• Several versions of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1980 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• This dress and the various prints it was made in were integral to that season's collection. Once these went to the shops many were produced with the front skirt made a little longer. Variations were photoed for editorials and pieces were included in the labels ad campaign that year.
• The dress is made out of a feather light red silk organza that has a beautiful white curving print that runs over the entire dress from top to bottom. The red is a beautiful clear deep colour that flatters more skin tones.
• The neck line is set wide across so you can wear it off of the shoulder for a bare expanse of skin to show. A wide 8" ruffle follows the entire neckline and gives the prettiest flounce all the way around you.
• Under that the bodice skims down to a low dropped waist that is cut more generously through the middle. The dress comes with its matching silk tie belt that you can cinch in the waist as much as needed. The belt is tacked lightly in place and knotted at the moment but it could easily be untacked and used as a proper belt to tie all the way around you. 
• The skirt is set into a slightly angled seam around the waist that comes up slightly at one side. Tiny gathered pleats are set in all along the seam and that is what gives the skirt its incredible volume.
• The skirt falls shorter at the front and longer at the back. If you were to lay this out and open the skirt it is more than a full circle around. That volume combined with the lightness of the fabric gives you incredible movement when you move.
• This is an absolutely stunning example of his work during this time period and one of my favourite pieces I have ever had in by him.
• It is exceptionally rare to find this dress in this runway print.
• The bodice of the dress is lined in a silk chiffon. At some point someone added a second layer of silk chiffon that skims over the inner body to just past the inner hip to make it more opaque. I have left it as is because it does make the dress easier to wear but it could be removed very easily. It closes with a side set zipper and the tie belt is original to the dress.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below.
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 45" from top of shoulder to front hem, 58" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5223

Reference Photos: Spring 1980 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.

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• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1990 collection.
• It was Made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
  
• The fabric that the dresses made out of is a stunning pale nude ballet slipper pink that has a beautiful weight to it. This and the cut is what helps hold the draping perfectly in place.
• It has a very unusual design hidden from the outside. There is an inner bodice that one side of the outer dress hooks onto around the inner waist and then the other side drapes over that and hooks along the outer waist. This gives you coverage over the bust on the inside but still allows the bodice to feel so loosely draped around you and allows the plunge to be so low at the front while still feeling secure and covered underneath.
• The sleeves are incredible. They are extremely full and each is lined with a pale pink silk chiffon to help hold the added volume of them. I love the way they drop over the cuff at the wrist to form that gorgeous puff at their ends.
• The inner waist closure holds the dress in place around you and then the exterior silk drapes and skims past the waist and hips. The skirt flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The silk drapes over the waist for a bit of definition in shape, even though there is no actual seam there.
  
• The inner bodice zips at the front and then the dress hooks to close around it. The rest of the dress is unlined. I see one tiny faint mark along the edge of a fold of the top, some very minor faint marks at the hem and a tiny scratch in the fabric at the back hem. All very minor but mentioned for accuracy. Hand finishes. The colour is slightly more pastel soft pink than how it shot.
• The fit of the dress as it is currently is based almost completely on the measurements of the inner bodice piece but the outer dress is more generous. You could easily alter/add to the inner bodice to get more room if needed.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 38 
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24.5"
Inner bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam. The outer bust measurement is very full and up to 22" across so if you needed more room you could easily add to the inner bodice to get more room.
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam with a similar note to above. The outer waist measures to 17".
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML 

Item# DD5203

Reference Photos: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.

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• A version of this dress walk the runway for the Fall 1979 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is incredible.
• I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body and I think the longer version is even better. It's more balanced and proportional with the upper body.
• The dress is made from a crisp black silk and this fabric choice allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see.
• The neckline dips into a shallow V and the dress is vertically seamed to follow the curves of the body.
• The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends.
• At the back the dress scoops low to give you a bare expanse of skin across the upper back. The back has a low set seam under the open scoop and this allows the top of the back skirt to lift slightly off and away from the body. A tiny detail that feels very sensual on the body.
• That same seam curves over the hips and angles up towards the waist at the front. The skirt falls under that. on a curve that widens out as it reaches the hem. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer to give it the feel of it sweeping out behind you.
• Underneath the skirt is a built-in ruffled black silk net underskirt and when you move or sit you see just a peek of the ruffle around the inner hem. Layers of silk net have been added under the sea, where the skirt starts to help to hold the fullness there as well.
• The dress is detailed with hand applied sequins to form little varying sized circles that run over the entire bodice, the waist and the top part of the skirt. Two types of sequins have been used - tiny silver sequins one and others that are an iridescent pale blue. The blue ones catch the light and range in colour from silver to an ice blue. Mixed into that are some circles that are made from little glass crystal beads. 
• The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a built in underskirt in a black silk net and taffeta. Built in interior panniers around the hip area that I have photoed. It closes with a hand set back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. There is the occasional sequin or crystal missing on the dots here and there and I have photoed one area for you to see as an example. Please see the last detail photo for that. Unlabeled. Completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards.
• There is no size tag present, so please go by the listed measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 23.5" and are 16" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5188

