James Galanos launched Galanos Originals in 1951. He was only 27 years old.  By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. When you covert to modern dollars the top end figure would be about $31,000 today. His ready-to-wear was made to couture standards and on par with the French couturiers of the time. Grace Kelly was a huge fan and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites and this set is an exquisite and very special example of his work.

This set was custom made for, and is from the estate of, 1950s model Betsy Pickering Kaiser. Betsy appeared on several Vogue covers in the 1950s and it was during that time period time period that she met Galanos. They were friends for over 60 years. She collected and wore Galanos pieces her entire life and was his friend and muse. He once told her husband ‘I would rather have Betsy wear my clothes than any other woman’. She was a constant presence on the International Best Dressed List and and was added to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.

This is gorgeous. It is made from a beautiful printed light weight silk chiffon that is combined with a red lace that has a metallic finish. The entire set combined weighs ounces. Huge flowers cover the entire surface of the silk chiffon. The pants are made from two layers of the chiffon and they are cut long and wide. An elastic waist makes them very easy and comfortable to wear. You then slip on that long piece over the pants. It is also constructed from two layers of silk that fall from under the lace bodice. Each side is slit open right up to the lace top. This gives the top piece a ton of movement and creates this fabulous floating effect around you when you walk. The bodice part is made of two panels of a metallic red lace that is connected along each side with a bit of a angled plunge above where they connect. The lace has that fantastic metallic finish to it for contrast against the pattern in the silk chiffon. The bodice has an inner nude silk lining so that from a distance you look like you are wearing nothing underneath it. The top is suspended by four tiny silk straps that curve over the shoulders. This set is tremendously good in person and it really needs an actual body to come to life. Cut supermodel long in length. Excellent condition

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2278

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. This one actually looks like a sleeveless version of the one shot on Marisa Berenson. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.

This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. The sequins extend right from the flame design at the front and then are set in long vertical rows to the hem. The top of the bodice is a single layer of black silk chiffon. This bit of transparency  adds an incredibly sexy feel. He used that same silk chiffon down the back where it dips into a low scoop. I love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and that low scoop at the back. A high slit up one side lets you have the perfect flash of skin when you walk or sit. It is fabulous once on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body in a black silk and it zips to close at the back.

Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem with 2.5" turned under
Slit: 19.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL

Item# DD4403

Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz.   /   (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini.  /  (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years"  /  (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 1973. / (7) Spring 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is one of three spectacular and extremely rare Dior pieces is by John Galliano from the 2008 Resort collection. This piece is particularly interesting because it can be worn as a coat like it was presented on the runway or as more of a caftan dress if layered over something underneath. On the runway it was shown as a sort of half dress/coat over peg leg trousers. Its twin help to open the show and walked the runway for Look 2. Vogue said that the collection was done "in an electric-bright palette.. and channelled Barbara Hutton's sixties—a glittery, lame, paisley, and leopard-print world of muumuus, bikinis, capri pants, trapeze dresses, cat-eye sunglasses, and scarf-wrapped hats. It bordered on camp... and Kitschy or not, there was no denying the workmanship that went into crafting the large collection." This one is new with tags and was never worn.

Just as a side note and to give you an idea of the cost of these beaded pieces by Dior, this coat has its original price tag and in 2008 it was US$16,775 and it is the simplest of the three pieces design wise. Even though that is only 16 years ago, the inflation value of that in 2024 dollars is about $25,000. And that is not even taking into account the value that John Galliano adds to the equation!

The fabric of the coat is beautiful. It is a brilliant turquoise blue silk faille that has a paisley pattern running over it in green and paler shades of blue mixed with small pops of white. The entire upper bodice and sleeves have been heavily detailed with clear and coloured crystals that catch the light brilliantly and add to it sixties feel. The beads and rhinestones go all the way across the upper back and around to completely cover the shoulders. There are five rows that wrap around the  neckline and then there are long marquis shaped medallions made out of the same clear and coloured rhinestones that sit under that. When you look at the design closely, you can see the care that has been put into making sure the pattern is uninterrupted over where it passes over seams or around that inverted pleat at the back. Another five bands circle each cuff on the sleeves and more medallion sit above that. It is just spectacular. The coat / dress hooks at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden panel where it snaps closed to just about the top of the hips. From there it is open with no closures to the hem. The shoulders are dropped, and the cut is loose and easy all through the body. It is meant to feel slightly oversized. There is a seamed inset that runs around the top of your shoulders and then there are two little faux flat pockets on each side at the front. Each faux pocket sits above an inverted pleat that runs all the way to the hem and then there is another inverted pleat that runs down the middle of the back. It already widens out substantially as it falls to the floor and this extra pleating gives it even more volume. It is like he took a sixties hostess piece and exaggerated it to the extreme. The sleeves are very wide and full and each falls to just below the elbow. The caftan is lined in a brilliant turquoise silk and this flash of the solid blue colour is fantastic when you move. You can wear this so many ways. It works over something light and easy almost like a dress. You could wear it over pants like it was worn on the runway, or use it as a light evening coat. You could probably add a soft or structured belt to add shape if you wished and add even more to its versatility. I love that you can wear this in so many ways. This is very special and are rare piece of John's history and time at Dior and it is also very beautiful. Original Dior packet with extra beads included as well as the original price tag. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a turquoise blue silk and hooks to close at the front as described above. You could add more hooks so that it closes more down the front if you wished. Its easy and open shape should allow it to fit a range of sizes. The occasional missing stone but there are extras in the packet and nothing that you would ever notice unless inspecting closely. Tagged a vintage Dior FR40, GB12, IT44, US8

