The colours for the Fall 2016 Valentino show were muted dusty pinks, greys, neutrals and blacks. The theme of the Valentino show was all about the ballet and modern dance. Maria told Vogue that “We always think fashion is cultural, not just about delivering clothes. We want this show to be about living your moments, feeling each moment uniquely. I really love fashion. This job we do is a good opportunity to describe the time we’re in.” The twin of the dress walk the runway for Look 26 and it is an incredibly easy to wear and flattering piece once on the body.

This is a thoroughly Valentino feeling dress. The dress is made from a single layer of a feather light weight silk chiffon in the prettiest possible pale dusty pink. Think scarf weight. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the dress catches the air and billows out around you. The front is cut high to frame the neck and then falls from there, extending out from the neckline to the floor. The dress is incredibly full by the time it reaches the hem with the skirt widening out quite a bit. The dress has an amazing amount of fabric in it and it floats and moves beautifully around you. You can see the amount of fabric just by the way it falls in the photos and in the video we have added. The silk has a beautiful geometric pattern that covers the entire dress. A seam run down the centre and you can see the care that has been taken to match up the pattern on the seams there and elsewhere on the dress. The sleeves are long and the pattern continues to be matched up there. The precision in cut to have this all match and still move so beautifully should not be underestimated. It is an utterly beautiful dress and will take your breath away in person. Excellent overall condition with a note below.

Fully lined in a matching pale, dusty pink silk chiffon and closes with a hidden set back zipper. In it's original uncut length. There are some very faint watermarks near the collar, the waist of the dress and some small areas on the hem. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a Valentino 8. The easy and generous cut should fit a range of sizes as long as the shoulders work.

Neck: 16" around
Sleeves: 22.5" and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 59" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4684

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Fall 2016 Valentino, Look 26. Model Allyson Chalmers.  /  (6) Fall 2016 Valentino Ad Campaign by Steven Meisel.

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The Shrimpton Couture Archives

• Spring 1993 runway
• Under the creative direction of YSL
• Wide set neck line
• Easy fit bodice and generous waist
• Comes with its original matching tie belt to cinch in the waist
• A slightly raised reptile print worked through the fabric
• Gathered up into the hip on one side and the waist on the opposite side
• Slit up one side
• Unlined
• Tagged a vintage YSL 44
• Perhaps the slightest bit of darkening to the edges of the fabric here in there but I am being very picky

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 25.5

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Reference Photo: Spring 1993 Yves Saint Laurent.

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This dress has come to me direct from one of my avid Couture and Chanel collectors. It is an exceptional piece for the collector and is extremely special. Two versions of the dress were shown on the runway and then this dress was produced for the shops in this length that falls between them in length. This one has the extra added provenance that a version was also shot on Kate Moss that season.

The dress is a work of art and the silk chiffon used to make it is some of the finest, lightest chiffon I have seen. The fabric is notoriously difficult to work with and with all the intricate detailing putting this together with the lace would have taken a ton of man hours especially at this level of workmanship. It is just spectacular. The silk has a slight texture to it which adds to the interest of the dress. It is covered in various renditions of the Chanel logo and most have an almost graffiti like feel to them. I love the pops of pink and blue that this adds. The tiny cap sleeves have a layer of lace over them and sit on the top of your shoulder. The neckline scoops down at the front and the silk is gathered up into a knot at the base of the scoop. A wide panel of lace wraps around the waist and at the back the lace extends from the sleeves all the way down to the back seam where the zipper starts. There is a open slit from the top of the neck to where the zipper begins. The skirt falls from under that band of lace at the waist and falls in a swoop of feather light silk chiffon to a raw hem. Another wide band of lace circles around the skirt just above the hem. This beautifully ties the whole dress together. The movement this dress has once on is incredible. Excellent condition  with a minor note below.

The dress is lined with the same fabric through the bodice and a black silk chiffon for the skirt. It closes at the back with hidden set zipper and a hook and eye at the top of the neck. There is the tiniest bit if grubbiness near the edge of the arms. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a modern Chanel 40

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 45.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4680

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-4) Cruise 2007 Chanel, Look 26 & 30.  /  (5-6) Kate Moss by Bruce Weber for Vogue, November 2006.

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This dress was the final look on the runway and it is absolutely stunning. The pieces from this collection feel to me like they have an extra bit of sentiment to them. As Vogue noted in their review. "Pre-Fall 2015 was the last collection he (Oscar de la Renta) had a hand in designing. The house's new creative director, Peter Copping, advised the studio a bit on how to finish it after de la Renta's death in October but this wasn't his debut. Copping sat in the front row taking it all in as a bystander." They continue the review saying, "How does one review a collection like this—one that operates not as a swan song, not as an homage, but as a coda to a great career, now definitively over? On its merits, of course. And though these clothes didn't serve to turn the fashion dial in any way, they manifested the soigné de la Renta signature in spades....It spoke loudest in the collection's clutch of cocktail frocks and gowns, particularly the champagne-toned finale gowns with allover gold or silver embellishment." This is one of those dresses and it is very beautiful.

This is truly a beautiful piece and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. The dress is made from a fine ivory net that is covered in beautiful curving appliques that form flowers and pretty patterns. Each applique has a pale muted silver gold lame fabric sewn inside the design. The lame has a tiny bit of a vertical ribbing in it and this adds a beautiful texture. I love how the appliques catch the light in a subtle way from every angle and how the neckline follows the curves of the appliques across the front. It also makes the dress feel more gold in person then how it photographed here. it sits wide across the front, and the straps are sent to the edge of the shoulder. The bodice curves up and over your shoulders and then at the back it falls in a V for a bit of bare skin to show. There is a lining inside the bodice that has a sweetheart neckline and then the netting has a touch of transparency above that. It skims over you from there, past the waist to the seam that sits at the top of the hip. From there the skirt explodes outwards in two tiers. Underneath each tier is a layer of tulle and then another layer of netting under that. This second layer has a stiffened edge to help hold the shape of the skirts. Inside the skirt there is a built in underskirt that has rows of that same stiffened fabric so it holds the volume that you see in the photos. I have added no extra crinolines underneath for this one. All of the volume that you see is all built into the dress. The dress is shorter at the front and then the back is cut long so that it trails out behind you past the floor. The lightness of the tulle and netting allows the dress to billow out around you when you walk. This is dress that feels like a fairy tale come true once it is on the body. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in layers of tulle and netting as described above. The bodice has an inner layer of silk and netting. The dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a modern OLDR US2

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room at the front for at least a B cup
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top of the shoulder to the seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 49" from top of the shoulder to the front hem, 80" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4673

Reference Photos: Pre-Fall 2015 Oscar de la Renta, Look 36.

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This is a stunning dress from the Alexander McQueen label and it is also a very early example of the work that Sarah Burton was doing for the house once she took over the label after Lee's passing. I have a friend who worked for the McQueen bridal division and had her look at it. She also shared it with some other colleagues at McQueen and we all agree that it is from the Spring/Resort 2012 season. If you look at those two collections you can see that this type of gold lace was prevalent in her designs during that time period. That date also fits in what little I know of the dress. It is stunningly beautiful and the photos do not do it full justice. It is beyond gorgeous and would be a stunning choice for a bride.

This is a stunning dress. The impact that the gold lace has is gorgeous and it is like something out of a fairy tale. It has a beautiful and simple design that really allows that gold lace to take central stage. Wide straps sit to the outsides of the top of your shoulders and there is a shallow V at the front. Another V is at the back that sits a little bit deeper then the front one. The straps are wide and I love how the lace has been placed along the edge of the neckline so you get that pretty lace finish against the skin. It skims down over the bust, curves in at the waist and then curves back out to the seam at the top of the hips. At the back it dips down on the slight angle and the dress has a row of buttons and loops over a hidden set zipper. The lace netting is applied over top of the bodice and the lace is laid out to highlight the curves of the dress. The flowers within the design of the lace trail across the pale gold netting behind them for the prettiest effect. From there the skirt falls to the floor and the skirt is stunning. It expands outward from that seam at the top of the hips and it gets very full by the time it reaches the hem. The lace trails down over it and the pattern becomes more dense all around the hem. Built-in underneath the skirt are five layers of tulle, then an inner net layer that has a wire ruffled finish and finally an innermost silk layer under that. I have not added any additional underskirts. All the volume that you see is from the built in underskirts that the gown has. I think that you could even add an additional underskirt if you wanted even more volume. The way this moves around you is magical. The layers are all feather light and it is just stunning to see in person. The back has a sweeping train that extends out past the hem to create a bit of a train and there is extra fullness at the back. It is really a wonderful dress and so romantic feeling. Excellent condition

Fully lined an ivory silk with seaming and soft boning inside the bodice to create shape. It closes with a back zipper and then the exterior layer of lace buttons to close over that. The skirt is lined as described above. I do not see any heavy evidence of alterations but I feel like the zipper may have been replaced at some time so I think there might have been some small alterations done to originally fit the dress. Hand finishes. 

Bust: to 16.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18.5" from top of the shoulder to the seam at the top of the hips
Total length: 56" from the top of the bodice to the front hem, 72" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4678

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This is a phenomenal Hanae Mori coat. An example using a brocade in the same feel is held in the Met Museum's permanent collection and I believe this is from that same collection. Mori was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on both the Paris and New York runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional. I have only ever seen a couple of her brocade pieces for sale outside of seeing one in a museum. When I find pieces like this one that is so stunningly beautiful I am very happy.

The fabric on this coat is amazing. A gold thread woven through an ivory and black black background creates that stunning design that you see. The pattern on the coat is divided into hexagon medallions that are done with either the ivory or black backing. Then each design within that is a striking flower or cluster of flowers. The flowers are done in pale pinks, white, turquoise and a bright coral red. The final effect of all that colour with the gold thread mixed in is absolutely beautiful to see. The cut is classic and the fabric has a bit of weight to it. It is not so heavy that it is unwieldy but it has enough of a weight that once on the body the shape that you see is held perfectly. Each sleeve is cut to just below the elbow and they are cut straight and wide. You can flip the end of the sleeves over and when you do that you see that band of black silk satin. We followed it with the sleeves flipped, but you could also wear them straight and then the pattern just continues to the end of the sleeve. I love that.the black band perfectly pick up the black silk satin covered buttons down the front to perfectly tie all the elements together. The collar is simple and frames the neck. The shoulders are soft, and have a slight sloping cut. From there the coat flares out to a slight A-line and we took a photo of it laying flat so you can see the shape. It is just spectacular and the simplicity of the cut only further highlights the drama of that rich bold fabric. It is very couture in feel and one of the best vintage coats I have ever seen. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pale yellow silk and closes at the front with black silk covered buttons. I see some foxing and marks to the inner lining. Tag a vintage Hanae Mori 8. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The colours and metallic feel of it are even better in person.

Sleeves: approx 17" with the cuffs flipped up and 19 if they are not flipped. 14" around the upper arm.
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4675

Reference Photo: Fall 1974/75 Hanae Mori Brocade Coat in The MET Collection.

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This suit is from the debut collection of Bill Gibb for the Fall 1972. In the book, Bill Gibb: Fashion and Fantasy, they note that the theme of the collection was the natural world and you can see that in this suit. As the book describes what was presented in the runway, they specifically mentioned that "there were also a lizard trim cream wool suit" which is of course this set. The book quotes fashion journalist, Suzy Menkes saying that "this is Bill Gibbs great day... for the first time showing a collection all his own. It marks the beginning of his career as a designer of the jet set." Twiggy said to Gibbs backstage "they were incredible, I loved every one, I want them all... is it possible to have one to wear tonight?". At this moment in Bill Gibbs history he was the star of fashion set. The suit is spectacular and I love that a version in black is held in the permanent collection of the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum. The twin of this suit was also photoed for British Vogue that season and this gives you a chance to see how fantastic it is once on. This is an incredibly important suit in terms of British Fashion history.

The suit is fantastic. The jacket has an incredible cut to it. It is cropped to the top of the hip and this adds a pretty shape. The collar is rounded and wide. Onto the collar Gibb added an amazing hand cut lizard detailing on either side which perfectly fits into his nature theme of the show. He also added snakeskin strips over the seams and this detailing of the seams like this went on to become a signature for him. It is also a clever way to highlight the cut of the jacket. I love the way the front of the jacket curves down at the front. Snakeskin straps buckles across the front and then the back has another set of buckles. We also see that same detailing over the seams there as well. The sleeves are phenomenal. They begin just above the waist and at the shoulder they are gathered in and capped. This gathering lets them sit up and off of the shoulder. They are extremely wide through the upper arm and then they narrow down to those fantastic cuffs. The cuffs have that same beautiful rounding curve to them and they are split up the middle to meet two metal buttons at the top of the snakeskin detailing. The skirt is equally as fabulous. It has a small band around the waist and then skims over the hips to flare out to be quite full by the time it reaches the hem. This skirt is made by eight panels that have been sewn together. Each panel is rounded at the bottoms and this creates that beautiful scalloped effect that you see. We took one photo with the skirt laid out flat so you could see the remarkable shape that it has. The skirt is also detailed with snakeskin that runs over the top portion of each seam where the panels are joined. A third hand cut out lizard sits across the front of the skirt to tie it all together. Hand work throughout and it is just a phenomenal piece of fashion history. It also fits in perfectly with the couture cowboy core movement we are seeing. I love that you can wear the pieces together or mix and match with things you already have. Excellent condition with a tiny note below.

