This is such a wonderful example of the level of hand work that was put into garments from this time period. It is so special and the workmanship is extraordinary. It was completely made by hand and the beadwork on it is amazing. Teeny tiny seed beads have been hand applied to the black silk crepe base. They are set to follow that wonderful jagged hem. This ends in points all around the top and the beadwork is done in two wide panels stacked on top of each other in the exact same shape. Each beaded band is a full 5" at its widest point. The beads are a combination of red and black and the work to hand apply all of these beads would have taken many hours. The shape of the top is perfectly representative of the time period with a loose and easy cut that just falls over the body. The neck is scooped and there is a button at the back that sits above a small open keyhole. If you love it in the pictures you will be extraordinarily happy when it arrives. It is in extremely good condition and it is strong and wearable despite being 100 years old. It is a true work of art. It is very rare to find pieces from this time period on this condition anymore. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. Buttons at the back of the neck. The loose fit will allow it to fit a range of sizes

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust- hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to longest point on the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# S953

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

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

Azzedine Alaia pieces are always a delight to find. His knits were all self developed and are among the best out there. He started his career as a dressmakers assistant  and copied couture gown for wealthy Tunisian clients. In 1957 he moved to Paris and worked for Christian Dior for a grand total of five days. He then moved to Guy Laroche and quietly started to get private commissions on the side. By 1960 he was doing mainly private work and within a few years established a small salon on the Left Bank where he continued designing privately. He stayed at that salon until 1984. During this time period he also did private freelance work for other designers including Claude Montana, Thierry Mugler and even Yves Saint Laurent. It was not until 1981 that he launched his first official collection and by 1983 he had a boutique in Beverley Hills. The French Ministry of Culture honored him with the Designer of the Year award in 1985. In 1993 he decided that the established fashion show schedule was not for him and he eschewed producing a new collection every season. Instead he showed when his collections were ready and continued to do so until his death in 2017. 

Alaia cut the pattern and assembled the prototype for every single piece that he created. He was one of the few designers that often worked on a live model and many give this as the credit for his incredibly flattering pieces. He hated undergarments and instead made his pieces work to shape the body on their own. He developed his own proprietary knits and they are this incredible combination of give and take. This skirt is from the Fall 2000 collection and was made in both a long and short length as well as two colour ways. Included here is an editorial shot of the more pink, long version of the skirt and it gives you an idea of its incredible fit. The upper part of the skirt hugs the hips to shape them and then the skirt flares out from there. I love the gored effect created by the knit opening into angled vertical seams. Inside each panel are flowers that trail down the full length of this part of the skirt. Each is woven directly into the knit and the colours are gorgeous and vibrant. Very easy to wear and a great piece of Alaia to add to any collection. Excellent condition 

Unlined and slips on to wear. The fabric has stretch so should fit a range of sizes. The measurements below are the comfortable range of stretch when laying flat. It will probably stretch a little more on an actual body. Tagged a vintage Alaia XS

Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# S952

Reference Photo: ELLE US, September 2000. Photographed by Gilles Bensimon.

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 Fall 2010 Chanel collection is still one of the strongest and most memorable of the Karl Lagerfeld days. Vogue's Sarah Mower said in part of the show: "Freja Beha Erichsen and three bears on an ice floe. This was the arctic scene at Chanel, where giant chunks of bona fide iceberg, specially transported from Scandinavia, formed the frozen landscape around which models solemnly splashed through a sea of 'berg-melt in shaggy snow boots with ice-block heels. The Karl conceit of the season, no surprises, was an in-every-way extravagant play on Coco in cold weather. Using more fur than he'd even flung at Fendi—the twist being that here the fur was fake—Lagerfeld steered this collection nearer to couture than ready-to-wear than ever. Fur was woven into brown tweeds; formed deep pelmets on the lower half of leather jackets; became almost igloo-shaped capes, bonnets, even—for goodness' sake—furry trousers. Meanwhile, the suit and coat combinations also had a level of lavish elaboration usually reserved for haute eveningwear. Fur-fringed embroideries and ice jewelry conspired to create intensely worked ruffled and beaded silhouettes that glinted with rock-crystal neckpieces and fistfuls of rings. Somewhere in there, a flash of translucent silver seemed to be a clutch in which the quilting of the CC classic bag had been frozen into the likeness of a refrigerator ice cube tray." This dress was one of the knit and fringed pieces and was one of the most wearable dresses shown. It's twin was presented on the runway for Look 21 worn by Anna de Rijk.

This is a stunning and easy to wear dress. It is made out of one of the classic Chanel boucle knits and then has thick rows of yarn woven though that. The yarn detailing it was done in a range of colours going from a white to a deep navy to a deep red with variations of each colour running down each. The wool that the dress is made out of is very high end and surprisingly light in weight. These wool pieces are part of the Chanel legacy and Karl's genius in perfecting them and no one does it better. The cut is simple but perfect. It has a slight scooped at the neck and then skims over the bodice. Pockets sit on each side of the front and the sleeves are capped. Each sleeve ends with an edging of black yarn. This same black yarn edging is used at the neckline, the waist, hem and on the pockets. The waist is cinched in with a wide band and then the skirt falls in a pencil shape that has just a touch of as flare as it nears the hem. The neckline has a heavy fringe bib detailing that tied it into the collection perfectly. The fringe is made of yarn and sequins and it appears to be all done by hand. It is just gorgeous and is an amazing example of his work from this time period. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a Chanel 36. If you are narrow through the shoulders it could fit to a Medium 

Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3796

Reference Photos: Fall 2010 Chanel Runway Collection, Look 21. Model: Anna de Rijk.

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 love finding Donald Brooks pieces. They are very well made and his boutique pieces especially have a sense of fun about them that I love. Brooks launched his main line label in 1964. He only designed for a very short time, closing his business in 1973. He had a secondary, boutique line that he started in 1971 that also closed in 1973. This dress is from the boutique line which gives us that small time period from 1971-1973 for its date. While researching we also found a two piece set that resides in the Goldstein Museum's collection made of the same fabric. I have had that one in the shop before and it is amazing to have another version now for you. 

For his boutique line, Donald Brooks really played into that whole 1960s flower power hippie movement. His designs were targeted towards a younger audience then the main line pieces where and they all have this sense of fun and ease to them. Pieces made regular appearance on all of the big name supermodels in the pages of Vogue and Harper's and women loved them. This dress is just darling. It is made out of a cotton mix fabric that has a  seersucker texture striping running through it to give added dimension. The colour combination is a gorgeous mix of primarily corals and yellows with other colours worked in. The top is cut onto a halter at the front with angled sides that carry up to the high neckline. It is nipped in at the waist and then the skirt is set under that to fall outwards on an angle, widening out as it nears the hem. At the back the straps that extend out from the collar curve down the sides to meet the waist. This leaves your back almost entirely bare and open. The long skirt also has two high slits running up either side at the front. This slit skirt technique is a signature of his work and lets your legs show when you walk or sit. Then, as the final finish, all of the edges on the halter, running down the front and circling the waist, have been finished with bands of embroidered multi-coloured flowers. And it has pockets in the skirt. I love it. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low set zipper at the back of the skirt and halter hooks to close at the back of the neck. My dress form's neck was too small but it will close completely in the proper size neck or you could add an extension there if needed. Pockets hidden along the sides of the skirt

Neck: 13.25" end to end
Bust: approx to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and there is a at least room or up to a B cup at the front 
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to top waist seam waist
Skirt: 38" from top waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3785

Reference Photo: 1970-75 Donald Brooks Ensemble from the Goldstein Museum of Design 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-Louis Scherrer was one of the great French couturiers in the grand Parisian style. He counted Sophia Loren and Jackie Kennedy as fans in his heyday and his work in the 1970s especially was wonderful. Opulence, hand beading and rich passementerie were his trademarks. He launched his own Haute Couture house after working at Christian Dior and by 1977, the year that this dress was made, he was just reaching the top of his game as a couturier. It is an incredible find and even more beautiful in person

