Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This skirt is exceptional.

This piece is unlabeled and comes to me directly from the family that the other recent Gres pieces have come from. Their family records indicate that this is also her work. Her son told me that 'Madame Grès would let her wear many dresses as she was size model and those she really liked she purchased afterwards.' This was one of those that she kept. Knowing when she had this relationship with Madame Gres dates this to sometime from about 1960 to the mid 60s.

The skirt is spectacular. It very light in weight. The top layer is made out of a printed silk chiffon that has a touch of transparency to it. This is layered over a beautiful silver coloured silk lining. This gives the print a beautiful depth. The abstract print is a deep blue that is softened by the transparency of the silk. The waist is banded and has loops for the original deep blue silk covered belt to slip through. I love the little flat bow at the front. It skims over the hips and then begins to flare out as it reaches the bottom. The entire lower skirt is finished with an elaborate ruffle. The ruffle is scooped higher at the front so when you walk you get a kick of silk around you. It curves down from there to the back where it is set longer for a slightly trailing effect behind you. The ruffle is made from five layers of the silk stacked on top of each other with the layers set at slightly different lengths to give it more volume. Incredibly, each layer of the ruffles is completely hand finished along their edges. The amount of hours to have done this many yards of silk like that is mind boggling. There is not a single zipper to be found on the skirt. It closes with hidden set hook & eye and snaps. It is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is a remarkable and rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in silver silk and it closes at the side with a series of metal hook and eye. There is elastic around the inner waist held in place by individual cording. It is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. Its original belt is included. The belt shows some stiffening of its backing and cracking but presents well from the front. There is the teeniest bit of stress to the fabric near the snaps. I see one spot on the back hem otherwise it looks like it's been worn very little if at all. Please see the final photo here.

Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 36" to the end of the ruffles at the front hem and 56" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S987

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

The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and quickly became one of the top couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant, as head of the brand. Pipart, who had previously worked for Balmain, Fath, and Patou brought a wide range of experience in all aspects of fashion to the brand. Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' He designed the Couture end of the label until 1998 making this a gown from one of his final seasons. This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture. Hey finding a gown at this level seems almost miraculous. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

The twin of this dress walk the runway for the Haute Couture show that season and it was also photoed for L'Officiel that season and we also found a stunning editorial photo that caught it in the most spectacular shot. I love having all of this documentation because it shows you how phenomenal this dress is once on the body. This is truly a dress that you know has to be a true Haute Couture piece the moment you set your eyes on it. I think it is a work of art. The dress is strapless with an optional very tiny strap that comes out from the center of the bodice and wraps and ties around the neck. It will stay on with or without that small strap so it's your choice to wear it or not. The bodice is fitted to the body to hold the dress in place and the inner structure is outstanding. It is boned and cupped but all of that work is completely hidden underneath the silk lining. On the exterior the entire bodice is covered in glossy black beads that are spaced tightly together. The size of the beads vary as they run from the waist up to the top of the bodice. They are smaller around the waist and spaced further apart and then by the top of the bodice are so tightly spaced that they are almost stacked on top of each other. This creates a dense application of bead work that completely covers the black silk velvet base. In spots around the bodice are these large square-ish black pailettes for blocks of gloss to catch the light even more. Then interspersed among all of that are black iridescent feathers and long metallic strands. These are set to stand straight out from the bodice to create a cloud around you. The feathers add this fantastical sense of couture and fantasy. They also create incredible movement as each one moves independently from the other with the slightest bit of a breeze. The bodice is molded and shaped around you and then nips in the waist. The skirt under that is is a statement in its own right. It is an explosion of silk that poofs out all the way around you. The volume is so much that it almost creates a shelf as it come off of the hips. The silk curves up and under the hem to create a bubbled effect. It is shorter at the front so when you walk and sit you can see some leg. This helps to balance out the volume that surrounds you and add a flash of bare skin. It is longer at the back and depending on your height will trail out behind you just a touch. All of the volume is created by an inner structure that is hidden inside the skirt. You can feel stiffened netting and tulle that is all set inside the skirt so that the shape is held perfectly. I used no extra crinolines or anything else under the skirt to add volume when I shot these photos. The volume is all built in and the result of the masterful construction of this gown. The bead work is glass and between that and the sheer volume if the skirt the dress does have weight to it. When you hold this dress it is very heavy and you can feel that it is a Haute Couture piece. Once on the weight of it distributes and balances out wonderfully and the inner construction holds it all perfectly in place. This is truly an extraordinary piece of modern couture and is exceptionally beautiful. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. No matter how good you think it looks in the photos, it is better in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk with light burning through the bodice an additional added structure inside. The skirt loops under itself so the lining is the same fabric as the exterior. The skirt is filled with what feels like stiffened netting and tulle. This is placed throughout the entire skirt to give it the volume you see. There is an inner zipper to close the bodice and the waist stay to help the dress stay in place. Two tiny straps extend out from the center of the bodice and tie in place behind the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present.

Waist: the inner waist stay has three hooks to accommodate a 23" 24" and 25" around waist size. If you left that unhooked or extended it the waist will accommodate up to a 26" sized waist.
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from highest point of the bodice to the waist
Skirt: approx 17" from waist to shortest part of the front hem, 52" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4240

Reference Photos: (1-3) Fall 1996 Nina Ricci Haute Couture Runway.  /  (4) Fall 1996 Nina Ricci Haute Couture. Photo by Bruno Bisang.  /  (5) Inna Zobova in Nina Ricci Haute Couture for L'officiel de la Mode n808, September 1996. Photo by Michel Nafziger.  /  (6-9) Jurnee Smollett, in this dress, at the Vanity Fair After Oscars Party, 2023.

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

This is a slightly more dramatic version of Yves classic tuxedo suit. For the runway it was presented with a longer skirt and that one was shown for Look 38 of the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection. My client ordered it with the pencil skirt you see so that she could have more options to wear it. The Fall 2001 collection was one of his final collections and to have a piece from this season is very special. Vogue noted that "Cocktail hour incorporated every possible variation on the tuxedo: There was a button-front dress, a smoking jacket that morphed into a full tulle skirt, and, naturally, an updated version of the masculine tux immortalized by Helmut Newton in the '70s." Yves play on the tuxedo and 'Le Smoking' suit is one of is most famous hallmarks that he first presented in 1966. His play on traditional menswear is lauded by many as 'having empowered women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power'. I have included runway photos, video and a photo of the original sketch. The sketch shot includes the fabric swatches above as per his atelier records and you can see it is the same fabric as this one. It is extraordinary set and I love it.

