In 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. That said, his ready-to-wear line was made to almost true couture standards and pieces were made with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in the construction of his work. Grace Kelly was an early fan and he was truly one of the great American designers. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. This two piece dress set is just beyond beautiful.

The original owner was friends with James Galanos and the family records indicated that this was made for her by him so it may have never had a label. It is made up of two pieces that are meant to be layered over each other and that is what makes it just opaque enough to wear. Both pieces are so incredibly made that you could easily wear them on their own and either work with the touch of transparency both have or wear something underneath either.  This really makes then that much more versatile and extends their wear as a part of your wardrobe. The inner dress is a little weightless slip dress that is made out of a black silk net that has a gold thread embroidered over its surface in little tiny little gold circles. It is suspended from the shoulders by tiny straps and then skims over the body. The bottom part of the hem is finished in a black lace with black cording hand sewn onto it to follow the pattern in the lace. When you layer this under the top dress this bottom part peeks out from under the skirt for an interesting layered effect. The dress that goes over that is even better. It is cut into a little short skater dress silhouette. The collar is high and the sleeves are long. It skims over the bust and nips in at the waist but has no seam cutting across to break the eye. The skirt flares out from there and is very light and swingy. It is very short but the other inner dress layered underneath keeps it from being scandalous. The fabric is a black cut work lace that again has that gorgeous gold worked onto it to add a metallic feel. Under the hem is a panel of gold lace that adds yet another layer. It is just stunning and even better person. The fabric has so much texture and the metallic bits pick up the light perfectly. It is made to demi-couture standards and a wonderful piece. I love it. Excellent conditon 

The inner dress serves as the lining. Both pieces have a touch of transparency to them. The outer dress closes with a back zipper and a series of snaps to closes the fabric that sits over and hides the zipper. Each sleeve has a zipper at the wrist. The inner dress zips to close at the back. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Outer dress
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 30" from neck to hem
Collar: 14" around

Inner dress
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 34" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3889

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

Fred Perlberg is an interesting designer. He started his label in 1920 at the grand old age of 19 and continued as the designer until 1968 when he retired. After he retired Roger Millet took over as the designer and he stayed with the label until the late seventies. This dress is most likely from the earlier part of the Millet era, dating to the late 1960s or early 1970s. The Perlberg company dresses were well made in done in small production runs so that they could focus on good quality pieces. 

This dress is a great representation of what the label did so well. It made dresses to dance in and this would be fabulous to do just that in. This one is gorgeous with its bright pink silk chiffon skirt that is made up of many yards of the fabric. There are three layers in total in the skirt. The top two layers are the pink silk chiffon and then there is a skirt made out of pink lining under those. When you move the silk will twirl around you beautifully. The skirt is set high and angles up to attach just under the bust line. The bodice itself is gorgeous and is completely covered with a silver lace that then has looped silver beads, silver sequins and prong set rhinestones set onto it for a lovely bit of glamour and contrast to the pink. The neckline does quite low and is cut wide across the front. The straps extend out from the bodice and curves over your shoulder and down the back. At the back it finishes in a curved low scoop to leave a bare expanse of skin above. It is a lovely piece and the pink is even better in person and on an actual body. Excellent condition.

Fully lined  through the skirt and main part of the bodice in a pink silk. The upper bodice and straps are lined in a nude netting. The dress closes with a back painted metal and a hook above that. The pink of the skirt is sifter in person then how it photoed here. 

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner natural waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3892

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

This is the second time I have had this dress and it is even more special this time because we have been able to date it. It was used for the ad campaign that year and I love that I have the photo for you to see to give you an idea of how spectacular it is on the body. It is a gorgeous example of his work during the 1980s. This time period in Oscar's history was overlooked by a lot of collectors and enthusiasts and I am happy to see it gaining more traction lately because he really did some exceptional work in this period.

The dress is made from a bright pink silk matte satin that has bands of an inky black velvet to highlight the cut of the dress and act as a contrast to the pink. The bodice is strapless and is cut to be fitted to the body and hug you right down to the waist. Under the waist it curves out slightly over the tip of the hips and then ether skirt falls tot he floor under that in a gently widening curve. The fullness that you see s created by soft pleats that circle just under the last black velvet band and then when it reaches the hem it flares out more with a side ruffle set into the bottom of the skirt. The velvet is so cleverly places. On the skirt hem is acts as a divider between the skirt and that last ruffle and then thread there bands near the bottom to add detailing. On the bodice five bans circle around you and daw the eye in and around. At the back each of the bands ends in a pretty bow. These runs down your back and create the prettiest romantic effect. Built in pink silk organza with stiffened netting in the hem help to create and hold the fullness that you see. It is that perfect mix of elegance and femininity that Oscar excelled at. Excellent condition with one small note below

Fully lined in a matching pink silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Light boning on the sides of the bodice. The interior skirting has additional silk underskirts as described above. There is room to add a light to medium  crinoline if you wanted an even fuller look. There is one tiny little tick out of the velvet on the bottom ban of the back hem. Please see last photo after the label shot

Upper band of bodice: 15.25"
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Waist: 12,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist seam
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3891

Reference Photo: (1) Fall 1980 Oscar de la Renta Runway. Model: Kirat.  /  (2) Oscar de la Renta Ad, Vogue US, September 1980.

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

Larry Aldrich was an American fashion designer who started his career in 1924 making clothes for private clients. In the early 1940s he started to put labels into his piece with his name on them and continued to design for his brand until 1966. During this period he was the president of the New York Couture Group which strove to ensure clothing was being made to the same high standards as their Parisian counterparts. After 1966 the label was designed by Marie McCarthy and in 1972 Larry retired fully and the label changed to simply say Aldrich. The quality of the garments being produced was kept throughout and his vision remained. Aldrich became best known for founding the Aldrich Museum for Contemporary Art in 1964. This tends to overshadow his work as a fashion designer but he did make beautiful clothing that was to demi and couture standards. 

This is such a beautiful dress that has a quiet elegance to it that I love. It is not 100% perfect but its flaws are all on the interior and from the outside it appears to be flawless. It is definitely a dress that has years of life and love in it. The dress is stunning and has that quite elegance that the best of the label's work had. It is made from a ultra light black silk taffeta that is mixed with a fine black netted lace. The two fabrics are set in horizontal rows that run over the dress from top to bottom. The lace panels on the body have been backed with a pale nude silk organza to give the illusion that you are bare underneath. Where the lace is inset into the sleeve the lace has been left unlined so you do see bare skin peep through. The shoulder are soft and the sleeves are long with a simple cut. The bust is cut to skim over the bodice and the waist nips in. I have added a grosgrain ribbon to add a bit more share and that ribbon will be sent with the dress. The skirt flares out from under the waist and it quite full by the time it reaches the hem. I love the elaborate pin tuck detailing that sits above and below the seam at the waist. This adds a lovely third texture and extra detailing that is just wonderful. Looking at it you would think it is flawless but please read the notes below concerning the lining. 

