The New York times said of this collection at the time; 'Yves Saint Laurent did it. With sophistication and authority in his collection for spring and summer, he gave validity to couture, the high end of the fashion industry. There was no desperate groping: this is the way the most expensive clothes in the world should look, he seemed to say. As the showings sailed into their final days, he re-established himself today as the king of couture." after their review of the day and suit looks they continued to say; "Preliminaries over, he was ready for evening dresses, the serious business of couture. His unerring eye for color came to the fore....One-color dresses were also effective, in fuchsia, bright blue or rose. Rarely did he resort to embroideries...His effect was achieved through line and cut." The review ended with this lovely sentiment; 'Saint Laurent knew his show was a success. "The couture lives," he whispered backstage after it was over. His mother, Lucienne Saint Laurent, told him he had never done better. He seemed to agree. It is rare for a designer to reinvent himself at the age of 56, the way Saint Laurent had just done. The show recalled his glory days in the 1970's, when he set the guidelines for couture and the rest of fashion. He has now done that for the spring of 1993." 

On the runway this dress was shown in a darker, more subdued blue. The twin of the runway dress is held in the Met Museums' collection and I have included that reference photo for you here along with the runway shots. My client had the dress made in one of the brighter blues that was used elsewhere in the collection that year and I love it in this brighter bolder color. The dress is cut to leave one shoulder completely bare. Both sides have long slim sleeve and there is a panel of the same silk gathered along the top of the shoulder that then swoops down over the bodice and the back. That draped panel is very full and I love how it drapes over the sleeve on that side. The inner details here show is the genius of couture. The zipper on that side is set so that is softly curves under the arm and runs down the top of the inner sleeve. That way the person wearing the dress does not have an uncomfortable zipper pull right under their arm. It also keeps the sleeve perfectly in place despite the absence of a shoulder. The waist is seamed and detail by a matching, hand dyed silk satin slim belt. The skirt falls the the floor under that, gently widening out as it nears the hem. The side opposite to the bare shoulder has a very high slit so that you get a flash of leg as you walk. It is stunning and in person the colour is a touch richer and deeper then how it photoed. The silk also has a slight texture to it that adds detailing in person that the camera does not quite convey. This is a wonderful example of how strong his tailoring was in evening wear and an important piece fromm a collection hailed as a triumph. Excellent overall condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a fine blue silk. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques and closes with a hidden set side zipper under the arm that curves up and into the sleeve as described above. Inner waist stay hooks to close. The fabric is cut on the bias so there is some give. There is a slight fading along the top of the shoulder and down that same sleeve. Please see the two photos after the reference shot. It is light and because of the placement once on it is barely seen. The hem has been let down at some point. The belt is original to the dress and is in excellent condition 

Sleeves: 27"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3582

Reference Photos: (1-2) S/S 1993 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway.  /  (3) S/S 1993 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Dress from The MET Online Collection.

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

I have had a version of this dress in the past in a paler icier blue so when I saw this one with it's deep sapphire blue colour I had to have it for the shop. It is a beautiful and romantic bias cut silk chiffon dress by the great American couturier Oscar de la Renta. It is constructed from multiple layers of a lightweight, slightly textured, silk chiffon in the most stunning deep sapphire colour. The bodice of the dress is gathered in an elaborate ruching of silk that meets in the center in a thick braided detailing. This runs down the centre of the front of the bodice. The strapless neckline above that is cut into a rounded sweetheart shape that is very flattering. The bodice is fitted and cinches in at the waist with interior boning to help hold the shape. The skirt cascades to the floor at the back and at the front it curves up higher so you get a flash of leg when you move. It is made up of three full layers of weightless silk chiffon that float over and around the body to give it the feel of airiness and lightness. The lightness of the silk gives it a billowing effect when you move and walk that is stupendous. A really lovely and romantic dress in one of the best blue colours I have seen. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined through the bodice in a hand set blue silk and the three layers of silk chiffon the skirt is made of serve as its lining. The dress closes with a side painted metal zipper. Hand finishes. I see one tiny area on the side off the skirt that has darkened. 

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 48" from top of strapless dress to back hem, 37" to the front hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3583

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 dress comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. The twin of it walked the runway for the Spring 1987 Haute Couture presentation and my client ordered this identical dress from that show. This is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work that he was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop. I am also very pleased to have the runway shot of it for reference.

The lines of the dress are beautiful and I am glad to have that runway shot so that you can see just how wonderful it is on an actual body. Couture pieces are sometimes difficult to truly show in a photo as they are meant to highlight and show off the body and only truly come to life when worn. The fabric is a light silk crepe and it is cut to drape perfectly over the body, skimming over your curves to flatter and fit perfectly. The color is absolutely fantastic. It is his signature clear red that flatters most skin tones. It is a better shade of red in person then how it has photoed. If you know Valentino's work, then you know this red already. The top is sleeveless and angles in towards the high collar. There is a long band of fabric that runs down one side from the collar to the top of the hip and all of the fabric on either side is set to gather in towards that band. A large flat bow its at the top of the band and and I love how the shoulder is left bare beside it to really showcase the bow. A second bow sits at the bottom of the band so that you are wrapped in silk and finished up with those pretty and feminine touches Under there the skirt falls to the floor with in an expansive amount of fabric. It is cut on a curve all the way around and comes up shorter in the front. The back hem is cut longer so you get a slight bit of a trained effect there. The amount of fabric in the skirt is tremendous but its so light that it falls long and sleek when you are standing but can expand out almost to a full circle skirt if you twirl. The entire bottom edge is finished with a red silk satin banding. It is just stunning on the body and an amazing example of his earlier Haute Couture work. Excellent condition. 

The bodice and top portion of the skirt are lined in a fine red silk. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques and closes with a hidden set zipper under the front panel of fabric and then has silk covered snaps & hook one eye. Inner waist stay hooks to close. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 61" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3579

Reference Photo: Dalma for Valentino SS 1987 Haute Couture.

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

This is the long version that was made from two pieces shows for the resort runway for that season. You can see the same top of the green dress here and then the same red silk organza used on the the second dress we have induced for reference. Combining the two elements and making the skirt full length results in this gorgeous dress. 

This is a stunning example of Ferrertti's more recent world and a very pretty dress. The red has a touch of a coral tone to it and the fabric choice gives it a light and romantic feel. The bodice and lower skirts have an extensive paneling of an embroidered, open cut owrk lae feeling fabrication. It's pattern combines different sized flowers that are layered over each other with  parts of the design open. On the top this is set to engine down on north he front and back with the silk red silk on the side.A bide coloured mesh sits behind the plunge at the front so you get the illusion of a deep neckline but it is very secure and safe. At the back there is a little option start of fabric that you cansnap into place or fold that back as I have for a deeper more open plunge. It nips in at the waist but with a slightly generous feel and then the skirt is full and falls to the floor under that. The entire bottom half fo the skirt is covered int hat same embroidery work as the top. It is a very pretty dress and has a touch of a vintage feel to it. Its very soft and romantic and feminine. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a red silk and closes art the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a US6. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3578

Reference Photos: Resort 2015 Alberta Ferretti Collection. Model: Josephine van Delden.

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

This is an incredible example of Karl lagerfeld's Haute Couture work. On the runway this was shown with a full wide skirt and I love that it is different because it shows you the versatility of it how you could potentially wear it with a skirt from your own closet. My client opted for a sleek tapered legged trouser instead of the skirt which I think really allows the jacket and its lines to really shine. In the book 'Chanel Catwalk' they said of this collection; 'Karl Lagerfeld focused on suits ..for this haute couture collection, presented as a winding catwalk in a riding centre in the Bois de Boulogne. It featured 'only' fifty-eight looks, 'but I could have had many more,' Lagerfeld told Women's Wear Daily, 'because we have many clients and they want suits, suits, suits.'

