I love when I find these earlier examples of Oscar de la Renta's work. He would have been more personally involved in them and they really showcase the designer he was to become. It reminds me of the butterfly front dress jerry Hall wore for the Fall 1979 show and I suspect that this was made in and around that time period. The dress really showcases the the genius of his work and attention to detail. I love it.

This is an amazing strapless dress that is extremely sexy and flattering. The base of the dress is made of a deep rich jewel tone velvet. This fabric choice give the dress a wonderful depth and texture and the red of it is amazing. The shots are close to the actual colour but it is even better in person and richer feeling. The strapless bodice is cut in a slightly dipped sweetheart neckline and inside there is an attached inner corset to hold the dress in place that hooks to close under the zipper of the exterior dress. It falls over the bust and then is cut to skim over the waist and hips. The waist is slightly brought in to create shape but there is no horizontal seam to break the lines of the design. The skirt is incredible and is cut so that it curves out as it nears the hem. When you stand still it falls in a beautiful column but when you move and walk it kicks out around you for some volume and movement that is gorgeous. The effect of this is far more dramatic and fabulous on a real body. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will love when you see it in person. The finishing touch is of course that stunning large beaded bow that has been added across the entire front of the chest. It follows the neckline perfectly and then curves over the bust. The work is all hand done and made up of thousands of tiny black glass tube beads. Excellent condition with one note below

Fully lined in a red silk and it closes with a painted metal and nylon back zipper. Hand finished throughout. The bust has a built in inner cupped and lightly boned bra corset that hooks to close. I see two small areas on the velvet where the pile has flattened slightly. One on one hip and the other at the back near the seam at the bottom. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage OLDR 10

Inner bust: 17." flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: Will stretch from 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21." flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3694

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 stunning Valentino that is from the time period of Valentino when it was being co-designed by both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. They had stepped into Mr Valentino's shoes and were breathing new life into the brand. I love that they still adhered to the label's heritage in keeping with using the classic Valentino red colour.

The dress is made from a light stretch silk crepe chiffon in the signature shade of red that Valentino is so well known for. The fabric choice lets the dress light in weight while still holding that beautiful shape that you see. The bodice is strapless and is kept very simple and elegant. It is cut straight across the edge at the top and then the silk has been gathered across and over the bodice. The outer layer of silk is set so that it wraps over one side of those gathers and and then is caught up in a curve below the bodice. It follows along the waist line in a soft curve and is caught up on the opposite hip. There it drapes down the skirt in a pretty soft panel that creates a slight ruffled effect down the full side of the dress. The back is cut to fall in a smooth sheath so you get the feeling of length. It is the perfect mix of simplicity and elegance. The skirt falls to the floor in a graceful column and gradually widens out just a touch as it nears the hem. The lightness of the silk combined with the open panel on the one side allows the fabric of the skirt to move with the slightest bit of movement on your part and it is so pretty when you walk. Inside it is beautifully constructed. There is a built in full interior corset to hold you in place. It is lightly wired and boned and that is combined with a stretch lingerie netting for comfort. It is a beautiful and romantic dress. It is a very wearable size and looks to have been worn very little it at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red stretch silk and closes with a back zipper that is covered with a red silk satin ribbon. The interior cupped and boned corset closes with its own separate zipper. The interior bodice has some stretch so I have measured the comfortable range laying flat - you could probably get a little more out of it if needed. No size tag bit I would guess that this is a modern Valentino 44 or 46

Interior bust: 20-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Interior waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of the bodice to the front hem, 56" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: LRG-XL

Item# DD3696

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 Maurice label was a contemporary of labels like Pucci and Leonard in the seventies. Maurice used the same type of prints in his pieces to get the feel of those other brands but his pieces where made with a more affordable synthetic jersey rather then the silk jersey his contemporaries were using. His pieces were still very well made and because they were targeted towards a younger audience they tend to be a little brighter and have a little more fun in the way they are cut. The fabric choice also has the added bonus of making them easy to wear and care for. They  are wash and wear and they travel very well. You can throw it in your suitcase and it is ready to wear the day you unpack. I love the nod to the kimono and caftans of the day in the cut and print of this dress. The bodice is cut so that it crosses over itself to create a V at the bodice. The turquoise follows the V of the neck and below that the waist is highlighted and nipped in with a wide printed band in the same fabric. The fabric for the skirt follows the same wrapped over design from the bodice. It also wraps over itself and is edged with a wide band of the turquoise print. It is open the entire length of the wrapped over edge so you you will get a flash of leg showing when you walk or sit. The sleeves are cut to flare out as they near the ends and they are finished with more of the turquoise. The two bright colours against each other are amazing. Excellent condition with one small note below

Unlined and closes at the back with a painted nylon and metal zipper. The fabric is signed throughout the design. There is one faint mark near the elbow. Please see the photo after the label shot. Otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. The lower seam at the waist has no give so the waist measurement is firm. The dress has slight stretch otherwise. 

Sleeves: approx 20
Shoulders: no true seam as the shoulders are dropped
Bust: variable as there are no true side seams
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from neck to top of waist band + 4" band
Skirt: 39" from bottom of waist band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2895

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

Pat Sandler was an American designer whose label existed through the 1960s and 1970s. He launched his label in the early 1960s after working for the Leonard Sunshine label. His label was very well followed and was often used for editorial work during the time period, most notably on Lauren Hutton on several occasions. He was known for his more opulent pieces that featured bead work or gold lame thread like this dress does.

The dress is stunning and it is even pretter in person. The pink is a slightly softer shade then how it photoed and the gold and rhinestones on the bodice have more of an impact. It really is far more magical then how the camera captured it and I think the girl that buys it will be very happy. The dress has a high set bodice that is sleeveless and cut to follow the curves of the bust. It comes down in a V at the front that is set on a slight curve. The bodice is covered with a lattice pattern that is made from several elements. There is embroidery work down in a gold toned metal thread and gold cording. To create the 3D effect it has there is a layer of a metal feeling gold braided cord that is laid over that. Seed beads are worked through the design and then it is finish with large prong set glass rhinestones. It is gorgeous to see and I love how it is all slightly raised off the silk so you get that wonderful added sense of texture. Set in under that elaborately detailed bust the skirt flows out and flares to the ground in a cascade of pink silk chiffon. There are yards of fabric in the top layer so that when you move it moves and floats around you. This lies over an inner opaque silk lining in the same shade of pink. I love it. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pink silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. There are some area of very minor fading inside the bodice and it otherwise looks to have been worn very little. 

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
High set waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice:13 " from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3693

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

Emilio Pucci is one of my favorite designers and every single dress is a work of art. His colors and prints are mixed with a masterful hand and when you get a good piece of Pucci, it is a piece that you can wear for a lifetime. This one is gorgeous. The dress is made out of one of his signature lightweight silk jerseys, a fabric that he preferred because of the way it moved and took colour. It is screened with one of his custom prints that he has laid out onto the fabric to highlight the cut and line of the dress. The sleeves are long and slim and the bodice is cut to skim over the bust with a V neckline. This flows past the hips to the floor in a fairly straight column of fabric.The colour is a bright salmon pink and over that is a floral and vine print in a white that is edged in black. The flowers and vines trail over the entire dress in the prettiest of ways. His signature band of a contrasting print comes into play to highlight the edges and cut of the dress. It defines the neckline, circles the cuff and runs around the hem. I love the wide band of print that wraps around the top of the hips to separate the bodice from the skirt without having to have an actual seam there. This gives it visual definition but still keeps the easy to wear cut. Another printed band runs up the upper back of the dress. You will note that there is also a band along one side of the skirt. This is an incredible detail as that entire side snaps open or closed. If left open it is open all the way to where the print circles the top of the hips so that when you walk it will show your full leg. If that's too much for you, you just snap it to close as far down as you like. The entire dress weighs ounces and it looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back hidden, painted metal zipper. The fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch. Note that the color is more intense in person - better then how it photoed. Hand finished

Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: are slightly dropped and are approx 17"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to hem
Side Slit: can be fully closed or opened to be 33" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3111

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 1968 Ossie Clark was designing his own couture line and also designing pieces for Alice Pollock for her Quorum Boutique. The Radley company approached Alice to find out of she could convince Ossie to design a top of the market collection that they would produce and sell to various boutiques and department stores. Dresses like this were the result of that collaboration. Even with this early version of 'ready to wear' the pieces that were made were still never produced in vast quantities and certainly nowhere near whet we think of today as RTW. as gar as quantities.  I have had the twin of this dress in the shop before and always love finding one of these. It is a classic Ossie design and one of Ossie's most famous and recognizable creations. A version in ivory is held in the Victorian and Albert Museum. Lily Sullivan wore a version and you can see how it is transforms once on the body and especially if you wear it with the buttons left open like she did. Those shots give you a great idea of just how fabulous the dress looks like on.

The design of this dress seems so simple when you see it on a hanger and yet it still retains the flow and drape that he was known for. His signature sexuality that he worked into his pieces is displayed in that ultra low front plunge if you choose to wear it open and buttoned. What I really love about this particular style is the ability to fully button it. When you do, it had an almost puritanical feel and you are fully covered, but somehow he still managed to make even that feel sexual. The buttons have been covered in the same moss crepe as the dress is made from. They run from the top of the neck all the way to the waist so you can control just how plunged it is. An attached tie wraps around and ties to give you some the shape and definition through the waist. The skirt flows from under there to cascade to the ground. It widens out quite a bit by the time it nears the hem and there is a wonderful amount of volume that flows around you when you move. This is balanced out by huge bishop cut sleeves that puff up above each cinched wrist. More moss crepe covered buttons close each wrist and there is even an extra button sewn into an inner hem. I own one of these myself and it will always be in my collection and I can tell you from personal experience that it is a dress that you will wear over and over. It easily goes from day to night and it can be worn to feel very sexy or more covered. It is in its original uncut length which is hard to find with many Ossie pieces you now see out there for sale. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips over the head to wear with attached ties at the waist. It buttons down the front. Each cuff has two fabric covered buttons at the wrist. An extra button is sewn on an inner seam. There is the slightest sense of pressing to some of the seams. The easy cut should fit a variety of sizes

Neck when buttoned: 14"
Sleeves: 29" but come up when cuffs are buttoned
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be defined by the attached tie
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3692

Reference Photos: (1) 1969-1974 Ossie Clark Dress in the V&A Collection.  /  (2-4) Lily Sullivan at the Inaugural Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) Ball in Sydney, February 2018.