The body of the dress is fully lined in a nude silk organza and there is additionally a built in skirt made of the same organza. The sleeves are unlined and the dress closes at the back with a zipper. Each cuff closes with a zipper at the wrist. The grosgrain ribbon is not original to the dress but will be included. There is shattering to the inner lining around the arms and there is some fraying to the edge of the hem of the inner skirt. Please see the photos after the label shot. It is completely wearable even as is and of course this is not seen from the outside

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3894

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 dress by Oscar de la Renta that I love. It is made from a lightweight printed silk that has a pretty dot design worked into the silk. The dots have a different finish so that they catch the light in a very pretty way. The back drop of the silk is a bright vivid pink colour and then it has a pattern of bright colourful flowers and leafs screened onto it. The bodice of the dress is so pretty. It is gathered across the bust into a seam down the centre. Above that is a large soft bow made of the same silk. This gives the bust a little bit of detail without detracting from the simplicity of the design. The skirt cascades to the floor from the seam under the bust and has a sarong feel. It wraps over itself down the front so that when you move or sit you will get a glimpse of leg peeking out from the opening. I took a photo so you can see how it is open and simply lays over the fabric underneath. The silk chiffon is almost weightless and the entire dress weighs ounces. This gives it a fantastic feeling of airiness and lightness. It is a really lovely and pretty dress. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined through the bodice in a pink silky rayon and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a back zipper. The ODLR tag was cut at some point in its history. Tagged vintage ODLR 6

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under Bust: 16"  flat across at the seam under the bust
Natural Waist: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 6" from top of the bodice to seam under the bodice
Skirt: 47" from seam under the bodice dress to front hem, 50" to the back hem. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3887

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 Emma Domb company was launched in 1939 by Emma along with her daughter Lorraine. From the beginning they specialized in party dresses at reasonable prices. When Dior launched his 'New Look' they took that concept and ran with it, producing a myriad of dresses with full skirts for all occasions. The Party Lines label was launched on the 1950s to specifically go after the young adult/teen market. They duo produced the dresses themselves in their own factory and the dresses are well made and well designed. The last Emma Domb dress was made in 1974 when the factory was shuttered. The company officially dissolved a couple of years later. Her dresses were an American staple and they are a very beloved collectible in the vintage world.   

This dress is just so pretty. I am in love with it. It is really a beautiful example of the kind of dreamy dresses the Emma and her daughter were making. The print on the silky rayon is a lovely pansy design that covers the entire surface. I love how the flowers are mixed with the green on the backdrop. The print is screened onto the fabric in a way that makes it look like a painting. The strapless bodice is very pretty with a curved sweetheart neckline. There is a little panel of fabric that follows the edge of the curve and the fabric crosses over itself. The interior is lightly boned for support and it is fitted to the bust. The waist nips in and then the skirt flares out under that. The skirt is quite full with lots and lots of fabric. I photoed it with and without a crinoline so that you can see how you can wear it either way. I love the little detailing panel that crosses over the front of the skirt and runs down each side. This little extra touch is so pretty and feminine. This is really a wonderful fifties dress. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a side painted metal zipper. Light boning through the bodice. The crinoline used in the photos is not included

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and generous cups - maybe a B-C
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of peak of the bodice to waist
Skirt: 32" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3886

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

Fred Perlberg is an interesting designer. He started his label in 1920 at the grand old age of 19 and continued as the designer until 1968 when he retired. So this dress would be from near the end of his career. His focus was on pieces you could dance it and often had elements that would twirl around you when you moved on the dance floor. 

I love the lightness of the chiffon on this dress and the brilliant mix of tropical colours that make up the print. Fred Perlberg made dresses that were to be danced in as I mention above and this one is no exception. The outer layer of chiffon is cut on the bias so that is has a lot of movement. When you stand still it falls in a gorgeous column but as soon as you move you see just how much fabric is there. The dress is made up of two layers. The printed crepe chiffon top layer that has that gorgeous tulip print on it and then a pink inner dress under that. The bodice has been gathered into a sexy little round keyhole at the front. The straps extend out from there to curve up and over the shoulders to meet the back. The fabric on the bust is gathered across your bust and then the skirt falls from the seam under the bust. It is also gathered in more towards the centre to the round keyhole so that you get more fabric falling down the centre of the skirt for a pretty effect. At the back it is cut to leave the upper back and shoulders bare. It is so pretty and fresh feeling. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silky rayon and closes with a back painted zipper. It looks like it was let out a little bit on each side. You can see the previous stitch marks and I have photoed that for you. Please see the final photo after the label shot 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam right under the bust
Natural waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 44" from seam under the bust to to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3885

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, 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. I love this one and it is a little extra interesting as I have sold its twin in a blue version in the past.

This one is a gorgeous example of her work. The cotton is crisp and fresh feeling still and has been hand dyed to a beautiful deep brown colour with lighter natural linen colour accents. It has hand done embroidery work at the front neck and down the front. Piping in the lighter colour defines the neckline and sleeves. The sleeves are incredible. Each ends in a huge flare and those flares are actually a full circle of fabric. This gives them incredible volume and movement. The skirt also flares out and its volume is achieved through the lighter coloured inserts that are set in long inverted triangles of fabric. The lighter inserts and embroidery perfectly compliment each other. It is cut to sit slightly more fitted through 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. It is easy to wear and a great statement piece Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back metal zipper. The fabric has natural variations in it. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The colour in person is slightly lighter then how it photoed in some of the shots. It's even better in person I think. The loose cut will allow it to fit a range of sizes.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" 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: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRGD

Item# DD3876

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 Oscar de La Renta boutique label first appeared in 1967 which makes this dress from one of his very earliest collections for this line. His boutique label is important as is marked the first ready-to-wear line for a Seventh Avenue designer to be launched. These early pieces have lots of hand finishes and are just stunning example of his work during these early days of his career. 

I love this dress. It is made out of a gorgeous deep brown velvet that gives it a really beautiful texture. The velvet has a flat pile and there is a bit of a vertical texture worked into it that helps add length when you have it on. It is a really stunning detail. To contrast this and give the dress a touch of a metallic feel Oscar then added a wide silver and gold metal thread panel of ribbon to follow the notched neckline. This panel of fabric runs down each side of the neckline and then circles around the collar. That same metallic fabric is used to cover the edges of the matching belt. The belt is fabulous in its own right. It is cut wide and then peaks where it meets in the middle. To close it, it has a long matching velvet tie that loops through the brass coloured grommets and then laces up as tight as you wish. The fabric of the dress is light in weight so that the dress is very easy to wear. It has long sleeves and each sleeve poufs out over the cuff. The cuffs are done in the same metallic fabric to pick up on the belt and neckline. Each is also slit down the sides so you see part of your arm. Very unusual and very chic once on. The skirt cascades to the floor gently widening out as it nears the hem. And it has pockets. It is really a gorgeous dress and very well made. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a brown silky rayon. Closes with a back zipper and a hook at the top of the neck. Each cuff snaps to close. The inner back of the belt has stiffened a bit and it was stored folded. This does not effect the front at all but you see the fold lines on the back. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to centre of band at waist
Skirt: 41.5" from centre of band at waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3878

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

Oleg Cassini was born in Russia, started his career working for Jean Patou, opened his first shop in Rome and eventually moved to the US in 1936. He started in Hollywood designing costumes in 1941 and dressed just about every star in Hollywood for decades. While doing that he also had his own line where he built his reputation as being the designer of choice for Jacqueline Kennedy while she was the First Lady. In 2003 The Council of Fashion Designers of America Board of Directors noted Cassini's extraordinary design achievements with their first ever Board of Directors Special Tribute. This dress is from his higher end bridal couture line whose prices ranges from $5000 to $50000