The lines of this suit are crisp and sharp and the tailoring is immaculate. Both pieces are made out of a silk taffeta that allows them to retain the exact lines that Lagerfeld intended. The jacket is cut so that it is fitted to the upper bodice and shoulders and then flares outwards as it glides past the hips. The collar is neat and small and I love how it is notched and shaped at the front. It zips to close under a shaped panel of fabric at the front and there are two small discreet holes that you can slide a pin, french cuffs or a very thin ribbon through to add some detailing as they did on the runway. Each sleeve is long and straight with a touch of width to it. These end in a notched slit rather then a traditional cuff which falls in line with the sleek minimalist feel of the rest of the suit. In a little hidden surprise the underside of each cuff, the inside the collar and the front panel of fabric over the zipper have all been meticulously hand lined in a pale gold metallic silk. The pants are sleek and simple in their cut. They are flat fronted and cut to taper down to the ankles. A sharp pleat has been hand sewn down the front and the back of each leg. The inside of the suit is as immaculate as the outside and it is of course, entirely made by hand. The iconic gold Chanel chain runs along the inner hem of the jacket and I suspect that it is actually gold plated. Every stitch is perfection. This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of true couture by one of the most important designers of our lifetime. Excellent condition with a minor note below. 

The jacket is lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden zipper under the front panel of fabric. The pants zip to close with a hidden set side zipper. I see a slight touch of stress to part of the front middle seam on the pant, see the photo after the label shots. Both piece are hand finished to couture standards. Proper couture labels present with couture tape 78762 under the tag on the jacket and 78763 under the pant tag. Sourced from the original couture client 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from neck to head 

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 28" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3580

Reference Photo: Spring 2000 Chanel Haute Couture Collection.

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

Jean Paul Gaultier's illustrious career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred through his pieces and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his brilliant vision. In 1997 he entered the sanctified world of Haute Couture and for just over two decades produced stunning work cumulating with his final show for Spring 2020. His pieces of couture rarely come to market and I am very pleased to have this unbelievably beautiful ensemble. This was look 33 for the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation entitled 'China and Spain'. For this season Gaultier combined elements from those two countries in a beautiful homage. Pieces from this collection were featured in the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit of 2013 and to have a piece available for purchase is almost as rare as being able to have bought it as a couture client in the first place. After the show Gaultier said of this collection “I wanted to do something more sensual than sexy. The idea was to bring together everything that you imagine when you think of China and Spain—theater, movement, color, history and richness.” The twin of this look was worn by Alec Wek on the runway with a huge red bib neckpiece over the top. This may have been the only piece ever produced beyond the runway set. 

It is extraordinary to think that Jean Paul Gaultier has only produced a Haute Couture line for two short decades given his long career. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. I was very pleased to have found the reference photos and video so that it shows you just how amazing it is on. The pants are a work of art. They are incredibly heavy. They have been densely beaded with glass tube beads in tightly spaced rows to cover every inch. Worked into the sequins are the brilliantly coloured flowers that you see. These are all hand embroidered and trail over the pant legs, wrapping around them to act as a living wall of art. The work to place each of these beads individually and do the embroidery must have taken hundreds of hours to complete. They are cut with a flat front and straight leg that is quite wide. So when you move they move and this adds another element to the design as the light catches the beads while the colours of the embroidered flowers burst around you. The top is made out of a silk jersey and my client ordered it in a solid black. It is ingenious how it closes with a complicated array of a hidden zipper front with two separate areas of silk covered snaps and hooks. I have included some photos of the stages of how it closes for you to see. It wraps around the body and drapes to the one side. The collar is high and you can see the reference to China with its shape. Each sleeve is incredibly long (see the third last detail photo before the label) and when they are pushed up the create a design detailing in themselves with a row of rounded gathers forming around the entire lower part of the arm. I love the long trailing swag of fabric that is set on one side. It cascades over the pants and to the floor. This panel of fabric elevates the design even more and gives it that Gaultier feel of going against the norm. It also has a nod to the trade de luces cape, part of the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters wear. It is a brilliant piece of Haute Couture and is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, breathtaking beauty and a dash of avant garde. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

The upper portion of the top is lined in silk and it zips to close at the inside front. A jersey panel wraps over this and closes with a series of silk covered snap and hook & eye along the side near the neck and also along the waist and hip area of that same side. The pants are fully lined in a silk and close with a hand set zipper. There may be the occasional bead missing from the pants. All the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tags on both pieces. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Top
Sleeves: 45.5" and push up to wear
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Interior waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 29" from neck to shortest point of the front side, 37" to longest point of the back
Hip swag: 47" from waist to longest point of the hem

Pant
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 30" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3581

Reference Photos: Alek Wek for Fall 2001 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Collection.

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

Thierry Mugler launched his label in 1974 and steadily gained notoriety with his shocking and avant garde designs. In 1992 he became an invited member of the French Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. He was known for using innovative fabrics and the theatricality of his runway presentations. He once stated that couture is 'the materialization of dream-like visions in fabric form'. This is an exceptional example of his work and in person is even more beautiful then how it looks here. 

Mugler's pieces always have a sense of high drama and otherworldliness to them and this one is no exception. The fabric choice gives it an almost space age feel and yet it at the same time hearkens back to the days of Old Hollywood. The dress is made out of a vivid pink metallic silk lurex jersey that has a subtle iridescent metallic sheen to it. This catches the light so that the entire dress shimmers at your slightest movement. The cut of the dress has a strong nod to the thirties with its bias cut and draped lines. The bodice of the dress is set on an angle with the fabric draped up and towards the single shoulder that the entire dress is suspended from. The top of the shoulder is caught up with a triple loop of a metal snake chain. This adds startling contrast to the pink and also leaves more skin exposed on the top of the shoulder. More of the same metal chain is set on the opposite hip where it is used to catch and gather up the fabric. The chain wraps all around the side of the waist on that side. The fabric is looped around that to create a beautiful cascading effect down the entire side of the dress. Under that is an extremely high slit so that when you walk or sit you get a flash of bare leg high to the thigh. The dress is cut very long and at the back it is has a slight trained effect. The lightness of the fabric lets the entire dress flow wonderfully around you and it really plays with the light. The colour is far better in person and the fabric has a texture and feel to it that cannot be conveyed by the camera. A really exception piece. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in the same fabric through the bust and the skirt is lined in a red silk. The dress closes with a hidden set zipper at the side. Both of the chains details loop and snap into place under fabric folds so you do not see the closures. Inner waist stay. Hand finishes. Tagged a 40. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist stay: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam, 13.5" if you don't hook the stay closed
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from shoulder to front hem, 66" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2565

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

In October 1997, the first women’s ready to wear collection under the Narciso Rodriguez label was presented in Milan for the spring 1998 season. Rodriguez was awarded 'Best New Designer' at the Vogue/VH1 Fashion Awards in New York and the 'Perry Ellis Award' for best new designer by the Council of Fashion Designers of America that same year. He was the first designer ever to receive consecutive womenswear designer of the Year awards by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2002 and 2003. Countless other awards and accolades have been awarded to him as well. He also designed the bias-cut wedding dress that Carolyn Bessette wore for her marriage to John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Michelle Obama chose to wear a dress from the designer’s spring 2009 collection for her husbands victory as present and his first State of the Union address. You may remember seeing Claire Danes in a shorter version of this same dress for the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. This one is a more evening version and my client had this one made for her by Rodriquez that year. As far as I am aware it was a bespoke piece and it is the only one in existence. It is a stunning example of how amazing of a designer he is. 

