prada
Resort 2008 Prada by Miuccia Prada Look 5 One Shoulder Floral Printed Silk Dress w Low Side Plunge
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress with a more pink base was presented as Look 5 for the Resort 2008 Prada collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada.
- This was one of the most famous of all Miuccia's collections and the pieces sold out world-wide shortly after being released. Resort pieces are produced in more limited quantities making everything from this collection even more special.
- Vogue's review of the show said that "The collection, full of colourful prints and polka dots, can only be described as pretty" and took special note of the one shoulder pieces.
- The runway version dress was also photoed for an editorial that season.
- It is made out of one of Prada's beautiful fabrics meant to mimic the silky rays of the 1940s. It was then printed with one of Miuccia's proprietary floral prints that she used for this collection. These florals were defining look for the season and they incorporated the word Prada in the print.
- The dress curves up and around the bust and over the shoulder. The shoulder is soft and extends down into a sleeve that ends just past the elbow. The sleeve has elastic around the bottom which lets it puff up above.
- The bodice is cut to skim over you and it is gathered in from the front and the back into the side of the waist opposite to a sleeve. She then added a swag very reminiscent of the 1940s runs down that same side. These nights to the 1940s are a common theme seen in her work.
- The angle the back is set on is cut slightly more dramatically then the front and the two angles give you a deep and unexpected plunge right to the waist.
- The skirt appears to wrap around you and falls to mid-calf depending on your height.
- Set at the base of the plunge is a panel that extends out to create that beautiful draping that you see running down that side to just past the hem. ore silk has been set in panels above that so that entire side has that incredible detailing.
- The floral print combines pinks with a brown that has a touch of pinky-purple undertone to it.
- One of my favourite details about this dress is that the inner hem has been finished with a 3" panel of the same pink that is in the print. You do not see the panel when you are standing still, but when you walk or move, you get a tiny flash of that unexpected colour.
- The dress is fully lined in black and closes at the side with a zipper and then the swag snaps to close over that. The end of the sleeve has elastic. I see a tiny catch on the shoulder and a small very faint watermark on the skirt that gets hidden in the folds. Please see the photo after the label shot.
- Tagged a vintage Prada 44
- Great condition with the minor note above.
Sleeve: 21.5" and it is 15" around the upper arm
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 53" from top of shoulder to hem and the side panel extends another 2" past that at its longest point.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5745
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.
oscar de la renta
Spring 2008 Oscar de la Renta Red Version of Runway Look 64 Silk Dress w Embelished Collar
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress in a gold walked the runway for the Spring 2008 Oscar de la Renta collection as Look 64.
- It was made under the creative direction of Oscar de la Renta.
- On the runway a version of this was shown in a gold and then for the shops they produced this red version with a chunkier embellishment around the collar area and down the front.
- The dress is made out of a linen like finished red silk and then the collar has had an extensive pattern of various beads, rhinestones and sequins added by hand. Some pieces are backed by leather and there is embroidery in the mix.
- The collar is spectacular. It is just under three inches wide and to create a bold band curving around your neck. At the front it runs down and over the silk to just about the waist giving the illusion of wearing a jewelled bib collar. At the back it splits into two straps that expand outward on an angle to meet the silk.
- I love how this leaves most of the upper back bare and exposed.
- The beads on the collar have a very organic feel and they mix what looks like wood and perhaps ceramic beads applied onto leather backings in some spots. Big chunky rhinestones and clear beads have been added, and there are bits of embroidery. It is really fantastic and you can clearly see hand work throughout.
- Under that the dress is cut on a slight curve at the neckline and then comes in at the waist. The shaping through the waist is all done by long vertical seams at the sides with no horizontal line to break the eye or the beaded pattern at the front.
- From there it curves back out over the hips with a slightly exaggerated shape and then it expands out again as it nears the hem.
- Extra fabric has been added at the back and around the sides of the lower skirt to give you extra fullness there and a bit of movement as you move. You can get an idea of how it moves with the reference video added.
- I love how dramatic the red version is. It is a fantastic example of his work during this time period.
