This is a heavily beaded dress from the Mignon label. The extensive bead work that covers every inch of the dress has all been done by hand. The dress is very well made too. The base fabric is a silk brocade that has a design worked into it. The design was then followed and covered with thousands and thousands of hand placed beads, sequins and rhinestones. They are all original glass beads and that reflects in the weight of the dress. I personally love this about it. There is a weight to these vintage pieces that you will never find with modern version whose bead work is all made from light in weight plastics. This is the real deal. Even with the weight added, once on the actual body it feels balanced and not too heavy. The weight feel luxurious not cumbersome. Inside it is lined in a silk lining that adds to the feel of high end luxury. The dress is cut to follow your curves and has that wonderful and glamorous, old Hollywood starlet feel to it. The bodice is molded to fit the bust and the neckline is cut into a V for a touch of skin to show. The back scoops quite low and this expanse of bare skin adds to the sensuality of the dress. The waist nips in and then under that the skirt is cut to hug the hips. It then flares out slightly as it reaches the hem. The back hem is cut just a touch longer then the front to give it a little extra flare and to follow the line created by the scoop at the back. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a mint green silk and closes at the back with a painted back metal zipper. The bead work and rhinestones are entirely hand applied.

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 36.5" from waist to front hem, 38" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3824

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

That sense of humour and drama is what defined the very best pieces from Moschino. The label had the ability to provoke and challenge while making exceptional pieces of clothing. Francis Moschino launched his label in 1983 and quickly went from a small regional designer to one that was known on the international stage.

This is a gorgeous little dress that is chic and sexy. From the front it is the perfect LBD with a very refined feel. The dress is cut to skim over the body with pretty little capped sleeves and a low set waist. The skirt is cut with just a touch of volume from the seam and then falls in a chic little pencil skirt under that. When you turn around the back shows a lot of bare skin. There is a large open round cut out that shows your full back. Under that is second cut out to show off your lower back. Around the neck is a wide band of faux pearls in a creamy and beautiful cool ivory tone. This is a collar that you can attach or detach from the dress by simple snapping it into place with a series of hidden snaps around the interior collar. It gives you two dresses in one. The pearls are lovely and there are seven rows of them stacked on top of each other. It is a gorgeous and simple little dress that has endless stying possibilities. Excellent condition with one note below

Fully lined with a black silky rayon and closes with a hidden side set zipper and snaps to close at the neck. The collar snaps into place and the dress can be worn without without the collar. Tagged a US 10. There is one pearl missing on the collar. Please see the last photo after the label shot. It still has its original tags and was never worn

Slightly dropped shoulder: 16" 
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3821

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

Norman Norell was one of the great American designers. His clothes were wildly expensive in their day and he was credited for the unique ability to translate Paris couture into American ready-to-wear. He started in the film industry and then was hired by Hattie Carnegie. In 1941 he left and and joined Anthony Traina where the Traina-Norell label soon appeared. Upon Traina's retirement in 1960 he launched his own self-named label. He won the very first Coty American Fashion Critics' award ever given in 1943 and then won it again in 1951. In 1956 he became the first designer to earn a place in the Coty Hall of Fame. His signature styles for day ran the gamut from shirtwaists, suits, beautifully tailored coats and clothes that seemed simple at first glance but were logistically complex. Norman himself once said 'To qualify as a designer one should not be afraid to repeat a good design, and certainly must have his own signature'. He achieved that and more. I think every serious vintage collector should have a piece of his work in their archives. 

This dress is absolutely wonderful and I think that when you see this in person you will be very happy with it. Black definitely does not convey as well when photoed and there are really so many exquisite details and the workmanship is so very fine in this dress that in person it really feels like a proper couture piece. It is perfectly made and exactly what is meant when we refer to the perfect 'little black dress'. Norman Norell was the master of the little chic day or cocktail dress and even though his pieces sometimes appear simple they are really a master study in cut and line. This dress is made of a black textured wool crepe that has just enough weight for it to hold the intended shape he has created. The bodice is sleeveless and cut to skim over the bust and waist. It drops into a low seam at the top of the hip. Under that the skirt flares out as it reaches the hem. The skirt is made from two attached tiers with each tier being fuller then the one above. This is what gives it that incredible shape and volume. At the back it closes with a row of hand covered buttons in the same fabric so you have the detailing of the buttons there but nothing that breaks the eye. It is so well made that I think you could wear it with the buttons to the front as well. The inside is beautifully finished to a couture like standard with elaborate horsehair binding at the seams of the two tiers and inner silk skirting to keep the shape and fullness. It is wonderful and a beautiful example of his work. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and the skirt has additional layers. Hand finishes throughout. There is built in interior stiffened horse hair netting at the seam between the tiers. The dress closes with a series of hand covered fabric buttons at the back and all of the buttonholes are properly finished. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3820

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 Wallis Department store opened its door in 1923 and by the 1940s they had expanded to 25 shops across the UK. At their heyday that number went up to 134 stores. In the 1950s the company would pay a fee to attend Paris fashion shows and that fee allowed them to replicate exact copies of designs. By the sixties this practice had shifted to the younger British designers. Their in-house label produced many gorgeous pieces and the demand for these copies was high. This dress is probably from the late 1960s or early 1970s and is most likely a copied design from a young designer at the time. This in-house label took on a life of its own and became in demand to the US market as well. 

The dress is so pretty. It is made from a soft feeling fabric that has a liberty-esque printed pattern running over its surface. The skirt has a red back drop with flowers scattered over it and then for the top the pattern of flowers is space very close together to give it a contrasting feel. Each sleeve is cut to be very full and wide. To give it that wonderful balloon feel each sleeve ends with a red cord running through its edge. You just cinch in the cord and tie it into place to create the volume above. I love the red tassels that sit at the end of each cord. The same cord technique is used on the neckline where a red cord runs around and through the entire edge. This allows you to wear it off the shoulder as I have shown it here or you can cinch it in tighter and wear it higher up and on top of each shoulder. The bodice is cut to skim over you and then it cinches in at the waist with a band of fabric. Under that the skirt flares out with yards and yards of fabric used to make it. The fabric is light in weight so that when you move it moves. It’s gorgeous on and so so pretty. Great condition with a small note below

Inlined and closes with a centre set back zipper. Ties at the neck and each sleeve. One tassel on one sleeve is mostly missing. Please see the last photo here. I see some small catches on the skirt fabric but all are stable and very minor. The fabric has a soft patina to it that adds to its vintage appeal 

Sleeves: approx 22" and adjustable 
Shoulders: no defined seam and adjustable 
Bust: approx 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 37" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# D635

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

Jeannette Barr opened her doors to the public in 1936 and by 1938 launched the Jane Derby Inc label. By the early 1960s she had brought in Oscar de la Renta to design for the label and in 1965 when Jane passed away he took to over and changed the company name to his own. I would be shocked to find out this dress was anything but Oscars' work. Towards the end of his time at the label his name appeared in tandem with hers but in the very beginning when he first joined the company the pieces that were designed by him just went under the general brand label. I believe this to be one of those earlier pieces. It has that distinctively Oscar flare to it with its refined feminine cut and details. 