This dress is is such a statement piece and definitely not for the super traditional bride. But if you have been looking for something that is a statement piece this is it. The dress is made from a rich feeling ivory silk satin. This gives the dress a touch of a luxurious sheen to it that beautifully catches the light. The front is cut in a long sleek sheath with a high set neckline that is cut straight across. It skims over the bust and comes in slightly at the waist. At the hips a panel of fabric wraps over the inner dress and is set so that it softly drapes around the hips for a bit of a sculptural feel and detailing. It continues all the way down to the hem at the front and then on each side of you it wraps around to the back where it is gathered along the sides of the back zipper. The back of that panel is cut on a curve that drapes down beautiful to the hem. Under that the main body of the dress flares out to create a stunning train behind you. The back is cut into a low V for a bare expanse of skin. More skin is shown with the cut outs that run down each side of the bodice. These side openings are incredible and a very unexpected detail. Each opening is held in place with a criss cross beaded strap that runs down the opening. The beadwork is done to form little flowers for a sweet little romantic touch. It is a gorgeous dress that would be perfect for a wedding dress for some one who wanted something not quite so traditional and it could also be worn for a black tie event. Excellent condition with one note to review below

Fully lined with an ivory silky rayon and closes with a back zipper. The gown is very fresh looking with grubbiness only to the back train from brushing on the floor when stored. I do not think it was ever actually worn. Tagged a size 6

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to front hem, 72" to the very end of the back train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3873

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 1952, Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season, he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodman stores and was eventually available at other retailers as well. The line was high end and extremely well made. He launched this line to expand his customer base and it made to appeal specifically to his non-couture clients. This label continued until 1992. This particular dress has the added provenance of coming from the estate of Phyllis McGuire. She was of course the lead singer and youngest of the 'The McGuire Sisters' trio. Many of the garments she had were customs made for her or tailored for her. 

This dress is fantastic and a wonderful example of the work being done for this label during this time period. It is made from a black silk jersey that allows it to drape beautifully on the body. The dress is cut to drape and skim over the you but in a very loose and easy way. It can be worn unbelted for an almost caftan like feel through the body or belted to give it shape. I added a ribbon at the waist to show you how it can be worn belted and I will send the ribbon seen here with the dress to its new owner. The dress completely covers you but the fabric choice gives it a bit of sensuality that I love. The sleeves are cut to be very long and once on they will pouf out above the elastic cuffs. The neckline is cut wide with a ruffled detail. Under the ruffle it is gathered and ruched for subtle detailing. The dress falls from there and skims over the body in loose and easy way. It falls to the floor in a beautiful drape of inky black silk jersey. Around the bottom above the hem there is another gathered and ruched detailing that brings the lower skirt in just a touch. It is an easy dress to wear that you just throw on and go and it feels great. Plus the provenance of it adds a fun second layer of intrigue. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear. Elastic at the cuffs. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Hand finished. The fabric does have stretch so it should fit a range of sizes. The measurements below give you the comfortable range the fabric has when lying flat.

Sleeves: approx 28" and will come up when on
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 17-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: 17-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3872

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 Fruit of the Loom company has existed since 1851 and during the early part of the 20th century they produced some lovely lingerie pieces like this one. These don't pop up very often and I think this is one of the prettiest I have ever seen.

This is a lovely piece of vintage lingerie. If you were to try to buy new lingerie at this same level of construction it would be at an insane price if you could even find anyone doing this still. The gown is made out of a peach coloured silky rayon that is very feminine in feel. It is also opaque so you could wear this out as a dress if you wished. It has classic thirties / forties bias cut lines to it and this makes the dress have incredible movement and drape over the body. I love the floral print that covers it surface. The top is as pretty as it can be. It has little capped sleeves and is slit down the front with a ribbon tie at the neck and the cutest little round collar. The waist nips in and I love how the seam there comes up a little at the front. The skirt flares out under that and is also entirely cut on the bias. It is in amazing condition for its age and looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Unlined and slips on to wear. The waist has no opening so you have to be able to get the waist past your shoulders to get it on. That said, it would be fairly easy to open a side seam and add snaps so that it is easier to get into. Hand finished throughout and a truly amazing example of the work done for lingerie during this time period. The fabric is cut on the bias so will come up a bit in length once on an actual body. Some minor scuffs and dents in the fabric here and there consistent with this type of fabric and its age. The bias cut will allow it to work on a variety of sizes as it drapes to fit 

Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-23 flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# E699

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 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. That said, his ready-to-wear line was made to almost true couture standards and piece in it were made with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in the construction of his dresses and other pieces. Grace Kelly was an early fan and he was truly one of the great American designers. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. The label that is in the coat is the one that was the one used between 1963 and 1977 giving us a definitive time period that it would have been made in. This coat is just stunning

This coat is so well made and tailored that it is a thing of beauty to see. It is made from a heavier weight creamy ivory coloured wool and this is what gives it its structure. It is cut in that highly structured manner of this time period with a more fitted upper body and then it flares out wide through the lower half of the coat. Every line of this coat is fantastic. The collar is oversized and sits more towards the back so that the points of the lapel fall on the shoulder. It then creates a neat little wide set V as it angles in towards the first top button. The buttons that run down the front are a matching ivory and they are thick cut and round. The sleeves are long and sleek and cut on a slight curve in the proper tailoring manner to follow the arm. The edges are top stitched and there is a large front pocket set right at the waist. This become the main design detail and it quite fabulous in its unusual placement. The skirting of the coat opens with inverted pleats set at each side and then again at the back. Each of these has this wonderful pointed 'arrow' top stitching at the top of the seam that I just love. All of the seams are set on the vertical so there is no cross line to break the eye. The final perfect finishing touch is the stark black silk taffeta lining that offers a stark contrast to the cream exterior. It is truly one of the best vintage coats I have seen and a wonderful find. Excellent condition with a minor note below. 

Fully lined in a black silk taffeta and closes with buttons at the front. The front pocket is functional. This is a medium to heavy weight coat. Hand finished throughout. Some very minor pilling to the fabric here and there but I am being very picky. Very faint grubbiness around the bottom edge. Again being insanely picky. Both of these would not show in the photos. It is beautifully made and tailored . 

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" 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: 43" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# C598

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. Ungaro started out as a designer who did very structural and conceptual space age pieces but by the time he started his ready to wear line, Ungaro Parallele, in 1968 he was already starting to soften his look. By the late seventies and early eighties, the time period that this dress is from, his designs had become softer and more body conscious.

This is a fabulous little Ungaro dress with the prettiest floral print running over its surface. It somehow manages to be dramatic, sexy and yet pretty and sweet all at once. It is made from a soft silk jersey and is cut to be very fitted on the body. The shoulders are cut high and the sleeves are soft and full. I love how the front is cut out on an angle and the back has an open cut out for a glimpse of bare skin. The waist is all gathered and draped to highlight your shape and then under that the skirt is set with a draped feel over to the one side. Little bows are the perfect finishing touch. There is a flat bow at the bust, one on the side of the skirt  and then each sleeves ties into place so you can make it as poufed out above the tie as you wish. It has it a bit of a forties vibe to it and is very pretty. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is lined in silk and there is a layer of added structure that helps keep the shape. It closes with a side painted metal zipper and hook and eye at the back neck over the cut out. The fabric has some stretch.

