed ready-to-wear in parallel with his couture work. Jean Paul Gaultier began his career with Jean Patou during Michel Goma’s time there. He joined the studio in 1972 at the age of 20, completing his apprenticeship there. He left the house in 1974 to work at Pierre Cardin. Angelo Tarlazzi took over the reins of Jean Patou in 1974, succeeding Michel Goma. He left at the end of 1977 to start his own brand. During his time with Jean Patou in the 1980s, Christian Lacroix gave the brand a new life. Lacroix dared all the crossovers, unexpected combinations of colours, extravagant details (such as the famous tafetta hand-painted toile de jouy cocktail dress), and oriental inspirations reminiscent of those Jean Patou loved them at the time of his splendour. He received the prestigious Dé d'Or de la Couture award in 1986 for his work, before the fashion house ceased its activity in 1987 and Lacroix founded his eponymous house within the LVMH group.' After a lot of research I believe this to be an early example of the ready to wear collection debuted under Michel Goma's time there. It is a stunning coat and will forever remain a classic 

This is a lovely and classic feeling coat that is made from a slightly heavier weight black wool and this is what gives it its structure. It is cut in the manner of a longer pea coat feel with a more fitted upper body and then it flares out slightly through the lower half of the coat. Every line of this coat is fantastic. The collar is set to be oversized and sits across the front in this great curving notched affair that adds to the chic feel of this coat. A double row of buttons run down the front. The sleeves are long and each ends with the most amazing cuffs that are flipped over and notched on a curve to emulate the collar. All of the edges of the coat have been topstitched for a subtle detail that really emphasizes the lines and cut. This same stitching treatment edges the collar all the way around. Then it has a series of big thick round buttons that run down the front. It is very very well made and it is just incredible to see in person. The seams give it a wonderfully structured and sculpted feel and the dropped seam at the hip adds an interesting final detail. It is a gorgeous and chic vintage coat. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with the buttons at the front. Pockets hidden along the side seams. This is a medium to heavy weight coat and is beautifully made. Sizing is based on the shoulders and it is generous through the body so if you are small shouldered it may accommodate a bit larger size as well

Sleeves: 22"
Interior shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 46" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C592

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

Holly Harp opened a shop LA in the late 1960s and created custom clothing under the Holly's Harp label. She tended to create her clothing out of a hodge-podge of new and old materials. In the beginning she favored things like feathers and fringe but her aesthetic became more 'grown up' and glamorous as her career progressed and she started to focus more on jerseys and draping. She was an avid thrifter and you can often see the influence of earlier decades in her work like with the kimono-esque hand painting and embroidered work on this piece. 

This is an amazing dress that is so unusual and avant garde. It was very difficult to photo as it really need a moving body underneath it to really bring it to life. You can wear it in so many ways and I think once on the body you will quickly figure out the best way to wear it on yourself. It is one of the most interesting design pieces I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a beautiful fluid silk done in a rich ombre toned yellow that has a hand painted design on parts of it done in a brilliant purple. Black stripes are worked into the design as well and these highlight the line and cut. The silk also has dots that are woven directly into the fabric and these are finished with a different sheen so that they catch the light. To wear it you wrap the inner skirt part around you and secure it with a button at the side. The waist of this inner skirt has elastic so it will accommodate a range of sizes. From the skirt that entire upper body of the dress extends out as one extremely long panel. The motion of twisting it over and around the front of you is what keeps the side opening of the skirt covered and secure. Part of the way along that panel is the opening for the neck and it is at this point that it gets fun. You can literally wear it in as many ways as you can think of and I did all these options just by changing the way it drapes. Add a belt to help hold configurations in place and you would have a whole new slew of styling options. By changing the way you wear the upper draped part of the dress you get a whole different feel of the outfit. On the one long panel there is a crane applied onto the silk and there are also little squares of metallic gold thread that have been used to give just a little extra glint of high glamour. This subtle pop of gold is wonderful. The entire thing is meant to be worn loose and easy but you could also add any kind of belt for some added shape and it would look equally as incredible. It also comes with a little cream coloured stretch body suit that you can wear underneath. This is a set that really transforms on an actual body and is even better when on and moving. It is truly an incredible once in a lifetime vintage find. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt slips on with elastic at the waist and then buttons to close at the side. The top portion is attached and as described above. The body suit does not have her tag in it but did come with it so will be sent with the dress. The loose and easy cut should work on a full range of sizes. Larger sizes might not be able to use this bodysuit but you could easily substitute a larger modern one in its place. The size range is based on the dress. 