The dress is so pretty. It is made from a waffle weave finished cotton with a pale tan and soft yellow coloured print that runs over the entire surface. The flower print is on a white background and the colours give it a chic and easy feel. The bodice is fitted and seamed to highlight and shape the bust. The waist nips in for shape and then the skirt is rounded out and full under that. I love the bubble shape the skirt has. It is cut to be a full rounded shape that is caught up just before the hem where it then curves back down and in towards the legs. Inside there is some tulle to help hold the shape. I love the ribbon detailing. Two tones of ribbon are used to create the perfect little straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The same pretty ribbons run around the bodice and end in a bow at the front. A second ribbon circles the lower portion of the skirt and also ends in a flat ribbon at the front of the skirt. It is stunning. Excellent contain 

Fully lined a white cotton and closes with a zipper at the back. Tulle attached inside for shape. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3618

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

What a chic and pretty coat by Oscar de la Renta. I think it might be meant as a rain jacket with its coated finish but it would easily serve as just a fabulous light jacket no matter what the weather is like. The black colour is fantastic  since it goes with anything and the cut is really special. It is cut on a pretty A-line swing that widens out from the more fitted shoulders. The collar is kept neat and simple and the upper part of the shoulder is yoked in a solid black. From there the coat swings out and around you and has the most fabulous movement. The entire lower portion of the coat is set in a series of open knife pleats and these give it lots of shape. It is just darling. It closes down the front with a series of black buttons and they close it all the way to the hem. The sleeves are solid and are not pleated and this gives it a sleek contrast to the volume through the body of the jacket. Very simple and chic. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and buttons to close at the front. Of the shoulders will fit the rest should fit a range of sizes 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust:to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C577

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 Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.

I love whenever I get a fabulous Leonard dress into the shop. They are so chic. They are also very easy to wear and travel with. This one is a real beauty. It is made out of one of their signature silk jersey fabrics combined with a silk chiffon for the sleeves. This silk jersey fabric choice is what gives these dresses their perfect drape and fit. Each of their dresses were made of a custom designed fabric and print. I have had a similar pieces to this one in the shop in the past and I think this one is one of the best I have had with its gorgeous pops of pink. The dress has a solid black full length skirt topped by that pretty bodice. On the top part, the gorgeous floral print runs over the sleeves, across the shoulders and around the waist. The colour palette is a beautiful mix of pinks, charcoals and black. The flower print is large and very pretty. At the front the bodice plunges and crosses over itself for a bit of skin to show. Each amazing sleeve is cut to pouf and balloon out over the cuff. The sleeves are made of a silk chiffon so have the added charm of being slightly transparent. Under that the skirt skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. I love the contrasting borders that define the neckline, cuffs and waist. It is a beauty. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back, hand set metal and nylon zipper. Through the body the fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch so it should fit a range of sizes. The fabric signed throughout. Each sleeve buttons to close on the cuff. 

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to top list seam
Skirt: 42" from top waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3804

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

I am always on the look out for this style of dress by Halston. It is one of the most iconic of all of the Halston silhouettes. Countless women have been photoed in a version and I have included many of those reference photos here. Versions have been exhibited and there is always one included in every and any book on Halston and his work. This is a very unusual version in a terry cloth. I have had one of these a long time ago and was excited to have my client send in another! The terry makes it extremely easy to wear and travel with. These were issued in a variety of colours and are normally found in a jersey so a terry one is a fun find.

Halston was a master at this cut. There is a certain sexiness caused by the illusion that the entire dress is held in place with that one little tie at the front. And it actually is. Undoing the front tie would cause the entire dress to drop in a puddle around you. It is constructed from a deep brown coloured terry cloth and it skims over the body in a long sheath. The entire dress is cut to gather up and towards the bust so it falls in soft drapes all the way to the hem. At the bust there are two attached short ties that you can cinch in as needed to hold the dress in place. I love the long lean line that this creates and it is amazingly sexy despite the fact that it is not tight fitting. This is heightened further by your bare shoulders that add the perfect contrast to that covered feel below. This is an iconic dress by Halston that is easy to  care for. It is wash and wear and virtually wrinkle free which makes it perfect for traveling. It is very easy to style too - a quick change of shoe takes it the beach to the market and even for a night out. Excellent condition.

Slips on to wear and ties as seen at the front. These will fit a variety of sizes since they are not cut to be super fitted.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3802

Reference Photos: (1) ‘The Strapless’ in Women’s Wear Daily, August 1976. / (2) ‘The New York Collections: Easy Winners!’, Jacques Malignon for Vogue, September 1976. / (3) ‘Your Night to Star’, Ladies Home Journal, December 1976. / (4) Elizabeth Taylor in Halston at the 1976 Oscars. / (5) Marisa Berenson in Halston, Vogue 1976. Photo by Richard Avedon. / (6) "Yves Saint Laurent + Halston. Fashioning the 70s" Exhibit at the Museum at FIT, 2015. / (7) Halston's original sketch for the tie-front strapless dress & Lee Radziwell, 1976. / (8) Rachel Zoe in Halston at the Zoe Report Dinner, 2014. / (9-10) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

I absolutely love Josefa caftans. They are like owning a piece of wearable art as each was entirely hand made, detailed and embroidered. They were made in Mexico in the late sixties to early seventies and were the epitome of Bohemian chic in their day. They are easy to wear pieces that can go from the beach, to exploring far off markets to being worn as an evening piece depending on how you style them. This one is a classic design based on a sleeved caftan dress silhouette. The cotton is still crisp and fresh feeling and has been hand dyed to the perfect rustic desert colour. It has hand placed ribbon detailing and a sprinkling of embroidery work. The ribbon work defines the neckline, bodice and sleeves. It also runs down the full front and across the upper back. There are hand done black embroidery details that are done in straight lines over the dress. These add a pop of contrast. I also love the pin tuck detailing at the top of the bodice and the little birds that are embroidered onto each sleeve and at each side of the back skirt. The soft taupe cotton and the gold toned ribbons perfectly compliment each other. It is cut to skim over the bodice and then flares out dramatically as it reaches the hem. The sleeves are cut to do the same and widen out as they near the cuffs. Excellent condition with a minor note to review below

Unlined and slips on to wear. The fabric has natural variations in it. Overall it looks to have been worn very little if at all. I do see a very faint mark on one ribbon and on the fabric at the front. Please see the photo after the label shot. The colour in person is slightly lighter then how it photoed. The loose cut will allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: approx 20"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3801

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 gorgeous Emilio Pucci dress is made from one of his signature velvet fabrics. These velvet pieces hold color especially well and they have a rich decadent feel to them that is hard to beat with their modern counterparts. His velvet pieces are among my personal favourites and this little dress is exceptional. The prints that he used for these during this time period were all created by Emilio himself. They then underwent a process that transferred them perfectly to the velvets that he used. For this dress you can see how the print is purposefully laid out to highlight the cut of the dress. He chose a rich colour palette of blues for the dress and it is instantly identifiable as a Pucci. The colors all pop against each other beautifully. The dress is kept simple in its cut so that the colours can shine. It is cut in that classic sixties mod shape that is easy to wear. The bodice skims over the bust with a high neck. From there the dress falls on an angle outwards to the hem.  Down each wide cut sleeve is a panel of one of his signature borders that creates a contrast to the main print. This same border treatment circles the hem, the cuffs, runs across the shoulder and around the neck. Another double line of it runs up the back of the dress. I love the burst of colour and print on the front of the dress and that great circular medallion feeling pattern that runs over the entire front. The fabric and pattern would have had to have been laid out in advance to create this look. This is something you don't see as often in modern pieces because it adds to the costs of production. It's really good. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a white silk and closes with a hidden set, back painted metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. 

