In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. The runway photo that we found shows the dress layered over a printed pant but all of the subsequent references of it match the set to the one we have here with the pants in the same striped silk as the top piece. The twin of this set was a part of the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco, curated by André Leon Talley where it is referred to as being 'evening pyjamas'. The exhibit was broken into different themed galleries and this dress was a part of the garden themed section. Oscar was an avid gardener and the works in this section took inspiration from that life long passion. And it holds an extra special significance because the one shown in the exhibit was loaned to the museum by Annette de la Renta, Oscar's wife and muse, giving it an extra layer of personal connection to its provenance. The dress also appears in the book 'Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style' by Talley. The Met Museum also holds one in their permanent collections and then this one is the third.

In an interesting twist, one of the other dresses that was a part of the garden section of the exhibit was a striped OLDR dress from 1999 and my client had a that dress as well. It is listing along with this one today. It is incredible coincidence to have both dresses in at the same time with that shared bit of exhibit history behind them and both are exceptionally beautiful.

It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. The fabric that both piece are made from is a fine chine silk taffeta that hearkens back to the 18th century with its washed pale blue striping. All of the edges are finished in that same fabric but for the edges it has been tightly knife pleated. These form a wide pleated ruffle all around the collar, down the front and around each cuff. One pale baby pink stripe runs along the edge of the ruffle for a magical bit of colour against the blue. That pink is then picked up on each hand made button that runs down the front and is set on each cuff. The buttons are amazing. They are hand made and they each have a tiny, perfect sprig of hand embroidered pink flower splayed across their tops. Under the evening coat, are a pair of silk taffeta pants in the same fabric. The pants are cut very simply with a flat front and no banding at the waist. They run in a slightly tapered cigarette shape and land just about the ankle depending on your height. Over this is that amazing evening coat that has the lines of a formal court dress worked into its cut. It is created with a nod to the decadence of the eighteenth century with a high pleated collar and softly defined shoulders. The sleeves are long and slim, ending in an elaborate ruffled cuff. It skims over the bodice and tapers in at the waist. The buttons to close it run from the collar to the waist at the front. From that point under the bottom button the front is completely open so that when you walk you see the pants underneath. The back of the coat is a work of art. The skirt trails out behind you, falling from that curved horizontal seam at the waist where the fabric is gathered in soft folds. It is tremendously full and when you walk it causes the skirt to billow out behind you. Haute Couture is always about the details and I love that for the seam that runs across the low back, Oscar used a fine pink silk piping to define the seam and where the gathers of the lower skirting are set. It is the perfect detail to tie in with the pink at the front. This is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, refinement and a dash of coquetry. It is ornate but sophisticated and feels wonderfully light and perfectly suited to his love of nature and botanical themes. “A garden is probably the most spiritual and pure of joys. It’s a communion with nature and beauty in the most simple and fundamental form.”– Oscar de la Renta. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

Both pieces are unlined and all the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The pants close with a hidden set side zipper. There is a built in gusset that is pristine. The evening coat/dress closes with a hand set zipper and then a panel that snaps into place over that with silk, hand covered snaps. Hand made, light shoulder pads. A series of hand embroidered buttons down the front. The inner waist stay hooks to close and you could adjust the hooks if needed or wear it unhooked if you needed the extra room. Each cuff zips to close with a hidden set zipper and has three of the same buttons as decoration. I see one pinhead mar near a front button and a nick out of the fabric near the seam under the arm. One inner seam on either side looks like it was slightly adjusted. There is an extra button sewn to an inner seam. Proper Couture tags on both pieces and the coat one has its couture tape underneath numbered 173 470. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Evening Coat Dress
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 56" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 62" to longest point of the back hem

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 28" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3568

Reference Photos: (1) 1998 Balmain Silk taffeta coat and pants from the book "Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style" by Andre Leon Talley.  /  (2) 1998 Balmain Ensemble from The MET Collection Online.  /  (3-4) Spring 1998 Balmain Haute Couture Runway. / (5-6) Photos from the ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco. Curated by André Leon Talley.  /  (7) Photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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 was a key piece from the 2015 Balmain Resort collection. This collection created a frenzy for the pieces offered and this skirt in particular sold out and was wait listed world wide. I think everyone wanted one and almost every brand out there made a copy of it. The skirt has never been worn so is showroom fresh.  It has that curved and fitted cut that Balmain is known for and has the added dimension and texture created by what it is made out of. The denim is heavy distressed denim. This gives the skirt an extra dimension and depth that it would not have otherwise. It is cut to sit high up on the waist and is fitted to hug your hips. At the back is the signature Balmain chunky zipper. The front has pockets on each hip and large gold domed buttons run down each side. It has all its original tags still attached and has never been worn. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with the zipper you see. Tagged a modern 40. Unworn.

Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S916

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 was a key piece from the 2015 Balmain Resort collection and its twin was Look 29 on the runway. The skirt has never been worn and it still has all of its original tags. This collection created a frenzy for the pieces offered and this skirt in particular sold out and was wait listed world wide. It has that curved and fitted cut that Balmain is known for and has the added dimension and texture created by what it is made out of. The black and white stripes that you see are a raffia feeling material that is set in horizontal rows. This gives the skirt an extra dimension and depth that it would not have otherwise. It is cut to sit high up on the waist and is fitted to hug your hips. At the back is the signature Balmain chunky zipper. It has all its original tags still attached and has never been worn. Excellent condition.

Fully lined with their signature black ribbed fabric and closes at the back with the zipper you see. Tagged a modern 40. All original tags attached including an attached StyleBop return tag. Unworn.

Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S913

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2015 Balmain Collection, Look 29.  /  (2-3) Erica Pesolini, Paris Fashion Week, Fall 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.

This is a spectacular bold silhouette Balmain dress by Olivier Rousteing. The fabric is great. It's just heavy enough to hold the shape and structure that the dress has but without feeling thick or too structured. The shoulders have Rousteing's signature bold and sharp shape and the sleeves taper to the wrist from there. The fabric on the skirt is draped in towards the center front so that you get the effect that the hips are wrapped in it. The front bodice also is wrapped down and into that center knot giving the illusion of an even smaller waist. The bodice of the dress has a long open keyholes at the front and this is balanced by a high neckline. At the back, the Balmain signature chunky zipper runs down the back. It is spectacular and sexy and a collectible both now and as a future vintage piece. It appears to have never been worn. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with the signature chunky brass Balmain zipper. Padding in shoulders. Appears unworn. Tagged a modern Balmain 40. The fabric does have some stretch

Sleeves: 27.5"
Shoulders: to 17" due to the shoulder pads that extend beyond the natural shoulder
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from neck to waist
Skirt: 19" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3347

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

This exquisite Pierre Balmain Haute Couture dress is a stunning and very rare example of what the house was producing during this time period. It is true Haute Couture and has been entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. I had originally dated it to the Fall 1954 collection but after posting it was sent the image of Renée Breton wearing the full gown length version for Spring 1956. I have left the earlier images as I found it interesting to see how his design progressed to get to this 1956 style and thought the person buying it might as well. You can see the resemblance to the  Fall 1954 "Ecume" dress combined with elements from the "Clorinde" dress from that same season and how these eventually become the silhouette you see here. There is also an even closer resemblance to that famous photo of the model and dress captured back stage by Mark Shaw that season. You can easily imagine how this dress was created through the seasons from the different elements of these and Balmain tweaking the details with the end result being this beautiful piece.