Sleeves: approx 21 from top of natural shoulder and are 16" around the upper arm
Dropped shoulders: 18.5"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Total length: 55" from top of shoulders to hem with approx 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4857

Reference Photos/Video: Resort 2008 Dior Runway, Look 2. Model Tanya Dziahileva.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Philip Hulitar designed under his own namesake label from 1949 to his retirement in 1964 so his pieces fall in a very defined window for dating. He was known for his sophisticated dresses and evening gowns. Shortly after the launch of his label a journalist gushed that; 'The star of a gifted designer has risen recently on the fashion horizon'. Prior to launching his own label, Mr Hulitar was the in-house designer and head of the women's dress division for Bergdorf Goodmans for 18 years. His work is amazing. This would absolutely make for an amazing wedding dress for the bride or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. It is just beautiful.

This dress so beautiful to see. The fabric is that rich ivory champagne colored silk that seems to have been done nest during this time period. The cut of the dress is magical. The bodice is fitted and strapless and I love how it has a slight curve across the top of the bodice. Inside it is boned to help to hold the shape that you see. There is a little bow at one side for detailing that is so pretty. It is cut to follow your every curve. The waist is brought in but there is no horizontal seam there to break the eye. Instead it is held in place inside so you just get this beautiful unbroken curve to shape the body. The skirt curves over the hips and then widens out to fall to the floor in a stunning expanse of silk. The entire dress is shaped by the seam and the use of long vertical panels which give the skirt the volume that you see. You cod make it even fuller by adding a full crinoline underneath too. On the front and back are those inset panels of the same fabric bit for the panels they have been hand gathered across. This creates these long and wide panel of intricately gathered silk that run the full length of the dress. I love how they are used to add to the hourglass shape of the dress by being set wide across the bust, coming in at the waits and then expanding out across the width of the skirt. It does the same at the back but in a not so exaggerated way. The back is cut slightly longer for a beautiful sweep of fabric there. It is just a beautiful and rare piece of 1950s couture. Excellent condition with small notes below.

Fully lined in a tea coloured silk organza and closes at the back with a hand set metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. Boning through the bodice. Beautifully made. The inner lining has a variation throughout that of course does not effect the outer dress at all.  I see a tiny foxing mark on one side of the outer skirt and the edge under the arm has started to give on one side and it is just starting a tiny on the other. These could easily be altered out by reducing the width of the band there a little. Please see the photos after the label shot. The construction throughout is to demi-couture standards. The colour is a bit more ivory then how it photoed. You could easily alter this one down if needed

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a C cup at the front
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem and 62" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4373

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This dress is from the Fall 2012 Valentino collection and at this time both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were acting Creative Directors. It is interesting to see the pieces that they did in these earlier years. This was a dress that was produced for retail in black, red and white. It has the feel of Looks 25 & 48 from the runway with that deep plunge at the front that is really fantastic. The show was a huge success and the Vogue review for this collection stated in part; "For Fall, the designers wove an enchanting, globe-trotting story through the sweetly feminine silhouettes they've established as their own over the last few ready-to-wear and couture seasons". This dress was one of my favourites of the season and it is just a good now.

This is such a gorgeous dress. Its simplicity combined with an almost shocking plunge at the front add up to it being an incredible piece. It is in its original supermodel long length and it is made in one of Valentino's signature silk crepes that gives it its sleek sculpted feel. The dress is very sexy and shows off some skin but still feels very elegant and refined. The fabric has just a touch of a bias cut to it through the body so its very comfortable to wear. I love the wider straps that curve up and over your shoulders and how all the edges of the bodice are set in a soft curving scalloped pattern. The bust is set wide to the sides of the dress and then it opens up across the upper chest to the outer parts of the shoulder. The front plunges down from there to almost the waist. There is a band of the same fabric that sits part way down to keep it perfectly in place and creates just a subtle little key hole below the breast. The result is a very deep plunge but a very wearable one. At the back it is scooped wide across and then down into a V to leave most of your upper back bare. The skirt falls under that in a sculpted A-line. It widens out as it nears the hem and moves beautifully around you when you move while still holding that shape. A wide band of fabric circles all the way around the hem and this is what gives it a slight bit of added weight and structure to help hold the intended shape. It is a beautiful dress. Excellent overall condition with a note below

The bodice is fully lined in a black silk and the lower panel of the skirt is a double layer of the same fabric. The skirt between is unlined. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. There is a horizontal pull across the back of the dress near the base of the zipper that has reduced the price by half of what previous have sold for. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a modern Valentino 44

Bust: 17-18" flat across the back seam and each cup is approx 8-9" across at the widest point
Band under the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to the top seam of the band under the bust.
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4841

Reference Photos: Fall 2012 Valentino Runway Collection, Looks 48 & 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.