Sleeves: 20"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35" from neck to hem
Neck: 17" around 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3794

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

This is a lovely dress by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. Alber joined Lanvin in 2001 and served as the labels Creative Director until 2015. His first break as a designer came when he landed the senior assistant role at Geoffrey Beene. He stayed there for seven years until he was recruited to design for the Guy Laroche label in 1996. in 1998 he took over the Rive Gauche ready-to-wear for Yves Saint Laurent for three short seasons. A stint at Krizia and then a break happened before his time with Lanvin. The Alber years for Lanvin are ones that are much loved by all and with his recent passing owning these pieces seems even more poignant. 

This is a lovely and easy to wear dress. The simplicity of it makes it so very versatile and I love the deep blue colour of it. It is not quite a navy and it has a touch of a smoky blue feel to it. The colour is softer then a true black and you can pair so many other colours with it. A dress like this is truly one of the most versatile pieces you could add to your closet as the possibilities of how to wear it are endless. The cut is very simple. It is made from a very good silk that has a lovely drape. You simply slip it over the head and there is a row of buttons down the front that you can wear open or fully closed. The dress skims over and away from the body and it is quite generously cut. The genius is in the extra long tie belt that you can wrap around you and add as much shape as you wish. The silk is so light and easy that it is a dress that should fit a range of sizes because of the amount it can be cinched into, or not cinched in, is quite a range. The sleeves are long and button at each cuff. It is really a gorgeous dress and very well made. Excellent condition 

Unlined and slips over the head to wear. It buttons partway down the front and each cuff buttons to close with two buttons. 

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" neck to hem
Belt: 120" end to end 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3793

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 Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.

I love whenever I get a fabulous Leonard dress into the shop. They are so chic and easy to wear and travel with. This one is a beauty that is made out of one of their signature silk jersey fabrics. This fabric choice is what gives these dresses their perfect drape and fit. Each of their dresses were made of custom designed fabrics and prints. I have had a very similar print to this one in the shop in the past and I think this one is even better as it has a broader range of colours in its mix. This one has a gorgeous floral print that runs over the sleeves and across the shoulders, trails down the bodice and then runs heavily around the hem and up and into the skirt. The colour palette is a beautiful mix of bright pastels and the flower print is large and very pretty. I love the soft cut over bodice and how each sleeve is cut to pouf out slightly over the cuff. The dress skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. You can wear it loose and easy or use the belt to give it shape. I love the contrasting borders that define the neckline, cuffs and hem. The matching belt is done in that same print as the borders are so it too becomes a design element. It is a real little beauty. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back, hand set metal and nylon zipper. The fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch with the fabric signed throughout. The buckle belt is in excellent condition. Each sleeve buttons to close on the cuff. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from shoulder to hem
Belt: has three holes set at 27", 28" and 29" respectively 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3792

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

This dress comes from a collection of Bill Blass pieces from a woman who was a close personal friend of Mr. Blass for many years. Many of these pieces were custom made for her and all of them are in excellent condition. These are rare and hard to find examples of his work from the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Some may be the only version of its kind that were made. The family would also like it to be known that their portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to charity. This dress is especially interesting as it definitely inspired some of the dress from Valentino in 2020. He used the same long ruffled technique that details the skirt on this one. It is also a dress that we found two references of similar pieces held in museum collections. 

This dress is stunning. It is from the Spring 1981 collection and I have included two reference photos of variations on it that are held in Museum collections. One is a dress in this same colour and the second with the same ruffle treatment. This particular shade of pastel green was used throughout his collection that year and was the colour of the season for Blass' clients. The dress is beautifully made and the closer you start to look at it the more you start to see the fine detailing that was put into its construction. The work that would have gone into piecing this together using that fine silk chiffon is astonishing. The silk is completely cut on the bias but also has defined seams so that you get the ease and movement of the bias cut through the skirt but with a defined shape over the body. The neckline is a high and scooped. The bodice is made from two distinct layers. There is an inner silk tank with tiny silk straps and then the sleeved chiffon bodice sits over that. Each sleeve is cut long and ends with two silk covered buttons at the wrist. The back hooks at the top of the neck and leaving an open slit that runs from the neck to the first button. The waist is seamed for a touch of shape and you could easily add a belt if you wanted a more cinched in feel. The skirt falls to the floor below that in a beautiful cascade of ruffles. The ruffles are set vertically in rows that run all the way around the skirt. This combined with the bias cut of the skirt creates incredible movement when you move snd there is more fabric in there then you first think. It is beautiful. Excellent condition with one small note below

Fully lined in an interior layer of a slightly deeper color green silk. It closes with a back zipper and then the silk chiffon layer close over that with snaps below the waist and hook & eye above. Each cuff has two silk covered buttons. Hand finishes. The color is absolutely fantastic and even better in person. It is a a touch paler green in person then how it photoed. The fabric does have some give due to the bias cut but the waist seam is set. There is one tiny mark on the front bodice. Please review the photo after the label shot. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Inner lining bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3280

Reference Photos: (1) Evening dress, 1981 by Bill Blass. Gift of Mrs. Ronald Reagan from the Classic Chicago Magazine.  /  (2) 1981 Bill Blass Dress from the Indianapolis Museum of Art Collection.

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3787

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

This fabulous dress would have been designed while Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland. I particularly love his patchwork appliqué pieces and this one is a stellar example of just that. 

This is a wonderful piece that would have originally been worn over pant or shorts based on that one side of the skirt that is completely open from the waist to the hem. The dress is made from a creamy ivory fabric that feels like a light mixed of cotton and synthetics. It has a slight ribbed texture that runs over it. The lines in the fabric all run vertically over the dress and this adds to the feeling of length that it has. The bodice is cut with a high collar and no sleeves. It skims over the bust and nips in at the waist. The skirt flows down from under there and the entire one side of the skirt has a ruffled finish in the same ivory fabric. The ruffles also hide that slit that runs right from the waist to the floor so that the side is completely split open. You could easy add a snap or two if you wanted to wear it as a true dress or wear it as it was originally intended by adding a pair fo shorts, tights or trousers underneath. Big gingham patchwork flowers run over the bodice and also trail down the skirt. I love the pop of colour and optimism the flowers give the dress. You cannot look at this piece with its big happy flowers and not feel wonderful. And if that was not enough, the entire inside lining of the skirt is finished in a matching blue gingham. With the skirt being open down the side you completely see this lining when you move. It's fantastic. The final finishing touch is the padded and piped gingham tie belt that wraps around the waist and ties everything together. It is an amazing combination of colour and textures. It is so dramatic and like wearing art. I love it. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a blue cotton gingham and zips to close at the  back. There is a slight hint of yellowing to the fabric at the collar and the upper back. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hemm

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3789

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

I love Josefa caftans and have covered the history of the label a couple of times in my instagram (go peek one day). They are like owning a piece of wearable art. Every single one of them was entirely hand made and detailed. They were made in Mexico in the late sixties to early seventies and were the epitome of Bohemian chic in their day. They are easy to wear pieces that can go from the beach, to exploring far off markets, to being worn as an evening piece depending on how you style them. I have had the twin of this one before and I am always happy to find another.