Both pieces are fully lined in a white silky rayon. The jacket buckles to close at the front and the skirt zips to close under a hook and eye on the waistband. Hand finishing throughout. I see two tiny pin sized marks on one shoulder and some of the snake skin shows very minor peeling here and there that is natural to aging.

Jacket
Sleeves: 25" and 20" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: approx 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to the longest point of the front hem, 18" to the back

Skirt
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4668

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Bill Gibb, Vogue UK, 1972.  /  (2) 1972 Bill Gibb Suit in the Collection of the Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums.

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Vogue said of this collection that "On the evidence of this showing, she (Phoebe Philo) remains committed to building an iconic wardrobe, and there's little doubt that in the short time she's been at the French luxury goods house, she's designed some iconic pieces." This entire collection was hailed by the press and the twin of this suit was shown for a Look 23. It was a standout piece of the colletion. Pheobe herself chose to to wear a black version of it to the 2011 CFDA Fashion Awards. I love it

On the runway this suit was shown belted. Once it hit the shops the belts were sold separately but you can easily add any belt of your choice to get that same look. Phoebe is known for her attention to detail and this suit is the perfect showcase for that. It is made from a crisp white fabric that is light in weight and it was backed so that it is not fully transparent. The jacket is gorgeous. Sleeves are cut long and simple and the shoulders are soft with the smallest amount of padding inside to hold the shape. The front lapel is done in a muted ivory silk satin. It comes down the front in a tuxedo reminiscent shape. I love that the outer edge of the pants also pick up on that tux feel with a line of the same silk satin running down their length. The jacket has an easy and open shape that expands out a touch as it nears the hem. There are no closures and the front is cut so that it overlaps one side over the other. There are small open slits on the side seams of the jacket and this is where you can slip a belt through to add some shape at the front if you wanted or belt it all the way around yourself for even more shape. Four slit pockets are edged in the same silk satin as the collar to continue that nod to a tux. The pants also play on a classic men's tuxedo. They have a flat front with a banded waist that is done in that same satin finish as the label. They are cut to sit slightly low on the hip. There is a sharp fold running down the front and back of the pants. The pants narrow down as they reach the hem and they will sit slightly cropped depending on your height. I love that you can wear these together or break the set up and mix and match with pieces in your existing wardrobe. The jacket has a slightly oversized fit and I love that contrast to the peg leg pants. Original tags attached still in the pants. Excellent condition.

The jacket is lined in a white silk and the pants are unlined. The jacket has no closures but do have slits on the side seam to add a belt. The pants zip to close and then have a hidden button and hook and eye at the band of the waist. You can see a bit of the inner structure where it shows through on the front of the jacket, the inner seams throughout and around the pockets on both pieces. This is intentional but I am pointing it out for your reference. I see the faintest of a mark on the back of one shoulder. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a Celine 38. It has its original tag still attached inside the pants and a packet with an extra button.

Jacket
Sleeves: 25" and 12.5" around the upper arm
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open to
Length: 27.5 from neck to front hem, 22.5" to back hem

Pant
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" waist to hem
Inseam: 27" from inner seam to hem
Rise: 16" from back waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4667

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2011 Celine Runway, Look 23.  /  (2) Phoebe Philo, in Celine, at the 2011 CFDA Fashion Awards.

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This is such an interesting dress because it is a re-issue of the original and iconic 1965 dress that is so well documented and associated with the Valentino label. The original debuted in the Spring 1965 Haute Couture collection and it is remarkable how forward feeling that design was for its time. It has grazed the cover of the Valentino book, was worn by Linda Evangelista in an editorial that looked back at the label in 1992. It was originally seen on the likes of Verushka and Virna Lisi. Recently Gwyneth Paltrow wore the again and it is a beloved museum piece. On the Spring 2000 Haute Couture catwalk it was shown in a pink on Esther Canadas and then Elizabeth Hurley wore one to the American Fashion Awards. This dress is a re-issue of the original that released to shops that year under the main label. From what I understand they were done in limited quantities and only available at select locations. It is an incredible piece that is instantly recognizable and very special.

This is fashion history. The dress is beautiful. It is strapless with built in moulded and padded cups at the front that top an interior boned corseted panel. The fabric is draped over that inner construction and the cups curve up and over each breast.I love how each side sits up and there is eternal wiring and boning to keep the shape. They are slit down the front in the middle for a little slice of skin to show and then a panel loops over between the cups and falls down the front all the way to the hem. There is a tiny burst of flat peaks plats under one cup, and then that panel wraps underneath the other panel. It skins over the waist and hips falling to the floor in a beautiful column of the red silk crepe. A high open slit is hidden under the overlapping of the skirt where it sweeps up under that front panel and when you walk or sit you get a fantastic length of bare leg. You can see this in the video that we've included here. This is fantastic dress and a very special piece. Excellent condition

The bust has built in moulded, padded cups and then there is a boned half corset under that inside. The inner corset zips with its own zipper and then the dress zippers to close over that with a hidden set zipper. The skirt is unlined. I see a touch stress to the fabric on the inner part of the hem. This does not show when on but mentioned for accuracy.

Bust: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Seam under the bust: 12-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5.5" from top of bodice to seam under the bust at the middle
Total length: 49" from top of bodice to front hem, 51" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4666

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 1965 Valentino Couture.  /  (3) Virna Lisi Virna in Valentino's signature red evening ensemble of chiffon gown with long satin coat covered in ostrich feathers, photo by Angelo Frontoni, 1965.  /  (4) Virna Lisi in the Valentino Atelier, 1965.  /  (5)  Veruschka in Valentino Couture 1965. Photo by Henry Clarke.  /   (6-7) Linda Evangelista in 1965 Valentino, W Magazine, September 1992.  /  (8) Valentino Book Cover.  /  (9) Katarina Scola in Fall 1965 Valentino Couture. Photo by James Moore for Valentino's Red Book, 2000. From the book "A Grand Italian Epic: Valentino Garavani" by Taschen.  /  (10) 1965 Valentino Haute Couture Dress from the Valentino Garavani Online Museum.  /  (11-13) Spring 2000 Valentino Haute Couture. Model Esther Canadas. /  (14-15) Elizabeth Hurley in Valentino at the American Fashion Awards, 2000.  /  (16) Erin O'Connor on The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, April 2003.  /  (17) Gwyneth Paltrow in Vintage Valentino at the British Fashion Awards, December 2023.

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The book Givenchy Catwalk says of this collection that "Hubert de Givenchy presented a collection made up of soft lines with dresses that suddenly highlighted the shape of the body before the pleated skirts flared out towards the bottom." It is interesting to note that some of the looser more flowing designs from this collection were a part of the November 28 1973 presentation at the Royal Opera at the Palace of Versailles as part of the fashion show that later became to know become known as the "Battle of Versailles". The book notes that "Givenchy took part in the evening event to raise money for the château restoration, presenting his dresses alongside designers by four other Persian Couture houses competing against five American design designers". I have found nothing that suggests that this dress was a part of that show but it definitely has the feel of what went. This dress was shot that year both for Vogue Paris and British Vogue and I love having those reference shots for you to see just how amazing this dress is on the body.

This is an amazing true Haute Couture Givenchy dress that is a very rare and special find. It is entirely cut on the bias and then the silk has been pleated into perfectly matched knife pleats. The cut is tremendously flattering to the body and it feels a little bit sexy with the way the top sits on the bodice. The fabric is a beautiful and very light red crepe silk chiffon that moves and drapes fantastically. The bodice is done with its own panel that wraps around to the back. It is set wide and open at the front and then the pleats wrap on a slight curve to follow the shape of the halter to the back where it is set with a wedge of open space between the two sides. Silk straps come out from the peak of the front and then curve over your shoulders to connect to the back. The skirt flares out from there and it has a ton of movement when you move. It is spectacular. The silk is very fine and light and it is cut on the bias and then pleated in long vertical lines. There are yards of it in the skirt and that and the lightness of the skirt picks up the air when you move so that it moves fantastically around you as you walk. This is a very beautiful example of Givenchy from this time period. It is easy to see why his work is the subject of so many books and retrospective shows at museums worldwide. It also comes with a matching curved shawl in the same fabric. Excellent overall condition with notes below.

The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set red silk. It zips to close at the back and then an inner wider waist stay hooks to close at the inner waist. Light. boning through the inner built-in corset. Hand finished throughout to couture standards. I see some wear and patching on the straps. A small repair at the top of one peak and and some repairs/ small shattering to the inner lining near the arms. A small thinned spot near the zipper and a mark here and there and also near the hem.  Presents wonderfully but these are mentioned for accuracy. Proper couture tag and numbered tape present.

Bust: 15.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 12" from top of straps to seam under the bust
Total length: 61" from top of straps to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4664

Reference Photos: (1) Photos by Guy Bourdin for Vogue Paris Special Collections Issue, 1973.  /  (2) Susan Moncur in Givenchy by David Bailey for British Vogue 1973.

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 is an incredible piece of Halston history. Its twin walked the runway for the Resort 1979 show and the original sketch appears in one of the Halston books and it has the added provenance of the dress that was lent to and worn by Emmanuelle Chriqui in 2002. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. It is incredibly chic and sexy and one of two important Halston pieces I have for you today. This is an incredible example of his work from this time period. 

This is an amazing couture Halston dress that is a very rare and special find. It is entirely cut on the bias and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and these jersey dresses that he did were tremendously flattering to the body. It is also insanely sexy with the cut out at the front that leaves your stomach bare. The fabric is a beautiful and very light black silk jersey that moves and drapes fantastically. The neckline is scooped with a piped edge that extends up and behind the neck where it hooks into place. On either side of the scoop at the front the fabric extends into panels that create a halter shape. The panels curve down on an angle and secure into the sides of the waist. This leaves the middle part of the stomach bare and open. The panels are then gathered into the piping at the top and wrap around the back in a low curve. The entire back is completely bare and exposed and it is so sexy. The skirt flares out from there and it has a ton of movement when you move. It is spectacular. The jersey is very fine and light and it is cut on the bias and there are yards of it in the skirt. I love that he cut the sides of the skirt slightly longer then the front so you get a bit of a sweeping feel around you. This also helps the skirt to pick up the air when you move so that it billows around you as you walk. Inside the skirt there is an inner layer of silk chiffon and that helps to soften out any bumps underneath the top layer and helps to make it very flattering to wear. This is a very rare example of Halston at the top of his game. It is easy to see why his work is the subject of so many books and retrospective shows at museums worldwide. Excellent condition with a tiny note below.

The bodice is made from two layers of the silk jersey and the skirt has an inner silk chiffon lining. The dress hooks to close with two set so of hooks and then it snaps and hooks below the back of the waist. Hand finished. I see some tiny, snags and pin holes along the hem here and there. The fabric has some stretch but the waist has no give.

Bust: The front halter should accommodate a variety of cup sizes. It is approximately 14 to 17" flat across the front
Waist: 12"
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist
Total length: approx 50" from shoulder to longest points of the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item#  DD4661

Reference Photos: (1-3) Resort 1979 Halston Runway.  /  (4) Vogue US December 1978.  /  (5) Sketches from Halston.  /  (6) Emmanuelle Chriqui in this dress at the 2022 Environmental Media Association Awards Gala, October 2022.

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 is a stunning and rare piece of Halston history. Its twin walked the runway for the Spring 1973 show and you can see how spectacular this is on the body. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. It is incredibly chic and sexy and one of two important Halston pieces I have for you today. This is an incredible example of his work from this time period. 

This is an amazing couture Halston dress that is a very rare and special find. It is entirely cut on the bias and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and these jersey dresses that he did were tremendously flattering to the body. It is also insanely sexy with the side cut outs that wrap all the way around the back leaving your back completely bare except for that one strap that goes across and hooks to close. It also eaves almost your entire stomach and your sides completely bare. The fabric is a beautiful black silk jersey that is heavy enough to be opaque and the dress is backed in a second attached layer of the same silk jersey. The use of this fabric allows the dress to move and drape fantastically. The neckline is high and scooped around the neck and it hooks to close at the back. Then this extends down into the front panel that has straps that come out from the sides to hook at the back. From there it creates a upward curve that meets the downward curve of the top of the skirt in the middle centre of your front bodice. I love the way that the panels curve and create these cut outs on either side of your middle. At the back the top of the skirt curves down and it can sit quite low depending on the shape of your body. It also leaves the top of your hip exposed at the sides and it is so sexy. The skirt flares out to the floor from there in a sleek column of silk jersey that flares outward as it nears the hem. It is spectacular. The jersey is cut on the bias and there are yards of it in the skirt. The second layer of silk jersey is attached all the way around the hem and having the second layer helps to soften out any bumps underneath the top layer and helps to make it very flattering to wear. This is a very rare example of Halston at the top of his game. It really showcases how he use the absolute minimal amount of seaming to create these absolutely stunning pieces. It is easy to see why his work is the subject of so many books and retrospective shows at museums worldwide. Excellent condition with a tiny note below.