- The dress is fully lined in a matching red silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper that is hidden along and offset side seam. The collar hooks to close at the top of the shoulder on one side.. The embellishments have been added by hand. I see some slight scuffing into the top layer of the fabric around the back hem. Please see the photos attached. It is minor but it is mentioned for accuracy.
- Tagged a modern ODLR 2
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5743
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.
christian dior
Fall 2019 Christian Dior by by Maria Grazia Chiuri Runway Look 83 Red Silk Chiffon Playsuit & Skirt
I Have a Question
- This two piece set is from the Fall 2019 Christian Dior collection and was Look 83 on the runway.
- It was made under the creative direction of Maria Grazia Chiuri.
- Vogue's Sally Singer noted that; "Chiuri sought inspiration for this collection from Britain’s postwar Teddy Girls, those working-class, rock ’n’ roll–loving beehived vixens who hit the clubs in a mix of men’s Edwardian jackets, full skirts, blue jeans, leather, velvet, and eyeliner galore. She was struck by the similarity in silhouette and the optimistic excess that characterized Christian Dior’s designs of the same period. She was also moved by Yves Saint Laurent’s addition to the Dior pantheon of a men’s black leather jacket for women in the late 1950s. So, heritage, hipsters, and herstory."
- The twin of this look also appeared on red carpets that season.
- At first glance it looks like this is a full dress but it is actually two pieces. There is an inner romper or play suit and then an open front skirt that goes over top of that. I love the versatility and added wearability that having two separate pieces gives you.
- Both pieces are made out of a deep red silk chiffon and have a inner black layer that deepens the colour and adds interesting shadows to the areas where it is gathered or draped. This fabric choice keeps the pieces soft and pretty as well as light-in-weight.
- The bodice of the inner piece is fitted with a built-in corset that is cupped and boned to sit perfectly in place around you.
- I love how the silk is gathered over the bodice to emphasize the bust. The gathering continues down on an angle around the waist to give the illusion of a smaller waist.
- Under the waist it curves out over the hips and becomes a pair of wider legged short shorts.
- The skirt is its own separate piece and snaps into place over top of the shorts. It falls from a banded panel around the waist and then expands outwards from there.
- It closes under a flat bow at the centre front and is open to the hem under that. This gives it a soft and easy movement around you as you move.
- The skirt is made out of a layer of the red silk chiffon and then underneath are two stacked black layers of a black net. Floating the layers over each other helps it to retain volume and shape around you. It also gives you an interesting colour contrast when the front opens as you move.
- It is just outstanding in person and beautifully constructed.
- The skirt is lined in a black net and the romper in a black silk. Inside the bodice is an attached cupped and lightly boned corset. The playsuit closes with a hidden set back zipper and the skirt closes with hidden set snaps plus hook & eye under the bow at the front. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a modern Dior FR38, GB10, IT42, US6
- Excellent condition
Playsuit
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 23" from top of the bodice to hem. The inseam is 2.5" and the gusset from the back waist to the inner seam is 17"
Skirt
Waist: to 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam. You could adjust this up or down a bit by moving the hooks and snaps.
Hips: open
Total length: 45" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5742
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.
oscar de la renta
Pre-Fall 2015 Oscar de la Renta Finale Look 36 Ivory Net Dress w an Metallic Gold Lame Design
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress was the final look on the runway for the Pre-Fall 2015 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Oscar de la Renta.
- Vogue noted in their review "Pre-Fall 2015 was the last collection he (Oscar de la Renta) had a hand in designing. The house's new creative director, Peter Copping, advised the studio a bit on how to finish it after de la Renta's death in October but this wasn't his debut. Copping sat in the front row taking it all in as a bystander." They continue the review saying, "How does one review a collection like this—one that operates not as a swan song, not as an homage, but as a coda to a great career, now definitively over? On its merits, of course. And though these clothes didn't serve to turn the fashion dial in any way, they manifested the soigné de la Renta signature in spades....It spoke loudest in the collection's clutch of cocktail frocks and gowns, particularly the champagne-toned finale gowns with allover gold or silver embellishment."
