Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This set is from approximately the early to mid-seventies and it is fabulous.
This is an amazing piece of vintage. It is a set that consist of two pieces. The bottom part is a wide legged jersey pant and the legs are extremely full. The jersey is a soft wool fabric that she used extensively during this time period and it has a soft finish to it that looks and feels heavenly. The pants are banded at the top with a wide gathered swath of the same jersey but in a soft pale yellow for contrast to the camel colour below. It hooks to the one side and there's some built-in boning to keep it wide and full around the waist. I love how it is set into the pants on a bit of a curve. This lets one side be a little wider then the other. Below that the pants fall in extreme volume to the floor. They are so generously cut that by the time they reach their hem they are a full 64" around. Incredible. The top has almost the exact opposite to the feel of the pants with its metallic finish. The contrast is perfection. The top is made out of a beautiful silk that has actual metal thread woven through it. The silk is printed with its own design and then the metal thread is woven onto that in a floral design to get a print on print feel. The neckline is scooped and top itself is cropped. Darts run down on an angle to create room for the bust. The sleeves are long and simple. At the back you see the magic of this piece. Instead of a zipper or button closure, the top actually ties into place with ties made of the same fabric. These sit on an angle that starts at the neckline, runs down to one side and then straight down to the hem. This leaves a little bare expanse of skin that is so perfectly sensual. I have shot the top un-tucked so you could see it in full, but for the rest of the photos I tucked it into the band around the waist of the pants and I think that it looks quite incredible either way. The appropriate Couture tags are present in both pieces and the top has an additional handwritten numbered tag inside. This is an incredible and rare opportunity to own a beautiful piece of her work and it is that much more versatile with the two pieces since you can mix and match. Excellent condition with a small note below.
Both peices are unlined and completely finished by hand. The pants close with hook and eye at the band and a zipper under that. There's a small repair to the jersey inside the inner structure of the band and then one of the fold along one side. Neither is seen once on. The top ties to close at the back.
Top
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: approx 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 12" from shoulder to hem
Pants
Waist: 12" at top of band and narrows to 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam of true waist
Band: 3.5" high on the boned hook closure side and the other side will widen to approx 9"
Hips: open
Length: 40" from true waist to hem
Inseam: 29"
Rise: 15" from true waist to inner seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4182
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
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SIZE GUIDE
Please review all measurements carefully. More often than not, vintage garments do not fit any size category exactly. If in doubt, measure a garment of your own that fits and is a similar cut and compare it's measurements to the listed measurements below.
