Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. This dress is from the Fall 1984 collection and we found an amazing editorial photo of it in the September issue of Vogue that year. It is one of my favourite things in the shop and it is even better in person. 

I am completely in love with this dress. It is so representative of his work and is just a gorgeous little dress in its own right. The silk that he chose for the dress is a fine silk taffeta that holds the volume and shape that he wanted while still keeping the dress light and airy feeling once on the body. The colour are a blend of a silver toned grey with a large black floral print over it. The sleeves are puffed and they have lots of volume built into them. The neckline is high and the bodice is cut to to be more fitted. Into the silver silk taffeta below the neckline there is an inset made out of a semi-transparent silk that has a metallic lame finish. This angles up into a peak at the front and then wraps around the sides. It goes from the top of the peak in height right down to the waist seam. Set along the angle of the front peak is a long panel of the same metallic silk chiffon. These extend out into extra extra long ties. You cross them over each other and then you can wrap them around your body. For the shots here I have tied them at the back but they are long enough that you could wrap them around you and tie at the front as well. Depending on how you tie them you will get a glimpse of skin through the inner front panel. You can style the ties to take advantage of that and show more of the transparent panel or tie them so that it completely covers it for a fully opaque feel. This play on transparent cut-outs is a staple of Beene's work as he progressed into the nineties and I love seeing it in this earlier piece. Below the waist the skirt falls to the floor in a cascade of silver and black. There are many yards of silk that have been used to construct the skirt so when you move you can really get a sense of its fullness. You could probably add an underskirt if you wanted it to be even fuller. Underneath the top layer of the skirt is built in silk chiffon underskirt that is edged  in a wide panel of black lace. The lace is finished with a curving scalloped edge and when you move or sit you get just a peek of it from underneath. Square polished buttons down the back are the perfect finishing touch. It is gorgeous. Appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in a black silk chiffon that is edged with a wide panel of scalloped black lace at the hem. The bodice is also lined in a black silk chiffon. It close with a series of buttons down the back and a low back zipper at the waist. The inner waist hooks to close. Each sleeve has elastic in its cuff and they are cut wide and easy. The ties are attached at the front as described above. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Seam at low waist: 13.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to low waist seam
Skirt: 40" from waist seam to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1904

Reference Photo: Vogue, September 1984.

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. When researching this dress I found a dress held by the Metropolitan Museum with a strikingly similar silhouette and also an editorial shot of a dress that uses the same printed fabric.

I love Geoffrey Beene's work during this time period and this particular dress is just divine. It is really a special piece and Museum worthy. The workmanship is very fine and it is surprisingly light weight despite all that is going on in it. The body of the dress is made from an ultra soft leopard printed chenille like fabric that is almost a faux fur but far lighter and more refined. It is almost like a long piled velvet. Very unusual and very interesting. This is mixed with a black silk netting that makes up the shoulders and sleeves. The netting is detailed with gold metallic thread and also with fused dots of a flat piled black velvet. The bodice is cut to curve around the bust and I love how the leopard printed fabric angles up the the mid-neck on both sides. The netting takes over at that point and curves over the shoulders and down the long sleeves. The extensive detailing work and the way the design is laid out is amazing. From there the fabric skims over the waist and hips and then narrows down to the hem. It is cut to curve in slightly and the hem is cut on a curve as well and has a high slit running up the center. It is really an amazing dress and a testament to Beene's genius. Excellent condition.

The fabric is self backed and the dress unlined. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each sleeve has a hidden set snap at the cuff. Ribbon edge finished for all inner seams. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Tagged a vintage size 6

Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to front hem, 58" to the back hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3484

Reference Photos: (1) Valerie Celis in Geoffrey Beene for Vogue US, 1994. Photo by Ellen Von Unwerth.  /  (2) Spring 1993 Geoffrey Beene dress from the MET Collection Online.