- 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.
- The dress is made from a fine ivory net that is covered in beautiful curving gold metallic thread appliques that form flowers and pretty patterns over the entire surface of the dress.
- Each individual applique is made from a pale, muted silver-gold lame fabric sewn that is embroidered all the way around its edges. The lame has a slight vertical ribbing that combines the gold and silver thread and this adds a beautiful texture. I love how they catch the light in a subtle way from every angle. In person the dress has a more metallic and gold feel then how it photographed here.
- It sits wide across the front and the straps are set to the edge of the shoulder. The bodice curves up and over your shoulders and then at the back it falls in a V for a bit of bare skin to show. All of the edges follow the curving pattern of the applique and I love this little romantic touch.
- There is an inner lining inside the bodice that has a sweetheart neckline shape to it and then the netting has a touch of transparency above that. It skims over you from there, past the waist to the seam that sits at the top of the hip.
- From there the skirt explodes outwards in two tiers. Underneath each tier is a layer of tulle and then another layer of netting under that. The second layer has a stiffened edge to help hold the shape of the skirting. Inside the skirt there is a built-in underskirt that has multiple rows of that same stiffened fabric so it holds the volume that you see in the photos. I have added no extra crinolines underneath the dress to take these photos. All of the volume that you see is all built into the dress already.
- The dress is cut shorter at the front and then the back is cut so that it trails out behind you past the floor. The lightness of the tulle and netting allows the dress to billow out around you when you walk.
- This is dress that feels like a fairy tale come true once it is on the body.
- The skirt is fully lined in layers of tulle and netting as described above. The bodice has an inner layer of silk and netting. The dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.
- Tagged a modern OLDR US2
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room at the front for at least a B cup
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top of the shoulder to the seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 49" from top of the shoulder to the front hem, 80" to the back
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5740
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.
prabal gurung
Fall 2024 Atelier Prabal Gurung Look 7 Pink Nude & Black Dotted Net Strapless Dress w Tiered Skirts
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress was shown as Look 7 for the Fall 2024 atelier collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Prabal Gurung.
- He told Vogue that "We've always had a small private client business". He had soft-launched his Atelier collection the previous year and the Fall 2024 collection was the first publicly shown Atelier collection.
- This is a beautiful dress that showcases his love of the 1950s Hollywood Golden Era.
- The dress is made out of a pale nude net that has a touch of pink to it. Little black chenille dots are fused onto the fabric.
- The bodice is strapless with a soft curve to the neckline. There is a boned and cupped built-in corset inside. The waist nips in and then curves back out slightly.
- The skirt is phenomenal. There is a little peplum that combines a layer of tulle with netting just under the waist and then the skirt falls in two more wide tiers under that to the floor.
- The middle tier has a a double layer of tulle under it and then there are more built-in layers under the entire skirt.
- The innermost layer has bands of stiffening placed horizontally around the hem and through the body of the skirt to hold its volume. I did not add any crinolines under the dress. All the volume you see is because of the built-in construction.
- The back of the skirt is cut longer than the front so that it sweeps out slightly behind you.
- The fabric is light in weight so even with the intricate construction of the dress is still feels easy and comfortable to wear.
- I love the little net bow that sits on the hip. It is set on a brooch so you can choose to wear it there, place it elsewhere, or leave it off.
- The dress is fully lined in layers of the netting as described above with a full built-in corset that is boned and cupped. A waist stay hooks to close. The corset closes with its own zipper and then the dress zippers to close over that with a hidden set zipper. The dress appears to have never been worn.
- Tagged a modern Gurung 6
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 59" from top of bodice to front hem and the back extends another 6" beyond that
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5738
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.
cult gaia
Prettiest Resort 2019 Cult Gaia 'Cosette' Draped One Shoulder Dress w Open Waist Cut Outs
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress was featured in the Cult Gaia Lookbook for the Resort 2019 collection.
- It was made under the Creative Direction of Jasmin Larian Hekmat.