This is one of my absolute favourites out of all the pieces I have ever seen by this label and it is a wonderful example of her work. The cotton is crisp and fresh feeling. Usually you see these in bright colours but this one is in a natural cream ivory that has a linen like finish to it. The design is based on a classic caftan. It falls from the shoulders and widens out as it nears the hem. It is cut to sit very loose and easy over the body so it is incredibly easy to wear. The sleeves are extra wide and cut to drop on an angle so they have incredible volume and movement. Running over the the front of the dress are strands of multi-coloured ribbon. The ribbons are a full rainbow of bright and happy colours. Each one has been hand sewn into place in rows running across their bodice and then their ends are left loose. When you move they move and create the most fabulous effect. More ribbon circles the sleeves and details them. It slips on to wear and has a front zipper that you can close all the way up to the neck or leave  open and low for a plunge effect. Excellent condition with a minor note below 

Unlined and zips to close at the front with a painted metal zipper. I see a small spot on the back of one sleeve and some of the ribbons show small repair and stress near the edge where they hang off the caftan. Please see the photos after the label shot. 

The bust goes to 19" across from seam to seam - if this fits the rest should fit. It is 59.5" long from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA (One Size Fits All)

Item# DD3790

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

Mary McFadden patented her Fortuny inspired pleating technique just a couple of years after launching her label in 1973. By the eighties she had many licensing agreements and her dresses were being made on a larger scale. Earlier pieces like this one had much of the work in them finished by hand and were done in house. She called her pleated fabric 'marii' after her own name. She went around the world to source the fabric she wanted and her pieces need up being made out of a synthetic charmeuse that she sourced from Australia. The fabric was then sent to Japan to be hand-dyed and the pleating technique was done by a machine press in the United States. Mary was known to say frequently that there was no greater beauty than pleated cloth on the human body and she said then when she developed her 'marii' fabric her aim was to have it 'fall like liquid gold on the body, like Chinese silk.' The label on this dress pre-dates the mass production of her garments and has hand fineshed detailing in it unlike later pieces. 

This dress is made from the McFadden's signature pleating technique. The construction of this dress makes it extremely easy to wear. The pleating gives it the comfort of a bias cut dress and it is very sexy while still feeling refined. Its loose and easy cut through the body make it a breeze to wear. You just slip it on and feel fabulous. The fabric drapes around you and the lightness of is still shows the body underneath but in a very subtle way. The dress falls to the floor from the shoulder and just skims over the full length of your body. There is a seam at the low skirt that breaks the line. This gives it that little bit of extra detail and movement. It also balances out the sleeves. It is on the longer side which is a rare thing to find in her dresses. As she progressed in her career she preferred to design pieces that ended well above the ankle so you could see the shoe underneath. Her longer pieces are a bit rarer and harder to find. The sleeves are spectacular. Each is cut on a curve with an inner seam to give them some structure. One is black and the other the same beige neutral colour as the body of the dress. They are extremely full at the tops of the shoulders and then taper down to the wrist. What is remarkable is that there is a tiny bit of light padding inside the shoulder but the shape you see really comes from the way the fabric has been placed and sewn into the body of the dress. Each arm has a ring of dense beading that curve around the top of the arm. These sit independently of the dress except for where they are attached at the top of the shoulder so have a bit of movement when you move. No matter how good it is in the photos it is better in person and would still feel incredibly avant grade and on point for today's runways. It is beautiful and a rare example of her earlier work. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear with a keyhole and hook and eye closure at the back of the neck. Hand finishes. The dress is tagged a size 4 but should fit a range of sizes as the style is very easy to wear and forgiving. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. There are some tiny little snags on the fabric here and there but nothing that really effect its presentation. The dress has a more grey beige tone to it in person. 

Sleeves: approx 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: will stretch to at least 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 54" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED, maybe  a large if you are not terrible broad across the shoulders

Item# DD3782

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

Mary McFadden patented her Fortuny inspired pleating technique just a couple of years after launching her label in 1973. By the eighties she had many licensing agreements and her dresses were being made on a larger scale. Earlier pieces like this one had much of the work in them finished by hand and were done in house. She called her pleated fabric 'marii' after her own name. She went around the world to source the fabric she wanted and her pieces need up being made out of a synthetic charmeuse that she sourced from Australia. The fabric was then sent to Japan to be hand-dyed and the pleating technique was done by a machine press in the United States. Mary was known to say frequently that there was no greater beauty than pleated cloth on the human body and she said then when she developed her 'marii' fabric her aim was to have it 'fall like liquid gold on the body, like Chinese silk.' The label on this dress pre-dates the mass production of her garments and has hand fineshed detailing in it unlike later pieces. 

This dress is made from McFadden's fabric in her signature pleating technique. Like many of her best pieces the construction of this dress hearkens back to ancient Greece. The pleating gives it the comfort of a bias cut and it is very sexy while still feeling refined. It is cut to plunge at both the front and back. Both sides of the dress are cut to cross over themselves and I love the play on the colour with one side done in black and the other in a creamy ivory. The fabric drapes around you and the lightness of it skims over your body underneath and it is very flattering. The bodice is cut to skim over you from the shoulder to the hip. It is made to give the illusion that the two colours are wrapped and set over each other. One side in an ivory and the other black. The skirt underneath that is done in  a solid black to give you a long lean feel. It is cut on the longer side which is a rare thing to find in her dresses. As she progressed in her career she preferred to design pieces that ended well above the ankle so you could see the shoe underneath so the longer pieces are a bit rarer and harder to find. The sleeves are spectacular. Each sleeve is also made from the pleated fabric and falls long and straight to the wrist. The pleats allow the sleeves to fan open when you move though so they seem wider. One is black and the other is ivory and then those colours carry into the bodice for that graphic feel. Each has a very tiny bit of light padding in the shoulder but once on the body have a soft feel to them. The front and back plunge into a V which just balances everything out perfectly. No matter how good it is in the photos it is better in person and it is wonderful once on the body. It is beautiful and a rare example of her earlier work. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Hand finishes. The easy cut and give of the fabric should allow it to fit a range of sizes. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. There are some tiny little snags on the fabric here and there but nothing that really effect its presentation. The dress is a slightly more creamy ivory then how it photoed.  