The dress is absolute perfection and showcases his talent for the bias cut that is meant to flatter a woman's body but never in a way that is too tight. Rather it just skims over your curves and is so very flattering. The dress is completely cut on the bias and made from a heavy deep fuchsia pink silk crepe. It has that minimalist tendency to it that he is so well known for with a crisp and elegant result. The bodice is cut with his signature bra cut top with a curving black silk panel set so that it scoops under the breasts. It then extends upwards to curve over each shoulder and down the back into a deep scoop. Inset above the black is a top stitched pink bit of silk. The dress flows past the waist from under the black with no seam to break the eye. It is cut on the bias so simply flows perfectly to the hips and then sweeps to the floor. Just above the knee on the skirt inset panels have been set in all the way around the lower part of the skirt. These give the lower skirt the shape volume you see. It moves and flow around you beautifully when you move. The back is cut longer into a slight train that flows behind you. It is absolutely stunning and pristine. The photos come close to the actual color but in person it is even better with slightly more depth and richness. Excellent condition  

Fully lined in a matching silk and closes with a back zipper. The zipper has a bit of a 'stick' feel to it when you close it. Appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of shoulder to front hem, 74" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3576

Reference Photo: Claire Danes in Narciso Rodriguez at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.

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

The cut of this dress is a very flattering one shoulder silhouette. The base fabric is a light silk that is cut on the bias so that the dress drapes and molds over you to skim and highlight your curves without having a super tight fit. This makes the dress extremely comfortable to wear. The one side curves up and over the shoulder where it hooks into place with a trio of hooks & eye. From there it curves gracefully across the back. The dress falls to the floor with a high slit running up one side so that when you move you get a flash of leg. The sequins are set flat and side by side onto the fabric in long vertical rows. They are an iridescent pink and catch the light at the slightest movement. Worked into the sequins are little graphic triangles that run in a line down the full length of both sides of the dress. The hem and neckline are edged in a band of silver tube beads. Each of the triangles are also edged in a double row of those same silver tube beads and the interior of each triangle has a pinky-coral glitter fused directly onto the silk. The glitter parts are actually multi-coloured and this creates a touch of a holographic feel to them. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silk. It closes with a metal and nylon side zipper. It is tagged a vintage 8. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3401

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

Tina Leser opened her first shop in 1935 and became known for her use of fabrics curved from far off locations. By 1944 she had been awarded the Coty award. In 1948 she took a trip around the world and the places that she went influenced all of her future collections. She loved to take a fabric that was seen as being for casual wear for this time period and using it for evening wear or vice versa. The Tina Leser Originals label launched in 1953, closed in 1964 and then re-opened in 1966.. This is one of the best pieces I have seen from her and is truly a spectacular example of her work. 

More then anything I love the extreme sleeves on this dress. The are truly spectacular. Each sleeve falls to past the knee. It is shaped like a normal sleeve from the shoulder to the elbow and then extends down from there into those long slit panels that you see. These give the dress a wonderfully exotic feel and they create tremendous movement when you move. They are also lined in a soft pale blue to offer contrast against the exterior fabric. The fabric that the dress is made of is equally stunning. It is actually a beautiful light silk voile that is entirely covered in the print that you see. The pattern is fantastic. The intricate design covers ever square inch and you can see how it incorporates that same blue that lines the inside of the sleeves. The front has a high neckline that is detailed with a collar of hand cut out flowers in two sizes. These are then hand placed around the neckline so they form a wonderful 3D effect. The dress falls from there in a generous cut that is meant to just skim over the curves with just a suggestion of shape at the waist. It widens out gently as it nears the hem and there is a high slit set off side at the front for a bit of leg to flash when you walk or sit. It is gorgeous. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in an orange silk through the body with a wide band of blue silk around the inner edges. The lower part of the sleeves are lined in a soft blue silk voile. It closes at the back with a painted metal zipper. In person the dress has a slightly paler, softer feel to the overall colour. It is even better in real life. 

Sleeves: 42"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59.5" from neck to hem
Slit: 31" up from hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3575

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 shown on the Resort runway for 2008. In Vogue's review of the collection, journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'The grand theater-in-the-round setting for Oscar de la Renta's resort show put some audience members in mind of Chanel's recent presentations, but if there was a designer's influence at play in this beautiful collection, other than de la Renta's own, it could have been Yves Saint Laurent's. Loulou de la Falaise, YSL's longtime muse-turned-fellow designer, was sitting front-and-center (coincidentally, as it happened), and up on the raised platform there were seventies references'. The show was presented the same day as the 2007 CFDA Awards where Oscar de la Renta was nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year which he won (tied with Proenza Schouler).

This Oscar de la Renta dress is absolutely gorgeous. It is red carpet worthy and would even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice. It is in immaculate condition. The dress is covered with a dense application of muted pale ivory gold round paillettes in various sizes. These are set onto the entire dress in horizontal rows from the top of the shoulder to the hem. Running around the the neckline is a dense detailing of beadwork. There is also a scattering of pearls that are set in and among the beads. The dress is made up of three layers. There is an inner ivory silk layer topped by a layer of silk tulle net. Then the very outer layer is made of an ivory silk net and it is on this top layer that that all of the sequins, pearls and beads are applied. The edges of the tulle along the neckline and around the openings for your arm are left with a deliberate raw edge. This same raw edge detailing is also done at the hem. The over-sized sequins that cover the dress vary slightly in size and in their colour. This makes the light catch the dress in a slightly different way as you move and it creates the most lovely effect. Their size creates a more overall glow effect rather then a glitzy sparkle. It is very well made and very beautiful. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a cream silk and constructed from three layers as described above. It closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper. Tagged a size 12

Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from shoulder to front hem, 60" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2777

Reference Photos: Resort 2008 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection.

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

This is a lovely dress by Reem Acra who for twenty years has been producing ready to wear and bridal collection. Her pieces tend to combine traditional elements with modern aesthetics and her work can be very beautiful. This was shown on the Spring 2006 runway with a slightly different bodice and then a version with sleeves and upper shoulders was used for the Bridal campaign ads that year and that one matches the bodice of the one I have in the shop today. 

The dress is very simple in cut and very flattering. It is made out of a pale silver grey silk chiffon through the skirting and then the bodice is a silk satin that is covered in a combination off seed beads and prong set rhinestones. The strapless bust is set in a high empire line and it is meant to be fitted and just cover the breasts. It is boned and formed inside to created that banded effect and to keep it in place. On to this is a lovely and intricate design that covers the entire bust all the way around. The design combines the tiniest of silver seed beads with small rhinestones. These catch the light and add a bit of glamour against the grey silk chiffon. Under the bust the skirt falls to the floor in a cascade of silk chiffon. It is feather light and made up of multiple layers of silk. There are two top layers of silk chiffon and then under that are two more layers of a silk dyed to the exact same colour. There are lots of little details that portray its high end origins. Each of the two pairs of layers of skirting are attached by little slips on the side so they hang perfectly in place. And at the back each layer closes with its own zipper and closure. It is very beautiful and even better in person as the camera doesn't quite capture the right shade of soft grey that it is or the glimmer of the rhinestones as they catch the light. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Has a built in inner corset through the bust that is boned and closes with a back zipper. Another zipper closes a layer over that and then the outermost layer snaps into place. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3573

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 2006 Reem Acra Runway Collection.  /  (3) 2006 Reem Acra Bridal.

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

In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. The runway photo that we found shows the dress layered over a printed pant but all of the subsequent references of it match the set to the one we have here with the pants in the same striped silk as the top piece. The twin of this set was a part of the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco, curated by André Leon Talley where it is referred to as being 'evening pyjamas'. The exhibit was broken into different themed galleries and this dress was a part of the garden themed section. Oscar was an avid gardener and the works in this section took inspiration from that life long passion. And it holds an extra special significance because the one shown in the exhibit was loaned to the museum by Annette de la Renta, Oscar's wife and muse, giving it an extra layer of personal connection to its provenance. The dress also appears in the book 'Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style' by Talley. The Met Museum also holds one in their permanent collections and then this one is the third.

In an interesting twist, one of the other dresses that was a part of the garden section of the exhibit was a striped OLDR dress from 1999 and my client had a that dress as well. It is listing along with this one today. It is incredible coincidence to have both dresses in at the same time with that shared bit of exhibit history behind them and both are exceptionally beautiful.

