• John Bates founded the Jean Varon label in 1960 and it quickly became known for the futuristic designs and innovative use of fabrics.
• He dressed Dianna Rigg portraying Emma Peel in the 1965 season of the action TV series "The Avengers" and that helped bring him more commercial success. 
• By the late sixties and into the seventies his work tended more towards more floating, feminine designs. Some of the very best pieces were made during this time period.
• His caftans in particular are fabulous and they are some of my favourites to find. This is the second time I have had this design in the shop.
• My client who bought the original one had sent me some shot shots of her and her daughter-in-law wearing hers and she graciously has allowed me to share them so that you can see how fantastic this is once on the body.
• This is one of the best caftans I have seen from this label and because of the voluminous and open cut it should fit just about anyone and any shape.
• It is made from a wash and wear jersey that has just enough weight to it to help hold the lines and make it drape correctly once you slip it on.
• It is seamed all around the edges so it is closed down each side.
• The neckline is cut into a wide squared off opening across the shoulders. It dips down and has an edging of crochet work that you can see a glimpse of skin through.
• At the centre of the front there are attached ties that curve up to tie behind the neck. You can also wear it off the shoulder and let the sides drop depending on how wide across the shoulder you are. This gives it another look again and is really fabulous.
• There are slits along the side to slip your hands through and then the entire body of the caftan is a simple loose and open cut.
• An elaborate crane and ocean design runs over the entire surface of caftan. The backdrop is a pale blue-grey colour and then the print is done in soft tones on top of that. As it nears the bottom of the caftan it turns to a solid black with cranes flying over the surface. The contrast between the two is spectacular.
• When it is on the body the black at the bottom helps to add to the drama and floating feeling the caftan has.
• Everything about this piece feels pretty and romantic while still managing to feel strong and bold. It is really an exceptional piece.
• The caftan is unlined and slips over the head to wear. It ties at the neck as described above. The edges of the cotton lace around the neck have softened a touch and there is a tiny faint scuff of mark here and there on the white part. It is very minor but mentioned for accuracy.  The open cut should fit a wide range of sizes.
• Excellent condition

From widest point flat across edge to edge: 55"
Length: 61" from shoulder to hem and the outer edges hang a bit lower when its on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-XL OSFA

Item# DD5786

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 the finale dress shown as Look 34 for the 2016 Resort Stella McCartney collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Stella McCartney.
• This was one of the most heavily documented dresses of both the collection and the season. It was worn for editorials, on the red carpet and for television appearances. 
• Vogue specifically noted the "citrus-hued, ankle grazing trapeze dresses." saying of that the models who wore these dresses at the end of the presentation "you couldn't have found a woman in the crowd who didn't want to be them or at least look like them for the night"
• This dress was sold out and wait-listed worldwide. Very few were produced.
  
• I love the bright colour that the dress has been done in. It is incredibly difficult to capture the actual colour in a photo and I think it is even better in person as it is a touch paler then how it photoed here.
• The dress is made out of a single layer of feather light silk that verges on a chiffon. This gives it just enough weight to hold its shape fantastically but the lightness of the silk creates masses of movement around you when you move.
• This combined with the brilliant seaming and cut is what gives the dress its exuberant volume and shape.
• Both the front and back neckline are gathered up into little pleats that sit at the base of the neck. To hold the pleats together there are little gold beads placed on matching tiny silk straps that wind their way through the pleats. This little unexpected touch of gold is striking.
• The ties that go through the neckline extend out on either side and you tie them on the top of the shoulder. This allows you to wear the dress as high up or low as you wish. You can see in the reference photos that sometimes the neckline is dropped quite substantially from where I have it in my photos and the ties are what allow you to do this.
• The sides of the dress dip down into sharp little angles leaving a bit of skin to show at the sides. 
• The waist has a generous cut and it is meant to feel more loose and easy. It is really a piece that is easy to fit and should work on a variety of body types. 
  
• The silk falls from underneath the neckline and skims over the body expanding outward to a generously cut seam that sits below the hip. The fabric under that seam then gets progressively wider as it near the hem.
• A wide ruffle of fabric circles all around the lower hem with a wide band of stiffened netting hidden inside to help hold the shape.
• The silk of each tier is gathered into the seam above and below it and this also helps to add to the volume and create that incredible trapeze shape.
• The amount of fabric through the body of the dress and skirt combined with the lightness of the fabric is what lets it billow and move around you in the most spectacular way. And it has pockets.
  
• This is an absolutely stunning example from that season and it is a very collectible piece.
• The dress is unlined and it slips on to wear. It ties on either side of the neck as described above. There is perhaps a tiny bit of grubbiness along the edge of the hem but it otherwise is pristine. The extremely open cut should allow this to fit most frames. It will just drape more on a smaller frame.
• Tagged a modern Stella McCartney 40
• Excellent condition

Bust-Hips: open
Total length: approx 63" from neck to hem as it is tied here. It could be made longer if you let the ties drop at the top of the dress.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD5719

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

• Note that due to new regulations this coat can only ship to a Canadian address 
  
• This appears to be the actual Haute Couture sample coat that walked the runway for the Fall 1985 Jean Patou collection for Look 12
• Made under the creative direction of Christian Lacroix 
  
• This is an extremely rare and important piece of fashion history. Very few pieces of his work at Patou come up for sale and this is more then likely the only piece to exist.
• Made in the Paris atelier
• Made of a soft orange wool shaped in an enveloping cocoon shape highly reminiscent of a 1920s flapper coat.
• It is all cut on the bias so once it is on the body it wraps around you beautifully. It is extraordinary. 
  
• The sleeves are quite extremely wide and they have a long wide cuff that flips up and over the sleeve. The cuff is completely covered in hand dyed feathers.
• More of the same hand dyed feathers are used to create a huge shawl collar that drapes down and over the shoulders. It continues to run all the way to the hem and circles around to the back hem.
• The coat narrows in as it reaches its bottom. This is a classic cut for this style of cocoon coat
• It feels wonderfully decadent and opulent, both key design elements in Lacroix's work. It is literally like wearing a work of art.
• Partially lined in a silk through the upper body of the coat and through the sleeves. The rest is unlined.
• Has its hand written Haute Couture sample label in place and attached metal couture tag
• Excellent condition

It is very full and open and has no closures so should fit almost any size. It is approximately 52 inches from neck to hem but that will come up a bit once it is on the body.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD5048

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