I love the soft yellow silk organza that has been used for the skirt and the shawl in this dress. This choice of fabric allows it to have the volume that you see but without adding any weight at all. It also is a soft and romantic contrast to the sequin work on the bodice. The bodice is strapless and cut to be fitted to the bust balancing the volume of the skirt perfectly. Thousand of tiny sequins have been hand applied to create that stunning floral design that you see. As you look closer the work just gets more amazing. The edges of the green sequin leafs fro example are all finished with the tiniest glass tube beads possible. Little glass crystals edge other parts of the design and create a border across the top of the bodice. The workmanship is exquisite and the care and time to have created the design using these very small sequins and beads is astonishing. Under the bodice the skirt is cut to skim over the tops of the hips and than flows outwards with its first ruffle. There are three ruffles in total making up the skirt and each is cut to be very wide and each is made out of several yards of fabric. The skirt under the ruffles gradually widens as it reaches the hem. I photos most of the full length shots here with a light crinoline underneath so you could get an idea of just how full the skirt could be. The final full length shot is without anything underneath and even then it has stunning volume. The movement and airiness the skirt creates in person is amazing. At your smallest movement the ruffles float around you. The dress comes with a matching shawl that is so large it really could be considered to be more of a cape. It is made of the same silk as the skirt and is finished with the same ruffled treatment we see on the skirt. It can be wrapped or just lightly held. The entire dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and it is even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a small note to review below

Fully lined in the same silk organza that is used on the exterior. All of the work throughout is done by hand done to the edgings of the inner seams. It zips to close with a painted metal zipper and the exterior skirt snaps to close over the zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. The bodice is lightly boned. I see one tiny dot of a mark just under the bodice seam and a tiny repair near the base of the back closure. Numbered tag 002576

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Shawl: 9 feet long x just over 5 feet wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3393

Reference Photos: (1) 1976-1977 Fall-Winter Women's haute couture runway show.  /  (2) Jean Louis Scherrer with model, 1977.

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 showcased in a special presentation for the InStyle & "A Diamond is Forever" Sneak Peek at Red Carpet Fashion for the 2004 Awards Season. I have included photos from that so that you can see just how gorgeous this dress is on. This is definitely one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. The movement it has when it is on and you walk is just incredible. 

This dress is a dream. It is made out of a yellow printed silk chiffon that has a soft green fern print scattered across its surface. The upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it and the silk is draped over the bust and then down the the body to fall down and around you. This creates a fabulous draping effect that goes right from the top of the bust to just below the hips crating an hourglass feel. The skirt is set in and under the draped bodice and the entire front part of the skirt has been scooped upwards which emphasizes all those ruffles even more. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of four full sets of ruffled tiers that fall softly to the floor. The lightness of the silk causes the ruffles on the skirt to move with the slightest bit of air. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. The dress is suspended from the neck by the straps that extend out of the middle of the bodice and wrap around and hook behind the beck. These straps have been made out of the same silk as the dress but it has been gathered in a ruffle and the edges were left raw. He then set little hand made flowers all along the straps for the prettiest finishing detail that adds an extra element of romance and femininity. This is Oscar at his very best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition. 

The bodice and torso are lined in a matching deep yellow silk. The ruffles of the skirt are set on top of the same silk chiffon so you get a touch of transparency as they move. It closes with an inner zipper to close the built in boned inner support and then a second hidden set zipper over that to close the exterior dress. The straps hook to close behind the neck. Lightly boned through the inner bodice. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand finishes through out 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5556

Reference Photos: Model wearing Oscar de la Renta for the InStyle & "A Diamond is Forever" Sneak Peek at Red Carpet Fashion for the 2004 Awards Season, January 2004.

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

Vicky Tiel was backed by Elizabeth Taylor as a young designer after working on the costumes for 'Whats New Pussycat'. After a stint with a partner she launched her self named label in Paris in 1970. She as one of the very early boutique owner/designer that offered a ready-to-wear option in Paris. That said, her clothes often walk a fine line between ready-to-wear and couture in terms of their construction and techniques used. By the mid to late seventies her style had developed into the ultra sexy and feminine clothing that she is now known best for. By the eighties and into the nineties, she had a cult celebrity following. This is a stunning example of just how sexy and dramatic her work could get. 

This dramatic little dress by Vicky Tiel is fabulous. It is made from a black jersey that lets it drape over you perfectly. The design is fabulous as well. The bodice is draped and gathered into two long triangles over the bust. At the back there are two more of the same and these are set wider apart so that most of your back is left bare and exposed. Then starting right under the base of the halter there is a gathered and fitted waist that cinches you in and creates shape. This middle part is highly structured and molded to the body. It is made like a corset inside to give you shape with both boning and inner structure for support. Under that the skirt is made out of the same jersey as the rest of the dress and is set as a panel that wraps around you and curves up and over at the front. When you walk or move you get a flash of leg showing and it is quite sexy. All of this is topped by that spectacular collar and sleeves. The halter at the back and front are all attached into the collar that wraps around the neck and so are the long slim sleeves. This creates this very interesting cut out effect all around the neckline and back. The collar itself is really like wearing an attached piece of jewellery. It is made of a wide and soft band that is covered with rows of faux pearls and rhinestones. This is a dress that really needs an actual body for it to come to life. It will be jaw dropping once on the right person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The skirt and halters are a double layer of the jersey. The middle is fully lined in a black silky rayon and is boned. The dress closes with a back zipper. Very well constructed. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. 

Sleeves: approx 24
Bust: approx to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam but with the open design it should accommodate a range of bust sizes. 
Seam under the bust: 14.5"
Natural waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of bodice: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from neck to top seam at waist
Middle banding: 9"
Skirt: 18.5" from bottom seam of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3787

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 one of my all time favourite Yves Saint Laurent pieces. I am always excited to find examples of Yves' work from this time period and this one is extra special because it is a version of the dress that was photoed for the ad campaign for YSL that season that ran in the September issue of Vogue. I love this dress so much and it is extremely flattering once on. 

This is a fabulous Yves Saint Laurent dress that is made of a classic black silk crepe. The cut has a definitive nod to the forties with its strong shoulder and cut. Every detail on it is perfection and it is a dress that you will reach for again and again. The sleeves and shoulders are a moment on their own. There is padding inside to help support and shape them. The sleeves are shorter and each wraps around the arm and overlaps over itself. This creates a very pretty curving shape and I love this tiny detail. Across the tops of the shoulders the fabric is gathered and this creates soft folds that run over the bust. Again this a very forties detail. The front neckline plunges into a V and then under that a series of glossy black sequin bands start. The bands of sequins are set over top of elastic that is built into the dress. These start just under the bust and run over to the top of the hips, wrapping all the way around you. This makes the entire middle part of the dress elasticized and very easy to wear. It is very comfortable on while at the same time the rows of elastic molds and shapes you into an hourglass. This bandage effect also gives the bodice above and the skirt below the illusion of more volume and that just adds to the hourglass feel as well. Below the last row of sequins the skirt flares outs and it is quite jaunty. It is a dress that really needs a body in it to truly come to life and it is gorgeous on. Excellent condition

The fabric is self backed in a satin. Well finished inside. It slips on and the gathered area between the sequins is elastic for an easy fit. Light padding in each shoulder. Tagged a vintage YSL 38 but the easy cut and elastic should allow it to fit a range of sizes. It looks to have been worn very little if at all

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 15-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 10-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with stretch
Hips: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from neck to first sequin band
Banding: 15" from first sequin band to last
Skirt: 19" from last sequin band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3786

Reference Photo: Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Vogue, September 1983.

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

Emanuel Ungaro launched his label in 1965 after stints at both Balenciaga and Courreges. He was a brilliant designer who was known for his extravagant fabrics and flamboyance. He often participated in the design and execution of new fabrics and for him the design process started there. His work always has a sense of exuberance and joy to it and he mixed fabric and prints with a master's eye. When hunting for the date of this dress I found a strikingly similar dress from the runway that had additional shoulder detailing but is otherwise remarkably like this one. That reference photo is included and it gives you a great idea of how amazing this one will be once on an actual body. 