- Hekmat founded the label in 2012 and it is based in Los Angeles. The label's name comes from mixing 'Gaia' (the goddess of Mother Earth) with 'Cult' which she meant to reflect the idea of a community built around organic design, nature and the power of femininity.
- The label names their dresses and this one was called Cosette. It was produced in several colours, one of which was this gorgeous pinky coral that is noted on the tag as being the 'bubblegum' colour.
- The dress is made so that it all falls from a single shoulder on one side to create a beautiful drape down and over the body.
- The bust angles on a slight curve up to a wide gathered shoulder. This extends out to become a part of the dramatic caped panel that falls all the way to slightly past the floor. It leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed.
- The dress drapes and skims over the bust and curves in at the waist. From there it curves back out over the the hips.
- At the waist there is a large open cut out circle on both sides that goes from the waist down over the outer hip. To hold this in place around you there is an elastic strap in the same colour that loops around you. The strap is removable so if you prefer the circles completely wide open you can wear it that way as well. It is very sexy.
- The open cutouts already add drama to the dress and then that cascading panel down the one side adds even more to the extraordinary beauty of the dress.
- The panel that is attached to the shoulder curves and cascades over the arm and all the way down the body. As the panel falls down the side of the body it extends just past the hem.
- On one side of the skirt there is a high side slit so that when you move or sit you get a flash of bare leg.
- It is absolutely the most flattering dress once on the body and it has beautiful movement.
- The dress is fully lined in matching fabric. It closes with a hidden side set zipper and the band that slips around the waist hooks to close. The band is removable. I see a very faint mark the front but the dress is new with tags and was never worn. Please see the photo after the label shot. The colour is perhaps a touch more pastel than how it photographed.
- Tagged a modern Cult Gaia medium
- Excellent condition with the minor note above.
Bust: approximately 18" flat across from side to side with no true seam on the side with the draped panel.
Elastic band around waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 32" from the hem up.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5735
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.
giambattista valli
Fairy Tale 2010s Giambattista Valli White Dotted Silk Tulle Wedding Dress w Full Layered Netted Skirt
I Have a Question
- The dress is 2010s Giambattista Valli
- It was made under the creative direction of Giambattista Valli .
- This is one of those ultimate princess, cupcake, fairy tale wedding dresses made with the fantastic execution that Valli is known for.
- The entire dress is made out of a dotted tulle and choosing this fabric keeps it light in weight while still being able to create the fantastic volume that the dress has. The dress is more of a true white.
- The bodice is strapless and there are two tulle panels that extend out from where they are attached at the back waist.
- Since the panels are only attached at the back waist you have the ability to style them in several ways. They can be twist over the front and wrapped back around the neck where it hooks to close.
- They could also be wrapped around the waist for a true strapless feel.
- Inside the bodice there is full built-in corset that is lightly boned so you have full support for wearing the dress.
- I love how tulle is wrapped horizontally over the bodice and then the skirt is set vertically. This combined with the dots in the netting create a subtle visual interest
- The waist nips in and then the skirt expands outward from there.
- I love the drama and volume that this creates through the skirt. Multiple layers of crisp white tulle are stacked on top of each other and this is what holds the volume.
- It has a very ballerina princess feel to it and is absolutely gorgeous.
- The dress is fully lined in a silk organza underneath the tulle layers in the skirt. It closes at the back with a zipper and the panels have hook at their ends to hold them in place. The inner bodice is lightly boned for support. It appears to have never been worn.
- Tagged a modern Valli 44
- Excellent condition
Bust: to a max of 34-35" all the way around
Waist: to 14.4" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 8" from the top of the bodice to waist
Total length: 48" from top of the bodice to the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
DD5733
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.
givenchy
Fall 1982 Hubert de Givenchy Haute Couture Runway Silk & Silk Velvet Dress w Feather Detailing
I Have a Question
- Due to new customs regulations this dress can only ship to a Canadian address. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this or need assitance.
- This dress is from the Fall 1982 Givenchy collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy.
- I believe this is the actual runway sample that walked the runway. The only photo that we have been able to find to verify its presence on the runway is one from the back but it is still a photo that shows that it is a runway piece.