Sleeves: approx 22"
Slightly inset shoulders: approx 15.5"
Bust: will stretch to at least 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: will stretch 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
The seam across the top of the hips that is 18" down from the shoulder will stretch to 17" across max
Hips under that seam: open
Length: 59" from shoulder to hem at the front and 59" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3784

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3417

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3581

Reference Photos: Fall 1997 Herve Leger Runway.

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

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during this period. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces of.

This is a killer dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and you can see your bare skin peeking through the waist openings. I hope the photos convey just how fabulous it is because when worn and on an actual body this one will be even better. The top is made from two simple triangles that curve up and around the neck and then narrow into straps that dip down the back. The waist is entirely made out of a pattern of beads done in a combination of black and gold. The spaces created between the curving rows of beads are completely open so that you get your bare skin peaking through once it is on. This bead detailing starts just under the bust and runs all the way around you to the waist seam. At the back it ties into place which just adds to the bare feeling the dress has. It also makes it adjustable from larger to small bust-lines. This transparent coverage is where that mix of sensuality and sexuality that his work always has becomes so apparent. The skirt under that is made from a bias cut black opaque silk jersey that sits and drapes beautifully around you. When you walk it moves and there is this beautiful contrast with the length of the skirt and the bareness of the top. It brings all the emphasis to the curves of your body above. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition

The skirt is fully lined in a black silky rayon and the rest of the dress is unlined. It closes with a low back set zipper on the skirt and then ties up the back above that. One of the circles seems a little unmatched to the rest but it still lays perfectly fine once on. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tiniest bit of reside on the back of the halter from old taping. 

Bust: adjustable with the ties at the back and each triangle will provide up to approx 7"across in coverage 
Waist: 12-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3580

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

In the 1980s and 1990s Gianni Versace ruled the catwalks. He was the favourite of the Supermodels and they were featured predominately in his runway shows and his ad campaigns. Versace launched his label in 1978 and by 1989 he presented a couture collection. The days that Gianni headed the label were heady, glamourous ones and set the tone for the label as we know it today. He remained at the helm until his death by assignation in 1997. This is from 1995 based on the label marking. This period is when the label was everywhere and everyone wanted to own and wear a Versace.

What I love about this dress is that it shows the level of his tailoring skills. This is a dress that is extremely simple in cut but every line is done with purpose to highlight and mold to the body. The dress is constructed from a fine black wool that is light in weight but holds the shape exceptionally well. It has just a touch of stretch to it so it is very comfortable to wear. It is then seamed to create that fitted shape that you see. The bare minimum of seams are used and have been set into curving lines at each side and one at the back to create an hourglass shape. The seams also help to give the dress structure, shape and support. The waist nips in and the hips curve out following the lines of the body. The skirt is cut to about the knee depending on your height and curves in slightly at the hem for a more fitted silhouette. The bust is spectacular and its simple lines hide an inner foundation that helps to give support. The neckline dips in a beautiful low plunge and this is mirrored at the back. I love that little triangle detail at the base of the plunge at the back. It is wonderfully made and might just be the perfect LBD. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk with an extra layer built in through the inner bust. It close with a hidden set side zipper.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3577

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

I am always on the look out for this style of dress by Halston. It is perhaps the most iconic of all of the Halston silhouettes and in 2016 a red version of this dress entered modern day fashion history when Kate Moss wore its twin on the red carpet at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. And we have had Martha Hunt wear a white one version that she sourced from us to Cannes. She landed on several Best Dressed lists as a result. These were made in a variety of colours and this one is a gorgeous purple lavender colour. It is made from a very easy to care for jersey and this fabric choice makes it very easy to wear. These were made in both a Petite sized version and a regular, longer cut version which are a little harder to find. This one is one of the longer ones.

Halston was a master at this cut. There is a certain sexiness caused by the illusion of having the entire dress suspended by one hook at the shoulder. It gives the sense that undoing that hook would cause the entire dress to drop in a puddle around you (which it would). It is constructed from two attached layers. The inner dress is cut from the same synthetic jersey and skims over the body in a long sheath. This inner part of the dress has a high slit cut into the side that travels up the side of the leg opposite to the draped side. Attached to that inner sheath lies a draped panel of jersey that is suspended from the shoulder. It falls from that shoulder down and over the front and the back of the dress. The dress hooks into place at the shoulder and the jersey cascades loosely down and over the inner layer for the ultimate Grecian goddess feel. This is a classic dress by Halston that is perfect for traveling as it is wash and wear and will travel exceedingly well with little to no wrinkling. It is very easy to style too - a quick change of shoe takes it day to night in a snap. This one looks to have been worn very little is at all. Excellent condition.

Slips on to wear and hooks to close at the top of the shoulder. These will fit a variety of sizes since they are not cut to be super fitted and the jersey does have some stretch. Note the colour has a slightly more pastel  feel to it then how it photoed. It is better in person I think.

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Slit: 29" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3575

Reference Photo: (1-2) Kate Moss in Vintage Halston at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.  /  (3) Karen Bjornsen, Alva Chinn, Connie Cook and Pat Cleveland in Halston Dresses, photographed by by Harry Benson, 1978. / (4) Martha Hunt wearing this dress in Cannes, 2019.  /  (5) Martha Hunt on Harper's Bazaar Australia Best Dressed List. /  (6-8) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

This is a beautiful example of Valentino's main label ready-to-wear work that he was doing during the 1980s. It has those classic clean lines he was loved for and the colour is just phenomenal. This set is not perfect but its flaws are forgivable. The sheer impact it has outweighs any small imperfections. 

Both the skirt and its matching long cut jacket have been made out of a fine light wool that is done in the most remarkable clear and bright coral colour. The wool has a slight texture to it that just makes that gorgeous colour pop even more. The skirt is beautifully cut with simple sleek lines. It is set flat around the waist and then angles out just slightly as it nears the hem. Piping in a matching light wool done in an ivory circled the top of the waist and then is set just above the hem. That same piping is used to define and highlight the cut of the matching jacket. It outlines the notched caller and runs down the front. A similar line to the one on the skirt is set just above the hem. When it is on these line up wonderfully. The jacket is cut with beautiful lines. It has light padding in each shoulder and simple sleeves. It falls to meet the hem of the skirt in length. Shaping is done to give just a bit of definition to the waist area. The back is left to fall in a simple sleek line. Big carved mother of pearl buttons run down the front. Piping is set along the tops of each pocket for the perfect finish. The skirt is in excellent condition and there is a note on the jacket below

Both the dress and jacket are unlined with beautifully finished interior seams. The jacket closes with buttons down the front and the skirt closes with a zipper. There are some small grazes to the top layer of the wool on the jacket primarily on the back of the shoulder, one on the sleeve and a tiny spot near the piping of the pocket. They do not go all the way through and most likely could be re-woven perfectly. Priced at half of what it would be otherwise. Please see the photos after the label shot

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3752

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 striking dress is from the 1970s Valentino Boutique label. The cut and drape of it is so unusual and feels very modern and edgy even by todays standards. The wool is fabulous and it feels like a mix of cashmere and wool that has been dyed to that famous Valentino red. It has this great oversized feel to it and yet it cinches in at the waist so you still have some shape. The fabric itself is lighter then you would at first think so it is super easy to wear. It is just heavy enough to be able to hold the shape and drape perfectly but feels very comfortable on. To wear it you slip it over your head and button it at the neck with the buttons you see there. Your arms slip into the straight cut sleeves and then each side is open from under the arm to the hem. Ties extend out from the back part of the dress and you wrap these around you and tie it into place. You can wear it is a dress with something underneath or with it tied tighter if you are small, or use it as a top layering piece. I feel like this is one that you could come up with a zillion way to style it. It is well made and a versatile piece that can be worn endlessly. It's amazing. Excellent condition

Unlined with buttons at the neck. It slips on to wear and then you can use the attached ties to add shape. The easy cit should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Sleeves: 20"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 17"
Bust-hem: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3754

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

Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways. This dress would have been made based on pieces that Yves Saint Laurent was doing in this time frame. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics. Some of his work is quite lovely and this dress is one of the very good pieces that he did. 

