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

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 black silk jersey that drapes like a dream and feels amazing on the body. Despite its bareness at the back it is cleverly cut so that when you have it on it stays in place. The front drapes over you and gathers along the top of the neck. It ties at the back and those ties extend out to extra extra long wide satin ribbon ties. I have tied and wrapped them around the waist for most of these photos but you can also tie them under the bust to create more shape through the body. They are very long so you could probably come up with a few more options too. I love this because it gives you more ways to wear it. The waist cinches in so that the top blouses over it a touch and then the skirt falls from there is a swoop of black jersey, widening out as it nears the floor. I love it. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a low back zipper and hook & eye at the waist. The ties can be tied numerous ways and are attached at the neck.

Bust: variable as there are no side seams and should fit a range of bust sizes
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist but can be tied to adjust the length if needed
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4101

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 amazing jumpsuit that is made from a black jersey fabric that has been vertically knife pleated. That pleating treatment gives it this crazy extra volume and movement. As you move the pleats can open and close around you and it is just amazing and so very easy on the body. It is in its original length and the legs are supermodel long. It looks to have been worn very little and it is just wonderful. The cut is simple and easy but sexy. The front dips down into a low V and the the rest of the jumpsuit just falls loose and easy around you. There are two extra long skinny straps that extend out from the base of the arm openings. These can be uses to tie around the body in any way that you wish to add shape. If you prefer to wear the jumpsuit loose and easy you can just let them hang or tuck them inside to hang down inside the jumpsuit. I love this because it gives you more then one look to play with. The legs are cut to be very wide and full. If you hold one out and open the pleats completely each is a full 78" around at the hem. So you looks like you are wearing a dress but have all the ease of a pant. At the back there is another low V to leave some of the back back. It is just an amazing vintage piece. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. Attached ties as described above. Wash and wear jersey.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 55" from top of shoulder to hem
Inseam: 29.25"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4100

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

Sant' Angelo was the winner of two Coty Awards and two Council of Fashion Designers of America honors and was known for his innovation and pioneering use of stretch fabrics. He has had an entire museum exhibit dedicated to his work and career and is firmly entrenched as one of the great designers. His work captured a moment in fashion history and his love of color and strong lines will forever be collectible. Pieces reside in museums worldwide including The Met. This one is actually better and has more impact even!

This is a stunning dress. It is entirely cut on the bias and is done with minimal seaming. These jersey dresses that Giorgio did were tremendously flattering to the body. It is also insanely sexy while still being extremely comfortable to wear. The fabric is a beautiful red silk jersey that moves and drapes beautifully. This one is especially interesting because he has mixed in that gold lame with the red. The front is made with a halter neck that curves down into that front plunge. The red on one side extends out into the body of the dress right to the floor. On the other side the bodice is made from a gold lame and I love how it extends up and around the neck to meet the red at the back. The side curve down low and meet at the back where he has continued with that play of the red and gold. There is a large bow at the back and half of it is the red jersey and the other half is the gold. This contrast between the two fabric is fantastic and adds a ton of impact to both sides of the dress. Above the bow the entire back is completely bare and exposed. The body of the dress is cut to skims over the body and the skirt flares out at it reaches the floor. It has a ton of movement when you move. It is spectacular. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Unlined and closes at the back with a zipper. The bow hooks into place over the zipper and along the back seam. There are some very faint areas of darkening on the front. I tried to take a photo and they barely show. It completely fine as is but I pointed it out for accuracy. Please see the shot after the label shot. The jersey does have some stretch

Bust: covers approx 16" flat across from side to side with no true side seams
Underbust area: 14-15" across
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4094

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

All of the credits and various pieces that we could find on this Chanel set dated this to 2015 and that show did have many graphic black and white pieces in it. It is so perfectly Chanel and ever so fabulous. Both pieces are made of a fine black netting that is very light and easy to wear. Onto the black netting are those incredible flowers. Each is made up of teeny tiny black sequins to form the petals and a cluster of black sequins in the middle. They are laid out over the fabric edge to edge and cover both pieces entirely. The pants are unlined so are completely transparent around the flowers. The top has an added lining of a black silk chiffon. I think his intention was that you would wear a boy short or something underneath the pant or wear them over a bikini bottom. You could of course wear them over leggings or have them lined if you wished. Being a set it has the added bonus of you being able to mix and match the top and pant with other pieces already in your wardrobe. The pants are made to have an easy waist that you can cinch in with the attached ribbon. They are meant to be worn slung down a bit. They skim over the hip and waist and the pant legs are cut long and wide. Each cuff has a wide silk ribbon finish to pick up the waist detail. The top is a simple tank that just skims over you. It is cut to be worn more loose and easy through the body and can be worn tucked in or left out. Little classic double C logos are on each piece in the patters. It is wonderful. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The pants are unlined and the top has a black silk chiffon lining. The pants close with a front zipper and the ribbon ties at the waist. The top zips to close at the back. The top is tagged a Chanel 40 and the pants have no size tag.

Top
Bust: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Pant: 43" from waist to cuff
Inseam: 31"
Gusset: 17.25"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4091

Reference Photos: credit unknown.

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

I am always thrilled to find a really great Emilio Pucci piece. The truly great ones are getting very hard to find and this one is fabulous. By the 1960s, the time period that this dress is from, Pucci was a world-wide phenomenon. Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and even Jackie Kennedy were huge fans. For all of the many attempts since to catapult the label back to the height of its glory, the days when Emilio himself oversaw the label and designed the prints will always be the most special to me. The dress is not 100% perfect but it is gorgeous and the flaws it has are forgivable. It definitely has a lot of life left in it.

This is one of the prettiest Pucci dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. It is done in a gorgeous combination of a soft pink mixed with taupe and white. Fine black lines outline the patterns and anchor the print. These colors are combined into a soft and romantic oversized abstract floral design that sweeps over the entire dress. As is typical in a Pucci dress, he has used bands of a different printed silk to define sections of the dress. On this dress these borders define the high set bodice with its crossed over neckline and high waist seam. The cut is very flattering and very easy to wear. The bodice is set high and crosses over so the neckline sits wide across your shoulders. It is meant to skim over you and then just falls in an almost caftan feel to the floor. The silk chiffon on the skirt wraps over itself and anchors in under where the bodice crosses and anchors in above. This creates it a pretty line that runs down offset on the front. It also adds another dimension of movement. When you walk the air lifts that extra bit of silk chiffon and it is very pretty. The dress is long and widens out as it nears the floor. Each sleeve is long and cut wide. They are not lined so you get that pretty bit of transparency through the print. It is very feminine but somehow still sexy and elegant at the same time. I absolutely love it. Great overall condition with notes to review below

Fully lined through the body of the dress in in a white silk. It closes at the side with a painted metal zipper and there is a small opening at the back of the neck that closes with snaps. I see a dot of a mark under the band at the side the front. It is very tiny and nothing you would notice when on. There are a couple of tiny areas where the silk has thinned. Under one arms on the sleeve and one tiny dot on the back. They are small and held up fine when I had it dry cleaned. The inner back hem hangs a touch lower then the skirt length and it has some colour run. Please see the photos after the label shot. I have reduced the price substantially. It is still fine to wear even as is.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of shoulder to top seam under bust
Skirt: 48.5" from waist to hem and including the 2" band under the bust

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED - maybe a LRG if the shoulders work

Item# DD4080

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 2012 Moschino Cheap & Chic was shown in London... The then creative director Rossella Jardini explained to Vogue that she wanted international glamour and an international point of view. The collection was named Make Up Your Life, a double entendre for actual makeup and a sort of exhortation to choose your own adventure through clothing. "It means mash up your clothes to find your style," said designer Francesca Rubino. "And find the life you like. Times are hard, so we have to use clothes to have some fun." On the runway this print was shown on a shorter dress (and also a skirt) and then for production they did this spectacular full length version. The Cheap and Chic label was eliminated  and renamed the boutique label just a couple years later making this dress one of the last of an era. But what a dress!

This Moschino dress is wonderful. The dress looks it have been based on the spectacular bias cut silks of the 1930s. It has seemingly little structure at first glance, but once it is on you realize just how masterful that so called simple draping is. The dress is suspended from the shoulders and the bodice drapes down over the bust in a deep plunge. There is a wide double ruffle that acts like a little tiny bit of a cap at the top of the shoulders and then runs down to follow the line of the plunge front. The two layers of ruffles and the width give it lots of movement. that I love. The waist is set fairly open and easy so that it is incredibly comfortable and accommodating once on the body. You could also belt it ad add shape or even just add a tie belt that follows the looser curve of the waist seam. Lots of options. The ruffles continue down past the waist seam and the are set to angle off to the side just a touch. The ruffle here tops a slit on the skirt and this brings that slit just off side a bit so that you get a flash of leg when you walk. The skirt is cut super model long and I love how it expands out as it nears the hem. It has lots of fabric in there that kick and sweep around you when you move all while being light as a feather. The final detail to mention is of course that fabulous eye print with their big mascaraed lashes. So fun and quirky yet so devastatingly chic. It looks like it was never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on with snaps down one side. Elastic through the waist. The measurement range below is the comfortable range of the fabric lying flat. The bias cut should allow it to work on a range of sizes. Tagged a modern IT40 FR36 UK8 US6.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 50" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4079

Reference Photo: Fall 2012 Moschino Cheap and Chic Runway, Look 14. Model: Fillipo Fior.

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 gorgeous Valentino dress from the early to mid 1990s. It is beautifully made and a wonderful example of Valentino's main label and the work that he was doing during this time period. I love this one with its insanely low front plunge. It feels like a Valentino-fied version of the famous Bridget dress that Ossie Clark did with the way it is plunged at the front. It is a little sexier then some of his work tends so be but it still has that refined elegance that you would expect from him combined with a bit of pure drama created in that moment when you first see the dress on and that bare expanse of skin. 