- It would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
-
The dress is unlabelled and it is made by hand in the same level other of his runway samples that we have had in the shop.
- The bodice and sleeves are made from a black velvet with a flat pile finish. I love how it is cut to sit off shoulder and leave a bare expanse of skin across the top of your shoulders. Two little straps curve over the top of the shoulder to hold it perfectly in place and then the sleeves drop so your upper arm is bare.
- The neck line and the very top of each sleeve have a finish of black feathers that add an amazing feel to the dress.
- The sleeves have been tacked into place along the edge of the bodice and they have an elastic running around the top edge for an easy fit.
- The bodice comes in for shape around the waist and then curves back down to the top of the hip.
- The skirt is spectacular. It comes out from the bottom seam of the top and explodes outward around you with incredible volume
- The skirt is made out of a fine black and silver-grey striped silk that has a pretty red metallic dot woven through its surface. It is the perfect subtle touch of colour and contrast.
- The way the feathers fall around the sleeves and upper bodice is just incredible. They also create slight movements when you move. This is a superb example of his Couture abilities.
- The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the skirt is lined with a black silk organza. It closes with a back zipper and each sleeve zippers to close at the wrist. It is finished a level appropriate to a runway sample and all of the work is by hand. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
- There is no size tag present given that it is Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 17" from their open top to the end and the elastic stretches from 8-10" around
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to seam at the top of the hips
Total length: 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and the back extends another 4 " past that. There is an additional. 5" of silk turned under the hem.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5730
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.
I Have a Question
- This is an original Mexican sundress that dates to the 1960s or maybe even a little earlier.
- These were made by hand by local artisans for the tourist market. I think this one is one of the prettiest I have ever seen and I think I will be sad to see it go once it sells.
- I love that it has its original label inside as the label is as pretty and unique as the dress itself.
- These lovely little hand embroidered cotton Mexican dresses are works of art in my opinion and this one is an amazing example.
- The base fabric is a crisp black cotton that has been top stitched with little vertical pin tuck seams that cover the entire dress. These add visual detail and also help to shape the dress.
- Distinct bands of hand embroidered yarn flowers run around each sleeve, the band around the waist and above the lower hem of the skirt. That is what adds the bright pops of colour to the dress that you see. It is incredible.
- The neck line is squared off at both the front and back and the shoulders are soft.
- Each sleeve is cut so that it fall straight from the shoulder to the embroidered band and then underneath that it has these amazing cuffs that expand out to become incredibly full. Each is a full circle all the way around if you lay them out flat.
- A wide band of lace edges the bottom of the sleeve. You see lace used throughout the dress in between the different portions and parts of the pattern.
- The lace is all placed strategically so you get a little glimpse of skin underneath but are still properly covered. It is fantastic.
- The bodice skims to the band of embroidery at the waist and then the skirt sits under that. It gradually widens out to be very full by the time it reaches the hem.
- Everything about this dress is beautiful and it is rare to find one that is still so crisp and perfect. It is a beautiful dress.
- Unlined and closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 22" and they are 14.5" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14-15"
Bust: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of shoulder to the top of the 3.5" band around the waist
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5731
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.
john galliano
Fall 2003 John Galliano Bias Cut Silk & Silk Chiffon Dress w Draped Panels & Side Cut Out
I Have a Question
- The dress is from the Fall 2003 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- This dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of his work from this time period.
- For this season he had emphasized a glamorous hourglass shape mixed with nods to pinup girl lingerie style dressing. These bias cut dresses always showcase his love of the 1930s and 1940s and you can see that influence in them.
- The dress is made out of a deep dusky purple silk that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias in that signature cut he does so well.
- The dress falls from a delicate strap that curves up and behind the neck and then it drapes down and over the body to the floor.
- The bias cut of it allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that it shows every curve but is not overly fitted.
- The fabric has been pieced together with dropped and angled panels throughout to create the beautiful shape that you see.
- At the back the strap meets behind the neck and then drop down the centre of the back and panels of silk are suspended from it. These curving panels can be worn either down and under the arms or you can drape your arms through them.