This is one of my personal favorites of the Victor Costa pieces I have had come into the shop. The fact that it is a play on the work of Yves Saint Laurent plays a part in that opinion. The dress is well made and is a really great value for your dollar. It gives you the runway look of the seventies for a great price. It is made from a stunning silk taffeta that gives it just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but without making the dress heavy or bulky to wear. It also gives the dress the most amazing slightly iridescent finish. As you move and the fabric catches the light you get a subtle change in the colour and it is quite a stunning detail in itself. The bodice is fitted and strapless and cut to curve and shape the bust. Circling around the top portion of the bust is an elaborate ruffled finish that is made of two panels of taffeta stacked on top of each other. The waist nips in and the dress comes with its original tie belt in a matching fabric that allows you to cinch the waist in further. The skirt falls to the floor from there and has yards of fabric in it that create the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is finished by a pleated ruffled that goes all the way around the hem. For the first main set of full length photos I photoed it with a light crinoline underneath and then the last two full length shots are of the dress without anything under it. I love everything about it. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a the same fabric through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. The bodice is lightly boned and shaped with stiffening fabric. The dress closes with a back zipper. Original matching fabric tie belt. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The color in person has a slightly more purple tone to it then how it photoed. It is even better in person. The crinoline used on the first shots is not included

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice ruffles to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3460

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 Leonard Paris label began as a textile firm in 1954 and for the first four years of its existence it only produced fabric. In 1958 they started making garments but it was not until about 1970 when they started using a printed silk jersey for the majority of their collections that the label really took off. They are often compared to Pucci and during the seventies the two labels battled it out to be the label of choice for the jet set.

The dress in this set is made from one of those signature silk jersey fabrics. This would have been a custom designed fabric. This fabric choice give it the perfect drape and fit. It also holds the colour of the print that covers the surface exceptionally well and the print is a s crisp and clear as when it would have been made. It is that perfect balance of being easy to wear and still having the feel of being chic and luxurious. I love the simple cut of the dress and how it flows to the floor in a swoop of bias cut silk jersey from the band around the upper bust. You just simply slip it on, zip it up and go. The cut is long and lean and the silk jersey drapes and moves with you as you move. It is cut loose and easy through the body so very comfortable to wear. Over the inner strapless dress is a silk chiffon cape that buttons at the neck and has a touch of transparency to it. The collar is defined and it is cut to fall in a point at both the front and the back. The design that covers both pieces is a mix of pretty flowers in pinks and purples on a black backdrop. Excellent condition with a small note below

Unlined and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. The cape has a fabric covered button at the back of the neck. The dress fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch - the measurements given are to the comfortable stretch when laying out flat. The fabric is signed throughout. At some point someone had sewn across the back to add shape and when these stitches were removed they left a row of stitching holes. Because of the print and where they are you only notice them if you hold the fabric up to the light. Please see the photo after the label shot. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Dress
The band that sits above the bust: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam. 
Natural Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Cape
37" from neck to longest point at hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2769

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

Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on 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. This set is an amazing example of how she could design for a younger audience and still keep to her aesthetic. 

I am a huge Hanae Mori fan. Like the jersey pant suit I just sold a few days ago, a skirt set is perhaps not what you first think of when you think of her work but once you see it you realize that it shows how broad her range was. This set is made up of a fabulous little button down top and a matching wrap and tie at the waist full length skirt. Each is made from a different fabric and both of her choices hold that gorgeous bright print perfectly. That amazing print covers the entire surface of both pieces and I love the little butterflies in blue that flit here and there over the surface to add a pop of colour. She was just a master at colour and print. The skirt is made out of an opaque fabric that is a mix of a linen with a touch of cotton to keep it from wrinkling. To wear it you simply loop its ties through a hole at the side of the waist and then wrap it around you and tie into place. Where it overlaps at the front you get a bit of an opening so that when you walk or sit you see a flash of leg. The top is the definition of the seventies button down. It has a sharply pointed collar and long straight sleeves with button cuffs. It buttons down the front and is cut to fit the body. All of the buttons are pink and embossed with an HM raised font. The top is made out of a light weight cotton that has just a touch of transparency to it. I love how both pieces have the same print but because the fabrics have a different opaqueness quality to them you get this wonderful contrast between the two. It is incredibly easy to wear and travel with. You can wear both pieces together for a strong statement look or break up the set and wear them as separates with other pieces in your closet for lots of styling options. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below 

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt wraps to close and ties. The top buttons down the front and at each cuff. The waist measurement is adjustable. Tagged a vintage size 8. There is grubbiness to the inside collar and a couple small spots on one cuff. Please see the label shot and the shot after that 

Top
Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: adjustable with the tie
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem with 3.5" turned up under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML based on the top, the skirt can probably go to a MED

Item# DD3745

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 fabulous little jumpsuit was produced by the Clobber label, a boutique in London that was run by Jeff Banks from 1964-1974. Banks is one of my personal favorites of the British designers of that time

This is a sexy and easy to wear halter front black jersey jumpsuit. This is the kind of design that would have ruled the night clubs of the seventies and it has a sexy, easy way about it. It is made from an easy to wear and care for black nylon jersey that moves well and drapes well once on the body. The legs under the skirt are cut with a skinny straight feel that tapers down as it nears the ankle. The waist is elastic so it sits well once on and is very comfortable to wear. A panel of the same jersey fabric is set around the waist to give it a skirt over pants feel. This is then slit open on both sides right up to the waist. So when you move you see the legs underneath more. It is really hard to convey how great this is on the body from the static photos but it is. This  clever overlay really hides any flaws and makes you feel tall and skinny. The halter is a simple triangle front that ties up and around the neck. This leaves the back completely bare. It even has its original matching fabric tie belt to cinch in and shape the waist.  It's the perfect, go with everything black and the jersey travels perfectly. Throw it on for day with flats or wear sky high heels at night. It is a fabulous versatile piece. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Unlined and slips on to wear It ties the back of the neck. The fabric has some stretch. There is one tiny pull on the fabric near the seam of the waist at one side. It is mainly hidden under the tie belt once on. Please see the photo after the label shot. The easy cut and stretch of the fabric should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Bust: open side seam so variable
Elastic waist: 14-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from top of shoulder to waist
Pant: 41" from waist to hem
Inseam: 28"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3751

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

Mollie Parnis is one of my favorite American designers. She was known for having dressed numerous first ladies and her dresses regularly appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. She started a label with her husband in 1933 called Parnis Livingston Inc and she quickly became know for her quality, fit, and use of very good fabrics. She had a particular talent in dressing woman of every age and designed pieces that suited her older clients in a time when this was not a focus. Her husband died in 1962 forcing the label to shutter but she re-grouped and re-opened three months later under her own Mollie Parnis label. The boutique label launched in 1970 and the fabrics used for that line were targeted to a younger audience and utilized brighter colours and and bolder cuts. 

