This dress is made out of a rich black silk jersey that gives it that beautiful draping effect that you see. Its rich pleats and the way that the fabric is draped and placed gives it a touch of a Madame Gres feel and it is insanely beautiful. It has both a refined simplicity and yet is is very complex at the same time. The depth that the jersey creates adds to this while the fabric is still soft enough that it retains a sensual feel. The dress flows to the floor in a long and dramatic swoop of jersey. The skirt is set under the corseted top in a way that when you are standing perfectly still it falls in perfectly soft rounded pleats. This is very difficult to achieve with this type of fabric. The bodice is shaped and softly boned so that it has a more structured.feel to it and this is added to by the high peaks of the front bodice. The jersey is draped over this and crosses over the bust in the most beautiful of ways. The sleeves are very unusual. Each is a single layer of jersey with a peaked part created near the shoulders. You could wear then up and on the shoulders but I think they are best worn when they are left draped down and off the shoulders. This leaves the shoulders completely bare and that peaked cut  on each of them turns into a soft, wide draped along the upper arms. The cuffs narrow in for a simple finish. The dress is finished with lots of handwork and high quality construction technoques. The photos do not come near to how amazing this dress is in person. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in black silk and the skirt unlined. It closes with a hidden set side painted metal zipper. Boning through the sides and bodice. Hand finishes throughout. Tagged a 38. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: approx 24"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3472

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

This is a stunning example of the couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. In 1950 he became the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines of the clothes and his metallic pieces were particularly sought after. This is a rare Haute Couture dress from that period whose label is the one used from 1954 to his departure in 1962. I found a couple of photos of a 'gold organza' dress that has the same pleated metallic skirt treatment that this one does and was able to date it by those. It is very beautiful. 

The fabric of this dress is the undeniable focal point of the dress and it is just wonderful. The bodice is a heavy silk faille dyed to a brilliant emerald green. It is cut to skim over the bodice with a seamed waist that has a matching fabric belt in the same green silk. It is sleeveless and the front is detailed with a cleverly built in pleating effect that gives a nod to the Lanvin bow but without adding bulk to the bust area by adding an actual bow there. Variations of these 'built in' bows were used extensively during the collections of 1954 and I think this is one of the best versions. The skirt is a masterpiece and you can see in the reference photos just how wonderfully it will move. I have photoed it over a light crinoline so that you can get a better idea of the full shape. The top layer is made out of a fine metallic thread silk organza that has a bias cut fine line worked through the fabric. This tiny angled line contrasts with the sharp knife pleats that the skirt has and lets the gold thread catch the light even more then it would otherwise. In person the fabric almost seems to glow. The gold color is not quite captured in these photos and I think it is far better and richer feeling when you have it in hand. Under the top gold layer is an inner silk skirt that has a deep stiffened hem to help give the skirt volume and hold the pleats true. The entire dress is made with masterful seaming and cut. The fabric choices are just extraordinary. It is a stunning and rare example of the Haute Couture pieces the house was producing in this time period. It has its Haute Couture label which is hand numbered on the reverse side. The inner silk is stamped Rhodia along the seam. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully hand lined in silk and all done and hand stitched on the interior to Haute Couture standards. The dress closes with a side set painted metal zipper and snaps and hooks on the inner layer. Inner waist stay that hooks to close. The matching fabric sash circles the waist and there is a combination of hook & eye and hidden snaps to secure it. The inner skirt shows grubbiness and marks around the hem. Grubbiness along the edge of the hem of the outer skirt here and there and I see one teeny, well done repair on the outer skirt. If not for that it would look unworn. Hand numbered Haute Couture tag

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam but see above notes
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3468

Reference Photos: (1) Lena Madsen in evening gown of finely pleated 'opaline' gauze by Lanvin-Castillo, photo by Guy Arsac, 1954.  /  (2) Gold organza gown by Lanvin-Castillo, 1954.