It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. The fabric that both piece are made from is a fine chine silk taffeta that hearkens back to the 18th century with its washed pale blue striping. All of the edges are finished in that same fabric but for the edges it has been tightly knife pleated. These form a wide pleated ruffle all around the collar, down the front and around each cuff. One pale baby pink stripe runs along the edge of the ruffle for a magical bit of colour against the blue. That pink is then picked up on each hand made button that runs down the front and is set on each cuff. The buttons are amazing. They are hand made and they each have a tiny, perfect sprig of hand embroidered pink flower splayed across their tops. Under the evening coat, are a pair of silk taffeta pants in the same fabric. The pants are cut very simply with a flat front and no banding at the waist. They run in a slightly tapered cigarette shape and land just about the ankle depending on your height. Over this is that amazing evening coat that has the lines of a formal court dress worked into its cut. It is created with a nod to the decadence of the eighteenth century with a high pleated collar and softly defined shoulders. The sleeves are long and slim, ending in an elaborate ruffled cuff. It skims over the bodice and tapers in at the waist. The buttons to close it run from the collar to the waist at the front. From that point under the bottom button the front is completely open so that when you walk you see the pants underneath. The back of the coat is a work of art. The skirt trails out behind you, falling from that curved horizontal seam at the waist where the fabric is gathered in soft folds. It is tremendously full and when you walk it causes the skirt to billow out behind you. Haute Couture is always about the details and I love that for the seam that runs across the low back, Oscar used a fine pink silk piping to define the seam and where the gathers of the lower skirting are set. It is the perfect detail to tie in with the pink at the front. This is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, refinement and a dash of coquetry. It is ornate but sophisticated and feels wonderfully light and perfectly suited to his love of nature and botanical themes. “A garden is probably the most spiritual and pure of joys. It’s a communion with nature and beauty in the most simple and fundamental form.”– Oscar de la Renta. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

Both pieces are unlined and all the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The pants close with a hidden set side zipper. There is a built in gusset that is pristine. The evening coat/dress closes with a hand set zipper and then a panel that snaps into place over that with silk, hand covered snaps. Hand made, light shoulder pads. A series of hand embroidered buttons down the front. The inner waist stay hooks to close and you could adjust the hooks if needed or wear it unhooked if you needed the extra room. Each cuff zips to close with a hidden set zipper and has three of the same buttons as decoration. I see one pinhead mar near a front button and a nick out of the fabric near the seam under the arm. One inner seam on either side looks like it was slightly adjusted. There is an extra button sewn to an inner seam. Proper Couture tags on both pieces and the coat one has its couture tape underneath numbered 173 470. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Evening Coat Dress
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 56" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 62" to longest point of the back hem

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 28" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3568

Reference Photos: (1) 1998 Balmain Silk taffeta coat and pants from the book "Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style" by Andre Leon Talley.  /  (2) 1998 Balmain Ensemble from The MET Collection Online.  /  (3-4) Spring 1998 Balmain Haute Couture Runway. / (5-6) Photos from the ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco. Curated by André Leon Talley.  /  (7) Photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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 billowing silk taffeta dress and pant sent was shown in two color-ways on the Spring 1999 runway; this green and taupe set and a blue stripe and yellow pant version that has a slightly different sleeve. The twin of the blue version was exhibited as a part of the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco, curated by André Leon Talley. The exhibit was broken into different themed galleries and this dress was a part of the garden themed section. Oscar was an avid gardener and the works in this section took inspiration from that life long passion.  “A garden is probably the most spiritual and pure of joys. It’s a communion with nature and beauty in the most simple and fundamental form.”– Oscar de la Renta.

In an interesting twist, one of the other dresses that was a part of the garden section of the exhibit was a pale blue striped Haute Couture Balmain dress designed by Oscar and my client had a that dress as well. It is listing along with this one today. It is incredible coincidence to have both dresses in at the same time with that shared bit of exhibition history behind them and both are exceptionally beautiful.

It is interesting to see the cross over from the earlier Balmain piece to this one. Variations on the striped silk taffeta fabric was central to the theme of many of his pieces during this time period. This is definitely one of the most dramatic. The silk is light in weight so that when you walk in this it billows out behind you in the most fantastical kind of way. It is exceptionally long so you get a serious dose of drama behind you that I love. The impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. It is made up of two pieces. The green and ivory striped silk overdress and pair of slim taupe silk taffeta pants that go underneath. The pants are cut very simply with a flat front and no waist banding. They run in a slightly tapered cigarette shape and land just about the ankle depending on your height. Over this is that amazing open front dress. It really needs an actual body under it to truly bring it to life and you can see how it will sit once on from the runway reference photo. It is cut to be very loose and easy. The dress part of this set should fit almost any size and body type as it is deliberately cut full and oversized. The entire edge of the neckline is elastic and finished with a ruffle above that. It slips on over the head and the elastic allows you to pull it down the shoulders leaving a bare expanse of skin. Each sleeve is cut to be incredibly wide and full. It is open through the bust with a row of silk covered buttons and loops running down the centre. The buttons end above the top of the pants so that you get a peak of skin showing between. The body of the dress drops to about the hips and then the skirt is set into that in a curving, ruffled detailed seam that wraps around and dips slightly at the back. The lower skirts are tremendously full and they are cut to trail out behind you in the most fantastical, high drama way. The dress is at its original unaltered length. The fabric is so light that it billows and puffs out around you at the slightest bit of movement. It is dramatic but feels wonderfully light once on. It is perfectly suited to his love of nature and botanical themes. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition with a small note below. 

Both pieces are unlined. The pants close with a hidden set back zipper. The outer dress slips on and closes at the front with hand covered silk buttons and loops. I see some scuffing and storage marks near the hem of the back skirt. All are minor and they get lost in the extreme length and amount of fabric. I photoed the worst one and that shot is after the photo of the label. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both tags are hand numbered 2256. Sourced from the original couture client. If the pants did not work size wise it would be easy to wear something different under it as the over dress should fit a large range of sizes as it is open through the entire body and generously cut. 

Dress
Bust-hips: open
Length: approx 64" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 84" to longest point of the back hem

Pant
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 32" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: Pants SML-MED, Over dress OSFA

Item# DD3570

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1999 Oscar De La Renta Runway.  /  (2-4) Photos from the ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco. Curated by André Leon Talley.  /  (5) Photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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

This is an incredible dress set with all three original pieces that would be from when Marc Bohan was head of the Dior atelier. It is a beautiful and early example of the work being produced by Christian Dior in this time period. This is the Christian Dior - London label and is considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history and this set in particular is numbered. These where made for the London market based on the runway designs and with many of the same high standard finishes that Haute Couture pieces incorporated. The line was created and designed by Jorn Langberg, Artistic Director of Christian Dior London. We were able to date this gorgeous set by the photo that appears in the November 1968 issue of Vogue. It is exceptional and the textile it is made from is one of the best I have seen from Dior. 

The fabric on this Dior set is jaw dropping. It is a woven gold silk lame brocade with a raised design that gives it remarkable texture. Depending on how the light hits it different aspects of the pattern come to play. It is just incredible. It is made from real metal thread and when you touch it it has a slightly metal feel to it. All three original pieces to the set are present. The very inner layer is a skirt that is suspended from a sleeveless top made out of lining fabric. This is a technique that you no longer see done because of the extra fabric it used and longer zipper requirements but it was the proper way to have a skirt hang perfectly and be the most comfortable for the wearer. Over this is a sleeveless shell that opens up completely down the back with a zipper. It is cut to perfectly fall just over where the skirt underneath begins. It is cut with the slightest of curving in at the waist and each side is notched. Over both of these sits a box cut jacket with glove length sleeves and a simple collarless cut. The jacket is cut on the generous side purposefully. That full shape on the top and more fitted skirt underneath is so representative of this time period and when done by the hands of a genius like Dior, still feels timeless and fresh. The entire set glows like burnished metal and the fabric is unbelievable in person. The photos don't come close to doing it full justice. It is a exceptional piece. Excellent condition with a few small items to note below.