Body suit
Bust: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: will stretch to approx 32" from top of shoulder to inner seam

Skirt
Waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Inner skirt length: 38" from waist-hem
The attached panels are several yards long

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3843

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 thrilled to find a really great Emilio Pucci piece. The truly great ones are getting very hard to find and this one is exceptional. By the 1960s, the time period that this dress is from, Pucci was a world-wide phenomenon. Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and even Jackie Kennedy were huge fans. For all of the many attempts since to catapult the label back to the height of its glory, the days when Emilio himself oversaw the label and designed the prints will always be the most special to me. This dress is gorgeous. 

This is one of the prettiest Pucci dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is very unusual to find one that sits off the shoulders like this one does and I love it. It is done in a gorgeous combination of a pink and yellow print that is worked onto a soft pastel peach backdrop. In person the overall effect is a little softer and more pastel feeling then how it photoed. These colors are combined into a soft and romantic floral design that sweeps over the entire dress. As is typical in a Pucci dress, he has used bands of a different printed silk to define each section of the dress. On this dress these borders are pretty little curving flourishes rather than the typical geometric print that his borders are usually finished with. This adds to the soft and feminine feel it has. The cut is very flattering. It sits off the shoulders so that your shoulders are left bare. A band of the border runs all the way around and the back dips into a very subtle V. Under the neckline border is a ruffle that falls over your arms and across the back and bust. I love this because when you move it has a gentle movement that just is beautiful. It is cut to skim over the body and with just a suggestion of a waist. From there the skirt flares out to the floor gradually widening out quite a bit as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of silk in it. I love how it is all cut on the bias so the dress has the most incredible movement and fullness as it swirls around you. It is very feminine but sexy at the same time. I absolutely love it. Excellent condition with one small note below

Fully lined in a white silk chiffon and closes at the side with a painted metal zipper. I one dot of a mark near the side at the front. It is very tiny and nothing you would notice when on. Please see the photo after the label shot

Shoulder opening: to 19" across
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 56" from top of the off shoulders to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3844

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 an African American model. This is a gorgeous example of her work 

The dress is exquisite and a wonderful example of the high end workmanship that dresses in this time period were being made with. It definitely had a bit of an influence from her earlier work in the fifties and sixties that I love. The base of the dress is made from a black wool crepe and you can see that fabric on the bodice where it hugs the body and curves into a sweetheart shape over the bust. This then nips in at the waist. Under the outer lace skirt layers the dress continues and extends into an inner skirt that is more of a pencil shaped skirt. This inner skirt is the same crepe fabric as the bodice. Over that inner skirt there are the very full outer layers of the skirt. I did not add a crinoline so the fullness you see is actually how much fullness it has and that is created just through the cut and design. I think if you wanted a very full skirt you could modify that very inner layer so that you could add a crinoline under it if you wished (or if needed - expand the inner skirt to simply to add more room through the hips). The outer skirt is made from two layers. The very top layer is the black lace that you see and then between the inner skirt and lace is a silk chiffon layer that is achieved by a stripe of stiffening through and around the hem to help hold the shape and give volume. More lace is then attached to the bodice to create the shoulders of the dress. These are done in the same black lace as the skirt. It dips in a V at the front and then the back has a keyhole slit between the buttons at the neck and the zipper. I love how all the edges of the lace are finished in a slight scallop for a pretty and delicate detailing. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a black silk and then has the layers over the inner skirt as described above. Closes with a back painted metal zipper and buttons at the back of the neck. Hand finishes. Looks to have been worn very little if at all