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 had the twin of this dress in the shop a couple of times now and it is one of my favourites. It is also a very well documented dress and our research turned up two different ads that it appeared in for Vogue. It also made an appearance in one of Vogie's party round up editorials. The ads were from the September issues of both 1980 and 1981 and this one with its more solid designed gold belt is the 1981 version. Countless celebrities own and have worn this dress. Lady Gaga wore a version, as have girls like Rachel Zoe & Nicole Richie and every girl that has bought one through me has loved it. It is one of those fail safe pieces that you know is going to work every time you put it on. 

The dress is insanely sexy and bare feeling with a halter style front that plunges right to the waist. It ties behind the neck and then the back is left completely open and bare. The dress is made of a wash and wear black liquid nylon jersey. It is so light and slinky and it feels amazing on the body. The fabric is almost weightless. Despite its bareness it is cleverly cut so that when you have it on it stays in place. At the front of the skirt there is a high slit that shows lots of leg when you walk or sit. I love the signature wide top stitched gold fabric belt at the waist. The belt is attached all the way around the back and then ties at the front to cinch you in exactly to where you want. The belt is really what gives it that signature Bill Tice look. The dress has the added bonus of traveling very well. It is the kind of piece that you can throw into your suit case and slip on with either flats or heels when you reach your destination and be instantly ready to go. It packs down to almost nothing and barely wrinkles. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on. Ties at the back of the neck and at the waist. Elastic through the front portion of the waist. The easy fit allows it work on a variety of sizes. The gold is a true bright gold in person

Bust: variable as there are no side seams
Partial elastic waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 16" from natural neck to waist but can be tied to adjust the length if needed
Skirt: 42" from top of back waist to hem
Front slit: 23" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3691

Reference Photos: (1) Bill Tice for Swirl Ad. Vogue US, September 1980. / (2) Bill Tice Ad. Vogue US, September 1981.  /  (3) Nancy Kissinger in Bill Tice, Vogue, October 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.

This Paganne jersey dress is the cutest little dress and it is a dream to wear. It is made from a simple synthetic stretch jersey that is wash and wear. This makes it the perfect travel dress. You can just throw it into a suitcase and it is ready to go at the other end. The jersey gives it a little stretch so that it is super comfortable to wear. It has been worn and loved so has a soft vintage patina to it. For example it looks like the skirt was once pleated but the pleats have softened out with time. It is still completely wearable and I love it just as it is. The top is cut to be more fitted around the bust and then widens out to a looser cut waist. The skirt skims over the hips and flares out as it nears the hem. I love the single sleeve that hugs the arm and how it leaves the other shoulder and arm bare. The print is gorgeous and covers the entire dress. The colour combination mixes a soft red with white, pink, blues and a pale yellow and this is set over the dress to highlight its cut. It is a great little dress and so easy to wear. Just slip it on, add fabulous flats or heels and go. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Unlined and closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper. No label present but the fabric is signed. The fabric does have some stretch. The pleats in the skirt have softened and i see a tiny dot that looks like a pen mark on the bodice. Please see the last photo. 

Sleeve: 25"
Bust: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 40.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3689

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

James Galanos was known as the designer that could rival the French in terms of construction and design. He launched his atelier in 1951 and though he was never a designer that was formally acknowledged as a Haute Couture atelier he certainly was producing clothing with many of the hallmarks that define couture. This gave him the reputation of being known as one of the 'American Couturiers' and women flocked to buy his creations. The label on this dress is the one used between 1963 and 1977 giving us a window into when it would have been made. It is a gorgeous dress and even better on an actual body.

The dress is constructed from a very unusual fabric combination that gives it the soft and romantic feel that you see. The base layer of the dress is a lightweight silk that is printed with the floral print that covers the dress. That layer is then covered and attached at all the seams with a layer of white silk chiffon. The creates a soft washed filtered effect over the print and softens it. It is a technique that would have been very expensive and time consuming to execute. He then did the same to the interior of the dress which is remarkable because no one would know expect the person wearing it. This inner layer acts as a lining and it is also completely attached at all the seams. The entire dress was then cut on the bias. As the white silk chiffon moves over the middle layer in the small way that it is allowed by the bias cut, you get this pretty and romantic diffused feel to the print. It is such a simple but extremely clever way to create an illusion of softness. The dress is cut to skim over the body and then it flares out from the hip with the back of the skirt cut slightly longer then the front. The skirt has more fabric in it then you would at first think. It falls in a more sleek way when you stand still and then when you move and it flows around you and you realize just how much fabric is there. All of the seams are set vertically and all of them are done by hand. Around the neckline sits an attached panel of silk that floats over your shoulders and arms. At the back it curves around and behind the body for a beautiful capelet feel. It is a very romantic feeling dress that is even better on. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

Fully interlined in white silk chiffon. It closes at the back with a hand set metal and nylon zipper and a silk covered button and loop at the back neck. Hand finishes throughout. I see two very faint marks on the front of the cape. Please see the photo after the shot of the label. It looks to have been worn very little if at all otherwise.

Bust: 17-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to front hem, 58" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3404

Reference Photos: 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.

John Bates founded the Jean Varon label in 1960 and it became known for the futuristic designs that Bates created. By the late sixties and into the seventies his work tended more towards more floaty, feminine designs. Some of the very best pieces were made during this time period and his caftans and caftan dresses are some of my favourites to find.

This is one of the best caftans I have seen from this label and it is made even better because it should fit just about anyone and any shape. It is made from a silky synthetic that has just enough weight to it to help give it some shape once you slip it on. It is seamed all around the edges so it is closed down each side. The neckline is done in a wide boat cut across the top seam and there are slits along the side to slip your hands through. The entire body of the caftan is loose and easy cut inside so it's heaven to wear. An elaborate and beautiful leaf and flower design runs over the entire caftan. The backdrop is a creamy ivory colour and then the print is done in soft tones of a blueish grey. As it nears the bottom of the caftan the flowers suddenly start to turn to soft reds and the colour contrast between the two is spectacular. Everything about this piece feels pretty and romantic while still managing to feel strong and bold. The edges of the caftan are all finished in a red piping that matches the color of the print. Attached to one side of the neckline is a piped strip of fabric that has a long corded tassels laced through it and then the cord falls down to almost the hem and ends in the tassels. The exact same detailing is set on the back but on the opposite side of the neckline. When it is on the entire caftan flows around you and the tassels move as well. I love how the bottom hem is cut on a curve and slightly comes up on each side. It is really an exceptional piece. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head to wear. The ties and panels are attached. The open cut should fit a wide range of sizes. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

From widest point flat across edge to edge: 52"
Length: 54" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-XL OSFA

Item# DD3688

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 Bessi company was launched in 1950 but it was not until 1968 that it started producing the printed pieces that the label is now associated with. Like Pucci he signed all his prints and created them himself. In terms of style, construction and quality, Bessi dresses were often on par with Pucci and Leonard, especially the ones from the late sixties to mid seventies. This one is just lovely

This dress is made from a fine silk jersey and the colour combination is a little unusual as it is not the typical super bright prints that you more often see with Bessi. The main colour of the jersey is finished in several tones of soft greys. Worked into the print are little pops of ivory mixed with a pale turquoise and a pastel pink. The floral and leaf design covers the entire surface of the dress. A contrasting border defines the cut of the dress and runs around the loose cut waist, up the back, and then circles the collar, cuffs and hem. The sleeves are cut very wide and full. This really allows the print to be shown to the maximum advantage and also gives the dress a beautiful soft feel. That same border was added to each sleeve and runs down the outside to meet the border that circles around each cuff. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust with a high neckline. The collar is finished with a slight pleat detailing that gives it just a touch of volume. The waist is cut loose and easy and the skirt falls and widens out as it nears the hem. Depending on how tall you are the skirt will be more of a long midi or feel more full length. It is really quite beautiful and even better in person. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes at the back with a painted metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. The fabric is also signed throughout. Very well made and it looks to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: 20"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 36.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2660

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 dress is by Alfred Bosand who was one of the great American designers but whose work is not as well known as some of the other more prominent American designers. His clothes where made to demi and couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy in New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he retired in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality. I just recently sold the twin of this dress in a cream and it is lovely to have another one land in the shop so soon. 

Bosand dresses always have a sense of romance to them and this dress with its matching caplet is no exception. Both pieces are constructed from a lightweight silk net that has little dots woven through it. The top netted layer sits over an inner lining that is finished in a pale peach colour. This softens the brown a touch as the peach colour peaks through the netted layers and adds to the illusion that you are perhaps bare underneath. The entire top of the bodice is covered in iridescent sequins that have all been hand applied. They are set be spaced more densely together towards the empire seam and then scatter up to the neckline. The dress is suspended from tiny double straps that curve over each shoulder. The bodice is kept simple with a low scoop at both the back and the front and a high seam under the bust. From under the empire waist seam the skirt cascades to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt and it is made up of three layers, the top net layer that floats over an inner silk chiffon layer and then under those two layers is the lining. The dress comes with its original matching caped scarf piece. This has a built in collar that hooks to close and then the collar has the same sequin detailing done to it. The caplet is cut to end just at the empire waist seam at the front and then hangs with long panels that trail over each arm and around the back all the way to the hem. It is incredible and when you move it catches the air and moves beautifully. Excellent condition. 

The skirt is fully lined in an peach silk crepe with an additional layer of a brown silk chiffon between the skirt layers. The bodice is lined in a nude silk. The capelet is unlined and made from a single layer of the netting. The dress closes with a back painted metal zipper and the cape closes with two hook & eye at the collar. Hand finished throughout and hand applied sequins on the dress and collar of the capelet.

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist at seam: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder straps to seam under the bust
Skirt: 48" from seam under the bust to hem
Cape: neck is 14" around. It falls 10" at its shortest length at the front and 60"to the longest length

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SMl-MED

Item# DD3683

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 when I find these earlier examples of Oscar de la Renta's work. He would heave been more personally involved in them and they really showcase the designer he was to become. The dress beautifully combines several textures that work together wonderfully. It really showcases the the genius of his work and attention to detail. It has a couple of quirks to it so please make sure to read the full condition report below but it is still beautifully wearable.