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

• This amazing dress is from the Spring 1987 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
  
• The dress is made from a black French corded lace and this choice in fabric gives the dress its structure and shape. This is mixed with silk satin details across the top of the bottom, around the hip and finishing the hem.
• The bodice is strapless and is cut to curve across the front. Inside there is a full separate couture corset that is boned and shaped to hold the dress perfectly in place around you.
• It curves in to skim over the waist and curves back out for the hips. Sitting just under the hips there is an attached black silk ribbon that wraps around you and ties in a bow at the front.
• The skirt falls underneath that ribbon detailing to the floor. It widens out quite a bit around you for a lovely movement when you move. The skirt is cut longer at the back so you have extra fabric there and a bit of a sweeping feel behind you. I love how there is a matching dip at the back of the bodice so that there is an illusion of added length created.
• As with all couture pieces they only truly come to life once on the body. This dress looks so simple and easy but it is really a bit of an understated masterpiece in person.
• It is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. The inner corset closes with its own zipper inside that. The corset is lightly boned through the bodice and shaped. An inner waist stay hooks to close.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements list listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 50" from top of bodice to front hem, 54" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5158

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• This is a very rare and unusual piece of YSL because it has the added information on the tags of that it is a piece of Couture.
• At this time Hedi Slimane was the creative director and he had re-opened the Couture division at the YSL label. The couture line was not for the general public but was reserved for a select group of friends and clients, making it even more exclusive than traditional couture.
• A couture collection was presented for Fall 2016 in Paris but it was not officially a part of the Couture schedule.
• All of that sums up to make this dress one of the pieces that he most likely made as a custom-made piece for a client. Because YSL had not officially joined the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne it would officially be considered to be demi-couture.
• This is an extremely rare piece from his time at the label made even more special because it has all its original tags in place.
• The dress is made from a fine black wool that has a touch of a texture to it.
• It is sharply tailored and touches on the famous YSL tuxedo variations that Yves' did season to season. The shoulders are shaped with structure and the sleeves are long. Each ends with five hand covered buttons to close the end of the sleeves.
• It skims over the bust, waist and hips and then falls to the floor widening out as it nears the hem.
• The skirt has a very high slit at one side so that you get a flash of leg when you walk.
• At the front there is a panel that has a mesh net inset that has little handset black beads in a mix of a jet black beads and a deep grey glass prong set rhinestones. When this is on you see that bit of skin showing through and the detailing lets it glint in the light.
• Between that mesh covered front cut out and that extremely high slit at the side, it has a very sexy feel once on despite its covered and sculpted feel, making it perfectly representative of Hedi's best work.
  
• It very well could be the only one in existence.
• The dress is fully lined in a handset black silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Each sleeve buttons to close. Ribbon edged seams and hand finishing throughout. Some of the long seam Work appears to have been done by hand, which is allowed in modern Couture.
• There is no size tag so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition and appears to have never been worn.

Sleeves: 24" and are 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from the top of the shoulder to the waist
Total length: 65" from top of shoulder to hem with just under 1.5" turned under the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5142

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

• When my client sold this to me I told me it was from 1978. We have not yet sourced a runway photo of it because these early collections were not always documented but if we do at some point we will forward that on to its new owner.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pierre Cardin.
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier. 
  
