Christian LaCroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and was instantly adored and revered. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His collections are always an exotic, lavish affair and his inspirations spanned the decades with their eccentric, exotic glamour. His atelier closed in 2009. This dress is from the Spring 2006 collection and was shown on the runway. I love that for production they went with an even longer length.

I love this dress and how it showcases LaCroix's love of drape and a bias cut. It has the added benefit of being a version of the dress that was shown on the runway that season in a slightly shorter length. It is suspended from the shoulders by tiny straps that are made from the same silk as the dress. Triangle cups cover the bust at the front with just a small hint of gathers to the fabric at the center and at the back it scoops down for a little extra skin to show. From there the dress falls in a sweeping bias cut that gradually widens out as it nears the hem. The skirt is made up of yards and yards of silk and there are little pleats set just under the bust to give it even more volume and movement. The whole dress has an easy and sexy scarf dress type of feel to it. I love the print that runs over the silk. It is set onto the fabric like a patchwork of design that should all clash but because the tones are all kept in a similar palette it all works perfectly. It is so simple but so very sexy. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a size 42. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 47" from seam under the bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3027

Reference Photo: Christian Lacroix S/S 2006, Look 61.

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

Jean Desses became a designated Haute Couture house under the official Chambre Syndicate de la Haute Couture in 1937. In 1949 he began a ready-to-wear line to broaden his client base. However, his career was fairly short lived and by 1960 the couture portion of his business was closed, followed by the closure of the ready-to-wear line five years later. When he expanded his atelier to serve the overseas market in the late 1950s, he was among the small elite group of designers that sold to the American power house department stores - Bergdorf Goodman's in this case - and gave then the right to produce his designs in America. The fabrics and design were the same as what was being produced in his atelier in France, but the construction of the actual pieces was done by couture level seamstresses in America. This elaborate system had already been established by Dior and was a clever way to get around the severe import taxation of the time period. Jean Desses kept a strict eye on what was produced and where pieces went and this caused a severe limitation on the quantities produced. The RTW line for the American market was also made to order, piece by piece, making it truer to demi-couture.

The dress has the elegant lines that you associate with the best of Jean Desses' work. The fabric used to construct the dress is a green silk satin that seems to glow with its own inner light. The color is a beautiful deep moss green. Fused onto the silk base are flowers done in a plush, soft velvet that add texture and depth to the fabric. The cut has a sense of contained sexuality, nothing overt, but cut to follow and highlight every curve. It has a deep V neckline at the front and the back is an even deep plunge with the inner bodice acting as a partial modesty panel. Just under the V at the front it is gathered and detailed with a small piping of fabric that gives the illusion of holding the gathers  there in place. It also gives a subtle nod to a Grecian aesthetic, a signature touch of Jean Desses' work. The waist nips in and below that the skirt is beautifully constructed. The inner skirt is fitted with a top panel of fabric lying over that inner skirt that is secure at the waist and then wraps and ties at the back in am almost apron feeling finish. There are lots of fabulous detailing and high end finishes to this dress like an inner built in bodice and weighting at the back hem. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

The inner bodice lining and the inner front panel of the underskirt are made of a green silky rayon. The exterior fabrics are interlined in a pale green silk organza. It closes with a painted metal side zipper and the over-skirt is part attached and then ties at the back. Hand finishes and ribbon edged seam. Light boning through the bodice and inner waist stay that closes with hook and eye. Made to demi-couture standards.

Interior Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist stay: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Exterior waist if stay left open: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 30" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1901

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 color of this Haute Couture dress by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior is striking and is the first thing you notice. It is an unusual shade and even the camera has not quite captured just how wonderful it is in person. The fabric is a silk chiffon and it has little medallions woven through the silk that I like to think are stylized four leaf clovers. It is from the Fall 1973 collection and a version of it in t a different print was photoed for an editorial that year (I have included it here as reference). I think this all green version with its play on transparencies is far better then that one though.