Shoulders: 13"
Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2843

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

The twin of this dress was Look 70 on the Spring 2016 runway. In 2016 Valentino was headed by both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. They had stepped into Mr Valentino's shoes and were breathing new life into the brand. The show was based on Africa as its inspiration and at this period of time the world was watching refugees attempting the journey to Italy. In the Vogue review for this collection Maria and Pierpaulo were quoted as saying; 'We probably feel that the greatest privilege in doing our work is that fashion can give a message,” said Chiuri. “We think every person coming here is an individual, and we can show that we can improve ourselves by understanding other cultures.'... 'The message,' added Piccioli, 'is tolerance. And the beauty that comes out of cross-cultural expression.' Many of the pieces fused Italian and African traditions, 'They met in the textiles'. This dress was one of the simplest of the show but is also one of the most beautiful and best cut with its simple monastic lines. 

The dress is made from a high end silk crepe that is entirely cut on the bias. This is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric and that back cape catch the air and billows out around you. The colour is a deep hunter green and the dress is the twin of the runway version so you can see exactly how it moves in the video added here. It is constructed so that it drapes on the body perfectly. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by straps that curve up from the fabric of the bodice at the front and then change to skinny little straps that run down the back. It plunges into a low V at the front and the back is deeply scooped so that your entire back is left bare. It skims over the waist and then the skirt falls to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. That and the bias cut of it is what gives it the floating effect it has when you move. A low back panel of silk is set to follow the lines there and this panel is what gives the dress its caped feel. The dress has this clever wrap effect to achieve this at the back with the back panel simply snapping into place along the side of the waist. I love that where it snaps into place it creates the slightest fold that gives shape to the waist area. And how that same effect is done on the other side as well even though that side is sewn into place. The precision in cut to have these match and sit like that should not be underestimated. It is very beautiful. It has not been worn and still has it original Valentino hang tag. It is stunning and a beautiful example of how simple doesn't have to mean boring by any means. Excellent condition

Unlined with inner finished fresh seams. The inner dress has a low set zipper at the back and then the back panel wraps and closes with snaps at one side of the waist. Tagged a Valentino 38. The easy cut should fit a range of sizes. If you are not very big busted this might work on a medium as well. Original hang tag attached.

Bust: open at each side so variable. Each triangle is about 6" across at the base
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem, 64" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3860

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 2016 Valentino Runway Collection, Look 70. Model: Bara Podzimkova.  /  (4) Italian actress Vittoria Puccini in Spring 2016 Valentino silk-cady gown to the 60th David Di Donatello award in Rome.

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

Since listing this dress it was found out to be a Fall 2001 Halston. It is made out of a beautiful clear and true red matte silk satin. The fabric is just heavy enough to be able to hold the shape, but is still light enough that with every move it billows out around and behind you. The bodice is very unusual. At the front it is strapless and curves across your bust. At the back it has an almost racerback feel with the an angled cut that extends all the way to the high back of your neck. It then extends out and wraps around to form a collar that you see at the front. This gives the dress a bit of an edgy feel that I love. The bust is fitted and shaped to accentuate your curves. Below that the skirt is very full and billows out and around you beautifully. It is cut to be very full. It curves over the hips and then flows to the floor as it widens out. At the back it is cut longer then the front to give it a beautiful curve. Big soft pleats start at each side of the hips and then continue to the back. The way they are set into the base of the back give the skirt more fullness there and the effect is just beautiful. From the side this creates a beautiful curving angle from the waist to back hem. No matter what angle you see the dress it is stunning. It is just fabulous. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk through the bodice and a the skirt is self based in a black. Built in inner skirts that give it the fullness that you see and then a red silk inner skirt under that. It closes with a back hidden set zipper.  Ribbon edged finished seams. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Neck: 12.5" around
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to front hem, 48" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3858

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 piece is wonderful and shows the range of what Hanae Mori was capable of. It is simple and beautiful but still striking. It dates to the late 1970s, early 1980s and it is an absolute work of art. 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 and plays a strong part of my own personal archives. I own the exact twin of this kimono and would never part with mine as it is so versatile. 

I have worn variations of this exact kimono for years now whenever I head out for the evening. It is the perfect pop of color over a dress and is light and luxurious feeling for evening. I have even in a pinch have wrapped and closed it with a large pin, or just wrapped and belted it with the matching belt, and worn it as a dress. It is absolutely stunning. This really shows her talent for taking traditional elements from her own culture and giving them a more western world twist in terms of modifying the cut. It is made of a red silk and lined in silk as well. The colour is beautiful red and that is softened with the pretty and romantic flower and butterfly print that covers its surface. The red of the silk is that perfect shade that flatters most skin tones and the print is done in a mix of pretty soft blues and greys. It has a matching sash belt that you can use to add shape and cinch in the waist. The sleeve are cut to be wide and full and the body is loose and easy. It looks to have never been worn or used and would be perfect to use as wedding kimono, to take on your honeymoon, or to top an evening ensemble. Of course it also works as a lingerie piece and a dress. It is the ultimate multi-tasker. The print that covers the kimono is hand screened and painted with hauntingly beautiful butterflies that flit across the surface of the silk. The butterfly is a Hanae Mori signature and I love that they are used with such romantic abandon on this kimono as they trail across its surface. Excellent condition

The kimono is fully lined with a pale soft purple/blue tissue silk and has no closures. This one comes with , its matching sash belt. The fabric is signed throughout. Tagged a S but the open, loose cut will allow it to fit just about any size. It looks like it has never been worn. 

Sleeves: approx 27" from the natural shoulder to the longest post they fall and are 23" around
Shoulder: no defined seam
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: to 21" flat across the inner seam but adjustable with the sash
Length: 56" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD3857

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

Vogue's review of this collection was done by Hamish Bowles who said in part; "With their ironed hair, pale lips, and exaggerated doe-eye makeup, the leggy girls on Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel runway were channeling Penelope Tree, the iconic and kooky sixties model. With a major Chanel retrospective opening in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, Lagerfeld also delved into Coco Chanel's history—specifically a 1920's liaison with the Duke of Westminster that saw her borrowing knits and tweedy pieces from his chic country wardrobe. Lagerfeld feminized his layered cardigan and plus fours with scarves twinkling with diamond camellias and topped them with adorable newsboy caps, knit cloches, or floppy berets." I love the nod to the tweed that the pieces had and the kicky skirts like this one are perfect to pair with a great boot. 