The dress has a beautiful elegance to it despite all of its glitz and is as striking a dress as it could be. This sense of refinement is a constant in Oscar's work and I particularly love the earlier examples of his work. You can see how many of the elements he used so early in his career carried forward throughout his entire body of work. The dress is made from a sheer black silk chiffon that is lined in a black silk organza. This gives the base a bit of a transparent feel to it while still being completely covered underneath. Onto the top layer is an extensive pattern done in looping bands of sequins that have been sewn onto the dress in stacked rows. Mixed in with the gold sequins are the occasional green and red sequins. These catch the light differently and give the dress even more of a metallic feel. Worked into the sequins are these huge metallic paillettes that are cut into giant swirls. These are placed randomly over the dress and are done in green, gold and blue. Crystals are then hand placed and sewn on top of those. Every inch of the dress is covered. Each sleeve is left unlined for a touch of transparency and each is ringed with a deep brown sable mink cuff. If you are opposed to wearing fur it would be a simple task to un-tack them from the sleeves and wear it without the cuffs or switch them for a faux or feather finish. The neckline is cut wide across and scooped. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust and then the waist is seamed in a wide and generous cut. Below that the skirt falls to the floor, widening out as it nears the hem and it is finished with another band of the same fur as the cuffs. All the work is done by hand and each sequin meticulously placed. It is a beautiful example of his work during this time period. It feels even more gold in person. Great condition with some notes below

Fully lined in a black silk through the bodice and a black silk organza through the skirt. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes at the back with a hand set, painted metal zipper. Hand finished throughout. There is the occasional sequin loss here and there and some of the crystals on the large palettes are missing. Some palettes have a bit of a grubby feel to them and show a slight patina. The sides of the dress have been tacked on the outside to bring them in at some point so there is a little bulk of fabric on the sides. I opened one a bit and it looks like a seam underneath was opened and then the dress tacked on the exterior. You could open it to get more room if needed but there may be some additional work to do by a seamstress on the very inside seam if you did. I chose to leave it as found. It looks like the sleeves were also opened at some point as the fur does not meet under the arm. That too could be taken back in if you wished. The lining n the sleeves has started to shatter. I took photos the the side, under the cuff and of one of the paillettes. Please see the shots after the label shot. 

Shoulders: 16"
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: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3684

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.

In the late seventies and early eighties caftan fever was at an all time high and many of the top designers of the day designed options for their clients who wanted the look but also still want to wear their favourite brand name. This fabulous printed option is from Bill Blass and combines his masterful eye in cut with a fabulous mix of prints. It is perfect to be worn as a chic day-to-evening maxi dress. I love everything about the lines of this piece. It is made out of a feather light silk. Think fine silk scarf as far as the weight goes. The means that it floats and flows around you when you move or the slightest breeze hits it. It is very simple in cut. You slip it on and it has a deep V at the front. The hem scoops up at the front so that you get a bit of leg showing and then it is cut long and loose behind you. There are openings at each side for your arms to slip through. I love the wavy pattern at the front and then each side has a big abstract print in a creamy pale taupe. A smaller band of the curving wave pattern runs down the back and there it runs the full length of the caftan to the floor. When you are standing still it settles perfectly about you but when you move you really get the sense of the amount of fabric that is there. A really fabulous and wearable caftan. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear. It weighs only a few ounces. 100% silk. The caftan cut should allow it to fit a full range of sizes. I see a couple of very minor darkening spots here and there near the lower part of the caftan. You would only see them if it is laying flat because of the amount of fabric. 

Bust hips: open
Length: 35" from neck to shortest point of front hem, 60" to the longest points at the back and sides 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD3678

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

Early Louis Feraud pieces are highly collectible and in their day they were sought after. Women like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot were huge fans of the label. From the sixties through to the early eighties the Feraud label was known world wide for pieces that incorporated gorgeous graphics and cutting edge designs. This dress is unlabeled but came from the estate of a woman whose closets were filled with these labels. It has all the hallmarks of being by Feraud but has no label. Regardless of its origins it its extremely well made and a very dramatic and bold dress that will definitely turn heads. 

The dress is an amazing testament to the demi-couture level construction techniques that have been used in its construction. The bust is fitted to the body and is covered in a black lace. The top edge is scalloped which gives it a pretty finish. The entire bodice is then detailed with clusters of large and glossy black sequins that form beautiful oversized floral shapes. Little straps curve over each shoulder and I think you could easily tuck those in and wear this as a strapless dress if you preferred since it is fully supported and structured inside. On the interior there is a built in intricately boned corset that runs all the way around the interior for support. On the exterior the waist is detailed with two black bows that are made from wide silk satin ribbons. The waist is nipped in and gives you shape despite the tremendous volume of the skirts below. The skirt is a masterpieces. It is constructed from a black and white silk that has that huge dot printed over it. The top layer o the skirt is meticulously shaped and set on a stunning curve. Great swoops of fabric are draped to runs down the top of each hip at the sides. At the front the panels of silk swoop and curve upward to meet in the centre of the skirt. This allows a bit of leg to show when you walk, move or sit. It falls longer at the back and pleats are set all around the waist to help give it volume. Underneath the outer skirt is an attached and built in inner skirt made from a stiffened netting. This inner skirt is cut sleeker through the hips and then flares out into a crinoline to help hold the volume and shape of the outer skirt. It is absolutely gorgeous. Excellent condition with a note below 

The interior of the bodice is made up of the boning and a lingerie weight lining. The dress closes with a back zipper and the skirt snaps into place over it. The skirt is lined in a white silk organza and then there is a built in crinoline as shown and described above. There are some faint water marks along the back hem and some grubbiness to the inner back hem and edges where it hits the ground. Lots of hand finishes and made to demi-couture level. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner crinoline: to 20"
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 47" from waist to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3676

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

Bill Blass worked for the Maurice Retner label for 10 years as the chief designer. In 1968 the Bill Blass Inc label became a subsidiary of the Retner label . Then in 1970 he fully bought out his partners at the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name as Bill Blass Ltd. 1970 was the same year that he won his third Coty American Fashion Critics' Award and with it, his lifetime membership in the Coty Hall of Fame. By 1980 the company was doing 20 million dollars in revenue. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. By the eighties his work was even more ornate and luxurious than what he had done in the past. Prices for dresses could be as high as $5000 (which would be about $15,000 today). He was once asked why his clothes were so expensive and he replied, 'I'm an avid believer that we have to have clothes made in this country. Therefore we pay more money. ... The cost of labor and fabrication is what makes the clothing expensive.'

I have had versions of this dress in the shop in the past and I love it every time one comes in. It is bold and dramatic and it still feels perfectly on point with so many designers focusing on the eighties right now. Few designers would be able to make this mix of fabrics work. The neck is high and the sleeves are long. There is an inner silk chiffon bodice and then over that is an attached netted lace top. This is then covered in glossy black sequins. The winning through the lace and sequins are little rosettes that are made from a white ribbon that has been woven through the netting and stitched into place in little twirls. Blass used dots in his work quite often and the ribbon work that has been done is a bit of a play on his signature dot pattern. The shoulders are padded and strong and the edge of the bodice is shaped into a curving scalloped pattern. I love how it sits away from the body because it emphasizes the waist more. Quite a clever trick. The waist is accented by a wide black silk satin ribbon that is attached to the inner dress. Under that the skirt falls with a nice bit of fullness to it. Inside it has an inner organza lining that helps to hold the shape but most of the volume comes form the pleating at the waist and the horizontal banding that helps to give the skirt structure. It curves out full over the hips and has a bit of a bell shape. Alternating stripes of black and white silk organza run all the way to the hem and each black stripe has a little band of lace edging it on both the top and bottom of the stripe. Excellent condition with a small note to review below.

The outer bodice is lined in a black silk and that sits over a black silk chiffon inner bodice. The skirt is lined with a white white silk organza. The dress closes at the back with a hand set zipper and the top buttons to close over that. Padded shoulders. I see the the slightest of darkening to some of the ribbon on the top. Too faint to capture in a photo but mentioned for accuracy. There is a minor mark on the skirt and a tiny area of fading near the hem. Please see the photos after the shot of the label

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to bottom seam of band at the waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3387

Reference Photos: Spring 1988 Bill Blass Runway.

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

This dress has the same lines as ones from Givenchy's 1971 collection with the same ruffled detailing. I have incuded a photo here that has a similar feel. Based on the other work Mr. Givenchy was doing during this time period it makes perfect sense that this would be from that time period. This dress is even more interesting by the fact that in addition to the boutique label in the dress, I found a numbered tape inside the seam of the skirt. This was often done when a piece was custom ordered through the boutique. It would have been made in the atelier but the final fitting would have been done in house at the boutique level. It is a beautiful dress and even better in person. 

Givenchy was know for his love of fine fabrics and this dress starts with an exceptional one. At first glance the fabric appears to be a classic metallic silk brocade, but as you get closer you realize it is actually quite unique. It is more of a woven silk and the matte parts are done so that it has texture to the weave. It is very fine and light in weight. Woven through that is blue metallic thread that is scattered over the dress. Then to add one more element to the texture there are also parts that are hand embroidered in a blue thread. These all combine to make this stunning fabric. Being woven means that the fabric has just a touch of transparency to it which acts in direct contrast to its full coverage over the body. I love the unusual deep azure blue colour. It has just a touch of purple to it that gives it even more depth. The dress covers you from head to toe. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust from a high rounded neckline and then it is seamed in at the waist. The dress comes with its original belt that you can use to cinch the waist in. The sleeves are long and are finished with a full bell shaped ruffle at the wrists. The skirt falls to the floor from the waist and gently widens out as is nears the hem. It is finished with a wide ruffle  that perfectly balances out the cuffs. It is stunning and even better in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a blue silk organza. It closes at the back with a fine metal zipper. Inner waist stay hooks to close. The belt closes with hooks. There is a numbered tape along the inner skirt seam that I also photoed. Note that if you required more length it would be possible to move the ruffle down as it is set higher up the skirt rather then at the very edge of the hem. I think you could get a good 6" more in length. The sleeves are set the same way so could also be extended a bit. The silk organza lining in the skirt is starting to shatter here and there. It could be removed or replaced but it still wearable as it is now 

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3167

Reference Photo: Jours de France Issue 844, 1971. 

