1950s Cornelia Couturier Avant Garde Dress & Coat

In the 1950s The society matrons of Toronto bought their couture directly from the houses in Europe, through the Simpsons and Eatons Couture salons or had them custom made by Cornelia Couturier who had an atelier in Toronto. Though not a member of the chambre syndicale de la haute couture, her clothing was made to the same exacting standards and the designs and workmanship rival anything being produces anywhere in the world at the time. This is an absolute beauty of an outfit that has all the fine details and workmanship the vintage collector lusts for. It is constructed from a boucle wool in a beautiful shade of sky blue. The dress is fitted with ingenious and avant garde feeling seaming through the bodice and waist to accentuate your figure. There are actual curved seams that have a slight raising to them so they sit off the dress! The skirt folds down and under itself at the front and each sleeve widens and has that unusual half seam on it. All very high end and unusual. The coat has a definite nod to the work of Balenciaga and Dior  and is cut generously and full. I love the short bold sleeves and rounded sculpted quality of the cut. Those same unusual seams are mimicked at the front. Incredible construction and really remarkable and in person - even better! If this was a more well known label I would probably have priced it double or more then what it is at now - the coat alone is worth every penny of the list price. Excellent condition with some very minor flaws to note.

The dress is fully lined and ribbon edge finished in a white silk organza and closes with a back painted metal zipper. The coat is lined in a cream silk and closes with buttons as shown. There is some shattering to the lining of the dress but it is all original and can be worn as is so I have left it. Hand work and finishes throughout. There is a dot of yellowing just under the bust and another on the skirt and in the very brightest of lights a slight tinge of yellow under one arm - the seaming hides this completely when one. One button on the coat has a pencil eraser sized yellowed area. These are very minor and do not detract.

Dress
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 23" from seam under the bust to hem

Coat
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust-Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD1699

Photographed for Factice Magazine, Autumn 2014 by Peter Tamlin. Stylist: Nadia Pizzimenti, Hair & Makeup: Patrick Rahme, Model: Naro. Click here to see the full shoot in our lookbooks >

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