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 extremely rare Jeanne Lanvin-Castillo labeled ensemble. The label is that of the "Execute par Maria Carine sur autorization speciale", which translates to: "made by Maria Carine with special authorization. That label is best explained by this partial excerpt from the Vintage Fashion Guild: The Maria Carine atelier was owned by Maria Moutet-Chenu. She worked with four couturiers: Heim, Desses, LaRoche, and Lanvin. After the couture showings, each couturier would give her sketches based upon the garments they had just shown. Moutet-Chenu made the toiles which were approved by the designers. Then each garment was cut individually by hand in the Maria Carine workrooms in Paris using the same fabrics that were used for the couture garment. Maria employed hundreds of seamstresses, many of whom worked in their own homes. They sewed each garment individually by hand to exacting standards. In other words - this is an authorized piece, whose construction was overseen by the house of Lanvin and is how demi-couture pieces were produced for clients outside of France. These were only produced for a small window of time before more mass market production methods took over. This method was used by the French ateliers of the time to circumvent the stringent export rules of the day - think of it as a off site atelier as this were only produced with permission of the house. They are not "copies", nor are they less valid pieces - they simply were produced off-site to get around the export rules of the time. The quality is that of a demi-couture piece.

The fabric of this dress is wonderful. It is a very lightweight, fine silk brocade woven with a slightly raised pattern of flowers in a deeper blue thread that perfectly contrasts against the blue base. In person this fabric almost seems to glow from within and it is very beautiful. The color is not quite captured in these photos and I think it is far better in person. The dress is fitted through the waist but cut to skim over your curves above and below that. The sleeveless top gently gathers into the banded waist with soft pleats that make it feel very feminine. The skirt falls softly to just past the knee and gently widens as it nears the hem. The jacket is cut with a simple design and has straight cut sleeves that are just past the elbow in length. The is no no collar and it ties in place at the waist. That tie at the waist is finished with hidden set snaps to keep the ends of the tie perfectly in place. I love the two round pockets that sit very high up on the chest. It is made with masterful seaming and cut and the fabric is just extraordinary. Hand finishes and extra detail throughout. Excellent condition.

Unlined with a combination of grosgrain and hand stitched edged seams on the interior. The dress closes with a side set painted metal zipper. The jacket ties at the waist and there is a combination of with hook & eye and hidden snaps to secure the tie. Each pocket is hand shaped and sewn into place. Hand sewn interior silk banding at the waist for additional comfort.

Dress
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from shoulder to top of waist band
Waist band: 3"
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 17"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD1700

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 made out of a rich black silk jersey that gives it that beautiful draping effect that you see. Its rich pleats and the way that the fabric is draped and placed gives it a touch of a Madame Gres feel and it is insanely beautiful. It has both a refined simplicity and yet is is very complex at the same time. The depth that the jersey creates adds to this while the fabric is still soft enough that it retains a sensual feel. The dress flows to the floor in a long and dramatic swoop of jersey. The skirt is set under the corseted top in a way that when you are standing perfectly still it falls in perfectly soft rounded pleats. This is very difficult to achieve with this type of fabric. The bodice is shaped and softly boned so that it has a more structured.feel to it and this is added to by the high peaks of the front bodice. The jersey is draped over this and crosses over the bust in the most beautiful of ways. The sleeves are very unusual. Each is a single layer of jersey with a peaked part created near the shoulders. You could wear then up and on the shoulders but I think they are best worn when they are left draped down and off the shoulders. This leaves the shoulders completely bare and that peaked cut  on each of them turns into a soft, wide draped along the upper arms. The cuffs narrow in for a simple finish. The dress is finished with lots of handwork and high quality construction technoques. The photos do not come near to how amazing this dress is in person. Excellent condition

The bodice is fully lined in black silk and the skirt unlined. It closes with a hidden set side painted metal zipper. Boning through the sides and bodice. Hand finishes throughout. Tagged a 38. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: approx 24"
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3472

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

This is a stunning example of the couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. In 1950 he became the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines of the clothes and his metallic pieces were particularly sought after. This is a rare Haute Couture dress from that period whose label is the one used from 1954 to his departure in 1962. I found a couple of photos of a 'gold organza' dress that has the same pleated metallic skirt treatment that this one does and was able to date it by those. It is very beautiful. 