The fabric and colour of this dress are fantastic and no matter how great it looks in the photos you will love it even more in person. It is made out of a coral silk that is heavily shot through with a gold lame thread. This lets the fabric catch the light from every angle and intensifies the coral colour. The fabric is light in weight and despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not at all heavy once it is on. Inside the dress is a built in structure to give you support so that despite the lightness of the fabric the intended shape is held perfectly in place. The strapless bodice is cut with a modified sweetheart neckline and it is meant to hug the body. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with hand placed and gathered folds. These folds that emphasized the curves of the body were a signature of his and really made his pieces flattering once on. On this dress the gathers and shape run from the bust right down and over the hips so you get curves on curves. Under the bottom seam the skirt is set and has a series of silk panels set all the way around you. Each panel has been individually set on an angle to create the ruffled effect that you see. The way they are set onto the skirt allows each piece to move freely so that whenever you move they move. A little bow at the back is the perfect finishing touch. It is gorgeous and appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a coral silk and closes with a back zipper. The bow snaps into place over the top of the zipper. The interior of the bodice is boned for support. Tagged a vintage Ungaro 6. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3417

Reference Photo: F/W 1988-89 Emanuel Ungaro 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.

Leger worked for Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi and followed him to Chanel in 1983 when Lagerfeld took over there. In 1985 at the age of 28 Leger began designing under his own name for clients. His dresses were one of the stars of the nineties and were among the most coveted and iconic of the labels during that period of fashion. His bandage dress in particular were one of his strongest creations and the originals were only produced between 1989-1997. This dress is even more special as it is one of his couture pieces. A mannequin would be created based on the exact measurements of his client that the dress was made for and each is a one of made to fit that client exactly. In 1998 the company was sold to BCBG and the making of the bandage dress were halted along wth the dismissal of Herve from his self named brand. Dresses from this time period where he was making and designing the dresses himself are very rare and to find a couture one even rarer. It is a very special piece. I was very happy to find a version that walked the runway for the Fall 1997 show and the runway shots show you how it looks when in an actual body aNDA the shoulders worn off shoulder like they should be 

This dress combines that iconic striped bandage technique he used with a bias cut silk skirt and stunning lace and bead work. The bodice is made entirely using his famous bandage technique where elastic strips of fabric were sewn together to make girdle-tight foundation. The allows the bodice to mold and shape itself to your body and  create that perfect hourglass feel. The bandage portion the dress runs from the neckline to just past the hips. The bodice was then covered in a soft, fine lace that allows the nude coloured elastic underneath to peak through. From a distance this gives the illusion that you aren't wearing anything underneath the lace. The lace is held in place by vertical banding of beadwork that are set on slight angles to further add to the illusion of shape. More beadwork runs around the neckline and over the straps and then again t the bottom where the bodice meets the skirt. The front is shaped to mold over the breasts and the straps are set wide. On an actual body these can be worn more off the shoulder to leave the collar bones completely bare. At the back the neckline scoops down to leave the upper portion of the shoulders bare. The skirt is set in under that and flares out around you to move with your slightest movement. I love this contrast between the very fitted top and the more flowing skirt. The silk used for the skirt is light in weight and has no lining so it really moves wonderfully. It is stunning and a fabulous example of his made to order couture work. This is a dress that really needs a body to come to life and once on it will blow you away.  Excellent condition 

Unlined and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a M. The fabric does have stretch and it can expand but does still stay tight and fitted with the elastic interior. The range of measurements given below are of it laying flat but it will potentially stretch to a couple of inches more. 

Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from off shoulder strap to hem, approx 57" once on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3581

Reference Photos: Fall 1997 Herve Leger Runway.

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 the 1980s and 1990s Gianni Versace ruled the catwalks. He was the favourite of the Supermodels and they were featured predominately in his runway shows and his ad campaigns. Versace launched his label in 1978 and by 1989 he presented a couture collection. The days that Gianni headed the label were heady, glamourous ones and set the tone for the label as we know it today. He remained at the helm of the brand until his death by assassination in 1997. This is from those years in the 1990s when the label was everywhere and everyone wanted to own and wear a Versace. While researching this piece I found several photo references of different variations of the dress from both the catwalk and ad campaigns. I have included those here. I love this chic graphic version in the black and white. It is an exceptional example of his work from this time period.

The dress is exactly what you think of when you think Versace from this time period and it is instantly recognizable as his because of that famous ad shot. The dress is made from a very fine wool and it is the kind of dress that instantly demands your full attention. The dress is almost weightless once on the body, an effect achieved by the use of the finest, lightest wool that there was at the time. The shape is as simple as you can get. It is a simple shift that is meant to hang suspended over the body underneath. The simplicity of it perfectly captures the mood of 1995 and it allows that little check pattern to take the spotlight. The pattern is a series of small 1/2" squares and I love the care and attention to line the pattern up at the seams and back zipper. It is truly spectacular and that perfect combination of sexy and yet still innocent because of the easy to wear shape. If there was ever a dress proven to be supermodel worthy this one is it. This is a rare and very collectible Versace. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. I see a tiny run on the fabric near the side at the front and an even smaller one a little ways up from that. You would never see these once on. Please see the shots after the label shot. Otherwise it looks to have been worn very little if at all. The easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes

Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 33" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3578

Reference Photos: (1-3) Fall 1995 Versace Runway Collection (Look 46-Claudia Schiffer, Look 47-Nadja Auermann, Look 48-Naomi Campbell)  /  (4) Shalom Harlow by Richard Avedon for Versace Fall 1995.  /  (5) Stephanie Seymour by Richard Avedon for Versace Couture Fall 1994.

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

James Galanos was just 27 years old when he launched his first label called Galanos Originals in 1951. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. when you convert that to modern dollars and realize that it would be just under 30k for his upper range pieces. Part of the reason for those high price tags was that his ready-to-wear was made to couture standards. The workmanship and craft put into them were made to a level that was on par with the official French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper. Grace Kelly was an early fan and other couturiers looked to his work as inspiration. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

This particular dress reminds me of the pink colour blocked one that was worn so famously by Gloria Vanderbilt. It has that same feel created by his use of different panels of colour through the skirt. This is a technique that he used on several occasions and in several fabrics. The Vanderbilt dress for example was a silk chiffon and I have seen a darker, more column cut version in a silk jersey. This one is made from a silk taffeta and that choice of fabric keeps the dress extremely light while allowing it to have that wonderful volume that you see. The dress is extraordinary and is a testament to the couture construction techniques that he utilized in his work. The bodice is fitted with a slight sweetheart feel to the neckline. It is suspended by two tiny silk straps. The top port of the dress is lined in a silk but has no inner boning. It is meant to skim and hug the body underneath rather then to force a shape. The waist nips in and the skirt is set to feel very full with multiple soft gathers around the waist to create the fullness that you see. The skirt is made of four panels of silk taffeta, at the front here is a green on one side and a chocolate colour panel on the other. At the back both panels are the same blue as the bodice. All of the edges are finished with a gold cord that has been hand applied stitch by stitch. At the front the skirt is split quite high so that when you walk or sit you get an very unexpected flash of bare leg. The silk taffeta is so light that when you walk the skirt has a billowing effect behind you that it just magical. There are no extra underskirts added for these shots. All the volume of the skirt that you see has been created by the cut and the fabric alone. Around the waist the fabric from the silk has been gathered and held in place by more of that gold cording and then the edges of the fabric is set in an elaborate series of ruffles above that. This creates the prettiest ruffled finish that wraps all the way around you, cinches you in, and adds a pretty touch of romance. The work is all hand finished and all the inner seams have a beautiful ribbon finish. This is truly a stunning dress. Excellent condition  

Unlined and closes with a back zipper. Ribbon edge interior seams. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist seam
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Front slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3736

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 exquisite Pierre Balmain Haute Couture dress is a stunning and very rare example of what the house was producing during this time period. It is true Haute Couture and has been entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is from the Spring 1956 collection and a long full length version of the dress was photoed on Renée Breton. I love having the reference photo of it as it gives you a very good idea of how wonderful it will be on. Besides being a very wearable cocktail dress and an extraordinary piece of fashion history, this would make a stunning wedding choice for the bride looking for something not as traditional or as an option for an event over a wedding weekend.