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

Salvadore Albani was an independent couturier operating out of Paris. He was known as one of the more 'affordable' couturiers of his day which meant you could buy a cocktail dress for several thousands of francs instead of tens of thousands. Kim Novack and Brigitte Bardot were fans and his work was quietly known by the women who could afford couture. This piece is from the eighties and it is remarkable how close it looks to the work of some of the modern brands who have been 're-inventing' that decade for several seasons now. It is an incredibly well made dress and is finished to haute couture standards. The dress is made from a light weight lame finish silk in a deep inky black. The main body and sleeves have a texture to then that gives them a light 3D effect. The collar, skirts, cuffs and the sash at the waist are then finished in the same fabric that has been plisse pleated. The fabric is very light and sexy feeling when on. It is loose and easy cut through the body that is flattering and comfortable to wear. The neck is high and finished with a pleated ruffle. The shoulders are set wide and each sleeve poufs out over the upper part of the arm and then curves and tapers down to the wrist. Each cuff has the same ruffle finish as the collar and there are two layers of silk there. Below the waist is an attached band of fabric that is wider at one side and then curves around the hips and ties. The sash is made out of the plisse fabric and this gives it volume and some structure that allows you to shape it as you wish. The skirt has two layers to it that that are set on a slight angle so one side is shorter then the other. I love all the shape and volume that the dress has and it still feels very avant garde even now. Hand finished interior and made to couture standards. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes at the back with a zipper and then you can adjust the hips with the attached sash. The teeniest bit of sheen to the fabric under one arm near the seam. The beck was small on the dress form. It measures 14" around. You could add an extender or button and loop to give you more room if needed. 

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18.6" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam and adjustable more
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam and adjustable more
Length: 40" from neck to shorter side of hem, 44" to the longer side

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3674

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

George Halley started at Charles James who said of the young designer that he 'was a genius at draping'. By the time Halley opened his own atelier in 1966 he was well on his way to fame. He won the Coty Award in 1968 and his work is on par with couture. He is one of my personal favorite designers. In 2015 I included him in my list of: The 10 Designers to Add to Your Vintage Collection' for Harper's Bazaar, saying; 'If you want old school glamour and to feel like Hollywood royalty, look to this under-the-radar label outside of vintage circles... A Coty Award winner in 1968, Halley was one of the great American Couturiers and his work always feels grand and elegant. Think polished silk and fused velvet's and embellishments that have a touch of the Grand Old South to them. Silhouettes to look for are his sweeping ball gowns and hostess gowns. Rich fabrics and rich colors are used with a master's hand. Feathers, crystals, hand painted fabrics and fine workmanship are all things to expect from a George Halley gown. Slipping one on instantly makes a girl feel special and important. These are the showpieces and while you should expect to pay for the quality and beauty of what you get they are absolute jewels'. The best of his work are the pieces that show his love for Old Hollywood glamour combined with his love for over-the-top opulence. Women's Wear Daily called him 'a designer in a lovely world of his own'.

Finding one of his evening coats is a bit of a treat and this particular one is a stunner. It is made of a metallic silk brocade that has a triangle pattern worked through the fabric using two different tones of the metallic yellow gold it is finished in. The design combines a more matte, less bright version of the fabric with the more metallic and brighter finish. The effect that this creates is dramatic and very beautiful. The coat almost has a foil feel to it but it soft to the touch. The triangles are quilted and stitched around their sides and they have a puffed feel to them for a bit of a 3D effect. It is cut in the classic lines of the time period with a simple high rounded collar and straight sleeves that are slightly cropped. The body of the coat skims over the bust then flares out to the hem in a classic tent shape. Pockets lie on a slant along the front and they are hidden along the design so at first you do not see them. Quite clever. I love how the back of the coat has that wide angled shape to it that is so beautiful. Matching buttons run down the front to close. Very chic and the perfect refined pop of colour. Excellent condition with one note below

Fully lined in a matching gold satin. The buttons holes are properly finished along the front. Pockets at the front. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. The bottom button looks like the top of it fell off and a bit of the fabric was glued on to compensate. Please see the photo after the label shot. 

Sleeves: 19.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: widens out to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C573

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

Emilio Pucci is one of my favorite designers and every single dress is a work of art. His colors and prints are mixed with a masterful hand and when you get a good piece of Pucci, it is a piece that you can wear for a lifetime. This ones gorgeous. The print on it is floral pattern that is quite bold. The dress is made out of his signature lightweight silk jersey, a fabric that he preferred because of the way it moved and took color. It is screened with a custom print that combines big bright coral tinted red flowers with softer pink leaves. The print has been detailed with black around the edges and the base colour of the dress is an inky black. The pattern runs over the entire dress and gives it a tremendous pop if colour. At the front the neckline is done with two wide cut triangles of fabric that go up and around the neck to hook at the back. This leaves most of the back completely bare. The waist is defined with a broad band of silk jersey that has the same pattern but is set horizontally within stripes of colour. Under that the skirt flows to the floor gently widening out as it nears the hem. A second band of the print circles all the way around the hem. The entire dress weighs ounces and is just wonderful. Depending on your height this will fall to between  midi to full length. Excellent condition with one note below.

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. The fabric is a silk jersey and does have some stretch. Hand finished. Tagged a vintage Pucci 8 and is very tiny. For some reason the zipper is set into the dress backwards. The zipper pull is on the inside of the dress. I have reduced the dress to accommodate the cost of switching it back if that bothers you. An odd little quirk only found in vintage. 

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to top of band at waist and the band is 3.5"  
Skirt: 35" from bottom of band at the waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3671

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 beautiful dress and jacket set by Malcolm Starr is a pretty choice for spring. It was designed by Elinor Simmons, who was a young designer that Malcolm brought in to the company to design a higher end line for him in 1965. She eventually left in 1972 which giving us a window within to date this set. Everything about this dress suggest the late 1960s to me. 

Both the dress & jacket have been made out of a heavier silk finished in the palest pink. The fabric choice gives it structure so that the shape you see is held once it is on the body. It is made up of two parts. There is the inner shift dress and then it has a matching jacket that goes over that. The dress has a very simple and easy to wear cut that is classic Malcolm Starr in feel. The bodice is kept very simple with little capped sleeves. It is cut to skim over the bust and waist. The skirt under that flares out slightly as it reaches the hem. The matching jacket is equally well cut with long sleeves and a box cut that ends exactly at the waist. It has a row of metal buttons down the front and a high ad neat little collar. I love that the entire upper neckline of the dress is finished with embroidered butterflies. These sit on a nude netting that wraps up and around your neck and then the butterflies are hand embroidered onto that. It is so pretty. When worn together the lines are lovely. The set is very well made with pretty details. It comes with a matching belt that can be worn to cinch in the waist of the dress or over the jacket as I have shown here. This is also a pretty decently sized set which is nice to find with vintage. The dress is in excellent condition and the jacket has some small flaws as described below. It is priced at a great price as a result.

Both pieces are fully lined in a pale pink silk. The dress closes with a back painted metal zipper and the jacket buttons to close as shown. The jacket has slight fading on both sleeves that carries up a tiny bit across the top of the shoulders. Some tiny faint marks here and there. The very back seam of the dress has been over-pressed at some point and there is a slight line on either of that seam. Minor but mentioned for accuracy. The jacket is wearable as is - at first glance it just looks like how the light is catching it. The belt shows some grubbiness. Please see the photos after the label shot

Dress
Bust: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hem at bottom: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3658

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 two piece set by Oscar de la Renta. This is classic Oscar with its pink colour combination and feminine feel. The pieces are made to go perfectly together but you can also have them play double duty by wearing them separately. The dress is a classic day dress with a structured fit. The silk he chose is very high quality and it is covered in an exaggerated plaid done in several shades of pink. The choice of silk keeps it light and easy to wear but the construction techniques used for it give it the structure and shape that you see. The top is loose fitting and the sleeves balloon out above their buttoned cuffs. It does up down one side with a series of silk covered buttons. The skirt is gorgeous. It skims over the hips and falls with a slight flare as it nears the hem. On one side at the front he has added a series of flat pleats. These flare and move as you move and create a little extra detail that I love. You can see the care put into it with each line of the pattern in the silk brilliantly lining up with the ones beside it where the pleats close. It comes with its original silk covered wide belt that you use at the waist to cinch the dress in. Over this goes the matching pink coat that has been lined in the same pink silk as the dress. So if you wear the coat open you see the same fabric. I love that. The exterior is done in a light woven boucle feeling fabric done in several tones of pink. It has a boxier straight cut through the body with one pocket at one side. It closes with a series of large hand carved wooden buttons. It is marvellous together and classic Oscar. Excellent condition with one small note below. 

The dress is lined in an ivory silk through the body with the sleeves unlined. It closes down the front with buttons as seen. Snaps close it under the waist line and there are snaps to close each cuff. An inner waist stay hooks to close and there is padding in each shoulder. The coat is lined in a matching silk to the dress and buttons at the front with hand carved wood buttons. There is small padding in each shoulder and the pocket on the front is functional. The set comes with its original slip buckle belt. The belt has some grubbiness and there is one tiny spot on the front side of the dress. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage OLDR 12

Dress
Sleeves: 27" but do come up once on
Wide set shoulders: 17"
Bust: to 20" 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: dropped - 17" from neck to waist
Skirt: 23" from waist to hem

Coat
Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 16.5
Bust: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3660

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 little Yves Saint Laurent dress has such a joyful feel to it. I am always excited to find examples of Yves' work from this time period and this one is extra special because it is the twin of the dress that was shown on the 1983 runway. We also found a editorial shot from that season with the same dress in a solid colour that was shot for L'Officiel magazine. I love the solid colour version as well but the printed one just has so much colour and joy to it I can't help but love it a little more. 

This is a gorgeous little day dress that you could easily style to work into the evening, especially during the warmer months. The colours are amazing and absolutely pop off of the cotton fabric that he chose for this dress. Cotton takes colour extremely well and it is the perfect choice to get these crisp vibrant tones. It also holds the shape well so that the dress has volume where Yves wanted it. Yves Saint Laurent was a master at choosing the fabrics that were the perfect compliment to the prints that he used. This dress is no exception to that rule with its riot of bright flowers covering its surface. The cut is pure Yves and a wonderful example of the work he was doing during this time period. The sleeves end just below the elbow and are cut with a full balloon sleeve pouf above their wide and easy elastic cuffs. The bodice is fitted with a V neckline at the front. The upper portion of the bodice is done in the same floral fabric as the sleeves and skirt but he then inset a blue fabric to define the waist and visually cinch it in. He then plays with proportion by adding a blue cotton peplum that runs all the way around the hips and flares outwards. Below that the skirt flares out with a pretty swing feel. And there are pockets hidden along each hip under the peplum. The combination of the prints and the cut is genius. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Unlined and zips to close at the side. It is tagged a vintage YSL 36. It appears to have been worn very little if at all but there is some fading to the tops of the curves on the peplum. You notice it more when it is off the body and laying flat but not when on. Please see the photo after the label shot. 

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3653

Reference Photo: (1-2) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Runway.  /  (3) Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, L'Officiel, 1983.  /  (4) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Ad Campaign.

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

Zandra Rhodes is one of my favorite designers and it is always a treat to have one of her pieces for you. The print on this one is done in a metallic silver paint and I love the subtle rhinestone detailing on it. It is a very pretty piece and the colour absolutely pops in person. 