It is so flattering on. The attention to detail shown in every stitch is breathtaking and to the highest standards. Being a Haute Couture piece, It would have been made entirely by hand in the Dior atelier. The silk chiffon used is of the highest possible grade and gives the dress its beautiful drape and line. The bodice is cut into a low V at the front and the waist is fitted. There are long attached ties of fabric that wrap and hook around the waist and at the front there is a soft bow of fabric. Each sleeves is cut so that it puffs above the fitted cuffs - you can really see how full they are in real life in the added editorial reference photo. The skirt is soft and there is an unexpected amount of fabric in it that give you a sleek line when you are standing and then when you move it shows how full it is. I love that only the front of the bodice is lined, this leaves the back semi-transparent for an unexpected sensuality. It is gorgeous and better in person. Excellent condition.

The front bodice and skirt are fully lined in a matching green silk and the dress is completely made by hand as the parameters of Haute Couture dictates. It closes with a back, handset painted metal zipper and there is second zipper that closes the inner skirt lining. The cuffs button with green silk covered buttons. I see one tiny repair to the fabric on the bow that wraps around the waist but you wold never see this unless you go over it meticulously. Haute Couture number 003016. Note that in person the color is even better then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of bodice to waist + a 3" band
Skirt: 28" from bottom seam of waist band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2883

Reference Photo: Christian Dior, 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.

From the Spring 2015 Runway collection, this Valentino dress is wonderful. Both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were designing for that house at the time and taking the atelier to new places. Vogue said of the collection that season, remarking specifically to the seaside themed dresses: "The collection was poetic, graceful, and beautiful. Chiuri and Piccioli touched on many of Italy's patrimonies, from its antiquities all the way down to its kitsch... the designers lavished special attention on the seaside, printing some gowns with starfish and snails, and embroidering others with shells, sailing ships, and underwater creatures like the Portuguese man-of-war....as always, it was the workmanship that astounded, be it extravagantly done, as the feather-embroidered numbers were, or more naively wrought, like those sea creatures. "In this moment when everything is synthetic, digital, and flat, you need something more human. To dream, you need to feel something, not just to see," said Piccioli."

The dress is stunning and weighs mere ounces. It is a silk chiffon that is entirely cut on the bias so that flows and moved beautifully over the body. The coral design that runs over it has been done in soft neutrals to play against the pale ivory silk. It is almost weightless and yet constructed so that it drapes on the body perfectly. The skirt is to the floor and has yards of fabric in it. Two layers of chiffon are under the top layer so it gives it a very floating effect when you move. The waist is cinched and the back scooped low for a bare expanse of skin to show, broken only by the silk covered elastic band that runs across the scoop to hold it perfectly in place. If you prefer it to be completely open you could easily remove this so you get more of the effect of the editorial reference photo included here. The top is stunning with its classical one shoulder design that leaves the other shoulder bare. The bodice is cut to sit loose and draped. It is beautiful. Excellent condition

 Fully lined in an ivory colored silk chiffon cut on the bias. The skirt has an extra layer of silk through it so is made up of three full layers in total. It closes with a Low back, hidden set zipper. The strap that goes across the back is attached on one side and hooks to close on the other with a row of four hook & eye. The shoulder ties into place with long attached ties. Inner waist stay and size US8

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to waist and can be adjusted
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3022

Reference Photos: (1) Valentino S/S 2015, Look 68. Model: Irina Liss.  /  (2) Photo by Mario Testino, Vogue US, Feb 2015.  /  (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon. Cherie is wearing a Magnetic Midnight X Shrimpton Couture 'Stardust' Headpiece - available on the site here >

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

Heart-breakingly beautiful, this silk chiffon Hanae Mori gown is a rare example of her true Haute Couture work. The dress just an absolute work of art from the Spring 2000 collection. It is an interesting example of how the client is really the driving force behind what they buy. The dress is an adaptation of look seven from the runway and uses a print from the Fall 1990 collection. I have included a reference photo of both the 2000 runway dress and the 1990 one as they were presented.  It has her signature east meets west feel and it is an honor to have a piece of her couture work in the shop. Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York Runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.