The entire dress is made from two layers of the silk jersey. The dress hooks to close behind the neck and then again at the strap that wraps around the back. Hand finished. At some point the ham appears to have been let down but it's well finished along the edge so I've left it as isThere is darkening along the original edge and I see a small area on the front that looks a tiny bit darker than the rest of the dress, but it wouldn't photo well and I'm being pretty picky. If you find that the neck seems to sit high you could add a little extension to the back where it hooks to close if you needed a little more length and have it sit a little lower.

Neck:  14-15" around from hook to hook
Bust: The front halter should accommodate a variety of cup sizes. From end to end of where it hooks to close around the back it is 32 to 36 inches total in length
Opening of the skirt: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 67" from neck to hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4663

Reference Photo: Spring 1973 Halston Runway.

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 phenomenal dress from the resort 1982 Halston collection. This is from his main line and is done to Couture level. All of those fringes have been individually placed by hand and the movement that they create is spectacular. We found a photos of the dress on the runway for you to view she can see how it looks like on the body. And I also wanted to share some photos of two similar pieces from that same collection… A cardigan that was worn for the runway presentation and a custom piece that was done for Marisa Berenson that she wore to the Met Gala in 1981. The twin of the dress is also a part of the permanent collection of the met museum

I also included a video of the dress on the dress that is moving so you can see how fantastic the movement is on this dress. It has weight to it as all of those fringes are glass! Its amazing. I don't think any of the fringes are missing and it appears that the dress was worn very little, if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back set zipper. All of the bead work is done by hand, and the dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage Halston 10

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 45" from top of the shoulder to front hem, 57" to the back

Reference Photos: (1-3) Resort 1982 Halston Runway.  /  (4) Marisa Berenson at the MET, December 8 1981. From the book "Halston: An American Original".  /  (5) Halston dress in The MET Collection.

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 fantastic cape is from the Fall 1976 collection and it is the second one from this collection I have had in the shop this week. Several versions of it were produced that season including this and the longer and slightly more elaborate deep purple one I listed earlier this week. We have included photos from the runway pieces here and we also found an ad campaign shot with its twin and have included that for you to see. I personally have several versions of his capes myself and have worn them countless times. It is literally the perfect thing to pop over a dress at night time. It is a very versatile and so easy to wear piece.

The cape is in a very beautiful pale taupe combined with a black flat braided edging. The fabric is a high end wool that has a little bit of weight just due to the sheer amount of it in the cape but is still comfortable and easy-to-wear. This is one of those effortless pieces that is easy to make a part of your wardrobe. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. A slightly oversized hood extends out from the neck and this added addition of the hood adds the perfect amount of detail and drama. A flat blue braided rope finished all the edges and I love the elaborate braided knots that closes it in place at the neck. A long fringed tassel sits on either side of that closure for added drama. I love the bit of movement these create when you move. There is a ton of fabric in the body of the cape so that when you move you get wonderful movement as it floats and billows around you. The cut is impeccable and it is a great piece of YSL's fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulder to wear with a knot closure at the neck as seen. The occasional graze to the surface. The easy open cut should allow fit just about any size

Length: 50" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4658

Reference Photos: Fall 1976 Yves Saint Laurent.

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.

A version of this 1973 coat in a different pattern is featured in one of the Biba books and you can see the same shape through the shoulder and sleeve. I have had this for many years now and it is a very hard piece to let go of. It really showcases her love for all things Art Deco and the cut of this coat is phenomenal. 1973 marked the year that the Big Biba store opened in a seven-story building on Kensington High Street. Every floor had its own theme with floors and millions of people visited.

This coat is absolutely wonderful. It has those fabulous Art Deco lines that Barbara Hulanicki excelled at and that so many of the best of her pieces reference. It is made out of a woven wool that creates a giant houndstooth pattern. The neutral colour combination of the taupe and black is so easy to mix and match with everything. The coat has some weight to it but feels balanced once on the body. I love that you can see the actual weave of the wool. This adds extra texture and dimension to the pattern. The coat falls beautifully once on. It has a single large flat metal hook at the front and then swings open under that. There is no collar, and it simply falls into a V to that hook and then carries on to the hem. It is more fitted through the shoulders and then falls outwards with all of the volume created by the way the fabric has been cut and pieced together. The shoulders and sleeves are spectacular. Each shoulder is set with a high capped and rounded cut. This was something that Hulanicki became known for and pieces with this cut are among the most coveted. The sleeves are equally as fabulous. They are cut wide and full and then the ends flip over to create that huge 7" cuff. Hidden set pockets along one of the more inner vertical seams is the perfect finish. It is just exceptional and I think it is one of the best Biba coats I've ever personally seen. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in black silk. It has one hook to close at the front. Light padding in each shoulder. Pockets on each hip. I see some light water marks / marks over the inner lining. The open should fit a variety of sizes as long as the upper shoulders fit.

Sleeves: 21" and 14" around the upper arm
Shoulder: 17.5" flat across the exterior of the entire upper shoulder
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 43" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4659

Reference Photo: Photo feature of the first Autumn collection at Big Biba in 1973 from the book “Welcome To Big Biba” by Steven Thomas and Alwyn W Turner. 

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 beautiful cape is from the Fall 1988 collection and several versions of it were shown on the runway that season. It was an integral piece to the direction of the show and we have included several photos from the runway. I personally have several versions of his capes myself and have worn them countless times. It is literally the perfect thing to pop over a dress at night time. It is a very versatile and easy-to-wear piece that is the perfect neutral that will work with everything.

The cape is in a very beautiful soft taupe and it is made from a high end wool that has a little bit of weight just due to the sheer amount of it in the cape but is still still comfortable and easy side to wear. The cape itself is effortless to make a part of your wardrobe. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. The long and simple lines of it are perfect for a very minimalist feel while the sheer length and amount of fabric in it add all the drama of a cape. A stitched border highlights, the lines and seams of the coat and I love that the stitches are the perfect match to the colour so it really keeps within that minimalist feel. It has no collar and closes with one perfect colour matched button at the nape of the neck. There is a ton of fabric in the body of the cape so that when you move you get wonderful movement as it floats and billows around you. The cut is impeccable and it is a great piece of YSL's fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and has a button at the neck with no other closures. Tagged a 38 but there are no true defined shoulder seams and that combined with the open fit endure that will fit pretty much anyone. It even has an extra button sewn into the inner hem

Length: 57" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4660

Reference Photos/Videos: Fall 1988 Yves Saint Laurent 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.

This is the actual dress that is in the book on Thea Porter's work and appears on page 111. The book notes that this dress has "Two prints based on Persian paintings, designed by Sheila Hudson, combined on the dress. One on the bodice with polo players, while on the sleeves and skirt is a single horseman with Persian style calligraphy at the hem of the skirt." We've also included photos of a jumpsuit with the same print that appeared at the July 1971 press view and several other versions of the dress from editorials from that time period. A Version of the dress was also part of the Thea Porter exhibit. This print was very well documented and Thea made a small series of pieces from this fabric. Each piece was made specifically so that it was cut to follow the print perfectly. This is the only one I've ever seen made in this length and in this style. Given her extremely limited run on certain pieces, it may in fact be the only one that exists. It is truly a very special piece.

The cut of this dress is exceptional. It has a small neat collar and the collar hooks at the front. It is then slit to the waist with one single hook just under the halfway point to hold it in place. This leaves a large slice of skin showing when it is on the body. The bodice is unlined and has a single layer of the printed silk cotton gauze which gives it a touch of transparency. Horsemen romp over the bodice with dogs following in pursuit through flowers and trees. The sleeves are phenomenal. Each is gathered into the top of the shoulder and then are a huge balloon sleeves under that. More horseman sit at the top of each sleeve and then you have the calligraphy mentioned above wrapping around the gathered cuffs. The waist is elastic and this make the dress extremely easy-to-wear and comfortable on the body. Under that, the skirt has an incredible amount of fabric and here again we see horsemen wrapping all the way around the dress and then the bottom displays more calligraphy, flowers all in those beautiful colours of blue. There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt so it moves beautifully once on the body. This is an exceptional and extremely rare example of her work. Excellent condition with a small note below

Unlined and slips onto wear. There are hook and eye at the top of the neck and then another just under the halfway point of the slit down the front. The waist is elastic. I see some darkening to the inside of the collar and slight darkening on the exterior collar near where it hooks to close at the neck. Please see the photo after the label shot.

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders are really inset so no true seams
Bust: 15-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 10-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem with 1.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD4657

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Thea Porter, Flair Magazine, 1971.  /  (2) Marina Schiano in Thea Porter's Persian miniature inspired print dress. Photo by Bill King for Harper's Bazaar, March 1972.  /  (3)  Model in Thea Porter, Vogue UK, 1971.  /  (4) Thea Porter Press Viewing, July 1971.  /  (5) 1971 Thea Porter Cotton dress, Textile by Sheila Hudson, Collection of Susanne Deeken. Shown on display at the Thea Porter 70s Bohemian Chic Exhibit at the Fashion and Textile Museum.  /  (6-8) This dress shown in the book "Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic" by Laura McLaws Helms and Venetia Porter.

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 pretty Chanel dress is very well documented. Not only was it's twin presented on the Spring 2011 Chanel runway for Look 48 that season, but it was featured in the ad campaign that year and Anna Wintour has worn hers several times. Lydia Hearst wore a shortened version of it and Sarah Chapman wore one. In Vogue's review of the show, Tim Blanks said in part; "Karl Lagerfeld gets a lot of his inspiration from dreams, but he didn't need any  help from them today, because he already had Last Year at Marienbad, that hallucinatory slice of avant-garde celluloid from the early sixties, on his mind. Some would say that, despite its storied reputation, it's the most boring movie ever made, but for Lagerfeld—and Chanel—it inspired a breathtakingly surreal setting: a monochrome ornamental garden, complete with fountains, which mirrored one of the film's most famous scenes."  It is so pretty and a very easy-to-wear dress

This dress is one of the prettiest I have seen from Chanel. The quality of the silk can only be appreciated when you have it in hand. The top is sleeveless and this makes it easy to wear on its own or under a  jacket or sweater. It is cut to skim over the body and has a beautiful romantic and feminine feel. The bodice is vertically pleated in these perfect little pleats that have top stitching which is a subtle extra little detail . I also love how the pleating makes the floral print feel more interesting to see. The waist is defined with band of matching silk but its cut is a touch more on the generous side. This gives it that easy feel to it that many Chanel pieces have. Pleats circle around the hips and then they open up from there so that when you move the skirt moves and floats around you. Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that the famous double C logo is worked all through the print of the dress making it impossible to not know that you are wearing Chanel. It has never been worn and still has its original tag and Chanel packet. Excellent condition

The dress is lined through the bodice in a black silk chiffon and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper and a Chanel logo button at the back of the neck. It is tagged a Chanel 38 and has its original tag and Chanel packet. Current Chanel day dresses start at $5500 and range up to $8500USD + for similar pieces.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to top of band at the waist
Total length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4497

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2011 Chanel, Look 48, Model Lisanne De Jong.  /  (3) Spring 2011 Chanel Ad Campaign. Photographed by Karl Lagerfeld.  /  (4-5) Anna Wintour in Chanel at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.  /  (6) Anna Wintour, June 2011.  /  (7) Anna Wintour attending the Fall 2011 Chanel Fashion Show.  /  (8) Lydia Hearst attends CHANEL and Liz Goldwyn Celebrate "Chanel: Her Life" By Justine Picardie, September 2011.  /  (9) Sarah Chapman in Chanel, 2015.

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.

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

It is extraordinary to think that Jean Paul Gaultier has only produced a Haute Couture line for two short decades given his long career. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body and the reference photos and video show you just how amazing it is on. The pants are a work of art. They are heavy and densely beaded with glass tube beads in tightly spaced rows to cover every inch of the pants. Worked in and among the sequins are brilliantly coloured hand embroidered flowers. These trail over the pants and wrap around the legs. The work to place each of these beads individually and do the embroidery would have taken hundreds of hours to complete. They are cut with a flat front and straight leg that gets a touch wider by the hem. When you the light catches the beads and the colours of the embroidered flowers is fantastic. The top is made out of a fine black silk jersey. It closes with a complex mix of a hidden zipper front and two separate areas of silk covered snaps and hooks. It wraps around the body and drapes down one side. The collar is high and you can see the nod to China within its shape. Each sleeve is incredibly long and they are meant to be pushed up to create a row of rounded gathers forming around the entire lower part of the arm. I love the long trailing panel of the silk jersey set on one hip. It falls over that pant on that side to the floor. It is meant to have a nod to the trade de luces cape, which is part of the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters wear. It is a brilliant piece of Haute Couture and is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

The upper portion of the top is lined in silk and it zips to close at the inside front. A jersey panel wraps over this and closes with a series of silk covered snaps and hook & eye along the side near the neck. More hook & eye sits along the waist and hip area on that same side. The pants are fully lined in a silk and close with a hand set zipper. Made by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tags on both pieces.