This is a very wearable dress that can be worn for day or evening and has a lot of options on how you can choose to wear it. The versatility comes from it still having its original wrapped fabric belt and a matching scarf. This gives you the ability to add shape or wear it loose and easy. You can switch out the belt for the scarf for a softer look or you can use the scarf as a shawl or as a head wrap. You could even tie it into a turban to get a very seventies feel. The fabric is her signature hand painted silk chiffon and is the prettiest blue bright clear ever with a print that combines a navy matte navy and a metallic silver paint. This top layer lies over a blue silk interior that feels wonderful when on the body. The dress has a loose and easy cut through the body to create a floating feel around you. This gives the dress a lot of movement. It is cut to skim over the bodice and then flows to an open and easy waist and then the skirt flares out. Without the belt it has an almost caftan feel to it and with the belt you can cinch it in to add as much shape as you want. The bodice has just a touch of detailing to highlight the print with hand applied sequin paillettes and beads at the front and a rhinestone trim around the edges. The sleeves are left unlined and are light and airy feeling with a ruffled effect finished edges. It comes with a matching extra long sash and a fabric belt. It is lovely. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a blue silk through the body and a nude inner lining in the sleeves. It closes with a back zipper. The bead and sequin work detailing are hand applied. Comes with a long wide scarf and and a matching belt that is shaped like a cummerbund with light stiffening in the middle part of it. This dress may have been a custom order as it came from the same lady who custom ordered several of Zandra's pieces. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. I see two missing beads at the front and some of the tiny black beads above the rhinestone at the neck are missing. Very minor

Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from shoulder to hem
Sash: 5.5" at widest point x 80" long end to end
Scarf: 25" at widest point x 106" long end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3651

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 Hardy Amies label launched in 1946. In the beginning of his career, Amies' only did couture pieces and it was not until 1950 that he added a ready-to-wear label. The RTW label was still very high end and the pieces had a lot of the same hand finishes that the couture label had. In 1951 Amies was chosen to design some of the wardrobe for Princess Elizabeth’s tour of Canada. That led to Amies appointment as the Royal Dressmaker in 1955 after Elizabeth became the Queen. Hardy was known for his elegant lines and very high quality fabric choices. 

This dress is gorgeous in person and the photos do not convey the lightness of the fabric and how it will move once it is on an actual body. It is made out of a light weight silk organza that holds the colour on it exceptionally well. The fabric is very light but still has a structure to it that helps to hold the shape and lines of the dress. It is the perfect fabric choice to create volume without bulk or heaviness. The blue is lovely with a touch of a turquoise feel to it. Screened onto the silk is a print done in rusts and taupe. The dress itself is cut with simple lines. Tiny straps curve up and around each shoulder and the bodice is fitted under that. The waist nips in and then the skirt flows to the ground widening out from the hips so that it has quite a bit of volume to it. The skirt is made out of many yards of the silk with the top layer floating over an inner silk lining. All of the volume that you see is created by a combination of the way the skirt is set into the waist and the fabric choice. It is just lovely. Over the dress goes a little matching cape that simply ties into place at the neck and floats over the shoulders. It is cut to end just below the waist at the back and then curves around to come up just a touch at the front. The edge is finished with a six inch ruffle that perfectly picks up the skirt's shape and volume. It is just beautiful. Excellent condition with a small note to review below

The dress is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper. There is a light spot near the front seam of the skirt that gets lost in the pattern. Please see the photo after the label shot. The cape ties at the neck and is unlined.

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: " flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem
Cape: 18" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1586

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

Valentino knows how to cut a dress to perfectly flatter a woman's body. Few designers can come close to the techniques he perfected over the decades of his prolific career. This is a wonderful example of his work from the turn of the 1990s. I love that it has been done in his classic crisp true Valentino red. This is a colour that he perfected to be flattering on almost any skin tone. The dress has that perfect minimalist feel to it that the nineties epitomized and yet still feels modern and fresh. It is cut to skim over your curves in a way that highlights the body but is not meant to be too tight and constricting. The colour is absolutely fantastic. It is that perfect clear red that flatters most skin tones. I think it is even better in person then how it has photoed. If you know Valentino's work, then you know the exact shade this red is in person as this is one of his primary signatures. The dress is sleeveless and the side angle in towards the neckline. The top of the neck curves up over the base of the neck and below that is an open slit that runs down the front seam. It slowest just the barest bit of skin. All of the seam work on the body of the dress has been done vertically so there is no seams running across you at any point to break the line of the eye. When it reached the hem it flares out and the hem is finished with two layers of ruffles that circle around to the back. The back hem is cut slightly longer then the front so that you get a slight bit of a trained effect. When you walk the ruffles get kicked out and adds movement with your every step. It is just stunning on the body. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully lined in a red silk satin. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Hand finishes. Tagged a Valentino 10. The fabric does have some give. There are some very minor marks on the back ruffled hem that you would never notice once on that would not photo. Mentioned for accuracy. The original price tag is still on the dress and was $3275 even back then.

Bust: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from shoulder to front hem, 63" to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3015

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 dress is by Alfred Bosand who was really one of the great American designers whose clothes where made to couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy, New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he returned in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality. The dress is unlabeled but I have had a few dresses in the shop now that share this same fabric and cut. 

Bosand dresses always have a sense of romance to them and this dress with its matching caplet is no exception. Both pieces are constructed from a lightweight silk net that has little dots woven through it. The top netted layer sits over an inner silk layer that is a pale mint green with just a touch of a grey tone to it. The overall effect is not quite grey, not quite ivory and not quite green. The photos come close but in person it is more towards an off-white in feel. The entire top of the bodice is covered in a iridescent sequins that are all hand applied. They are set so that they are more densely applied towards the empire seam and then scatter up to the neckline. The dress is suspended from two tiny straps that curve over the shoulder. The bodice is kept simple with a low scooped at both the back and the front and a high seam under the bust. From the empire waist the skirt cascades to the floor and widens out quite a bit as it nears the hem. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt and it is made up of three layers, the top net layer that then floats over an inner silk chiffon layer. Under those two layers is an ivory silk satin lining. The dress comes with its original matching caped scarf piece. This has a built in collar that hooks to close and has the same sequin application over it. It is cut to end just at the empire waist seam at the front and then hangs with long panels that trail over each arm and around the back all the way to the floor. It is incredible and when you move it catches the air and moves beautifully. Excellent condition. 

The skirt is fully lined in an ivory silk satin with an additional layer of a pale green silk chiffon between the skirt layers. The bodice is lined in a silver grey silk. The cape is unlined. The dress closes with a back painted metal zipper and the cape closes with two hook & eye at the collar. Hand finished throughout. There is the teeniest bit of grubbiness feel to the straps.

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist at seam: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of shoulder straps to seam under the bust
Skirt: 46" from seam under the bust to hem
Cape: neck is 13.75" around and you could move the snaps to get it to 14". It falls 12" at its shortest length at the front and 59"to the longest length

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SMl-MED

Item# DD3646

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 fabulous silk Sonia Rykiel set that is very chic and French feeling. It has so much charm to it and the dress form it is on is not really doing it justice. This is the kind of piece that someone fabulous is going to buy and the instant you see it on you will be kicking yourself that you did not buy it for yourself. This would be from the days that Sonia herself was designing for the label. This is an earlier piece that would have been designed shortly after she launched her label in 1968 or a few years after that.

The silk is a very light and fine scarf weight and both pieces are made from it. I love the combination of the black with the very neutral soft taupe. This is a very French colour combination and you can easily imagine this with Chanel flats and a black banded boater hat. Stripes became one of her signatures and it is wonderful to see them used so well on this piece. The pants are amazing. The legs are cut wide with a slight flared cut at the ends and each is split high up the sides so that when you walk you get a flash of leg. The fabric is so light that they just move with your every move. Over this is layered a long straight cut tunic that is almost more of a tabard. The same side split detail on the pants is mirrored on the tunic but it is taken to the extreme and carried upon to just a few inches from the top seams. This leaves an open gap between the top and the pants at either side so that you get a glimpse of bare skin as the silk moves around you. The bit of seam that hold the tunic together above that is done inside out and is left exposed and deliberately unfinished looking. The tunic is suspended from skinny straps and is cut to skim over the torso and flare out over the pant. My favourite detail is the front pockets that are sewn in a low apron style and have a slight droop to them that gives them that perfect slouchy French country feel. When worn together everything lines up and even the stripes that circle the bottom of each piece sit perfectly aligned on top of each other. I love it. It appears to have never been worn for worn very little. Excellent condition

Both pieces are unlined. The top slips on to wear with no closures and the pants close with a fine metal zipper at the side. Handwritten fabric tag. All hand finished inside. The seams on the side of the tunic are set inside out for a raw feel. It appears to have never been worn for worn very little. 

Tunic
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 45.5" from neck to hem

Pant
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 33.5" from waist to hem
Inseam: 22"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2805

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 sleek black cape is wonderful. It is by Yves Saint Laurent and is a beautiful and easy to wear piece that will fit virtually any size. The label on it is an earlier one and its sleek and simple cut will make it an easy piece to work into your wardrobe. It has a surprisingly modern feel to it and it is a wonderful example of the work he was doing during this time period. The cut is very simple. You just drape it over your shoulders and it simply falls into place once on. It is made out of a light fine black wool jersey and there is one single button at the neck. It looks to have been worn very little if at all and it even has an extra button still sewn into an inner seam. This is the type of item that you can throw over almost anything. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulders to wear

It falls to approx 48" in length once on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# C570

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. Hanae Mori excelled at the beautiful prints that she created and they always have a hauntingly organic feel to them as she was constantly inspired by nature. This set dates to the eighties and is stunning.