The dress features one of her custom designed prints, depicting a forest of trees rising up along the side of a mountain. She has screened this onto the top layer of the skirt that is made from a feather light silk chiffon. The inner layer of the skirt is made from a fine silk twill and this is also screened with that same design. The layering of the two fabrics gives the print depth and a touch of the surreal as they move over each other. Interspersed here and there over the silk are her signature butterflies. These are screened onto the silk with such a light touch that they seem almost ghostly as they flit randomly over the silk. The bodice is highly structured in contrast and uses different shades of grey silk to add to the contrast of the layers. Here the silk is hand pleated and gathered into soft folds that shape and mold the upper body. The dress is suspended from tiny straps that curve up and over each shoulder. At the back, the silk flows out into a soft train. A matching shawl of the same silk chiffon is screened with more of that beautiful art work. Inside the dress is her proper Haute Couture label and it's numbered couture tape underneath. Excellent condition with a tiny note to review below

Fully lined in a hand set cream silk. It has a fully built in inner boned bodice that closes with its own independent zipper. A second, hidden set zipper closes the exterior. The top silk chiffon layer of the skirt hides the zipper below the waist with fabric covered snaps. Inner waist stay. Hand finished to couture standards. Haute Couture tape #C 1109 5.4.2000. There is the very faintest of tiny marks to the silk just below the waist line with the tiniest of pulls to the fabric here and there. A small bit if scuffing to the inner lining of the train. All extremely minor and when on it appears unworn.

Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to shortest point of front hem, 59" to the back hem
Shawl: 36" x 124"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3020

Reference Photo: (1) Hanae Mori F/W 1990 Haute Couture Collection.  /  (2) Hanae Mori S/S 2000 Haute Couture Collection. (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon. Cherie is wearing a Magnetic Midnight X Shrimpton Couture 'Shooting Stars' Headpiece - available on the site here >

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 dress was obvioulsy inspired by the work that Loris Azzaro was doing during this time period. At first glance you would almost think that it was that jeweled collar dress of his that became one of his signature pieces. It has that same looped keyhole neckline that has a highly detailed embellishment onto it like his pieces did. This slightly simpler version is made from a fluid silver-grey jersey that drapes fantastically. The color perfectly off-sets the detailing at the neck. It is gathered up and around the bodice with the gathers there converging into the center keyhole. The upper shoulders and back are left bare. The skirt cascade from just below the bust line to flow to the floor, gently widening out as it nears the hem. The neckline is of course, the center piece of the dress. It curves up and around the neck and the straps are completely encrusted with densely set faux pearls, rhinestones and beads. Presents as excellent condition with a small note to review below

Fully lined in a matching grey silky rayon and closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. There is some light scuffing/grubbiness along the hem and the occasional very faint mark on the jersey. A couple of beads missing near the hook and eye of the halter (photoed). Nothing that detracts when on but present when laid out flat and inspected.

Bust: 16-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 11" from neck to empire waist
Skirt: approx 49" from empire waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2386

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 is held in the permanent archives of The Metropolitan Museum. It would not surprise me to find out that these were the only two version made of this dress as true Haute Couture pieces were never prodiued in any significant quantities. It is as wearable now as it was when first made and feels very modern. It is entirely finished by hand and is from the time period when the house was run by Hubert de Givenchy himself. Finding vintage examples of Haute Couture is always very special and this is a wonderful, well documented piece showcasing Givenchy's work during this time period.

The dress is made of a deep blue grey silk crepe. It is cut with a strong nod to the classic Grecian silhouette that leaves one shoulder exposed and bare. The construction details throughout the dress are exquisite. The bodice has been gathered by hand to create a series of soft gathers that run from shoulder to waist and follow the cut of the neckline as it angles up towards that single shoulder. This adds a beautiful texture to the bodice of the dress without having to divert from his chosen color or fabric. The waist is defined waist by a slim cut gold leather cord that wraps and ties to add shape. The skirt falls below this in a slim column to the floor. Set over the skirt is a panel of fabric that is cut so that it angles softly down one side, picking up the angle of the shoulder. Slipping over this goes a cape, made from the same fabric. No shortcut was taken in the construction and it is a stand out piece in every possible way. Even better in person. Excellent condition with a few small notes below to review.