The dress has that feeling of simplicity that the nineties epitomized and yet, still feels modern and fresh even now. There is also a bit of a historic feel to it with the way that the skirt is set under that beautifully beaded bodice. The skirt is made from an inner layer of a black silk that is cut to fall from the slightly high set waist to the floor. It widens out as it nears the floor and is still is in its original uncut length. Attached over the skirt are two layers of a black silk chiffon that are cut on the bias. They wrap around the skirt and end about 2 inches apart at the front. Where they end the line lines up perfectly with the plunge above it to create this beautiful long line. The bias cut of the silk and the soft floating feel of the chiffon draped over the inner silk skirting creates this beautiful movement when you move. Above that the bodice of the dress is fabulous. It is perfectly cut so that it plunges to the high set waist and is open all the way down. This leaves a bare expanse of skin showing and the effect is stunning. The bodice is made from two layers of black netting. Onto the  top layer has an intricate floral pattern that beaded over each breast and then fully across the back. The transparency with the netting behind it makes the bead work stand out even more and it is just fantastic. The sleeves are the same chiffon as the skirt's overlay and they are soft and  gathered so that they drape over the top of your arm. It is just stunning on the body. Excellent condition

The skirt is lined with a layer of silk chiffon and the bodice is made of two layers of the netting as described above. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a vintage Valentino 6

Slightly dropped shoulders: 15.5"
Sleeves: 7" long and 11" around at the ends
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
High set waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bust: 16.5" across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 11.5" from top of the shoulder to waist
Skirt: 53" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4077

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 Valentino Roma label launched in 2000 to take the place of the Miss V line. It was sold at a price point that was a bit more accessible then their main line and was meant to be available in more shops then the main line would be. The pieces were still very well made. This one caught my eye simply because of how gorgeous and sexy it is. It is a stunning dress and unusual with its fully sheer top.

The dress is made out of a combination of feather light black chiffon and a black lace. Bands of a more opaque fabric add detail to bodice and have been used to create a collar. It is a combination that is instantly striking. When you slip it on the bodice molds over your curves and the skirt floats around you moving as you move. The top is cut to completely cover you yet the transparency makes it very sexy. The black straps are set on angles that run into the waist band and then there is that one horizontal band just under the breasts. This extends around to the back where everything perfectly lines up at the hidden set zipper. The sleeves are capped and slightly peaked. I love how the sleeves extend out a bit over the shoulders. It is just a pretty little detail that softens the strong lines of the bodice. The black lace gives it bit of a lingerie feel and yet it still very much feels like a dress. Under that the skirt falls to the floor and there are several yards of fabric in it. It is also a touch transparency though you don't realize this at first glance since the amount of fabric in it hides that until you move. The hem is set so that is slightly changes in length as it goes around and this adds to the movement and sense of airiness that it has. It is gorgeous and very sexy. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition 

Unlined and closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. Tagged a size S. The lace of the bodice does have some stretch.

Bust: 16-18" flat across the front from side seam to side seam but will fit a variety of bust sizes with the adjustable tie and open back
Waist: 13 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to top seam at the waist
Skirt: 45" from top seam at the waist to longest point of hem and including the 1" band at the waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4075

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 launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work. It is from one of his secondary lines that was done to appeal to a broader audience. It is simpler in execution that his main line would have been but in this case that works in its favour. It is a seriously good dress.

This is a stunning dress and so easy to wear. It is made out of a black wool crepe that is very light in weight and then that spectacular sleeve is done in a black taffeta. The dress is cut to skim over the bodice and the neckline dips down on one side to leave your other shoulder and arm completely bare. On the side with the sleeve it is gathered at the top of the shoulder and then the sleeve poufs out from there ending with an elastic so that is is super comfortable on the arm. The sleeve has a ton of volume and inside there is added fabric around the inner top of the shoulder to help it hold its shape. I love it. The rest of the dress falls from there is a straight column with a slit up one side. This allows you the room to walk and also lets a flash of leg show. The waist is not seamed and if you wanted more shape you could add a belt or ribbon. It is just an amazing simple and easy dress to wear with tons of impact. It appear to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Elastic on the one sleeve. Tagged a vintage 8. It even has a little tag along the inside neckline that tells you which side is the back.

Sleeve: approx 15-17"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem with 1.5" turned under the hem
Slit: 20.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4072

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

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

I have had the twin of this dress several years ago and was very pleased to have another. It has such a beautiful and perfect cut to it that allows the stunning fabric to take center stage. The first thing you need to know about this piece is that in person the color is just a touch deeper and the metallic stands out more. It is even more fabulous than how it photoed which says a lot. The dress is shaped in a classic silhouette that is almost sculptural in feel. It is cut to skim over the bodice with a beautiful high collared neckline. The sleeves are long and straight cut with just the slightest taper down to their ends. There is no seam at the waist and the skirt just extends out and falls to the floor. It is cut on an A-line so it widens out as it nears the hem. That fairly simple cut is completely off-set by the spectacular fabric. It is a rich metallic silk brocade with an intricate design that runs across its surface. The metallic portions of the design have a slight puff to them which adds a rich textured feel. It is stunning. Excellent condition.

Fully interlined in a turquoise muslin. Closes with a painted metal zipper. Hand finished interior.

Sleeves: 22" long and 12" around at the upper arm. There is an extra 2" of fabric turned up under the sleeve edge
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from neck to hem with 2.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4069

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

I love Josefa caftans and have covered the history of the label a couple of times in my instagram. They are like owning a piece of wearable art. Every single one of them was entirely hand made, detailed and embroidered. They were made in Mexico in the late sixties to early seventies and were the epitome of Bohemian chic in their day. They are easy to wear pieces that can go from the beach, to exploring far off markets, to being worn as an evening piece depending on how you style them. This one with its pretty pink tones is a beauty and it is a little extra interesting because I have had its twin in blue in the past. I love knowing that they were made in different colours

This is a gorgeous example of her work. The cotton is still crisp and fresh feeling and it would have been hand dyed to the beautiful pink colours and then screened with the striped pattern. It has embroidery work down the front and back. More embroidery is worked across the top of the shoulders and onto each sleeve. Then all of the lines are accented with hand applied pink ribbon on two different tones. The sleeves are incredible. Each is cut straight and wide and I love the detailing and pattern that runs over each. There are even ribbons that hang down on each side on the sleeves and loop at the bottom. I left them hanging down for these shots but you could also clip the bottom so that they separate and then you could tie them into pretty little bows if you wished. The neckline is squared off at the front and the back. From there the dress falls to the floor and widens out as it goes. It is cut to skim loosely over the bodice and then it flares out dramatically as it reaches the hem. It even has pockets hidden along each seam at the hips. It is also a good long length which is sometimes hard to find with vintage from this time period.  It is easy to wear and a great statement piece. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head to wear. The fabric has natural variations in it. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The colour in person has a slighter more natural, paler feel to it then how it photoed. It's even better in person I think. The loose cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. There is a small faint mark on one side. Please see the photo after the label shot

Sleeves: approx 18"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4066

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 more recent Chloe dress that is incredibly easy to wear. The dress is suspended from tiny silk straps that go up and over your shoulders. These attach to either side of the neck and that causes it to scoop and gather towards the neckline. The top edge of the neckline on both the front and the back have been  gathered and stitched for a pretty feminine touch. The openings from your arms draped down on a curve adding to that feeling that the dress is just this incredibly easy thing that you just slipped on. The dressed falls from there to the floor. It’s extremely loose and easy to wear and the only hint of shape that it has comes if you choose to put your hands in the pockets that are hidden along each hip. It is made from an incredibly lightweight silk in the prettiest dusty pink color. The silk has appliqué work over it made from a blue silk with a floral pattern work through it. Then over all of that are little puffs of fringed fabric that create a feathered feel without actually being made out of feathers. The fringes range from white to pale silver greys to deep blue that match the floral applique colour. Once on the dress falls to the floor and it is in its original supermodel length. It was never worn and it still has all its original tags including its price tag of $3150USD. This is a fabulous dress that is easy to wear, flattering and yet feels like you’re wearing nothing. Excellent condition 

Unlined and slips on to wear. You can adjust the length and where it falls on your chest with the straps. Pockets on each hip. Tagged a 36 but its easy and open bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. All original tags and never worn. The pink is lighter and a dustier feel then how it photoed. Better on person.

Bust: will open to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD4067

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

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

This is one of my absolute favourites out of all the pieces I have ever seen by this label and it is a wonderful example of her work. The cotton is crisp and fresh feeling. This one is in a gorgeous combination of pink, coral and a muted yellow. It photoed quite vivid but in person it has a more natural feel to it and the colours are still bright but even better. The design is based on a classic caftan. It falls from the shoulders and then falls on an open block of fabric until it gets the hem where it curves down and around. I shot the caftan laid out flat so that you can see. It is cut to sit very loose and easy over the body so it is incredibly easy to wear. There is an opening on each side for your arms to slip through. The seam under that is closed and then it opens again under the hips so that you see a touch of leg when you move. Running over the the front of the dress are strands of pink ribbon. Each one has been hand sewn into place in rows running from under the bodice and then their ends are left loose. When you move they move and create the most fabulous effect. Above the ribbons the front has been pin-tucked and a pink cord sits at the notched neckline. The back is finished in the same way and then ribbon is sewn to detail just under the arm opening. It simply slips on to wear and is fabulous. Excellent condition with a minor note below 

Unlined and slips on to wear. I see a couple of very small spots. One on the edge of the sleeve and then under the ribbons. Please see the photos after the label shot. They are so minor they have zero impact. There are some natural variations on the colour of the cotton here and there. The colours in person as a little less vibrant than how they photoed. It is even better in person. The very open cut should fit just about any frame

The caftan is 54" flat across from side to side at its widest point. It is 58" long from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA (One Size Fits All)

Item# DD4068

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

Mollie Parnis is one of my favorite American designers. She was known for having dressed numerous first ladies and her dresses regularly appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. She started a label with her husband in 1933 called Parnis Livingston Inc. and she quickly became know for her quality, fit and use of very good fabrics. She had a particular talent in dressing woman of every age and designed pieces that suited her older clients in a time when this was not a focus. Her husband died in 1962 forcing the label to shutter but she re-grouped and re-opened three months later under her own Mollie Parnis label. In 1970s she launched a ready to wear line and hired designer Morty Sussman to do the initial designs and then approved everything he did before it went into production. After the first year his named appeared on the labels like it does on this one. This is a gorgeous example of the work he did.