• The dress is made out of a very high-quality black silk chiffon that is feather light in weight. It gives the dress phenomenal movement around you once on the body.
• This is a fantastic and surprisingly avant garde Haute Couture dress by Pierre Cardin that shows the breadth and depth of his talent. From a historical perspective it is also an interesting insight on the volume and play on proportion being done during this time period.
• The design is simple and has a minimalist feel but is still striking and dramatic. It is really a piece that will only truly come to life once on so is a bit of what I like to call a 'trust me' dress because you have to trust a bit on how phenomenal it will be.
• The neckline is squared off right to the outer edges of the shoulder on both the back in the front. The back dips down a little bit lower for more skin to show. I think that you might be able to also wear this fully off the shoulders if you wished.
• Inside there is a little strapless soft cupped bra made out of lingerie nude netting. 
• The silk falls from the shoulders and skims over the inner bra, flows generously past the waist and hips and then it widens out a touch more as it nears the floor.
• Under the top layer of black silk chiffon there is a layer of a dark brown silk chiffon. This keeps the dress from being too transparent and at the same time it creates the illusion that the dress has more transparency than it actually does as the two colours play against each other. 
  
• The sleeves are phenomenal. They are cut on a curve and are gathered into a piped wrist finished with a little bow, made of the same piping. Once on they pouf and balloon out fantastically above your wrists. They are one of the most exaggerated balloon sleeves that I have ever actually seen on a dress but in the best possible way. On my dress form they appear to hang very long and low but once on and held in place by your wrists they sit properly and billow out around the arm. They are quite brilliant.
• It is an incredible dress and like many of his pieces it truly will only come to life once there is a body in it.
• It is remarkable piece of true couture and a true piece of fashion history.
• The dress is fully lined with a layer of dark brown silk chiffon. It slips on to wear and the inner bra hooks to close. You could adjust the fit a bit by replacing that inner bra with one fitted to you and I have included the measurements of the outer dress for you as well as the inner bra.
• The dress has no size tag since it is couture so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 24" to the actual wrist and then the sleeve extends another 10" past that when hanging loose. They are 17" around the upper arm.
Inner bra: tagged 34-35B and is 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer dress is to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5225

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

• This is a beautiful example of the 1970s Givenchy.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy
• In 1952 Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season, he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodman stores and was eventually available at other retailers as well. The line was high end and extremely well made. He launched this line to expand his customer base and it made to appeal specifically to his non-couture clients. This label continued until 1992.
• The dress is made from a feather light dotted silk organza that is set in layered tiers that run from the top of the dress to the hem. 
• The bodice is suspended from the shoulder with straps made of the same silk. Each strap curves over the shoulder and then the first ruffle of silk starts from around the top edge of the top.
• The neckline is cut fairly straight across on both the front and back. The ruffles continue down the entire length of the dress and each one gets wider than the one above it. There are eight ruffles in total and it is just spectacular.
• The movement that the ruffles create as you move is fantastic.
• The dress underneath is made from the same dotted fabric and it also follows that widening line of the dress all the way to the hem.
• The skirt falls to the floor in a dramatic sweep that widens out as it near the floor.
• This cut is incredibly easy to wear and flattering. I love how the silk ruffles move around you beautifully with the slightest movement.
• There is a little silk flower attached at the base of one strap that gives the dress a little extra pop of colour for the perfect finishing touch. 
• The dress is fully lined in a red silk and closes with a back set zipper. Each tier has tiny snaps to close each of the ruffles over the zipper to hide it so that it appears that there is no opening. I see one tiny hole near the hem of one ruffle near the bottom. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. Hand finishes throughout.
• Tagged a vintage Givenchy 8.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner seam under the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5224

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

• This is dated to 1971 by the reference photo that we have here.
• It was made under the creative direction of Pierre Cardin
• I had the twin of this many years ago and that one sold to a museum. It is a brilliantly important and beautiful dress and an amazing example of his work during this time period that perfectly illustrates how much of a range he had.
• The entire dress is made out of a printed silk organza. The colours are mixed together like a painting and are done in the prettiest jewel tones. 
• The neckline is scooped and edged with a handset piping in the same fabric. The bodice skims over you to the waist where it curves in slightly for shape and then curves back out over the top of the hips.
• The technical construction of the bodice and upper portion of the sleeve is an absolute master class. The silk has been flat pleated in vertical rows set side-by-side. They are each perfectly spaced apart and then manipulated to form the shape and structure of the dress. Given the fabric that the dress is made out of and the difficulty in working with this fabric the skill required to have this fall over the body so perfectly is not to be underestimated.
• The shoulders are soft and the flat seam work runs down the arm to just about the elbow. Each little pleat opens out and the silk is allowed to expand outwards to create the huge bell sleeve that you see. The immense volume of the fabric that the lower portion of the sleeve has is all from the opening up of those hand sewn flat pleats which gives you an idea of how much fabric was actually used to create this dress.
• The skirt is constructed in the same manner as the bell sleeves but on a larger scale. Its volume is all achieved by the opening out of the vertical pleats that extending down the length of the bodice. I have taken a close-ups of how they open out for you to see. The skirt falls to the floor from there and mimics the shape of the sleeve as it curves outwards to the hem.
• In the reference photo you can see that a solid colour sash was tied around the waist and if you wanted to add more shape you could easily re-create that feel.
• The silk organza for the fabric choice keeps the dress feather light and it is an amazing thing to see in person. It is well deserving of its museum status.
• The dress is fully lined in pale green silk and the bell of the sleeves is a double layer of the organza. It closes with a back zipper. Hand work throughout.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the listed measurements below
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 22" and are just under 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 55" from top of shoulder to hem with 4" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5215