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning metallic tweed version of the Chanel signature fabric. The fabric combines a silk thread with mohair and a gold metal thread that he has worked through the entire suit. This gives it an exceptional but subtle sheen and a very luxurious feel. It is absolutely beautiful. To heighten that sense of luxury Karl added a rabbit fur trim to the jacket. The fur has been set to run down the front edges, curve around the back and then also circle the hem. It also details each cuff and the pockets. The jacket is cut in that classic Chanel box shape. The sleeves are long and I love the pockets that sit on each side. It hooks to close down the front with hidden set hook & eye so there is nothing to break the line. The skirt is cut with a slight flare as it nears the hem. It is set all the way around with series of wide flat pleats, giving that nod to the schoolgirl and the sixties the show was based on. The upper part of the skirt is more fitted around the hips and then it opens up to create the beautiful lines that you see. The entire suit is lined in the highest quality camellia flower embossed black silk. This is classic Chanel right down to the chain stitched by hand into the hem of the jacket. It is exceptional. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are fully lined in a black silk embossed with the Chanel camellia flower print. The interior hem of the jacket is finished with one of their signature metal chains. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper. The jacket hooks to close down the front. Pockets on the jacket and the skirt. The colour and texture are even better in person. Both pieces are tagged a Chanel 40. There is the slightest bit of pilling to the silk on the interior of the jacket from rubbing against the skirt when it was stored. 

And just a note on their fabrics.... The Chanel boucle and tweeds are created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3854

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

The Davidow label was a manufacturer of suits and coats and made a name for themselves in the 1960s by starting to produce copies of Chanel. Which they did pretty amazingly and at a price more suited to those who could not afford couture (this time period pre-dated Chanels foray into ready-to-wear). These were sold through better shops throughout America and were widely popular. 

This coat is a marvel. It made me gasp when I saw it. It is very well made and the fabric is extraordinary. I doubt you will see another like it again. It is made out of a soft flat pile chenille type velvet in a combination of a deep red and a black on a white base. The base fabric appears to be a heavy, almost canvas type fabric and then the black and red chenille have been applied in a pattern onto that. The pattern is so intricate and it has a wonderful 3D effect. I love the care put into matching the pattern on the sleeves to the body of the coat. The horizontal rows run over the entire coat in an incredible and intricate design. The coat has a bit of a military feel to it and I love how the pattern is laid out to highlight the high collar and sculpted lines. Flap pockets are placed high on the breast on the front of the coat. They are perfectly set to follow the pattern and each has a large decorative gold toned dome button. The same big gold dome buttons run down the front giving the coat a neat and polished feel. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are long. A matching belt cinches in the waist and adds shape. The fairly simple design of the coat allows that beautiful fabric to take centre stage. An interesting thing about this one, it closes almost all the way to the bottom hem so could be worn as a dress as well. Excellent condition with one minor note below

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with the gold toned dome button down the front. The top flap pockets are decorative only. Hidden working pockets along the seams at the front. Hand finished throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all but there is evidence that it was let out on the upper bust on both sides. It is fine as is or could be taken back in if needed.  Please see the final photo after the label for a close up of the seams there

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C596

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

Say the name Zac Posen and you immediately think red carpet and glamour. He is one of the best known modern designers and his name was already a buzz with fashion insiders before he even launched his own self named label. He held his first fashion show at the age of 20 and that same year founded his own company, Outspoke, through which he opened his signature label. 2002 saw the debut of his first ready-to-wear collection and soon Natalie Portman was a fan, Vogue's Anna Winter threw in her support and the label was on its way. The label lasted until 2019 and was a red carpet favourite for all the years in between. My client told me that she had this dress for at least ten years and never ended up wearing it so it is as if it just stepped off a rack condition wise. A similar dress with some of the same design elements walked the runway for the 2014 season so I have dated it to that year. It is a stunning example of his work.  

This dress is just remarkable. It is very sexy and provocative once on the body. It is also in its original uncut length so perfect for my taller girls should they need the length yet would be alterable if you don't. The purple of it is very unique and in person it has a softer, dustier feel to it for lack of a better descriptive word. It is really stunning. The fabric is completely cut on the bias so off the body it is one ultra long swath of fabric but once on the body it settles around your curves and highlights everything perfectly. The front and the back are cut into a low V and then the waist nips it. The shape is all created by the most clever seaming that harkens back to the type of work they were doing in the 1930s. From the waist the dress curves out over the hips and then is cut inwards a bit so it sits along the legs. At about the knee the skirt flares out dramatically. When laid out flat the amount of fabric around the lower skirting is more than a full circle. When you move it moves and the effect is amazing. My photos don't come close to doing it its full justice and when it is on the body it really comes to life. If all of that were not enough it was then highlighted with series of raw edged, exposed seams that give it an almost futuristic feel and highlight the shape and curves of the body even more. It is incredible and even better in person and on a body. Excellent condition 

Lined in a mixed silk stretch fabric and has a hidden set zipper at the back. Bias cut and was never worn. Tagged a modern US 8 and the fabric does have stretch. The range given is the comfortable stretch laid flat. The bias cut will move to accomodate the body some as well. 

Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 66" from top of bodice to front hem, 70" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3852

Reference Photo: Spring 2014 Zac Posen Runway, Look 28.

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 coat is wonderful. It has those fabulous sixties lines and details that you want from this time period. This was made through the more youth oriented sub-division of the Jonathon Logan label, one of the largest ready to wear companies in the USA by the mid 1960s. They developed several brands under the Jonathan Logan umbrella and this is one you don't see very often. It is made out of a light weight ultra soft black faux fur. The pile of the fabric lays flat and close to the cloth and it has a slight textured feel to it. The fabric is very soft and supple. The coat falls beautifully once on. The coat zips up the front to a collared neck. It is more fitted through the shoulders, skims over the bodice to the waist and then falls outwards to the hem. The braiding detail is fantastic. It follows the lines of the coat and adds that little bit of extra detail that makes it fabulous. It is so very wearable and chic. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in black silky rayon It zippers to close at the front and has pockets on each side. 

Sleeves: 23"
Slightly inset shoulder: 15.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C594

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

Jean Louis is the designer who created that dress that Marilyn Monroe was sewn into when she sang Happy Birthday to  President John F Kennedy. Louis worked in the movies heading the costume department at Columbia Pictures before starting his own label in 1961. Once he began designing under his own label he concentrated on suits and evening wear and was known for his beautiful fabric choices.

You can always see the wonderful lines and attention to detail that those years of heading a costume department added to Jean Louis' already amazing talent. He truly knew how to cut a dress. This is a wonderful and early dress from his self-named label that is made out of a stunning silk brocade. The colour is amazing and in person you get more of a sense of the depth created from the way that the silk was woven. Several shades of pink are combined with soft greens for the base of the fabric. The design there has that soft water colour feeling and suggests a floral print. Then over that there is a more matte pink thread that has been woven on top of the underlying print. This gives it a very pretty and romantic feel. The silhouette of the dress still has that wonderful influence of the 1950s that you can see in its lines. It is beautifully made. The dress is cut to fall to a midi length with a more fitted bodice and full skirt. If you are shorter it will feel a bit longer on you. The neckline is scooped and cut wide across so you see a bit of collar bone. Slim sleeves fall to the elbow with a pretty gathered detail that curves around the arm. Below the bodice the waist nips in with a piped seam. The skirt flares out to be quite full under that. All of the volume of the skirt is created by the soft pleats set into the waist that then expand out as it reached the hem. A deep pleat sits at the middle of both the front and the back for even more fullness. The fabric is extraordinary. Excellent condition overall with a note to review below

Fully lined in a cream silk crepe and it closes with a hand set back painted metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout and very well made. The silk shows the beginning of some shattering along the edge of the hem of the skirt and on the edge of one sleeve. Turning up the hem a touch more would eliminate this if it bothered you. It is still strong and stable otherwise. Please see the photos after the label shot. It is completely wearable as is if you wanted to keep it at its present length. 