The fabric of this dress is the undeniable focal point of the dress and it is just wonderful. The bodice is a heavy silk faille dyed to a brilliant emerald green. It is cut to skim over the bodice with a seamed waist that has a matching fabric belt in the same green silk. It is sleeveless and the front is detailed with a cleverly built in pleating effect that gives a nod to the Lanvin bow but without adding bulk to the bust area by adding an actual bow there. Variations of these 'built in' bows were used extensively during the collections of 1954 and I think this is one of the best versions. The skirt is a masterpiece and you can see in the reference photos just how wonderfully it will move. I have photoed it over a light crinoline so that you can get a better idea of the full shape. The top layer is made out of a fine metallic thread silk organza that has a bias cut fine line worked through the fabric. This tiny angled line contrasts with the sharp knife pleats that the skirt has and lets the gold thread catch the light even more then it would otherwise. In person the fabric almost seems to glow. The gold color is not quite captured in these photos and I think it is far better and richer feeling when you have it in hand. Under the top gold layer is an inner silk skirt that has a deep stiffened hem to help give the skirt volume and hold the pleats true. The entire dress is made with masterful seaming and cut. The fabric choices are just extraordinary. It is a stunning and rare example of the Haute Couture pieces the house was producing in this time period. It has its Haute Couture label which is hand numbered on the reverse side. The inner silk is stamped Rhodia along the seam. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully hand lined in silk and all done and hand stitched on the interior to Haute Couture standards. The dress closes with a side set painted metal zipper and snaps and hooks on the inner layer. Inner waist stay that hooks to close. The matching fabric sash circles the waist and there is a combination of hook & eye and hidden snaps to secure it. The inner skirt shows grubbiness and marks around the hem. Grubbiness along the edge of the hem of the outer skirt here and there and I see one teeny, well done repair on the outer skirt. If not for that it would look unworn. Hand numbered Haute Couture tag

Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam but see above notes
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3468

Reference Photos: (1) Lena Madsen in evening gown of finely pleated 'opaline' gauze by Lanvin-Castillo, photo by Guy Arsac, 1954.  /  (2) Gold organza gown by Lanvin-Castillo, 1954.

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 extremely rare Jeanne Lanvin-Castillo labeled ensemble. The label is that of the "Execute par Maria Carine sur autorization speciale", which translates to: "made by Maria Carine with special authorization. That label is best explained by this partial excerpt from the Vintage Fashion Guild: The Maria Carine atelier was owned by Maria Moutet-Chenu. She worked with four couturiers: Heim, Desses, LaRoche, and Lanvin. After the couture showings, each couturier would give her sketches based upon the garments they had just shown. Moutet-Chenu made the toiles which were approved by the designers. Then each garment was cut individually by hand in the Maria Carine workrooms in Paris using the same fabrics that were used for the couture garment. Maria employed hundreds of seamstresses, many of whom worked in their own homes. They sewed each garment individually by hand to exacting standards. In other words - this is an authorized piece, whose construction was overseen by the house of Lanvin and is how demi-couture pieces were produced for clients outside of France. These were only produced for a small window of time before more mass market production methods took over. This method was used by the French ateliers of the time to circumvent the stringent export rules of the day - think of it as a off site atelier as this were only produced with permission of the house. They are not "copies", nor are they less valid pieces - they simply were produced off-site to get around the export rules of the time. The quality is that of a demi-couture piece.

The fabric of this dress is wonderful. It is a very lightweight, fine silk brocade woven with a slightly raised pattern of flowers in a deeper blue thread that perfectly contrasts against the blue base. In person this fabric almost seems to glow from within and it is very beautiful. The color is not quite captured in these photos and I think it is far better in person. The dress is fitted through the waist but cut to skim over your curves above and below that. The sleeveless top gently gathers into the banded waist with soft pleats that make it feel very feminine. The skirt falls softly to just past the knee and gently widens as it nears the hem. The jacket is cut with a simple design and has straight cut sleeves that are just past the elbow in length. The is no no collar and it ties in place at the waist. That tie at the waist is finished with hidden set snaps to keep the ends of the tie perfectly in place. I love the two round pockets that sit very high up on the chest. It is made with masterful seaming and cut and the fabric is just extraordinary. Hand finishes and extra detail throughout. Excellent condition.

Unlined with a combination of grosgrain and hand stitched edged seams on the interior. The dress closes with a side set painted metal zipper. The jacket ties at the waist and there is a combination of with hook & eye and hidden snaps to secure the tie. Each pocket is hand shaped and sewn into place. Hand sewn interior silk banding at the waist for additional comfort.

Dress
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from shoulder to top of waist band
Waist band: 3"
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 17"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD1700

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