The dress is constructed from a hand made ivory Chantilly French lace that is outlined with a fine silk cording. The cord has been meticulously hand applied to the lace. It follows the outline of, and defines each delicate motif within the lace's pattern. The lace portion of the dress begins just under the high and defined waist and the entire lower portion of the exterior layer of the dress is done in that stunning lace. I love how at the very hem the lace edges have been meticulously hand stitched into a silk organza so that the hem is perfectly straight. The bodice is kept with a more simple silk jersey fabric to contrast the high level of workmanship that the lace has. It is strapless and the cups are shaped and molded underneath the jersey. The silk has been is hand draped so that is sits  in soft folds over the bust. The folds are set on a slight angle and one section in the middle has been used to create a wide open loop. Through that opening winds a wide black silk taffeta sash that drapes down at the front to follow the curved angle of the bust line and then ties at the back. I have tied it into a more formal bow but you could also leave this to trail down the back. The use of the contrasting black ribbon adds both a simple and romantic touch and also visually cinches in the waist area even more then the interior corseting already does. The skirt billows out to a beautiful fullness beneath the tapered in waist. The shape and fullness that you see is built into the skirt through layers and layers of silk netting and tulle underneath. The inner construction of the dress is absolutely exquisite with a boned and corseted interior made entirely made by hand and to Haute Couture standards. Under the skirt there are a three full layers of silk tulle and netted underskirts to achieve the shape that you see. I did not add any additional crinolines here but you could create an even fuller shape by adding a separate underskirt if you wished. It is a beautiful example of the very early work that the House of Balmain was doing and a wonderful example of the golden years of Haute Couture. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Fully lined in a ivory silk with extensive boning, inner construction and skirting. It closes with an intricate combination of the Balmain signature, multiple chest and waist stays and two zippers. One to close the inner corset and the other to close the exterior dress The inner layers of the skirt are attached with some having addition half layers at their hems for additional volume. The innermost skirt is interlined with netting and the built in corset is made of lingerie netting and hand done padding. It is boned with metal boning. There is perhaps some very minor darkening to the lace here and there. Very small areas here and there of darkening to the inner bodice. On the exterior bodice there are areas of light yellowing that run across the sides. It is very faint and once on I think you would never even notice it as they are across the fabric and in the folds mainly. None of this compromises the strength or integrity of the dress and it is strong and wearable with the care. All of the photos to show the stunning details of the dress are before the shot of the label and the shots to show the sides of the bodice mentioned above are after the label shot. It really is in remarkable condition. Proper Haute Couture label and tape underneath, though the writing on the couture tape under the label has faded to almost nothing.

Bust: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam with cups built in that would fit an A or smaller
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5" from top of bodice to seam under front cups
Skirt: 36" from seam under the cups to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3344

Reference Photos: (1) Renée Breton in Pierre Balmain, 1956. Photographed by Georges Saad.  /  (2) Model Ann Farrar in Pierre Balmain A/W 1954-55 "Ecume" Dress. Photo by Philippe Pottier.  /  (3) Backstage at Balmain, 1954. Photo by Mark Shaw.  /  (4) Marie-Thérèse in an evening dress called "Clorinde" by Pierre Balmain, Fall/Winter 1954-1955 Collection.

This garment is sent in clean, as found condition and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. The runway photo that we found shows the dress layered over a printed pant but all of the subsequent references of it match the set to the one we have here with the pants in the same striped silk as the top piece. The twin of this set was a part of the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco, curated by André Leon Talley where it is referred to as being 'evening pyjamas'. The exhibit was broken into different themed galleries and this dress was a part of the garden themed section. Oscar was an avid gardener and the works in this section took inspiration from that life long passion. And it holds an extra special significance because the one shown in the exhibit was loaned to the museum by Annette de la Renta, Oscar's wife and muse, giving it an extra layer of personal connection to its provenance. The dress also appears in the book 'Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style' by Talley. The Met Museum also holds one in their permanent collections and then this one is the third.

In an interesting twist, one of the other dresses that was a part of the garden section of the exhibit was a striped OLDR dress from 1999 and my client had a that dress as well. It is listing along with this one today. It is incredible coincidence to have both dresses in at the same time with that shared bit of exhibit history behind them and both are exceptionally beautiful.

It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. The fabric that both piece are made from is a fine chine silk taffeta that hearkens back to the 18th century with its washed pale blue striping. All of the edges are finished in that same fabric but for the edges it has been tightly knife pleated. These form a wide pleated ruffle all around the collar, down the front and around each cuff. One pale baby pink stripe runs along the edge of the ruffle for a magical bit of colour against the blue. That pink is then picked up on each hand made button that runs down the front and is set on each cuff. The buttons are amazing. They are hand made and they each have a tiny, perfect sprig of hand embroidered pink flower splayed across their tops. Under the evening coat, are a pair of silk taffeta pants in the same fabric. The pants are cut very simply with a flat front and no banding at the waist. They run in a slightly tapered cigarette shape and land just about the ankle depending on your height. Over this is that amazing evening coat that has the lines of a formal court dress worked into its cut. It is created with a nod to the decadence of the eighteenth century with a high pleated collar and softly defined shoulders. The sleeves are long and slim, ending in an elaborate ruffled cuff. It skims over the bodice and tapers in at the waist. The buttons to close it run from the collar to the waist at the front. From that point under the bottom button the front is completely open so that when you walk you see the pants underneath. The back of the coat is a work of art. The skirt trails out behind you, falling from that curved horizontal seam at the waist where the fabric is gathered in soft folds. It is tremendously full and when you walk it causes the skirt to billow out behind you. Haute Couture is always about the details and I love that for the seam that runs across the low back, Oscar used a fine pink silk piping to define the seam and where the gathers of the lower skirting are set. It is the perfect detail to tie in with the pink at the front. This is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece; elegance, refinement and a dash of coquetry. It is ornate but sophisticated and feels wonderfully light and perfectly suited to his love of nature and botanical themes. “A garden is probably the most spiritual and pure of joys. It’s a communion with nature and beauty in the most simple and fundamental form.”– Oscar de la Renta. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition. 