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3842

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during this period. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

This is a killer dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and you can see your bare skin peeking through at the front and the sides of the bodice. I hope the photos convey just how fabulous it is because when worn and on an actual body this one will be even better. The top is cut to drape over you loosely with a touch of volume. At the front there are two simple panels that are attaches down the centre before curving up and over the shoulders. At the back it drapes and covers your entire back. I love how it is set to drape like it does and give some fullness. The silk jersey is gathered along each shoulder and the waist is seamed to bring it in and give you shape. Each side is cut to the waist so that you get a touch of skin down each side. The fabric is fuller there though so it is not a stark opening, rather you just get a glimpse of skin here and there as you move. The skirt under that is made from a bias cut black opaque silk jersey that sits and drapes beautifully around you. When you walk it moves and it is very easy to wear. To this simple black dress he then added the most exorbitant and over the top jewels I have ever seen on a dress. They run across and over the gathered shoulders and then crosses over the opening at the neck. The crystals are huge and it is laid out to sit like a grand jewel at the base of the throat. The impact of them is incredible. If that was not enough there is a matching belt that hooks into place at the front and has a buckle made of more of the same huge jewels. The rest of the belt is made out of the same black jersey as the dress and I wrapped it and then opened it to create shape over the hips. It brings all the emphasis to the curves of your body and the jewels are just a stand out. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on and as good as it looks in the photos it is even better in person. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low side set zipper on the skirt. The collar hooks into place at one side tf the neck and the belt has hook & eye to close. 

Bust: should fit a range of bust sizes wit the open cut and loose drape
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3837

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

Ted Lapidus began selling his designs in the 1950s in Paris. By 1963 he was an official member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and he debuted his Haute Couture label in addition to his already high end ready to wear. Starting in the 1960s and through the 1970s he did ready to wear and a boutique line. This is an exceptional dress from that time period and it is very beautiful.

This is a dress that has maximum impact once on but it so easy to wear. It is basically made from yards and yards of a black silk chiffon that is all cut on the bias. This falls from the little straps that wrap up around the neck and then run down the back after crossing over themselves at the front. It is fitted around the bust and the waist nips in. Under that skirt flares out beautifully as it nears the hem. The waist is seamed for a little bit off added shape and the skirt has tremendous movement when you move. It is very full with many yards of silk but so light that it falls in a sleek column when you stand still. The inky black silk chiffon that it is made of is feather and has a touch of transparency over its more opaque inner lining. This was then covered in an amazing pattern that has been created by fusing silver glitter directly to the silk. This gives the dress its sparkle and glitz and allows it to catch the light from every angle. I love the curving swirls and flowers that the glitter creates. The design has been laid out over the entire dress in a beautiful and intricate pattern. The workmanship to attach the glitter to the silk chiffon cannot be underplayed as this would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. I love the effect of this once on the body. It is just absolutely gorgeous and one of the best of his pieces I have seen. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk crepe and closes at the side with a painted metal zipper. If you did not like the straps crossing at the front it would be easy to move then to a more standard strap that runs over the shoulder. I see no bare areas. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3838

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 cape is wonderful. It is by Yves Saint Laurent and is a beautiful and easy to wear piece that will fit virtually any size. It dates to the late 1970s, maybe to mid-1980s and is very representative of the work he was doing during this time period starting with his famous Russian collection of 1976-77. The cut is very simple. The back is one large panel and then there are two panels that fall across the shoulder and down the front. It has no closures and just drapes over your shoulders and simply falls perfectly into place. The fabric is a loose knit red mohair and this fabric choice gives it a a beautiful warm and cozy texture. It is edged in a deep brown black fox fur set in little in long strops that go back and forth between the natural fur and a shave strap to give it that textured and tufted feel that you see. Running down each shoulder and over the tops of where your arms would sit are a series of flat black buttons that are set to run along a wide strip of flat cording. Each of the buttons is completely functional and this allows you to wear the cape in a variety of ways. Once you open you can wrap one or both pf the front panels around and over a shoulder for multiple ways to wear it. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is the type of item that you can throw over almost anything. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulders to wear. All the buttons are functional. A tiny bit of scuffing on a couple fo the buttons. The loose and open cut means it should be able to be worn by any size