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3581

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

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.

I have two of these in the shop today and this one is the smaller one that is a FR38/US6 in size. The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the runway as Look 47 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California and Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles were there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' The twin of it with the front tacked closed a bit was also worn by Kate Mara in 2017 which shows you how it looks when you do close the plunge a bit. It is also interesting because a very similar dress was shown for the Resort 2008 collection and you can see that progression from the Dior archives to this piece. 

This is a dress that is insanely sexy and bare feeling. I love its bright joyful yellow colour and minimal lines. The dress is a made out of a feather light silk chiffon that tops inner layers of silk tulle and silk. This fabric combination makes it very light and easy to wear and it feels like a dream once on the body. The lightness of it lets it move and float around you beautifully as you walk and move. The front plunges low to the seam at the slightly empire set to the waist. It crosses over itself a touch at the front and the seam under the bust is detailed with a tiny little ruffle in the same silk. The shoulders twist as they curve over your shoulders and then it falls into another deep V at the back. The panels there sit a wider apart where it meets the waist so you get a more open back feel. The sides are equally as dramatic as the plunge in long Vs to the waist. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There is a tremendous amount of fabric in the skirt and this lets the skirt billow out around you as you move. The top layer of the skirt is a silk chiffon that has a touch of texture to it. There are two layers of silk tulle under that and a final inner layer of silk that acts as the lining. The effect all of these layers have once it is on and moving around you is fantastic. It is fabulous on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Lined as described above and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Tagged a FR38, UK10, IT42, US6.

Bust: no true side seams but each triangle will cover 7-8" across
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer layers are full and open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4655

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Runway, Look 47. Model Cara Taylor.  /  (3-4) Kate Mara in Dior at the 2017 Guggenheim International Gala.

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.

I have two of these in the shop today and this one is the larger one and it is a FR42/US10 in size. The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the runway as Look 47 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California and Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles were there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' The twin of it with the front tacked closed a bit was also worn by Kate Mara in 2017 which shows you how it looks when you do close the plunge a bit. It is also interesting because a very similar dress was shown for the Resort 2008 collection and you can see that progression from the Dior archives to this piece. 

This is a dress that is insanely sexy and bare feeling. I love its bright joyful yellow colour and minimal lines. The dress is a made out of a feather light silk chiffon that tops inner layers of silk tulle and silk. This fabric combination makes it very light and easy to wear and it feels like a dream once on the body. The lightness of it lets it move and float around you beautifully as you walk and move. The front plunges low to the seam at the slightly empire set to the waist. It crosses over itself a touch at the front and the seam under the bust is detailed with a tiny little ruffle in the same silk. The shoulders twist as they curve over your shoulders and then it falls into another deep V at the back. The panels there sit a wider apart where it meets the waist so you get a more open back feel. The sides are equally as dramatic as the plunge in long Vs to the waist. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There is a tremendous amount of fabric in the skirt and this lets the skirt billow out around you as you move. The top layer of the skirt is a silk chiffon that has a touch of texture to it. There are two layers of silk tulle under that and a final inner layer of silk that acts as the lining. The effect all of these layers have once it is on and moving around you is fantastic. It is fabulous on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Lined as described above and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Tagged a FR42, UK14, IT46, US10. A tiny pinhole in the lining of the bust. The easy cut should work on a range of sizes.

Bust: no true side seams but each triangle will cover 7-9" across
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam, the outer layers are full and open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4653

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Runway, Look 47. Model Cara Taylor.  /  (3-4) Kate Mara in Dior at the 2017 Guggenheim International Gala.

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.

The Spring 2005 Prada show is one of the label's most iconic and recognizable of the Prada collections. I have had a one shoulder dress in the same fabric with the same beading from the show in the past and I was excited to have this jacket come in. The twin of the.jacket was shown in blue for the runway presentation and a longer, more coat feeling version in this same colour was also presented. The blue version was featured in the ad campaign that year. I love that you can see how versatile this jacket is and how you can change the look of it by belting it.

These embellished pieces were some of my personal favourites presented that season. The.colour of this jacket is amazing and when Vogue reviewed the show, they referred to it as being 'a brown-ochre-rust colour' and that perfectly describes it. The silk shantung that it is made out of has a slight metallic finish that adds a very subtle touch of glamour to the jacket. The cut of the jacket is simple. It has no collar and opens down the front with hidden hook and eye if you wish to close it. The shoulders are soft and slightly slope down which gives it an easy feel. The sleeves are long and the cut through the body is meant to just skim over you and it has a slight box shape. Starting around the collar and going down the front and curving around partway to the back is a band of heavily embellishments that mix large paillettes, large beads and colourful crystals. These are all set on a lighter coloured silk ribbon with a black silk netting behind the various clusters. Bands of that same elaborate detailing run around each cuff. We took lots of close-ups so you can see just how beautiful the work is . It is very well made and this is classically beautiful Prada. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a brown silk and closes down the front with hidden set hook and eye. Tagged a modern Prada 40

Sleeves: 21" and 11.75" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4652

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-2) Spring 2005 Prada, Look 44. Model Kristen McMenamy.  /  (2-3) Spring 2005 Prada, Look 46. Model Jessica Stam.  /  (4) Karen Elson for Spring 2005 Prada Ad Campaign.

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 jacket is extremely well documented. Its twin walked the Spring 2011 Chanel runway for Look 48. It was featured in the ad campaign that year and Anna Wintour owns one. In Vogue's review of the show, Tim Blanks said in part; "Karl Lagerfeld gets a lot of his inspiration from dreams, but he didn't need any  help from them today, because he already had Last Year at Marienbad, that hallucinatory slice of avant-garde celluloid from the early sixties, on his mind. Some would say that, despite its storied reputation, it's the most boring movie ever made, but for Lagerfeld—and Chanel—it inspired a breathtakingly surreal setting: a monochrome ornamental garden, complete with fountains, which mirrored one of the film's most famous scenes." Karl himself said that new fabrics were one of his touchstones for the collection, but "he distressed them with selvedge, ragged edges, and a lattice of perforations. That chaotic quality persisted in dégradé chiffon florals or a monochrome tweed patchwork.... It loaned an enthralling urgency, and the fierce young spirit in the collection could be read as a swingeing riposte to the cutesiness that sometimes overtakes Chanel's ready-to-wear." The jacket is fantastic.

This amazing little jacket is made from a butter soft black leather. I love how Karl used  that floral printed silk to weave through the open perforated cut outs on the leather. This creates a gorgeous lattice effect that adds a wonderful and unusual detail to the jacket. The collar is done with the same technique and then he ran it down the front of the jacket in a wide panel. The most dramatic usage of it is how he has replaced the entire lower parts of the sleeves with this silk and leather detailing. This lets you see glimpses of your bare arms through the cut outs or see what you choose to wear underneath the jacket. More of that silk is wrapped all the way around the hem as well. The impact of the pink and ivory silk against the black is so pretty and softens the jacket for a bit of a romantic and whimsical feel. The jacket is beautifully cut with a notched collar and long straight sleeves. It skims over the body with the waist brought in just a touch for shape. It is beautifully tailored and finished. It closes at the front with a series of large flat metal hook & eye. A simple zipped pockets sits on each hip and each one has a perfect little double Cs on the zipper pull. Excellent condition

The jacket hooks to close at the front with a series of flat metal hook & eye. It is lined in a black Chanel logo embossed silk. Tagged a modern Chanel 40

Sleeves: 25" and 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4650

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2011 Chanel, Look 48, Model Lisanne De Jong.  /  (3) Spring 2011 Chanel Ad Campaign. Photographed by Karl Lagerfeld.  /  (4-5) Anna Wintour in Chanel at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.  /  (6) Anna Wintour attending the Fall 2011 Chanel Fashion Show. 

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 fantastic little jumpsuit is from the 2021 Fendi holiday special capsule collection. This was the second collection released by Kim Jones for Fendi and it built on what we saw for his debut couture collection for Fall 2021. The twin of the jumpsuit was used for the advertising campaign where it was featured prominently and I love that this gives you the chance to see it on the body. It is fantastic and an amazing piece of the brand recent history.

The jumpsuit has never been worn and it comes with its original tags. It is made from a stunning gold metallic lurex that catches the light from every angle. It is the perfect piece to just slip on and go. The bodice is scooped at the neck and the neckline is detailed with a thick twisted piping in the same fabric. This scoops up and around the sides of the neck and down the back. The fabric is gathered into that piping on both the front and back and this creates little gathers that skim over to the waist. Between the back of the neck and the waist it is an open slit so you get a tiny flash of skin. The waist is seamed and detailed with a black piping. It is cut more on the loose and easy side though so feels great on the body. From there the jumpsuit skims over the hips and then the legs are cut a touch fuller so that they blouse out a bit over the elastic cuff that sits at the end of each leg. They have more volume at the top of the leg and then they narrow down just slightly as they reach the cuffs. Black piping runs down the outside of each leg for a nod to a tuxedo pant. I love that there are pockets on each hip. The fabric is a bright gold that catches the light from every angle. It is a piece that is incredibly easy to wear. It can go from entertaining at home with flats to full on evening glamour. Adding layers under or over it can change up its look completely. It is just amazing. Excellent condition

Unlined and snaps at the back of the neck and then has a hidden set zipper set below the waist. Tagged a modern Fendi 38. original hang tags attached

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of the shoulder to waist
Pant: 41" from waist to hem
Inseam: 28.5"
Rise: 32 from top of the shoulder to inner seam
Gusset: 16" from the waist to inner seam

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4648

Reference Photos/Video: Fendi Roma 2021 Holiday Collection Ad Campaign.

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"It's a very happy collection," said a relaxed Oscar de la Renta as he greeted guests filing into 583 Park Avenue, a venue that had been transformed by Stefan Beckman into a sort of minty-fresh aqua and white garden." is how the Vogue review of this collection started. They went on to say that "it was evening that was at the heart of this show. There was everything from a chocolate-box assortment of L.B.D.'s to sleek hammered-silk columns to a finale of massive, meringue like ball gowns." This is one of those gowns mentioned and the twin of this gorgeous dress walked the runway for Look 59 as part of the closing looks of the show. It is so pretty and has fantastic movement. I love it.

The dress is made of a washed floral print silk taffeta that hold the colours beautifully. The print is an explosion of flowers that cover the entire dress from the top of the bodice to the bottom of the skirt. It is like wearing a full field of flowers and that dreamy romantic washed watercolour effect makes it even prettier. The bodice is strapless and is cut to be fitted to the body and hug you right down to the waist. Under the waist it the skirt that explodes out to the floor in a cascade of silk. There are yards and yards of silk that have gone into the construction of that skirt. It is gathered in and around the waist in a series of tiny pleats and then these open out to create that billowing skirt that you see. At the hem it is caught up and under itself to give it volume. Inside the skirt you can feel that there has been added layers of tulle all around the edge to hold the volume and create shape. The skirt is cut slightly above the floor at the front and then it is cut longer at the back so that you get a beautiful sweeping feel behind you. The lightness of the silk and the way that it has been cut combined with the tulle inside creates this stunning billowing effect when you move and walk. The silk on the bodice has been tightly gathered into tiny little soft pleats that run all the way around to the back. I love how he has left a ruffle of fabric on either side of the zipper at the back. This hides the zipper and also adds that extra little detail there that is just lovely to see. It is that perfect mix of elegance, femininity, romance and fantasy that Oscar excelled at. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pale orange silk and has an attached inner corset as shown that is cupped and lightly boned. The inner corset zips to close and has a hooked waist stay and then the outer dress zips to close over that. Tagged a recent Oscar de la Renta 10

Bust:to 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to waist seam
Total length: 47" from top of bodice to shortest point of the front.hem, 58" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4646

Reference Photos/Video: Resort 2009 Oscar de la Renta, Look 59. Model: Han Jin.

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The twin of the dress and the twin of the jacket both walked the runway in separate looks and then the set together was featured in the ad campaign that year. I love that it this shows you both the provenance of the set and also the versatility of it. You can mix and match the pieces with things from your existing wardrobe or wear them together for the full impact.