Both pieces are unlined and all the interior work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The pants close with a hidden set side zipper. There is a built in gusset that is pristine. The evening coat/dress closes with a hand set zipper and then a panel that snaps into place over that with silk, hand covered snaps. Hand made, light shoulder pads. A series of hand embroidered buttons down the front. The inner waist stay hooks to close and you could adjust the hooks if needed or wear it unhooked if you needed the extra room. Each cuff zips to close with a hidden set zipper and has three of the same buttons as decoration. I see one pinhead mar near a front button and a nick out of the fabric near the seam under the arm. One inner seam on either side looks like it was slightly adjusted. There is an extra button sewn to an inner seam. Proper Couture tags on both pieces and the coat one has its couture tape underneath numbered 173 470. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Evening Coat Dress
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15.25"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 56" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 62" to longest point of the back hem

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 28" from inner seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3568

Reference Photos: (1) 1998 Balmain Silk taffeta coat and pants from the book "Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style" by Andre Leon Talley.  /  (2) 1998 Balmain Ensemble from The MET Collection Online.  /  (3-4) Spring 1998 Balmain Haute Couture Runway. / (5-6) Photos from the ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco. Curated by André Leon Talley.  /  (7) Photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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 was a key piece from the 2015 Balmain Resort collection. This collection created a frenzy for the pieces offered and this skirt in particular sold out and was wait listed world wide. I think everyone wanted one and almost every brand out there made a copy of it. The skirt has never been worn so is showroom fresh.  It has that curved and fitted cut that Balmain is known for and has the added dimension and texture created by what it is made out of. The denim is heavy distressed denim. This gives the skirt an extra dimension and depth that it would not have otherwise. It is cut to sit high up on the waist and is fitted to hug your hips. At the back is the signature Balmain chunky zipper. The front has pockets on each hip and large gold domed buttons run down each side. It has all its original tags still attached and has never been worn. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with the zipper you see. Tagged a modern 40. Unworn.

Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 17.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S916

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 was a key piece from the 2015 Balmain Resort collection and its twin was Look 29 on the runway. The skirt has never been worn and it still has all of its original tags. This collection created a frenzy for the pieces offered and this skirt in particular sold out and was wait listed world wide. It has that curved and fitted cut that Balmain is known for and has the added dimension and texture created by what it is made out of. The black and white stripes that you see are a raffia feeling material that is set in horizontal rows. This gives the skirt an extra dimension and depth that it would not have otherwise. It is cut to sit high up on the waist and is fitted to hug your hips. At the back is the signature Balmain chunky zipper. It has all its original tags still attached and has never been worn. Excellent condition.

Fully lined with their signature black ribbed fabric and closes at the back with the zipper you see. Tagged a modern 40. All original tags attached including an attached StyleBop return tag. Unworn.

Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S913

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2015 Balmain Collection, Look 29.  /  (2-3) Erica Pesolini, Paris Fashion Week, Fall 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.

This is a spectacular bold silhouette Balmain dress by Olivier Rousteing. The fabric is great. It's just heavy enough to hold the shape and structure that the dress has but without feeling thick or too structured. The shoulders have Rousteing's signature bold and sharp shape and the sleeves taper to the wrist from there. The fabric on the skirt is draped in towards the center front so that you get the effect that the hips are wrapped in it. The front bodice also is wrapped down and into that center knot giving the illusion of an even smaller waist. The bodice of the dress has a long open keyholes at the front and this is balanced by a high neckline. At the back, the Balmain signature chunky zipper runs down the back. It is spectacular and sexy and a collectible both now and as a future vintage piece. It appears to have never been worn. Excellent condition.