This is a gorgeous Hanae piece. It has a wonderful custom designed print that is screened onto feather light silk for both the dress and the matching cape. When you wear the cape and dress together the two prints layer over each other and create the prettiest effect. This layering technique with silk chiffons is one of her signatures and she was a master it it by this point in her career. The silk chiffon she used has been printed with a pale tangerine and ivory pattern that is  set over a white silk lining. Using silk chiffon for both the top layer and the cape that floats over the dress is what gives the piece its light and airy feel. The dress falls from wide cut straps that curve over the shoulders and dips into a V at the front. From the neckline it skims over the body, with a more fitted bodice and then gently widens out until it reaches the hem. I love how the pattern changes and gets bigger as it nears the hem. Over this is a gorgeous little silk chiffon capelet. It snaps into place around the neck and then falls over each shoulder, with the silk overlapping a bit at the front and the back. A pretty spray of silver thread and rhinestones give it a little glamour at the front neck. It is a stunning example of her work and beautifully made. The colour in person is a bit more intense shade of what you see and is even better in person. Excellent condition

Fully lined in white silk and closes with a back zipper. The capelet snaps to close along the edge of the neckline. I see some very minor marks on the interior lining of the dress

Dress
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of shoulder to hem

Capelet 
Neck: 15" where the snaps are now but you could easily move them up or down as needed
Length: 46" from neck to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3643

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 was made to almost true couture standards and 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 gowns. Grace Kelly was an early fan. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

I love the coral and rust print that completely covers this amazing jumpsuit. It is very detailed and adds its own layer of interest to the silk. The silk chiffon fabric that he chose to use is very fine and light so that once it is on it feels like it weighs next to nothing. This creates a sense of lightness and airiness to the piece as it moves beautifully around you. Silk chiffon of this weight is notoriously hard to work with and the fact that he has structured this so beautifully is a testament to his skills as a designer. The top is cut with a simple scoop neckline at the front and the bodice skims lightly over you to the waist. The sleeves are cut long and each ends in a double ruffle of silk that has tremendous movement. The waist is seamed and you could add a belt to create even more shape or wear it loose and easy. The pants on this are truly amazing. Each pant leg is cut to be extra wide and full so that if you are standing still it appears that you are wearing a skirt. When you move you realize that they are pants and that each is wrapped around the leg and the edges where they meet is left open so that there is a slit almost to the top of the thigh. They only open as you move or sit. They are incredibly light in weight so you get this amazing billowing effect when you move. The pants are finished with a second layer of silk chiffon inside that is done on a solid red colour. So when you move the red flashes and it is fantastic. The cuffs on each sleeve are finished in the same way. It is fabulous. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a red silk chiffon throughout. The top part of the jumpsuit buttons to close at the back and then zippers to close below the waist. Hand rolled and hand finished seams and edges. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Also after photoing this I feel like perhaps the buttons could also be worn at the front. I think you can wear it either way which makes it that much more versatile.

Sleeves: 26.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 19.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Inseam: 36"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2759

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 had a one shoulder version of this Bill Tice dress that had the same gold lame flower detail but this is the first time I have seen this exact design. The dress is not 100% perfect but I am hoping that its amazing design will still tempt someone to give it a second life and love it. It is made of a liquid nylon jersey that feels amazing on and has the added bonus of traveling very well. It is the kind of piece you can throw into your suit case and slip on with either flats or heels when you reach some far off destination and be ready to go. The dress is cut to be long and slim but in a loose and skimming over the body kind of way. The sleeves are long and they start off with a big poufed shoulder created by gathering in the fabric in soft pleats around the arm. They then slim down as they reach the wrist and the edge is trimmed with gold lame piping. The neckline plunges extremely deep and is anchored by one of his twisted jersey and gold knotted flowers. There is a little hook about 2" inches above the flower if you want to be a touch less scandalous but I left it with the full plunge open for these shots. The dress gathers up and into the knot and this allows it to be more to the open and loose side around the waist and hips as the jersey drapes down and around your body.  A slit runs up the front from the curved hem and this allows a bit of leg to show when you walk or sit. Besides the knot and cuffs, the neckline and arm seams are also accented by a touch of gold lame. Excellent condition with one flaw noted below. 

Unlined and slips on to wear. The easy fit should allows it to work on a variety of sizes. The fabric has a bit of stretch. There is a run on the jersey on the front left side. Because of the way that it folds and wraps it at first glance just looks like a fold. Completely wear able if you don't mind that it is not 100% perfect and priced at 1/2 of what it would be without this small flaw. The measurements below are lying flat without stretching the fabric 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Slit: 29" from lowest point of hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3644

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

Nettie Rosenstein was based out of New York City. She started a small home based dressmaking business in 1913 after getting married to Saul Rosenstein, who manufactured and made women's underwear. By 1919 her pieces were in such high demand that I. Magnin asked her to start selling to them. By 1921 her business had a workforce of 50 and she was on her way. In the early days her work was sold only under the department store labels and it was only word of mouth that the work was actually hers. By 1937 Life Magazine called her one of the most important American Designers. By 1940 she was in 92 shops across America and her dress cost up to $500 (just over $9000 in modern dollars). Her work was widely copied and she was particularly known for her 'little black dresses'. She designed until 1961. 

This is an incredible dress and it is gorgeous. It is made out of a black silk taffeta that holds the shape of the dress wonderfully. The skirt is very full and it is very flattering on the body. The volume that you see in the photos has been created by the way that the skirt is cut and set into the waist with beautiful wide pleats of fabric. There are tulle layers under the skirt but I did not add any extra crinolines. You could add more if you wanted an even fuller look. The bodice is fitted and the waist nips in. At the waist there is a large wide silk taffeta belt that cinches you in even more. Just the way the silk slides through the buckle is a detail in itself. The neckline is very unusual. The black part of it is draped across the neckline to sit off of the shoulder and leave your collarbones bare. This is then lined with a pretty sky blue silk taffeta. Inside the upper part of the dress, that straps that curve over each shoulder are done in that same sky blue silk. They are set so that they sit wide on the shoulders. The two fabric create a little gap between themselves. The closer you are to the person wearing it the more you see the blue.  It is just wonderful. I love when silk taffeta is used for these cocktail dresses from this era. It adds the weight needed to hold the shape and fullness but keeps them light and easy to wear. The dress is very pretty and romantic. Excellent condition with one tiny note below. 

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. There are two layers of tulle inside the skirt. The belt closes with a slip buckle. Hand finished interior seam as per the detail shot I have included here. There are tiny pin marks on one shoulder where the owner must have worn a pin. Please see the photo after the label shot. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little. 

Bust: to 17.5 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 29" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3642

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 is a variation of several of the looks shown on the runway for the Spring 2007 Prada collection. I have included three of those for your reference. You can see the progression from those to this version of the dress that would have been produced for their retail shops. The review for the Prada show for Spring 2007 on Vogue.com noted the sharp change in direction from earlier seasons. In that review Miuccia noted of her reasoning for the change and talked about her inspirations: "Because Prada felt like it..... I just wanted it to be about fashion," she shrugged backstage. "The importance of fashion." The review continued saying "Still, this collection held an image of a powerful woman at its center, filtered through unmistakable references to Yves Saint Laurent (his "forties" collection from the seventies; a touch Loulou de la Falaise, to be precise). These were not random choices; in fact, they are two of the underlying constants in Prada's work. One thing she despises, though, is the over-interpretation of her motives; instinct and spontaneity guide her just as much as intellectual reasoning. She laughed at one journalist's anxious questioning about the short pieces, saying, "I just didn't like anything I did below the waist." Meaning, "Don't panic, these are tops." And, like everything else in this richly provocative show, they're going to look totally wearable in a store come spring."

This stems from one of those short pieces referenced above and it was indeed made slightly longer for the shops. The dress is made out of a burnished gold silk that has a satin like finish to it. The fabric has been treated so that it has a bit off stiffness to it. This allows it to hold the shape and fullness that Miuccia was after in these looks. The sleeves are capped and slim. They jut out from rounded shoulders at their tops and then curve out from the waist at their bottoms. The neckline has no collar and swoops down into a low plunge that is squared off at its base with that gorgeous knotted detailing (this same knotted detail was found on some of the silk satin turbans produced for this collection as well). The waist seam is raised and set a little higher up to give it an empire feel. I love the fullness of the skirt. It is cut into a babydoll silhouette that sits up and away from the body. It is the same effect that the runway pieces have but with a longer skirt to make it easier to wear on its own. It is gorgeous and I have its twin in another colour in my personal closet and it is still one of my favourite dresses ever. Excellent condition 

Unlined with ribbon finished edges and closes with a hidden set zipper at the side and two little snaps over the zipper. Tagged a Prada 42 and appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Shoulders: no defined seams 
Bust: approx 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to centre seam at waist
Skirt: 23.5" from centre seam at waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3640

Reference Photos: S/S 2007 Prada Runway (Look 1, 2 & 47).

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 an iconic and classic look from the Rive Gauche collection. I have dated this one to the 1977 collection based on the version of the label and print that is similar to the one in the reference photo I have included here. That shot was used for the ad campaign that year.

These are so easy to wear and very comfortable. You just slip this on and you are ready to go. This can also be belted to add shaped and bring the length up which gives the dress a lot of versatility and styling options. They are a play on the smock style dress combine with that classic Yves Saint Laurent signature style of this time period. This one is made out of a scarf weight silk that is a soft and fluid silk. Around the neckline is a black cotton velvet bib that is edged with cording and closes at the very front with five glossy black domed buttons. The sleeves are full and ballon out above their velvet trimmed cuffs. The body of the dress is cut loose and easy with a low dropped seam to separate out the skirt and to tie all the velvet parts together. The skirt is constructed with lots of fullness so that it has a little extra swing. It really transforms when on an actual body. This is classic YSL and a great piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear. Buttons at the neck with five button and loops. Pockets on each hip t the seams. tagged a 36 bit the cut is generous so should fit a range of sizes. Meant to be oversized on the body. 

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: the velvet part is 14" and there are no real side seams on the silk part
Bust: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3639

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1977 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.  /  (2) Yves Saint Laurent, L'Officiel, 1981.