The twin of this dress was featured prominently in the 2016 exhibit at the Museum of FIT. This dress is often referred to as the fairy castle, or skeleton castle dress, because of the print that runs over the front of the dress. It is an interesting dress in that it is instantly recognizable as a McQueen piece, and yet it was not one that was featured on the runway. Despite being a museum exhibition piece, and one that is very well known, it was a piece produced for limited production in stores. He also produced an all black version of this dress, that you will see more often, but this printed version is far more rare. We have had that all black version as well and it was worn by Alix Earl to the Grammys before it was purchased. Besides the exhibition photo of the twin of this dress, we have included some photos of Alix in the all black version for you so that you can see how amazing this will be on the body. It is truly one of the more iconic McQueen pieces.

No matter how good you think that this dress looks like in photos or in its all black version on Alix, it is even better in person and moving. The dress is made out of a black bias cut silk that has a stunning grey scale scene printed over its entire front. I love that you literally feel like you are wearing a piece of art when you wear this dress. The dress is cut completely on the bias so it just glides over the body. It skims over the bust with a draped front that falls in a soft fold. The back is incredible and it is scooped down into a low draping that leaves a good portion of your back bare. From there  it skims past the waist and hips to the floor. The silk follows your curves and highlights the body underneath without it being too tight and fitted. Once past the hips the dress flares out as it nears the bottom so that it has beautiful movement when you move. The back is cut slightly longer than the front so you get a beautiful sweeping feel behind you. The dress is in its original uncut supermodel length. The design on the front features a castle that has winged skeleton fairies and leaf bare trees sweeping up and over it. The design is all printed into the silk to add the perfect amount of detail to the otherwise perfectly simple dress. It is just amazing. Excellent condition with a very minor note below

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. The measurements given below are the comfortable range when the dress is laying flat. Being bias cut the length may come up a bit once on the body and it should fit a range of sizes. There is a tiny area of thinning near the back hem on the outer fabric and I do see some scuffing and a couple tiny holes on the inner lining. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage McQueen 42

Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 67" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4862

Reference Photos/Video: (1) 2007 Alexander McQueen Gown on display at the Fairy Tale Fashion Exhibit at The Museum at FIT January, 2016.  /  (2-4) Alix Earle in Alexander McQueen from Shrimpton Couture, at the Grammys, 2024.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This spectacular piece is one of the best dresses from the Spring 2008 collection. Its twin walk the runway for Look 53. The Spring 2008 collection has some extra importance in the labels history because it marked Dior's 60th anniversary and it was John Galliano's 10th year with the label. He celebrated with a show that was a nod to Old Hollywood glamour. The result was a collection that was filled with beautiful things that were wait-listed for worldwide. This dress was also produced in a black for the shops and both versions were produced in very limited quantities. I am very pleased to have such an exceptional example of his work for you. You just need to see the runway reference photos here and the video of it on and walking to see how amazing this one is. 

The dress is made out of red silk that has a touch more weight to it. John often chose this weight of silk because of the control it gave him with his signature draping and the angled and curved seam work that he loved to do. All of the pieces that make up the dress have been completely cut on the bias. The dress is strapless with an inner boned and cupped corset that holds the dress in place. Silk panels have been draped over the inner corset, gathered and hand stitched into place to create the dramatic sweeping detailing you see at the front. At the back he gathered all of the fabric down and into the centre line to meet in a little peak at the centre of the waist. From there his signature bias cut allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. As in many of his pieces the seaming has the feel  of the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The fabric has been pieced together with low dropped angled panels to create the widening of the lower skirt. It flares out at the bottom and at the back it is cut longer so that you get a touch of a sweeping feel behind you as you walk. It is an incredible feat of patterning. A row of signature tightly spaced buttons & loops in the same silk run up one side. The dress is even better in person and on the body. John's pieces only truly come to life when worn. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. The inner corset hooks to close with two rows of hooks to choose from. It is boned and cupped. It is made out of lingerie netting and does have some stretch. The hips also have range because the silk is biased cut so I have given the comfortable ranges below when the dresses lay flat. I see a teeny tiny darkened spot near the hem. Hand finishes.

Inner bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 55" from top of the bodice to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4772

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 2008 Christian Dior, Look 53. Model Morgane Dubled.  /  (5) Aishwarya at the IIFA 2008.  /  (6) Lucy at the People's Choice Awards, 2024.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress was a piece made for production for the shops and you can see a similar swooping cut that the final pieces of this show had in its design. It is stunning.

The dress is made out of a beautiful rich black silk and is cut with an almost sculptural line combined with that bias cut draping. The combination is fantastic. The dress has a more fitted inner dress and then the silk drapes over that. The bodice is strapless and there is a full built-in cupped corset that holds the dress in place and gives you support through the bust. One side of the inner more fitted dress is exposed and this gives a suggestion of the shape of the body underneath. You see the inner dress from the top of the strapless bodice, around its side, and then down to about the hip. That inner portion of the dress has been been elaborately embroidered and beaded in a stunning floral design. It is beautiful. On the other side of the bodice, a silk panel is attached all the way around the top of the neckline and then it drapes down and around to frame that exposed inner dress. It creates this beautiful curved draping effect that gives the dress a bit of a Grecian goddess feel and picks up on those drapes that he used for the final few dresses on the runway. The silk panel continues all the way around the back and then the entire thing drapes to the floor. The hem is set on a slight angle with the side that drapes down sitting longer than the other side. This creates a very classic and signature McQueen feel. It is a beautiful mix of exposing just enough of the shape of the body while still showcasing the exceptional draping that he excelled at. I love how the draping slightly exaggerates the shape of the body and add curves even though the dress is not tight tot he body in any way. No matter what angle you see this dress from there is an interesting drape or an elaborate beaded detail. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