The dress is made out of a ivory silk moire that holds the intended shape and volume beautifully. It is a set that is made up of a dress and a jacket that slips on over the dress. They are beautiful worn together or separately. I love that having the two pieces gives you more styling opportunities and extends the life of this in your wardrobe. The dress is suspended by two tiny straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The bodice scoops wide at the front and does the same across the back. It skims over you to the waist and the skirt has an incredible amount of volume to it that shows best when you move. The fabric choice keeps it light enough to be comfortable when on yet it still has enough weight that it holds that full feeling when you stand still. And it has pockets. Over this pops the jacket and it is gorgeous. It drops from a soft shoulder and curves around and up from the hem to the neckline. It is slightly cropped and the sleeves are simple and long. The entire front is finished with a feather trim dyed to the palest possible nude ballet pink. The feathers frame your face and create this incredible statement. I love that they continue all the way around to the back. It is absolutely beautiful. A long matching sash in the same fabric is the perfect finish. It lets you add a  little extra bit of detail at the waist and you can cinch the waist in more with it if you need to. This would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in an ivory silky rayon. The dress closes with a side zipper and the jacket has no closures. Pockets along each hip seam. It looks to have been worn very little if at all but there is a very minor bit of grubbiness along the edge of the hem here and there.

Dress
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Jacket
Shoulders: 14.5"
Sleeves: 23" long and 13.25" around the top part of the arm
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17" from neck to actual hem and 23.5" incliding the feathers

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4065

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

This is a beautiful dress from the Christian Dior label that showcases the restraint and elegance the best of the brands work has always displayed. I have had this exact dress in the shop before but in black and it is amazing how gorgeous the ivory version also is. John Galliano went from Givenchy to Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. During John Galliano's years at the house of Christian Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing dresses in the house's history. His work is always beautifully cut and this one is no exception. It has that minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and it is stunning. This was a piece that was produced in limited quantities for retail. The main line runway pieces that season where based on his own couture work and then the actual production pieces included a group of more refined and elegant pieces like this one. It is always interesting to see how John translated his over the top runway collections into elegant, wearable and yet still glamorous pieces. It is a beauty and really might just be a perfect cream coloured dress. 

I love everything about this dress. The way the buttons are laid out onto it with that curved lined off-set down the front make it feel longer then it is. Everything about the cut is done to lengthen the girl wearing it and give her one long and beautiful line. The shoulders are slightly squared off, but not in an exaggerated way and they are not padded. The sleeves are long and simple. The body of the dress is cut to skim over you from shoulder to hem. The waist is brought in just a touch and this is done with vertical seaming so that there is no line to break the fabric across the waist. The skirt falls from there to the floor in a column widening out just a touch as it nears the hem. It buttons down the one side and the buttons are set on a slight curve that give the dress a respectful nod to the early days of the house and the work of Christian. All of the buttons are functional and the entire dress will completely open so you could wear this is a layered piece over other pieces if you wished. The dress doe not have a single unnecessary seam. It really shows how sometimes absolute minimalism is best. Even with its simplicity it would still be a dress that is red carpet worthy or would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any other event too. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk and closes with the fabric covered buttons down the front. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a FR38 US6 IT42 GB10

Sleeves: 23.25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 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
Length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4063

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 this dress in the shop before and I was so pleased to find its twin. It is one of the best Oscar dresses in my opinion and definitely one of the prettiest. It is from his Miss O label that was a targeted towards a younger audience. I think that this might be one of the best pieces to ever come out of that label. It is absolutely gorgeous.

This is spectacular one shoulder chiffon dress by Oscar de la Renta. It is so utterly perfectly feminine and romantic and still feels as fresh now as it would have then. It is made out of a multi color striped crepe chiffon that flows and moved beautifully. The design that runs over it is amazing with bold abstract stripes that follow the bias cut of the chiffon. The pattern is applied onto the chiffon to apprear as if the various coloured stripes have been hand painted. The dress is almost weightless but the fabric choice gives it the volume that you see and it drapes over the body perfectly. The bodice is made from a double layer of the chiffon and it is gathered into a wide shoulder at one side. This leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed. The fabric is set so that it skims over you with a easy yet sexy feel. The waist is seamed and the dress comes with its original matching tie belt that lets you cinch it as much as you wish. The skirt falls under that to the floor and is made from many yards of fabric. It is light in weight so as you move it will billow and float around you. I love how the striped are set on the fabric so that they follow the angle of the bodice and on the skirt they softly curve downwards so there are no harsh lines or breaks. It is just stunning. Excellent condition

Fully lined in white silk chiffon and closes with side painted metal zipper. Hand finishes. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Original matching wide tie belt that you could also use at the neck or as a head wrap. Tagged a vintage 6

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 16" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4060

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

I absolutely love the cut and print of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful floral printed silk gazaar that gives it just enough structure to hold the shape but still keeps it light and easy to wear despite all that volume. That fabric choice mixed with the soft billowing cut that it has gives it feeling of high drama and then the prettiest floral print ever softens it and makes it feel feminine and romantic. The bodice is gathered over you in soft vertical gathers to the seamed waist. Under that the skirt is long and full. It flows to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem. It has several yards of fabric in it and a built in underskirt. I have shown it here without any other underskirts added but you could easily add a crinoline if you wanted even more fullness. I love how the floral print is big and oversized and set to circle all the way around you. The bottom hem of the skirt in anchored with a solid green and there is a pink and green ribbon that separate the green from the floral print above. The same ribbon is used to create a belt at the waist and ties it all together. The sleeves are the final touch and they are wonderful. Each is cut to be extremely full so that they billow out above the elbow. The seam is actually up and inside the sleeve which is how it puffs out. The entire neckline is elastic so while you could wear it up and on the shoulder it is fabulous worn off the shoulders so that you leave a bare expanse of skin. The dress is just so pretty. Excellent condition with one minor note below

Fully lined in a white silk and closes with a back painted metal zipper on the lining and snaps into place over that. Each cuff and the neckline are finished with elastic. Has its original matching sash belt that snaps and hooks to close. Hand finishes. Has its original hang tag still attached. Some of the fabric seems to have darkened slightly. The backdrop white on the skirt and sleeves seem to be slightly darkened a bit then the white on the bodice. It is super even and seems deliberate so more a note for accuracy then something that effects the dress or how it looks once on. Please see the two photos after the label shot. Tagged a vintage 8

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Arm opening: 11-12" around and could be altered

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4061

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 from the Yves Saint Laurent variation line which was an experimental lower priced lined that last for a short time period during the 80s. Most of the pieces you see from it are not what I look for from his work on a day to day basis but this particular dress had such great lines I could not resist picking it up. There was just something so fabulous about it and it is really in par with the regular label and what he did in the couture line for this type of look that I decided to make an exception. It is quite fabulous and I love it

The dress is made from a beautiful cotton silk mix that has a slight coated feel to to it. This mix keeps the dress light and easy to wear while still holding the lines and volume the dress has. A stunning oversized checked plaid pattern covers the fabric. The colours are a more deep hue and there is even a muted gold metallic thread that runs through the pattern. The dress is very easy to wear. The bodice is fitted with light stiffening built in for structure. It is cut to curve around the bust and nips in at the waist. You could easily add a belt or tie to really emphasize the waist too if you wished. The skirt is fantastic. It is cut to fall smoother at the front then widens out to be very full so you get more volume at the back. I photoed it laid out flat so you can see. The back is cut on a curve and longer then the front so you get a beautiful line. And it has pockets! A gorgeous dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a hidden set side zipper.  Slight stiffening fabric built in through the bodice. Tagged an vintage 10

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of bust to bottom seam of bodice
Skirt: 42" from waist to front hem, 49" to the longest point of the back hem and has 1.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4058

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

Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics. Some of his work is quite lovely and this dress is a really great one. I am in love with it!