This set is one of those pieces that just stops you in your tracks. It is insanely cut and tailored to a master level. Both pieces are made from a rich purple silk that has a tiny ribbed effect to it and a slightly heavier weight. Which is how it holds its shape. It is then detailed with the same silk but in a black and white to make the design that you see. The colour in person are even better than how it photoed and it is a richer feeling purple. The lighting has added a touch of a pink here and there to the photos but in person there is no change of colour at all. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that has some fullness through the upper body. There is no collar and the neckline is edged with that fabulous black and white silk. It is all stitched into place and the white parts have an added white sol cording that follows the curves of the design. The pattern is set in an unusual curving design around the neck and then that continues all the way down the front of the jacket. From there it wraps around the hem of the jacket to the back. The shoulders are lightly padded for shape and the sleeves are set into the jacket with soft gathers to add a touch of a capped feel. Each sleeve is cut slightly wider at the top near the shoulder and is cut on a slight curve to follow the arm. As each sleeve narrows down to its hem you see that same B&W pattern detailing you see on the front of the jacket. The dress is simple in shape but has its own wow factor. Straps curve up and over each shoulder. The bodice is equally simple and skims down to the low waist seam. That same gorgeous detail with the black and white wraps around the top edge all the way around to the back. The skirt is gathered into the low set seam for volume below. Inside there is a thick banding of fabric all the way around you  that follows that seam and this gives the skirt support to sit up and away from the hip to create that little shelf effect that you see. It is amazing. The skirt is full and that same edging runs one last time around the hem. Hidden pockets sit on each hip. This is a particularly wonderful example of how he combined strong tailoring with full on glamour and extraordinary detailing. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are lined in a purple silk. The jacket closes with the six buttons at the front. The dress zips to close at the side. Pockets on the each hip of the dress. Light padding in the shoulders. A tiny darkening to the fabric here and there but so minor. The jacket is tagged a vintage YSL 36 and the dress a 40.

Jacket
Sleeves: 22" and 14" around the upper arm
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19" from neck to hem

Dress
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at top of hip: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from top of the shoulder to seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 40" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4643

Reference Photos: Spring 1980 Yves Saint Laurent.

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.

The twin of this dress walked the Spring 2012 runway for Look 48. It is also the actual dress that Momona Tamada recently wore for her Airbender Premiere. I love having these photos for you to see how fantastic it is on an actual body. On the runway it was styled with a belt which was sold separately and if you preferred that look it would be easy to add a belt in any colour and change the look of the dress. I think it looks equally as gorgeous without one though which is how Momona wore it.

This is a gorgeous dress that has that intricate construction that Westwood is so known for. The bodice especially shows that eye for detail that she has. It closes at the front with a hidden set side seam. Once you open that up open you see the beautiful interior construction.  There is one of her fully built in intricate corsets inside and it has stretch netting and elastic at the sides so that it fits the body perfectly once on. That stretch allows it some give once it's on the body and is what makes her pieces so comfortable to wear despite their heavily boned structuring. There is an inner waist stay as well and this keeps you perfectly in place inside the dress. The extensive boning in the corset pushes the breast up and brings the waist in. On the outside of the bodice there is a pointed peak on one side that you could wear folded down and tucked for a more true strapless look as we have shot it here or up and out depending on your preference. The back dips down and is gathered down the centre to expose the back of the corset a touch. It skims over the waist and flares out to the top of the hips. The skirt is inset in these beautiful curving scalloped details and then the skirt itself is made of layers of red tulle. Each tier has two layers of tulle and there are three tiers altogether that are all cut on a pretty curve. The back hem is cut longer so that it trails out behind you a bit. It is fantastically beautiful and you can see how fantastic it is on the body. I love this dress. Great condition with some small notes below.

The dress is fully lined in a red silk and the inner corset zips to close. The corset has side elastic and stretch netting so that it has some give and stretch once on the body. An inner waist stay hooks to close and then the dress zips over that with a hidden set zipper fallowing a side seam. I see some snags in the tulle on the front of the dress especially near the zipper and there has been a couple of tiny repairs to the tulle. This was worn on the red carpet exactly as is so you can see it is fine once on. The bottom hem is raw cut and there is perhaps a tiny tear in the netting here and there. With the raw hem meant to look a bit deconstructed this actually just adds to the beauty of the dress. The inner corset has been stitched in a touch on each side and I've left it as is. These could be un-stitched if needed. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a modern Westwood UK8, US4, FR36, IT38.

Bust: 13-15, maybe 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 10-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 49" from top of bodice to front hem, 57" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4640

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 2012 Vivienne Westwood, Look 48.  /  (6-8) Momona Tamada in this dress at the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" Premiere, Feb 2024.

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.

I acquired this dress many years ago from the estate of a model who worked for Dior in the 1970s and was often paid in clothing. Somewhere along the way this one lost it's Dior tag and only has the hand written model tag. We did source the editorial photo of it from 1977 which I have included here so you can get an idea of how great it is on the body. It is beautifully made to Haute Couture standards and a gorgeous little dress that is easy to wear.

The dress is made from a red silk jersey that has a wonderful drape once on the body. The cut is loose and easy and meant to skim over the body. It is so easy to wear and flattering. If you did want more shape you could easily add a belt to get an entirely different look. It has a little cap sleeves and the shoulders are soft. The neckline has a bit of a draped cowl feel to it at the front and this is achieved with a triangle of fabric set by hand at the neckline. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the low slung waist is seamed but has a generous cut. It sits more on the top of the hips so that the top blouses over it a bit. You could also wear it straighter and longer depending on how it sits on you. The skirt falls from there and widen out a touch as it nears the hem. There are pockets on each hip for the perfect slouchy cool feel. At the back it buttons to close with matching silk jersey covered buttons and then zips under that. The skirt is in set through that easy cut waist with tiny gathers so you have a little bit of extra fullness. It is just one of those perfectly easy to wear, slip on and go, dresses and the fact that it is couture and completely made by hand is just added bonus. Great overall condition with small notes below.

Unlined and closes with the buttons at the back. It has a numbered tag in the interior. There is a scattering of light marks here and there and a light graze to the fabric. A couple of lighter areas on the fabric on the back and across the top of the shoulders where the colour has faded a touch. All these are apparent when laid out flat, but once on most disappear or are forgivable. Please see the photo after the label shot

Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 21" from top of the shoulder to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 55" from top of the shoulder to hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4639

Reference Photo: Christian Dior dress, L'officiel de la mode n°630, 1977

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 has come to me direct from one of my avid Couture and Chanel collectors. It is an exceptional piece for the collector and is extremely special. This dress is from the Chanel 2010 Cruise show that was set on the boardwalk of the Venice Lido at dusk. "Coco at Lido" is how Karl Lagerfeld described this cruise collection. Vogue described the scene as Karl "reinstating the long-lost leisurely sensation of a fashion show as an exceptional one-off experience. The 350 guests reclining on sun beds in the famous white tented cabanas certainly felt privileged to be witnessing the extreme glamour of the designer's learned-but-light invocation of an important part of Coco Chanel's biography." The location was "one of Coco Chanel's favourite summer haunts—she visited Venice for almost ten years beginning in 1919 and met Diaghilev here". The inspiration was the twenties and thirties and you can see that in the lines of this dress. The twin of this dress walked the runway for Look 33 with a jacket over it that was sold separately in the shops. It is so easy to wear and just gorgeous on the body. 

The dress is a work of art and the silk netting used to make it is some of the prettiest I have seen. The fabric is very light and is notoriously difficult to work with and yet it all falls into place perfectly once on the body. It is just spectacular. The dress is covered in the most beautiful floral print in dusky pastels done in a way that makes then look like they have been hand painted directly onto the fabric. The base colour is a deep blue-purple and the colour combination of everything together is stunning. It is sleeveless and the upper portion of the bodice is a single layer of the silk so that it has a touch of transparency. This gives it a very feminine feel and gives it that nod to the thirties. It skims over the bodice and down to the waist where a wide soft panel of the same fabric goes around your waist and hooks into place at the back. This eliminates the seam there by covering it and softens the dress. The dress falls from there in a swoop of that feather light silk net to a the hem that widens out as it near the floor. The back feels slightly fuller than the front so you get this pretty billowing effect around you when you walk. This is a signature Karl silhouette to give the dress as much movement as possible and you can see that in the reference photos here. The skirt of the dress is constructed from a single layer of the printed silk and then it has a solid deep blue silk layer underneath. The movement this dress has once on is incredible. Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that the famous double C logo is worked all through the print of the dress making it impossible to not know that you are wearing Chanel. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The dress is lined with the same fabric through the bodice and then a layer of a deep blue silk as described above acts as the lining through the skirt. It closes at the back with hidden set zipper and has a hook and eye at the back of the neck with a keyhole between the two. Current Chanel silk chiffon dresses with this level of detailing are retailing for $9000USD and over. Tagged a modern Chanel 42

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Total Length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4638

Reference Photos/Video: Resort 2010 Chanel, Look 33.

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 is from the Cruise 2006 collection and it is extraordinary. For this show Karl Lagerfeld invited his guess to the Place de la Concorde. He had a fleet of green vintage buses adorned with Chanel logos and these transported his guests on a ride through Paris. Models paraded down the aisle among the passengers and at scheduled stops they would switch buses so that everyone saw the entire collection. Karl said at the time that he 'used to love riding the bus in Paris as a school boy' and that was the inspiration behind the idea of the show. Lagerfeld wanted the collection to be lighthearted and easy and to be a tribute to Paris. I love it.

The dress is feather light which almost feels like a surprise when you pick it up given the sheer amount of detailing on it. It is covered in hundreds of large iridescent disc sequins that appear to be the thinnest possible slices that have been painted to have that unusual finish. They are also feather light and the dress feels like you are wearing a cloud of silk once it is on the body. The silk tulle netting base is so light and so fine that it feels like magic. The tulle is a deep blue colour that is almost a black. The dress is made out of two layers of the tulle with an inner silk chiffon layer under those. It falls from the shoulders with straps that curve up and over the shoulders. It is scooped at the front and at the back. At the waist a panel of the sequins are placed horizontally and stacked so that they overlap all around your waist. That same denser sequin application runs around the neckline, the straps and also around each arm. It skims over the bust, past the waist and then skims over the hips. from there, it falls to the floor, widening out as it reaches the hem. In the lower part of the skirt there are built in long triangle shaped insets of the tulle that are set all the way around the skirt. I love this nod to the old Hollywood dresses of the 1930s. The insets also give the lower part of the dress tremendous movement and volume when you move. The muted sequins that cover the dress are striking. The colours of them range from pastel gold to soft pinks. They cover the entire upper part of the dress bodice and trail down onto the skirt between the added panels. The dress came with a matching shawl made of the same silk tulle. Its huge size lets you wear it almost like a cape over your shoulders. It is so light in weight and fine that you could also wrap it around your neck, use it as a head scarf, or as a turban. This is a phenomenal piece of Chanel. It is even more incredible in person. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a blue silk chiffon and it closes with a back hidden set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.  The bias cut should allow it to fit a bit of range in sizes. Current Chanel silk chiffon dresses with this level of added embellishments and detailing are retailing for $15000USD and over. Tagged a Chanel 40

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem
Scarf: 68" x 74"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4385

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 is extraordinary. It is from the Winter 1954 Haute Couture collection and is impeccable. A more elaborate black version of the dress is held in The Metropolitan Museum's permanent archives and we found photos of a white version from one of the Balenciaga books. Balenciaga designed 193 looks for the Winter 1954 show and there was a full series of evening pieces that featured the silk lace netting embroidered with the dots that you see on the bodice of this dress. Cristobal Balenciaga was known for his fine tailoring and sculptural approach to design and the restrained and refined lines of this dress showcase that aesthetic. Dior declared Balenciaga "the Master of us all" and Balenciaga's impact on fashion cannot be underestimated. This is an extraordinary rare and wonderful find.