The skirt and top are both interlined in a brown silk organza. The jacket is lined in a brown silk crepe. The inner dress/skirt and the top both closs with a back painted metal zipper. The jacket has no closures. The jacket and shell both have weighted hems. Ribbon edged finishes and hand finished throughout. The inner dress's has been let out and you can see where this was done down the side and along the darts. The silk lining in the shell is beginning to shatter in places. Slight fraying to some edges. All very minor in person and do not detract. Please see the photos after the label shot. The jacket is meant to be worn over-sized.

Inner Dress
Bust: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 19" from waist to hem

Shell
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD1696

Reference Photos: (1) Photographed by Arnaud de Rosnay, Vogue US, November 1968 / (2-3) 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.

This dress was made for an exclusive collaboration with Luisaviaroma in 2018. The Attico brand was founded by street-style stars Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini and the line has a vintage vibe to it that I love. It was a social media hit with an amazing array of women choosing to showcase it. 

The dress is brand new and unworn. It is made by applying thousands of tiny gold sequins flat onto a semi-transparent black fabric. The sequins are placed side by side and completely cover every inch of the dress. The fabric itself has a touch of transparency to it that adds to its light and sexy feel. It has an easy feel through the body that is flattering and comfortable to wear. It wraps and ties to one side of the inner side seam and then it snaps into place under the bow on the other side. The front plunges down into a low V at the neck and the bodice is cut on a on a flattering curve. It is set wide across the shoulders and the sleeves pouf out around the upper arm and then taper into the wrists. The ties and snap cinch it in at the waist and then it curves around the hips. It is cut very short and you can see just how short it in the various shots added. It is brand new and unworn. These sold out instantly when they were dropped. Excellent condition

Unlined and ties to close at the inner side and then the bow snaps into place. Tagged a size 44. Unworn and pristine. With the tie closure there is some play in the measurements below

Sleeves: 25.5"
Slightly inset shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam and adjustable more
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam and adjustable more
Length: 32" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3566

Reference Photos from various Instagram accounts: @the_attico / @silvanovangi / @luisaviaroma / @jessicakahawaty / @martalozanop / @rosacrespo

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 shrug was shown on the runway in a darker colour but I prefer this amazing cream version. Its a little sleeker in feel an the colour feels more elevated to me.  I have held this in my archives for several years now and I think that it is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced by designers like Valentino during this time period. Fur was well established as being treated like a fabric by this period.  It is made from a soft mink in a pale creamy ivory. In person it has a more creamy feel then how it photoed. The fur is supple and very very soft. What is remarkable is that the curving pattern that you see winding down each arm . The lines all match up perfectly across the back s they go into the sleeves. This gives the shrug an added bit of texture and pattern. To wear it you simply slip it over the shoulder. It has been properly stored and cared for and appears to have been worn very little if at all. No splitting, issues or shedding. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black and white Valentino printed silk lining. It slips on with no closures. Tagged a 42

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: no defined side seams
Height at back: 14" from top to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# S924

Reference Photo: Fall 2004 Valentino Runway Collection, model Malin Persson.

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

Isaac Mizrahi presented his first collection through a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman's in 1987. By 1992 Chanel had bought a stake in the company and Isaac's name was everywhere. He was doing custom work for clients and Hollywood on top of his mainline. In 1995 Isaac was the subject of the movie 'Unzipped' based on his Fall 1994 collection. He is known as much for his personality as he was for his clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized him with the Perry Ellis Award (now called the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award) in 1988 and the women's wear designer of the year award in 1989. He loved to experiment and would often change his aesthetics from season to season which was his ultimate downfall. After the fall 1998 show Chanel pulled its stake and the company folded. He did have a couple of subsequent come back attempts, but for collectors these early years are the most important pieces to find.

My client had this dress custom created for herself and worked one on one with Issac on it. It is a dress that really showcases his depth as a designer and it is stunningly beautiful. It is made to demi-couture standards and it looks to have never been worn. The bodice is amazing. It is strapless and is densely covered with large, glossy black beading mixed with large prong set glass crystal rhinestones. These are so heavily applied that you cannot see even a smidge of fabric between them. The size of the beads, combined with the ultra tight spacing of them give it a 3 dimensional effect. The beadwork wraps completely around you to the back. The top of the bodice curves in the most flattering of ways and to is molded to follow the curve of the breast. The dress falls from directly under the bust so that there is no line at the waist to break the beautiful curve of the skirt. The body of the dress is made from a fine black lace and he has set that over a inner nude silk lining. From a distance this gives the effect that you are covered in just a layer of lace. The skirt sweeps down from under that heavily beaded bust, skims past the waist and then starts to flare out from there. It is cut so that by the time it has reached the middle of your legs it flares out tremendously for the lower skirt. This combination of the flared out lower skirt and the black lace give it a touch of a Spanish feel I think. Extra tulle attached to the inner lining help to keep that gorgeous shape that you see. It is even better in person and once on an actual body it really comes to life as the skirts float and swish around you at the slightest movement. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a two layers of a golden nude silk. The innermost layer of the skirt has additional tulle around the hem to help hold the shape. The bodice has a built in inner corset that closes with its own set of lingerie hook and eye. The exterior layer closes over that with a back zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx A-B cup
Inner waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3564

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

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

Here we have a piece that dates to the late 1970s or early 1980s. It is absolutely gorgeous and as good as it looks in the photos, know that it is even better in person. The texture and quality of the fabric should be seen and felt not just viewed on the screen. The skirt is remarkable. It is cut to be one long and lean line. It has a high 19" side slit that allows for a good amount of leg to show and for you to be able to walk with that curved and fitted cut. The fabric is very unusual. It it is a black silk jersey that is a puffed 3 dimensional quality to it created by hand stitching the pattern into the fabric. This adds incredible texture to the dress and is in direct contrast to the more restrained manner that the bodice has been pleat stitched. For the bodice the fabric has been seamed with teeny little pleats that are all set on a curve. These are then hand gathered and ruched over the inner corseting so that the fabric curves around you. Set into the silk of the bodice is a curved  panel of black lace. This is set in and not backed with any lining so that it is transparent and allows your skin to peek through. This curved bit of sensual lace begins just off the centre and between the breasts, curves under and then runs half way down the back on a beautiful sloping curve to expose a sliver of the waist and hip. It gives the dress just the slightest touch of a scandalous feel. Two skinny straps extend out from either side of the lace at the top and curve up and over the shoulder on a curving angle. It is insanely sexy. Exquisite to the last detail. It appears to have been worn very little it at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black and metallic stretch silk jersey through the bodice and it is lightly boned and formed. The fabric of the skirt is self-lined and the interior seams ribbon and piped finished. It closes with a side zipper. All hand work inside.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of straps to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2510

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

Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favourites. While at Malcom Starr he designed pieces that had his name on it and the Malcolm Starr International label as well. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture drama and cut that he learned while in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland.

The colors in this dress are amazing and when combined with the gold metallic thread that runs through the silk from top to bottom, the final effect is just beautiful. The exterior is made from a printed red silk chiffon. Woven through the silk are little golden dots made out of a metallic gold lurex. This adds a subtle shine to the entire dress. Picking up on that are curving bands of gold sequins that have been hand applied onto the silk. These follow the curving parts of the design on the silk. Some parts of the pattern have an even denser application of the sequins for added glitz and to highlight that part of the design. This multi-layered textural feeling makes the fabric feel rich and exotic. This is then layered over an interior red silk lining through the skirt and front bodice. The back and sleeves are not lined so you catch a glimpse of skin through the silk. The sleeves are wonderful. Each extends from the bodice in a wide swatch of fabric and then taper down as they reach the wrist so that they billow out. The neck is simple and slightly scooped. The skirt falls from the waist and gently widens out as it nears the floor. It is a beautiful, dramatic piece and it is even better on person and on an actual body. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a deep red silk with the sleeves, shoulders and upper back left unlined. It closes with a back painted metal zipper from the waist down and buttons above that to the neck. Each sleeve has a snap at the cuff.