Sleeves: 16.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3845

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

Kenzo Takada founded the Kenzo label in 1970 and the label is still in existense despite the loss of Takada on Oct 4, 2020. He was also the honorary president of the Asian Couture Federation. The Kenzo label was and still is a great success with a strong following. My client bought this in Paris and never ended up wearing it so it still has all of its original hang tags attached. On the runway it was shown with a longer skirt but the reference photo still gives you a great idea of how it looks like on the body.

Kenzo traveled the world and his designs often mixed in the influences from those travels. He would mix traditional Japanese cuts with Western tailoring methods and fabrics from around the world. The interior of the clothes were as important to him as to the exteriors and they are immaculately finished like this one. This suit is so pretty. The fabric is a soft flat pile velvet that holds the colour printed onto it perfectly. It looks like it should be heavy but it is actually light and easy to wear. The velvet is very fine and soft. The skirt is cut in a pencil shape until just above the knee and then it has a very full ruffled and gathered finish so that that when you move it flares out for a very pretty effect. At the very bottom of the hem under the gathered portion it is finished with a wide ruffle that adds to the pretty lines. For the skirt the lining is a gorgeous contrasting pink floral print on a white backdrop. Topping that is that darling little jacket. It is cut to be fitted to the body with long sleeves that end in a contrasting pink velvet finish at the wrist. This same pink velvet accents the lower portion of the collar. Huge colourful buttons run down the front. The waist nips in and then the hips flare out in a slight peplum. The jacket is lined a beautiful turquoise floral print so you get a lovely flash of colour if you wear it open. It was never worn and has its original hang tags. Excellent condition.

Both piece are fully lined as described above. The skirt has a zipper to close and the jacket closes with hidden set snaps under the buttons at the front. New with its original tags. Both pieces are tagged a 40 and are cut very generously in size. 

Jacket
Shoulders: 15" across
Sleeves: 21.5" long
Bust: 18" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: 17" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 18" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side to side
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side to side
Length: 30" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3846

Reference Photos: Fall 2005 Kenzo Runway Collection, Look 7. Model: Lindsay Ellingson.

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

Holly Harp opened a shop LA in the late 1960s and created custom clothing under the Holly's Harp label. She tended to create her clothing out of a hodge-podge of new and old materials. In the beginning she favored things like feathers and fringe but her aesthetic became more 'grown up' and glamorous as her career progressed and she started to focus more on jerseys and draping. She was an avid thrifter and you can often see the influence of earlier decades in her work like with the kimono-esque hand painting and embroidered work on this piece. 

This is an amazing dress that is so unusual and avant garde. It was very difficult to photo as it really need a moving body underneath it to really bring it to life. You can wear it in so many ways and I think once on the body you will quickly figure out the best way to wear it on yourself. It is one of the most interesting design pieces I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a beautiful fluid silk done in a rich ombre toned yellow that has a hand painted design on parts of it done in a brilliant purple. Black stripes are worked into the design as well and these highlight the line and cut. The silk also has dots that are woven directly into the fabric and these are finished with a different sheen so that they catch the light. To wear it you wrap the inner skirt part around you and secure it with a button at the side. The waist of this inner skirt has elastic so it will accommodate a range of sizes. From the skirt that entire upper body of the dress extends out as one extremely long panel. The motion of twisting it over and around the front of you is what keeps the side opening of the skirt covered and secure. Part of the way along that panel is the opening for the neck and it is at this point that it gets fun. You can literally wear it in as many ways as you can think of and I did all these options just by changing the way it drapes. Add a belt to help hold configurations in place and you would have a whole new slew of styling options. By changing the way you wear the upper draped part of the dress you get a whole different feel of the outfit. On the one long panel there is a crane applied onto the silk and there are also little squares of metallic gold thread that have been used to give just a little extra glint of high glamour. This subtle pop of gold is wonderful. The entire thing is meant to be worn loose and easy but you could also add any kind of belt for some added shape and it would look equally as incredible. It also comes with a little cream coloured stretch body suit that you can wear underneath. This is a set that really transforms on an actual body and is even better when on and moving. It is truly an incredible once in a lifetime vintage find. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt slips on with elastic at the waist and then buttons to close at the side. The top portion is attached and as described above. The body suit does not have her tag in it but did come with it so will be sent with the dress. The loose and easy cut should work on a full range of sizes. Larger sizes might not be able to use this bodysuit but you could easily substitute a larger modern one in its place. The size range is based on the dress. 

Body suit
Bust: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 13-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: will stretch to approx 32" from top of shoulder to inner seam

Skirt
Waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Inner skirt length: 38" from waist-hem
The attached panels are several yards long

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3843

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 thrilled to find a really great Emilio Pucci piece. The truly great ones are getting very hard to find and this one is exceptional. By the 1960s, the time period that this dress is from, Pucci was a world-wide phenomenon. Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and even Jackie Kennedy were huge fans. For all of the many attempts since to catapult the label back to the height of its glory, the days when Emilio himself oversaw the label and designed the prints will always be the most special to me. This dress is gorgeous. 

This is one of the prettiest Pucci dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is very unusual to find one that sits off the shoulders like this one does and I love it. It is done in a gorgeous combination of a pink and yellow print that is worked onto a soft pastel peach backdrop. In person the overall effect is a little softer and more pastel feeling then how it photoed. These colors are combined into a soft and romantic floral design that sweeps over the entire dress. As is typical in a Pucci dress, he has used bands of a different printed silk to define each section of the dress. On this dress these borders are pretty little curving flourishes rather than the typical geometric print that his borders are usually finished with. This adds to the soft and feminine feel it has. The cut is very flattering. It sits off the shoulders so that your shoulders are left bare. A band of the border runs all the way around and the back dips into a very subtle V. Under the neckline border is a ruffle that falls over your arms and across the back and bust. I love this because when you move it has a gentle movement that just is beautiful. It is cut to skim over the body and with just a suggestion of a waist. From there the skirt flares out to the floor gradually widening out quite a bit as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of silk in it. I love how it is all cut on the bias so the dress has the most incredible movement and fullness as it swirls around you. It is very feminine but sexy at the same time. I absolutely love it. Excellent condition with one small note below

Fully lined in a white silk chiffon and closes at the side with a painted metal zipper. I one dot of a mark near the side at the front. It is very tiny and nothing you would notice when on. Please see the photo after the label shot

Shoulder opening: to 19" across
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 56" from top of the off shoulders to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3844

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

Pauline Trigere launched her label in 1942. She had moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and her designs always have that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and won one again in both 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She as a pioneer in the use of cottons and wool for evening, In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a stunning example of her work. 