The extra wide collar is what sets this one apart from the many versions he did over the years. It is so bold and yet still elegant and refined in feel. There is nothing quite like the experience of slipping on a tailored to perfection piece of true Haute Couture. It somehow feels different and the feeling is something you can only really experience for yourself. The construction on both pieces is meticulous and it has been sourced from the original couture client. These tuxedo suits were all done a play on a men's tuxedo in mind and then were shaped and tweaked by Yves to be immensely flattering on the female body. It's looks simple but has master level tailoring behind it. The jacket has this sleek cut to it that follows the curves of the body. It is slightly cropped to sit just at the top of the hip. The lower part of the collar is finished in a black matte satin. It's size has been exaggerated to make it the focal point. under that is a single faceted button. Pockets are top set on each side and the shoulders are shaped. The fabric has a fine ribbing to it and it holds the lines perfectly. The skirt is cut into a simple pencil shape. I love that you separate pieces which gives you the versatility of being able to mix and match each piece with other things you already own. It is also a suit that depending on how do you style it, it can easily work for either day or as an evening suit. Yves tuxedo suits changed the way the world approached woman's wear and any example of the Le Smoking version is particularly collectible. This is a wonderful example of his couture tailoring. Itis an important piece of fashion history from one of his final collections. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Both pieces are hand lined in a black silk. The jacket closes with a button at the front and the skirt closes with a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. There are two pockets on the jacket. Both pieces are completely made by hand to couture standards. All proper Haute Couture tags present

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem at the front, 22 at the back

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3559

Reference Photos/Video: (1-7) Diana Gärtner for Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2001 Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 38.  /  (8-9) Sketches for the Fall 2001 Yves Saint Laurent Couture Collection as shown in the "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: The Complete Works" Book Set.

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 exceptional dress is by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior and it is a wonderful example of his work during this time period. This best matches the work that he was doing from about 1969 to 1972 when he was doing these wonderful printed chiffon dresses. We found similar ones to this with variations on the print that this dress has and I have included them so that you can see how perfectly this will drape and fall on the body. I have had a dress with a similar print to this on the shop in the past from Fall 1970 which makes me even more certain that this one falls into that time period. It is a very easy and comfortable dress to wear but it also drop dead gorgeous. I feel that it perfectly represents this time period. His work was integral to the label's development over the decades that he headed the atelier and this is a stunning example of his vision. Beyond that it is just an extraordinarily beautiful dress. I have had this ion my archives for a long time and it is a beautiful piece.

This dress is incredible. I love this version even more then the ones we found for reference. The cut is extraordinary and those sleeves are pure magic. The dress is super light and very easy to wear. The outer layer of it is a fine silk chiffon that has an abstract dot print that covers the entire dress. The neckline is set high and is softly gathered to wrap around the neck. Under that the bodice is meant to skim over you to the seam that is set under the bust for a slight empire feel. It fall loose and easy over the natural waist and the skirt billows out from under that to the floor. It is lined through the body of the dress in a solid coloured burgundy silk to feel like heaven on the body. The sleeves are incredible. They are set into the shoulder with slight gathers along the upper shoulder for a subtle but very pretty detail. They are the full width from the should to that seam under the bust and this gives them incredible movement and drape over the arm. It is interesting to look at the dress from the interior because the inner bodice is almost like a bib shape and then the sleeves come out from the sides of that. Once on the body the entire dress has this stunning movement and yet feels minimalist and elegant. The fabric is so light that it will move with your slightest movement. I love the detailing of that wide band of the solid coloured chiffon that finishes each sleeve and the hem. It is very easy to wear but packs a tremendous amount of style with the that print combined with the lightness of the fabric and that cut. The tag is numbered and the dress made to demi-couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined through the body in a deep burgundy silk chiffon. It closes with a back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The tag is numbered and there is an additional hand numbered tag along an interior seam. Hand finishes throughout

Sleeves: 22" from shoulder to end and fall to 24" at their longest point
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: The inner lined bib covers to 13" across and then because of how the sleeves are set there are no true side seams
Seam under the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 47" from seam under the bust and including the 2.5" band there to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4183

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Dior for British Vogue, March 1969.  /  (2) Model Kellie Wilson in gypsy-style Dior, wearing a long chiffon dress in lilac with white batik print, a ribbon belt and massive gold pendant Vogue October 01, 1969. Photo by Bert Stern.

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

Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This set is from approximately the early to mid-seventies and it is fabulous.

This is an amazing piece of vintage. It is a set that consist of two pieces. The bottom part is a wide legged jersey pant and the legs are extremely full. The jersey is a soft wool fabric that she used extensively during this time period and it has a soft finish to it that looks and feels heavenly. The pants are banded at the top with a wide gathered swath of the same jersey but in a soft pale yellow for contrast to the camel colour below. It hooks to the one side and there's some built-in boning to keep it wide and full around the waist. I love how it is set into the pants on a bit of a curve. This lets one side be a little wider then the other. Below that the pants fall in extreme volume to the floor. They are so generously cut that by the time they reach their hem they are a full 64" around. Incredible. The top has almost the exact opposite to the feel of the pants with its metallic finish. The contrast is perfection. The top is made out of a beautiful silk that has actual metal thread woven through it. The silk is printed with its own design and then the metal thread is woven onto that in a floral design to get a print on print feel. The neckline is scooped and top itself is cropped. Darts run down on an angle to create room for the bust. The sleeves are long and simple. At the back you see the magic of this piece. Instead of a zipper or button closure, the top actually ties into place with ties made of the same fabric. These sit on an angle that starts at the neckline, runs down to one side and then straight down to the hem. This leaves a little bare expanse of skin that is so perfectly sensual. I have shot the top un-tucked so you could see it in full, but for the rest of the photos I tucked it into the band around the waist of the pants and I think that it looks quite incredible either way. The appropriate Couture tags are present in both pieces and the top has an additional handwritten numbered tag inside. This is an incredible and rare opportunity to own a beautiful piece of her work and it is that much more versatile with the two pieces since you can mix and match. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Both peices are unlined and completely finished by hand. The pants close with hook and eye at the band and a zipper under that. There's a small repair to the jersey inside the inner structure of the band and then one of the fold along one side. Neither is seen once on. The top ties to close at the back.

Top
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: approx 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 12" from shoulder to hem

Pants
Waist: 12" at top of band and narrows to 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam of true waist
Band: 3.5" high on the boned hook closure side and the other side will widen to approx 9"
Hips: open
Length: 40" from true waist to hem
Inseam: 29"
Rise: 15" from true waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4182

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

This is the twin of the piece that walked the runway for the Fall 2000. I have, and have had, several Couture pieces from this collection now from the same client and she often ordered her pieces in a different colours from the runway but for this one she did stay true to the runway vision. The jacket is incredibly beautiful and so perfectly and sharply tailored. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

This car length evening jacket / coat is absolutely stunning. I am just in love with it. The length makes it so versatile and you can mix and match with almost anything in your wardrobe from jeans to evening pieces. It is made from a combination of a very high end black silk with that fabulous silk tulle ruffle at the front. The tailoring on this piece is immaculate. It slips on and has a hook at the top of the neck. There are shoulder pads for structure. The sleeves are long and I love how the shoulders are set into the body of the jacket so that they peak just slightly above the shoulder line. This is a very Karl signature that only got stronger as time went on. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. I took some closer shots of the seaming around the sides and arms of the jacket so that you can see how incredible it is. There is a hook and eye at the neck to close. I love the ruffle set at the front. It cascades down the front from the neck right to the hem. It is made of multiple layers of silk tulle so that it has volume. It is very full at the ruff of the neck and then gradually narrows down as it reaches towards the bottom hem. This adds unexpected detail and romance to the jacket. It is hand lined in a black silk and it is heaven to wear. This is a classic and exceptional piece of Chanel. The fact that it is true Haute Couture is just the icing on the cake. It is meticulously made to the highest standards. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Fully hand lined in a fine black silk and has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. It is completely made by hand

Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38 3/4" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4179

Reference Photo: Fall 2000 Chanel Haute Couture Runway, Look 34.