Width: 60" side to side
Length: 42" neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD3826

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 little coat is wonderful. The cut of this coat has that perfect 1970s vibe. It is simple and sleek so that the brilliant colour that it has been done in can take centre stage. It is cut with a classic double button front, straight sleeves and is fairly straight cut through the body with just a suggestion of shape through the waist. It skims over the torso and falls in a slim silhouette to just under the knee depending on your height. All of the edges are top stitched and this adds the perfect little touch of detailing to the coat. The buttons are the same colour and I love the little top stitched flap pockets on each hip. The collar has the slightly oversized rounded notch shape that was done so perfectly during this time period. The colour is the best part and in person it is even better then how it photoed. It's wonderful. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a pink coloured silk satin and closes with the buttons you see at  the front. Pockets on each hip that are functional. There is the faintest lightest bit of darkening near the front hem but you really have to look for it and it is only visible in certain light

Sleeves: 23"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 46" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C585

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

Galanos was known as the designer that could rival the French in terms of construction and design. He launched his atelier in 1951 and although his atelier was never formally designated as Haute Couture by the French, he certainly produced clothing that met the parameters of couture and he is often referred to  as one of the great American couturiers. This stunning dress was custom made, and my client acquired it from the estate of 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s. It is a wonderful thing to have such a beautiful piece of her history in the shop 

This is one of my favourite Galanos pieces. Betsy was a model and was tall and this dress is cut to a supermodel length that reflects that. It is beautiful. It is made of a printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a black lace. The entire thing weighs ounces and you will be delightfully shocked at how light it is in person. The black silk chiffon is covered with a vivid floral print. The colours are bright and true with a slightly washed watercolour feel and they pop against that black backdrop. He made the body of the dress by layering three layers of chiffon over each other. The top layer is the one printed with that huge floral design and then the two layers under that are done in a black. The layered effect of the silk gives it lots of movement and creates a light floating effect when you walk. Each layer is finished with a black ribbon piping along the edges and the dress does up along each side with a series of black frog knots and loops made of the same fabric as the piping along the edges. It is cut in a long column that skims over the body to the floor. Each side has an opening along either side and the lower frog knots are functional so that you can control how open the slit goes. Leaving more open creates a sexy flash of skin when you walk to offset the more easy fit through the body. The bodice is scooped at both the front and the back. Both of the scoops are finished with a panel of a fine black lace. This allows your skin to peek through. The back is scooped very low and that bare expanse covered with nothing but the black lace is fabulous. The contrast between the lightness of the silk, the see through quality of the lace, and the boldness of the colours is killer. Excellent condition

The dress is made of three layers of silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Frog knots run over that and then down each side. This is a one-off unlabeled custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate. The cut is loose and easy through the body.

Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem
Slits: to 28" on one side and to 23" on the other

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3004

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. He had this ability to make things glamorous in the most unexpected way. 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 more glitzy pieces and this one is a stellar example of that. 