This dress is a beauty. The photos do not do it full justice and it is only when you see it in person that you realize just how beautiful it is and the workmanship that has gone into the dress. The body of the dress is that fine 1950s silk that you seemed to only see in garments from this time period. I think it is some of the best silk that was ever made. It has a slight sheen to the finish and it has a touch of weight to it that allows it to hold the shape that Cristobal intended while still feeling light and beautiful once on the body. The bodice is strapless and it is meant to be fitted. It has its own built-in corset that is lightly boned and shaped to hold the dress in place around you. The inner corset is made out of two layers of silk. The inner corset is made out of a slightly lighter weight silk as the dress for the side that sits between you and the dress and the interior it is lined with a textured silk chiffon. There is an inner waist stay that wraps and hooks around the waist to hold the dress firmly in place. Covering the top five inches of the bodice is a gathered black silk netting that has little dots woven and embroidered into the silk. Onto that are added little dots of chenille that run in vertical rows over the bodice all the way around you. This softens the bodice and adds a little unexpected detail. The dress is seamed vertically to the waist so that it curves in for shaping. A seam sits just below the waist to join the skirt to the upper bodice and the seam runs with a slight curve across the front and then it dips down into a more apparent curve at the back. Where it curves at the back is especially beautiful in the way that he has connected and matched the vertical seams that dart and shape the bodice with the seams below that allow for the volume of the skirt. The skirt is extremely full under that and I did not add an additional crinoline under it for these photos. You definitely could add one if you wanted to and if you wanted a true full skirt feel. The volume that you see was all created by seaming and cut alone. It is cut to be full and curved over the hips and then it widens out even more as it nears the hem. There is only one seam down the front that lines up perfectly with the seam that runs up the bodice and then two darts on either side of that seam. At the back there are four panels of silk with additional darting at the top of the skirt to create the extra fullness there that you see. It is incredible. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior and it is made using perfect Haute Couture techniques and craft. All of the inseams have been finished by hand and everything looks to be original and perfect. This is a truly stunning and rare dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined through the skirt with an added inner lightly boned bodice as described above. It closes with a side painted fine metal zipper and the inner bodice hooks so close down the side. The inner way stay hooks to close. Perhaps the slightest bit of press marks near the seams on the skirt. Hand finished throughout to Haute Couture standards. Proper numbered tape under the label shot.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 37" from top of bodice to front hem, 40" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4615

Reference Photos: (1) 1954-55 Balenciaga Couture, Model: Elinor.  /  (2) 1954-55 Balenciaga Couture.  /  (3) 1955 Balenciaga Evening Ensemble in the MET Collection. 

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 the second of this dress I have had in the shop and I was surprised to find another so soon after having the first. Its twin walked the Fall 1989 show and I love that we have the reference photo for you to see how it looks on the body. The runway look was styled with a metal belt and I love that it shows you that with a simple switch of what you choose to wear around the waist you can give the dress a different feel. Bob Mackie became a household name when he started dressing Cher. He started off his career freelancing for costumers Edith Head and Jean Louis and it was while there that he sketched the design for Marilyn Monroe's famous 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress. He met fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan who eventually became his life partner. Together they designed costumes for Hollywood and created a made to order line of RTW. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years and the launch of his own label. His work helped to define an entire era of high glamour on the small screen and beyond.

The dress is made out of a stunning ombre deep dusky pink and taupe silk chiffon. Then under the top layer of the silk is a second layer of silk chiffon that has these incredible gold and silver thread leafs worked through the silk. These shimmer through under the top layer and create a beautiful depth and unexpected glimmer when you move and as they catch the light. It is a combination that is stunning to see together. The bodice is strapless and it has an inner shaped corset that is boned and shaped for support and to stay perfectly in place. The top of the bodice is peaked at the sides and then it is slightly rounded as it dips down and into the centre. Onto the bodice the silk chiffon has been gathered and softly draped so that it follows the curve of the bust and then slightly overlaps at the front. It does the same at the back where it meets at the centre set zipper. The waist cinches in and the dress comes with its original matching silk sash that you can tie and style around the waist or the neck. The skirt flows out from under there and it is made up of yards and yards of feather light silk chiffon. There are two layers of the bias cut silk stacked on top of each other and then an inner silk layer that sits next to the body. The top two layers of chiffon are feather light and the movement they create as they float over each other as you move is just incredible. It is incredible to see in person and the colour has a touch softer feel to it then how it photoed. That little bit of added glamour and drama from the gold and silver under that top layer of chiffon elevates the dress that much more. I love it. Excellent condition

The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a copper brown silk. The skirt has an inner nude layer of silk under the top two layers of bias cut silk chiffon as described above. The bodice is shaped and boned inside and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. A tiny touch of wear at the top off each peak, tiny nicks near the zipper opening and a small darkening to the skirt that gets lost int he folds of the skirt. Please see the photo after the label shot. It closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for at least a C cup at the front
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of the tallest point of the bodice to waist
Total length: 56" from tallest point of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4612

Reference Photos: Fall 1989 Bob Mackie Runway.

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 gorgeous Valentino dress whose twin in the opposite colour way of this one walked the Spring 2006 runway for Look 63. I actually prefer the pink with yellow accent over the show piece. I think its even more romantic in feel. It is beautifully made and a wonderful example of Valentino's main label and the work that he was doing during this time period. In their review of the collection Vogue noted that Mr. Valentino was looking for a replacement and this is indeed one of his final few shows. He definetly was not resting on his laurels. The entire collection was stunning. Vogue noted the floral pieces in particular saying 'Valentino gave equal play to gorgeous color, which appeared in rose prints, and rich floral embroideries that captured the season's feel for Asian motifs....when it comes to jet-set elegance, Valentino has no rivals.' Indeed

The dress has this perfect easy to wear feel and at the same time is utterly and perfectly beautiful. It is made out of layers of a beautiful silk chiffon that has been cut on the bias. The bias cut and soft floating feel of the chiffon are used to create beautiful movement through the skirt when you move. You can see in the attached runway reference video how spectacular this is when on and moving. I absolutely love the colour. It is a soft romantic dusty pink and the that is highlighted with a pastel dusky yellow tone underneath. Over both of those is a rose print that covers every inch of the dress. The color in person is even better then how it photoed and that soft pastel pink is very flattering on most skin tones. The bodice of the dress is set high and wraps around the bust like a bandeau. On one side it is gathered up and into a soft wide strap that curves up and over the shoulder. Under the bandeau the dress falls in a sheath of silk that skims over your waist and hips and widens out as it nears the hem. The entire front of the dress is a separate panel that wraps from the opposite side of the shoulder and then is caught up at the base of the strap on the other side. This then becomes a ruffle that cascades all the way down the one side. The underlayer of that front panel is the yellow so that when you walk or sit you see that flash of color. The dress is also lined in that same yellow and that touch of colour peeking through the pink is just perfection. The back is slightly longer for that perfect sweep of fabric and floating affect around you when you move. It is just stunning on the body. Every detail is perfect. It has its original tag and was never worn. Excellent condition

Fully lined in silk chiffon as described above and It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Original hang tag present. Tagged a vintage Valentino 8

Bust: 17.5" across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 15.5" across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 12.5" from top of the shoulder to seam under the bust. The bodice itself is 4" wide
Skirt: 51" from seam under the bust to front hem, 55" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4339

Reference Photo/Video: Spring 2006 Valentino Runway, Look 63. Model Julia Stegner.

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.

A dress in a silk taffeta and a jumpsuit in this same fabric walked the runway for .the Spring 2020 show. This dress was made for the shops in that same stripe and when we looked for documentation on this one we also found a street style shot of Sharon Elongue wearing its twin. I love that we have that reference photo so that you can see how great it is on the body. Vogue's review said that said the collection was "Lovely, utterly lovely . . . gentle and shrewd and worthy of investment.... there were endless dresses—printed, appliquéd, embroidered, crystal-ed, filigreed—in which lace, raffia, jacquard, silk, and tulle were layered and interwoven to create thoroughly wonderful, artisanal items. The sustainability piece that Chiuri offers at Dior is precious handwork married to real design in ready-to-wear. These are buy-now-wear-forever dresses; they should take root in one’s closet and grow in emotional value over time." I absolutely love this dress. It is gorgeous.

I think this dress is the best version of the three pieces I have shown here and it is wonderfully easy to wear. When you add in that spectacular soft striped print that covers the entire dress it is just a joy. The dress is made from a fine and very light weight cotton that has a touch of transparency to it. This is then layered over an inner silk slip in a neutral nude colour. The lightness of the cotton is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the skirt catches the air and floats out around you. The entire dress has been finished to look like it was hand painted. The body of the dress is done in soft muted stripes that fade into each other where the edges meet. The colours are like a sunset and vary in warm beautiful tones to cover the entire dress. The neckline is notched at the front for a touch of skin to show and you can leave it open or tie it with the ties that extend out from the neckline. It skims over the bust to the waist. The seam at the waist is cut wide and generous so that the dress has an easy feel. The skirt falls from under there to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric to the floor. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. The sleeves are wonderful. Each is a different colour that picks up on the graduation of the colours in the dress and fall down the arm to a buttoned cuff. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The separate nude silk chiffon slip acts as the lining as the outer dress is not lined. The dress closes with a hidden set zipper at the side. The inner slip is tagged a 40.

Outer dress
Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18-25"" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Total length: " from waist to hem

Inner slip
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4606

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 2020 Christian Dior, Looks 35 & 37.  /  (3-6) Sharon Elongue in Dior at Paris Fashion Week, Fall 2020.

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.

The twin of this dress in a darker colour walked the runway for the Fall 1975 show and I have included that runway photo here for you for reference. It also gives you a fabulous idea of how good the dress is one the body. This is an absolutely beautiful and classic Halston from his main label couture line. It is not 100% perfect so is priced at a steal for a Halston at this level but it is completely wearable as it is and its flaw is forgivable. It is an incredible example of his work from this time period and that soft pale pinky neutral beige colour is amazing

This dress is drop dead gorgeous with its yards and yards of bias cut silk chiffon that have been used to create the silhouette that you see. The colour is a pale beige that has a touch a pink to its undertone. It is so flattering on almost every skin tone and is even prettier in real life. The construction on it rivals any of the best Halston pieces I have seen to date. The dress is made of three feather light layers of bias cut silk chiffon stacked on top of each other through the main body of the dress and the added ruffled  is made of two.  Layering the chiffon like this gives it so much more movement than it would have otherwise. Your slightest movement while this is on causes the silk to float and move around you. The layers have just enough weight to stay in place when you are standing still and then when you move they will move with you and the result is gorgeous. This is a fabric that is notoriously difficult to work with and it shows just what a genius he was by the way that he was able to make it flow and sit so beautifully. The majority of work is all done by hand and it would have taken many hours of work to create this dress in this way. The front dress sits high across the neck and the ruffle that curves around the back lays to about just above the waist. I love the movement that this gives it. Your arms sit underneath that ruffle as it curves around to the back and then the dress falls in a loose and easy cut that skims over you to the floor. The bias cut lets it both cling and skim over you at the same time and it's incredibly easy to wear. It simply falls from the neck, skims over the bust, waist and hips , all in an easy to wear way due to that bias cut silk. The back is fantastic. That double layer of social fun that curves around from the front follows the deep V at the back, and this creates a ruffle that starts at the shoulders, and it goes all the way to the hem. You can see the edges of that ruffle from the front and from the side it creates this beautiful silhouette all the way to the floor.  And of course, that they expand skin on the upper back is the perfect amount of sexiness. It is incredible. This is a dress that must be on a body to really come to life. As good as it looks here it is nothing compared to it on and moving. And even as beautiful as it is, it is also a technical masterpiece with all those layers of silk and the way he constructed it. It is very beautiful. Great condition with notes below to review. 

The dress is made from attached layers of the silk chiffon as described above. It has no closures and slips on to wear. Hand finishes. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes upwards and will just drape more on a smaller size. There is an area of marking to the silk on the front near the knee area, near the hem along with some watermarks on the front panel that were too light to photo and some near that mark at the front. Please see the photos after the label shot. It present well when on since the marks are lower.

Bust: 16-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4604

Reference Photos: Fall 1975 Halston Runway.

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 was so well documented and photoed when it came out for the Spring 2017 collection it is almost mind boggling. It is instantly recognizable as Phoebe's work and it is amazing. This is the second time we have had it in the shop and I remember that when we started to hunt for references for it we found all the ones that are here, plus there are probably more out there that I just have not yet seen. It is an insanely good dress. All of Phoebe Philo's pieces for Celine have reached cult status and the prices are just continuing to rise. Her work is a must have for the vintage collector and this is a particularly hard to find dress that is rare and collectible. 

The dress is made from a stretch jersey and this one is finished in a mic of browns - one of the three colours and patterns that were released in this style of dress. The bodice is set over the bust with a wide flat cut at the top and then it angles down to the keyhole at the waist. There are elastic straps that you slip your arms through and the front just skims over you. The back is left completely bare and dips quite low so your entire back is bare and open. The key hole at the front is set so that it is twisted over itself and just this little detail alone give you a glimpse into the magic of Pheobe's vision and quirky aesthetic. The skirt is suspended from that knotted keyhole at the waist. Elastic runs through the top of it so it is very forgiving and accommodating. The skirt widens out into a loose and easy draping of jersey to the hem. Once you have slipped on the dress it simply hangs and drapes down and around your body. It is incredibly comfortable and easy to wear while still being devastatingly sexy. The jersey has a lot of stretch so the size on the tag is almost meaningless. This is true fashion history and one of the most documented pieces I have ever seen. A testament to the genius of Phoebe and the impact of her work on fashion. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Unlined but the fabric is opaque. It slips on to wear with elastic at all the edges. It is tagged a 40 and should fit a range of sizes from probably about a 4 to a 8 or 10 with ease depending on your frame. The area through the waist will drape and curve down more on a smaller frame. Original uncut length and it appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The fabric has incredible stretch so it should fit a large range of sizes.