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

The twin of this set in a different colour walked the runway for the Fall 2000 show for Look 11. My client ordered hers in black and that simple colour change makes it incredibly timeless. The suit is beautiful and so chic. I also have Look 17 from the show in the shop that has a longer jacket from the same client. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love that this is a suit with a dress and jacket rather than a jacket and skirt. It makes it so versatile and you can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways. Both of the pieces are constructed from a find black wool that has a touch of texture. It is absolutely beautiful. The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the ham. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. I love the seaming detail at the neck to give it the feel that the fabric crosses over itself. It is hand lined in a rich black silk so feels like heaven on. The jacket slips over that and has slight shoulder pads for a touch of structure and the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. There is a simple hook and eye closure at the neck and two functional pockets on each side. It is hand lined in that same high end black silk and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled piece that goes from the neck right to the hem. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem and this adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. On the dress this same fringe detail circles around the hem. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a nice pretty and romantic touch. This is a stunning and timeless example of Chanel's Haute Couture work. It is meticulously made and it is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the dress and the jacket are hand lined in a fine black silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper that follows along an offset seam so that it looks to have no closure at all. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand

Jacket
Sleeve: 23.5"
Slightly inset shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem

Dress
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4177

Reference Photo: Fall 2000 Chanel Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 11

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

Haute Couture does not always have to be an elaborate, over the top piece. Sometimes the beauty of couture lies in the restraint of line and a certain chic  simplicity that hides the hours of handwork put into each piece. This dress is a numbered Haute Couture piece and would have been made by hand in the Paris atelier. The attention to detail shown in every stitch is fabulous. It is a gorgeous dress.

The dress is made from deep burgundy red silk crepe that is an exceptional high end quality and it is this choice of this very high end fabric that helps to give the dress its beautiful lines. The top is cut into a V at the front with slight gathers where it inserts into the shoulders. It is constructed to look like a separate top that floats over the skirt below but it is actually all one piece. Each sleeves is long and poufs out slightly above the fitted cuffs. I love how each cuff is pleated to pick up the pleat work on the skirt. The three silk covered buttons adorn each cuff and each one sits perfectly in the center of each of those pleats. This detail alone is fabulous. The skirt falls from under the edge of the top and it is attached to its own inner silk bodice. This is the proper way to attach a skirt in couture and this helps it to stay perfectly in place once it's on the body. The skirt is fantastic. Each individual pleat is perfectly matched to its neighbor with meticulous precision. When you stand still the dress falls straight and then when you move you get incredible movement and fullness because of the pleats. It is a brilliantly cut dress. Every stitch has been done by hand. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a matching red silk and closes with an inner handset back painted metal zipper and then closes with a second zipper on the outer bodice layer over that. The cuffs snap into place under three silk covered decorative buttons. The Haute Couture label is present with couture tape under the tag numbered 157888. Hand finished to couture standards throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 27"
Shoulders: no true defined seams
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55.5" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2913

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

My couture client had this stunning silk chiffon dress made for her and it was one of the last pieces she acquired from the house. It is an interesting thing in that it shows how the client can really direct and combine different runway elements to make a one of a kind dress like this one is. When we look at the runway from that season we can see that skirt is taken from one dress, the top from another, and the colour from a third. It's a dress that combines the runway looks 25 ,26 and 27. The experience of couture is really client driven and I love how this dress takes elements from the three Valentino's pieces, stays true to his vision for this season and yet is completely unique. We found video of the dress that shares the skirt design of this dress and I've included it so you can see how beautifully this will move once it's on the body. Being a custom piece that was made specifically for her also means that it truly a one-off-a-kind which makes much more special. It is an extraordinarily beautiful piece of Haute Couture. The workmanship is exquisite.

This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it will only truly come to life on an actual body. The bodice of the dress is fitted and nipped in at the waist. It is cut in a sweetheart neckline that softly curves at the top. The bodice is done in an extremely intricate manner. Panels of the silk chiffon are hand gathered and placed in soft pleats to form that complicated pattern that wraps around the entire bodice. Sitting at the top of each shoulder is a rounded soft cap sleeve done in the same pleating technique. This painstaking manner of pleating and gathering would have taken hours and hours to accomplish. It is of course all done by hand. There is a silk band around the waist and then the skirt flows out to the floor from there. The skirt is made from many yards of a beautiful bias silk chiffon. The inner skirt is made from four layers of the bias cut chiffon and then over that are two more layers of silk. At the front the top layers are cut to just under the hip and then they trail and curve down the sides to the back. If you look at the video we have included you can see how much movement this adds to the dress. The fabric is feather light and the fact that is is made from six layers of silk chiffon allows it to catch the slightest bit of air and float around you. It is incredible. The interior of the dress is made to couture standards with a full built in cupped corset that is boned and shaped to the waist. I am obsessed with the soft degrade ombre effect that dress has because of how the silk gradually changes from a soft deeper green at the top to the palest green near the bottom. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is an amazing example of original Valentino Haute Couture. Excellent condition. 

The interior bodice is boned and corseted. The skirt has six layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with a zipper and then the dress zips to close over that. The top silk layer of the skirt snaps to close over. Two inner waist stays that hook to close. Finished with Haute Couture construction techniques throughout. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to bottom of waist seam
Skirt: 45" from bottom of waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4156

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2005 Valentino Haute Couture Runway, Look 27, 26 & 25.

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

This is a stunning set whose twin walked the runway that season. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. Vogue noted that "The reinvention of the iconic Chanel suit began with fluted knee-length coats, worn, with ropes of glistening pearls at the neckline" and closed by stating that "This was a triumphant collection for Lagerfeld, as realistically wearable as it was dreamily desirable." I love that we found both runway photos and some video footage for you to see how dynamic this is on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love how diverse and different this set feels depending on whether you wear the pieces together or separately. The set is made up of two pieces. A gorgeous to-the-knee coat with a chic little dress underneath that. Both of the pieces are constructed from a surprisingly light weight deep blue boucle. This fabric was actually a centerpiece of the show and a new step forward in the way they made their tweeds.  Karl wanted them to feel almost weightless and easy to wear once on the body. The dress mixes that with a silk chiffon bodice to carry on the feeling he strove for with these pieces. “Fragility,” he said. “Everything is almost weightless.” The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shape that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of the same deep blue tweed as the jacket and then the top is attached to that and is made out of a deep blue silk chiffon. The top is all about delicacy. It is made of two layers of the silk. Each sleeve is long and ends in a neat little buttoned cuff. Both the front and the back are detailed with flat knife pleats. I love how the front of the skirt dips up into the top and at the back it dips down. This little shaping detail just make it lie even better on the body. The workmanship is stunning. The coat slips on over that and has light shoulder pads for a touch of structure. The sleeves are long. It has no closures except for a hook and eye at the neck. This allows it to flare out around you and gives it a softness as you move. The jacket is incredibly detailed. It has four top set pockets on the front and each has a row of glass beads along the upper edge. The same glass beads circle the hem of each cuff and go around the collar. The glass beads cleverly act as a weight for the coat so that it always falls perfectly once on the body. I love the low scoop of the front neckline and the ribbons that sit at the base of the neck. You can just let them hang loosely or tie them. Ribbons also sit on the edge of each sleeve and again you can leave them loose or have them tied into a pretty bow for a more formal feel. The jacket and the skirt of the dress are lined in a high-quality black silk. This Chanel set is exceptional and is true Haute Couture. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the skirt of the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine black silk. The top is made from two layers of silk chiffon. The dress closes with a series of silk covered buttons at the back and each cuff has two silk covered buttons and loops. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck and at each cuff. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Extremely faint spot on the front bodice. Slight pilling here and there on the jacket but I am being picky.