Sleeves: approx 24" from natural shoulder
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: open with no defined side seams
Waist: 13" flat across the back from seam to seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across the back from seam to seam of the skirt's lining
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3224

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

This stunning and rare gown was designed by Bob Mackie. Mackie shot to fame with the work he did dressing Cher. The best of his work is dramatic and opulent and he was a master at print and color. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis, where he drew Marilyn Monroe's famous 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress, prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan who would become his life partner. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In many ways it was his work and his creations that really defined their careers and helped to shape that entire idea of high glamour on the small screen. How work is incredible and this dress is one of the favourites I have had in the shop and shows his range as a designer beyond his signature beaded pieces.

This is an extraordinary Bob Mackie dress that is made in a vivid coral silk chiffon. Onto the silk are huge pink and soft orange closers set among bright green leaves. This colour combination is stunning to see. The bodice is made into a corset that is hidden under the extensive draping of the silk the covers it. Inside it is fully formed and shaped for full support. The fabric at the front crosses over itself to highlight the shape of the bust and the top of the bodice is set in a  high peak. This visually cuts on the waist and adds length. The skirt flows out from under the waist and it is made up of yards and yards of silk set in individual panels priced together. This allows the silk to really move and the movement it creates as you move is just incredible. It is cut on a curve so the layers at the front are shorter which allows some leg to show when you walk. The skirt is made up of thee full layers of silk and under that top printed layer are two more layers of a solid coral silk chiffon. All the silk is cut on the bias. The dress comes with its original matching cape piece. This buttons at the neck and then flows down and around you. It is cut on that same curves line that angles down and back around you. The colour is a bright tropical feeling print and it is truly one of the best dresses of his that I have seen. Excellent condition with one small note below

The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a red silk. The skirt has two inner layers of coral silk that follow the line of the outer layer. The bodice is shaped and and fully boned inside and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It then closes with a back painted metal zipper. Hand finished throughout and hand rolled edges. There are some small repairs to the edge of the hem of the cape

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of the high peaked bodice to bottom of inner waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to longest part of hem
Cape: approx 60"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3384

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

The longer skirted version of this was presented as Look 38 of the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection. For the runway it was shown with a full length evening skirt. My client ordered it with a more wearable pencil skirt length which gives it the added benefit of being able to be worn from day through to evening. The Fall 2001 collection was one of his final collections and to have a piece from this season is very special. Vogue noted that "Cocktail hour incorporated every possible variation on the tuxedo: There was a button-front dress, a smoking jacket that morphed into a full tulle skirt, and, naturally, an updated version of the masculine tux immortalized by Helmut Newton in the '70s." Yves play on the tuxedo and 'Le Smoking' suit is one of is most famous hallmarks  He first presented the now famous suit in 1966. His play on traditional menswear is lauded by many as 'having empowered women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power'. 

I love the extra wide collar on this one. It is so bold and yet still elegant and refined in feel. There is nothing quite like slipping on a tailored piece of true haute Couture. It feels different somehow and the feeling is something you can only really experience for yourself. The construction is meticulous and it is in wonderful condition. It is sourced from the original couture client. These suits were all done in a play on a men's tux and then were shaped and tweaked by Yves to be immensely flattering on the female body. The cut is masterful and its simple appearance is produced by genius tailoring that is sharp and meticulous. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that follows the curves of the body. It is slightly cropped to sit just at the top of the hip. It has his signature matte satin tuxedo collar and on this one that line is exaggerated to cover almost the entire front of the bust area. Yves produced many versions of this suit over the years but what I find remarkable is that each version is distinct in how it closes at the front and the way that the collar is shaped. This one has a single faced, glossy jet button to close below that amazing collar. Two discreet pockets are top set on the hips and the shoulders are sharp and perfectly padded. The fabric that he chose is has a fine rubbing effect to it and it has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. The skirt is cut in a simple pencil shape. Once on, the suit transforms and you can see how beautiful the lines are from the runway photos and video that I have included here for reference. His suits change the way we approach woman's wear and any example of the Le Smoking version is particularly collectible. They are a particularly wonderful example of how strong his tailoring was and vision for a woman's place in the world. This is an important piece of fashion history from one of his final collections. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in a rich heavy black silk. The jacket has a single button at the front to close. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Two pockets on the jacket. All hand finished to couture standards. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. All Haute Couture tags present and it was sourced from the original couture client 

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3559

Reference Photos: Diana Gärtner for Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2001 Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 38.

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

John Galliano was moved over from Givenchy to Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. The collection from about 2000 to 2011 are covered in full but the ones prior to that are harder to find the full information on. I believe this is a piece from around the time he switched over. During John Galliano's years at the house of Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing bias cut gowns in the house's history. His work often hails back to the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and thirties in terms of their cut.  

This dress is beautiful. I love the soft tones and combination of yellows that have been used. It is made out of a bias cut silk chiffon whose pattern is a mix of a lemon yellow, a pale mint and deeper tangerine colour, all complimented with with pops of black and white. The design is laid out in a graphic chevron pattern that covers the entire dress. The dress is cut on the bias so that it skims over the body. The neckline is scooped at both the front and the back and the dress is suspended from wider cut straps that curve over each shoulder. There is no seam at the waist, instead it just drapes over the bodice and then falls to the hips. This gives is a very twenties feel. The skirt adds to this twenties feel with how it is set into the body of the dress. Panels of silk chiffon have been set with the pattern going a different way from the torso of the dress. It is sewn in with a series of points around the hips. This causes the skirt to have a lot of movement and it has a floating feel to it as you move around in it. To close the dress there is a tightly spaced row of his signature silk covered buttons and loops that run down one side of the dress. It is very light in weight and stunning on. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a bias cut off-white silk crepe. It closes with the series of buttons and fabric loops that run down the side. It appears to have been worn very little it at all. The bias cut should it to work on a range of sizes. The length does come up a bit once since it is cut on the bias.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2437

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

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

The label on this dress is one of his earlier ones and when researching the date I found a dress in the Met Museum's collection with the same label and that uses the same technique for the way that the skirt is set into the bodice of the dress. The dress in the Met's collection was also photoed for Vogue that year. I have included both those for reference and it gives you a great idea of how this dress will look on the body. In the Vogue description the skirt was described as being; 'narrow in outline, but with beautiful easy folds from the waist, falling in self contained spirals' which is a lovely way to describe the way that it is set into the dress. I love that my version has a more bare shouldered feel to it and how the bright floral print covers the entire dress and adds a real wow factor it. It also gives it a bit more of an easy, tropical feel then the more formal version held at The Met. The fabric is a beautiful light weight silk that is completely covered with the large flower print that you see. The colours in the print are spectacular and combine a bright orange, yellow and green on a black backdrop.The skirt is cut so that it gathers up and into the middle of the dress. This gives it that lovely curved line at the front and the draping down each side that you see. It also creates a touch of volume across each hip which makes your waist look smaller. The bodice is suspended by tiny straps made out of the same silk. The front has a wide set scooped neck and the back is the same. The back of the dress closes with a series of buttons that run from the nape of the neck to the waist with a zipper set under that. It is seriously gorgeous on and gives you curves while feeling very forgiving. It really showcases just what a genius he was. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon. It closes with a low painted metal zipper at the waist and then has a row of buttons above that. Bias cut so there is a little play with the measurements which I have given below. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3555

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1957 James Galanos Dress in The Met Collection.  /  (2) Model in James Galanos photographed by Irving Penn for Vogue, October 1957.

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

This is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work from the early 1990s. Finding true couture pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition and so well documented is a rarity and and I am very pleased to have this beautiful evening suit in the shop. The set comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. It was ordered from the runway collection as presented in 1994. It was shown on Helena Christensen on the runway with just the jacket and skirt. My client also ordered the matching silk top to go with it. Having the reference shots gives you a wonderful way to see the suit how it looks worn on its own and with the top under it as on my dress form. 