I absolutely love the bright and happy feel of this dress. I also love that it mixes two different types of silk but keeps the same pattern running over both. The top is made out of a silk chiffon and then the skirt is a silk twill. Even though the same print runs over both of the two silks the result has a different feel because of the change in transparency. On the bodice the silk chiffon give the print a soft washed feel. The silk twill of the skirt holds the true bright colours and gives them more vibrance. The print combines a range of colours and I love how they pop off of the white base. The colours run over the dress in a series of horizontal rows and as you get closer you start to see the confetti inspired design and all of the amazing hues that were used. The bodice is cut to skim over you and each sleeve balloons out with lots of volume above their cuffs. The sleeves are unlined so that you see your arms through them. The neckline is high and is finished with a elaborate collar. The collar is made of several layers of the printed silk chiffon and this creates that amazing 'ruffle' effect that you see circling the neck. The skirt falls to the floor and widens out gently as it nears the hem. The pretty tie belt circles the waist to add shape and it is made out of three pieces of velvet ribbon in colours that pick up on the print the dress. You simply wrap it and tie. The dress has the fantastic whimsical and romantic feel to it that I love. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined in a white silk and the sleeves are unlined. The skirt is lined in a muslin with ribbon edge finishes at the hem. It closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper. Each cuff snaps to close and the snaps could easily be moved if more or less room is needed. The belt is original to the dress.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem with 2.5" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3419

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

Michael Novarese was an American designer based out of California who designed dresses for many of the Hollywood stars during the sixties and seventies including Jane Russell, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Dinah Shore and Elizabeth Taylor to name just a few. He launched his label in 1957 with just 8 dresses and landed a deal with Saks. He focused on creating high end pieces that always started from the fabric. He was a master at picking beautiful fabrics and then made his garments using proper couture sewing techniques. He especially loved a good sleeve so this dress is a great representation of his work with the dramatic sleeves that is has. By the 1970s he was selling dresses upwards of $1000-$2500 which is about $7000- $18000 in modern dollars. He never did a less expensive line like most of his contemporaries did so all of the pieces found by him are from his main line and are beautiful made.

The best of his pieces have a slight renaissance style to them which is a nod to his Italian heritage. This is a wonderful example of how fabulous his work could be. The dress has a soft and flowing feel to it yet it is fitted through the waist and constructed to be flattering on the body and give you shape. It is made of a silk chiffon that has a ribbon weave fused directly into the silk. This gives it a thatched woven effect. In between the ribbon weave the silk is semi-transparent and the play between the two opacities is stunning in person. The entire dress is backed with a black silk chiffon lining and that gives the more transparent parts a backdrop so that the colours in the silk really pop. To highlight the design even more, the fabric has both wide and thin stripes of gold thread worked through the silk. These catch the light and give the dress a shot of high glamour. The bodice is cut straight across the neck and then it skims over you to the waist. The sleeves are spectacular. They are cut with a slightly puffed feel at the top of each shoulder. They are very full and then are cuffed in at the elbow. The waist nips in and the skirt flows out from there to the floor. Yards of silk are used in the skirt and it is very full when you move. There is a simple grosgrain ribbon that ties at the  waist to add some shape. The dress is very well made and even better in person. On an actual body where the fabric can really move and flow it is fantastic. Excellent condition.

The bodice and skirt are lined in a black silk with an additional interlining of black silk organza through the skirt. That same silk organza lines the sleeves. It closes with a back painted metal zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: approx 19"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1612

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

Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on 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. This set is an amazing example of how she could design for a younger audience and still keep tp her aesthetic. 

I am a huge Hanae Mori fan. A jersey pant suit is perhaps not what you first think of when you think of her work but once you see it you realize that it shows how broad her range was. The set is made up of pants, the tunic, and a matching belt. The fabric is a wash and wear jersey that holds that gorgeous bright print perfectly and it is a dream to travel with. These jerseys would have been used to make garments to appeal to her younger jet set clients. That amazing print covers the entire surface of the jersey fabric. I love the bold pops of colour worked throughout. She was just a master at colour and print. The pants have a flat waist, skim over the hips and then the legs are cut wide and full. By the time they reach the bottom hem they are a full 34" around. The top is cut with with the perfect seventies line and has a high collar and long straight sleeves. The belt is done in a solid red jersey and has her name printed on both ends so when you tie it you see it. It cinches around the tunic and adds shape at the waist and finishes the look. If you choose not to wear the belt then the tunic has a more loose and easy feel. The jersey is a wash and wear and virtually wrinkle free so it is incredibly easy to wear and travel with. You can wear all the pieces together for a strong statement or break up the set and wear them as separates with other pieces in your closet for lots of styling options. It looks to have been worn very little itf at all. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The pants have a flat waist and a zipper and the top zips to close at the back. The original fabric tie is present and runs through attached fabric loops at the side of the top. The fabric has stretch but the waist measurement is fixed with no give

Top
Sleeves: approx 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 31" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with no give
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem
Inseam: 28"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3744

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 Roberto Cavalli caftan dress is from a more recent collection and is very chic. It is from their beachwear line and still has its original tags. It is an easy to wear piece and very flattering once on the body. The bias cut silk and classic leopard print pack a lot of punch into the design. The lines are simple and it has that perfect caftan feel through the long and loose body of the dress. It is open down the sides except for where the belt loops through. This gives it a cape-like feel down the sides so that it floats down and over you. There is a black fabric tie belt that loops through the slits on either side of the waist and you can use the matching belt to cinch in to add shape. Or leave this off completely and wear it full and easy. The caftan is unlined and the fabric is feather light with a touch of transparency to it. It's the perfect cover up at the beach but you could also throw on a nude body dress under it and wear it out at night or during the day. The neckline is notched and the sides are edged in a back that matches the tie belt. It is a very chic and easy to wear piece. It is brand new and never been worn. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips over the head to wear. Tagged a Med. New with original tags and never been worn. Original belt included. The loose and open cut should allow it to fit just about any size. 