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem

Dress
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4147

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2003 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 3.

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

Other then the colour this is the twin of the set that walked the runway for the Fall 2000 as Look 17. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. I also have Look 11 from the show in the shop now that has a longer jacket from the same client. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love that this set has both the light car length coat and a chic inner dress. It makes it so versatile and you can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways. Both of the pieces are constructed from a stunning deep coral pink and moss green version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. From a distance it combines to give a more rust coloured feel but as you get closer you see the two distinctive colours. It is absolutely beautiful. It is then edged with a fringe made of the two wools. On the jacket this fringing follows all of the edges of the coat and then also circles each cuff. On the dress it circles around the hem. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a nice pretty and romantic touch. The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the ham. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. It is hand lined in a rich deep green silk. The jacket slips over that and has shoulder pads for a structure and  the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. It has no closure except for a hook and eye at the neck. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled piece that goes from the neck right to the hem. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem. This adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. The jacket is lined in that same extremely high-quality green silk and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. This is a classic Chanel set that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture is just the icing on the cake. It is meticulously made to the highest standards. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine deep green silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem

Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4142

Reference Photos: Fall 2000 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 17. Model: Tetyana Brazhnyk.

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 starting to work through a collection of couture pieces that I am handling at the moment for my client and all she could recall for this piece was this it was her mothers and that it was from the 1990s. I have not yet found a photo reference for this one but when I do I will add it and send to the new owner. The set is incredibly beautiful on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful example and historically important example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

The ability that this set has to transform once on the body is fabulous. With the jacket on the set has that classic Chanel suit feel and it feels very elegant and reserved. But once you take the jacket off it takes on more of the feel of a more sensual evening piece. The dress has that easy dropped feel of the twenties that Karl so often touched upon in reference to Coco's initial designs for the house. Both pieces are made from a deep blue silk organza. This fabric allows it to keep the shape that he intended while still keeping both pieces extremely light in weight. The dress is dropped from the shoulder from wide straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The bodice is easy fitting and cut to skim over you with a shallow V at the front. It is hand pieced together in a pattern of panels that are meticulously sewn together. The waist is dropped and then from under that the pleated skirt flows out to the floor with incredible movement. The combination of this fabric choice with the pleats gives the skirt incredible movement. The pleats open and flare outward as they reach the hem and this allows the skirt to swing out around you. Two layers of silk tulle are built-in underneath the skirt to add to and create the volume that you see. The lightness of the fabric and the pleats combine to make the skirt move at your slightest movement. I think it's incredible to see this on and moving. The jacket sits over top of this and it has a soft and simple cut. The neckline is cut wide across to follow the neckline of the dress underneath. The collar is wide and notched for that bit of a 20s feel to the design. The sleeves are long and each has a notch that runs up the inside seam. It hooks and snaps to close down the front. It does have structure but it's meant to look soft on the body. There are small shoulder pads in each shoulder but they are soft and light. There is a signature Chanel chain at the base of the jacket so that it hangs perfectly. All of the work is meticulously done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is an incredible piece of Chanel couture. It's very beautiful and even better in person. Great condition with a note below

The jacket is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with hidden snaps and hook and eye at the front. A signature Chanel chain runs around the inside hem. The dress is lined in the same silk organza through the bodice and then the skirt has two layers of silk tulle. One layer is black and the other is a matching blue. The dress closes with a zipper and then there is a separate set of snaps to close on each of the three layers of the skirt. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Some of the edges of the seams have slightly faded. Mainly on the jacket and bodice of the dress. It gives it a kind of degrade look. It almost feels intentional because it's so even everywhere but I can't say for sure that it is. Please see the shots after the label shots and on the general shots as well. Some of the pleats have softened slightly in the skirt. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture number and tape

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem

Dress
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to slightly dropped waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4139

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 beautiful Yves Saint Laurent top is a true piece of Haute Couture amd comes directly from the original owner. It is a remarkable example of his work during this time period. I am hoping to find it exact date and then can also find the sketch of it which I will share with its new owner.

The workmanship on this top is absolutely exquisite. The top is entirely hand made and it is a work of art. It is made from a fine black silk velvet that is layered over a black silk chiffon inner base. The level of workmanship is extraordinary. The velvet is cut and embroidered to form an intricate floral and leaf pattern. Where it is open between the flowers and leafs you get that bit of transparent black with the silk chiffon. So it gives the illusion that you can see the bare body underneath while still completely covering you. It is an effect that is very sexy once on an actual body. Seeing it on the dress form just gives you a hint of it. The workmanship is extensive and the time it would have taken to create this piece is extraordinary since it would have all been pieced together by hand. The cut is kept simple so that the pattern takes center stage. The neck is scooped and the shoulders have light padding. I took a photo of one so you can see how even the shoulder pads are made by hand. The waist is brought in a touch but it really is meant to just skim over the body.  It is an absolute work of art and a stunning example of Haute Couture during this time period. Excellent condition

Backed in a black silk chiffon and closes down the back with a hand set zipper and then it snaps over that. The snaps are set to follow the pattern so that there is no closure shows at all. Entirely made by hand. Hand made light padding in each shoulder. Haute couture tag and numbered tape present.

Shoulders: 15.5"
Sleeves: 22
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S979

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

In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. I was very pleased to be able to fully document this dress with its photo on the runway and we even found one that shows the twin of this dress just behind Oscar for the finale of the show.

Like most Haute Couture, this is a dress that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. You can see in the runway shots that the dress sits lower on the sides of shoulders then where it sits on the dress form and this simple difference changes the look of it tremendously. The fabric is a fine silk in a pale baby blue that gives it the weight it needs to perfectly hold and to shape you through the bodice. The dress is sleeveless with wide straps that curve up and off the shoulder. It is fitted to be like a corset with built in boning and seaming to shape you. The neckline is scooped at the front and dips into a V at the back. There are attached underskirts to hold the volume of the skirt and if you wanted even more there is room to add a crinoline. The bodice is shaped with long vertical seaming that curves into the dipped waist seam. At the back it closes with a corset detailing and matching coloured ties. The skirt is set along the waist seam in a series of big soft inverted pleats that give you this lovely curve around the top of the hips. Then as they open out the volume of the skirt is achieved to give it the incredible volume that you see. Each layer of the fabric is light but when all the layers, and the sheer volume of fabric that has been used, is combined the overall weight of the dress is substantial and it feels like a couture piece. You can see how stupendous this is one in the runway photos and the massive sweep that the skirt has. This comes to me from one of his the original couture clients. This dress is definitely a dress that could walk a carpet and it would also make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully hand lined in a pale blue silk through the bodice. The skirt has an inner silk lining and then two layer of tulle over that and a partial layer around the inner hips. Hidden boning and corseting through the bodice. It closes with a hidden inner zipper, a half zipper at the exterior waist and then laces to close over that. A waist stay inside that hooks to close and a second hooked stay above that this sits just under the bust. Hand finished through out to Haute Couture standards. Proper couture tag present Couture tape #172438. I see some teeny marks on the grommets which would be a natural part of normal use. One yellowish mark near the seam above the hem. A couple of very faint marks here and there near the hem. A small lightened spot on the front edge of the center fold. All of which you only see if you lay it out flat and look for them. Perhaps a slight darkening under the arms but it very faint and only in very bright light. Please see the photos after the label shot

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to side waist
Skirt: 44" from side waist to hem with 3.5" turned under the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4136

Reference Photos: Spring 1994 Pierre Balmain Haute Couture Runway.