An inner black silk lining goes to just above the knee and there is a built in inner corset that is lightly boned and cupped. The corset has its own back zipper that fully opens and then the dress zips to close over that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a McQueen 44

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with B to maybe small C cups
Inner waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to shortest point of hem, 58" to the longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4622

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

The twin of this dress was Look 24 for the Resort 2020 presentation and I love having that reference photo for you to show how amazing it is on the body. The Luisa Beccaria label is out of Italy and is run by the mother-daughter team of Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria. They are known for their incredibly feminine pieces that have an almost story book feel to them. The cost of their pieces run into the thousands and their clothing is very well made. This season was a coup for the label as they were fresh from designing the wedding dress Lady Gabriella Windsor. And well deserved. The label's pieces always have a sense of romance to them. Vogue said of the collection that; 'Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza.'

This is everything you look for in a piece by the Beccaria label. It has a stunning floral design print screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. The entire dress has been printed with that gorgeous and romantic flower design in pale shades of blue and I love it. The neckline is set in a higher collar around the neck with a long tie that you can let trail down the back as they did in the collection photos or wrap and tie it into a beautiful soft bow at the front like I did for most of these shots. The silk has been gathered into the collar for pretty detail on the bodice and this adds a pretty softness there. From the neckline it skims to the waist and it comes with a matching tie belt in the same fabric that has a cut out flower that matches the print on the belt. I love this extra little thought into the design and how this gives you the option of wearing it more cinched in through the waist. The skirt falls to the floor under that, and the silk is all biased cut and there is a ton of fabric in the skirt. It is so light and there is so much fabric that your slightest movement causes the skirt to float around you as you move. It is beautiful to see. It is also in its original uncut length so it is very long. The sleeves are fantastic. Each is an incredibly full balloon sleeve made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. They pouf out dramatically above the cuff and each cuff ends in a split ruffle that is angled down longer on one side. The movement and drama the entire dress has is extraordinary. This is a dress that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing it and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning and very romantic example of her work and beautifully made. I love it. It comes with its original hang tags and was never worn. Excellent condition

The outer dress is unlined and it comes with a matching ivory bias cut silk chiffon slip to wear underneath. It closes with hook and eye at the back of the neck and a hidden set side zipper. Elastic through the waist and at the end of each cuff. The original tie belt is included. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller frame and be more fitted on a larger frame. In its original uncut length, and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern 46 and has its original hangtags.

Outer Dress
Sleeves: approx 29" but meant to come up once on and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist 
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem

Inner Separate Slip
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4590

Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria, Look 24.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a beautiful example of his work from this time period.

The dress is made from a light weight black silk organza and it is an easy-to-wear and very pretty dress. The dress is made to look as if it wraps around you but it actually is fully secured all the way around. The bodice has a cross over the front and is meant to skim over you to the waist. At the back it closes with a hook and eye at the top of the neck and then there is an open keyhole slit to where the zipper begins just above the waist. I love how the back and upper part of the shoulders are made from only one layer of the organza so that it has a touch of transparency. This transparency has been carried over to the sleeves as well. The sleeves are spectacular. Each one is extremely full and balloons out over the cuffs. They are also open with a keyhole from the top of the shoulder to the wrist. The wrist is highlighted with a bow made from the same organza and then you have a huge double ruffle of silk that falls over your hands. The waist is brought in and has an attached band of the same organza that you tied to one side. Under that the skirt falls to the floor and widen out beautifully. It is scooped up at the front to one side and there is another double layer of ruffles that begins at the top of the hip and then falls all the way to the floor. It follows the edge of the skirt all the way around the back and then scoops up the other side. This adds that incredible volume and drama to the skirt that you see. The skirt is lined underneath and the inner skirt has a smaller open slit so that your full leg is not exposed. If you wanted to, you could easily expand that inner slit so that opened all the way up and you did see all of your leg. It is gorgeous and even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk. It closes at the back of the neck with a hook at the top of the neck and a zipper starting just above the waist. Each cuff hooks to close, and the belt at the waist snaps into place. Perhaps the tiniest bit of fading to an edge here or there, but this is a natural occurrence with this type of fabric in this age of garment and I'm being pretty picky.

Sleeves: 29" including the 6 inch ruffle. 15" around the upper arm.
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4656

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and then re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a very chic and sexy example of his work from this time period and it is even better in person. 