This is a favorites of all the Victor Costa pieces I have had come into the shop. The dress is well made and striking. It is made from a stunning bright plaid silk taffeta that gives it just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but without making the dress heavy or bulky to wear. It also gives the dress the most amazing slightly iridescent finish. As you move and the fabric catches the light it lets the colours really pop and it is quite a stunning detail in itself. The bodice is fitted and strapless and cut to curve and shape the bust. Circling around the top portion of the bust is an elaborate feather finish. The feathers have been dyed to match the red green and black used in the print. It just really highlights the gorgeous colours and adds to the festive feel the dress has. The waist nips in and you could easily add a tie belt or more structured belt to cinch the waist in further. The skirt falls to the floor from there and has yards of fabric in it that create the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is finished by a pleated ruffled that goes all the way around the hem. I love how the back of the skirt is a touch longer so you get incredible movement when you move. And it has pockets. All the shots you see here were done with no added crinoline underneath but you could add one if you wanted it to be even fuller. I love everything about this dress. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in a black silky rayon through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. The bodice is lightly boned and shaped with stiffening fabric. The dress closes with a back zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice ruffles to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to front hem, 49" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4059

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather 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. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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

Stephen Burrows was known for his innovative use of matte jersey fabrics in a rainbow of colours. He colour blocked it, detailed it with beading, draped it on the bias and added cutouts to highlight the body. He used the Jasco-brand jersey for his work which was light in weight and had some stretch. Many of his pieces, including this one, had their hems finished with a complex zig zag edging. This became known as a 'lettuce' finish and became his signature. His first boutique was simply known as "O" and opened in 1968 with a cofounder. The “Stephen Burrows World" label launched in the summer of 1970 as part of an exclusive in-store boutique for Henri Bendels. In 1973 he was one of the five American designers that participates in the “Battle of Versailles” fashion show, a spectacular competition between American and French designers. That year marked his first Coty win, which was also the first win by Black designer, and he won it again in 1974 and 1977. He left Bendels shortly after only to return again in 1977, 1993 and 2002 for short stints each time. By the late 70s and into the 80s his work was being worn by some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Cher. His work was the subject of the 2013 exhibit titled 'Stephen Burrows: When Fashion Danced' and which was the first major exhibit of the work. Another followed at SCAD who presented “An American Master of Inventive Design,” in 2014. This is an amazing example of Stephen Burrows work and it feels as relevant today as it would have when it was made.

The dress is made from his signature slinky and sexy black jersey. The entire dress is suspended from two tiny straps at the shoulder and falls from there in a beautiful bias cut that ends with an angled asymmetrical hem. This angled cut leaves one leg more bare so that when you walk or sit you get a flash of more skin on that side. He designed his pieces to not be worn with undergarments believing that they should just skim over the body like a dancer. The jersey is opaque enough to do this and he was after that simple and easy dancer feel that the dress has. It is a dress that just slips on and falls into place, floating over the body, without being too tight in any area while still fully highlighting the body beneath. The bodice is truly spectacular. It is fully hand beaded across the bust and down the center front in a densely applied mix of tube beads, seed beads and faux pearl beading. The bead work has all been applied by hand and you can clearly see this is the case on the back side of the fabric. The lower edges of the dress are finished in his signature lettuce hem seaming. It is a fabulous example of his work and I love it. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips over the head with no closures. Tagged a vintage 10. The fabric does have some stretch so will accommodate a range of sizes. I have provided the comfortable range of stretch when laying flat. One small mark on the back near the hem. Perhaps a bead missing here or there but no bare spots.

Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder to longest point of hem, 38" to the shortest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4053

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 wonderful black silk gazaar dress is from the Nina Ricci Boutique ready to wear line. When hunting for a reference to date it by, we happened across a photo from 1972 that has a variation of this dress with a different neckline and no sleeves. I like this off shoulder version even more and love that the photo at least gives you an idea of how the dress looks like on the body. The Ricci atelier was launched in Paris in 1932, with Nina retiring from designing in the early 1950s. Jules Francois Crahay then headed the design team until he left for Lanvin in 1963. Gerard Pipart took over from Crahay and stayed on with Ricci until 1998. This dress would have been made during his tenure with the house. It is an incredible example of the work being done by the label during this time period and might be my favourite Ricci dress in the shop to date.

The dress is made from a beautiful black silk gazaar that feels like it has been treated so that it holds its shape and volume even more then it normally would. The fabric has a very fine woven feel to it and just a touch of transparency that keeps it feel light and easy. It has just enough weight and structure to be able to create the impressive lines and volume that you see but without making the dress heavy or bulky to wear. The photos really do not give it full justice and it is an integral part of the design of the dress. The bodice is cut to skim over you to the waist. Running along the edge of the neckline is a 6" wide ruffle. This falls from the elastic finished edge and puffs softly around you. The elastic that runs through the top edge of the neckline allows you to wear the dress off the shoulders leaving you bare. Long sleeves sit under that and they each end in a full circle of fabric to create a pretty 4.5" ruffle. The waist nips in and I have added a grosgrain ribbon that I will send with the dress that allows you to cinch the waist in further. The skirt falls to the floor from there and has yards of fabric in it that create the fullness and volume that you see. The skirt falls in a gently widening line and is finished by a 9.5" ruffle that goes all the way around the hem. The dress has a simple silk taffeta skirt underneath and I did not add any additional  crinolines. The volume you see is achieved solely by the cut and the fabric choice. It is incredible and I love everything about it. Excellent condition

Lined in a black silky rayon through the bodice and the a black silk taffeta through the skirt. The sleeves are unlined. The dress closes with a back zipper. The grosgrain tie belt is not original but will be sent with the dress. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. It is even better in person.

Sleeves: 20" from the top edge to the end of the ruffle. Meant to sit off shoulder. The upper arm is 12.25" around
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of the center of the neckline to waist seam
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4052

Reference Photo: Robert Ricci, with two models in Nina Ricci evening wear, UK, October 1972.

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 caftan dress or cover up by Oscar de la Renta. Caftans were a common theme for his summer collections, especially in the 1980s. They were easy to wear and ones like this one where made to cover a variety of occasions from casual entertaining to being used for less formal evening wear. It is a classic and easy feeling piece that still feels fresh and fabulous now. 

In the late seventies and into the 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 still wanted to wear their favourite brand name. This one is a great example of that is it is gorgeous. Oscar was a master with cut and colour and this has both. It can be worn for a few different functions. It completely unbuttons down the front so you can wear it layered over other pieces to act as an ultra light evening coat. It is perfect to be worn as a chic day or evening dress if you dare to wear it alone with the high front slit. And that high front slit lets you pop it over a pant for a chic evening pajama set. So versatile! 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. The silk has a secondary pattern woven through it and the colour is a fresh soft lime green that pops. For contrast he used a blue cord embroidery to edge the neck, run around the arm openings and trail down the front. There is more cording at each cuff and I love that the buttons at the cuffs and the front are also made from this cord. It is very simple in cut. You slip it on and it has a scooped neckline at the front. The sleeves are long and taper down to the wrist slightly. The shoulder has a very light padding along their edges for shape and then it falls in a sheath to the floor widening out gently as it nears the hem. When you are standing still it settles perfectly about you but when you move you really get the sense of movement because of the slit at the front. This is a really fabulous and wearable piece. Excellent condition

Unlined and buttons down the front and at each cuff. Light padding at the outer edge of each shoulder. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: 23.5" long and 15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from shoulder to hem
Slit: 33" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4049

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 stunningly beautiful jersey jumpsuit by the Genny label. It is one of the most beautiful pieces I have seen from this label. The Genny brand launched in 1962 by Arnaldo and Donatella Girombelli and was named after their daughter. They gained a solid following and hired a young Gianni Versace in 1973 who became the Creative Director. He oversaw the Byblos line and in 1977, he designed Complice, a more experimental line and Christian Lacroix took over the Byblos line for a time. Versace also designed for Genny, the main line up till 1979. Several designer followed him including Richard Tyler. It is almost impossible to tell which designer came up with this jumpsuit but it almost doesn't matter as its exceptional no matter who it was. 

This is just a wow kind of a piece. It is made from a brown jersey that is light in weight and drapes fantastically. There is a a touch of Studio 54, disco era sexiness thrown in the mix and it just couldn't be better. The jumpsuit simply slips on to wear and has elastic through the waist so that you can get into it. The top is two triangles that tie behind the neck. The simply drape over the breasts and has a serious plunge to just above the waist. The back is left completely bare. Even with the deep plunge the placement of the fabric holds it in place so that you feel safe wearing it. The waist has elastic so its incredibly easy to wear. You could easily add a belt or tie around the waist, maybe in a white to pick up the detailing on the leg, to cinch in the waist as much as you wanted. This would really emphasize the shape or you can just wear it as is and leave it loose and easy. The pants are amazing. They are cut exceptionally wide. Each is a full 44" around at the hem and this gives them lots of movement as you move. When you stand still you almost look like you are wearing a dress but when you move you have the ease of the jumpsuit. Then on that one leg is the totally unexpected pop of white. It is a styled abstract floral and leaf design that is top stitched onto the jersey and I love it. This is a piece that is so sexy and yet so very easy to wear. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and has elastic through the waist. The fabric does have some stretch. The easy cut should allow it it fit a range of sizes.

Bust: Each triangle is about 12" across when spread out so it should fit most busts from tiny to about 40" around
Elastic waist: 11-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open and generous
Bodice: approx 15" from neck to waist seam
Pants: 44.5" from waist to hem
Inseam: 31"
Gusset: 15"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4048

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 sleeved and one shoulder versions of this Bill Tice dress that had the same gold lame detail applied to the jersey but this is the first time I have seen this exact design. 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  loose and easy over the body. It is suspended from the shoulders by tow straps made of the same jersey fabric. The neckline scoops across and it is gathered around that fabulous curving insets of his signature gold fabric. The back is a panel of elastic for even more added comfort. The dress gathers up and into the detailing at the front  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 on one side and this allows a bit of leg to show when you walk or sit. It is pure ease mixed with sexiness. Excellent condition with a note below

Unlined and slips on to wear. The easy fit should allows it to work on a variety of sizes. There is a loop at the base of each strap where it looks like someone took it up a touch and a small fold on the inside of the side seams where it was taken in a touch there as well. It would be easy to reverse. The fabric has a bit of stretch. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes.

Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 59" from neck to hem
Slit: 26.5" from lowest point of hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4046

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

Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways and elsewhere. This dress for example is clearly a direct inspiration of a classic Mexican wedding dress. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics.

