This exquisite Pierre Balmain Haute Couture dress is a stunning and very rare example of what the house was producing during this time period. It is true Haute Couture and has been entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. You can see a striking resemblance to the  Fall 1954 "Ecume" dress combined with elements from the "Clorinde" dress from that same season. There is also an even closer resemblance to that famous photo of the model and dress captured back stage by Mark Shaw that season. You can easily imagine that this dress was derived from the different elements of these, while tweaking the details to be more perfectly reflective of the clients personal style. It is wonderful and a joy to have it come into the shop.

The dress is constructed from a hand made ivory Chantilly French lace that is outlined with a fine silk cording. The cord has been meticulously hand applied to the lace. It follows the outline of, and defines each delicate motif within the lace's pattern. The lace portion of the dress begins just under the high and defined waist and the entire lower portion of the exterior layer of the dress is done in that stunning lace. I love how at the very hem the lace edges have been meticulously hand stitched into a silk organza so that the hem is perfectly straight. The bodice is kept with a more simple silk jersey fabric to contrast the high level of workmanship that the lace has. It is strapless and the cups are shaped and molded underneath the jersey. The silk has been is hand draped so that is sits  in soft folds over the bust. The folds are set on a slight angle and one section in the middle has been used to create a wide open loop. Through that opening winds a wide black silk taffeta sash that drapes down at the front to follow the curved angle of the bust line and then ties at the back. I have tied it into a more formal bow but you could also leave this to trail down the back. The use of the contrasting black ribbon adds both a simple and romantic touch and also visually cinches in the waist area even more then the interior corseting already does. The skirt billows out to a beautiful fullness beneath the tapered in waist. The shape and fullness that you see is built into the skirt through layers and layers of silk netting and tulle underneath. The inner construction of the dress is absolutely exquisite with a boned and corseted interior made entirely made by hand and to Haute Couture standards. Under the skirt there are a three full layers of silk tulle and netted underskirts to achieve the shape that you see. I did not add any additional crinolines here but you could create an even fuller shape by adding a separate underskirt if you wished. It is a beautiful example of the very early work that the House of Balmain was doing and a wonderful example of the golden years of Haute Couture. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Fully lined in a ivory silk with extensive boning, inner construction and skirting. It closes with an intricate combination of the Balmain signature, multiple chest and waist stays and two zippers. One to close the inner corset and the other to close the exterior dress The inner layers of the skirt are attached with some having addition half layers at their hems for additional volume. The innermost skirt is interlined with netting and the built in corset is made of lingerie netting and hand done padding. It is boned with metal boning. There is perhaps some very minor darkening to the lace here and there. Very small areas here and there of darkening to the inner bodice. On the exterior bodice there are areas of light yellowing that run across the sides. It is very faint and once on I think you would never even notice it as they are across the fabric and in the folds mainly. None of this compromises the strength or integrity of the dress and it is strong and wearable with the care. All of the photos to show the stunning details of the dress are before the shot of the label and the shots to show the sides of the bodice mentioned above are after the label shot. It really is in remarkable condition. Proper Haute Couture label and tape underneath, though the writing on the couture tape under the label has faded to almost nothing.

Bust: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam with cups built in that would fit an A or smaller
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5" from top of bodice to seam under front cups
Skirt: 36" from seam under the cups to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3344

Reference Photos: (1) Model Ann Farrar in Pierre Balmain A/W 1954-55 "Ecume" Dress. Photo by Philippe Pottier.  /  (2) Backstage at Balmain, 1954. Photo by Mark Shaw.  /  (3) Marie-Thérèse in an evening dress called "Clorinde" by Pierre Balmain, Fall/Winter 1954-1955 Collection.

This garment is sent in clean, as found condition and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a beautiful dress by designer Ted Lapidus. Lapidus began selling his designs in the 1950s in Paris. By 1963 his work garnered him a spot as a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and he added Haute Couture to his ready to wear lines. This is a beautiful and rare example of his Couture workmanship. It is unfortunately not perfect and so is sold as is and as a final sale. It could potentially be worn as is with care if you don't mind that your vintage is not perfectly perfect.

The dress is full length with a beautiful, ling line to it. The top is detailed with a very long and pointed collar which instantly gives it that 1970s feel. The neckline is set in a V under. It is more fitted through the top and this then skims over the waist and hips for shape. From there the skirt falls the floor, widening out quite a bit as it nears the hem. A ruffle runs down either side of the front center, from just under the collar all the way to the hem. It is split up the front of the skirt quite high so when you move or sit you get a flash of long legs. The sleeves are the cut with a touch of fullness above their cuffs and are not lined so the full impact of the dotted fabric is seen. The fabric is gorgeous. It is a silk chiffon with black, flat velvet dots cut and set into the silk. This is where some of the damage is as many of these around the upper shoulders have started to break away from the silk chiffon around them. Even with this small flaw this dress is incredible and pried far, far below what it would be otherwise for a piece of Haute Couture. Good overall condition through the body of the dress with some damage as described below.

Fully lined through the body in a back silk. Closes at the back with a fine black zipper. Hand finished through out and proper couture label intact. There are decently done repairs to the silk chiffon on the top of both shoulders and som eof the dots on the sleeves near the upper shoulder. But of you spread the fabric out you can see that other dots are coming away from the silk along the sleeves and I spotted at least one where it is happening near the arm of the main part of the dress and I may have missed some other small areas. There is also a small tear in the chiffon on the other side mar the arm. Sold as is and a final sale. Please review all provided photos shown after the labels shot.

Sleeves: 14"
Shoulders: 25"
Bust: 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 waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Slit: 27" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3289

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 1923, Jacques Heim took over the family business and started producing a line of couture that used original fabrics, most notably, those of Sonia Delauney. In 1930 the official Haute Couture label, Jacques Heim, was born, Jacques remained at the helm of his business until his death in 1967. The label was shuttered by 1969. This dress was sold to my client many years ago from the famed couture vintage seller Didier Ludot and was dated by him to that final year of Heim's presence at the label. I have included a photo provided to me by the owner.