The dress is fully lined in a hand set blue silk of very high quality. There is a wide waist stay that hooks at the inner waist. It closes with a hand set, side painted metal zipper and from the waist down there are hidden set snaps that close the fabric of the skirt over the zipper. The bodice is lightly boned and there are small pads handset inside the bust. The cape is unlined and slips over the head to wear. There are some light snags in the fabric here and there and some small areas pf darkening on the skirt overlay - the snags are most noticeably on the back of the skirt near the bottom - these are seen most when it is laid out flat but once on the color and placement make all of them negligible. It is mentioned for accuracy and taken into consideration when priced. Haute Couture tape label #55417

Dress
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder strap to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Cape
39" from neck to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2767

Reference Photo: 1973 Givenchy Evening Dress from The MET 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 original owner of this dress wore it to host a dinner party in 1989 but I do not know if she had purchased it that same season or from a slightly earlier season. There are hints of it from both the 1986 collection in terms of  some of the construction details and the 1988-89 collection in terms of color specifically. I have included reference photos for both those collections. Of course Haute Couture was always custom made for the client so would rarely be a specific copy anyway but it is nice to have a more narrow date range.

The dress is a stunning example of Valentino's work during this time period. It mixes a sense of restraint and elegance with the softness and sensuality that the silk gives it. You are entirely covered form neck to hem but the transparency of the silk through the billowing sleeves and upper shoulders hint at the skin underneath and keep the dress from feeling too demure. The bodice is a masterpiece in shaping and couture techniques. The silk here is entirely set and gathered 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 but not to the point where it feels constrictive, just so that it holds you in place and shapes you perfectly. The skirt flows out under that in four full layers of bias cut silk chiffon so that when you move the skirts seem to float around you. This is the type of gown that Valentino excelled at; refined elegance mixed with a luxurious fabric and finished with a master's touch of provocativeness and romance. The dress presents as excellent but does have some flaws. Please review the notes below.

The interior bodice is finished in muslin, lingerie netting, boned and molded through the bust. The sleeves and upper shoulders are unlined and the skirt is made from four full layers of silk. The interior bodice closes with series of hook and eye and the dress sips to close over that with a painted metal zipper. Each cuff buttons to close with two silk covered buttons and loops. Three buttons also sit at the top of the back neck just above the slit opening that starts just above the zipper of the corseted bodice. There are various discolored areas through the skirt that go through the layers. I have photoed the worst of them. There is so much fabric that once on these are almost invisible to the eye so it is wearable as is if you are OK with it being not 100% perfect. There are some very light faint versions of the same on the upper front above the corset and through the sleeves. I see one tiny repair near the hem at the back of the skirt. Priced well down from what it would be if perfect. Note for those that buy based on how it fits me that it was a little long through the bodice and big through the bust and waist on me.

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

Matching ruffle edged shawl (photoed separately)
54" x 52"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3018

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

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

Sybil Connolly was based in Dublin and her first major fashion show as a designer in her own right was in 1953 and quickly became a darling of the American market. Jacqueline Kennedy wore  Connolly for her official White House portrait and Connolly was a particular favorite of Carmen Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar. In 1957 she launched her couture label. She created Haute Couture pieces made from Irish textiles and in particular she became famous for her distinctive use of  pleated handkerchief linen. This excerpt explains Sybil Connolly's techniques:

"Sybil Connolly's trademark gowns required a tremendous amount of fabric. To construct one pleated evening dress required between 72 and 90 yards of Irish handkerchief linen. After undergoing a secret pleating process, this initial yardage became 7 to 10 yards of slightly irregular, narrow linen pleats. Like the early 20th century designer Mario Fortuny, Sybil Connolly was very protective of her pleating process, swearing that it was a secret she would "carry to the grave." In her designs, Connolly usually oriented the pleats horizontally, covering the seams with self-fabric cording. The cords also lengthen the overall line of the garment, providing a counterbalance to the horizontal pleats. As Connolly tended towards solid colors, the stiff cording also provides a necessary visual contrast to the soft linen pleats."