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 from the Fall 1990 collection and came to me directly from the original couture client. In the book Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk they said this of this collection; 'Yves Saint Laurent allowed himself to be truly audacious for this presentation of 137 designs. The Baroque style was evident in outfits were the a fairy tales.' Elle magazine summarized Saint Laurent's work as 'insouciance elevated to the rank of fine art.' .... and of the colours that he chose for the collection the New York Times noted that 'He works with a painter's eye, and the results are always satisfying, never soporific.' They also said that 'Lace is a cornerstone of evening dressing. Sometimes it is thick velvety guipure lace, sometimes spidery Chantilly. It never looks matronly.' This was one of the final dresses of the show and a beautiful example of all of those comments by the press. I am also very happy to have found the runway photo. With 137 looks shown finding this exact one from the handful of shots that are out there of the collection is almost miraculous. In addition to tall of that I have included a snap of the original sketch and fabric swatches from the boxed book set "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002". The dress has so much structure and form to it but once on the body it sits just perfectly and transforms into something magical.  It is an exceptional and well documented example of Laurent's Haute Couture work that he was doing during this time period.

A silk taffeta in a jeweled toned fuchsia sweeps across the top of the bodice and then extends down to form each sleeve. The fabric is gathered and ruched down the length of each arm. The shoulders are left bare to balance out the volume underneath and have that expanse of skin for a touch of sensuality. Under the fucshia is a wide band of a  slightly metallic copper silk that goes from the top of the bust the the slightly dropped waist. The silk has been gathered along each side to create soft pleats that wrap around you. The skirt comes out from under that in a series of soft gathers that open up to allow it to be quite wide by the time it reaches the hem. The underskirt is made from a pale purple silk and that is covered in a top layer of French black lace. The lace is hand made and has a stunning floral design set within medallions. These are repeated throughout the lace to create the beautiful pattern that you see. I love that the bottom edge of the lace follows the curving shape of the design that is in the lace. To finish Yves wrapped a wide green silk ribbon around the waist. This unusual colour choice is spectacular when you see it all together and on the body. This is a spectacular example of his work and a piece you would only ever normally see in a museum. Excellent condition 

Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk. There is a built in silk covered elastic that is attached and wired right between the breast for a slight bit of support and then that wraps around you and hooks to close. It closes with a side set zipper and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. There is a series of snaps above the zipper that run under the arm seam. Each sleeve zips to close at the wrist. The exterior layer of the skirt closes with its own a hand set side zipper. The silk ribbon belt is tacked into place on either side of the waist. On the interior of the skirt at the inner waist the fabric has been folded down and it looks like it would be possible to lengthen the skirt from there by just about 4". It looks to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 20" from where they start off the shoulder 
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to slightly dropped seam at the waist
Skirt: 38" from the slightly dropped seam at the waist to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3598

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Collection.  /  (2-3) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002"

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

There are hints of this dress from both the 1986 collection and in the 1988 collection. The original owner did buy it in the 1980s but I do not have the exact day. I tend to lean towards the earlier date for it but I have included reference photos from both the above mentioned collections. It is a stunning example of Valentino's work during this time period.

The dress is beautiful to see in person. It flows over the body from the more fitted bodice and the lightness of the silk allows it to move and float around you when you move. The bodice is a stunning example in shaping and couture techniques. Inside it is boned and has built in cups. This interior structure holds it perfectly in place over the body once on. On the exterior the silk is hand set and gathered over the bust and all the way around you. Each individual gather is meticulously hand stitched into place. Above this more structured part of the dress is a single layer of the chiffon. At the front it scoops in a higher set neck and at the back it is set with a keyhole running down to the top of the gathered bodice. The skirt flows out under that in four layers of the silk and each layer is bias cut. This is what allows it to have such beautiful movement when you move. The final touch are those pretty sleeves that are cuffed at the wrist and pouf out around the arm above that. It also has its original very large silk shawl piece. It is beautiful. The dress does have some flaws but is structurally sound. Please review the notes below.

The interior bodice is finished is boned and corseted. The skirt has four layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with hook and eye and the silk layer zips to close over. Each cuff buttons with two silk covered buttons and loops. Three buttons at the top of the back neck. There are areas of fading through the skirt that go through the layers. I have photoed the worst of them. There are some faint areas of the same on the silk above the corset and on the sleeves. I see one tiny repair near the hem at the back of the skirt. It comes. I think you could potentially remove the sleeves and upper bodice and use the shawl to create a layer over the worst of the fading or just have it redyed and it would be perfect again. Sold as found and final and the price is according to the description above

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16.5" from top of neck to interior waist stay
Skirt: 45" from interior waist stay to hem
Shawl: 54" x 52"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3018

Reference Photos: (1) From the book "A Grand Italian Epic, Valentino", 1988/1989 collection  /  (2-3) The "Degradè" Dress from the Valentino Haute Couture 1986 collection. (4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon taken on location at JohnMel Stables 

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

At the age of 31, Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier, making him the youngest of the 20 official couturiers at the time. That was in 1997 and he remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture business altogether. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation and it is the actual runway sample that was worn on the runway. It was Look 7 In the presentation that day. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. In addition this dress was lent and worn by Alexandra Daddario and we have induded those shots here as well so you can see just how fabulous this is on an actual body. This also adds to its provenance and I love that,

Having the actual Haute Couture runway sample is just that much more amazing even in the land of Couture. Having the sample means that the dress is still completely made by hand to Couture standards but has the added touch of all those last minute adjustments that would have been done  by Stephane and the atelier to perfectly fit the model to walk the runway that day. This is an amazing opportunity to see what few see; a dress straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway. The dress is covered with various sized panels of a red silk gazaar. These have been hand set to overlap as they cascade down the length of the dress. The panel size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. By layering the panels the dress has a sense of depth and texture then even the photos can truly convey. It also adds a subtle movement when you move. Each panel is secured to the base fabric just along its edges so that there is a movement and lightness created when it is on and you move about. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak there. The inner part of the dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a long flash of leg at the front. The rest of the dress flows back and around you from there. At the back the train is long and dramatic. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with one small note to review below.

Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. There is some deepening of the colour/ marks on some of the squares of silk that make up the train and some minor grubbiness from being worn for the runway and then stored. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Nothing that detracts once the dress is on. It is closest to a true zero

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner dress length: 26" from top of bodice to hem NOT including panels that go over the edge of the dress a bit above and blow the actual inner structure
Length including train to the very longest point:  Approx 92" from top of bodice to final tip of the train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3054

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.  /  (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.