I love the classic but still mod cut of this dress that reflects what was happening in fashion during this time period. It is cut to skim over your curves of the bodice and then the cut out under that sits higher up under the bust. The waist nips in and the skirt is cut so that it flares out as it reaches the hem. The base of the dress is a fine black velvet with a dense pile so it almost seems to absorb the light. This is in perfect contrast to the transparent panel set around the waist and that details each cuff. These panels are a fine black silk chiffon that is intricately hand detailed with glossy black bead work and those amazing and huge glossy acrylic pieces you see, It is simplicity mixed with a masterful seaming and extraordinary detailing. His pieces are very rare from this rime period and this is a real treat to have in the shop. Excellent condition with a note on the bead work below

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Hand finished throughout. All of the bead work and those tremendous glossy, thin acrylic pieces are hand set. All but two of the large plastic cut outs have breaks. All are fully intact with no pieces missing but they have cracked over the years. It is for this fact that I have priced it lower but I would like to emphasize that it is perfectly wearable and there are no huge gaps or missing pieces. The cracks are so fine that when on everything sits really well still. I have included a couple of closer shots of the breaks after the label photo.

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15'
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11.5" from shoulder to top seam of transparent band
Transparent band: 4.25"
Skirt: 17.25" from bottom seam of transparent band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3269

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 archive of the Roman couture house Tiziani, which was founded in 1963 by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, who was a regular client; Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer, Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This piece is unlabeled but has the provenance of being a part of a past auction that featured the sketches and a few select pieces of work from Karl Lagerfeld's time at the label, this dress being one of them.

The dress is constructed from a fine purple silk that has been adorned with dense areas of hand beading. It is almost overtly ornate in its design and is a strong statement piece. The bodice has a V neck that is edged with pink silk satin trimming. This same ruffled trim work circles under the bust and at the waist. It is carried through and around the sleeves, the cuffs and the hem. The sleeves are full and pouf above the wrists. Each sleeve also has a dense panel of bead work circling the elbow area. More beads adorn the bust and run around one side of the skirt. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes embroidery work, real metallic thread, seed beads, crystals and larger beads. These give the dress a touch of glitz and sparkle, The green of the designs pops against the purple silk and I love the 3D feel this detailing adds to the piece. The bottom of the skirt is finished with knife pleating and the work done there is meticulous. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to couture levels. It is extraordinary and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a purple silk and closes with a back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. The inner skirt is finished with an extremely wide stiffened hem encased in silk that helps to give the skirt structure and the slight bit of volume you see. All hand work through out and made to couture standards. Light padding in each shoulder. There is the tiniest of fading to the edge of the purple silk lining on the inner arms that does not effect the exterior in anyway. 

Sleeves: 23.5"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from neck to first seam under the bust, and 17.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42" from the dropped waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

Item# DD3251

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 wonderful gown with its exquisitely beaded bodice and attached cape is a numbered Haute Couture piece designed by Pierre Balmain. Both pieces would have been  made entirely by hand at the Paris atelier and the bead work done by Lesage. We found a similar gown from that same Couture collection that was featured in Harper's Bazaar that year It is an extraordinary example of the work being done during this time period of the label's history and is very beautiful.

The impact that this gown has cannot be denied. You instantly get the feel of Ancient Greece and yet is has a touch of modernity to it as well. It dress is made out of a very fine ivory silk chiffon. The neckline is high and the skirt flows to the floor with two layers of of silk chiffon over an interior silk skirt. The bodice is covered with hand placed glass tube beads that is most likely the workmanship of the famed Lesage ateliers. Eash bead has been carefully placed by hand and then they are mixed with a real metal gold thread that has been used to outline the design created with the beads. More of that same metallic thread is used to create a gold and ivory braiding that runs down the front and back and highlight the neckline. The cape detail on this one is unusual and really what makes it extra special. This cape is made of that same high end ivory silk chiffon. It ties at the front neck but it also is secured to the shoulders so that it stays perfectly in place no matter how you move, stand or sit. It is attached by tiny snaps, hidden under the inside collar of the neckline. There are endless couture level details put into this one and the workmanship throughout is perfectly and meticulously done. It is an amazing example of the fine workmanship and attention to detail of Haute Couture. and it is a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

The dress is fully lined in an ivory through the bodice and innermost skirt. The skirt has two layers of silk over the inner lining. There may be the occasional loose or missing bead or thread. Both pieces have their numbered tag present under the main label and both bear the same number of 764027. Hand finished. It closes with a hand set, back painted metal zipper. I see one tiny yellowed spot on one tie and a pinpoint of a spot on the cape. There are two teeny smudges on the lower portion of the skirt. None of these detract - I am just being super picky. There is a slight darkening to the silk around the waist under the seam. I have photoed it all the way around and you can see that after the photos of the Couture label.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Cape: 57"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2945

Reference Photo: Gleb Derujinsky in Pierre Balmain, Harper's Bazaar, April 1961.

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

Voguepedia says of Gilbert Adrian: "In the hands of the legendary Hollywood designer Gilbert Adrian, clothes could do and say magical things. From the flower-festooned munchkin costumes in The Wizard of Oz to the elegance-defining “Gowns by Adrian” worn by screen stars like Norma Shearer, Barbara Stanwyck, and Joan Crawford—and copied by the hundreds of thousands for the humbler masses—Adrian was the definition of cinematic invention for more than a decade.....Adrian’s signature custom-retail label, founded in 1942, was wildly popular. His gowns bore distinctive names like “Dinner with a Dash of Gold” and “Shades of Picasso,” and he catered to an elite set of style mavens in Hollywood."