This dress is a stunning example of that technique. It is most likely from about 1965 based on the bow details used on the side of the skirt, though she did make variations of this dress from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s so it could be an earlier version.  She worked directly with the cloth when she did her design work and rarely did any preliminary sketches. This dress has a very formal feel to it that is softened by that lovely soft blue color that the linen has been dyed to. The bows are a stiffened organza and the color of those slightly offset the blue of the dress. They add a touch of romance and whimsy as  they run down the sides of the skirt, securing in place the long, inverted folds down each side. The dress is kept simple so that the pleating technique takes center stage. The bodice is sleeveless, with a high neckline at the front and a slight V at the back. The waist cinches in for shape and then the skirt billows out to a beautiful string line that allows the many yard of fabric used to take full center stage. It is stunning and a rare example of fashion history. Excellent condition with one small note below to review.

The dress is fully lined in a blue hand set silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper, Inner waist stay closes with hook & eye. The hand work done can clearly be seen through the interior. Some shattering to the silk on the inner bodice (photoed). This does not affect the exterior at all and seems stable as is.

Bust: 17.5-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist stay: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam, if left unhooked you could get a bit more room
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem with abut 3" turned up under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3017

Reference Photos: (1) Model wearing an Irish linen gown by Sybil Connolly, 1957.  /  (2) Model wears Sybil Connolly dress in Vogue US, March 1962. Photo by Henry Clarke.  /  (3) Sybil Connolly Skirt in Harper's Magazine, August 1965.  /  (4) Model wears Sybil Connolly in Vogue US, August 1967. Photo by Patrick Lichfield.  /  (5) Credits Unknown.

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

Randolph Duke made his formal evening wear debut during fall 1997 and immediately gained a steadfast following and was dressing stars like Hilary Swank, Angelina Jolie, Sharon Stone and Celine Dion for major red carpet events. His shows from Fall 2000 onward are well documented and this dress is not in them making it Spring 2000 or earlier. Angie Harmon wore a similar dress on the red carpet in 2000. The dress bears its original sample label making it either the piece that would have been shown on the runway or the showroom sample that buyers would have seen to buy this design for the upcoming season. If Duke was known for his ability to showcase a woman's body, then this dress takes that to the extreme. It has a barely there feel to it. It plunges almost to the waist at the front. The slit created by the wrapped over effect on the skirt is just shy of being scandalous, under that front draped knot the dress is held together with just a few tacks, and the back is left equally as bare. The fabric is a clinging red crepe jersey and it slinks over the body and drapes into place, moving like liquid with your body. It's simplicity and bareness hide a high level of technical skill that keeps the dress all perfectly in place where it should be. It is quite beautiful and a rare example of his work made even rare by being the original sample. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Perhaps the slightest of grubbiness to the hem but I am being really picky. Bias cut so will accommodate a variety of figures. Mainly hand made

Bust: no true side seams and should fit most busts
Inner waist stay: adjust from a 23" to a 26"
Hips: should fit most hips as it not truly closed at the front
Length: 69" from top of shoulder to the back hem, the slit at the front adjusts with movement

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3016

Reference Photos: Angie Harmon in Randolph Duke at the 2000 Emmy Awards on September 10, 2000.