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 Geoffrey Beene wrapped coat is fabulous with its bright contrast of that hot pink silk satin against the heavy black silk base. The collar, cuffs and the inner edge of the coat are finished with  a vivid pink and that shot of bright color combined with the dramatic lines of the coat are wonderful. The coat wraps to close and is cinched in at the waist. The skirting below the waist flares out to an extreme fullness that is very flattering on. The collar is cut to be oversized and the color draws the eye to create a strong focal point. I love that each cuff is finished with that same pink fabric. Both the collar and cuffs are top stitched in rows for a little extra detail. It is cut so that you could get away with wearing this on its own as a dress, but if you do layer it over something else, you will love the unexpected pop of color that runs down the inner edges on both sides at the front. It is just gorgeous and a wonderful example of his earlier work. Excellent overall condition with notes to review below.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes along the waist with hook & eye. Hand finished through out and extremely well made. It presents as being in great condition but has some tiny things to note. There is a touch of wear to each cuff where the fabric folds (see photos) and there is a touch of fading/discoloration along the top of the collar from improper storage (photoed) and where each cuff folds. Otherwise excellent. Priced accordingly. Note the pink is ore a Barbie pink in person and better then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C473

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy.

Geoffrey Beene's evening wear rarely misses the mark. It always has this combination of elegance and sexiness with great details and workmanship that makes you feel that you are really wearing something special. Here we have a beautiful chiffon dress with a fabulous square cut out back. The color of the dress is very unusual. The colour has been achieved by layering a chocolate brown semi-sheer chiffon over an inner layer of cape that has been done in a bright orange. Then under that is a nude coloured lining. This combination makes the final resulting colour a deep burnt pumpkin colour that is very striking. It also gives the fabric a depth and texture that seems to change in different lights. The degree of transparency and colour opaqueness also changes when the fabric moves over itself as you move. The bodice has a wide band at the waist with an attached tie that wraps and snaps into place and then ties at the front. The arms are cut to taper down as they reach each wrist. The skirt swings out from the waist and there is literally yards and yards of fabric in it. If you twirl it is a full circle. The neck is cut in a wide scoop across the front but the back is left completely bare. It is that starts open back that gives you an element of shock when you turn. I love it. . Excellent condition

Fully lined in a nude silk crepe, it closes with a low back, hand set zipper and the attached waist tie snaps into place around the waist and then ties and snaps at the front. Each sleeve has hidden snaps at the wrist. Hand finishes

Sleeves: 27" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from top of bodice to lower waist band, with the included band being approx 4.25"
Skirt: 42" from the bottom of the waist band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2146

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. This dress is from the Fall 1984 collection and we found an amazing editorial photo of it in the September issue of Vogue that year. It is one of my favourite things in the shop and it is even better in person. 

I am completely in love with this dress. It is so representative of his work and is just a gorgeous little dress in its own right. The silk that he chose for the dress is a fine silk taffeta that holds the volume and shape that he wanted while still keeping the dress light and airy feeling once on the body. The colour are a blend of a silver toned grey with a large black floral print over it. The sleeves are puffed and they have lots of volume built into them. The neckline is high and the bodice is cut to to be more fitted. Into the silver silk taffeta below the neckline there is an inset made out of a semi-transparent silk that has a metallic lame finish. This angles up into a peak at the front and then wraps around the sides. It goes from the top of the peak in height right down to the waist seam. Set along the angle of the front peak is a long panel of the same metallic silk chiffon. These extend out into extra extra long ties. You cross them over each other and then you can wrap them around your body. For the shots here I have tied them at the back but they are long enough that you could wrap them around you and tie at the front as well. Depending on how you tie them you will get a glimpse of skin through the inner front panel. You can style the ties to take advantage of that and show more of the transparent panel or tie them so that it completely covers it for a fully opaque feel. This play on transparent cut-outs is a staple of Beene's work as he progressed into the nineties and I love seeing it in this earlier piece. Below the waist the skirt falls to the floor in a cascade of silver and black. There are many yards of silk that have been used to construct the skirt so when you move you can really get a sense of its fullness. You could probably add an underskirt if you wanted it to be even fuller. Underneath the top layer of the skirt is built in silk chiffon underskirt that is edged  in a wide panel of black lace. The lace is finished with a curving scalloped edge and when you move or sit you get just a peek of it from underneath. Square polished buttons down the back are the perfect finishing touch. It is gorgeous. Appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in a black silk chiffon that is edged with a wide panel of scalloped black lace at the hem. The bodice is also lined in a black silk chiffon. It close with a series of buttons down the back and a low back zipper at the waist. The inner waist hooks to close. Each sleeve has elastic in its cuff and they are cut wide and easy. The ties are attached at the front as described above. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little.

Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Seam at low waist: 13.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from shoulder to low waist seam
Skirt: 40" from waist seam to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1904

Reference Photo: Vogue, September 1984.

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy. When researching this dress I found a dress held by the Metropolitan Museum with a strikingly similar silhouette and also an editorial shot of a dress that uses the same printed fabric.