The dress is made from the most exquisite French Alencon lace. Alencon lace is characterized by a delicate mesh work motifs surrounded by a raised rim of fine silk cording. Though it can now be made by machine  the lace used on this dress would be the authentic hand made version and would have been made and brought in specifically for this dress. The silk cord has been meticulously hand applied to the lace to follow and define each delicate motif within the pattern. The lace runs from just under the high set waist to the hem and it is breathtaking to see. At the hem the lace has been hand stitched onto a silk organza edging for a very refined finish. For the bodice he chose a simple silk jersey. It is strapless and cut to hug the body. The silk has been hand draped over the bodice in soft folds. The folds are set on a slight angle and in the center a section has an an opening on either side. Through that winds a wide black silk taffeta sash that follows under the bust and then ties at the back. The use of the contrasting black ribbon adds a stark contrast to the ivory and also visually cinches in the waist area. The skirt billows out to a beautiful fullness beneath the nipped in waist. The shape and fullness that you see is all built in. Under the top layer of lace there are layers of silk netting and tulle. The inner construction of the dress is absolutely exquisite. The bodice has a boned lingerie net corset that is made entirely made by hand and to Haute Couture standards. It has several straps that wrap around you to help hold the dress in place and built in cups. Under the skirt there are a three full layers of silk tulle and netted underskirts. I did not add any additional crinolines for these shots but you could create an even fuller shape by adding another underskirt. It is a beautiful example of the very early work that the House of Balmain was doing and a wonderful example of the golden years of Haute Couture. It is a work of art. Excellent condition with some minor notes to review below.

Fully lined in a ivory silk with extensive boning, inner construction and skirting. It closes with an intricate combination of chest and waist stays that hook to close and there are two zippers. One closes the inner corset and the other closes the exterior dress. The inner layers of the skirt are attached with some having addition half layers at their hems for additional volume. The innermost skirt is interlined with netting and the built in corset is made of lingerie netting, metal boning and padding that has been made by hand. Proper Haute Couture label and tape underneath, though the writing on the couture tape under the label has faded to almost nothing. I see a couple of small areas of darkening to the inner bodice. On the exterior bodice there are very light changes in color at the across the sides near the arms. There is a mark near the top of the zipper and the lace at the bottom of the zipper is a little fuzzy looking. Please see the photos after the label shots.

A small note for brides. The Black sash is just lightly tacked onto place and could easily be removed, set aside to keep, and yo could then switch it out to an ivory (or to any other color) if the black was too stark. You could then have it fall as long as you wish as well.

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3344

Reference Photos: Renée Breton in Pierre Balmain, 1956. Photographed by Georges Saad

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

This dress is one of the piece that were all sourced from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This one is from Spring 1976 and we were able to find a similar dress to it that was photoed for L'Officiel that year. This one has its top buttons hidden set instead of showing and I think that it makes it even more refined feeling this way. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. 

While this one photoed well I think when the person that buys it sees it on person they will be blown away. It is even better in person and the richness and quality of the silk only really can be appreciated when you have it in hand. The dress has been made entirely by hand and the silk is of the highest possible grade. It feels stupendous on. The top is cut ot skim over you and the long sleeves are slightly voluminous above their stunning cuffs. A tie extends out form the neck and as mentioned above the buttons are all hidden set under the seam so the line is not broken down the front. The skirt falls from the waist where the pleats open up so that when you move it lightly moves and floats around you. The dress is a masterclass in pleat work and an example of how finely done a pleat can be. Each pleat is exactly the same size as its neighbor and each lies perfectly as it runs over the dress from shoulder to hem. Every pleat on the dress has been top stitched along its entire edge by hand. The shape of the waist is created by a series of tiny stitched that gently bring the waist in while still holding the vertical line of the pleats. Each cuff is created by doing small pleats at the end of the sleeve and then bringing them in and stitching them down. And the loop for the buttons is on one long strip of silk with opening for the buttons to slide through. Just amazing. It is truly brilliant. Excellent overall condition with minor notes below.

Fully lined through the body in an ivory silk with all interior seams hand finished. It closes with hand made buttons down the front and at each cuff. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. Haute Couture number 54218. I see a small mark near the seam under the arm, a very faint mark near the hem and a faint mark on the upper back. Please see the photos after the label shot. Note that in person the colour is a rich feeling ivory and better then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 25"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3732

Reference Photo: Model in Chanel, L'Officiel Magazine, 1976.

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

True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. This one, like several other of the Haute Couture pieces in the shop at the moment, are from one of my clients whose mother purchased the majority of her Couture pieces between 1973 to the mid and late seventies. This particular suit has the added provenance of having its twin photoed for L'Officiel. It is an incredibly beautiful example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period.

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning deep blue and white silk that is like a heavier in weight version of one of their silk scarves. It is beautiful and it is easy to see why it is such a well documented piece. The jacket is a simple box cut that has more softness to it then versions of the suit that you would see made from their heavier boucle. It buttons down the front and I love the added embellishment of a golden lions head that sits on the top of each button. These same buttons also adorn each of the two low set front pockets that are both fully functional and beautifully done. The sleeves are slightly cropped and each end in a white silk cuff. The collar is notched and it is also finished in a white silk. What is remarkable about the collar is that you can actually remove the white silk portion and the collar underneath is the same blue and white silk as the rest of the jacket. This simple change gives the suit an entirely different feel and makes it that much more versatile. I love the hand painted feeling of the dots that cover the silk and how the white of them pops so beautifully against the blue. Inside, the jacket it is meticulously hand lined in a white silk. Circling around the hem is the famous signature Chanel gold chain that adds a subtle even weight all the way around and helps to keep the lines of the jacket perfectly in place. The skirt is cut with a slight flare is it nears the hem and has a series of flat knife pleats on both sides. The waist line is finished to lie flat against the body and the pleats don't open up until after the hip. Once they do open you you get a soft flare to the bottom of the skirt. This is classic Chanel right down to the chain that is stitched by hand into the hem of the jacket. It is exceptional. Excellent condition with a very small note below.

Both pieces are fully lined in a hand set, fine white silk. The interior hem of the jacket is finished with their signature gold metal chain. The skirt closes with a series of snaps along with a hook & eye at the waist. The jacket buttons down the front. Both piece are hand finished to couture standards. Proper couture labels present. Sourced from the original couture client. There is one white dot on the jacket that has a touch of darkening to it. Please see the photo after the label shots. Minor grubbiness to cuffs and collar from natural wear and aging.

Jacket
Sleeve: 20.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3727

Reference Photo: S/S 1977 Chanel Haute Couture, L'Officiel

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

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work always has a high fantasy element to it and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. Every piece I bring into the shop is very special and this one is no exception. Gibb had a great fondness for history and exploring the far corners of the earth for inspiration. This set has obvious Asian roots with the fabric choice but he has taken the lines of a traditional piece and extended and manipulated them to make a new silhouette. I also love how the fabric combines the cherry blossoms print with English roses within the woven fabric to further emphasize his combining of cultures in this set.