The dress is made out of a feather light silk chiffon that is bias cut and backed in a second layer of silk that has the same pretty print over its surface. This layering of the print creates a really pretty depth and added dimension to the dress. Both layers are cut on the bias and the layers float over each other perfectly to drape over the body. It is incredible. The dress is as light as a feather and feels like heaven once on the body. The dress curves over the shoulders and the neckline plunges down between the breasts with a pretty ruffle following the neckline. The back has the same V and ruffle treatment. It cleverly closes at the base of the V and you could probably wear this either way around. It skims over the bust and then from there the dress falls in an extravagant swoosh to the floor with an easy cut over the waist and hips. The bias cut lets it drape over the body underneath but at the same time it feels insanely comfortable on because the fabric weighs ounces. I have added a taupe grosgrain ribbon at the waist to cinch it in more but also shot it without so you could see that as well. It works either way. The skirt widens out as it nears the floor and there are extra long draping panels that extend past the hemline for the perfect and prettiest finish. Excellent condition. 

Made from a layer of silk chiffon topping an inner silk layer as described above. It closes with a hidden set zipper. The ribbon at the waist is not original to the dress but will be included. The bias cut has some give and the comfortable range of measurements are listed below. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from the top of the shoulder to actual hem and then the panels extend up to 12" beyond that

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4823

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Anna Molinari and husband Gianpaolo Tarabini launched the Blumarine label in 1977 out of Capri and had their first catwalk show in 1980. By the 1990s they had opened their first stand alone shop. This is from the 2000s Sposa wedding collection and it is ja really gorgeous dress.

This dress is so pretty and romantic feeling. The design is quite unusual. The body of the dress has a V at the front and the back but then set inside and attached is a little chiffon under piece. It gives the dress the feel that you have layered it over a little semi -transparent chiffon bodice. It peaks out at the V at the front and again at the back. Then you have long sleeves that are made out of a single layer of the chiffon. These sit under the body of the dress and are set off the shoulders. They have cut outs at the top of each shoulder for a little bare skin there and then each one ends with a ruffle at the cuffs. The body of the dress skims over you from the bodice to the hips with a touch of shape near the waist area. It falls to the floor from there and gradually widens out as it hears the hem. The back is cut longer than the front so that it trails out behind you a bit and gives you that beautiful sweeping skirt. The main body of the dress has two feather light layers of chiffon covering an inner layer. This makes the entire dress feels light, airy and romantic. A pretty bow sits just under the bust and the edges have lace and ribbon detailing for the final perfect touches. It is absolutely gorgeous. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a silky feeling ivory rayon and closes at the back with a zipper. Each cuff has a hidden set snap to bring it in. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a 46

Sleeves: 21" from where they open at the shoulder so they hang longer once on
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 11" from top of shoulder to the seam under the bust
Total length: 57" from waist to front hem and extends another 17" beyond that at the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3848

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This Oscar de la Renta dress is gorgeous and it is a definite statement piece. We believe this to be from the early 2000s and probably part of a bridal collection. It might even be a custom piece. His wedding pieces range from about $10000-$20,000 USD with the more elaborate ones like this tending to be in the upper range of that. Oscar launched his first bridal collection in October of 2002 and his wedding pieces have been worn by some of the most famous women in the world. He once said 'In the same manner that she fell in love with that man, I hope she's going to fall in love with that dress.' Countless brides have done just that. This gown is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bride looking for that very full princess feel and with the added pop of pink, this is the dress. 

The skirt of the dress is magnificent. Underneath the top layer are two layers of a pale smoky greyish white tulle and then that tops nine layers of pink tulle. Then under that are three more layers of a stiffen white tulle. Incredible! The dress is strapless to balance out the incredible volume that all of those layers create. The neckline is embroidered and finished with muted silver gold thread and tiny little pink beads, mixed with clear iridescent beads. This is all attached to the dress with pink thread. Inside the bodice there is a full built-in hidden corset that is boned and has underwire cups hidden under the pink silk lining. It nips in at the waist for shape and then the skirt explodes out in volume under that. I did not add any additional crinolines to the dress for these photos. The very top layer of tulle is covered with a scattering of tiny silver sequins and little clear beads that are fixed in patterns over the bodice as well as the skirt. This allows the dress to sparkle in the light from every angle it is seen from. The top layer of the skirt is gathered into the waist and on the sides it is gathered more so you get a bit of interest and draping of that top layer of tulle. The hem has been finished with an elaborate pattern that picks up on what you see on the bodice. On one side of the skirt the hem and tulle have been gathered up and into a pink bow for the perfect little finishing detail. If you needed the dress to feel even fuller you could have the inner layers starched and you would get even more volume. I love the bareness of the shoulders the strapless silhouette gives you. It is the perfect balance to that full princess skirt. Gorgeous. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The bodice is lightly boned with wired inner cups under the lining for structure and support. The dress closes at the side with a hidden set zipper. Multiple layers of built in tulle and skirting as described above. I do see some tiny breaks in the net and you will see the occasional missing bead or sequin or loose thread. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 50" from top of bodice to front hem, 52" to the back 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4860

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This dress is very special and an extremely well documented piece from Spring 1988. It has the special added provenance of being the twin of one of the four dresses portrayed in that instantly recognizable photo taken in his atelier that year. That photo is perhaps one of the most famous photos in the Lacroix history. The dress is from his Luxe label that was only produced the very first couple of seasons. It was very high end expensive ready-to-wear that was made to near couture standards and was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was the predecessor to his later regular ready-to-wear collections. It is said that this label only lasted a couple of seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. We found numerous reference photos of the dress as it appeared on the runway so you have an amazing idea of how this dress looks on the body.