- The dress glides over the body past the bust, waist and hips and then flares out as it reaches the hem.
- It buttons to close down the side with a row of his signature buttons covered in the same silk and then on the other side the fabric is gathered in and up into a wired circle. The circle is open in the centre and the panels that gather into the circle have been cut out and opened so that it forms the shape of a flower trailing over one hip.
- Silk lining backs the cut outs at the hip but I have seen this dress in another colour where someone had that part of the lining removed so you see bare skin and it looked great.
- The dress is fully lined in a slightly deeper purple silk crepe and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. I see perhaps a tiny pull in the fabric here and there which happens with this fabric and a teeny bit of shininess here and there from pressing near seams. Very minor and mentioned for accuracy. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes with it just draping more in a smaller frame
- Tagged a FR42, GB14, US8.
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD5726
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.
guy laroche
Outstanding 1990s Guy Laroche Haute Couture Open Waist Purple One Shoulder Silk Dress
I Have a Question
- This is a phenomenal Guy Laroche true Haute Couture dress.
- It was made under the Creative Direction of Guy Laroche.
- It would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The dress is a rich royal purple in colour and the silk that it is made out of is of extremely high-quality.
- The bust extends up to curve over one shoulder and then swoops down and becomes a part of the back panel of the dress. This leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed.
- It skims over the bust and is attached to the waist seam on only one side.
- This creates an open cut out on the other side and I love the juxtaposition of the bare shoulder with the bare expanse of skin showing on opposite sides.
- The side that is open has a little tie bow at the top of the hip for added detail. The zipper is set underneath directly under that. This side falls on a slight downward angle to play on the angles of the top.
- A second bow sits on the closed side of the waist with the silk all gathered in towards that bow. It is just fantastically beautiful.
- From there the skirt falls to the floor and slightly widens out as it near the hem. There is a very high slit up the same side as the cut out at the waist.
- When you walk or move you get a fantastic flash of bare leg. It is very sexy but at the same time manages to stay very elevated and chic.
- The dress is fully lined in a purple silk chiffon. All of the inner work is done by hand to haute couture standards. It hooks to close at the top of the shoulder and at the side of the bodice above the cut out. There is a zipper and hook combination at the side. An inner silk waist stay hooks to close. I see a tiny line of stitching between the base of the zipper and the top of the slit. I think at some point the slit was higher and someone closed it. It would be easy to reopen. It otherwise appears to have been worn a little if at all.
- There is no size tag present as it is true couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from the top of the shoulder to the waist
Total length: approx 62" from top of shoulder to hem, with just under 1.5" turned under
Slit: 30" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5727
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.
christian dior
Rare Fall 2007 Christian Dior by John Galliano Runway Look 43 Purple Hammered Silk Top Skirt Dress Set
I Have a Question
- The twin of this set walked the runway for the Fall 2007 show for Look 43.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Galliano repeated the same design through the upper bodice for Look 18.
- In the book 'Dior Catwalk' they note that the Collection "managed to translate the intricate Japanese inspired references and techniques of Galliano's previous Haute Couture show for ready-to-wear, from origami folding and gravity defying pleats to elegant draping, tiered skirts, striking headpieces and bright colors." Women's Wear Daily hailed the collection as "a brilliant blockbuster, a glorious celebration of the grand and glamorous."
- Once worn together you get the feel of a full length dress but it is a two piece set with its original belt included. Both pieces are made out of a dusky purple hammered silk that has incredible drape.
- The top slips on and zips to close at the back. The shoulders are soft and the sleeves are cut long and on a curve a traditional tailoring technique to follow the shape of the arm. Each sleeve is cut a little longer than a normal sleeve so that when they are on the body they can be bunched up along your arm just slightly or worn slightly over the top of the hand depending on your arm length.
- The sleeves are cut to curve outward from the body of the top with gusseted seams underneath forgoing the traditional arm seams. This means extra steps during the garment assembly that you rarely see anymore outside of Couture.