The set consists of a very long, slim cut skirt that has a more over-sized cut jacket that sits over it. The skirt is made from two panels that are almost perfect rectangles that are brought in for the waist. This gives it a very linear line from the hip to the hem. It is seamed down each side with  a very high slit running up each leg. This lets you be able to you to walk in it and it shows a ton of leg when you move or sit. Over this is a simple open front jacket. In comparison to the skirt it is cut with a sense of volume and meant to feel more towards the over-sized side of things. The jacket has no front closures and simply slips on to wear. I love how the top of the collar is set so that it kind of flares open at the very top of the neck. The sleeves are long and cut wide. The braiding that runs down them extends the length of them visually and adds a pretty detailing. More braiding runs along the edges of the set and highlight its lines. The fabric is a beautiful bright red silk satin with little cherry blossoms and roses woven through it in a slightly metallic finished thread. This is a rare and absolutely amazing set that is even better in person and is even better on an actual body then on my dress form. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are fully lined in a red silk. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper. The jacket has no closures and slips on to wear. I see a tiny touch of foxing on the side of the skirt, a tiny pen mark on the front of the jacket and some slight lines running up the satin on one sleeve. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a vintage UK 8

Jacket
Sleeves: 24.5
Shoulders: 15" across
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 13" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 11" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" from neck to hem
Slits: 20" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3436

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

The notes for the 1972 collection in the book 'Dior, The Catwalk' tell us that The New York Times declared Marc Bohan's collection for Dior as 'the best of the season in Paris'  that year. There was also the information that of all the Dior collections, the full records for this particular one did not survive the passages of time so finding a piece that is so well documented is a bit of a miracle. The version of this dress that has a higher neck line and tie bow was photoed by Richard Avedon that year. It was also shot for the September issue of Vogue and one is held in the V&A collection. When I found these photos I also found the caption that went with the Vogie shot and I lovedhow it described the dress: "Pretty. That's really the word for it - the softness of everything at Dior. So feminine at night especially...The flirt of the sleeves on a short dress for evening...black mousseline, covered at the neck and yet...revealing lots of skin beneath and lots of leg below". During this time period Bohan often made a series of couture dresses that had different necklines so that his client could choose their level of modesty that they were comfortable with. I love both versions but I think I prefer this lower V neckline when it comes to actually wearing it. It allows those spectacular sleeves to take full centre stage and that little extra skin gives it a more modern twist. You can also wear a wide variety of jewels with this neckline and I think that gives you more styling opportunities. The dress is exceptional.

This is an exceptional example of his work during this time period. The dress is entirely made from a feather light silk chiffon. This fabric is notoriously difficult to work with and when you add in that it was all entirely made by hand the level of workmanship takes on a whole new meaning. There is a slight texture to the fabric and this helps to lift and add volume while still keeping the weight to the absolute minimum. The sleeves are incredible. Each sleeve is a single layer of that fine silk chiffon and they are cut to be extremely full. As they near the cuffs the shape is further exaggerated and they poufed over their cuffs. Just above the elbow is a panel of the same silk that has been wrapped and attached around the arm. This lays over the lower portion of the sleeve and is set so that it flares out. It is a very unusual treatment to the sleeves and instantly catches the eye. When you move it has a beautiful floating movement to it that you can see in the reference photos. The bodice skims over you and a simple collarless V runs down the front. It plunges almost to the waist and is stopped by a tiny stitch at the base of the V. The skirt is made of layers of silk chiffon that are set on the bias. There are two of the black and then a nude silk under that. The shape this creates mimics the detailing on the sleeve and when you move the skirt also will move. At the back is the final perfect detail. It has been finished with just a single layer of chiffon so that you see the entire bare back though the silk for an unexpected touch of sensuality. This is a rare piece of fashion history. The proper Haute Couture label is present and is dated and numbered. Excellent condition with a small note below

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3031

Reference Photos: (1) Karen Graham in a chiffon dress by Marc Bohan for Dior, Autumn/Winter Collection 1972, photo by Richard Avedon, July 1972.  /  (2) Dior dress in Vogue, September 1972.  /  (3) 1972 Christian Dior Dress part of the V&A 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.

One of the key elements of the spring 1973 collection was the snap closures that Courreges used. They played a two fold role in that they were a functional element that actually acted as closures and they where also a decorative design feature that helped to highlight his signature cuts. In the runway reference photo that I have included here, you can see the same snap detailing. This is a beautiful and rare example of his Haute Couture work from this time period that still feels fresh and wearable even now.

The suit is made from the classic wool that Courreges was using for his pieces during this time period. It has enough weight to hold the sharp angular lines of the suit but without adding bulk or making it feel too heavy to wear for our modern aesthetics. The colour is a beautiful deep blue that has been captured well in these photos. The wool has  a slight texture to it. The stitching and the snaps have all been dyed to match the colour of the suit. This lets you see the seaming and detail but in a way that gives you the full picture all at once. The jacket is beautifully cut. It is meant to skim over the body with just a touch of a boxy feel to it. The sleeves are capped and the shoulders are seamed but have no additional padding. The shape is all created by the cut and perfect tailoring techniques. To wear it you simply slip the jacket on and it snaps into place down the front. The top stitched seaming detail is done to follow the lines of the jacket and become their own design element. The skirt is spectacular. It is cut to be fitted around the waist and then is cut on an angle to the hem. I have photoed it flat for you as well as on the dress form so that you get a better feel for the shape. It has an unusual way to close. There are snaps that run down each side and you can fully unsnap it on both sides. The bottom two snaps at the hem are decorative so that you get a bit of a vent on either side but all the snaps above it open. This lets you open the sides up and leave the resulting slit as high up as you dare. It is an incredible example of his work. The exterior of the suit is in excellent condition and there is a note below regarding the lining

Both pieces are fully lined in a white silk and close with the snaps as described above. There is an area of fabric missing from the interior of the skirt. It is stable and does not effect the wearing of the suit. Tagged a vintage Courreges 00

Jacket
Shoulders: 12" across
Bust: 16.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 18" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across the back from seam to seam
Hips: 17" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 22.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD1091

Reference photo: Andre Courreges Haute Couture Spring 1973

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

This exquisite 1920s dress is made from a mix of an actual metallic gold thread has been woven together with a deep burgundy coloured silk. These early lame's were mainly being made in France and were extremely expensive to make because of the gold thread. You just do not see its equivalent in modern fabric ever which makes these early piece that much more coveted. To give you an idea of value, pieces made from this gold lame were often in and around the $100 mark or more and in the 1920s you could buy a car for $600 dollars. This one dates to the late twenties and you can see the influence of the 1930s in its design. Women were still wearing very little under their garments at this period of time and this dress simply drapes over the body and is extremely sensual in feel. It is so hard to find pieces at this level from this period anymore and this one is extraordinary.

The mix of a the deep burgundy and the gold is very beautiful. When you see the dress in person the gold is the more predominant colour and the entire dress shimmers in the light. There is a floral pattern that is worked through the silk and this runs over the dress from shoulder to hem. The cut is kept simple and reflects the time period perfectly. Wide straps extend out from the halter cut of the bodice and curve over the shoulders and down the low cut back. The front dips into a deep plunge. It crosses over itself slightly where it meets the waist so that it stays in place when you have it on. At the back it dips just as low and ends in a pretty curve at the base of the plunge. From just under the bust to the top of the hips the fabric is gathered and wrapped around to follow the curve of the body. The gathers meet down the centre on both sides in an elaborate panel made of the same fabric. The panel is set into the dress and has been gathered with ruching so that it catches the light differently and creates a bit of a break in the design. Below this the skirt falls to the floor in a series of soft pleats that wrap all the way around the hips. It curves up in a slit at the front so that you get a bit of leg showing when you move. The dress is entirely cut on the bias and drapes beautifully once on the body. The lightness and fluidity of the fabric make it move around you like liquid. It is a remarkable example of the work being done during this time period. The colour is still vivid and the fabric is strong & wearable. The part I love the best - because the gold thread is actual metal when you first put the dress on it is cool to the touch and then it warms to your body temperature as you wear it. Remarkable. Excellent condition with a note below

Unlined and slips on to wear with a row of hand set snaps down the side to close it. Hand finishes throughout. There are a couple of small areas of darkening to the lame and I have photos the darkest spot. This is a natural occurrence to this type of fabric as the metal oxides over time. I do not consider this to be a flaw and any tiny areas only add to the patina of this outstanding dress. There is a small area of thinning of the fabric in the skirt that is just off from the side the front middle seam. It appears stable and I chose to leave it as it gets lost in the folds once the dress is on. There is a small repair to the hem of the skirt. Please review the last three photos provided. The fabric does have some stretch since it is all cut on the bias but the under bust measurement is fixed with no give.