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

Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launches his own Haute Couture label in 1957 as a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne.  He became known for his color sense and the young, sexy look of his clothes. In 1985 he won the Haute Couture Golden Thimble award and two years later he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur. His second Golden Thimble was given posthumously after his death in 1989. Michel Klein took over the couture division where he remained until 1996. This dress is from Klein's tenure as the Haute Couture director and label and it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing during his tenure there. Laroche once was quoted as saying “It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.” and I feel that this dress tries to live up to that thought while still maintaining the feel of couture during this mid-nineties.

This is the type of piece that is so bold and edgy that you will only ever find it in a Haute Couture piece. I feel like whoever ordered this one had it tweaked slightly from the runway presentation and made it better. The bodice is scooped across on a more graceful line (I don't love how it fits Kirsty Hume who is the model in the photo) and the back skirt feels longer. They also eliminated the bow at the front, opting instead for a single long panel falling at the back that matches the colour and fabric of the skirt. These small details add up to a big difference in how it presents. I also feel that the fit overall is far better then how it appears on the runway. It makes me wonder if there was a last minute substitution of the model for this piece, because in person the dress that I have here is a far better cut and fit overall then how it looks like in the runway shot. The dress is a mini dress that has an attached long panel on the skirt that wraps part way around you to leave the full front open under the mini skirt. The bodice is scooped wide and low at the front and made from a pale taupe silk. It extends down past the waist so a very short mini skirt that has a slight flare to it as it reaches the hem. The long skirt wraps around and is attached at the side of the waist. It is a soft olive toned green and done on that same rich heavy silk that has a slight satin finish. It falls to the floor in a long smooth drape of fabric. A wide silk cummerbund wraps around the waist to give shape. This narrows down at one end and hooks into place under a long swooping gold brooch which I believe is gold plated. The cummerbund has a long panel attached at the back and I have left it hanging as an extra panel. You could probably be clever and wrap /tie it to create a bow effect if you wished to emulate the runway photo more. The darkness of the sash around the waist is then picked up by the spectacular sleeves. Each is made out of a deep blue-black silk chiffon and are cut extra long. They are also cut wide and full to fall at an angle at the end of each sleeve. This bit of softness and transparency the sleeves have contrast sharply to the rich silk the rest of the dress is made from. It is a very unusual dress and shows the experimental side of couture. This is one of those dresses that when the right person wears it, it is going to blow people away. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in hand set silk that matches the colour of the exterior silk that is being lined. The sleeves are unlined. The dress closes with a hand set hidden back zipper and then there is another zipper that closes the inner mini skirt. The sash at the waist wraps and hooks into place. The brooch is detachable and shows sight patina on the gold. Proper couture label present. The dress is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner silk of the long skirt is scuffed near the hem and I see slight grubbiness along the hem on parts. Please see the shot after the label photo.

Sleeves: 34" to the longest point
Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Mini dress length: 31" from top of shoulder to hem
Full Length: 60" from shoulder to longest point of the hem
Waist sash: 26.5" in length to where the hooks presently sit with an extension past that that wraps and hooks into place

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4012

Reference Photo: Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Runway Collection on Kirsty Hume.

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

The twin of this set walked the the Fall 1984 Haute Couture runway and was worn by supermodel Kirat Young. It was also photoed that season for what I believe was an editorial shoot. I have included those reference photo here for you so that you can see how amazing it is on the body. Emanuel Ungaro launched his label in 1965 after working for both Balenciaga and Courrreges. He was a brilliant designer who was known for his of extravagant fabrics and flamboyance. His Haute Couture pieces are not easy to find and this set is stunning and even better in person 

I always love a set because of the versatility you get with one. You can wear these together as shown or wear the dress on its own and mix the jacket in with pieces you already have. The dress is particularly amazing. It is cut in that signature Ungaro silhouette for this time period. He made these dresses to hug and highlight every curve of your body. The dress is made out of a silver silk velvet that has a metallic silver and gold foil worked through the fabric. This gives allows it to catch the light from every angle but it feels subtle and not garish. The fabric is hand draped and stitched to give it an incredible soft pleated texture. The bodice has a highly modified sweetheart shape with one side set at a high peak and the other in a soft curve. The gathers are shaped to follow the line of the bust and emphasize the breasts. On the side that it zippers to close on there is a strip of hand applied beads and sequins that run down the full length of the dress for extra detailing. The jacket is made from an ivory lace that is hand applied over an ivory silk. Onto the top lace layer is a mix of embroidery work, little silk appliqué pieces, rhinestones and faux pearls. The shoulders are padded and the top of the sleeve is gathered around the shoulder so you have fullness there. They narrow from there to the wrist. The waist is brought in and shaped with vertical seaming and the hips flare out dramatically. There are no closures on the jacket, it is meant to just slip on and sit over the dress. It is finished with a dramatic Ostrich and silver foil feather border that that wraps around the neck, down the front and all the way around the hem. Both pieces are completely made by hand and the proper Haute Couture numbered tape is present. It’s gorgeous. Excellent condition

The dress is hand lined in a ivory silk and closes with a hand set side zipper. The bodice is boned. Interior waist stay hooks to close. The jacket has no closures. Padding in each shoulder. I see minor marks on the interior lining of the dress and perhaps a slight grubbiness to the inner arms of the jacket. Please see the last photo after the label shot.

Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Slightly extended shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: approx 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: approx 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem, including the feathers

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3367

Reference Photo: (1) Fall 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture. (via @only_french_couture).  /  (2-6) Fall 1984 Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture Runway Show. Model: Kirat Young.

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

Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This one is exceptional

I have dated this dress based on information from my client and on a variation of this dress held in the collection of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. I have included a reference photo of that dress and you can see the similarity in cut and fabric. The collection notes on the museum held dress even mention a matching cape. This 1970s period is about the time period where she turned her attention from using primarily jerseys to incorporating more taffeta and silks into her work. That and the fact that the Museum dress also has a matching cape feels too coincidental for it not to be from that same collection. It is also interesting to note that the Museum held dress has been exhibited twice. Once for the "New Look to Now", at de Young Museum, 1989-91; and it was lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for "Mme. Gres" in 1994. 

Both pieces are made from a fine silk taffeta dyed to a deep green colour. This fabric choice keeps the weight of the dress down despite its volume and the fabric also holds the intended shape beautifully. The bodice has no sleeves and is cut so that the shoulders slightly extend off the shoulder with this subtle little curved line. The bodice skims over the body in a long column to the dropped seam at the top of the hip. There is actually an inner skirt under the full top skirt that falls right to the floor with a high side slit up one side that allows you to be able to walk in it. This also gives a very unexpected flash of leg when you move or sit in the dress. The top skirt is pure drama. It is cut on a curve that comes up at the front and then swoops down to the floor and falls behind you at the back for a slight trained feel. That curving line is almost sculptural and gives the dress a different feel from every angle that you see it from. The outer skirt is set to fall away from the body with lots of volume and shape but the fabric is so light that you also get movement and a floating feel when you move. This was achieved by gathering the taffeta into soft pleats all along the curved seam there. Underneath the skirt there is a second shorter ruffled peplum layer that supports the fabric and holds the shape. Over this is a matching silk taffeta cape that is almost monastic in its simple lines. It simply hooks into place at the neck with one tiny hook and then falls beautifully over the shoulders. The cape flows and extends down the back mimicking the curved line of the skirt. At the front it hits right where the skirt begins and this is a clever way to extend the eye downwards. It is cut so that it falls in soft rounded folds that pick up the soft pleats of the skirt below it and ties everything together beautifully.  It is magnificent. Both pieces are completely made by hand. The proper Madame Gres Haute Couture label is present. This is an exceptional gown. I love it. This is a rare opportunity to own an original Haute Couture Madame Gres. It is an extraordinary thing to see in real life. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Both pieces are unlined with hand done couture seams throughout. The dress closes with a off-set back zipper that is camouflaged along a vertical seam. It then closes along the top of one shoulder with a series of hooks and snaps. The cape has one single hook & eye to close. Inner peplum that supports the skirt as described above. I see some very tiny marks on the bodice. Please see the photos after the label shot. There is a very faint perfume smell on the dress from a fitting for a potential award show. I did not want to clean it again as its extremely faint and not an issue. The dress should fit a range of sizes since it is not meant to be very fitted.