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

Valentino knows how to cut a dress to perfectly flatter a woman's body. Few designers can come close to the masterful techniques he perfected over the decades of his prolific career. This is a wonderful example of his work and I love that it has been done in his classic Valentino red color. It has that feeling of simplicity that the nineties epitomized and yet, still feels modern and fresh. It is cut to drape perfectly over the body, skimming over your curves to flatter and fit perfectly. The color is absolutely fantastic - the perfect clear red that flatters most skin tones. I think it is even better in person then how it has photoed. If you know Valentino's work, then you know the exact shade this red is in person. The top is cut to be sleeveless and angles in towards the higher cut neckline. There is a slit that runs down the front seam for the most subtle glimpse of skin. All of the seam work through the body is done vertically so there is no line across at any point to break the eye. It subtly flares out at it reached the hem and the hem itself is finished with two layers of ruffles that circle around to the back. The back hem is cut longer then the front  so you get a slight bit of a trained effect there. It is just stunning on the body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in a red silk satin. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Hand finishes. Tagged a Valentino 10. The fabric does have some give. There are some very minor marks on the back ruffled hem that you would never notice once on (photoed). The original price tag is still on the dress and was $3275 even back then.

Bust: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from shoulder to front hem, 63" to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3015

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

Janice Wainwright launched her own label in 1970 and continued designing into the 1980s. Her work in the late 1970s and 1980s simplified in terms of embellishments and embroidery but she still used amazing fabrics and the better of her later pieces, like this one, explored drape and bias cuts. This dress is made from a beautiful red silk that has a dot pattern worked directly into the silk. The dots seems to be fused onto the silk and each has the slightest but of a 'fringe'; around the outsides. This gives them a bit of a 3D quality and adds to the texture of the dress. The construction is very interesting. It is all bias cut with a strong nod to 1930s lingerie in how it is cut. It floats over the body with a deep plunge at both the front and back. You see the classic angled seams of the thirties through the waist and in how the skirt is attached. This allows it to flow over the body and never feel very tight but still highlight every curve. It ties to close at the top of each shoulder and I would bet that you could figure out different ways to tie and wear it. It is beautiful. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk chiffon that is also bias cut. It slips on the wear and ties at the stop of each shoulder. The bias cut allows it to fit a range of sizes and it could easily be altered for the perfect fit on a smaller frame. It is tagged a vintage UK12, US10, FR40, IT44

Bust: from 16-24" flat across with no true side seams due to the side plunge
Waist to hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 60" from top of shoulder to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL

Item# DD3014

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

I have had a version of this dress in the past and think I like it even more now. It has a really timeless quality about it and yet feels very fresh and of the moment. It is made out of a light weight black wool crepe that allowed Oscar to give it the structure he wanted but still keep it light in feel and so that it moves very well. The bodice is fitted and suspended from the shoulder by two piped straps made from the same fabric, The waist cinches in and the skirt flows softly over the hips and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. I love the way that the skirt rises at the front and is longer at the back. That, combined with the volume the skirt has by the time it gets to this point, and that dramatic 7" ruffle that the skirt is finished with, give it a bit of a Spanish feeling flare that makes for amazing movement whenever you move. I love it. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined in a black silk and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a back metal and nylon zipper. Tagged a vintage ODLR 8. I feel like you could also tuck in the straps and wear this one strapless too.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to longest point at back hem, 23" to the shortest point at the front

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3013

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 was one of the highlights of the 2014 Pucci runway, shown on Isabeli Fontana for Look 37 of the fall presentation. Even though it is a recent piece, it is sure to  become an important piece in terms of Peter Dundas' career. Style.com said that this was one of his best collections:

Over his five years at Emilio Pucci, Peter Dundas has soaked in the house's Italian jet-set heritage and turned the show into one of Milan's hot tickets. ...... Dundas tapped into his own history, and the result ranks up there with his best collections for Pucci.....Jersey was another house signature, but back in Emilio's day it never draped quite as fabulously. 

The dress is made out of a slinky, fine light weight, black jersey, cut to highlight and show off your figure. It also is micro mini length so shows miles of long bare legs. Cut outs circle the upper bust to giving a sexy glimpse of skin. These cut outs are connected by a gold chain that running around your upper bodice and creates a tantalizing series of open slashes. The workmanship that has been out into the dress and draping of the jersey is extraordinary and shows a high level of  technique. This particular fabric is extremely hard to work with and the level of fit and draping that Dundas has achieved is wonderful.  The original price on this dress was just over 4000+ taxes and I would bet that given the time to become a "true" piece of vintage that its value will far exceed that and what it is listed here for. New with original hang tag and never worn.