Seam under bust: 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam just above hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips under the lowest seam: open
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to the seam under the bust, approx 23" from shoulder to seam just above the hips
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E655

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

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks with colour, ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a killer example of his work during this period and I also have a similar version on the shop in a red if the black one is not bold enough for you. I have dated this to 1987 after we found a reference photo of a model wearing an Azzaro dress with a very similar shoulder treatments. I love it 

This dress is a statement piece that will turn every head when you walk into a room.  It is so bold and dramatic. The bodice is hand draped into soft rounded gathers. It is constructed to follow the curves of the body from the top of the neckline to below the hips. For the body of the dress he has used a black stretch jersey that has a touch of a sheen finish to it. Inside is his signature black strapless underwire bralet that is sewn into the dress for support. The bodice is shaped into a low sweetheart curve and the gathers run horizontally down the body. Vertical hand done seams were then added all the way around to give the gathers a slight scooped feel. This ensures that they don't add bulk tp you but are simply there to emphasize your curves underneath. The low set skirt is made out of a metallic black textured silk that is set over layers of built in under skirting. The fabric of the lower skirt is placed to give the effect that it is wrapped and fanned around you. On each outer side the panels of the skirt lift up and away from the dress. These suggest flames in their shape and the colour. The same fabric and flame-like effect is then used to create a fan of fabric on one side of the bodice and this flares out dramatically up and over the front portion of the shoulder. It is very dramatic and OTT. In person the fabric has a richer and more textured feeling then how it photoed. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk with a built in bra though the bodice that hooks to close separately. It closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. The interior bodice is boned. Layers of tulle and silk underskirts under the low set skirt. The flame/fan detailing on the bodice has wire inside to hold it up. It would be easy to add additional wire or stiffening inside if you wanted it to really hold even taller then it does now. Hand finished throughout

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the inner waist stay hooks slightly smaller then that
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3680

Reference Photo: Model in Loris Azzaro, L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987.

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 Balmain transformation from what it was originally to what it is today began when they hired Christophe Decarnin. He was the designer that gave it its edgy feel that has continued to the present day under Olivier Rousteing, the label's current Creative Director. When the Fall 2008 collection showed Vogue's Nicole Phelps said in part: 'And as promised, Spring's haute hippie feathers, fringe, and tie-dye were replaced by an all-Billy Idol soundtrack and enough leopard-print chain mail, python-pattern denim, and crystal-embroidered lightning bolts to make you wonder if there was anything at all left on the shelves at Trash and Vaudeville. To be fair, Decarnin's creations are much finer than the East Village emporium's, but they appeal to a similar kind of chick, one with a killer body and an active nightlife.' The twin of this dress closed the show and it is perhaps one of the most memorable and significant pieces that Decarnin designed for the label. It was produced in very limited quantities and instantly sold out world wide despite a very hefty retail price. 

The dress is incredible and the skirts are all still their original lengths. I note that as I have only ever seen one other of these for sale and it had its skirts shortened at some point. The length is integral to the design in many ways. The skirt panels are incredibly long and light in weight so that when you move they float and billow around you as you can see in the runway footage. Above the skirts it is extremely fitted long curving bodice that is constructed to highlight your every curve. On the interior of the bodice there is a full boned corset with built in cups. The corset is cut to run from the bust to the top of the hips so that you are molded and shaped into place. On the outside the silk is hand draped and placed into position to form soft gathers that run around you. A huge zig zag bolt runs down the front. It is densely covered in crystals and it separates the prints on either side of you. The silk on one side is zebra and the silk used for this is a light scarf weight silk. The other side is finished in a black and white leopard print. On that side the silk is more of a silk faille and slightly heavier in weight then the zebra printed silk is. This change in weights of the silk is genius because it means that the way the silk moves in the skirts changes and you get more movement. The crystal covered panel that divides the two printed sides curves over just one shoulder and then runs down the front in the dramatic zig zag that you see. At the back it extends just past the shoulder and curves to the side. To close the dress Decarnin  has used one of the signature chunky Balmain zippers to divide the two prints. The zipper is set on a curve that follows the curve of your body and it becomes an incredible design detail in itself. The dress is fitted to the top of the hips and then the skirts flare out into long trains of fabric. The predominant part of the skirt is made from the leopard print and this is set on a curve at the hem that extends out to the side and to the back. There is a smaller panel at the front that is made out of the zebra print silk that also extends out and back. Where the two fabrics meet at the front side, they are only attached at the to and not together. This means that an opening is created that goes right up to the top of the thigh. When you move your entire legs shows. We have included the runway footage for reference so that you can see just how incredible it is when it is on and you walk. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The inner bodice has a fully built in boned corset made from a nude colored lingerie stretch corseting nylon fabric that has built in cups and is finished by hand. The fabric is hand draped over this and the crystals and lightening bolt have been attached by hand. It closes with a curved set zipper that allows the form fitting construction of the dress. Tagged a 40. There are a couple of small repairs along the hem of the trained skirts. Some tiny pulls in the silk of the bodice. Please see the photos after the label shot. Hand finished throughout. The inner foundation garment does have some stretch. You might be able to squeeze out a bit more room when on a real body.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 33" from top of shoulder to bottom of inner foundation garment
Skirt: 28.5" from bottom of inner foundation garment to shortest hem, 53" to the longest hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3115

Reference Photos: F/W 2008 Balmain Runway, Final Look.

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

Nettie Rosenstein was based out of New York City. She started a small home based dressmaking business in 1913 after getting married to Saul Rosenstein, who manufactured and made women's underwear. By 1919 her pieces were in such high demand that I. Magnin asked her to start selling to them. By 1921 her business had a workforce of 50 and she was on her way. In the early days her work was sold only under the department store labels and it was only word of mouth that the work was actually hers. By 1937 Life Magazine called her one of the most important American Designers. By 1940 she was in 92 shops across America and her dress cost up to $500 (just over $9000 in modern dollars). Her work was widely copied and she was particularly known for her 'little black dresses'. She designed until 1961. 

This is an incredible dress and it is gorgeous. It is made out of a black silk taffeta that holds the shape of the dress wonderfully. The skirt is very full and it is very flattering on the body. The volume that you see in the photos has been created by the way that the skirt is cut and set into the waist with beautiful wide pleats of fabric. There are tulle layers under the skirt but I did not add any extra crinolines. You could add more if you wanted an even fuller look. The bodice is fitted and the waist nips in. At the waist there is a large wide silk taffeta belt that cinches you in even more. Just the way the silk slides through the buckle is a detail in itself. The neckline is very unusual. The black part of it is draped across the neckline to sit off of the shoulder and leave your collarbones bare. This is then lined with a pretty sky blue silk taffeta. Inside the upper part of the dress, that straps that curve over each shoulder are done in that same sky blue silk. They are set so that they sit wide on the shoulders. The two fabric create a little gap between themselves. The closer you are to the person wearing it the more you see the blue.  It is just wonderful. I love when silk taffeta is used for these cocktail dresses from this era. It adds the weight needed to hold the shape and fullness but keeps them light and easy to wear. The dress is very pretty and romantic. Excellent condition with one tiny note below. 

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. There are two layers of tulle inside the skirt. The belt closes with a slip buckle. Hand finished interior seam as per the detail shot I have included here. There are tiny pin marks on one shoulder where the owner must have worn a pin. Please see the photo after the label shot. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little. 