Dress
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at dropped seam: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 23" from neck to dropped seam where over skirt begins
Inner skirt: 37" from dropped seam where over skirt begins to hem
Total Length: 60" from neck to hem of inner dress, 67" to longest point of the back of the trained top skirt 
Slit: 20" from the hem up

Cape: will fit any size and falls to 30" a its longest point at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3227

Reference Photos: 1977 Madame Gres Dress from the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.  /  Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

This garment has been professionally steamed and sold in, clean, as found condition. 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. He designed many piece for the Queen of Belgium and like Ady, he had permission from several of the Haute Couture ateliers to produce their Haute Couture pieces using the patterns and buying the fabric directly from them. I have some new information that he might have sold actual couture pieces through his salon as well. I was not able to find any exact references for this one. It does bear a striking similarity to the 1977 Valentino couture collection pieces and I have included some if those iconic photographs here. Most likely this would have been one of Mies own couture designs. It is absolutely unbelievable 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 have been done by hand and it has all those lovely details that you expect in a couture level garment. It is made out of a fine black silk taffeta and then parts of the design are edged in a beautiful black Chantilly lace. These fabric choices help it to hold its intended shape and give it the lovely volume that you see. The dress has weight to it but it is not overwhelming once on the body. There are so many yards of fabric used in the construction of this gown that it is mind boggling. The neckline is cut wide across so that it sits off the shoulder. This leaves that bare expanse of skin showing that balances the volume of the dress below. It top is very elaborate. There is a six inch cape feeling ruffle that wraps all the way around your shoulders. This was then edged with a 3.5" band of that stunning handmade black lace. Under that the sleeves are set to peek out to give the illusion of a double cape detail but they are actually true sleeves. They are cut very wide and full and each is also edged in the lace to give the bodice a tiered effect on each side. The actual bodice skims loosely over you and there is a black velvet bow at the centre of the neckline. The waist comes in for shape and I added a grosgrain ribbon to pick up on the bow at the neck and define the waist more. The skirt is a masterpiece. It curves out from the waist and falls to the floor where it widens out even more as it nears the hem. It is made up of three full layers. Inside the skirt is a full built in black silk under-skirt that has wide bands of stiffened netting at the hem and part way up the skirt to help hold the volume. Little ruffles run along the seams of this lining where it is pieced together despite the fact that no one would ever see them. The next layer is an exterior one and it is also made of the black silk taffeta. It has two ruffled tiers at the hem, each of which is edged with the black lace. Where the tiers start near the bottom there is another built in band of netting inside to hold the volume on this layer as well. Then the top taffeta layer falls over those two layers. It is cut to end just above top tier of the middle layer. It curves up at the front to meet the seam at the waist and the lines this creates are gorgeous. The final result of all these tiers and layers is incredibly beautiful. The hours of work that it would have taken to implement the detailing on this dress is mind boggling. The dress is made to couture standards with all the inner seams finished by hand. I have included a shot of one 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 with one note below

Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk and constructed as described above. There is a built in black silk taffeta inner skirt. It closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. The inside is all hand done and it is finished to couture standards. There is a couple small repairs / tiny holes on the ruffle on the neckline. There is so much fabric they get lost in the folds. Please see the final shot after the label. It otherwise looks unworn 

Bust: to 19.5" 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 natural shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3882

Reference photos: Valentino campaign 1977 shot by Deborah Turbeville

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 woman behind the Maggy Rouff label was Maggy Besançon de Wagner and she started her label in 1928 after working at the Drecoll Haute Couture atelier. After only one season in business the Maggy Rouf label became an official member of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris. The label continued to produce Haute Couture until 1965. Maggy developed a staunch following for her work and for her gowns in particular. One of the hallmarks of her designs was that each piece had a main focal point. Like the stunning back panel on this dress for example. Draping techniques, as we see around the hip area on this dress, where also a signature element of her work. This is a stunning dress and her Haute Couture examples are rare and becoming increasingly valuable. 

This dress has all the hallmarks of Haute Couture that you want from this era. It is entirely made by hand and the fabrics that were chosen to make it are exceptionally beautiful. Two different fabrics have been combined to make the dress that you see here. The main body of the dress is made from a rich, luxurious silk brocade made from a gold metallic thread woven through on a purple silk. This gives the dress an exotic, royal feel, and the fabric seems to glow from within as it catches the light from every angle. The thread is woven into the silk and not just applied onto it as a print. This gives it a slightly raised texture to it that is beautiful to touch and feel. Maggy chose a fine matte silk satin in a brilliant purple hue to use for the straps that curve up and over each shoulder and for that incredible inset panel at the back. The dress is cut to skim over you and curve in at the waist for shape. It is cut straight across at the neckline and has a panel in a contrasting pattern that is draped across the bust. The waist is curved in and there is a hand draped gathering that runs softly across the front at the hips. This balances out the panel at the bust and helps to highlight and show your curves in that perfect Hollywood starlet feel of this time period. The back is jaw dropping. The straps curve down to a low set back to leave lots of bare skin exposed. It is gathered in at the back waist to create shape. Inset at the low back is a sweeping train of the purple silk satin. This cascades to the floor ad opens and widens out as it nears the hem to create a trained back skirt. At the small of the back a flat bow in the same purple silk is the perfect finishing touch. Inside the dress there is a fully boned and structured bodice along with a waist stay to hold the dress perfectly in place. This dress is an incredible piece of mid-century Haute Couture. Excellent condition.

The inner bodice is boned and set into the inner purple silk lining. This inner bodice layer closes with its own series of snaps and hooks that run down and behind a painted metal zipper that closes the outermost layer of the dress. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The back train is lined in a stiffened netting to help hold the shape and the hem is finished in dressmakers tape. Inner silk lining. The dress is completely made by hand to the Haute Couture standards of the period and is done with remarkable construction technique. There is one tiny area on the inner lining's hem that has a touch of fading, that of course this is not something you would ever see when on. Perhaps the tiniest bit of grubbiness to the trains hem but I am being extremely picky.  Otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, the train extends another 10" ato its longest point at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3851

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

This is an incredible and rare piece of Dior's history in the fur market. During this time period there were select furriers that had permission to make the Haute Couture pieces and the maker of this coat, Canton Furs in Lausanne was one of those. This coat was made in 1984 and this time period was known as the 'Golden Age' for the Dior fur division. Frederic Castet was appointed the head of the division after joining Dior in 1953. He single handedly restructured the fourrure department to follow the haute couture and the prêt-à-porter philosophy of the house in 1968. He was one of the first to treat fur like fabric and would dye it, trim it, pluck it and create whimsical fantasy pieces that had never been see prior. By the 1980s he was doing extravagant presentations that only showcased his furs. These were held on the second floor of the Dior mansion on Avenue Montaigne. They were as wanted a ticket as the couture shows were and they were legendary in terms of the extravagant spectacles that he would put on to showcase his work. His work was worn by all the major stars from Sophia Loren to Elizabeth Taylor.