The colour combination done on the silk chiffon of this dress is amazing. I lo e the coral red and the blue together. The silk also has gold metallic thread that is woven through the silk to created little golden dots. If that was not enough there is also hundreds of tiny gold sequins added. They add a subtle bit of shine that picks up the light in the prettiest of ways. All of those gold sequins have been hand applied onto the silk. They are set to follow the curving parts of the design and form large medallions over the skirt for a rich and exotic feel. Under the top silk chiffon is an interior red silk lining that is set through the skirt and front bodice. The entire back and sleeves are not lined so you catch a glimpse of skin through the silk. Very sexy. Each sleeve extends from the bodice in a wide cut of fabric and then tapers down as they reach the wrist so that they billow out over the wrist. They are cut extra long and are meant to slightly scrunch up around the wrist so that the fuller part above takes centre stage. The neck is simple and slightly scooped and the skirt falls from the waist and gently widens out as it nears the floor. It zippers at the back to just above the waist and then buttons from there to the neck. The entire back is unlined so you get this fantastic semi-transparent effect. I have added a red grosgrain ribbon that I will include with the dress and you could easily use a different belt of your own to change the look even more. 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.

Galanos was known as the designer that could rival the French in terms of construction and design. He launched his atelier in 1951 and although his atelier was never formally designated as Haute Couture by the French, he certainly produced clothing that met the parameters of couture and he is often referred to  as one of the great American couturiers. This set was custom made, and my client acquired it from the estate of 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s. It is a wonderful thing to have such a beautiful piece of her history in the shop 

Betsy was a model and was tall and this set reflects that. It is cut to supermodel lengths and is beautiful. It is made of a beautifully printed, light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a metallic red lace. The entire thing weighs ounces and you will be delightfully shocked at how light it is in person. The silk has a washed water colour print with huge abstract flowers covering the entire surface of the silk. The pants are made of two layers of silk and weigh mere ounces. They are cut long and wide with an elastic waist that makes them easy to wear. Over that is a top piece that layers over the pants. The skirt part of this top piece is also made of two layers of silk chiffon. The silk falls from under the lace bodice to layer over the pants. Each side is slit open right up to the lace top. This gives it lots of movement and creates a light floating effect when you walk as the silk moves over the pants underneath. The bodice is made of two joined panels of red lace connected along each side. He placed them together in a way that leaves the sides in a low plunge to leave bare skin showing. This gives you barely there coverage and is very sexy. The lace has a metallic finish and is very fine and very light. I love how it is layered over a nude inner silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. This entire top layer is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. The contrast between the silk and the metallic lace and the boldness of the colors is wonderful. Excellent condition

The pants are made of two layers of silk chiffon and close with a back painted zipper. They have elastic at the waist. The over dress is lined with a nude silk chiffon through the bodice and the skirt is constructed from two layers of the silk chiffon. The overlay closes on one side with hidden fabric covered snaps. There are a couple of very minor repairs and light snags near the hem of the overlay. This is a one-off, unlabelled custom piece made for Betsy and came from her estate. 

Over dress
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem

Pants
Elastic waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Pant: 45" from waist to hem
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2278

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person and it will really come to life once on an actual body. We found a very similar dress held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and it lets you see just how wonderful the dress will be once on. 

The dress is a showstopper. It is made out of a deep red coloured lace that is then detailed with cording that wraps around the edges of the floral design on the lace. Then he added tiny little rhinestones that are fused to the fabric of the larger flower patterns to give the dress an subtle bit of added glitz. The bodice is cut to skim over you with an inner silk lining in the same shade of red. The sleeves and neckline at both the back and the front are not lined so you get a little glimpse of the skin underneath the lace. The waist is not seamed so there is no line to break the eye. It simply comes in to suggest shape and then flares out to the skirt underneath. The skirt skims over the hips and then widens out as it nears the floor. I love the high low effect that the skirt has. It is cut to be shorter at the front and then the hem curves back and around you where it extends out to a trained effect at the back. All of the edges are scalloped to follow the pattern and shape of the designs in the lace. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior. It is fully lined in a red silk and then the back of the skirt has an added layer of stiffened net tulle to help hold the shape and volume. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine deep red silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner tulle skirting. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt ad there is an area missing in the tulle just above the hem. This does not affect the dress in anyway. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to front hem, 64" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3813

Reference Photos: Fall 1986 Arnold Scaasi dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston 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 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: (1) Photo by Helmut Newton for Vogue US, January 1972.  /  (2) 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.