The skirt is a double layer of jersey that continues up through the bodice and the upper shoulders and sleeves are a then a single layer. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the side and hook and eye along the neck. Tagged a modern IT44, FR40, UK12 or 10US. The fabric does have stretch

Sleeves: 31" and push up when on
Bust: 15-20" flat across from seam to seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from seam to seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from seam to seam
Length: approx 35" from neck to hem but when on you can wear it as short as you wish

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item # DD3012

Reference Photo: Isabeli Fontana for Emilio Pucci, F/W 2014 (Look 37).

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

Stephen Burrows was a truly amazing American Designer. He was the first African American fashion designer to really achieve international recognition for his work. His clientele included celebrities like Diana Ross, Cher and Barbra Streisand. Burrows won three Coty awards in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He was also one of the five American designers to show at Versailles in 1973 when America was pitted against the French couturiers. As his career progressed he became more well known for his use of jerseys but earlier pieces often incorporated the use of prints. This is one of those printed pieces and I love the beautiful flowers that cover the surface of the cotton. The skirt falls from the waist in a long, dramatic swoop that gets wider as it nears the floor. It skims over the hips and then there are just yards and yards of that beautifully printed fabric by the time you reach the hem. The waist band extends into long ties that wrap around you and cinch it in. I love the ruffle finish along the edges. He became know for his lettuce hem finishes as his career progressed and this feels like an early predecessor to that. It is fabulous. Excellent condition

Unlined and wraps and ties at the waist. Pockets sit along the seam at both hips. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The wrap waist will allow it to foit a variety of sizes

Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam, but is adjustable with the ties
Hips: open
Length: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# S816

Reference Photos: 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 Chanel Cruise collections have an interesting history. Gabrielle Chanel actually sailed and her love of the sport led to her inception of a 'cruise' collection in the 1920s. She was not the first to come up with this concept but hers were among the first to show a complete collection in a fully fledged show. They eventually fell off in popularity and it was not until Karl Lagerfeld took over Chanel that the cruise collections started again.

This Chanel dress from the 2002 Cruise collection is phenomenal. It successfully marries an unexpected stretch jersey fabric choice with insets and draped panels of silk chiffon. The cut is pure evening, while the fabric has a more relaxed feel. It makes it wonderfully easy to wear and very comfortable once on the body. the color is a deep midnight blue that almost appears to be black in certain lights. The fabric is light in weight but with enough substance to hold the shape and give it the wonderful curving shape through torso and the skirt that you see. The bodice of the dress is suspended by straps that curve over each shoulder.  One shoulder has looping panels of silk chiffon that you can allow to just fall over your arm or loop your arm through. At the top of that same shoulder sits a pretty silk chiffon flower. The bodice is fitted and a draped chiffon panel curves over it on both the front and back. The skirt is cut to hug your curves over the hips, narrows in and then flares out in a dramatic expanse of chiffon and jersey. The back flares out behind you in a bit of a train and the bottom half of the skirt has a more transparent feel with its chiffon panels. The ribbed jersey portions of the dress allows it to move and fit to accommodate you underneath and the dress moves wonderfully when it is on. The double C logo sits on the top of one shoulder strap for the perfect finish. The construction is immaculate. Excellent condition with one very minor note below.

Fully lined in a matching blue silk chiffon and it zips to close at the side with a hidden set zipper. The fabric does have some stretch.  There is one small vertical repair to the train. You would never notice it unless its laid out flat because of the way the fabric falls when it is on. It is tagged a Chanel 40

Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to front hem, 54" to the longest point at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3006

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon. Cherie is wearing a Magnetic Midnight X Shrimpton Couture 'Star Bright' Headpiece - available on the site here >

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