After some extensive research I believe this gown is from from Gilbert Adrian's 1945 collection. It was sold to my client and dated as being from a few seasons later, but I feel that the advertisement that I found is too much of a coincidence with its similar feeling pattern worked through the design. The gown is absolutely outstanding and in a world where Adrian Gilbert pieces are already rare, this particular gown is even more special, even if you simply based it on how utterly beautiful it is. It is made of a stunning black silk that has a metallic lame thread woven through it to create the design work that you see. The metallic parts are done in a gold  mixed with a bright, true green and a deeper olive. The addition of the metal thread gives the entire ensemble a subtle glow. The fabric has a good weight to it that helps it to hold the shape and also adds to it rich and luxurious feel. This is fabric that you would simply not be able to even have made anymore. The Grecian inspired pattern is woven through the entire fabric. The addition of this metallic thread highlights the design that runs all the way around the skirt and the top. The top is a simple halter bodice with straps that curve up and around the shoulders. It curves in towards the waist through vertical seaming and is cut to end exactly on top of where the skirt flares out. Once on it gives the illusion of a true gown. The top is entirely finished with the metallic thread, allowing us to see the full beauty of it. The skirt sits under this and the upper portion of the waist is fitted and set high so that it creates no break or lines when it is worn under the top. From under that, a magnificent ball gown skirt cascades to the floor in a sweep of silk. The construction of this is wonderful and it is gathered all the way around the dropped hip seam and set into that seam with a series of tiny, perfectly spaced knife pleats that open up to the fullness you see. I styled this over a light, full length crinoline to really give it the proper shape it would have had been meant to be worn as when it was made. The shape that this creates is amazing. The dress is entirely hand made to Haute Couture standards. This is a rare opportunity to own an original Gilbert Adrian that is not only in wonderful condition but is also heartbreakingly beautiful and still to this day, feels modern and wearable. Excellent condition.

Both piece are unlined with hand finished inner seams and the inner construction is done to Couture standards. The skirt closes with a painted metal zipper and hook & eye on the inner waist band. The top closes with a back painted metal zipper. The skirt was photoed over a full length crinoline that is not included. I have included detail photos of both the fabric and the inner hand done seams. The top looks like it has been out along the side seams from the waist up on both sides and one seam on the fitted part of the inner top skirt was also opened at some point. The work is well done and it could easily be made smaller again if needed. Note that due to the rarity and expense of this gown it is final sale.

Top
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from shoulder to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at lower seam of skirt: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from waist to hem with a 3.5" hem turned up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3242

Reference Photo: Gown by Gilbert Adrian, available at the William H. Block Co., Indianapolis, 1945.

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

Thea Porter combined exoticism, embellished ornamentation and luxurious fabrics in her pieces and her work was a phenomenon during her day. She dressed many of the most fashionable woman in the world. Eliazabeth Taylor was a noted fan, as was Sharon Tate, Faye Dunaway, Brit Eckland and many, many more. Her legacy continues to this day and great examples of her work are harder and harder to find. In 2015, the Fashion and Textile Museum in London showcased her work in the exhibit "Thea Porter 70s Bohemian Chic" and over a dozen pieces were pulled from my archives for that show and for the accompanying book. This is a more recent acquisition to the shop and it is one of the best I have seen.

This is an astonishing, high glamour dress that combines elements of both her Faye dress, named after Faye Dunaway and the iconic Gipsy dress. Both of these were made in various versions from 1968 onward. I suspect that this one was custom made for a client, or perhaps was just yet another unique version of one of her dresses dreamed up by Thea herself. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful Thea dresses I have seen in person. The color alone makes it a stand out, never mind the extensive embellishments. The bodice is made from a panel of antique brocade - here it is a pink and gold floral brocade that is very beautiful. This is finished with a combination of silver and gold metallic piping that highlights the neckline and runs down the front to the waist. The sleeves are incredibly full and are made from a deep fuchsia silk chiffon that has a slightly ribbed finish to it. These billow out above elastic ends and are very voluminous. Below the waist there are two layers of silk. The innermost layer is the same silk that was used to make the sleeves. Over that lies a top embroidered silk layer and it is this layer that makes this dress especially wondrous. It is a brighter pink silk Sari fabric that has been heavily embroidered with real silver metal thread and matte silver sequins. This fabric was most likely vintage even at the time of making the dress and both the quality of the silk and the workmanship are extremely fine. All of the work is hand done. The skirt is very full and there are yards and yards of the silk used in its construction. The hem is left to lie at different lengths all around its edge. In person the dress is even better. The  combination of that vibrant deep fuchsia pink mixed with the metallic silver and gold have more impact in real life and the full effect of the dress is astonishing. Excellent overall condition with some notes to review below.

The bodice is fully lined in a purple silk and the skirt is made up of two layers of the silk as described above. It closes with a back painted metal zipper. The elastic in the sleeves may be slightly stretched out but they are fine as they are. I would not change them. I see a small vertical repair to the silk near the top of one shoulder and there are some small splits and areas of weakness to the silk there that will need to be reinforced at some point. There are two long areas of repair to the hem. I see some slight fading to the silk around these areas as well. With the volume of fabric in these areas, once on you would never notice any of these. They are all decently done and the silk seems stable but the areas around the repairs should be handled with care to not do any further damage. Her silks were very fine and this tends to happen to her pieces as they age. Please see the photos following the shot of the label. Note that this dress is sold as a final sale.

Sleeves: 25"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to longest points of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3234

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

This garment has been checked over, steamed out and it is sold in clean. as found condition.

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 the models and the results were spectacular. She first opened her 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, a partial anagram of her husband's first name, Serge. Her work spanned over five decades and all of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, was created as Haute Couture pieces.

When researching this garment I happened across a dress that is held in the collection of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, with a similar cut, and what looks to be the same fabric, dated to 1977. The collection notes on that dress even mention a matching cape that is not shown in the single photo provided for that garment (and shared here). 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. This 1970s period is also about the time period where she turned her attention from using primarily jerseys to incorporating more taffeta and silks into her work. Her designs were never huge variations on themselves through the decades and we do see similar feeling pieces to this across the decades of her work at times, but I am fairly confident that this is the correct date within a season or two. Especially given the reference photo provided and the fact that the Museum dress also has a matching cape. It is just too coincidental given the same color and similar silhouette, not to be from that same collection.

The dress and gown are made from a deep green silk taffeta. This fabric choice gave her the ability to work in the volume she required for the silhouette whole still keeping the dress light and wearable. It is also a fabric that helps to retain the shapes she wished the set to have. The sleeveless bodice is cut so that the shoulders slightly extends outward giving the silhouette an almost statue-like appearance. The bodice skims over the body in a long lean drop that ends just at the top of the hip. It extends in this same long lean line over the hips, under the skirting and falls to the floor, with a high side slit up one side to allow you to walk. Attached to this inner dress is a dramatic skirt that is cut high at the front and curving down and slightly trained at the back. By tightly gathering the taffeta and adding a second tightly gathered, short ruffled layer underneath around the hips, she has created a form that stands away from the body and gives tremendous volume and shape. On the body it has an airy lightness and the volume of the skirts surrounds you, making you feel like you are a part of a magical fairy tale. Over this is a matching silk taffeta cape with almost monastic simplicity in its lines. It simply hooks into place at the neck with one tiny hook and falls beautifully over the shoulders. The cape flows and extends down longer at the back, picking up on the curved lines of the back skirts and extending the line downwards and back. It is magnificent. Both pieces are made by hand and both have the Gres Haute Couture label present. This is a rare opportunity to own an original Couture Gres ensemble comprised of this extraordinarily beautiful gown and matching cape. Excellent condition.