I love Geoffrey Beene's work during this time period and this particular dress is just divine. It is really a special piece and Museum worthy. The workmanship is very fine and it is surprisingly light weight despite all that is going on in it. The body of the dress is made from an ultra soft leopard printed chenille like fabric that is almost a faux fur but far lighter and more refined. It is almost like a long piled velvet. Very unusual and very interesting. This is mixed with a black silk netting that makes up the shoulders and sleeves. The netting is detailed with gold metallic thread and also with fused dots of a flat piled black velvet. The bodice is cut to curve around the bust and I love how the leopard printed fabric angles up the the mid-neck on both sides. The netting takes over at that point and curves over the shoulders and down the long sleeves. The extensive detailing work and the way the design is laid out is amazing. From there the fabric skims over the waist and hips and then narrows down to the hem. It is cut to curve in slightly and the hem is cut on a curve as well and has a high slit running up the center. It is really an amazing dress and a testament to Beene's genius. Excellent condition.

The fabric is self backed and the dress unlined. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Each sleeve has a hidden set snap at the cuff. Ribbon edge finished for all inner seams. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little. Tagged a vintage size 6

Sleeves: approx 25"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to front hem, 58" to the back hem
Slit: 26" from hem up

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3484

Reference Photos: (1) Valerie Celis in Geoffrey Beene for Vogue US, 1994. Photo by Ellen Von Unwerth.  /  (2) Spring 1993 Geoffrey Beene dress from the MET Collection Online.

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 Geoffrey Beene wrapped coat is fabulous with its bright contrast of that hot pink silk satin against the heavy black silk base. The collar, cuffs and the inner edge of the coat are finished with  a vivid pink and that shot of bright color combined with the dramatic lines of the coat are wonderful. The coat wraps to close and is cinched in at the waist. The skirting below the waist flares out to an extreme fullness that is very flattering on. The collar is cut to be oversized and the color draws the eye to create a strong focal point. I love that each cuff is finished with that same pink fabric. Both the collar and cuffs are top stitched in rows for a little extra detail. It is cut so that you could get away with wearing this on its own as a dress, but if you do layer it over something else, you will love the unexpected pop of color that runs down the inner edges on both sides at the front. It is just gorgeous and a wonderful example of his earlier work. Excellent overall condition with notes to review below.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes along the waist with hook & eye. Hand finished through out and extremely well made. It presents as being in great condition but has some tiny things to note. There is a touch of wear to each cuff where the fabric folds (see photos) and there is a touch of fading/discoloration along the top of the collar from improper storage (photoed) and where each cuff folds. Otherwise excellent. Priced accordingly. Note the pink is ore a Barbie pink in person and better then how it photoed.

Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C473

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

Geoffrey Beene was one of the great American fashion designers and he was recognized for both his artistic and technical skills. He launched his label in 1963 and a piece from his very first collection landed the cover of Vogue. A Coty award followed a year later and in 1984 the Council of Fashion Designers created the annual Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award in honor of Beene's fashion legacy.

Geoffrey Beene's evening wear rarely misses the mark. It always has this combination of elegance and sexiness with great details and workmanship that makes you feel that you are really wearing something special. Here we have a beautiful chiffon dress with a fabulous square cut out back. The color of the dress is very unusual. The colour has been achieved by layering a chocolate brown semi-sheer chiffon over an inner layer of cape that has been done in a bright orange. Then under that is a nude coloured lining. This combination makes the final resulting colour a deep burnt pumpkin colour that is very striking. It also gives the fabric a depth and texture that seems to change in different lights. The degree of transparency and colour opaqueness also changes when the fabric moves over itself as you move. The bodice has a wide band at the waist with an attached tie that wraps and snaps into place and then ties at the front. The arms are cut to taper down as they reach each wrist. The skirt swings out from the waist and there is literally yards and yards of fabric in it. If you twirl it is a full circle. The neck is cut in a wide scoop across the front but the back is left completely bare. It is that starts open back that gives you an element of shock when you turn. I love it. . Excellent condition

Fully lined in a nude silk crepe, it closes with a low back, hand set zipper and the attached waist tie snaps into place around the waist and then ties and snaps at the front. Each sleeve has hidden snaps at the wrist. Hand finishes

Sleeves: 27" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from top of bodice to lower waist band, with the included band being approx 4.25"
Skirt: 42" from the bottom of the waist band to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2146

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