This dress is just so pretty. I love the lines of it and the lightness of the fabric. It is made out of fine black silk chiffon that has an amazing pattern that has been created by fusing both silver and black glitter directly to the silk. This gives the dress its sparkle and glitz and allows it to catch the light from every angle. I love the curving vine and flower design that the glitter creates. The design has been laid out over the dress in a beautiful and intricate pattern. The workmanship to attach the glitter to the silk chiffon cannot be underplayed as this would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. The designs runs all around the lower part of the dress and also curved around each sleeve. The cut of the dress is equally fabulous. The front and the back are squared off and the sleeves extend out from the top of the shoulder. Each sleeve is made from a single layer of the silk chiffon. The glitter then runs down the lengths of each and they widen out to be a full 23" around by the time they reach their ends. They are stunning. The bodice is cut to skim over you and it then widens out gradually as it falls to the hem. The body of the dress is made from a double attached layer of the silk chiffon on top and then there is another layer of silk chiffon under that. This makes the dress just opaque enough to wear but with a subtle touch of transparency. It is beautifully made. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine black silk chiffon and closes at the back with a series of tiny snaps. It looks like it has been worn very little if at all. Hand finishes throughout. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: no defined shoulders
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 46" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3840

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

Pauline Trigere launched her label in 1942. She had moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and her designs always have that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and won one again in both 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She as a pioneer in the use of cottons and wool for evening, In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a gorgeous example of her work 

The dress is exquisite and a wonderful example of the high end workmanship that dresses in this time period were being made with. It definitely had a bit of an influence from her earlier work in the fifties and sixties that I love. The base of the dress is made from a black wool crepe and you can see that fabric on the bodice where it hugs the body and curves into a sweetheart shape over the bust. This then nips in at the waist. Under the outer lace skirt layers the dress continues and extends into an inner skirt that is more of a pencil shaped skirt. This inner skirt is the same crepe fabric as the bodice. Over that inner skirt there are the very full outer layers of the skirt. I did not add a crinoline so the fullness you see is actually how much fullness it has and that is created just through the cut and design. I think if you wanted a very full skirt you could modify that very inner layer so that you could add a crinoline under it if you wished (or if needed - expand the inner skirt to simply to add more room through the hips). The outer skirt is made from two layers. The very top layer is the black lace that you see and then between the inner skirt and lace is a silk chiffon layer that is achieved by a stripe of stiffening through and around the hem to help hold the shape and give volume. More lace is then attached to the bodice to create the shoulders of the dress. These are done in the same black lace as the skirt. It dips in a V at the front and then the back has a keyhole slit between the buttons at the neck and the zipper. I love how all the edges of the lace are finished in a slight scallop for a pretty and delicate detailing. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a black silk and then has the layers over the inner skirt as described above. Closes with a back painted metal zipper and buttons at the back of the neck. Hand finishes. Looks to have been worn very little if at all

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3842

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 at the front and the sides of the bodice. 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 cut to drape over you loosely with a touch of volume. At the front there are two simple panels that are attaches down the centre before curving up and over the shoulders. At the back it drapes and covers your entire back. I love how it is set to drape like it does and give some fullness. The silk jersey is gathered along each shoulder and the waist is seamed to bring it in and give you shape. Each side is cut to the waist so that you get a touch of skin down each side. The fabric is fuller there though so it is not a stark opening, rather you just get a glimpse of skin here and there as you move. 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 it is very easy to wear. To this simple black dress he then added the most exorbitant and over the top jewels I have ever seen on a dress. They run across and over the gathered shoulders and then crosses over the opening at the neck. The crystals are huge and it is laid out to sit like a grand jewel at the base of the throat. The impact of them is incredible. If that was not enough there is a matching belt that hooks into place at the front and has a buckle made of more of the same huge jewels. The rest of the belt is made out of the same black jersey as the dress and I wrapped it and then opened it to create shape over the hips. It brings all the emphasis to the curves of your body and the jewels are just a stand out. 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 and as good as it looks in the photos it is even better in person. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a low side set zipper on the skirt. The collar hooks into place at one side tf the neck and the belt has hook & eye to close. 

Bust: should fit a range of bust sizes wit the open cut and loose drape
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3837

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 cape is wonderful. It is by Yves Saint Laurent and is a beautiful and easy to wear piece that will fit virtually any size. It dates to the late 1970s, maybe to mid-1980s and is very representative of the work he was doing during this time period starting with his famous Russian collection of 1976-77. The cut is very simple. The back is one large panel and then there are two panels that fall across the shoulder and down the front. It has no closures and just drapes over your shoulders and simply falls perfectly into place. The fabric is a loose knit red mohair and this fabric choice gives it a a beautiful warm and cozy texture. It is edged in a deep brown black fox fur set in little in long strops that go back and forth between the natural fur and a shave strap to give it that textured and tufted feel that you see. Running down each shoulder and over the tops of where your arms would sit are a series of flat black buttons that are set to run along a wide strip of flat cording. Each of the buttons is completely functional and this allows you to wear the cape in a variety of ways. Once you open you can wrap one or both pf the front panels around and over a shoulder for multiple ways to wear it. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is the type of item that you can throw over almost anything. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulders to wear. All the buttons are functional. A tiny bit of scuffing on a couple fo the buttons. The loose and open cut means it should be able to be worn by any size

Width: 60" side to side
Length: 42" neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD3826

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

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.

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. He had this ability to make things glamorous in the most unexpected way. 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 more glitzy pieces and this one is a stellar example of that. 

The colour combination done on the silk chiffon of this dress is amazing. I lo e the coral red and the blue together. The silk also has gold metallic thread that is woven through the silk to created little golden dots. If that was not enough there is also hundreds of tiny gold sequins added. They add a subtle bit of shine that picks up the light in the prettiest of ways. All of those gold sequins have been hand applied onto the silk. They are set to follow the curving parts of the design and form large medallions over the skirt for a rich and exotic feel. Under the top silk chiffon is an interior red silk lining that is set through the skirt and front bodice. The entire back and sleeves are not lined so you catch a glimpse of skin through the silk. Very sexy. Each sleeve extends from the bodice in a wide cut of fabric and then tapers down as they reach the wrist so that they billow out over the wrist. They are cut extra long and are meant to slightly scrunch up around the wrist so that the fuller part above takes centre stage. The neck is simple and slightly scooped and the skirt falls from the waist and gently widens out as it nears the floor. It zippers at the back to just above the waist and then buttons from there to the neck. The entire back is unlined so you get this fantastic semi-transparent effect. I have added a red grosgrain ribbon that I will include with the dress and you could easily use a different belt of your own to change the look even more. It is a beautiful, dramatic piece and it is even better on person and on an actual body. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a deep red silk with the sleeves, shoulders and upper back left unlined. It closes with a back painted metal zipper from the waist down and buttons above that to the neck. Each sleeve has a snap at the cuff.

Sleeves: approx 24" from natural shoulder
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: open with no defined side seams
Waist: 13" flat across the back from seam to seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across the back from seam to seam of the skirt's lining
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3224

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

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were made to couture standards. It is incredible to see in person and it will really come to life once on an actual body. We found a very similar dress held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and it lets you see just how wonderful the dress will be once on. 