The dress is gorgeous. It is made out of a textured silk organza that has a slight texture running through it. Onto that is a glorious floral pattern in pinks and yellow with pops of green. It feels so vibrant and beautiful with that gorgeous print. The sleeves are long and they are cut on a slight curve in the traditional couture manner. The shoulders are lightly shaped and the front falls into a shallow V. The dress has a little bit of gathering just at the bust area down the centre seam and then it falls smoothly  to the hem under that. It is cut to skim over you through the body with just a suggestion of shape through the waist. At the back the bottom 9 inches of the skirt has an inset bustle. The fabric there is gathered into a curving seam and there are three black organza half bows stacked one on top of the other to create a bustle feel. This is one of his most famous dresses and its amazing. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the sleeves are lined in a white silk. The dress zips to close at the back and each cuff has a zipper to close it. Light padding in the shoulders. Tagged a vintage Lacroix 44

Sleeves: 22.5" and 13" around the upper arm
Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 35" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4401

Reference Photos: (1-5) Spring 1988 Christian Lacroix Collection.  /  (6-7) Models in Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Atelier, Paris, 1988. Photos by Arthur Elgort.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. The movement it has when it is on and you walk is just incredible. One appeared on the runway that season for Look 51 and Leah Michelle wore one to the 2010 Emmys. This is the type of dress that made us all fall in love with Oscar and his view on femininity romance and occasion. It's an absolutely stunning piece and I love it's added red carpet modern provenance.

This dress is absolutely dreamy. It is made out of the perfect deep blue silk mixed with shots of a silk chiffon in the same shade. It is strapless and the neck line curves around and over the bus with a bit of a peak on one side. The peak is created by an added layer of silk and you can choose to steam that down, so it's in line with the neckline or wear it up as you see in these photos. The silk is draped over the bust to give the illusion that it's wrapped around you and then a piece extends down from the one side and wraps all the way into the back. Inside it is cupped and shaped for support. Under the added panels of draping it is meant to hug the body and highlight your curves to past the hips to create an hourglass feel. I love how the sea where the skirt is set in is all set on a sharp angle which really gives the illusion of added length through the body. The skirt is spectacular. Here you see the genius of Oscar. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of a cascade of silk ruffles that become wider and more full as they near the hem. It is set slightly longer at the back then the front so that you get this pretty curve from the side view and this fantastic sweep of skirts from the back. The entire skirt is covered with angled rose of silk that spared no generosity in how much fabric was used to create each one. Each one is finished at its edge so that it curls slightly and retains his volume. In between each silk layer of ruffles is a matching blue silk chiffon layer, and those also have finished edges so that they curl as well. There are eight layers in total and then the very inner bottom portion of the skirt is finished with a wide band of concealed stiffened netting that helps to hold the shape and volume of the skirt while adding support to the ruffles above. Inside of that is yet another silk inner skirt, which is also finished with its own wide concealed band of stiffen netting. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. This is Oscar at his very best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a matching blue silk. It interior corset closes with a zipper at the back and then a second hidden set zipper closes the dress over that. Lightly boned through the inner bodice and built in wire cups. Inner waist stay hooks to close. The dress no longer has a label, but you can see the remnants of its original hanging supports just under the edge of the bodice with the label name on its. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam and the exterior waist will accommodate up to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 49" from top of the bust to shortest part of the front hem, 54" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4878

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-2) Resort 2011 Oscar de la Renta, Look 51. Model Anastasia Kuznetsova.  /  (3-5) Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta at the 2010 Emmys.

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I have two of these in the shop today and this one is the larger one and it is a FR42/US10 in size. The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the runway as Look 47 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California and Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles were there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' The twin of it with the front tacked closed a bit was also worn by Kate Mara in 2017 which shows you how it looks when you do close the plunge a bit. It is also interesting because a very similar dress was shown for the Resort 2008 collection and you can see that progression from the Dior archives to this piece. 

This is a dress that is insanely sexy and bare feeling. I love its bright joyful yellow colour and minimal lines. The dress is a made out of a feather light silk chiffon that tops inner layers of silk tulle and silk. This fabric combination makes it very light and easy to wear and it feels like a dream once on the body. The lightness of it lets it move and float around you beautifully as you walk and move. The front plunges low to the seam at the slightly empire set to the waist. It crosses over itself a touch at the front and the seam under the bust is detailed with a tiny little ruffle in the same silk. The shoulders twist as they curve over your shoulders and then it falls into another deep V at the back. The panels there sit a wider apart where it meets the waist so you get a more open back feel. The sides are equally as dramatic as the plunge in long Vs to the waist. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There is a tremendous amount of fabric in the skirt and this lets the skirt billow out around you as you move. The top layer of the skirt is a silk chiffon that has a touch of texture to it. There are two layers of silk tulle under that and a final inner layer of silk that acts as the lining. The effect all of these layers have once it is on and moving around you is fantastic. It is fabulous on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Lined as described above and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Tagged a FR42, UK14, IT46, US10. A tiny pinhole in the lining of the bust. The easy cut should work on a range of sizes.