The Dress and cape are unlined with hand done seams throughout as per the parameters of Haute Couture. The dress closes with a off-set back zipper that is camouflaged along a seam. It also closes along the top of one shoulder with a series of hooks and snaps. The cape has one single hook & eye to close. Under the skirt overlay is tightly gathered ruffle of silk taffeta that gives the skirt overlay support and some extra volume. I see some very tiny marks on the bodice that are negligible but mentioned for accuracy. Note that the bust is more suited for a medium frame and the dress will work well on a smaller frame as well as the volume through the waist and hips is not meant to really hug and fit the body bit to glide over it. The dress has a very faint smell of perfume but it is not unpleasant or overwhelming. It is an extraordinary thing to see in real life.

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 is 30" in length

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.

Vitaldi Babani founded the Babani atelier in Paris in 1894. Originally they imported art, furniture, embroideries, silks and exotic goods from China, Japan, India, and Turkey. By 1910 they were producing their own label garments. The designs were heavily inspired by the wares they were importing and they often incorporated some of the antique textiles that they were bringing into Paris. They were known for the exoticism of their designs and the heavy embroideries and high craft that was put int their garments. In 1928, Katherine Hepburn famously wore a white crushed velvet Babani dress with antique gold embroidery for her 1928 wedding to Ludlow Ogden Smith. This is a rare and wonderful dress by the House of Babani and it is remarkable in both its condition and its design.

The base of the dress is an inky black silk velvet that has the same weight and feel of the Fortuny's I have seen from this period. Which would not be a stretch given that the Babani company had a license to retail textiles and garments by the Venice-based designer. To have used some of those velvet's for their own label would not have been out of question. The shape is very loose and easy. It follows the tubular fashion of the day with the middle portion of the dress almost curving outwards a touch. On the body it looks tremendously modern and oversized. Even a small framed girl could wear this and just carry it off in a different way then someone closer to the garment's actual measuremnts. Onto the black velvet is an elaborate and intricate geometric design. This has been created by using thick gold metallic cording to create the outer edgings of the design. The inner parts of the design are then filled with a thinner gold thread. All of the thread has that feel of being made out of actual metal. This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of rare fashion history from one of the most elusive of labels from this period. Excellent antique condition 

The dress slips on and is fully lined in a fine black silk. It has no closures. All of the embroidery work is present and fully intact. I see some waviness to the velvet under the arms where it has been worn and slightly folded over time. There is perhaps an area or two where the pile of the velvet has gone into a slightly different direction but there are no true flaws overall. For a garment of this age and this rarity it is in excellent antique condition

Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3225

Note that antique and twenties pieces are final sale. They will be packed exceedingly well and we only sell pieces that will stand up to the stress of shipping, however, having pieces potentially shipped multiple times through multiple customs and countries is too hard on garments that are historically important and deserve to be treated with love and care. Please purchase accordingly.

This garment is sent in clean. as found condition

This set is from the same Haute Couture collection as the linen jacket I also have listed in the shop. It is also from the same private collection coming to me from the daughter of the original Couture client. The look for the 1981 season, according to the book, 'Dior, Catwalk' was easy, flowing styles .. "the dresses often have short puffed sleeves and are scattered with cheerful motifs....Bohan has created styles that not only uphold the honor of couture but can be worn comfortably as well"

The attention to detail shown in every stitch is breathtaking. It is entirely done by hand and the silks used are of the highest possible grade and are as fine and light as a feather. The top is done in a silk chiffon that has a ribbon finish to it that adds pretty texture. It floats over the torso for an easy fit. It is unlined, which makes it semi-transparent. It has a finish of pleats that run down the front for a pretty detail. This makes the floral pattern that covers the silk even more interesting as it peaks through and over the pleats. The sleeves are short and puffed as the collection was noted as having. The skirt is a neat pencil and falls in a column of perfectly cut silk. The same pretty floral pattern is continued over the silk of the skirt and it feels just a touch deeper in tone since the fabric there is opaque. The skirt wraps over itself and hooks & snaps to close. There are even pockets on each hip. It is truly a wonderful example of Couture during this time period and when you see it in person you will be astounded at the level of craftsmanship and care put into the construction. Excellent condition with one minor note below.

The skirt wraps and hooks and snaps to close. It is hand lined in an ivory silk. The bodice is unlined and closes down the front with the buttons and then snaps nearer to the bottom. You could move the hooks and snaps at the waist of the skirt to adjust the fit a bit up or down as required. There is one very faint spot on the tip of the collar of the top. I photoed it and you can review that photo after the label shot. The color in person is a pure ivory with no yellowing to the fabric - any you see in the photos is from the lighting only. It is completely made by hand as the parameters of Haute Couture dictates. Proper Haute Couture label present in the top. Numbered 13660

Top
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust-Hem: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from top of bodice to waist

Skirt:
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3194

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 tunic dress was shot for the September issue of Madame magazine giving us the collection date. and there is what looks to be a very near matching coat that can be found in The Fashion and Lace Museum's collection. Who knows, maybe the girl that buys this one might one day find a version for her own so that she has the complete set. This is a remarkable example of his Haute Couture work during that time period. A piece in this shade of pink and in this exemplary condition is a rare find.