Bust: to 17.5 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 29" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3642

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 gorgeous twenties flapper coat that is not 100% perfect but too dreamy to not give it a second life. It is made out of a beautiful caramel wool that is soft and light. This is accented with light taupe collar this is finished in what looks like a faux broadtail. The coat has a beautiful drape and ease. It falls to just past the knees and has a loose and easy cut so can be thrown on over just about anything. The upper portion of the coat has soft rounded shoulders and these curve gracefully into the sleeves. Each sleeve is quite special with a huge turned up cuff that ends in two angled points. More detail is added to the cuffs with four lovely curving scalloped designs that run up the length of each cuff. These same scalloped edges are used along the seams of the front and at the back. The collar is equally special with a wide soft cut that sits up a bit from the shoulders and at the back it angles down into a point. The button to close it at the front is a large hand carved bakelite button. I love the folds of fabric under the button that fall to look like a ribbon to the hem. At some point someone has removed the entire interior lining and the seams have bits of that and the ribbon that secured it here and there. I see a small repair that is hidden when you close the coat. It is so lovely that I feel that these things that you don't see when it is one are entirely forgivable. Excellent condition other then the items noted. Please read the full description below

The lining has been removed and you can see parts of it here and there at the edges. It closes with the button at the front. I see a repair to the wool on the front under where it crosses over. This is hidden when the coat is closed. There is a residue under on arm at the seam that shows through and a repair on the loop that closes the coat. Please see the last three photos. Sold as found. The loose and open cut will fit a range of sizes. For its age it is still sound and wearable.

Sleeves: 23" from the slightly drop shoulder
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 20" flat across from inner side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from inner side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from inner side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# C566

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

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

This is an exceptional twenties flapper coat that is made of a beautiful and fine deep brown wool and is accented with a thick and curly sheepskin at the collar, cuffs and the hem. I love that is almost is a play on gender as it has a touch of the feel of what men were wearing in this time period but at the same time still feels decidedly female. It falls to just past the knees and has a loose and easy cut so can be thrown on over just about anything. The upper portion of the coat has soft rounded shoulders and these curve gracefully into the sleeves. Each sleeve is spectacular with long and extensive sheepskin cuffs. The cuffs circle the lower portion of the sleeve and then trail up and around the back of the elbow. The collar is equally as special and is exaggerated in size. It extends well out past the shoulders  and curves around the back. It then dips down to the waist with a touch of a men's evening coat feel to it. Another panel of sheepskin was added all around the hem in a very wide panel. I love how the top of the bottom panel is finished with a soft curving scalloped edge. Just above that are topstitched pin tuck seams that follow the scalloping of the sheepskin. These are done in stacked row and are set all the way around the lower part of the coat. More top stitched seams are done under the back collar even though most are hidden. The inside of the coat has been lined with a matching silk satin with a striped texture to it much like men's suiting. It closes low and to one side with a huge carved bakelite button. I love the wide and easy swing cut through the body. Excellent condition with notes below

Fully lined in a matching brown silk. It closes with the button at the front and silk ribbons inside that snap around a loop. One tiny hidden pocket along the inner seam of the opening. The loose and open cut should fit a range of sizes. There is some wear and loss of silk under the interior of each arm and around the collar. For its age I still rate this as excellent. 

Sleeves: 23" from the slightly drop shoulder
Shoulders: 15"
Bust-hips: 19" flat across from inner side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-Med

Item# C567

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.

Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element to it and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. Every piece I bring into the shop is very special and I love this one especially as it truly shows the range of his work. This set is a little extra special because its twin resides in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. They dated it with a general reference to the 1960s but I feel that it has more the feel of the 1977 collection after finding the reference photo of a piece with similar details on it. Bill Gibb's work is extremely rare to find and knowing that this one is important enough to have been acquired by a museum is just an added bonus for a collector .

My photos cannot convey how beautiful this dress is on person. The dress is amazing all on its own even without the jacket that goes over it. It has an empire cut with a halter style bodice. It is suspended from the shoulders by two tiny straps. The fabric that the dress is made out of is a fine ivory netting with a lace pattern worked through it made up of a gold metallic thread. This runs over the entire dress from the top of the shoulders to the hem. The gold that makes up the pattern is denser as it nears the hem and really catches the light and makes the entire dress take on a golden tone and shimmer in the light. The skirting of the dress has been meticulously pleated into tiny little micro pleats. The combination of those tiny pleats and the gold is incredibly beautiful and delicate in feel. It has a lining of the palest pink silk that gives the netting just a touch of a pink feel to it in certain lights. It is incredibly beautiful. You can then slip on the jacket which is cut to fall over the full length of the dress. It has long sleeves and is made out of a pale pink silk chiffon that has been embroidered by hand. The jacket is made up of four panels of fabric that are split along the seams between each panel from the hem right up to the waist line of the dress. Having these sit open along the seams like this allows the fabric of the dress to show underneath when you move. The chiffon that he used to make the jacket is a soft dusty pink silk. The embroidery work at the top of the jacket is done in a combination of soft corals, mint and ivory. The tiniest little seed pearls detail parts of the embroidery. All of the edges of the outer jacket are finished with gold lace. It is just stunning. This is a rare and absolutely amazing piece that is even better in person. It would even be a beautiful choice for a bride who is looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding gown. Excellent condition with one tiny note below.

The dress is fully lined in a pale pink silk and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. The overlay is unlined and slips on to wear with hook and eye at the very top. Note that it was a bit tiny on my dress form and will fall even better on the proper sized girl. Museum quality and appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. There is one small storage spot on the front panel of the chiffon jacket near the lower edge that is shown on the photo after the label shot. The colors in person are softer and more of a true gold and very soft dusty pink.

Dress
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist at seam: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of straps to empire waist seam
Skirt: 44" from waist seam to hem

Overlay
Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 52" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3079

Reference Photos: (1) Tree Allen in Bill Gibb by Barry Lategan, 1977.  /  (2) Bill Gibb Set from the V&A 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 think our modern world forgets just how important Oleg Cassini was as a designer in his heyday. From his first film in 1941 he was responsible for many of the best looks on film, dressing stars like Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney (who he married), Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and the list goes on and on. In 1952, he opened his own fashion house on Seventh Avenue. By 1961 he was appointed by Jacqueline Kennedy as her exclusive couturier. Some of his early works especially, were more on par with couture, using the same techniques and high fashion fabrics as the French couture houses. This is a later example of his work and yet it still shows the care and meticulous detailing that he put into his work.

The dress is amazing in person. It is made of a black silk chiffon that has been extensively covered with gunmetal silver glass tube beads. The dress is extremely heavy because of the bead work. It weights about 4 pounds and it is gorgeous. The bodice of the dress is suspended by beaded straps and then scoops down with shaping at the front and a lower set line at the back. It has a wide band of beadwork following the top seam and then is shaped by a series of vertically set rows of beads that go all the way around the bodice and end in little jagged ends. It is fitted to the bodice and then nips it in at the waist. The skirt skims over the hips into a pencil shape and then onto that are curved vertical panels that start just under the waist and go to just above the hem. These give the illusion that the skirt is tiered but that ruffled effect is actually created by the panels dropping and layering over each other. I did a photo of it laid out flat so you can get an idea of how much volume is actually in the skirt. When you move the movement this creates is fantastic. Each is finished along the curved edge with a series of stacked rows of beadwork. More vertical bead circle the hips and these are done to pick up that same jagged finish design as on the bodice. The hem is then finished with a wide band of yet more beading. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black muslin through the bodice and black silk through the skirt. It closes with a back zipper. Hand work throughout. Light boning in the bodice. It looks to have never been worn. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but no bare areas that I could see. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3629

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 such a pretty Pucci print. It combines little flowers with a pretty twirling and curving ribbon that ties boughs of stylized leafs together. It is even prettier in its combination of pinks that have been used. Pucci chose to do the majority of his dresses in these silk jerseys because of the ease they have to wear and because the colour takes to the fabric wonderfully. Even after all of these years it is still bright and crisp. The cut of this dress is very feminine. The collar is gently scooped and cut into a low angled square across the neck. It skims over the bust and drops to a low seam just above the hips. From there the skirt falls to the floor, gently widening out just a touch as it nears the hem. A slit runs up one side of the skirt so you get a bit of leg showing as you walk. Each sleeve is cut to be full and to balloon out over its cuff. The curves and swirls of the main print are contrasted by the secondary print that borders the collar, cuffs and runs around the hem of the skirt as part of the design. At the back that same contrasting print is set in a wide panel that runs up the back of the skirt. It is simple in cut but striking because of the print and that wonderful colour combination. I love it. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes at the back with a hidden set, painted metal zipper. Each cuff closes with hidden set fabric covered snaps and they can be moved if you needed more room. Tagged a vintage Pucci 8. The fabric does have stretch. Hand finished throughout. I see a couple very faint spots that I have photoed- these are minor and get lost in the print. Please see the photos after the label shot. The scarf has hand rolled edges and is in excellent condition 

Sleeves: 28" but will come up when on
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of shoulder hem
Slit: 21" up from the hem

Scarf: 34" x 34"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3625

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

Yves play on the tuxedo and 'Le Smoking' suit is one of his 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'. This is a stunning example from the Rive Gauche collection of 1992. It was captured on Beverly Peele backstage at the show and you can see in that photo how stunning this is on.