Reference Photo: Jeanne Moreau and Pierre Cardin, June 1971.

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• This great little print Leonard dress dates to the 1970s.
• The Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.
• This is a very easy-to-wear and travel with kind of dress. It is made out of one of their signature silk jersey fabrics. This silk jersey fabric choice is what gives these dresses their perfect drape and ease.
• Each of their dresses were made of a custom designed print. On this one a washed over-sized floral print runs over the entire dress. The colours are a beautiful rainbow mix of pastels. The flower print is large and very pretty. Contrasting stripes with the same floral print inside the striping edges the neckline cuffs and hem.
• The entire neckline is finished with elastic so you can wear the dress completely off the shoulder. If you wanted to you could also wear it up on top of the shoulder.
• The bodice is cut extremely loose and easy over the body and drapes over an elastic waist. This makes the dress very easy to fit and it will work on a variety of sizes.
• Each sleeve has that same ease to them that the dress has and are very full. They end just above the elbow and have elastic around their ends so again it is an easy fit. Once on they puff up a bit and are very pretty.
• Under that the skirt skims over the hips and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. With all of the silk jersey that is gathered in and around the waist there is quite a bit of fabric in the skirt so it has great movement when you move.
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The waist, around the neckline and cuffs are finished with elastic. It is an easy dress to wear and fit and will just drape more on a smaller frame. The printed part of the fabric is signed throughout. 
• There is no size tag present and I have put the comfortable range of measurements when laying flat below. Between the stretch of the fabric and the elastic that should fit a range of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller size.
• Excellent condition.

Sleeves: approx 13.5" and are open and full around the upper arm
Bust: approx 16-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 16" from top of natural shoulder to waist
Total length: approx 58.5" from top of natural shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5214

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

• This dress dates to either the 1971/1972 spring season.
• It was made under the creative direction of Jules-Francois Crahay
• Jules-Francois headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugely desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house.
• He mainly used this particular type of fabric for his 1971-1972 collections and in the book on his work 'Jules Francois Crahay" by Lanvin there is a detail photo of a couture fabric noted as been most likely from the fall 1971 Couture collection and you can see it has the same weave as the fabric used for this dress.
• The dress has a gorgeous bright colour and print combination. The cotton pique it is made of is light in weight and holds colour exceptionally well so the colours are still crisp and true. A texture runs through the fabric that adds visual interest and structure to the fabric.
• The front halter is created by two triangles that curve up and behind the neck. Each side is set into the top of a wide 5.5" band that defines the waist. This leaves the back completely bare and exposed.
• From there the skirt falls to the floor and it widens as it nears the hem.
• I love how the pattern is laid out onto the dress to emphasize the different parts of it. The halter has a smaller floral pattern and then the waist has horizontal stripes. You see the same smaller floral pattern around the hips and the stripes repeat. Below that is a larger version of the flowers with a double stripe anchoring the dress around the hem to tie everything together.
• The colour is a coral-red with pops of yellow, green and soft orange in the print.
• The perfect finish is the top set pockets that sit on each hip.
• The dress is fully lined through the band of the waist and the skirt is lined in an orange silk. The halter top is unlined. It closes with a low set back zipper. 
• Excellent condition

Bust: each halter covers approx 7" flat across from side to side
Seam at the top of the band: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist seam at the bottom of the band: 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 10" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5211

Reference Photo: From the book "Jules Francois Crahay" by Lannoo.

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