This beautiful, sculptural, numbered Haute Couture tunic is stunning. If you are the right size and height you could also get away with wearing this as a micro mini. It actually sits a bit tiny on my dress form and I suspect that given the other piece in the collection that year that I could find photos of that it would have been worn as a mini over tights. The fabric is that classic Courreges thick textured wool jersey that despite its thickness is still light in weight and wearable. The slight texture to it and absolutely superb seaming details give the dress a rich, luxurious feel. Each curved seam and the soft but sculptural cut create a beautiful line that curves in at the waist with a flared hip. A half belt detailing anchors the back and is detailed by two large white buttons. Tow more buttons sit on the front of the tunic and it wraps over itself and buttons to close. Each button hole, including the back one which are both completely functional, are finished to couture standards. It has no collar and the front plunges quite low with a hidden hook along the neckline to hold it perfectly in place. Very chic and very couture in feel. Extremely collectible and rare. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set ivory silk. The tunic crosses over itself at the front and buttons to close. Has an extra button sewn inside. Hand finished throughout. The color is a slightly different shade of pink - and even better I think - than how it photoed. Looked to have been worn very little, if at all. Numbered D7079

Bust: 16" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: 14" flat across the back from seam to seam
Hips: 20" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 28" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3189

Reference Photo: (1) Courreges Ensemble, Madame Magazine, September 1969.  (2) Courreges Ensemble, Vogue Italia, 1969.  /  (3) Courreges Ensemble, 1969.  /  (4) Courreges Coat, 1967. From Fashion and Lace Museum Collection.

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

After much research I have narrowed this down to being a version of the dress that walked the 1998 Haute Couture Runway. It is very similar and you could easily see how a client could have modified that dress to become the one that we see here. It is not unusual for a client to have a dress completely customized to her in that world afterall. The cut and feel are so alike and everything else about the dress feels like Mr. Valentino's work during this time period. It is absolutely exquisite and the cut and fit are the sheer perfection that you would expect from a gown made to this degree.

This may be the perfect black dress. It mixes Valentino's unwavering sense of elegance with the high standards of Haute Couture. The dress is strapless with a fitted and sculpted bodice that wraps the wearer in wide flat pleats that are curved, placed and set by hand. The bodice is a masterpiece in shaping and couture techniques. The fabric has been shaped and molded by hand and immaculately stitched into place to create the soft pleats that curve over the bust and highlight your shape. Inside it is boned and shaped with an inner corset. The corset holds the dress perfectly in place but not to the point where it feels constrictive, just enough so that it shapes you perfectly. The pleats cross over the bust and wrap around the back. There they are sculpted into place and they fall to become a part of the skirt, overlapping the panel that comes from the front. This same technique is used at the front, but there the panel that extends into the skirt does not wrap over the other panel but is set more open to show the inner skirt off to its full advantage. The inner skirt is slim cut and falls to the floor. It is made of a silk netting, backed by silk chiffon, and the netting is completely covered with the finest bead and sequin work that I have seen. This is certainly the workmanship of Lesage and would have been made completely by hand  - worked that would have taken hours and hours and hours. What is truly incredible is that the entire inner skirt is finished with this hand done bead and sequin work even though you only see a touch of it from the front. In the second last photo before the inner bodice photos I lifted the back outer panels to show you how the inner skirt is finished all the way around. That is the level of work that you see only in couture.  This is the type of gown that Valentino excelled at. A refined elegance mixed with a luxurious fabric and finished with a master's touch of provocativeness and romance. The dress appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Excellent condition

The inner skirt is fully backed in a silk chiffon. The outer panels of the skirt are unlined. The inner bodice has a full couture level netted corset and this is boned and cupped. The bead work extend all the way up to just under the bodice on the inside. There is a zipper to close the corset and it also has a hooked waist stay. Another zipper lies over this to close the outer layer. Completely finished by hand work throughout.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist seam
Skirt: 40" from inner waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3156

Reference Photo: Valentino Spring 1998 Haute Couture Collection

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

There is a certain silhouette that is closely associated with Pierre Cardin but he was actually a designer that had a huge range. At times some of his other silhouettes get overlooked and they should not be. This wonderful Haute Couture example is from the estate of Baronessde Alain nee Mary Chauvin du Treuil and it was made for her during the period of 1968-1970. It is a beautiful and elegant piece that may not be as 'mod' in feel as some of Cardin's other pieces during this time period but shows the breadth of his talent and the restraint in line that he was capable of.

The dress is made from a handmade guipure lace - a heavy lace consisting of embroidered motifs that are held together by large connecting stitches. The color of the lace changes as it travels from shoulder to hem creating a very pretty and striking palette. The texture and weight of it changes as well. The bands of lacework range from a pale lavender at the top to the deep, rich eggplant at the hem, In between this are colors that are somewhere in the middle between the two. The openness of the lace also changes, with a lighter more open feel at the top and then like the color, it gets gradually denser as it reached the bottom hem. The shape is kept very simple so that the lace and color take center stage. It falls in a sleek column over the body with just a subtle nod to shape through the waist. Underneath, it is lined in a high end pink silk whose color peeks out through the outer lace layer. I love the wide cut sleeves and how they are finished following the pattern of the lace. It is a dress that may seem unremarkable on a hanger but transforms into a very chic and elegant piece once on the body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silk and closes with a hand set back painted metal zipper. Hand set lining, hand made lace and entirely done by hand as per the definition of Haute Couture.

Sleeves: 20"
Shoulders: approx 14.5" but no true seam
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: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2903

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 continued as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house closed is couture atelier. This gown and feather cape is from the Fall 2004 Haute Couture presentation and is the actual runway sample that was presented and worn on the runway, Look 35

I love when I have any Haute Couture piece in the shop and to have the actual runway sample is even that much more amazing. The dress is absolutely stunning and neither the photos on the mannequin or the runway photos really do it full justice. In person the impact of the color of the blue silk and blue feathers of the cape is far more then what a photo could ever convey. It is made up of yards and yards of silk chiffon and this creates the most beautiful movement when you move. The silk is set to flow down from the structured bodice and is as light as the air so that it billows and flows around you as you move. It is very sexy and made more so by the way the silk is wrapped and secured to the base of the bodice structure. It is down to leave a slit that opens almost scandalously high when you walk or sit. .The silk through the skirt is also unlined so it has a sense of semi-transparency to it. It is meant to be worn with just a body suit underneath so that you are just draped in silk and nothing else. The bodice is highly structured and formed with a full inner structured boned and shaped bodice that zips to close at the back. It is highly corseted and structured inside to firmly hold the dress onto the body and give you shape. I absolutely love the way the back is shaped to be more like an attached cape then anything and it also creates a trained feeling behind you. Topping this masterpiece is a unstructured capelet that you just hold in place. It is covered in hand dyed feathers and adds the final touch of absolute glamour to an already high glamour ensemble. It is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with a back zipper. It is a highly structured, formed, boned and shaped corset and is wired around the inner top as well. The skirt is unlined. Hand work appropriate to runway sample level work throughout (see the photo after the tag for the way it is hand tacked onto the main corset. The hand written runway sample tag is present. The father cape is back in a black silk and the feathers are hand applied to a white organza on the front side. There is a little loop for your hand and for hanging it. It is Couture runway model size tiny - probably closest to a true zero or even less then that!