Each of the three pieces that make up this set is exquisite and would be an amazing vintage find on its own. The suit itself is true to the runway. The skirt is cut to hug the hips and then flares out in a wide 11" band of silk at the bottom hem. The silk has been folded into sharp pleats and then set into the skirt so that by the time they reach the hem they open and swirl and curve around you. The movement this creates is wonderful. Over this is that stunning jacket that is cut and tailored to perfection. The soft set shoulders have just a suggestion of padding. It falls from those shoulders and gently widens out and away from the body. This gives the detailing on the jacket an uninterrupted line to be displayed on. The hem of the jacket ends in a rounded curving edge and then under that is a panel of the same pleated silk that finishes the skirt. It layers over the top portion of the skirt and the tiered effect it creates is stunning. The detailing on the jacket is extensive and the pattern combines insets of black silk and silk velvet with hand beading. Glass tube beads are densely applied by hand around the insets and these run from the hem to just about the bust area and all the way around the jacket. Each sleeve is finished with the same treatment. It is insanely beautiful. My client also ordered the matching pleated silk taffeta top to go under the jacket and it is remarkable in its own right. When worn under the jacket it is cut so that the top two pleated tier and collar lie perfectly over the jacket's neckline. That top tier is cut at the back in a way so that it sits perfectly in place so that it can be worn like this. The front of the top has a high ruffled collar and then there are three tiers of silk set on a slight curve at the front. A velvet strop runs down the centre with glossy black dome buttons. These are set on the upper part of the top and then hidden snaps close the bottom part. Each cuff is finished with a pleated ruffle. You can wear everything together or mix and match any of the pieces with what you have in your wardrobe. This is a very special documented set and a fantastic way to add a piece of real Haute Couture to your closet. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The top is unlined and the jacket and skirt are lined in a fine black silk. The skirt zips to close at the side and then hooks at the waist. The jacket closes with the glossy black dome buttons as seen and hand set silk loops. The top buttons to close and has hidden set snaps from where the buttons end to the bottom of the front. My client had the pleat that runs around the the of the jacket made so that it can be removed and worn without the ruffle which makes it even more versatile. Made with Haute Couture techniques and by hand. Hand done detailing on the jacket. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little 

Top
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to first hem, 32.5" to the end of the pleated hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3554

Reference Photos: Helena Christensen for the Fall 1994 Valentino Haute Couture Runway Collection.

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

The dress comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. It was ordered and made on the same time 1985 period as the crystal bow dress I am listing today. This is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work that he was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop. I am also pleased to have found a reference photo to fully document and date it on Christy Turlington from the November issue of Vogue 1986

This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it is perfection on an actual body. Couture pieces are very difficult to truly show in a photo as they are meant to highlight and show off the body and only truly come to life when worn. The bodice of this dress is made from an inky black silk velvet. It is fitted and nipped in at the waist. One shoulder is left bare and the other is encased in a sheath of velvet. The sleeve is cut to the wrist and the shoulder is set to be high and capped with a pretty gathered seam set on an angle on both the front and the back. The shoulder pad underneath is hand formed so that it is rounded to flow and exaggerate the curve of the shoulder. The skirt is wonderful. It is set into the waist in a series of soft pleats that help to give it the fullness that you see. It is very full and cut with a nod to the skirts of the fifties. It is made from a gunmetal silk taffeta that has wide panels of velvet flocking fused to its surface. These wrap around the skirt in three bands starting just under the waist and ending just above the hem. The inner construction of the skirt is amazing. The outermost layer is backed in a silk organza and all of the seams are hand finished along their edges. Set inside the skirt is that startling emerald green silk taffeta underskirt that is built into the dress. It falls below the hips and then has a second ruffled piece nearer the hem for fullness. This is placed into the interior by hand and backed in silk. There is a wide strip of stiffened net running though the two inner hems. It is cut very full to give the skirt its shape and volume. Plus the unexpected flash of green when you move a certain way or sit is fantastic. It feels very tactile on to have all these skirt swirling around you as you move. It really is wonderful and an amazing example of his earlier Haute Couture work. Excellent condition. 

The bodice, skirt and underskirts are all lined and backed in silk. The sleeve is self backed. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques and it closes with a hidden set metal zipper at the side and then has silk covered snaps and a secondary zipper on the side of the skirt. I have photoed this for you. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand made padding on the shoulder and light boning at the side of the bodice around the zipper. A fine metal zipper to close the end of the sleeve. Built in underskirt with stiffened inset at the edges as described above. 

Sleeve: 22.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 31.5" from waist to hem with 4.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3553

Reference Photo: Christy Turlington in Valentino, Vogue, November 1986.

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 worn by Yasmin Warsame on the runway that season and you can see just how fabulous the dress moves. The key pieces from this collection, including this dress, were sold out or waitlisted around the globe despite their high price tags. Sarah Mower of Vogue said of the spring show: "In a season when India is inspiring so many collections, Etro—which uses a paisley print as its brand identity—is more entitled than most to roam the subcontinent. Sure enough, that's where the collection went, but via the seventies hippie route." This dress was mentioned specifically; "One of the standouts—which could make a lovely entrance at any party—was a long, flowing seventies-style dress with belled sleeves, detailed with pinwheel pleating in the Empire bodice."

This was Look 19 in the show and is truly fabulous. It is very flowing and beautiful and I would hazard to say that it is one of the stand out Etro pieces from any of their collections to date. It almost has the lines of an Ossie Clark and the print of a Zandra Rhodes. The top portion drapes over the bust and has a deep V at the front. The fabric has been gathered in and there is a topstitched pin tuck circle there that is quite wonderful and a unique detailing. Long attached ties sit on either some of the waist and they are long enough that you can leave them draped down the back or bring around to the front and wrap them around you. The skirt flows from under there in a pretty soft expanse of silk. There is a great deal of fabric in the skirt and this is what creates that wonderful movement as you move. At the back the dress closes with a tightly spaced row of silk covered buttons and loops. A tremendous amount of work and detailing. The sleeves are spectacular. each is cut extremely long so that once n they are caught up and the wrist the fabric over just drapes snapped flowers around the arm. The silk chiffon is a beautiful quality and light as a feather. Excellent condition.

The bodice and sleeves are unlined the skirt has an inner lining of an ivory silk. It closes At the back the dress closes with a tightly spaced row of silk covered buttons and loops. There is perhaps the slightest smudge under one arm near the seam but look to have been worn very little. Any yellow areas on the dress are lighting. In person the black part off the print is a true black and the white chiffon is white. The underskirt through the skirt has a touch of a cream color to it. Tagged a modern 44

Sleeves to the end of the actual cuff is 32" and then the extend from there. They do of course come up once on
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam and ties in with the ties
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to front hem, 46" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3551

Reference Photos: Yasmin Warsame for Etro Spring 2005, Look 19.

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

This is from the famous Russian collection from the Fall 1976 Collection and these are rare and hard to find. The now legendary 'Opéra Les Ballets Russes' Haute Couture collection by Yves Saint Laurent for that season was one that took the fashion world by storm and has been endlessly re-interpreted since. Stylist Catherine Baba has the twin of this coat and versions have been well documented. The Met has a fabric version in their collection and the suede version was photoed for Vogue that season. This was a key look of the season and highly collectible. 