This coat was originally purchased for the sum of CHF 120’000, on 11.10.1984. That was about $93,000 USD at the time. I have a digital copy of the original insurance value paper done for the coat that is dated to december 13th 1984 that states its insurance value at FR. 200,000. If you want to talk modern dollars that is well over an astonishing $248,000USD. The insurance papers along with the information given to me by the family also gives us an amazing amount of detail on the coat. It is the Haute Couture model nr. 3007 that was named 'Dynastie'. The sable pelts that is is made out of are some of the rarest on the planet. It is made of a Russian sable, 87 Bargouzine quality skin, ’sauvage pointée’, color grade 3 with a matching belt. We found a very similar model that was photoed for the cover of L'Officiel that year. It is of special interest that during Gianfranco Ferre's tenure at the house he used these same sleeves as inspiration for a sable piece that he post on the runway for the Fall 1994 Haute Couture presentation. I have included both these reference photos for you here. 

The coat is in exceptional condition and appears to have been worn very little if at all. The style is very much like a men’s evening smoking jacket with how it wraps to close at the front. I love that feeling of the masculine contesting with the feminine in this piece. I have done a video for this piece that you can watch to get a really great idea of its suppleness and how it moves. It also shows more of the details on the coat. The sleeves are especially of interest. They are cut exceptionally wide and full and the pelts have been set horizontally to contrast against the vertical pelts on the body of the jacket. At their cuffs they are a full 24" around. Everything about the coat is exquisite and exceptionally made to the very last detail. Even the belt has a special hook that allows you to keep it perfectly in place once it is tied at the front. And if you want to wear the jacket without the belt tied you can hook the belt at the back as I’ve shown in the video so you never have to worry about losing it. For those of you that collect and wear vintage furs this is one of the most exceptional pieces you will ever come across and and it is set at an extraordinary price given its original value. It is truly a one-of-a-kind find. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a brown silk with a second lining floating over that. It hooks to close at the front with fur hooks and the belt has it own hook as shown in the video. Silk lined pockets on each hip. The fir is exceptionally soft and supple. Because of the the tie front it should work on a variety of sizes. 

Sleeves: approx 24"
Shoulders: soft with no defined seams
Bust: to 22-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open and adjustable when tied
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C593

Reference Photos: (1) Original Purchase Insurance Papers.  /  (2) Model in Christian Dior, Officiel de la fourrure, 1984.  /  (3) Fall 1994-95 Dior Haute Couture Runway.

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 is one the last of this batch of amazing pieces from my client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This one, like several others already in the shop, was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns, and then with permission from the ateliers, would make copies of the pieces presented in the Haute Couture collections from those ateliers  When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would travel to attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses and built up strong relationships with them. My client believes that negotiating the arrangement to make things at her own atelier was a way to work around customs and that is what prompted Ady to negotiate this unusual arrangement with the various couture houses. In my hunt for more information I have been able to verify that they made permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the houses I am confident on. Both the skirt and jacket in this set have been completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. I am sure that this one is based off of a YSL suit as it has all the hallmarks of his work during this time period.

I love this more formal full length skirt and the fact that you can mix and match the pieces of this suit with other things already in your closet. The jacket is tailored with strong shaped and padded shoulders. It is box cut through the body and meant to be slightly over-sized in the way it sits through the shoulders. It has a belt that came with it and that is used to cinch in the waist and create shape. The collar is angled and strong. Large red buttons with a stripe of gold metal run down the front. More of these same buttons run down each cuff and all of the buttonholes on the sleeves are functional. Pockets are top set on the hips and a third pocket sits on the breast of the jacket. The color is a strong bright red and the fabric is ribbed which gives it a wonderful texture. The skirt is cut in a long column of a fine black wool that falls to the floor. There is a black, flat braided detailing that runs down each side to give the suit a subtle nod to a tuxedo. High slits run up each side of the leg so when you walk or sit you get a glimpse of leg. It is very striking and strong silhouette. And it is completely made to Haute Couture standards. Excellent condition with a small note below.

The skirt is hand lined in a black silk and the jacket is hand lined in a red silk. The jacket buttons to close down the front. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Hand made padding in each shoulder. Couture finished inner seaming. I see a faint spot near the pocket of the jacket and the fabric behind the belt at the front shows faint rubbing. Please see the photos after the label shot. The skirt appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Padded shoulders: 18"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem
Slits: 19.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3721

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

I have several interesting pieces that have come in from a client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This dress was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. Ady Couture was based out of Lausanne Switzerland. She would buy couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and with their permission would make copies of the piece presented in the Haute Couture collections. When she was younger, and lived in Amsterdam, Ady would attend the private viewing and purchase directly from the couture houses. My client believes that her arrangement with the ateliers was a way to work around customs and this was the work around that that Ady negotiated with the ateliers. In my hunt for more information on the label I have been able to verify that they made this permissible copies of the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but this are the four houses I am confident on. I feel that this particular dress has a more Yves Saint Laurent or Ungaro feel to it and I am still actively searching to find its counterpart. The dresses are completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and are incredible to see.

The dress is made from a silk taffeta and this fabric choice allows it to hold those extravagant lines that you see. It is absolutely beautiful and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. The colour of the silk is extraordinary. I have managed to almost capture it in these photos but in person it is even richer feeling then what you see here. At the front the neckline is set in a simple high scoop. The bodice is cut to skim over your curves and is simple in cut to let the other details shine. The sleeves are a work of art. Each is made on a curve to follow the shape of the arm. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a beautiful sense of volume there. They then taper down to the cuffs where they zip to close around the wrist. The waist is seamed and the skirt is set around the waist in a series of soft gathers that sit out from the waist slightly. This gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is and is quite genius. The skirt is one of the best skirts I have seen both from a design point of view and by its level of construction. It is made into two sections. The top section comes out from the soft gathered pleats all around the waist and then it balloons out all around you in a full pouf. It is seamed underneath to catch the fabric back inwards and then the second part of the skirt falls to the floor. That second tier has many yards of silk in it so that it flares out as it reached the hem. Between the two sections is a wide velvet ribbon that wraps around the seam and then you tie it into a bow at the side. What is truly incredible is that all the volume and shape that you see is created purely through the way it is cut and the fabric choice. The skirt does not have extensive underskirts to shape it. The silk of the skirts are interlined in a silk organza to help give it more weight but it is really the genius of the cut that gives it the intended shape. The final perfect detail is the elaborate detailing that runs across the front and back of the bodice and over the sleeves. All of the work is by hand. The intricate floral design has been created by combining embroidery work with tiny black sequins and beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen and I love how they have deliberately laid the sequins out so that you get a more matte feel for parts of the design. Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam is hand finished. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absoluteyly beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully interlined with a slightly gold tinged silk organza. It closes with a back fine zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over it. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Length: 42" from waist to front hem, 45" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3685

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