Bust: 14.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Inner corset: 10" from top of bodice to inner edge at the waist
Length: 57" from top of bodice to shortest point of the front hem, 61" from top of bodice to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3122

Reference Photos: F/W 2004 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Collection.

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

The woman behind the Maggy Rouff label was Maggy Besançon de Wagner and she started her own label in 1928 after a working at the Haute Couture house of Drecoll. The Maggy Rouf house joined the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris in 1929 and continued to produce Haute Couture until 1965. She developed a staunch following for her gowns and one of the mainstays of her design was that each gown have a main focal point like the stunning back of this gown. Draping techniques, as we see portrayed magnificently in this gown around the hip ares, where also a signature element.

The gown is tremendously beautiful and has all the hallmarks of Haute Couture. It is entirely made by hand and the fabrics are beautifully. Two fabric were used in its construction -  a rich, heavy weight, Indian Sari silk done in a combination of gold metallic threads on a purple base, mixed with a purple silk satin for the back train and straps. The golden fabric of the front wraps around the body with soft draping that sits across the front at the hips, This gives the hour glass silhouette the dress strives for, even more shape. Above the hips the waist is curved in and then across the bust it is hand gathered again.  The back is magnificent with a sweeping train of silk satin that attaches in just under the small of the back, resulting in a beautiful cascading, trained back skirt. I love the little bow that sits just above the train. again placed to fully highlight your curves. Inside is a full boned bodice as well as a waist stay to hold the dress in place. This dress is all about Old Hollywood glamour and is an incredible piece of mid-century Haute Couture. Excellent condition.

The inner bodice is boned and part of the inner purple silk lining. This layer then closes with a series of snaps and hooks that run down and behind the zipper that closes the outer layer of the dress. The inner waist stay hooks to close. The back train is lined in a stiffened netting to help hold the shape. Completely made by hand as Haute Couture demands and remarkable construction. 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: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to front hem, the train extends another 8.5" ato its longest point at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3118

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

On June 15, 1978 Lisa Najeeb Halaby wed King Hussein wed and she became the Queen of Jordan. She chose a Christian Dior gown, designed by Marc Bohan, for the ceremony and instantly became a style icon. Harper's Bazaar named the gown one of their 'The Most Iconic Royal Wedding Gowns of All Time'. That same year my client commissioned this version of that dress. I have also included a reference photo from the Metropolitan Museum of a top from the same collection that year that also has the open cut work 'ladder' technique. Charlotte Rampling was also photoed in a version for Vogue. The dress for sale today comes direct from the daughter of the original Haute Couture client who had it commissioned.

The attention to detail shown in every hand done stitch is breathtaking. It is entirely done by hand and the silk chiffon is of the highest possible grade and as fine and light as a feather. The top floats over the torso for an easy fit and is left unlined, which makes it semi-transparent. There is a double row of that open 'ladder' stitch edging the top portion of the bodice. The skirt falls in a column of bias cut silk chiffon. Detailing the lower half of the skirt are six rows of that same open ladder design that is used on the bodice so that it is in perfect balance. It comes with the original flower belt. The belt combines an antique gold metal thread lame that is then detailed with a huge silk flower. You can wear around the waist as intended or even choose to wear at the neck or as a head piece. I also photoed it without the belt so that you can see how versatile it could be. There is also a square silk chiffon scarf that came with it that is not photoed but will be sent with the gown. It is truly a wonderful dress and when you see it in person you will be astounded at the level of craftsmanship and care put into the construction. A masterpiece and fit for a modern day queen. Excellent condition.

The skirt is lined in second layer of the same silk used on the exterior while the bodice is unlined. It is completely made by hand as the parameters of Haute Couture dictates. It closes with a handset, low side painted metal zip below the waist and and above that the bodice closes with a series of hand set, silk covered snaps. Inner waist stay the hooks to close. Note there is no label but it is true Haute Couture Dior. Note the color has a slight hint of terra cotta to it in person

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from shoulder to waist but drapes to approx 15" when on
Skirt: 39.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2365

Reference Photos: (1-2) Queen Noor in a Christian Dior Gown & King Hussain of Jordan on their wedding day, 1978 (credits unknown)  /  (3-4) Graco of Monaco in Yellow Christian Dior for the wedding mass of Caroline of Monaco, 1978.  /  (5) Princess Caroline of Monaco and Philippe Junot civil wedding, June 28,1978.  /  (6-7) Dior Evening Ensemble from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Online Collection  /  (8) Charlotte Rampling in Dior, March 1978, Vogue US. Photo by Helmut Newton.

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

A dress from this same 1976 collection was photoed on Tina Chow by David Bailey for Vogue. I have included those reference photos here and you can clearly see the same ribbon detailing and pleating technique used. Pieces at this level and beauty by Bill Gibb are extremely rare and it is a privilege to have such a gorgeous example of his work in the shop.