Bust: no true side seams but each triangle will cover 7-9" across
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer layers are full and open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4653

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Runway, Look 47. Model Cara Taylor.  /  (3-4) Kate Mara in Dior at the 2017 Guggenheim International Gala.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This is an incredible McQueen dress that is very beautiful. This was a dress that was produced for the shops and was most likely made in limited quantities. It is also rare in that it is a size 46 and it is always amazing to find a larger McQueen piece as you find so few. It is in pristine condition and appears to have been worn very little at all. It is an incredible dress. The dress does not have a single unnecessary seam. Even with its simplicity it would still be a dress that is red carpet worthy or would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any other event. 

The dress is gorgeous. It definitely takes inspiration from the bias cut couture pieces of the 1920s and 1930s. McQueen was a master tailor and the seam work and simplicity of this dress are beautiful to see. It is made from a light in weight ivory silk that has that same feel that the best of the 1930s pieces did that were made from similar silks. Like those dresses of the thirties this is also cut on the bias but with a more structured and shaped silhouette because it is completely lined. I love that the fabric is heavy enough to hold the shape while still skimming and moving over the body. The neckline is set into a V at the front and angled darts give a touch of shape through the bust. The bias cut through the body lets it skim over your waist and hips in an easy way. The skirt flows to the floor from there and it is in its original uncut supermodel length. The lower skirt flares out as it reaches the hem. At the back there is extra fabric worked around the centre seam and the back skirt is also cut a little longer then the front. This gives you a bit of a sweeping feel behind you as you walk. The flaring out of the lower skirt and the extra fabric at the back also give you fabulous movement when you walk or move. The bare and open back is the fabulously  unexpected finish to the dress. The back is cut out and squared off at the bottom of the opening. This leaves your entire back open and bare. It is shockingly sexy and the perfect McQueen touch on an otherwise perfectly pretty dress. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in an ivory silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a McQueen 46. The bias cut fabric does have some movement. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. It is in its original extra long length. 

Bust: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: 20-23.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 69" from neck to front hem, 72" to the back hem
Back plunge: 20" from shoulder to lowest part of the plunge

Modern Sizing Equivalent: LRG-XL

Item# DD4776

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Christian LaCroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and was an instant success on the worldwide stage. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His collections are always exotic, lavish affairs and his designs seemed to span the decades with their eccentric glamour pulled from multiple sources of inspiration. The twin of this cardigan was shown on the fall 1994 runway and you can see how fantastic it is on the body. It's that perfect piece that walks the line between being easy and comfy and still glamorous.

This is a beautiful example of Christian's ready-to-wear work and it is made to be slightly oversized and easy to wear with an almost lounging robe feel to it in its cut. It is a piece that you can wear open and layered over other things or wrap and use the belt that comes with it or one of your own to have to feel more like a coat or to even be able to wear it on its own. It is made out of a mixed knit that is insanely soft to the touch and feels soft on the body so that it has the easy organic lines that you see. Everything about it is meant to convey ease and luxury. It has no closures and just slips on. The shoulders slope down and into those fabulously long ribbed cuffed sleeves. You can push the sleeves up, wear them long or roll them. The body of the cardigan is loose and generously cut. Pockets sit low on each hip and the collar has a wide shawl feel to it. The entire bottom is one in a ribbon to pick up the cuffs. It is gorgeous and once on, you won't want to take it off. Excellent condition.

Unlined with no closures but does come with its original twist tie belt. Tagged a size M but the loose and easy for will work on a large range of sizes. The smaller you are the more it will feel oversized. 

Sleeves: 22" from he dropped shoulders
Dropped shoulders: 26"
Bust- hips: 29" flat across from side to side  and narrows to about 23"at the ribbing
Length: 32" from neck to hem and hangs a bit longer once on the body

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

 Item# DD4524

Reference Photo: Fall 1995 Christian Lacroix Runway.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

This was a dress produced for the shops but you can see that it was based on a combination of Looks 10 and Look 52. Done in a more versatile black, it has the one shoulder cut of Look 10 combined with the bead work and embellishments that you see on look 52. Vogue said that the collection was done "in an electric-bright palette.. and channelled Barbara Hutton's sixties—a glittery, lame, paisley, and leopard-print world of muumuus, bikinis, capri pants, trapeze dresses, cat-eye sunglasses, and scarf-wrapped hats. It bordered on camp... and Kitschy or not, there was no denying the workmanship that went into crafting the large collection." I love that the photo of the blue dress still shows you how fantastic this is on the body and I love that the added details make it feel that much more special. 

The dress is made out of a black silk chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is all cut on the bias but with seaming at the waist so that it has more structure then some of his longer bias cut pieces. The dress falls from one shoulder and then drapes down and over the bodice to the waist before the skirt swings out from under there. It is very beautiful. It is cut to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The dress is suspended from  that one wide shoulder panel that curves over your shoulder and drapes across the bust to the other side. On both the front and back he has added a fabulous spray of intricate floral appliques that are detailed with black jet beads and sequins. These catch the light beautifully as you move. The waist nips in and the dress comes with its original belt, in its original pouch, that allows you to cinch the waist in as much as you like. I love the big jewel buckle on the belt that adds that much more glitz. The skirt flares out under that to the hem. There is a good amount of silk chiffon through the skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk. It's stunning. His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a black silk and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see one tiny hole near the hem. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a FR42, GB14, IT46, US10.