Unlined and closes at the back with the signature chunky brass Balmain zipper. Padding in shoulders. Appears unworn. Tagged a modern Balmain 40. The fabric does have some stretch

Sleeves: 27.5"
Shoulders: to 17" due to the shoulder pads that extend beyond the natural shoulder
Bust: 17-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from neck to waist
Skirt: 19" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3347

Reference Photo: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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

This exquisite Pierre Balmain Haute Couture dress is a stunning and very rare example of what the house was producing during this time period. It is true Haute Couture and has been entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. I had originally dated it to the Fall 1954 collection but after posting it was sent the image of Renée Breton wearing the full gown length version for Spring 1956. I have left the earlier images as I found it interesting to see how his design progressed to get to this 1956 style and thought the person buying it might as well. You can see the resemblance to the  Fall 1954 "Ecume" dress combined with elements from the "Clorinde" dress from that same season and how these eventually become the silhouette you see here. There is also an even closer resemblance to that famous photo of the model and dress captured back stage by Mark Shaw that season. You can easily imagine how this dress was created through the seasons from the different elements of these and Balmain tweaking the details with the end result being this beautiful piece.

The dress is constructed from a hand made ivory Chantilly French lace that is outlined with a fine silk cording. The cord has been meticulously hand applied to the lace. It follows the outline of, and defines each delicate motif within the lace's pattern. The lace portion of the dress begins just under the high and defined waist and the entire lower portion of the exterior layer of the dress is done in that stunning lace. I love how at the very hem the lace edges have been meticulously hand stitched into a silk organza so that the hem is perfectly straight. The bodice is kept with a more simple silk jersey fabric to contrast the high level of workmanship that the lace has. It is strapless and the cups are shaped and molded underneath the jersey. The silk has been is hand draped so that is sits  in soft folds over the bust. The folds are set on a slight angle and one section in the middle has been used to create a wide open loop. Through that opening winds a wide black silk taffeta sash that drapes down at the front to follow the curved angle of the bust line and then ties at the back. I have tied it into a more formal bow but you could also leave this to trail down the back. The use of the contrasting black ribbon adds both a simple and romantic touch and also visually cinches in the waist area even more then the interior corseting already does. The skirt billows out to a beautiful fullness beneath the tapered in waist. The shape and fullness that you see is built into the skirt through layers and layers of silk netting and tulle underneath. The inner construction of the dress is absolutely exquisite with a boned and corseted interior made entirely made by hand and to Haute Couture standards. Under the skirt there are a three full layers of silk tulle and netted underskirts to achieve the shape that you see. I did not add any additional crinolines here but you could create an even fuller shape by adding a separate underskirt if you wished. It is a beautiful example of the very early work that the House of Balmain was doing and a wonderful example of the golden years of Haute Couture. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Fully lined in a ivory silk with extensive boning, inner construction and skirting. It closes with an intricate combination of the Balmain signature, multiple chest and waist stays and two zippers. One to close the inner corset and the other to close the exterior dress The inner layers of the skirt are attached with some having addition half layers at their hems for additional volume. The innermost skirt is interlined with netting and the built in corset is made of lingerie netting and hand done padding. It is boned with metal boning. There is perhaps some very minor darkening to the lace here and there. Very small areas here and there of darkening to the inner bodice. On the exterior bodice there are areas of light yellowing that run across the sides. It is very faint and once on I think you would never even notice it as they are across the fabric and in the folds mainly. None of this compromises the strength or integrity of the dress and it is strong and wearable with the care. All of the photos to show the stunning details of the dress are before the shot of the label and the shots to show the sides of the bodice mentioned above are after the label shot. It really is in remarkable condition. Proper Haute Couture label and tape underneath, though the writing on the couture tape under the label has faded to almost nothing.

Bust: 15" flat across the back from side seam to side seam with cups built in that would fit an A or smaller
Waist: 11.5-12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 5" from top of bodice to seam under front cups
Skirt: 36" from seam under the cups to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3344

Reference Photos: (1) Renée Breton in Pierre Balmain, 1956. Photographed by Georges Saad.  /  (2) Model Ann Farrar in Pierre Balmain A/W 1954-55 "Ecume" Dress. Photo by Philippe Pottier.  /  (3) Backstage at Balmain, 1954. Photo by Mark Shaw.  /  (4) Marie-Thérèse in an evening dress called "Clorinde" by Pierre Balmain, Fall/Winter 1954-1955 Collection.

This garment is sent in clean, as found condition and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.