Open through the body with two slits at the waist that are spaced to 23" apart and then can be adjusted tight with the fabric belt 
Length: approx 50" from top of shoulder to centre hem and once on the sides hang longer to approx 58"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD3743

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 great set that is made from an easy to wear and care for nylon jersey. It may have originally been intended as an at home lounge set but it is opaque and completely wearable out. It has a Neiman Marcus label on it so if it was a designer piece it is now a bit of a mystery sign that is the only label present anymore The set is made up of two pieces. A pair of loose and easy pants and a top that you just slip on over your head to wear. The pants have an elastic waist that makes them incredible easy to wear. They are cut to just skim over the hips and from there they flare out and are quite wide by the time they reach the hem. The fabric is very light in weight so when you walk you get a ton of movement when you move. The top is cut to be a loose cut tunic that just slips over the head to wear. It has a front notched neckline and wide angled collar. It is very full and easy through the body and each sleeve is cut full and widens out as it nears the seam at the cuff. The ends of each sleeve and the bottom has a very wide set, loose elastic running through them. It is set to cinch in just a tiny bit to round out the shape that you see. The pattern is fabulous and runs completely over both pieces. It really transforms on an actual body and the movement it has is fabulous. Being two pieces means you will be able to endlessly mix and match it with other pieces too. Excellent condition

Unlined and the pants slip on with elastic at the waist and the top slips over the head. Both pieces are tagged a small but the pant waist is cut generously.

Top
Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 29" from top of shoulder to shortest point, 24" to longest

Pants
Waist: 13.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21"  flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 29"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3741

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 Resort and Spring 1977 collections were some of the few that Halston worked prints into the collections. He normally focused on a solid color palette and I love seeing this side of his work. I found a runway reference of a piece from the Resort collection that season that has a similar print and a page from the Halston book that shows some of the variations of this print that he used for this collection. It is such an easy to wear set and feels very modern. There is a quote that I love by Grace Mirabella where she talks about his cuts. She said; 'Halston's proportions were perfect. His clothes followed the shape of a woman's body without being tight; they held the body while still retaining a certain langour' and this really sums up how they sit on the body once worn. 

This is an amazing set from this time period. It is made up of three pieces. There is a soft cut pant, a sleeveless top and then a jacket that you can wear over those. All three pieces are made from a lightweight silk that has that stunning print over its surface. The silk is almost weightless and feels effortless to wear. The ease of the pieces and the way they are cut make this a great way to be full on glamorous while still being entirely comfortable. This is the kind of outfit that will easily take you from an evening out with heels to entertaining at home with flats. You can wear the pieces together as shown or as separates. The pants are cut with a slightly tapered leg but are easy and soft. They slip on to wear with elastic at the waist and pockets on each hip. The sleeveless top that goes over the pants has a angled cut for the shoulder/arm opening and then it simply wraps over itself and hooks into place at the waist with snaps above that. The collar is neat and small and extends down the front on both side. Last is the jacket/top that has a very loose and soft cut. It buttons down the front and has that same neat rounded collar. There is elastic in each cuff and running through the bottom hem but it is set to be very full, loose and wide rather then cinched. This final piece is cut very wide and full through the body so if worn over the other pieces and open it will billow out a bit when you move. Very chic. There are endless styling possibilities with a set like this and it will really come to life once on an actual body. A wonderful and rare piece of his work during this time period. Excellent condition.

All three pieces are unlined. The pants slip on to wear with elastic on the waist and pockets on each hip. The top closes with hook and a snap at the waist and snaps above that. Elastic through the waist as well. The jacket/outer top buttons to close as described above. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. There is the tiniest touch of a grubby feel to the inner collars, along the bottom edge of the jacket and near the arm opening of the inner top. 

Top
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 12-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20" from neck to hem

Jacket/top
Sleeves: 22" approx.
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to hem

Pant
Elastic waist: 14-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Inseam: 29"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3741

Reference Photos: Karen Bjornson for Halston Resort 1977, August 1977. Photo by Stan Papich. From the book "Halston" by Phaidon.

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

Anne Fogarty designed pieces for young women at affordable pricing. Her work always has a touch of femininity to it. She started her career as a fit model for Harvey Berin while in her twenties and it was while there that she decided to try her hand at design. She designed dresses for Youth Guild up to 1950 before joining Margot Dresses and then by the 1950s, she designed for Saks Fifth Avenue. In 1962 she launched her label under her own name, Anne Fogarty, Inc, followed by a boutique line. This dress is from that secondary line. Her business closed in 1970 which gives us a window that this dress would have been from. Through the 1960s and 1970s the Empire cut was a favourite of hers and this is a lovely example of that time period. 

The dress is so cute and it will be even better on an actual body. It is always hard to fully capture pieces with this off the shoulder cut as they really need to be on to come to life. The dress is made out of a light cotton voile in a soft lavender colour. There is a design of little white dots and flowers that runs over the entire dress. The edges of the flowers are finished with a slightly more opaque white line that gives the fabric a hand painted effect. The top is cut with a higher set empire waist and it is meant to skim over the bust. The neckline is ruffle and it is cut wide enough that depending on your shoulders it can sit fully on the shoulder, to the edge of the shoulder, or fully off the shoulder to leave the most skin bare. The sleeves are capped and puffed. It is gathers just under the bust for a touch of shaping and then the dress falls loose and easy around the body on all sides. Two ribbons are attached at the waist, one purple and one white, and you can use these to tie it at the back. This lets you ties them loose and easy or you can really cinch it in. The skirt falls from there and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The hem is finished with a wide ruffle in the same fabric to create the perfect finishing touch. It is darling. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a white silky rayon. It slips over the head to wear and you can tie the ribbons to add shape. 

Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 10" from top of shoulder to ribbons waist
Skirt: 43" from ribbons at empire waist to hem
Neckline opening is 40" around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3740

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

Loris Azzaro founded his label in 1967 and quickly was dressing women like Raquel Welch, Brigette Bardot, Tina Turner, Liza Minnelli, Sophia Loren, Marisa Berenson and many more. His label gained international recognition and was known for his bright, clear colour choices and daring cuts. He once said in an interview; 'When a woman has found her style, she should stick to it. We forget too often that it is the dress that must serve the woman and not the opposite.' He is one of my favourite designers to find and with all of the emphasis on recreating these looks from the eighties by many modern designers you can't beat these original vintage version on terms of cut, style and quality. 

This is a fabulously bold and sexy dress. Azzaro chose a vivid pink silk taffeta for the fabric. It is the perfect fabric to help to hold the shape and give the dress structure while keeping it light in weight. The silk is draped over the body and set in a series of tightly spaced horizontal gathers that run from the top of the bodice to bottom of the hem. You can see the hidden set stitching where the gathers have been lightly caught in a line down the front. This is mirrored by an actual seam that runs down the back. The dress is strapless and the bodice is shaped into an exaggerated sweetheart neckline that plunges down in the middle to meet the centre stitching detail. The waist nips in beneath this by the way it is cut rather then having a waist seam that would break the line of the dress. Below that the skirt skims over the hips. It is cut to be short so that you get a mile of leg showing. You can even hike it up more around the hips of you want to wear it shorter and by doing that it makes the bows at the back have even more volume. The bows at the back create a modified bustle. Three panels of silk have been set stacked in folded loops one over top the next below it. They start just under the low back and end at the hem. Each loop is finished with a touch of an inner netting to help hold their shape. This adds a very dramatic and quirky detail to the dress that I love. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pink silk and closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. The bodice is boned and the back bustle panels have in inner lining of netting for shape and snap into place over the zipper. Hand finished.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from top peak of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3305

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