Bust: covers to 24"+ flat across the front
Waist: 16-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to elastic waist
Total length: approx 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4603

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 2017 Celine Runway Collection. Look 4. Model: Mali Koopman.  /  (6) Edie Campbell photographed by Mikael Jansson, Vogue Paris, March 2017.  /  (7) Daphne Groeneveld phtographed by Zoltan Tombor for The Sunday Times Style, March 2017.  /  (8) Photo by Choi Yongbin, Harpers Bazaar Korea, 2017.  /  (9) Jip Boxstart photographed by Van Mossevelde for D La Republica, February 2017.  /  (10) credit unknown.  /  (11) Shin Min Ah photographed by Kim Yeong Jun for Elle Korea. April 2017.  /  (12-13) Vogue Australia's fashion director Christine Centenera in Celine at Vogue Australia’s 60th Anniversary Supper, December 2019. Photos by Hugh Stewart.

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 for Look 23 for the Resort 2020 presentation. The entire collection was an explosion of flowers and Vogue explained that "Many of the floral illustrations in print or embroidered in stitch and pin on satin evening dresses and tailoring were drawn from life in the enormous 19th-century glasshouses at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London. The subjects of these drawings were specifically flowers in danger of extinction. Others were based on flowers that are already extinct but which the McQueen team was able to observe dead, pressed, and desiccated in the Kew herbarium." It's a terrifically beautiful dress and besides the runway pic we also found a reference photo of Brie Larson wearing one that year as well. 

This dress is just gorgeous and one of the prettiest dresses I have seen by the label. They have a knack for making these pieces with pretty prints and then adding a twist on the design to still give it that McQueen edge. The cut is simple and flattering. Wide straps curve over each shoulder and extend into the bodice. The neckline is squared off and the top is cut the skim over you. The waist is seamed and my client relentlessly hunted until she was able to source the perfect matching McQueen belt from the 2008 collection which is included with the dress. I love that you can wear it with or with the belt or use another to get a completely different feel. The skirt falls from under that and it is spectacular. There is a ton of fabric in the skirt and the weight of that crisp cotton id the perfect wright to help hold the volume that you see. The hem is finished with two wide rows of ruffles and I love how they are gathered into the body of the skirt for extra detailing. This gives the skirt an extra added pretty fullness to it and when you walk it catches the air and billows out around you. The fabric is gorgeous. It is a light cotton that has a touch of crispness to it. The entire surface of the dress is screened with that spectacular floral design in a riot of pinks and red. It is fabulous. Excellent condition

Lined in a white cotton through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. It looks like it was worn very little if at all. The belt is included and it snaps to close and is stamped a McQueen 40

Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to top of band at the waist
Total length: 54" from the top of the shoulder to hem
Belt: Adjustable from 27" - 31"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4601

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2020 Alexander McQueen, Look 23.  /  (2-3) Brie Larson in Alexander McQueen at the Just Mercy Party, December 2020.

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 the second piece from this collection I have had in the shop and both have been spectacular. For the lead up to the Spring 1974 collection the Daily Express said "It's Valentino's Day.... Tonight the Roman fashion designer, whom Jackie Onassis calls from New York to say -make me a dress for dinner a week on Thursday anything you like- will put on a gala show of 200 of his creations in London." That show was to celebrate the opening of his first British RTW shop there which was a huge step forward for his business. Women's Wear Daily reported that Mr. Valentino said that the theme of the show was 'feminine, relaxed, simple and sexy.' I was also happy that we found a reference photo of a dress in the same print that was shot for Italian Vogue that year. I love having this reference photo for you because it gives you an idea of just how elegant and gorgeous this is on the body. Though personally I think this one is even better then the one we have the shot of.

There are Valentino prints and then there are the really iconic Valentino prints. This is one of those iconic house prints and it is instantly recognizable as being his. It is so iconic that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli touched upon it once again for their 2015 collection for the label. This is of course one of the original versions and to have such a well documented print from this time period is just heaven for the vintage collector. The dress is absolutely amazing. The fabric is a soft pink silk chiffon with a crepe finish. This has then been screened with that perfect little shell print. I love how the size of the shells vary as it goes across the dress. This cleverly helps to draw the eye over the dress and emphasize the cut. The ones on the bodice are a touch smaller and then as they travel down the skirt they get bigger and more prominent. The silk is feather light in weight and just floats beautifully over the body once on. The neckline is scooped across the collar bone and finished with a padded piping in the same silk. At the top of each shoulder is a little tie for a pretty a romantic touch. Each side scoops down almost to the waist. The bodice has been tightly pleated into perfect little knife pleats to add texture and a softness to the bodice. There is a hook at the back of the neck and then the back is an open slit to the zipper at the waist. The softness of the pleats keep it from being very apparent that it is bare but when you move, you do get that glimpse of bare skin. The waist nips in and is banded in the same silk and then the skirt falls to the floor under that. The skirt is made of two layers. There is an inner solid pink silk layer and then the top printed silk chiffon floats beautifully over that. As it nears the hem is widens out beautifully to create a soft floating feel around you when you walk or move. It a just gorgeous and even better in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a pink silk crepe through the bodice and a pink silk through the skirt. It closes with a hook and eye at the back of the neck and a zipper that starts at the waist tag a vintage Valentino 8. I see one tiny mark on the side of a pleat on the front bodice. Please see the photo after the label shot.

Bust: the sides are open & the bust covers 13-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to top pf the band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4600

Reference Photo: Model in Valentino, Vogue Italia, July 1974.

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.

With the Galliano collections for Dior you will often see the development of ideas through the collections. Some pieces in his ready-to-wear collection will follow and build on ideas first established in the previous Couture season. When looking for references for this jacket, we found them not in the RTW 2008 runway collection, but on the couture catwalk just proceeding this collection. The jacket has resemblances and similarities to both Look 4 and Look 7 and we have included those here for you to see. Its roots as far as its shape lie in the famous bar jacket that the house of Dior is so well-known for. Galliano included a variation of that silhouette in almost every one of his collections each season, tweaking and refining it in his own genius way. This is one of the best I have seen and is an exceptionally beautiful jacket. 

This jacket is where we see the level of tailoring that you get from a long established heritage brand. It is spectacular. The jacket is made from a fine black wool that has a slight nubby texture to it. Every seam on it is deliberate. The shoulders are shaped with light padding but cut in a slight slope so that it is extremely flattering int he body and follows the natural shape of the shoulder. The sleeve are long with just a simple hem at the cuff. The body of the jacket is constructed with vertical seaming and darts so that it curves around the body perfectly. It buttons down the front with matching fabric covered buttons. The bodice skims over the bust and the waist nips in. The hips flare out under that and there is light inner padding to help achieve the shape that you see, I love the pockets and detailing at the hips. Each swoops in a curve to create the pockets and then that curving panel of fabric is finished with black sequins applied to follow the line it makes. The workmanship is stunning and it's a gorgeous jacket. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk through the upper bodice and the hip[ peplum is the same fabric as the exterior. It closes with the fabric covered buttons at the front Tagged a  US4, GB8, FR36, IT40

Sleeves: 22.5" and 11" around 
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4594

Reference Photos: Fall 2008 Christian Dior Haute Couture, Look 4 & 7.

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.

On the runway this jacket was shown in a gold colour for Look 33. I love this black version but I also love having that runway photo and video so that you can see how fantastic this is on the body. In the review of the show Vogue noted that Galliano  was focussed on wearability and the commercial aspect of this show. Many of the looks were based on the last Couture show and then he focused on making it into ready-to-wear. Jackets were the centre point of the collection and Vogue said that; "he started with black and white striped laddered Edie Sedgwick mohair knits worn with baker-boy caps flat pointy crocodile knee boots and fishnets. Those quickly became a device for showing off the staple jackets Galliano has brought to the party: cutaway tail coats, biker jackets with Napoleonic collars, and his reinterpretation of Dior's seminal New Look Bar jacket. From there, he segued into shearling aviators, and brown crocodile and leather, sending out a high-belted maxi coat that knowingly checked another box on the season's trend sheet. Next up: gorgeous russet, dusty-pink and burnt-orange velvets followed by dresses in silver/gray, delicate pink, and grape, distilling the rococo delicacy of his couture into believable party wear." The velvet jacket noted in their review is of course  the runway version of this one.

I love the softness and romance that this jacket has, but don't let it softness fool you because to achieve that look there is master level construction behind it. The shoulders are lightly padded and the sleeves are inset with small gathers so that they have a slight capped effect. The sleeves are long and each one ends with a button cuff. Once on, they puff up slight above that cuff. The softness of the velvet allows it to drape over you and at first glance it feels unstructured but when you look at the seaming inside you see the high level of tailoring that has gone into achieving this effect. There are panels on either side of the front that actually sit up and off the jacket and are connected to the collar and then at the waist. The waist is gathered in at the front and there is a separate belt that comes with the jacket that you can add more shape with or leave looser and easy. Under that the hips flare out and I love how the fabric is gathered in and under the hem so there is slight bit of volume there. Inside the edge of the hem there is even a touch of inner padding to emphasize that shape. The jacket has the slouchy feel of a 1920s piece and the choice of fabric adds to that feel of it being an older piece. It is quintessentially John Galliano and it is stunning. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and buttons to close at the front with hidden set buttons. Each cuff buttons to close and the belt also buttons to close. Tagged. a US8, speechGB12, FR40, IT44. 

Sleeves: 25" and 12" around
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be cinched with the belt 
Bottom seam: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MeD

Item# DD4595

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2005 Christian Dior, Look 33. Model Kamilla Wawrzyniak.

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 very pretty and easy to wear Christian Dior dress from the Marc Bohan years. I recently had one of the other versions of this dress in the shop and it was exciting to have the second of the three designs he created for these come in so soon. It is a wonderful example of the work being done for day wear during this time period. It is also a dress that is fabulously documented. It was photoed for L'Officiel that season and was part of the press package prior to the collection release. We even found some colour photos of it for this one. You can see in those photos that there were three versions of this dress made of this look and this is the twin of the off shoulder one you see on the reference photos here. I love it. 

This dress also stands out from the previous ones I have had because it feels brand new. The fabric is still crisp and I don't think it was ever worn. The dress is made from a black cotton that has a horizontal stripe running through it in various bright primary colours. This one also has a more full and swingy skirt that I love. To wear it you just slip it on and tighten the tie at the neckline to hold it in place either around your shoulders or up on them and then there is a tie at the waist to shape it as well. The ties are made of the same fabric and I loved that this gives them that little bit of color. The dress has that fantastic wide ruffle at the shoulders and you can see in the photos how much movement this creates. Underneath that the bodice is cut to skim over you to the ties at the waist. I prefer it tied more loosely so you get that sense of swing that the dress has but you could also bring the length of the skirt up by tying the waist tie tighter and having the top blouse over it more. We did that for the last two full length shots here. The skirt widens out to be quite full by the time it reaches its hem. It is made of three tiers of fabric and each widens out more as it goes down to the hem. This gives you lovely movement when you move. It is fantastic. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. You can adjust the tie around the shoulders at the front of the bodice and also the tie through the waist. The easy cut and adjustable fit should allow it to fit on a range of sizes. It looks to have been worn very little if at all and the colours are still crisp and true

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be cinched in by several inches
Hips: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS - MED

Item# DD4592

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Dior, L'Officiel US, 1977.  /  (2-12) Christian Dior Spring 1977 Ready to Wear Advance.  /  (13) Spring 1977 Christian Dior.

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 remarkable example of Courreges and the work that Andre was doing during that time period. I know we often associate his work with very mod and short pieces but he also did many dramatic and long pieces like this. We have had a dress from the collection before this in the shop before and we were happy to find a version of this one that was photoed for Vogue that spring and a runway shot with close versions as well. It is a fantastically chic and beautiful dress with just the right amount of sexiness to it with that open back.

Many of his pieces are a play on volume and proportion and this dress is an amazing example of that. It is a dramatic piece that has a more bare and fitted feel through the upper bodice and back and then flares and widens out very dramatically to the hem. The fabric is light in weight but has enough weight to it to hold the shape.  It has enough structure to it that it holds the intended shape and volume while feeling like you are barely wearing anything. The seaming is superb and the simplicity of it is part of what makes the design so good. All of the seams are vertically set on the dress to help add to the feeling of length and the bust is cleverly draped to add shape. I love the little faux pocket tops that sit just above the hip on each side. The neckline is sits straight across and high on the chest and the sides curve down for the arms. Straps hook into place at the front and curve down to meet the back. The back is scooped open  and then there are 4 straps that extend out from each side and tie in little bows down the centre. A final little bow sits at the very base of the curve of the back. Crazy good.  Extremely collectible and rare. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a deep burgundy silky rayon and it closes with a hidden set side zipper. One strap hooks into place at the front with a hidden hook and eye. Tagged a Courreges A.

Bust: 17.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from seam to seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from seam to seam
Total length: 56" from shoulder to hem w approx 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4593

Reference Photos: (1) Models in Courreges, photographed by Bugat, Vogue Paris, September 1971.  /  (2) Courreges Fashion Show, 1971.