- The neckline comes down in a shallow V and then the silk is gathered up and into the intricate fold at the front.
- A hand dyed to match snakeskin belt is used to cinch in the waist. The buckle of the belt is finished in deep purple rhinestones.
- The skirt skims over the hips and there is an extra panel of fabric that puddles and drapes down one side. It runs from just below the hip down all the way to the floor.
- Under that extra added panel is an incredibly high slit that goes to the top of the thigh. The skirt flares out as it nears the floor and the hem has a touch of an asymmetrical feel to it with the side with the panel falling longer past the hem than where it starts on the inside portion of the slit.
- On the runway you can see the high slit as the model moves and this skirt has that same detail.
- This is an exceptionally rare set and an outstanding example of his work for this collection.
- The top slips on with a hidden set short zipper at the back of the neck. The belt has a rhinestone encrusted buckle and the skirt closes with a side hidden set zipper. There is a teeny bit of lift on the edges and wear marks on the belt that are minor and if I hold the skirt up to the light I see a tiny bit of vertical thinning marks under the waist and here and there around the ham of the skirt. They do not show through to the front at all and I am being very picky. Both pieces otherwise appear to have been worn very little if at all.
- Both pieces are tagged a vintage Dior FR40, GB12, IT44, US8
- Excellent condition
Top
Sleeves: approx 26-27" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 20.5" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 49" from waist to the shortest part of the hem, 54" to the longest
Slit: 36.5" from the shortest part of the hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5724
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.
valentino
Fall 1982 Valentino by the Original Mr Valentino Purple Silk Strapless BubbleDress w Rainbow Detailing
I Have a Question
- This dress is from the Fall 1982 Valentino collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of the original Mr. Valentino.
- This is a very rare and unusual dress from the Valentino boutique label.
- Michelle Harper wore its twin in 2011 and you can see it in the foreground of the photo of an exhibit of his work at the Met Museum. Its twin was shot in black that season as well.
- Valentino launched his ready-to-wear label in 1962 just two years after opening his first couture salon in Rome. In 1970 he expanded and opened a boutique in New York.
- His ready-to-wear was done to give everyone access to the Valentino experience. He often based the boutique designs from his main couture label and in the early days pieces were remarkably close in quality and the line between the two labels was often blurred. This is a beautiful example of that.
- The dress is made of a beautiful weight silk in the perfect shade of purple mixed with those rainbow coloured bands at the top of the bust and around the inner hem. The silk has just enough weight to hold the shape that you see, but still feels light on the body.
- I love the unusual lines that this dress has and how despite its bold silhouette it is still easy to wear and very flattering.
- The dress is strapless and the neckline is set in a peak at the front with the four coloured stripes set on angles that slant down and then curve around the back. The silk is seamed to fit around you and really emphasize the shape through the bust and waist.
- It curves over the very top of the hips from there and then the skirt falls out outwards in the most dramatic poof under that.
- The skirt is a masterpiece. It is gathered softly into the waist and then it expands outward in that fantastic shape that you see. At the bottom it is brought in and under and there are four more matching bands of coloured silk in those rainbow colours.
- When this is on and you move you are going to get the most incredible movement of the skirt.
- There is tulle in between the outer layer and the inner silk lining in the skirt that helps to keep the skirt its structure and shape so it does not collapse around you once you are standing still. And it has pockets.
- The dress is fully lined in a light purple silk. Light boning through the bodice and the inner silk portion of the bod closes with a row of hook and eye. The dress zips to close over that. The skirt has a black silk chiffon lining and this closes with its own hook and eye inside at the waist. The rest of the skirt is lined in a black silk organza and there is tulle in between the exterior layer and the organza. I see a tiny bit of change of texture where the silk has been pressed over the inner tulle here and there. It is very minor and just mentioned for accuracy. Hand finishes.
- Tagged a vintage Valentino 10
- Excellent condition
Bust: has a maximum of 33" available space inside the bodice
Inner waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9.5" from side of bodice to side of waist seam
Total length: 55" to the longest point of the back hem and the front is 46" to the shortest point.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5725
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.
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