Where a Mexican pin tuck and lace dress is entirely made by hand these versions by Victor Costa are obviously a machine made interpretation. They are still very cute dresses. This one is made out of a light linen finish feel cotton in a soft creamy ivory colour. The fabric has this suggestion of a pleat in it that has softened with time and runs over the entire dress. This gives the fabric a slight texture that is very pretty and is a nod to the original pin-tucking that the original dresses had. Bands of a crocheted lace are worked into the design to highlight the cut of the bodice. More of that lace circles around the skirt at each tier as it widens out to the hem. The bodice is cut to skim over you and scoops into a squared off neckline at the front and a V at the back. The waist is set a little high and has a wide band of the crochet there. The the skirt falls under that with each tier widening out as it nears the hem. Those amazing bell sleeves are the perfect final touch and make the entire dress. I have styled them so you can see them at their maximum dimensions but of course they will sit a touch flatter as you move and wear the piece. The lace insets on them allow for the faintest glimpse of skin through where it sits on the arm. It is an easy to wear and very pretty summer dress that you will wear endlessly. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a light cotton mix through the bodice and skirt. The sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back zipper.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to bottom of the band at the waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4045

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

Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics. Some of his work is quite lovely and this dress is a great one.

I love the pretty floral print of this dress mixed with the stark white. The colours popping off of that white backdrop are just stunning. It is constructed from a beautiful light weight chiffon that has a touch of transparency to it. To counteract the effect of the transparency there is an inner layer of white so that it is opaque enough to wear. The entire dress is cut to be as comfortable to wear as possible. The neckline is finished with a white piping to highlight its edge. You can wear it high on the shoulders or down and completely off the shoulders and I have shown both ways here. I love the versatility that gives you. The sleeves are unlined so that they are very light. They are cut to be full and wide and billow out to a balloon finish above the cuffs. The dress skims over your bust and then opens up to be full over the waist and hips. The skirt flows to the floor and widens out in tiers to the hem. I love the mix of colors used on the dress. That pretty floral print runs in bands down the dress is bright pops of colour against the white. The dress has a fantastic romantic and light feel to it and the bareness of the shoulders gives it a bit of a sexy touch. Excellent condition.

The body of the dress is fully lined in a white lingerie weight jersey and the sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back painted metal zipper. Each cuff has elastic. It would be easy to add to the inner lining. The top edge seam has no give so that measurement is firm unless altered.

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Seam at the top of the bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 59" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4044

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

Victor Costa launched his label in 1974 and was known for producing versions of what was seen on the Paris runways and elsewhere. This dress for example is clearly a direct inspiration of a classic Mexican wedding dress. Costa chose good fabrics for his designs and even though his work was often very close interpretations of other designs he did add his own unique twist when it came to colours, cut and fabrics.

Where a Mexican pin tuck and lace dress is entirely made by hand these versions by Victor Costa are obviously a machine made interpretation. They are still very cute dresses though. This one is made out of a light gauze finish cotton in a soft creamy ivory colour. The fabric has a slight touch of transparency to it where it is not backed by lining that gives it a soft and pretty feel. Bands of a crocheted lace are worked into the design to highlight the cut of the bodice. More of that lace circles around the skirt as it widens out in tiers to the hem. The bodice is cut to skim over you and scoops into a squared off neckline at the front and a V at the back. The waist is set a little high and has a wide band of the crochet that goes all the way aound you. The skirt falls under that with each tier widening out as it nears the hem. Those amazing bell sleeves are the perfect final touch and make the entire dress. I have styled them so you can see them at their maximum dimensions but of course they will sit a touch flatter as you move and wear the piece. The lace insets on them allow for the faintest glimpse of skin through where it sits on the arm. It is an easy to wear and very pretty summer dress that you will wear endlessly. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a silky rayon through the bodice and skirt. The sleeves are unlined. It closes with a back zipper.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.3" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to bottom of the band at the waist
Skirt: 42.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4043

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 Galliano was moved from Givenchy to Christian Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. This dress is from the Fall 2009 collection and was a piece that was produced in limited quantities for retail. The runway pieces that season where based lightly on Poiret and the Paris of the past and for production there was a group of more refined and elegant pieces like this wonderful dress. It is always interesting to see how John translated his over the top runway collections into elegant, wearable and yet still glamorous pieces like this dress. It is a beauty and really might just be a perfect black dress. 

As good as the dress looks on the form once on an actual body it will only be better. His pieces really are cut to be on a living body and it is the person wearing his work that brings life to them and makes them look so good once on. The dress is made from a rich black coloured silk satin that is draped beautifully to highlight the lines of the dress. The fabric and the way it is cut and draped allows it to skim over the body and highlight your shape but without being tight. This cut also makes it very comfortable and easy to move in. Once on an actual body and you start to move in it the dress moves with you. The dress molds itself around the bust and and has this stunning off-set angled neckline that dips down on an angle to one side. The front of the dress is all about draping to cleverly accent your shape while not being restrictive to wear. An extra set of seams are set slightly towards the front of the dress and then draped panels of fabric are set within that. A panel angles down from the more covered shoulder across to the waist and then another panel is gathered along the side of that ho to angle down and across. The draped silk gives detail down the front of the skirt and then it starts to open up looser until it eventually falls and expands out into the lower skirt. The skirt has an unexpected slit that runs down the seam on the one side so when you walk or move you get this flash of leg. It perfectly balance the dip of the neckline on the other side for a bit of sensuality in an otherwise fully covered dress. At the back the dress falls in a sleek sheath of fabric. the dress flares out slightly at the hem for the perfect finish. It is a beautiful and glamorous dress and is in its original supermodel length. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined with a fine ivory tissue silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. Each cuff has 5 covered buttons and loops. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a FR40, GB12, IT 44, US 8

Sleeves: 26.5"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 65" from neck to hem
Slit: 33" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4042

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

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

This is a killer dress. It is really one that will come to life once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is made out of a black ribbon finish with silk organza ribbons set on to the base in a curving design done to suggest flowers worked through it. Each flower design is finished with a series of curved and looped rows of glossy black sequins. This covers you from where it sits in a curving sweetheart neckline above the breast down to the top of the hips.  Where it meats the skirt it is cut on an angle, which softens the line and adds shape. This part of the dress is entirely opaque and shaped to give you curves. He then used a silk chiffon over the top of the chest and down the back where it dips into a low scoop. An open keyhole runs down the back for a hint of skin. Each sleeve is cut to be wide and full and the chiffon lets you have a glimpse of your arm through it. The cuffs sit under all that volume and they are done in the same ribbon lace and sequin fabric as the bodice. The rest of the dress is made from a bias cut silk chiffon that sits and drapes beautifully around you as you move. It falls from under the bodice and is pretty amazing in its own right. There is an under skirt that acts as the lining and then panels of silk fall to the hem that are only attached around and under the body of the dress. This gives them complete freedom to move so when you walk the panels will float and move around you with the slightest bit of air. It is really gorgeous. The inner skirt underneath keeps it from exposing everything but at the same time does give a suggestion of leg. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the body and the rest is as described above. It closes with a back set zipper and then a black jet button at the back of the neck. Each sleeve has three jet buttons and loop closures. It appears to have been worn very little if at all

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder to the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4040

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

The Miss Dior label launched in 1967 and it was meant to appeal more to the daughters of the established couture clients. The boutique was right next door to the Couture atelier and the line was sold only there and in stores throughout France. In December of 1970 the line hit the US market, in place of the by then finished Dior-New York label. It was an instant hit. The clothing produced for this label was made in the Dior workrooms and was designed primarily by Phillipe Guiborgé, who also designed the Boutique lines, but was still overseen and finalized by Marc Bohan.

The dress has the bit of an avant garde vibe to it that is fabulous. The color is that perfect true royal purple and the fabric is silk chiffon that is used so cleverly. For the collar and sleeves it is used to create ruffles and then for the body of the dress there are three layers of the chiffon so that it is opaque enough to wear but still stays feather light. It just floats beautifully over the body once on. The outer dress is cut with extreme volume and if you choose to wear it as is then it has this fabulous easy caftan feel. I also took a shot of it with a purple velvet ribbon around the waist (which I will include) so you can see how dramatically adding a belt changes the way the dress looks and sits on you. I love that it gives you the option of having a more caftan feeling dress or one that has shape. The neckline is high and finished with a 6" wide ruffle made out of a knife pleated silk chiffon. The edges of the ruffles are finished with a double row of the pleats for that little bit if extra volume and detail. Each sleeve is made of four more tiers of this same pleated silk chiffon and it gives it a stacked pagoda sleeve feel that is just insanely good. The contrast between all that detail on the sleeve and collar and then the simple fullness through the body of the dress is the perfect contrast. The easy cut also makes the dress extremely versatile size wise and it should work on a range of sizes. Excellent condition with a note below

The body of the dress is made of three layers of the chiffon. The sleeve are unlined. It closes with a back zipper. The velvet ribbon tie is not original but will be included. By the upper part of the zipper and near the seam under the hop the silk has a slightly bumpy texture from minuscule pulls. There is so much volume you really only see it when laid out flat and looking for it. Please see the photo after the label shot.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4039

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

This is the twin of the dress shown in the Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2011 collection Lookbook. This collection was shot as a Lookbook which gives you an amazing glimpse into his styling process. At the time Dior said this of John's collection: ”Dior’s Fall ready-to-wear collection takes its inspiration from the legendary love affair between Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. English romanticism is channeled into Balmoral fringed tweeds and candy-coloured tartans with Prince of Wales checks. Ultimate luxury and expertise create evening glamour in elegant draped gowns and head to toe sequins to ensure that every head is turned.” Vogue commented that: "John Galliano galloped the Duchess of Windsor through This Is Your Life, with richly hued musings on what Wallis Simpson in her prime might've worn at specific times of day and across the decades." I love having the photo reference from that Lookbook so that you can see just how creative it can go styling wise. This was John's second last collection for the house.