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. This dress set is amazing and I feel that it is a high couture, fantasy version, of the one worn by Ms. Chow. It is made up of two pieces  - a long maxi skirt and a top that has an attached, full length net jacket. The inner skirt is gorgeous in its own right. It is made out of a fine silk chiffon with a soft pink silk interior. The exterior silk chiffon is knife pleated so that it has a lot of movement. The outside layer is finished with that pretty ribbon finish made up of three stripes of silk satin ribbon in a pale blue, a pink and a mint green. This same striping edges the inner portion of the top. The inner top is made from the same silk and chiffon combination as the skirt and treated with that same knife pleating technique. Sitting over, and attached to this, is a long jacket and it is here that the high couture fantasy aspect of the piece goes into full play. The neckline is cut wide across so it almost sits off the shoulder. The fabric that sits over the inner silk top is a fine ivory netting that has a stunning design of flowers and vines that trail up from the hem to the top. They are denser around the hem. Each bit of that design is hand embroidered with a multi-colored pastel thread that has a metallic silver running through it so that it has a subtle glint. It is like wearing a literal work of art. The combination of the fine embroidery work and the metallic of the silver is incredibly beautiful and delicate in feel. All of the edges are all finished with silver cording and there is a ling tie of it at the neck. The sleeves are even more incredible. They are cut extra long and each has an inner pleated base made out of a pale pink silk chiffon that is knife pleated like the skirt and inner top are. Over this is a slightly more ivory toned silk netting that poufs out from the shoulder and is caught up just below the elbow. It then flares back out, widening as it reached the end of the sleeve. Each sleeve is densely hand embroidered with that same metallic thread as the body of the jacket. Long silver cords hang down from the seam at the elbow. This is a rare and absolutely amazing piece that is even better in person. It would even make a beautiful choice for a bride who is looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding gown. Excellent condition

Both piece are fully lined in a pale pink silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The top slips on to wear with snaps and hook and eye at the very top of the inner most silk part. Museum quality and appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. The colors in person are softer and bit more pink feeling in person. So much better in real life.

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3081

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

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

The Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day." This gown is from the Fall 1994 collection under his creative direction and I have included the runway reference photo here. In an interview with WWD in 1995, Pipart mentioned the state of couture upon his arrival to Nina Ricci, "When I arrived everyone was predicting the death of couture, so I was keen to get in for what were meant to be the final few years. And, despite what people like Pierre Bergé and many others predicted, couture has lasted a lot longer than anyone ever thought." Pipart's designs were often focused on avant-garde structures like this amazing creation,

This gown, from the Fall 1994 collection, is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period. The gown is created from a hand made, pale dusty pink lace. Each floral design in the lace has been outlined with a fine silver metallic cording and the interior of each flower detailed with a metallic pink cording. Every stitch is done by hand and the hours that would have been put just into the construction of the dress and the making of the lace are mind-boggling. The skirt is finished in a structured tulip style with the front crossing over itself and set on a beautiful upwards curve, so that when you walk you see a glimpse of leg. At the back is an inset of a matching colored pale pink silk. This inset of silk has has been sharply knife pleated and expands and opens into an extensive train. A decorative row of silk buttons details each sleeve and trail down the back for the perfect finish. My client purchased this fairly recently and wore it for her wedding dress, changing into another dress for the reception. It is the perfect choice for a bride who does not want a traditional wedding gown but would also be a stunning gown for a gala event. Excellent overall condition with notes to review below.

The gown is fully hand lined in pink silk and closes with a back, hand set, zipper.  Has an inner waist stay and has hand set snaps to close the train over the inner zipper. Zippers also run down each cuff behind the buttons. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present. Note that the dress shows grubbiness and marks under the hem and along the train and the edge of the hem from where it hits the ground. There is some discoloration under each arm on the inner lining and a teeny spot where this shows through along the edge of the seam. It is not anywhere that would show in a photo once on. I have photoed all of these areas and they are provided here after the label photo. Note that my client wore this gown for the ceremony and then changed - all of the current marks on the dress were all present when she purchased it. She had the back silk train re-pleated and the side seams were let out slightly, all done by Madame Paulette's in NYC, work that was approximately $1500 to complete. Everything mentioned is very minor overall and it is stunningly beautiful in person. None of the items mentioned effect its presentation when on.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19.5" from top of bodice to dropped waist
Skirt: approx 26" from waist to shortest part where the front curves meet. It curves to 42" at the sides and drops to 49" at the longest part of the lace covered skirt at the back. The silk pleated train extends to 61" from the dropped waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3080

Reference Photo: F/W 1994 Nina Ricci Haute Couture

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

This is a a wonderful piece in that it can play double duty and be worn as a stand alone piece or layered to act more like a coat. It is from the days when Gianni Versace himself was the head of the atelier and it is everything you want in a Versace piece from this time period. It is constructed from a fine lightweight, black wool. It is cut in one long and lean line that is sculpted to shape the body. It has a slight military vibe to it with its fitted silhouette and top front pockets on both the hip and bust. I love the vertical seaming that runs down the front and back. These follow the curves of the design and emphasize your curves underneath. They also act as a detailing pint as they have a glossy black snakeskin running down each of them for the smallest little touch of texture and shine. The front is finished with a row of black matte buttons and each of these has the gold Versace crest embossed onto them for a touch of gold to break the starkness of the black. These buttons run all the way down the front and allow you to open it fully which gives you that versatility of wearing or open and layered or closed and on its own. Beautifully finished. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and close with buttons down the front as seen. Tagged a vintage Versace 42.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3074

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 gown is exceptional and it is a testament to the tailoring skills and vision and the man who would become the appointed designer to the Queen of England. Norman Hartnell was one of the British Couturiers who dressed the royals and the aristocrats. London's couture industry established itself after the 1st World War and distinguished themselves from the court dressmakers by presenting seasonal collections. Hartnell opened his couture house in 1923. By 1947 his house was thriving and he was dressing the British Royalty, Hollywood starlets and socialites. He once said “I despise simplicity. It is the negation of all that is beautiful”

Hartnell was known for his opulent yet elegant designs, lavishly adorned embroidery, and use of intricate details. and this dress is a perfect example of that high attention to detail. The dress is made out of a fine black silk taffeta and has the sweeping lines that he was renowned for during this period. The top is cut to slightly pouf off of the body with wide straps that curve up and over the shoulder. They are set so that they will sit slightly off the shoulder if you wish. The skirt sweeps to the floor and literally has yards and yard of silk that make it up. At its hem it sweeps up and under to create a wonderful 'bubble' skirt effect. This gives it so much shape, volume and movement once on the body. It is incredible. The dress is finely pleated through the waist line and up into the bodice and then down into the top portion of the skirt. Scattered over the entire upper portion of the dress and the straps are hundreds of hand set crystal rhinestones in various sizes. These catch even the smallest bit of light. I always feel that he meant to capture the night time sky full of stars whenever I look at this dress. It is very romantic and very beautiful and a true piece of fashion history. An extraordinary example of couture from this time period. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back metal zipper. There is an additional hook & eye closure just inside the zipper area and an inner waist stay. All the inner seams are hand finished to Haute Couture standards. The inner skirt is silk and has a tulle finish to the bottom half. There is an additional layer of tulle in the inside of the outer skirt. Each prong set rhinestone has been had placed and hand set. Hand finished throughout

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: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: approx 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3071

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.