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 Fall 2005 collection was titled 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and the Alexander McQueen site said of this collection: 'For the second time in his career, Alexander McQueen references The Birds for this collection a film that he remembers loving as a child principally because of the precise way in which the women featured choose to dress. Against a film-set backdrop flooded with red light models stride out in swing coats, pencil skirts, neat, cropped trousers and fitted chunky mohair all of which suit a modern-day Hitchcock heroine down to the ground. Given the source of inspiration this may be read as McQueen's interpretation of coordinated dressing almost vintage Hermes style crocodile sling-backs are teamed with matching handbags, for example. Hair is big, bouffant and blow dried and lips are painted true red.' and Vogue's review stated 'Tippi Hedren and Marilyn Monroe. Biker molls and sweater girls. You got it: Alexander McQueen went to the sixties, all the way, for fall. With its filched movie and rock 'n' roll themes, the collection read as a knowing vehicle, a McQueen director's cut. Glacially restrained tailoring, early rocker chic, the classic Hollywood ball gown moment: He had 'em all. Plus great hair, great music, and a roar of old-school glamour. But there's no such thing as a McQueen routine without a sinister psychological subtext or two. Was there a hint in the invitation—a pastiche of the film poster for Vertigo, superimposed with the title of another Hitchcock movie, The Man Who Knew Too Much? What McQueen knows shows aplenty. His combined knowledge of Savile Row tailoring and Parisian couture means he can scissor an impeccably narrow grey tweed coat or a nipped-waist pencil skirt suit, and put sizzle into period sobriety.' On the runway draped black looks were shown for looks 8 & 9 that were more covered then this dress is. This dress is one that was produced in limited quantities for retail only that season and it is absolutely gorgeous 

The silk jersey crepe fabric on this dress is the perfect choice for it to fall and drape perfectly once on the body. The fabric has just enough weight so that the drape down the front is perfectly executed, but it is still light enough to feel extremely comfortable once on the body. The simple yet dramatic cut is what you want to see in a McQueen. It is that balance between femininity and darkness that his best pieces have. From the centre of the neckline the dress drapes down and around you. It falls to the floor and is cut supermodel long. The ease of the fabric is such that when you move it moves with you and is incredibly flattering as it glides and drapes over the body. The front is cut to sit very high at the neck and the sides where your arms slip through angle and drape down in soft folds of jersey. Around your neck sits a black beaded collar that hooks into place. This curves around the sides of your neck and then has a more extensive pattern and presence at the back of the neck. There the fabric is caught up just at the bottom top of the beaded collar so that you get a bare feeling down each shoulder blade and side. It is simple, sexy and perfect. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head to wear and then the collar hooks into place on one side. Tagged a 40. The fabric is cut very loose through the body and is meant to drape and this loose and easy cut should work on a variety of body frames. The length will come up a bit once on the body with the bias cut. 

Bust: draped & will stretch to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 65" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3637

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 knit dress by Pierre Cardin that has that perfect mod shape that you look for in his work. The fabric feels like a cotton mix and it is a decent weight that holds the shape but the cotton keeps it from being too hot. The neckline is high and it has two tiny little buttons at the back of the neck to close. It simply slips on to wear and falls into place perfectly. The sleeves are long and the dress is cut to skim over the body with just a suggestion of shape. Once it falls past the waist it starts to gently flare out to the hem. Worked into the knit is a raised pattern. It reminds me of a subtle cable knit but it has been done the Cardin way and incorporates one of his signature circle patterns into the design. This runs over the entire dress on the back and on the front. I especially love how they are incorporated on each sleeve so that they run down the outside edge. It is a terrific little dress and an easy way to incorporate a piece of Cardin'd work into your wardrobe. Excellent condition 

Unlined and slips on to wear. Closes at the beck of the beck with two tiny buttons. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The knit has stretch and the measurements below are of it lying flat with no stretch. It wilpleasuly go up a couple inches across  

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3636

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 actually part of the Intimo Couture line by Valentino so would have been meant to be a robe but I think someone could get away with wearing this as an amazing outdoor coat and playing on the men's bathrobe feel that it has. The coat is made out of a super soft mohair that is done on a muted pastel mix of pale blues, creams and taupes. The pattern is an over-sized plaid that covers the entire robe. Inside the coat is lined in a soft, pale blue silk that gives it a pretty flash of colour when you move. The soft lines of the piece make it very comfortable to wear. The cut is a play on a men's bathrobe. The collar is rounded and soft and it is finished in a pale blue satin. Each sleeve is cut extra long and you can wear the cuffs down and keep that long feel or flip them up. When they are flipped up you see that each cuff is backed in the same soft blue satin as the collar. The sleeves are cut straight and wide. It has its original tie belt in a matching mohair and you simply wrap the robe around you and tie it into place with the belt. Pockets are hidden along the seam of the hip on either side. It is gorgeous and cuddly and wonderfully made. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a place blue silk and wraps to close with the belt. The cut is very forgiving. It should easily work as an over-sized garment on a smaller girl and will work equally well on a larger frame. Pockets on each hip. Some light scuffing to the silk lining. Tagged a large. It is more a blue and ivory in person then the taupe it photos as

Sleeves: approx 24 cuffed and 28" without
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 27" flat across the inside back from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 56" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# C569

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

Koos Van den Akker started his career as an apprenticeship with Christian Dior in the late 1950s. This early exposure to Haute Couture influenced all of his work for the rest of his career. He was a designer that started from the fabric, allowing it to influence the final design. This love of textiles runs strongly through his pieces and he is particularly adept at mixing and matching prints. His best pieces have a collage patchwork feel to them. This s an exceptional piece as much for its representation of his work and also just because it is gorgeous 

This amazing wrap piece is made out of several different soft cotton prints that have been pieced together in a bold patchwork collage that highlight the different components of the design. It is so easy to wear and I love that you can choose to wear it as a dress or use it to layer over or under other pieces and treat it like a light weight coat. It is long enough that it would layer perfectly over the pants and adding a wide legged trouser would give it a while new feel. It is equally as good on its own as a dress or a coat. It has a wide collar and it is loose cut through the body. Each sleeve is cut very wide and full. You can definitely see the nod to the Kimono and Yukata in its cut. It comes with its original sash that is made out of the same various prints and is very wide at the middle with long extended ties. It is very chic and very versatile. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear. It wraps and ties with the matching sash. Pockets on each hip. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged an XS but its loose and open cut should fit a variety of sizes. A teeny mark near the front hem

Sleeves: approx 19"
Shoulders: no true shoulder seam
Bust-hips: 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# C570

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 recently sold the near twin to this coat and am happy to have one more for you. These are the only two I have ever seen like this. This one has a slightly different collar and has a bit more grey tones through the cream parts. It is a stunning example of the fur pieces being produced at this point in Christian Dior's history. It is made out of a sheepskin that has been brushed out so that is is soft and fluffy. You can see in areas where the undercoat is very curly. The color is a combination of creamy ivory mixed with a pale caramel that has an almost pink cast to it in some areas. You can also see some deep grey hairs here and there on this one too. It is a little more pastel feeling in person then how it photoed. The fur is very soft soft and very fluffy. It is done in rows of fur that are tightly set up against the next row above and below. The collar on this one is a little neater then the other one I had and wraps around the neck to create a gorgeous frame around the face. These were almost certainly made to order which would have allowed the client to make small changes to it like the shape of the collar. It is cut in a classic pea coat style with a flared bottom. There is a fur hook at the neck and pockets sit along the horizontal row on each hip. The sleeves are cut straight and full. It is a stunning choice for the girl who believes that vintage fur is a sustainable choice. Excellent condition with a minor note below to review.

Fully lined in a deep taupe silk that is embroidered with the Christian Dior name throughout and with the former owner's name - Clarissa. There is one fur hook at the neck and the clip part of one further down but no loop on the other side. Pockets on each hip. There is slight wear at some of the common points of contact. The edges of the sleeves, collar, pocket tops, the inner edge of the coat, but all are minor. Please see the photos provided. It is fresh back from the cleaners. 

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: approx 15-16" but no inner defined seam
Bust: to 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: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C565

Reference Photos: (1) Models in Christian Dior fur coats, L'officiel Magazine, 1971.  /  (2) Christian Dior Coat from The MET Collection.  /  1960s-70s Christian Dior Coat from The Met Collection Online.

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 collection was inspired by Zandra's trip to China. She came back with sketchbooks filled from her travels there that became the foundation for her 1979 'Chinese Square' print and then carried over to the Spring 1980 collection with this print that she calls 'Chinese Constructivist & Clouds'. You can also clearly see the carry over in shape from her famous Lilies dress from a few years before this. The twin of this dress appears on page 159 of the book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes' with her catalogue identification of 80/114

This rare and amazing dress is made entirely of hand painted silk chiffon over an inner layer of silk jersey. You can actually feel the paint on top of the fabric. The bodice is cut loose and full and dips down at the front with a V neckline. The sleeves are cut to be very wide and full and you can see in the reference photo just how wide they are. They come out from the waist and fall to about the elbow once on. Their edges are embellished with little droplets. Around the neckline there are pearlized beads and all of the edges there and elsewhere are hand rolled. Rows of rhinestones shoot out from the centre of the elasticized waist up and over the bodice and then more rhinestone rows run down the panel below the waist. These catch the light and add a little bit of extra glamour to the dress. The waist is finished with a gathered elastic band that looks good on its own or you can add a sash to tie over the elastic like you see in the book photo. The skirt is beautiful. It is made up of three layers. There is a panel that circles the waist that ends in points. These then have droplets at their ends to give them a touch of weight so that they sit properly. Then a second silk layer sits under that and this one falls the length of the skirt in an asymmetrical cut and ends in different lengths with more droplets applied to the points. Last is a ruffled edged pale blue silk jersey skirt that peeks out from under the top silk layers. It is a true work of art and very special. Excellent condition

Lined with a silk through the bodice and silk jersey through the skirt with the sleeves left unlined. The dress has an elastic waist and slips on to wear so should work on a range of sizes. Hand finished throughout. The edges are  hand rolled  and the silk chiffon is hand painted.

Sleeves: 18" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: variable
Waist: 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips on inner lining: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 45.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3634

Reference Photo: From the book "The Art Of Zandra Rhodes".

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 moved to the US from Paris in 1937 and I feel like her designs always retained that bit of a French feel to them. By 1949 she had been awarded a Coty and went on to win two more in 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She was 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 lovely dress by her from the early 1970s. 

This gorgeous dress has a rope print that covers its surface and plays on the black and white contrast that you see on the dress. The bodice is made out of a semi-sheer silk that has a ribbon effect running through. Under that is a built in white lining and the silk floating over this gives it a bit of added depth. The skirt is made out of the the same silk but the parts between the ribbon finish are more opaque so it feels as if it is a heavier weighted silk even though it is not. This fabric choice gives the dress a wonderful lightness and ease once it is on the body. The top is cut to sit loosely over the bust. There are small gathers along the shoulders for a little bit of detailing and the neckline is set square and wide across. I think you could easily wear the sleeves off the shoulder if you wished. The sleeves are wide and full. They are cut to billow above the elastic cuffs. The waist is seamed and below that the skirt falls in a cascade of fabric to the floor that widens out just touch as it nears the hem. I love the two big pleats set on either side of the skirt that add a touch of volume there. This is a dress that will transform once on an actual body. You could also wear a belt to add more shaping through the waist. Excellent condition with one small note to review below

Both pieces are lined with a semi-sheer silk. White for the top and black for the skirt. The sleeves are unlined and attached at the top of the shoulder only with elastic on their tops. It closes with a metal and nylon zipper at the back. Elastic finishes each sleeve. There is the teeniest of discolouration to the fabric at the small of the back. Please see the last photo after the shot of the label. In person this areas is actually lighter then how it photoed

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: no true seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem with 4" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3434

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 that has a very romantic feel with its use of lace and tiers. Alfred Bosand was an American Couturier and is often overlooked in my opinion. He was really one of the great American designers whose clothes where made to couture levels with lots of hand finishes and detailing to them. Bosand started his career after World War II by attending the Fashion Academy, New York City. He then worked with several designers before launching his own label. By the time he returned in 1986 he was one of New York's last privately owned couture designers with his own label. His work is of very high quality.