This is a very striking dress and I love the rich purple colour of it. The choice of that fine silk satin gives the colour even more depth. This fabric choice is also a nod to the glamorous deco gowns of the later twenties and thirties theme-wise for this collection. The bodice is cut to skim over you with a V at the front. The waist is seamed and it is set in a slight curve for a pretty feminine touch. The skirt falls from there in a column at the front, gently widening out as it nears the hem. The back is where you see all the extra detailing on this dress. First he scooped out the back into a V and then gathered the fabric in along a curve. He then added an extra pair of crossed straps. These attach on either side of the gathered curve and when set into place created this clever little open keyhole effect with the silk gathered in towards it as it runs down your back. A panel of fabric comes out from the base of the keyhole and cascades down the center of the back skirt to the hem. There is quite a bit of fabric in it and it is just a lovely detail. The final flourish are the sleeves which are a definite nod to the thirties in design. The are loops of fabric that are twisted and then gathered along the tops of the shoulder. Your arm slips through and then it draped over the top of your arm. They are so pretty. It is a really lovely dress and a collector's piece. The dress has been shortened at some point from its original length so it is priced lower then if it was all original. If you are taller it will fall to mid-calf or ankle depending on your height. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. No size tag.

Waist: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 38" from waist to front hem, 43.5 to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4038

Reference Photo: Fall 2011 Christian Dior Lookbook.

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 black & ivory versions of this Ossie Clark for Radley dress in the shop before and was happy to find this one in its soft burgundy wine colour. This is one of Ossie's most famous and recognizable designs. Its twin in a black colour is held in the Victorian and Albert Museum. The caption on their dress reads: "This dress has the simple, flattering lines of a classic Ossie Clark design. Its flowing silhouette, waist-tie and deep décolletage suited women of most shapes and sizes. This style was very successful when the Radley label produced it. Radley made it in printed fabrics as well as a range of coloured crêpes." The history behind this label is fascinating. 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. He said yes and dresses like this were the result of that collaboration. These early 'ready to wear' pieces were never produced in vast quantities making them a collectible and valued part of Ossie's history. I absolutely love this one.

The design of this dress is said to have been based loosely on a graduation gown and then he combined that with 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. That plunge deepens into a deep V that is cut right down to the seam at the empire waist. An attached tie wraps around and ties to give you some the shape and it keeps the plunge from moving. The skirt flows from under the front gathers set under the base of the neckline. At the back it falls from under the shoulder yoking. It cascades to the ground from there and is balanced by the wide cut sleeves. This dress is made from his signature moss crepe and this fabric has beautiful movement. It is also in its original supermodel length. I own one of these myself and it will always have a place in my own personal collection. I can tell you from personal experience that it is a dress that you will wear over and over and easily goes from day to night. I have included some past shots of me wearing my own black one so you can see how easy it is to wear. Great condition with a note below.

Unlined and slips over the head to wear with attached ties at the waist. Soft padding in each shoulder. There is a soft variation in colour throughout the dress. I wonder if it was re-dyed at some point as it does seem to be darker where the fabric is gathered or doubled. The hem has some scruffiness to it and there is some very minor pilling tot the inside of the sleeves and inner hem. A slight hint of over-pressing on the seem at the base of the yoke. This all gives the dress a slight intentional distressed feel that works. I have priced it lower then I have others in the past by quite a bit as it is perfectly wearable and actually looks great on because these are all minor. The flowing silhouette, waist tie and deep decolletage should work a variety of figures and sizes.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: no true seam"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4037

Reference Photos: (1) 1974-76 Ossie Clark Dress from the V&A Collection (2 & 3) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon

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

This is the cutest dress and it still has its original hang tags and was never worn. It is the perfect easy little summer dress and still feels relevant and fresh. It is made out of a cotton mix done in a gorgeous muted red. Onto that is a soft print of flowers and leafs. I love how the fabric has been done so that it has a vintage feel to it. It would not be hard to imagine finding a dress with this same print and color in it in a thirties piece. The dress is cut to skim over the bodice and dips down on one side to leave your shoulder and arm completely bare. On the other side it is gathered at the top of the shoulder and then the sleeve poufs out from there ending with an elastic so that is is super comfortable on the arm. The waist is seamed and then the skirt has the illusion of being wrapped in place around you. I love how the hem curves up on the side to play into that wrapped feel. The edge of the hem of the skirt is finished in a blue embroidery with little cut outs. So sweet. It was never worn. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a soft red cotton and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Elastic on the one sleeve. Tagged a modern 44.

Sleeve: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4034

Reference Photos: Isabel Marant Esther Dress, sources unknown.

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

This is the prettiest Marni dress from the days when founder Consuelo Castiglioni was the head of the company still and was acting Creative Director. The brand launched in 1994 and quickly became known for it innovative prints and the way she mixed and matched colors. This is classic Marni from this time period and one of the prettiest dresses from the brand that I have seen.  It is easy to wear piece and that bright vivid blue and white floral block print make it the perfect dress for summer. The bodice is cut to skim over you and it has a notched front under a scooped neckline. The waist is just gently nipped in and then you can cinch it in further with the attached braided cord / rope belt. Where the rope pulls through the front it is gathered and this adds some of the volume that you see above and below the waist. Using cord for the belt is a classic quirky Marni touch that gives it a nod to a nautical theme too. The skirt falls under that from the subtle pleating worked around the front as mentioned above, gradually widening out as it nears the hem. The subtle volume it has from the front pleats and the fabric choice are another signature Marni touch from this time period. The fabric is a crisp cotton that feels like it has a slight coating that helps to hold the shape. It is very easy-to-wear and travel with and is a great example of her work during this time period. Plus it has a hidden pocket on one hip. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. One pocket along the ship on the side opposite to the zipper. The waist is adjustable with the belt. Tagged a Marni 42

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4031

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 was 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 the early to mid 1970s and it is fabulous. He really did mix colour and print like no other and I think this is a stunning example of his work. I love when I find great examples of this label from this time period. 

This Lanvin dress is gorgeous. I am in absolute love with it. The dress has a very unusual but gorgeous colour and print combination. The fabric feels like a cotton silk mix and has a bit of a texture to it that adds to the depth of the pattern. It is light in weight so very easy to wear and it holds the colours exceptionally well. The colors are still crisp, bright and true. The dress has these insanely fabulous very full sleeves. The pouf out from the shoulders and end in an elastic cuff. The neckline is scooped at both the front and the back. Under that the bodice is cut to just skim over you. The waist has an easy and full cut. The dress has its original  matching tie belt so that you can cinch it in and add as much shape as you wish. The main print on the bodice is the striped pattern that you see. It zips down the back and I think it's amazing how the pattern at the back has been set so that it doesn't break in an awkward kind of way. From under the waist the skirt falls to the floor and it widens as it nears the hem. There is a surprising amount of fabric on the skirt and it moves beautifully when you move. The skirt is this amazing explosion of a floral print that runs all the way to the hem. You have two completely contrasting patterns but it somehow manages to work. He cleverly uses the same colours and between how be placed the colours and using the tie belt to bring it all together it somehow magically works. The final result is spectacular and it is an instantly recognizable piece of his work. Rarely do you see someone able to mix stripes, floral and all those colours all on one piece and have it somehow work and be as beautiful as this piece is. This one also has a numbered tag which in this case means that it was probably from the main ready to wear collection or a special order. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back painted metal zipper. Comes with its original ties belt. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: approx 17" and meant to pouf up when on
Shoulder: no true defined seam
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be cinched with the tie belt
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4033

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 1970 Bill Blass was working for the Maurice Rentner label and he had the opportunity to buy the company. He did and once it was his, he re-launched it under his own name and history was made. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. He mixed simple styles with luxurious materials and his clients loved it.  His evening was spectacular and yet always flattering. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work from this time period. I actually have had and sold a paler taupe version of this dress and can attest that its a great dress and easy to wear.

This is such an easy to wear and gorgeous dress. The red silk crepe that it is made out of is the perfect choice for it to drape perfectly over you while still having just enough weight so that it falls properly over the body. The cut is simple yet still has impact and that red colour is perfect. The interior of the bodice is has a concealed inner panel that closes with its own zipper and is lightly boned. This inner structure is meant to support the bust so you can go completely bare underneath if you wish to. Straps made from the same fabric extend from the center of the bust and curve up to tie behind the neck. The dress drapes down and around you in two layers stacked on top of each other. The inner layer falls to the floor and has a slit up the center for a bit of leg to show when you walk or move. Over that the top layer is set to gather in towards the center at the top and then it splits and curves down and around to the hem falling to a longer length at the back. It is simple, sexy and perfect. Excellent condition

The bust has a full built in inner corset that is lightly boned and closes with its own front set zipper. The dress zips to close over that with a front hidden set zipper over that. The straps tie behind the neck and the ends are weighted. Hand finishes. You could have the inner bust piece expanded and made bigger if needed as the overlay is quite generous.

Inner bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: approx 57" from neck to hem
Front slit: 16" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4028

Reference Photos: Fall 1994 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.

Natalie Costantinidou's about page on her label's site, recently relaunched under the label Natali, states that 'studied fashion design and pattern making at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York city while working under designer Geoffrey Beene' she launched her first collection in 2007.Her official self named label then launched in 2012. By 2014 she was lauded as one of the young designers to watch. This dress was from the Resort 2015 collection and when we found street style photos of Natalie Joos in a lighter denim version the owner told me that those photos were the reason why she hunted down and bought the dress. She never ended up wearing the dress so it is still in perfect off the rack condition with its original hang tag still attached.