The dress is a showstopper. It is made out of a deep red coloured lace that is then detailed with cording that wraps around the edges of the floral design on the lace. Then he added tiny little rhinestones that are fused to the fabric of the larger flower patterns to give the dress an subtle bit of added glitz. The bodice is cut to skim over you with an inner silk lining in the same shade of red. The sleeves and neckline at both the back and the front are not lined so you get a little glimpse of the skin underneath the lace. The waist is not seamed so there is no line to break the eye. It simply comes in to suggest shape and then flares out to the skirt underneath. The skirt skims over the hips and then widens out as it nears the floor. I love the high low effect that the skirt has. It is cut to be shorter at the front and then the hem curves back and around you where it extends out to a trained effect at the back. All of the edges are scalloped to follow the pattern and shape of the designs in the lace. The inner construction of this dress is as good as the exterior. It is fully lined in a red silk and then the back of the skirt has an added layer of stiffened net tulle to help hold the shape and volume. The inside is exquisitely constructed and it is all hand finished. This is a stunning dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine deep red silk. The skirt is finished with attached inner tulle skirting. It closes with a hand set back metal zipper. At some point a repair was done to the edge of the inner tulle of the skirt ad there is a large area missing in the tulle lining just above the hem. This does not affect the dress in anyway. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to front hem, 64" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3813

Reference Photos: Fall 1986 Arnold Scaasi dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection.

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

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.

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 dress is an amazing example of how she could design for a younger audience and still keep to her aesthetic. I have had a version of this dress in the shop in that past with the same sleeves and use of cotton. That one was a set that was the twin of the one exhibited in the 2015 "Kimono: A Modern History," exhibit. Mori's twist on making the traditional kimono into a more modern garment was a key component of the exhibit. This dress is the caftan version. The Met has this dated within the range of 1966-1969.

I am a huge Hanae Mori fan. She was a master at colour and print. For the pieces in this series she utilized a light weight cotton that has just a touch of transparency to it. The fabric has a slightly coated feel to it which helps to give it a little stability and hold the shape. I love how both the sleeves and the body of the dress have the same print but because the fabrics have a different opaqueness quality to them - the body of the dress is lined and the sleeves are not -  you get this wonderful contrast between the two. Each sleeve is a long loose panel of the printed cotton that is set at the top of the shoulder only and then flows down in a loop, coming back up to meet the shoulder once more. The length and width suggest the long sleeves of the kimono. The Met noted in their exhibit notes that 'they are reminiscent of the extended sleeves of the furisode, a formal kimono style worn by young, unmarried women'. The dress is cut into a wide and easy to wear caftan feeling silhouette. It falls from the shoulders at the front with a high wide cut neck. At the back it dips into a low V. The dress skims over the body and widens out gently as it nears the floor. The sleeves extend down past the knees. It is very beautiful. I love the colour mix of the bright pinks and coral with the charcoals and soft creams and the huge floral print is pure Hanae. It is a truly fabulous example of her work. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is fully lined in a cream silk and the sleeves are unlined. It closes at the back with a panted metal zipper. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: 16" w x 39" drop
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3806

Reference Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Kimono: A Modern History," exhibit, September 27, 2014–January 4, 2015

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.

This is a lovely unlabeled piece from the 1960s that is made out of a metallic organza. There is an underlying pattern on the organza done in green and pink and then a metallic gold thread has been woven through the organza to create a secondary pattern. The metallic thread runs over both the pieces of the set and the matching belt. The gold catches the light beautifully and really adds detailing to the piece. Like the Malcolm Starr I just had in the shop this one is also meant to be worn over the hot pants that are original to the set. The top piece looks like a dress at first glance but you soon realize that one side of the skirt is completely open from the waist to the hem. The bodice is cut with a high scooped neckline 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 is slit from the waist to the floor so that the side is completely split open. If you wanted to add to the versatility of the piece you could easy add a snap or two to be able to wear it on its own and as a true dress. Otherwise you can wear it as it was originally intended by adding the matching shorts underneath. I love that the edges down the side that is open are detailed with a gold braiding and the various crystals and beads that are set within that braiding. It gives it an added extra bit of bling that just puts it over the top. The shorts that go underneath are flat fronted and cut like boy shorts. Beside still having its original shorts it also has the original sash that you can cinch the waist in with like I have for these shots or you can use it around the neck or as a head wrap. The fabric choice gives the dress a touch of structure so it holds the shape and the metallic thread makes it glitzy and fun. This is an easy to wear but glamorous dress set that perfectly represents it time period. Excellent condition.

The top and shorts are fully lined in a black silky rayon and the skirt is unlined and is partially transparent. Both the shorts and the dress close with metal & nylon zippers, the shorts at the front and the dress at the back. The organza feels synthetic. The tie belt is original to the dress. 

Dress
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Shorts
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 2"
Rise: 15" 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# E696

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

Jean-Louis Scherrer was a Parisian fashion designer and couturier. He trained under both Christian Dior and then Yves Saint Laurent when he started his career at Dior. He worked briefly for Louis Feraud and then launched his own fashion house in 1962. From 1962 to 1992, Jean-Louis Scherrer dressed some of the most prestigious women in the world including Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Paola of Belgium, Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch and many more. His work was known for known for being opulent with lavish trimming like the buttons in this dress. He sourced and used the very best of fabrics for his pieces. It is wonderful to have such a beautiful piece of his work in the shop. The dress has no labeled but comes to me from its original owner who removed the tag at some point 

This dress is exceptional and a remarkable example of his work during this time period. The colour is amazing. If you love it in the photos you will be even happier with it in real life because there is a richness to the silk that the camera could never capture. It is a bright spring green that is mixed with white and a slightly deeper green. This creates that spectacular floral print that covers the entire dress. The fabric that the print is screened onto is a fine silk gazar that has a secondary floral print that is woven directly into the silk. This adds to the rich feel of the fabric. The dress is light in weight because of this fabric choice but at the same time this particular silk allows the dress to hold its incredible shape. I did not add any additional crinolines under the skirt. That fullness is all created by seaming, how it is pieced together and the inner skirts that are there already. The print is huge and exuberant, covering the entire dress from head to toe. The skirt is wonderfully full and has been made from several yards of bias cut silk. This floats over inner silk and tulle skirts that create the shape and volume that you see. The bodice is constructed so that it has the feel of a sculpted evening jacket but it is actually fully attached and a part of the dress. The collar is set so that is sits slightly raised up so that it frames the neck and face. It is also cut wider across the front so that you get this lovely glimpse of the collarbones before it plunges into a V at the front. Large jewelled poured glass gripoix buttons run down the front giving it a slight Chanel feel. The sleeves are long and taper in as they near each wrist. The waist curves in and then the fabric flares out over the hips and curves down and around the back. An attached half belt is finished with that perfect oversized bow at the back. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a deep green silk and closes with zipper set down the middle of the back. Each sleeve has a zipper at its cuff. Under the buttons at the front are hidden hand set silk covered snaps. The skirt has an two inner attached skirts. There is a silk layer as described above and then there is an inner tulle layer that is attached starting just under the hips. The belt closes with velcro and that was almost certainly a later addition so that tar belt sits more flat. Hand finishes. There is one small repair and small marks near the hem of the back skirt near the side seam. Please see the last two photos. Very minor. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Innermost lining hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3279

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3785

Reference Photo: (1) Photo by Helmut Newton for Vogue US, January 1972.  /  (2) 1970-75 Donald Brooks Ensemble from the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection.

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