This dress is one of those pieces that once on the body it literally seems to transform into the stuff fairy tales are made of. The dress is made out of lace that has little floral medallions worked through the design. This top lace layer sits over an inner silk layer of white under the bodice and black under the skirt. I love the contrast between the black skirt and the white top. It gives it a bold feel that offsets the romantic quality of the lace. The top portion of the dress is amazing and really more of a cape with a top built in underneath. Two full tiers of lace overlap each other to fall from the neckline. The lace is set so that it hangs from the edge of the top of the neckline and the top of the sleeves so it simply looks like a caped effect that wraps around the body and arms. Elastic sits around the edge of where you put your arms through so the lace sits off shoulder and then simply falls from there. The waist is seamed and here the lace changes from white to black. There is a wide silk satin ribbon that details the waist and covers the transition of the colour. The skirt then cascades from there to the floor, widening out gently as it nears the hem. The skirt has three tiers of black lace that all cascade and overlap each other. Each layer is very full and is finished at its individual hem with a stiffened inner tap so that it has some structure and doesn't just lie limp. The back is slightly linger then the front so you get a beautiful sweeping line. It is very beautiful in person and even better on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in white through the bodice and black through the skirt. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and has elastic at the top of each shoulder. Hand finished throughout. There is the teeniest feel of grubbiness/yellowing to the edges of top of and into the inner bodice that you don't see when on.  

Shoulders: no true shoulder
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" on the inner lining flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to front hem, 48" tp the back hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3633

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

There is a video that is a part of the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection where Zandra talks about designing this collection. She had first gone to Australia in 1971 and returned in 1973. In the video she talks about how 'the 'Ayers Rock' print was based on the idea of creating a new version of the eighteenth-century French Toile de Jouy technique of fine engravings. She translated the sketches from her trip into fine line drawings, which she then cut up and moved around to try them out in different combinations.' In the book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes' a green dress is shown in the section that talks about this collection. That green dress has an almost identical pattern on the bodice, a version of this same print on the skirt, and the cut through the sleeve is identical. Additionally, other pieces from this same collection used the same satin piping to detail the neckline. 

I love the bold coral colour of this dress. It just pops. That, combined with the historical significance of her work during this time period, make it a strong collection piece. It is made entirely of a hand painted silk chiffon and incredibly, you can actually feel the paint on top of the fabric. The bodice is cut loose and full with those wonderfully curved and wide sleeves that come right out of the waist. This leaves the sides completely open to the waist on each side under the caped sleeve. The sleeves of the dress are the exact same shape as the green reference photo I have added when you lay them out flat. The neckline is embellished with a piped satin done in a purple and then laid out in loops along the edge of the neckline. It ties at the centre front. The waist has another pipping piece running through the fabric and you can use that to cinch the dress in and gather it in at the waist as much as you need to. Or you can wear the dress very loose and full with no defined waist. Under that is a little peplum of fabric that runs around the waist and this has an edging of hand sewn, tiny beads, that run all along the edge. The skirt is beautiful and cascades to the floor, gently widening out as it nears the hem. It is made of the same hand painted silk chiffon as the bodice and it floats over an inner layer of coral coloured silk. The print that runs over the entire dress is entirely done by hand and painted directly onto the silk. It is a true work of art. Excellent condition

Lined with a coral silk through the bodice and skirt with the sleeves left unlined. The dress has piping through the waist so that you can wear it cinched in or very full and loose. It slips on to wear and the loose cut should allow it work on a range of sizes. It comes with two extra pipings that you can use as styling pieces if you wish. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Hand finished throughout and entirely hand painted.

Sleeves: 18" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: variable as there are no side seams 
Waist: will expand to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam and you can cinch it in to about 13" flat across 
Hips on inner lining: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3632

Reference Photo: From the book 'The Art of Zandra Rhodes'.

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 would have been designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. This dress dates to approximately 1972 when you saw a lot of these faux coated and coloured leather bits, added as either a design element directly onto the dress, or as a belt like in this case. 

This striped knit maxi dress from Lanvin is gorgeous. I am in absolute love with it. The colours are bright and happy but the stripes are perfectly balanced out by the solid top part so that it is not too overwhelming. I love how it goes from a classic simple T shaped sweater at the top to a riot of colours for the skirt. The bodice is fitted but in a stretchy sweater kind of way that is very comfortable to wear. The neckline is finished in a higher set scoop at both the front and the back. The knit there is a lovely deep blue and is light in weight and has been finished with a ribbed texture. Each sleeve is a cap of that same ribbed knit. The waist is seamed and the skirt falls to the floor under that, gently widening out as it nears the hem. The skirt has a more flatter weave and the fabric is thicker so that it holds the shape that you see. Colourful stripes are worked into the knit from the waist to the hem. I love the mix of using the same navy as you see in the top with a bright red, thin lines of white, yellow and a cornflower blue. It also comes with its original belt that is a white faux leather and is soft and pliant. I have wrapped it twice around the waist and tied it with a bow at the front for these photos. It is long enough that you could style and tie it a few different ways. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back, painted metal zipper. It has its original tie belt made out of a coated faux leather. . The belt has the teeniest bit of flaking that is normal for the age of it and in this material. 

Unstretched shoulders: 13"
Bust: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 41.5" from waist to hem
Tie belt: 69" from end to end

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# 

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 had a version of this in the shop years ago and am so happy to have found another. This is an amazing and easy way to add a little Hanae Mori colour and joy into your wardrobe. The lightness of the silk chiffon that she chose for the fabric gives the jacket a delicate & feminine feel to it. This is then contrasted beautifully by the bold and brightly coloured print. The print mixes giant flowers with a multitude of other flowers in various sizes. Bright colourful parrots flit in an among the flowers. The colour is all done on a white backdrop so that they pop even more. The shape is simple and easy to wear. It is cut straight through the body with long sleeves and it ties at the neck. The front curves down and around you at the hem and then the back ends in a longer point. The shoulder are lightly padded with a nude covered padding for a touch of structure. This is perfect to layer over other pieces and could just as easily work for day or as an evening piece. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear with a tie at the top of the neck. The loose and easy cut should work on a variety of frames. Padding in each shoulder

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist to hips: open
Length: 51" from neck to longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S933

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

Ceil Chapman was an American designer of classic cocktail and party dresses who successfully took the revered Christian Dior 'New Look' haute couture designs that most woman could not even hope to afford and reworked them into designs that American woman could attain. She won the Coty American Fashion Critic's Award in 1945, the John Wanamaker Award, Foley's 'Golden Year' Award, and the Strawbridge and Clothier seal of confidence, for creative contribution in the area of American fashion. In 1955, she won the Mademoiselle Merit Award, after a poll asking college girls to cite the country's most popular designer for the young. She won by a landslide. Her self-named label was launched in the mid-1940s and continued to the to the mid-sixties.

I think this might be the most incredible Ceil Chapman that I have not only had but that I have ever seen. It is cut into a classic cocktail dress silhouette, with a fitted bodice, nipped in waist and a very full skirt. The bust has a wide strap that wraps around the neck and then curves under the bodice to give support. This shelf bust is very flattering and really highlight the bust and adds a lovely shape. I have styled the dress over a light crinoline so that you can see just how full the skirt is. It could go even fuller and if you really wanted to exaggerate the fullness you could easily use a a very very full crinoline underneath. The fabric is an inky black cotton velvet that helps to give the dress the structure it needs to hold its sculpted shape. The dress is covered in jewelled drops that are made up of beads and glass crystal rhinestones in different sizes. Each one has a huge teardrop pear shaped stone as its main feature and then more rhinestones and beads have been hand stitched into place above that so that they look like they are suspended from the tops and hanging on the dress. I love how the bits above the tear drop are done shorter near the bodice and then extend into longer strands as they reach the hem. It is just incredible. The entire dress catches the light and the jewels sparkle and shimmer with your slightest movement. It is like being dressed in a jewel box. It even has pockets hidden along each hip. These early Chapman pieces are very hard to come by and this one is in wonderful condition too. I also love the level of craftsmanship put into the dress. The bodice is all shaped by a series of vertical panels and the skirt is lined in a dressmakers paper so that it holds its shape. Truly an incredible find. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a combination of black silky rayon through the bodice and stiffening through the skirt. The interior bodice is lightly boned and shaped. It closes with a side painted metal zipper. 

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: approx 49" from top of neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3628

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 think our modern world forgets just how important Oleg Cassini was as a designer in his heyday. From his first film in 1941 he was responsible for many of the best looks on film, dressing stars like Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney (who he married), Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and the list goes on and on. In 1952, he opened his own fashion house on Seventh Avenue. By 1961 he was appointed by Jacqueline Kennedy as her exclusive couturier. Some of his early works especially, were more on par with couture, using the same techniques and high fashion fabrics as the French couture houses. This is a later example of his work and yet it still shows the care and meticulous detailing that he put into his work.

The dress is amazing in person. It is made of a black silk chiffon that has been extensively covered with gunmetal silver glass tube beads. The dress is extremely heavy because of the bead work. It weights about 4 pounds and it is gorgeous. The bodice of the dress is suspended by beaded straps and then scoops down with shaping at the front and a lower set line at the back. It has a wide band of beadwork following the top seam and then is shaped by a series of vertically set rows of beads that go all the way around the bodice and end in little jagged ends. It is fitted to the bodice and then nips it in at the waist. The skirt skims over the hips into a pencil shape and then onto that are curved vertical panels that start just under the waist and go to just above the hem. These give the illusion that the skirt is tiered but that ruffled effect is actually created by the panels dropping and layering over each other. I did a photo of it laid out flat so you can get an idea of how much volume is actually in the skirt. When you move the movement this creates is fantastic. Each is finished along the curved edge with a series of stacked rows of beadwork. More vertical bead circle the hips and these are done to pick up that same jagged finish design as on the bodice. The hem is then finished with a wide band of yet more beading. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black muslin through the bodice and black silk through the skirt. It closes with a back zipper. Hand work throughout. Light boning in the bodice. It looks to have never been worn. Perhaps the occasional bead missing but no bare areas that I could see. 

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3629

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