The dress is so easy to wear and chic. It is made out of a light weight darker denim that has just a touch of stretch in it so that it is incredibly comfortable on the body. It is sleeveless and the bodice is cut to be worm more fitted. The waist is banded for shape and then the skirt falls to the floor from there. The skirt is cut on a sharp A-line which gives it a ton of volume and movement when you move. It zips up the back with a hidden set zipper and then the from has that fantastic lace detail. The lace is done in two separate sections, one for the top and one for the bottom. It is all functional which allows you to open or close the opening to get the look you want and show more or less skin through the laces. The bodice plunges for a bit of skin to show. The bottom laces end well above the hem for a flash of leg to show when you walk or sit. It is a great dress and easy to wear. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The laces at the front are functional so can be adjusted for fit. New with original hang tag. Tagged a modern S

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam and can be opened a bit more with the lacing
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to top seam at waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem and including the 2.5" band at the waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4023

Reference Photos: (1-2) Natalie Constantinidou Resort 2015.  

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

Mollie Parnis is one of my favorite American designers. She was known for having dressed numerous first ladies and her dresses regularly appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. She started a label with her husband in 1933 called Parnis Livingston Inc. and she quickly became know for her quality, fit and use of very good fabrics. She had a particular talent in dressing woman of every age and designed pieces that suited her older clients in a time when this was not a focus. Her husband died in 1962 forcing the label to shutter but she re-grouped and re-opened three months later under her own Mollie Parnis label. In 1970s she launched a ready to wear line hiring designer Morty Sussman to do the initial designs and then approved everything he did before it went into production. His name eventually went on the labels so this dress is from the very early part of that arrangement.

This is a gorgeous dress that is densely covered with glossy blue sequins with the occasional silver one thrown in for added sparkle. It is beautifully made. The outer layer of the dress is made from the deep blue chiffon that is then covered with the sequins from top to bottom. This allows the dress to catch the light from every angle. The cut of the  dress is easy to wear. It has a high collar at the front and then falls outwards from there on a dramatic sweep of fabric to the floor. It is cut supermodel long in length and the wide and easy cut should work an a variety of frames. It has a very glamorous caftan dress feel to it that is just fabulous. All those many yards of fabric give it this incredible movement when you move. It is really beautiful once on the body. The fabric is very fine and light so once on it feels almost weightless. The interior dress has a purpley inner rayon lining and then that is covered in a layer of the same blue chiffon at the outer sequinned layer. This gives the dress extra depth as you see the under-layer through the outer layer. It also adds some structure to help hold the volume of the dress. The skirt flows to the floor and it has a light and airy feel despite the extensive sequin work. I love the sleeves. Each is cut long and have not been lined so that you get a glimpse of skin through them. They fall from the shoulder and widen out quite a bit by the time they reach their ends. They mimic the shape of the widening of the skirt and add yet another light and airy element to the dress.  It is just gorgeous and even better on an actual body. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined as described above. It closes with a back zipper and hook & eye at the back neck. I see a tiny amount of sequins missing along the side of the neck. Perhaps the occasional here and there. Please see the photo after the label shot. There is discoloration / fading to the lining under the arms which you of course cannot see from the exterior.

Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no true shoulder seams
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam of the inner dress
Waist-hips: open
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem
Upper arm: 15-16" around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4024

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

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

I love this dress. The color combination is fabulous together and the silk chiffon is a stunning quality. The dress is made out of several layers of that silk chiffon. This is something that Galanos excelled at. It is very difficult to work with this fabric and have it lie properly. The skirt is really where you see his genius. It is made out of four layers of the pink chiffon with each layer stacked perfectly over the one beneath it. The layers are attached at the side seam and the waist only so that the hem has the full movement created by the four layers. This is what gives the dress movement when you move. The top is also made out of layers of the silk so that it is opaque enough to wear. The waist and the neckline are both  finished with elastic so that it is very comfortable on. The top is suspended by two tiny pink straps that curve over the shoulder. Because of the elastic you can easily tuck those in and wear this as a strapless piece if you wanted. To finish the look he has set a panel of moss green silk chiffon on both the front and the back of the skirt. This is attached around the waist with the sides left open down the full length of panels so the pink shows from underneath. The dress has a matching green silk chiffon short sash that you can use to cinch the waist for added shape or use around the neck or as a head wrap. Pockets along each hip. It is beautifully made and feather light. As with most silk chiffon pieces it really will only truly come to life when on an actually body. It is so pretty. Excellent condition with a small note below.

The layers of silk make it opaque enough to wear. It closes with a hand set side zipper. Elastic at the waist and neckline. Pockets on each hip. Hand rolled edges and hand finishes throughout. A faint mark in the silk at the waist and a tiny area of thinning on one side of the sash. Please see the last two photos after the label shot. The elastic should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16"
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD1199

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

Zandra Rhodes is one of my favorite designers and it is always a treat to have one of her pieces for you. This is an incredible cut velvet fabric that she has had custom made with one of her own proprietary designs. It gives it that incredible Zandra Rhode touch while hearkening back to the decadence of the twenties in feel. 

The fabric on this dress is just stunning. It is a cut fused velvet in a chiffon with one of her signature designs made from the velvet parts. The velvet is in a rich deep burgundy red colour that catches the light beautifully. This is fused onto a black chiffon base and the contrast between the two is fabulous. The chiffon parts are partially transparent so you get a sense of that but the dress is but it is also line in black so that it is not completely see-through. The addition of the velvet gives the dress an incredible sensual feel and it feels wonderful when on the body. It is cut in an easy to wear and flattering cut. It simply skims over the body past the bust to the loose and easy cut waist. It skims over the hip and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The bodice has extra detailing across the front with hand applied sequin and beads. The sleeves are unlined and are cut to be wide and full to just about the elbow. Each sleeve is open along the inner seam and the edges slightly overlap so that when you move they have incredible movement. The end of each sleeve is finished beads and sequins. At the wide cut neck there is a panel of silk that is gathered with beads for the perfect finishing detail. The dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in a black silky rayon and it closes with a back zipper. The bead and sequin work detailing are hand applied. This came from the estate of a very good Zandra Rhodes client and was most likely a custom/direct order.

Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 53.5" from shoulder to longest points on the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3528

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

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

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and I hope the photos convey just how fabulous it is. Because in person it will be even better. The bodice of the dress has a sculpted feel to it that is incredible. The bodice is strapless and is seamed to be fitted and shaped around you. The top edge is curved into a modified sweetheart that plunges in the middle and the cups are sculpted for shape. Inside the bust there is one of his signature built in bras that is cupped and has light boning inside to help hold the shape and curves. The entire bodice is covered in overlapping gold sequins that catch the light from every angle. It nips in at the waist and then the skirt under that curves around your hips and the falls to the floor gently widening out as it nears the hem. The skirt is made of an ivory silk charmeuse and has a beautiful drape to it. At the back it is slit up the center quite high so that you see a flash of leg as you walk away. The dress is wonderfully made. It is a stunning dress and you will definitely turn heads in it when you walk into the room. It is a dress that is glamorous and red carpet worthy. It would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any big event. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built in bra as shows and the rest of it is unlined. The skirt is lined in an ivory silk. It closes with two zippers at the back. One for the bodice and another for the skirt. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little.

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-small C cup
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of peak to bottom seam of bodice
Skirt: 44.5" from bottom seam of bodice to the hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4016

Reference Photo: Dalida, wearing Azzaro, 1976.

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 Anthony is an award-winning American fashion designer best known for simple, elegant clothing with a strong sense of chic. His work veers towards minimalism, with sharp tailoring, striking evening wear being his signature. He is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. From the day that he launched his atelier in 1971 his design philosophy is a fusion of function and purpose. The function is his logical, wearable approach; the purpose, his pared-down ideas. As a designer, he considers it his job to make things easy for the customer. He designs with focus and a narrow palette for both day and night, so items can easily intermingle. He uses natural fabrics and is noted for contradictory daywear fabrics in his evening collections. In the early 70’s he was one of the first designers to promote the idea of easy-to-travel clothes that resist wrinkling. By 1976, he was showing soft, liquid separates in muted colours that became his trademark and received 2 Coty awards, one in 1972 and one in 1976, as recognition. His business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces did, and still do, retail for over $10,000. His work is a personal favourite of mine and I am thrilled to begin to offer this second round of a dozen exclusive pieces and samples that John pulled from his own archives

I love that both of the pieces in this dress set are strong enough to stand on their own which means you can wear them together as intended or you can mix and match them with pieces you already have in your closet. Both are amazing and both are densely sequinned with every inch of the surface covered. The jacket has a beautiful cit with string shoulders and it is meant to be more fitted through the body. The shoulders are padded for shape and the sleeves each end in an upturned cuff. The waist is brought in and shaped with vertical seaming and then the hips flare out just a touch. Flap pockets sit on each hip for added shape and detail. It closes down the front with a series of hidden hook & eye so that you don't break the lines of those beautiful sequins. The sequins completely cover the silk that the jacket is made from and are set on overlapping rows/ Setting sequins this way is far more costly and time consuming. The sequins combine a pink taupe with a deeper bronze and John has uses the two colours to highlight the back and front collar of the jacket and create a degrade effect with the sequins deepening in colour as they move down to the hem. Under that is a sexy little strapless dress. The dress is cut to hug and highlight every curve of your body. It is covered int he same sequin work as the jacket and he has also done a degrade colour so that the sequins are darker as they near the hem. When worn together this creates this beautiful line and when worn separately it adds a subtle detailing that is gorgeous. Those hundreds of thousands of sequins give the set a stunning shimmer and allow it to catch the light from every angle. Hand finished throughout and just a stunning set to see in person. Far better on the body then how it photoed. Made to demi-couture standards. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Both pieces are dress is hand lined in silk. The dress closes with a hand set back zipper. The bodice has light boning and slight built in hidden padding on the bust. Interior waist stay hooks to close. The jacket hooks to close down the front as described above. Padding in each shoulder. I see some scuffing to the silk one the inner lining of the jacket where the sequins of the dress have rubbed on it. It looks like the silk lining of the jacket was reset at some point along the hem. Please see the last photo after the label shot. This is minor and of course cannot be seen when on.

Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27.5" from top of bodice to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from neck to hem, including the feathers

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4006

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

I absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful pink chiffon that is that perfect shade that is on the runways this season, especially at Valentino. The chiffon gives it just enough structure to hold the shape but where it is a single layer like the sleeves - it can billow out and be soft and airy in feel. That fabric choice mixed with the spectacular colour and soft billowing cut is just stunning. The bodice is heavily draped on an angle on both the front and back. Both sides plunge to a V with the back V dipping right to the band at the back. The gathers are set to angle in towards the waist and cross over themselves to make an X design. This adds to the shape and becomes a design detail on its own. It skims over the bust and is shaped a bit through the waist and then the sides drape down and over the top of the hips. The skirt falls from under the gathers and is very light and full. It flows to just past the knee depending on your height and falls in a cascade that has yards of fabric in it. When you stand still it widens out slightly as you near the hem and when you move it wafts around you as the air picks up the chiffon. The sleeves are unlined and are cut to be extremely full and wide so that they billow out above each cuff. The dress has a fantastic romantic, pretty and light feel, but is still sexy and beautiful. Excellent condition.

The bodice and skirt are fully lined in a deeper fuchsia pink silk rayon and the sleeves are unlined. It closes with a low set back painted metal zipper. Each cuff has hidden snaps to close.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: open
Length: 48" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3995

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 these beautiful floral prints and when I find pieces with one of her florals and butterflies I am very happy. I feel that pieces like this are among the very best representations of her work.

I love whenever I get a fabulous Hanae dress into the shop. I especially love her jersey pieces when I find them. They are so chic. They are also very easy to wear and travel with. This one is a real beauty. It is made out of one of her signature floral prints with butterflies mixed in. That is screened over a wash and wear jersey fabric. This jersey fabric choice give the dress its perfect drape and fit. Each of her flower prints were custom designed and this one is one of the best I have had with its gorgeous pops of green. The colour palette is a beautiful mix of green and white on the black and then the flowers and butterflies give it pops of pink and blue. The print runs over the entire dress and is very pretty. At the front the bodice plunges and crosses over itself for a bit of skin to show. Each amazing sleeve is cut to pouf and balloon out over the cuff with extra fullness over the wrists. It skims over the waist with a an easy cut and then the skirt falls to the floor, gently flaring out as it nears the hem. It is cut super model long and it is a beauty. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes with a back metal and nylon zipper. Each sleeve snaps to close on the cuff. Tagged a vintage 10 and the fabric has stretch. The measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to hem with another two inches turned up at the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3992

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

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

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body and I hope the photos convey just how fabulous it is. Because in person it will be even better. The dress is made from a incredible black knit that has a pattern knitted into it. The design runs in rows over the body of the dress in soft edged zig zags stacked on top of each other in rows. One row is made from an outline of a metallic gold thread that has a metallic green inside that edges and then the other rows are a silver thread with a metallic blue inside. These are set back and forth and stacked from the shoulder to hem. The metallic of the thread picks up the light in a subtle kind of way so that it glints from every angle. The dress has a bias cut feel but is lined so actually has more structured to it then it looks at first glance.  This allows it to skim over your body and highlight your curves without being super fitted and tight. The neckline is high with a flipped over collar and the sleeves are long. The dress skims over your bust and just slightly comes in at the waist and then glides over the hips. The skirt under that is supermodel long and widens out as it nears the floor. This allows it to move when you walk and the length there creates this beautiful long line. It brings all the emphasis to the curves of your body above. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a brown silky rayon that is on the bias and it closes with a back set zipper. At some point the hem was dropped. I chose to leave it so it will work on someone very tall and if you are not it is an easy thing to have done so its your exact length. I can tack it up if you ask. The dress will stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat. If you needed more room you could expand or change the lining as the outer dress has a ton of stretch

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3991

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 was from Paris and moved to the US in 1937. That early French influence showed throughout her career. In 1949 she was awarded her first Coty award. She won it again in both 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 and her work with silks is wonderful. In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a stunning example of her work from the sixties and it is gorgeous.

This Pauline Trigere dress is extremely well made with a very high level of construction techniques. That alone makes it a fabulous piece for me. It is a joy to see dresses made to this fine level of workmanship. The dress is made from a matte black silk satin that has a rich luxurious feel to it. It has just enough weight to hold the intended shape that she wished for the dress The fabric has a slight sheen so catches the light beautifully and showcases those wonderful sculptural lines. The interior is constructed out of a fine black silk and the combination of the two silks makes the dress feel amazing once on. This double layer of silk also helps to give the gown the structure that you see. The neckline is extraordinary and I love the way it falls into that distinctive squared off shape. It skims over the bust and past the waist. It then curves out over over the hops where it starts to widen out tremendously. From there it falls to the floor in graceful curves of the silk. It falls with distinct curves created by clever seaming. As soon as I saw it on the dress form it reminded me of a more subdued version of the iconic Charles James clover dress and that way that skirt falls. All of the seaming is set vertically which makes the entire dress a more complicated task to piece together as the precision required is so much greater. The workmanship is exquisite and to demi-couture standards. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 57" from waist to hem with 3" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3993

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 more recent piece by Maison Margiela designed by John Galliano for the label. It is from the Line 4 division which were pieces not shown on the runway. The label tell us this where is has the number 4 circled. The Line 4 was first introduced in 2004 as 'a wardrobe for women'. It was meant to cover the basics for women and was described as 'a personal approach to dress, fixed on taste rather than on a seasonal approach to design, or a particular age group.' The dress is gorgeous in its simplicity.

The colour is a clear bright red that has just a touch of a coral in it. The neckline is a high set curve and the edges are deliberately left raw and unfinished. The dress falls from there on a straight column widening out slightly as it nears the hem. An angled seam runs across the skirt and this is the only seaming detail on the dress. The sleeves are cut extra long and are meant to be bunched up on the arm to become their own design detail. The edges on these and the hem are also left raw. At the back you see the signature four corner stitches in white where the label is set on the interior. They are set onto garments like this deliberately “The four white stitches only appear on unlined garments. They were devised so as to, realistically and ideally, offer the option to those confronting the garments for the first time to react to their form and energy, and not just the idea of “brand” as expressed via a label.” is how the house has described their purpose and Margiela has also stated that “What most people consider as our logo – the four stitches in the back with the white label inside the garment – had in fact the opposite purpose: it was meant to be cut off so the garment would be without a label and logo!” It is a gorgeous dress in its own right and has that brilliant tailoring and innovation that the label is know for. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a 38. The dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The fabric has some stretch.

Sleeves: 27.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5-20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3988

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 this dress in the shop once before and was very happy to have it again. It is spectacular and one of my favourite pieces ever. William Travilla best known for dressing Marylin Monroe in eleven of her films and was an amazing designer. His career began in 1941 as a costume designer and he worked in theatre, film and TV up to 1969. During that time period he designed two of the most iconic dresses that Marylin ever wore. The famous white pleated dress from the "The Seven Year Itch" and the red sequin number in the 1953 film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". His success led him to launch his own label in 1957. He closed his label in 1970 and then re-opened it in Spain where he designed from 1977 to 1990 when he passed away. This dress is a gorgeous example of his work during the 1960s.

This dress is extraordinary. The workmanship in it is to a demi-couture level and the fabric is beautiful. It is a light weight silk chiffon with a print that mixes hues of pinks and corals. Then that silk has been covered in clear sequins. The sequins are laid out flat across the surface of the dress so that they catch the light and give it a liquid feel. The are clear so that you still get the impact of the colours underneath.  Every inch of the dress is covered and there are yards of fabric in this dress. The top of the dress is made from triangle of fabric that sweep up and over the shoulders. The dress is so well made that you can actually get away with wearing it either way around. It is meant to be worn with the bow at the front. This option gives you slightly more coverage. But it will work the other way around as well. On both side the dress plunges right to the velvet ribbon at the empire waist. On what would traditionally be the back that plunge extends down and past the ribbon under the bust to leave an open triangle of skin showing below the waist. The triangles are slightly less wide on the back so if you wear it to the front it has a more bare feel. I have photoed the dress both ways for you to see. Each side also plunges right to the velvet ribbon so you get an open expanse of skin there as well. It is sensational. The interior is lined in a silk that has the same print as the exterior layer even though you would never see this once the dress is on. The lining is entirely hand set. Under the plunging halter the skirt falls to the floor widening out to be very full by the time it reaches the hem. The skirt feels even fuller in person and I think that as great as these photos are the dress is even better in person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a printed crepe silk chiffon that is the same print as the exterior chiffon under the sequins. It closes at the front with a low zipper below the velvet banding and a series of hook & eye and snaps hidden under the front flat bow. Hand written inner tags marking the front and back. Hand finished through out. If you needed more room around the ribbon band you could extend it and create an open keyhole underneath lime how it is on the other side.

Bust: has no fixed side seams. Each halter at the front covers to approx 7": and the ones at the back cover to approx 4.5"
Band under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of bodice to bottom seam of velvet band
Skirt: 43,5" from bottom seam of velvet band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3989

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