This one has a full length skirt in a rich silk that beautifully balances the cut of the jacket. Yves did variations of this suit every season for both his Couture and Rive Gauche presentations and mixed the play on a men's tuxedo jacket with skirts and pants of varying lengths and cuts. They were shaped and tweaked by Yves to be immensely flattering on the female body. I love this more formal full length skirt version and the fact that you can mix and match the pieces. That combined with the sequins on the jacket make the suit feel so bold and yet still elegant and refined in feel. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that follows the curves of the body. It has his signature matte satin tuxedo collar. 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 one over-sized faceted and glossy jet button below that amazing collar. Two flap pockets are top set on the hips and the shoulders are sharp and perfectly padded. The entire jacket except for the collar was then covered in a dense application of glossy black sequins. This catches the light and is fabulous in person. The skirt is cut in a long column of the same silk used for the collar of the jacket. It falls to the floor in a long and lean line and there are pockets hidden on each hip. His suits change the way we approach woman's wear and any example of the Le Smoking version is 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. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in a black silk. The jacket has a single button at the front to close. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist with pockets on each hip. Two pockets on the jacket that still have most of their original tacking to keep them closed. Padding in each shoulder It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The jacket is tagged a 36 and the skirt has no size tag present.

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Padded shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem at the front, 22 at the back

Skirt
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3624

Reference Photo: Beverly Peele wearing Yves Saint Laurent. Photo by Roxanne Lowit, 1992. (As seen in the book "Roxanne Lowit Photographs Yves Saint Laurent".

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 Fall runway for 2006. In Vogue's review of the collection journalist Nicole Phelps said in part; 'While other designers flit from one influence to another, Oscar de la Renta has made a four-decade-long career of staying true to his brand of ladylike elegance'. On the runway the dress was styled with long gloves and a wide expanse of black silk tulle wrapped around the neck. Once those styling elements are stripped away you really see how beautiful the lines of the dress are. 2006 was an important year in Oscar's history. This is the same year that Parsons awarded him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at their 58th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show.

This Oscar de la Renta dress is absolutely gorgeous. It is red carpet worthy and would even make an amazing wedding piece for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It is in fabulous condition. The dress is covered with a dense application of muted gold sequins and silver paillettes in various shapes and sizes. These are densely set onto the entire dress and even overlap each other for the majority of the application of them. I love how the are so tightly spaced to cover the top of the dress and then as they run past the hips and down the skirt they start to be spaced further apart so that you get more of a sense of the black netting underneath. It gives it this amazing fairy tale quality and makes you think of stars and the night sky. Running around the the neckline is a dense band of large gold toned beadwork and crystals. A smaller band of the same bead and crystal work runs around the opening for each arm. The dress is made up of four layers. Under the top appliquéd layer are three other layers of black silk tulle netting. All of the sequins and beads have been applied to the very top outer layer. The use of various sizes and shapes for the sequins that cover the dress cause the light to catch the dress in a slightly different ways as you move and it creates the most amazing effect and they also highlight the shape of the dress. The dress is sleeveless and cut to be fitted tot he body to below the hip. At this point the lower skirt flares out dramatically. It is cut longer at the back for a beautiful sweeping line and suggestion of a train. It is very well made and absolutely stunning in person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The black netting serves as the inner lining through the bodice and fitted parts. Below that the skirt is constructed from four layers of silk tulle as described above. It closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper and there is an inner grosgrain waist stay that hooks to close. There are couple areas where the netting shows through a little more then others. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a size 2. It does close completely at the back on the proper sized person.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from shoulder to front hem, 72" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD3613

Reference Photos: Fall 2006 Oscar De La Renta Runway Collection, Look 62. Model: Emina Cunmulaj.

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 dress that was sent to me by my couture client and this one was one that she had custom made for her for to attend an event in 1998. It is made out of a fine silk satin that has a slight sheen to it that goes perfectly with its icy blue tone. The colour is wonderful and in real life has a touch more depth and vibrancy to it. The photos are very close but it is even better in person. The dress is strapless and made to hug the bodice. It is completely boned and shaped inside and then the interior work is finished with a panel of the same fabric so that it is very comfortable to wear. The waist nips in and then the skirts very full and is cut so that the back is longer then the front for a grand, slightly trained, ball gown effect. The way that it is made is extraordinary. The silk has been set in seamed horizontal rows. Two for the bodice and four for the skirt. Within each of the rows the silk has been meticulously folded into wide set angled pleated lines that create a fascinating effect that runs over the entire dress. The skirt has several layers of attached underskirts that give the dress the shape that you see. I did not add any additional crinolines under the dress. The volume is all built in and it is fantastic. There is a spray of bead work done in silver thread and rhinestones at the waist for the perfect pretty finish. This would make an amazing bridal piece for someone not wanting to wear traditional white or as an alternate dress for an extended wedding weekend event. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined through the nodule and has full boning all the way around. It closes with a back zipper and the inner waist star hooks to close. There are multiple layers of skirting built in. Two silk layers finished with a stiffened label around the hem and then a multi-layer of tule between those. Some grubbiness to the inner hem only that you can see in the last photo here. It does close properly at the back - it was just a touch small on my dress form 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a B cup
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3590

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

At the age of 31, Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier, making him the youngest of the 20 official couturiers at the time. That was in 1997 and he remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture business altogether. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation and it is the actual runway sample that was worn on the runway. It was Look 7 In the presentation that day. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. 

Any Haute Couture piece to come into the shop is a reason to celebrate but to have the actual runway sample is even that much more amazing. The dress is a work of art and is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards with the added touch of all those last minute adjustments done to perfectly fit the model to walk the runway that day. This is an amazing opportunity to see what few see; a dress straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway. The entire dress is made from multiple panels of a red silk gazaar that are hand set to overlap themselves as they cascade down the length of the dress. The panels gradually become larger is they run downwards over the dress to the train at the back. They cover the entire dress from the strapless bodice to the very end of the train. By layering the panels the dress has a sense of depth and texture then even the photos can truly convey. Each panel is secured to the base fabric just along its edges so that there is a movement and lightness created when it is on and you move about. The inner part of the dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a long flash of leg at the front. The rest of the dress flows back and around you from there. At the back the train is very long and dramatic. The bodice is strapless and here the panels are set so that they form a peak upwards on one side. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress onto the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture and would have been priced well into six figures when it was originally made. Excellent condition with one small note to review below.

Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. There is some deepening of the colour/ marks on some of the squares of silk that make up the train and some minor grubbiness from being worn for the runway and then stored. Nothing that detracts once the dress is on. It is close to a true zero and will zip properly in the back on the right sized person. 

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner dress length: 26" from top of bodice to hem NOT including panels that go over the edge of the dress a bit above and blow the actual inner structure
Length including train to the very longest point:  Approx 92" from top of bodice to final tip of the train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3054

Reference Photos: Fal 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.

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

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.