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

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 continued as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house closed is couture atelier. This gown is from the Spring 2000 Haute Couture presentation and is the actual runway defile sample presented and worn on the runway, Look 16. This particular collection is very poorly documented and I have included reference photos of a similar gown using comparable techniques from the Fall collection of the season before so that you can get a sense of how it sits on the body.

I love when I have any Haute Couture piece in the shop and to have the actual runway sample is always wonderful as it truly represents the designer's vision. The dress is even more stunning in person and the photos really can't do the impact that the head to toe silver mesh and sequins justice. In person the entire dress shimmers and seems like some kind of fantastical second skin as it flows over the body. It has the slightest hint of transparency to it which is very sexy and adds to the allure of the gown. The fabric is an actual silver metal mesh with hundreds of thousands of silver sequins hand applied to cover every inch. It is cut with a classic one shoulder silhouette from which the dress flows down and over the body to highlight every curve. It is cut long and with a slight train that add to the illusion of height. The bodice curves up and over one shoulder and then the mesh acts like a bias cut fabric on the body and hugs and moves with you as you move. Onto the dress are hand applied, ivory dyed horsehair detailing that cure around the body and create a Haute Couture fantasy. The dress is a masterpiece  with its beautiful lines and flowing cut. It is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with hidden set back zipper.  Hand work throughout. Unlabeled. This is the actual runway sample worn on the presentation. The fabric gives it the flexibility of a bias cut so has a bit more range of sizing them a more structured piece would have. It weighs several pounds because of the metal mesh used.

Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 63" from top of shoulder to the front hem, approx 69 to the back hem including the train to the very longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3058

Reference Photos: F/W 1999 Haute Couture Jean Louis Scherrer Runway Collection.

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

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 continued as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house closed is couture atelier. This gown is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation and is the actual runway defile sample presented and worn on the runway, Look 7.

I love when I have any Haute Couture piece in the shop and to have the actual runway sample is even that much more amazing. The dress is glorious and nether the photos on the mannequin or the runway photos really do it justice. In person the impact of the layering of the red silk gazaar panels that are hand set to overlap and cover the entire dress from bodice to train give it far more depth and texture then even the photos can convey. It also moves wonderfully and is very sexy. The main body of the dress is cut above the knee and then the dress forms and flows around this. Trailing out and behind you is a massive train of fabric that has an almost organic feel to it with its ever increasing sized patches of red covering its surface. The bodice peaks up on one side and is highly corseted and structured inside to firmly hold the dress onto the body and give you shape. The skirt is a masterpiece  with its beautiful lines and flowing cut. It is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with one small note to review below.

Fully lined in a red silk and closes with two zippers, one on the inner highly structured, formed, boned and shaped corset and the second on the outer layer of the dress. The skirt is lined in a red taffeta. Hand work throughout. The hand written runway sample tag is present. There is some deepening of the color/ marks on some of the squares of silk that make up the train and general grubbiness. Nothing that detracts once the gown is on. Otherwise it is immaculate. It is Couture runway model size tiny - probably 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: F/W 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.

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

The notes for the 1972 collection in the book 'Dior, The Catwalk' state that The New York Times declared Bohan's collection for Dior as 'the best of the season in Paris'  that year. The same notes on to say that the full records for Bohan's collection did not survive the passages of time. Having a dress from this collection that is so very well documented is that much more special as a result. The dress is exceptional.

The caption on the photo of Vogue editorial that I have included here says it best: "Pretty. That's really the word for it - the softness of everything at Dior. So feminine at night especially...The flirt of the sleeves on a short dress for evening...black mousseline, covered at the neck and yet...revealing lots of skin beneath and lots of leg below". Of course on this version, the dress has a crossed over V neck that I prefer to the higher tied neckline. A Haute Couture client would have ordered the dress in a variation that suited them best and often a change like this would not be allowed to be repeated. This design also allows the unusual sleeves to really be showcased and become the highlight of the dress. Each sleeve is semi-sheer to the elbow and is full and poufed underneath until the cuff cinched it in at the wrist. Lying over the lower portion of the sleeve is a circle of silk that that circles around each sleeve and lies over the lower half of the sleeve. It is a very unusual treatment to the sleeves and instantly catches the eye. You can see why it would have been pulled to be used for editorials that season. The skirt is full and has two soft and floating layers of black silk chiffon over a slimmer  inner skirt. The shape this creates mimics the detailing on the sleeve perfectly. The back is left entirely transparent for an unexpected touch of sensuality. Dated and numbered with it Dior Haute Couture label. This is a rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3031

Reference Photos: (1) Karen Graham in a chiffon dress by Marc Bohan for Dior, Autumn/Winter Collection 1972, photo by Richard Avedon, July 1972.  /  (2) Dior dress in Vogue, September 1972.

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

After much searching I have settled on the Spring 1973 as the most likely collection that this is from. That collection also featured snap closures instead of the buttons he used more often in earlier collections. It also had the same side placement of the snaps that the skirt has. This very rare numbered couture label piece from Courreges and its absolutely stunning.

The blue color of the piece is slightly deeper than what is showing and in person is more a true navy blue. The fabric that the suit is made out of is that classic Courreges wool. It has enough weight to hold the sharp lines of his pieces but without adding bulk or feeling to heavy to wear for a modern wardrobe. It has a slight texture to it and that, combined with the superb seaming, are all that is needed to highlight the suit design. The jacket is wonderful with its fitted shape and snap front. It curves in at the waist for added shape and to highlight the waistline. The sleeves are kept short and I love the seaming detail that runs down each of them. The skirt is done in a sharp little A-line cut. It has a double row of snaps that run down each hip and both sides open all the way up to the waist. That means you can leave them as open as you want and create as high a slit up each leg as you wish too. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined in cream silk and close with the snaps as described above. Note that the last two snaps above the hem on either side of the skirt are both snap tops only so do not fasten. There is a repair to the inside lining of the skirt at the back but of course it does not show when worn. 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: 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