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 is a piece from the Spring 2004 season at McQueen and it is stunning.  In the show that year you can see some of the dress with bead work used a similar pattern to the one you see on this piece. This would have been a dress produced for the shops.The FIDM Museum said of the show; "Deliverance, Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2004 fashion show was the hit of the season. Based on the 1969 film, "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" Deliverance subverted the typical fashion show narrative by reversing the order of presentation; evening gowns kicked off the extravaganza while faux-homespun daywear and a tarnished evening gown concluded the show. This narrative mirrored the film, which documents a Depression-era dance marathon. In order to earn a cash prize the hopeful participants must dance for days with only brief breaks for food and short naps. Lack of sleep and food, paired with non-stop dancing, drives the dancers to the point of emotional and physical collapse and ends in tragedy... 20 trained dancers paired with 20 models, all of whom rehearsed for two weeks. Deliverance began with models and dancers moving about the dance floor with a sense of eagerness and purpose, dressed in delicate gowns. By the end of the show, the dancer/models struggle to stay upright while dressed in patchwork garments representative of their overall decline.The emotional and physical deterioration in Deliverance is typical of McQueen’s work, which frequently explores themes related to violence and decay. Garments, particularly in his early collections, are often intentionally cut and torn and his fashion shows have been called a “theatrical staging of cruelty.”Though it almost seems counterintuitive, McQueen has expressed a strong interest in creating a feminine persona that is intimidating in its visual power."

I love the strong nod to the bias cut pieces of the 1920s and 1930s that the dress has. Once on the body it just glides into place spectacularly. The fabric is sublime and light and easy against the skin. It is a cut silk devore velvet on a black silk chiffon base with a wonderful pattern carved into the velvet that has an Art Deco feel. The chiffon backing has a touch of transparency and then there is a layer of silk under that so the fabrics floats over each other. The upper shoulders and sleeves are a black silk chiffon that have a beautiful texture to it that contrasts against the pattern. The neckline falls into a V at the front and the chiffon is gathered into a little ruffle along the edge anchored by a tiny strip of velvet ribbon. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are spectacular. They have an inner slim sleeve and then there is a very full balloon sleeve that sits over that inner sleeve. It is so unusual and illustrates his genius. You can see how good they are in the photos and they are even better in person. The dress is cut to simply skim over the bust, waist and hips so is very easy to wear. The lower skirts swoop out with a ton of fabric in them and this falls in soft folds all the way around you. It allows for beautiful movement when you move. It is a stunning McQueen and showcases just what a master cutter he was. Excellent condition. 

The body of the dress is lined in a black silk chiffon and it closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each sleeve has elastic at their ends and there is an inner sleeve as described above. Tagged a vintage MCQueen 

Sleeves: 26" and 16" around the upper arm 
Shoulders: 14.5-15"
Bust: to 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total Length: 60" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4587

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.

Zuhair Murad is a Lebanese fashion designer who is based in Beirut. He studied in Paris and in 1997 he opened his first atelier in Beirut. He made his international debut at the Alta Roma Fashion Week in 1999 and three years later he presented his first couture collection. The twin of this dress was Look 44 for the Fall 2014 collection. Its twin was worn beautifully by Shakira at the Echo Awards that year and it was shot for Tatler Hong Kong that year as well. It is a stunning and well documented example of his work.

The base of the dress is a nude silk netting that has that extensive sequin pattern done directly onto the net. Through the body it has an extra layer of the nude netting in parts so that it is a bit less transparent so that you can wear it. All of the work on the dress is a combination of machine work with tons of hand finishes. The sequins are done in little curving and abstract rows to create the design that you see. Many of those are then edged with tiny black tube beads to help define the pattern that runs over the entire body of the dress. I love that the pattern itself has been laid out over the dress in the most deliberate manner to help to create and give you curves and shape. I love how when it hits the hips there is a bit of a seam there and then the skirt flares out below that to be quite full. The back of the skirt falls longer than the front so that you get a bit of a trained effect behind you. The neckline is set high across the front but wide. The sleeves are long and the pattern runs down them as well so the continuity is not broken. At the back there is a bit of a V so you have a bare expanse of skin there. The V sits above a chunky zipper that is meant to be seen and becomes a design element of the dress itself. It's gorgeous. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The main body of the dress is backed in a double layer of the nude netting and it closes with the zipper at the back. Each sleeve closes with a hidden set zipper. Hand finishes inside. I see the occasional row of sequins missing on the sleeve and some here and there around the edge of the hem. Very minor but mentioned for accuracy. 

Sleeves: 23" and 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem and 72" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS- XS

Item# DD4586

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 2014 Zuhair Murad, Look 44.  /  (2-3) Shakira at the Echo Awards, 2014.  /  (4) Zhanna Brass for Tatler Hong Kong, August 2014.

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 stunning Halston. I recently had a white version in the shop and was excited to find a black one so soon. We also found some extra provenance on this dress. The original of it was a runway piece and worn by Pat Cleveland. A version was then issued for the Halston IV line resulting in this beautiful piece. It is interesting that this dress was produced for both the main line and this line with each version done in a different fabric and constructions techniques. But visually they are so similar they could be twins. We've included the runway shots of the both black and white versions here so that you can see how gorgeous this is on the body. You can see that a belt was added to the dress to style it for the show and I love when you can see how the designer intended it to be styled. It is a killer dress. I own the twin of this dress and it's one of my favourites. 

The dress has tiny pleat work throughout. Like most of his best work its design is simple yet impactful. His genius lies in the ability to use the least possible amount of seams yet he still managed to create the most stunning lines. The dress wraps around and is secured at the waist with snaps and flat hooks to keep it in place. The waist has elastic running through it that gives it this incredible ease once it is on the body. The front plunges into a low V and there are  two snaps along the front to hold it more securely in place. I did not use them for these photos but if you wanted a plunge that was a little less extreme you could close one or both of the  snaps. The  bodice is loose and easy and then comes in at the waist. You could add a belt if you wanted more shape. The skirt wraps below that and falls to the floor. The pleating gives it movement so that it moves wonderfully when you walk and the wrap allows a touch of leg to show when you move or sit. The sleeves are the star of the show on this dress. They are cut on a curve and come in at the elastic wrist. Once on they pouf and balloon fantastically above that. On my dress form they hang low but you can see in the runways shots how they billow around the arm and wrist once they are actually on. 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 and a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and wraps around you to close. It hooks and snaps in places around the waist. The waist is elastic so there is give there. You could also get less or more room by moving some of the hooks inside if needed. The range given below is the comfortable range where they are now. Each cuff has elastic. I have put XS-MED and with some moving of the inner hooks / snaps it would probably work on a larger frame as well

Sleeves: approx 26"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: open on the sides and will accommodate at least 15-19" flat " flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4585

Reference Photos: (1-3) Pat Cleveland on the Spring 1978 Halston Runway.  /  (4-5) Halston Spring 1978 Ready to Wear Advance.

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.

Huishan Zhang was launched in 2012 and his label has garnered a loyal following. He studied at Central Saint Martins College and worked at the Dior's Haute Couture Atelier during his 3rd year. In 2014 and again in 2015, Huishan was named the BOF 500 as one of the people shaping the Global Fashion Industry. He was also awarded the International Chinese Designer of the Year at the Elle China Style Awards in 2014. In 2015, he was a finalist for the LVMH Prize and in 2017 he was a nominee for the Vogue Fashion Fund. He is a bright and talented designer sure to do even more great things. Its twin walked the runway for Look 33 and it was the finale look of the show. It is phenomenal.

The film Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn, was the central inspiration for the show mixed with couture ideas of the past. This was the strongest looks of the show and deserved its spot as the closing look of the show The dress is easy to wear yet packs a ton of impact. It is cut to be a more fitted through the bodice and then cascades outward to the hem in a flurry of silver sequins and feathers. It simply skims over the body from head to toe so feels incredibly easy to wear. The neckline is scooped and the bodice is covered in little diamonds of silver sequins. These add so much drama to the dress and I love them. The top of the bodice is netting, and then a  chiffon sits behind the sequins so that you have some coverage and it also helps to define the border of each diamond. The first row of feathers wraps around the waist and then from there to the floor the dress does alternating rows of the silver sequins on chiffon and netting with three more wide rows of fluffy white feathers. I love it. The dress has all its original tags and has never been worn. It is truly a beautiful piece and it might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a white silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper below hook & eye at the neck and a small keyhole. Tagged a modern UK6 US2 FR34 IT38

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 60" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4582

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2019 Huishan Zhang Runway, Look 33 (Final Look).

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.

The twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 65 for the 2018 Resort Valentino season. This was Pierpaolo's second pre-season show for the label and for it 'He said (to Vogue) that he fell for Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix show The Get Down. Connected to the street and erupting with color, it pushed the Valentino vocabulary forward, out of the realm of the inviolably precious and into the world of the everyday.' Even with that more street style feel in mind he still closed the show with a series of stunning long dresses that felt very grown up and elegant. The twin on this dress was the second last look of the collection and it is stunning. I am glad I have the runway photos and a reference video for you because they show how beautiful it is once on the body and moving. 

I love this dress. It feels thoroughly Valentino but it also feels so timeless that it feels like a piece that you can own forever. Then when you add in that spectacular brilliant pink colour that it is done in, it is just a pure joy to see. The dress is made from a fine light weight velvet that is cut on the bias. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk the fabric of the skirt catches the air and billows out around you. The colour is a beautiful vivid pink and the velvet is the perfect fabric choice to hold that spectacular colour. The neckline is a shallow scoop and the bodice is cut to skim over you with deep cut arm holes at either side. The waist has a seam but is cut with a more generous feel. I love the little cut outs that sits above the seam on either side of the waist. This is very typical of how he adds a little sexiness into his pieces but still keeps them very elegant in feel. The skirt falls from there, skimming over the hips and then falling outwards to be quite full as it nears the hem. The skirt is cut beautifully with an inverted pleat down on each side at the front so it falls almost like a set panel at the front and back. That and the bias cut of it is what gives it that beautiful effect it has when you move. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. This was never worn and still has its original hang tags. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a pink silk, and closes with a hidden set side zipper below the waist. There is a combination of hook and eye and silk covered snaps on just above the cut out to close the bodice. It buttons at the back of the neck over a keyhole. There is a bit of grubbiness that looks like marks from being hung on the top of the shoulders and a faint pen mark near the waist. Please see the photos after the label shot. Ribbon finished interior seams. Tagged a modern Valentino 6 and is in its original uncut length. The original price of this dress was $9600 USD

Bust: the sides are open & the bust covers 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Underbust where the armholes end: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Elastic waist at bottom of the bodice: 14.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist at the top of the skirt: 15.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 65" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4579

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Resort 2018 Valentino, Look 65. Model: Tami Williams.  /  (4) Charlotte Groeneveld at the Harper's Bazaar Icons Party, 2018.  /  (5) Tiler Peck at the American Ballet Theatre 2019 Spring Gala, 2019.

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.

John Anthony's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This jacket is from his Fall 1984 collection and is the original sample from his archives. We also were able to find the runway photo of the jacket and you can see just how amazing this one is on the body.

The first thing you notice about this jacket is the weight. Thousands of glass tube beads and sequins cover the jacket and this gives it weight yet once on the body it does not feel uncomfortable to wear. It is stunning. It has a beautiful easy cut and it sits wonderfully on the body. This one has no closures and is meant to be layered over other pieces and just be that easy but super luxe piece you just throw on. The shoulders have some padding for a bit of shape and the sleeves fall from there in a straight sleek line so that they have a touch of width. The cut through the body is more towards a box shape and then it comes in a touch at the waist for some shaping. It is meticulously tailored. John told me that creating jackets was one of his favourites things to do. They are infinitely challenging to have them sit perfectly on the body and his are tailored to a master level. The neckline is a sleek and simple with now collar. The upper part of the body of the jacket has a touch of volume and you can see this on the runway photo. The entire jacket is covered in glossy black glass tube beads that have a bit of a pewter finish to them, mixed with tiny matte gold sequins. The beads and sequins are all applied by hand and are set into a dense pattern that covers every inch of  the entire jacket. They completely cover the silk that the jacket is made from. Each sequin is laid out so that it slightly overlaps its neighbour. To think of the man hours put into this jacket is incredible. The personal attention to each piece is clearly seen in the workmanship of his designs. His work is very expensive and beaded jackets like this retailed for up to $6,500 in the 80s and 90s which would be around $25k in modern dollars to recreate at this level. This is the actual sample jacket and it is the one that appears in the runway photo we have included here. It is meant to have that slightly oversized feel. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a gold toned silk with no closures. Padding in each shoulder. Made by hand, one of a kind and pristine. Its easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. It will just be more oversized on a smaller frame 

Sleeves: 23" long and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4576

Reference Photos: Fall 1984 John Anthony Runway.

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.