Inner bust: 18.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from the top of the shoulder to the waist and meant to blouse over the waist a bit
Total length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4800

Reference Photos: Cruise 2008 Christian Dior. (1) Look 10. Model Chanel Iman.  /  (2) Look 52. Model Mariya Markina.

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This dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period. This is a production piece that was not shown on the runway but would have been made in limited quantities for the shops. For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always harken back to his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them. This dress with its cut out detailing and that fantastic draping of fabric across the shoulders is absolutely beautiful. This is classic Galliano and is extremely flattering once on the body.

The dress is made out of a deep mauve purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well and that we all love. The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see here. The dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and around the neck. The strap meets and then drops down the centre of the back and panels are suspended from it. These curving panels are fascinating. They can hang down and under the arms at the side or you can drape your arms through them to create that beautiful curving panel at the back that you see in some of the photos. We tried to style and show it in the various ways it can be worn and I love the versatility of it. I think that on a real body you might even be able to get clever and do some other styling tricks with them as well. The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem. On one side of the dress it buttons to close with a row of his signature tightly spaced buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip. The dress is lined in a crepe silk but you could choose to remove that lining and have that side be completely bare so that your skin showed through if you wished. I have seen this dress in another colour where someone did that and it made it that much more sexy. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. All minor and mentioned for accuracy. Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4599

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

John Galliano began his own label in 1984 and he was instantly a bit of a 'boy wonder' in fashion. He was British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1995. In 1991 he made his Paris catwalk debut. In 1995 he was asked to head Givenchy and then went to Dior in October of 1996. His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. This is an amazing example of his work from the Spring 2006 season and it is gorgeous. This dress was a piece made for production for retail but it has all the things we love about his work presented in a beautifully chic and minimalist package. We believe that some of the detailing is based on / loosely inspired by the opening look of the Couture 2006 collection. We have included a photo of that dress for you and you can see similar bead work through the skirt of that dress that has similarity to the pattern of the beads on this dress.

The dress is made out of the deepest possible blue silk crepe chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it and more opaqueness than a standard chiffon would have. It is completely cut on the bias which is one of his signatures that we all love. The dress falls from the shoulders and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures. The fabric has been pieced together with both curved and angled seams through the bodice and lower skirt especially to create the fantastic lines of the dress that you see. Wide straps extend out from the bust to curve over your shoulders. The front is set in a V and the fabric is gathered across the front of the shoulders. I love the angled cut of the front bodice where he has piece the two side of it together. These are set into a high curving seam that highlights the waist but still stays easy in cut. That seam curves around the back curving upwards there as well. The back is scooped into a low curved open expanse. The straps become smaller and run down the back to join into each side of the lowest part of that curve. An attached panel of silk drapes beautifully down the back in reference to the best of Old Hollywood. The dress glides over the body from there and flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening and length of the back hem is created with angled silk chiffon panels inset into the back skirt. It is an incredible feat of patterning. This creates a longer bit of a train at the back for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you. There is an incredible amount of fabric through the lower skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk. It is stunning. The entire dress to just past the knee is beaded with silver beads mixed with the tiniest  silver sequins. These are laid out vertically over the dress in beautiful curving lines that cover the dress. They catch the light from every angle and take the dress to another level. His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

It has a matching silk inner slip dress that loop through a stitch so that they are attached at the top of the inner shoulders. You could easily remove this to get more room if needed. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes and we have provided the comfortable range of measurements for both it and the outer dress below. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. Tagged a FR42, GB14, IT46, US10. 

Dress
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and approx 74" to the back

Inner slip
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4884

Reference Photo: Fall 2006 Dior Couture, Look 1.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

I had a dress similar to this in the past and I think I love it even more this time around. It is a beautiful example of the genius of Mr. de la Renta's work and his attention to detail. It has a beautiful elegance to it and is quite striking. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love these earlier examples of that aesthetic. You can see how many of the elements you see in pieces like this were carried forward through his entire body of work.

The dress is made from a sheer brown silk chiffon with a built in under-dress done in a lightweight brown silk chiffon. This makes it wearable, but still gives you the depth of the top layer that has a slight transparency to it. The fabric is beautiful. Depending on which direction the pile of the velvet is in, the colour morphs from a deep charcoal grey to a more taupe grey colour. Stitched in and around the velvet is a deep reddish copper metallic thread that gives the entire dress a subtle glint. The sleeves are incredible. They are unlined and they are incredibly full so that they pouf out above the cuffs. The bodice is cut to skim over you and then is brought in so that it blouses up and over the seam at the waist. The waist has elastic running through it so it is incredibly easy to wear. The skirt falls to the floor from there. The shape is fairly long and slim with just a touch of widening out at the hem for a lean silhouette. At the back there is an open keyhole under the closure there. I love this little unexpected and subtle flash of skin. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. Excellent condition.

Fully lined with an inner built in dress made of a nude and black silk chiffon stacked on top of each other. The sleeves are unlined. The inner dress closes at the back with a hand set snaps. The outer fabric snaps and hooks over that. Elastic through the waist and each cuff has elastic. Hand finished throughout. In its original uncut length. It looks to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: 26" and they are 26" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Inner bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 13-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16" from top of shoulder to waist. The elastic at the waist will let you wear it up or down a bit as needed.
Total length: 64" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4764

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.