The coat is in exceptional condition and looks to have been worn very little if at all. The leather is soft supple and the color is a deep chocolate. The inner bodice has been lined in a sheared sheepskin that is very soft and fine and has been dyed to a deep chocolate color to match the leather. The sheared sheepskin is set to follow the front edges and goes all the way around the neck and down the front. There is also a a band of it set within each cuff. The lines of the coat are pure Yves from this time period. The neckline is cut high on the front to curve gracefully around the neck. The shoulders are set high with gathers so that they have a slight capped feel to them. Under the top portion of the coat the lower portion of the jacket is set into the waist seam and done like a proper skirt would be with slight gathers along the top so that it has some fullness. Inside the coat the upper bodice is lined with the sheared fur and the lower part of the skirt is lined in a quilted fabric.  I love how all the edges are top stitched with a deep red thread, placed to emphasize the lines of the coat and add to its Russian feel. This wide panel of red top stitching runs all the way down the front, around the collar and finishes each cuff. Highly polished buttons close the coat down the front. It really transforms when on a real girl and is just wonderful. Amazing and rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

The upper bodice and cuffs are lined in fur and the sleeves and skirting of the coat are lined in quilting. It closes with the buttons at the front. Tagged a vintage YSL 44

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C404

Reference Photos: (1) The Peasant Collection 1976 as photographed by American Vogue  /  (2) Coat from the MET  /  (3) Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (4) Catherine Baba at the S/S 2017 Haute Couture Shows in Paris. (Top Photo by Nabile Quenum; Bottom Photo by Phil Oh)

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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

A version of this coat walked the runway for the Fall 1982 Haute Couture show and the cloth version was photoed for Vogue Italia that season. Most importantly, a photo of Catherine Deneuve was taken in a version of the coat allowing us to see just how wearable the coat is despite its avant grade and bold lines. The dramatic and huge sleeve detailing was an important element for that season. This is a rare and collectible piece. 

A version of this piece walked the Haute Couture runway that season and that combined with the other documentation on it are able to give you an idea of how spectacular the coat is in person. It is made out of a soft, supple leather that has been dyed to a deep brown. The bodice of the coat is meant to follow the lines of the body and then curve down into a slightly dropped waist seam. He has treated the lower portion of the coat like a true skirt and it is set into the seam of the waist in soft gathers. This helps to give it the fullness that you see in the photos. Pockets sit on each side of the hip. The collar is high and neat. It sits above a dramatic double row of polished hand carved wood buttons. They are large and sit in a double row of six buttons that down the front to just past the waist seam. These same buttons are then used on each sleeve. The sleeves are incredible and at the time were probably startling to see on the runway with their excessive fullness. They still feel dramatic even now. Each is cut on a rounded curve that starts at the shoulder and curves down the arm to the cuff. They are very full and wide. Six of the polished and hand carved wood buttons are hand set down the extended cuff whose overlapped edging goes right up to the elbow. Those sleeve and how they are cut are really a testament to his genius. Each button is fully functional which shows you just how much care and detail was put into the piece. Despite it being leather, the coat has been made with the same care as if it was fabric, which would have been a very innovative approach to leather for this time period. It is absolutely stunning and very rare. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined and closes at the front with the buttons as seen. All the buttons, including the ones on each sleeve are functional. Pockets on each hip. There is some minor discolouration on the inner lining. The fabric used for it tends to change colour over time so it is a natural progression of aging. One small and minor scuff to the leather next to the collar on the upper shoulder. Please see the photo after the label shot 

Sleeves: 27"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C402

Reference Photos: (1-2) Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1982 Runway.  /  (3) F/W 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway in the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Catwalk".  /  (4) Outfits by Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue Italia, September 1981.  /  (5) Catherine Deneuve

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

John Anthony opened his label in 1971 and during the 1970s he became known for making pieces that were sleek & sexy but still felt sophisticated. His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is a personal favourite of mine and this dress is extraordinary.

This dress is exceptional and a wonderful example of his work during this time period. It is made from a black silk jersey that allows it to drape beautifully on the body. The dress is cut to drapes and skim over the body and it does show every curve but without it being tight and fitted. Once on, this gives it a certain sexiness despite the fact that the dress completely covers you. The sleeves are long and widen out as the near the cuffs to create a poufed effect over each buttoned cuff. The dress skims over the body and fall to the floor in a beautiful drape of inky black silk jersey. A hand beaded silver bird seems to have been captured in mid-flight as it swoops around the scooped neck. A second bird arches down the hip and appears to hold in its beak the gathered panel of fabric that is set on that one hip. This panel give the dress a bit of a forties feel that I love. It also hides a high cut slit that reveals almost your entire your leg when you walk or sit. It is incredible and made to demi-couture standards. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back, hand set zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. The birds are hand beaded onto the dress. Appears to have been worn very little if at all. Hand finished. The fabric does have stretch so it should fit a range of sizes. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat.

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58.5" from neck to hem
Slit: 32" from hem to top of slit

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2973

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

This is a fantastic and romantic gown by Alfred Bosand who was really one of the great American designers whose clothes where made to couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy, New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he returned in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality.

I love how the dress is beaded from the top of the straps to the hem. The base fabric is made from a beautiful black silk net that has a layer of silk chiffon backing it. Under this is a built in inner dress made out of a black silk satin backed crepe so that the dress is not transparent. The dress is suspended from the shoulder from two tiny straps. It is seamed just under the bust and the top edge has a bit of a scalloped effect by the lace net being allowed to peak up and over the seam there. The skirt cascades from the high set waist to the floor in a delicious sweep of fabric. As it nears the floor it widens out which gives the change of design there the perfect backdrop and space to really pop. The entire dress has been covered in beading, sequins and embroidery. The top part of the dress has little rows of gold tube beads that are each set on a slight curve and broken up with scatterings of gold sequins. These are all hand set and by laying them out in this more organic feel they are more visually interesting then to have just done straight vertical rows. The entire lower hem is covered in flowers. This takes up about 24" of the bottom of the dress and in person they have far more impact then on it looks in the photos and on the dress form. The colours used are a soft turquoise mixed with a deep pink and pops of gold. The design is made up of a combination of embroidery, tube and seed beads and gold metallic thread. I love that the bottom hem is scalloped all around the edge. It is very beautiful and even better in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk satin backed crepe and closes with a back set zipper. It looks to have been worn very little if at all 

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist - hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to seam under the bust 
Skirt: 45.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3549

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

The twin of this set walked the runway for the Fall 1977 Christian Dior Haute Couture collection. It was also used in a Vogue editorial and photoed by Roland Bianchini that season. In the 'Dior Catwalk' book, journalist Alexander Fury references this suit specifically in his write up for that season saying; "The designers autumn/winter collections proposed a series of equally glamorous ensembles, including the 'white silk jacquard pants suit with the white fox, white pearls and bareness underneath - a soft white camisole' that Vogue predicted would be the 'sure fire' bestseller that season. Trouser suit aficionado Bianca Jagger was in the audience and 'said she loved everything''. It is exceptional and a wonderful example of the work that Marc Bohan was doing for the house during this time period.

The set is made from a beautiful ivory colored silk that has a secondary pattern woven through it. That pattern is made up of little abstract shapes and I love that every once in a while one of the shapes in that design look like a little heart. The pants are cut with a straight leg so that they have a soft flow to them. Pockets lie along the seams on each hip. The jacket is a simple, almost box cut that ends just at the hip to perfectly balance the line of the pants. It can be worn open like it was shown on the runway or fully closed. I love the clear lucite buttons with their little silver capped tops that run down the front. They are the only embellishment on the piece and give it a subtle bit of glitz. On the front of the jacket there are three top set pockets for detailing. Each sleeve buttons to close and on the runway these were left open and flipped back for an easy feel. This is a true piece of fashion history and an amazing example of Bohan's work during this time period. It is even better in person. All proper Haute Couture labels present. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Both pieces are fully lined. The jacket in a rich cream silk satin and the pants are lined in a slightly lighter version of the same silk. The set is entirely made by hand. The jacket buttons to close and pants close with a front painted metal zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Pockets on the jacket and pants. The pants have a slight line of a yellow mark at the lower front right leg near the hem. The jacket shows slight discoloration under the arms on the inside lining that does not go through. There is the very slightest darkening to the edge of the collar. All minor and it presents as excellent. Please see the photos provided after the label shot

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem with 2.25" turned under the hems
Inseam: 30.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Reference Photos: (1) Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show.  /  (2)  Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show from the book "Dior Catwalk: The Complete Collections".  /  (3) Photo by Albert Watson, Vogue, October 1977.  /  (4) Photo by Roland Bianchini, Dior, 1977.

Item# DD2793

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