Oscar was known for his beautiful and feminine designs and this dress really showcases that. With our modern day obsession with all things eighties and nineties this play on proportions and fabrics still feels extremely of this moment fashion wise. Oscar had an amazing sense of aesthetics and his genius was in making women look and feel beautiful. I love that we found an amazing backstage shot of it from the runway show that let us date it. It is very hard to date his earlier work and its also nice to be able to see it on. It is just an absolutely gorgeous example of his work from this time period. 

Three different fabrics were combined to make of this dress and each one becomes a an element of the design. The sleeves are a light weight silk taffeta and that is how they hold their fullness without being heavy. The bodice is done in a black lace for a pretty touch. The skirt is a black silk that has a very fine thin ribbing that runs through it for added texture. The neckline is scooped low and it is set wide across at the front so that it sits on the outer edge of your shoulders. At the back it is scooped so you get an expanse of bare skin. The sleeves are spectacular. They have built in panels of tulle to help hold their shape. They are cut to be every full so that they billow out to just above the elbow. They have elastic running through the edges nearest to the shoulders and this allows you to be able to wear them up and on the shoulder like I have shot them here or you could let them fall off the shoulder to get an even more bare feel. It skims over the bodice to the waist and I love the little lace peplum that sits just under the waist seam. The skirt falls from under that on a beautiful curve to the floor. There is a built-in underskirt made out of a black silk organza that has a wide ruffled bottom. This helps to hold the shape of the outer skirt. The fulness of the skirt moves beautifully when you move. Excellent condition

The bodice is lined in a black chiffon, The skirt in a black organza and the sleeves have tulle inside them to hold the shape. Built in underskirt. It closes with a back zipper. Tagged a vintage ODLR 6

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 17" from natural shoulder to slightly dropped seam under natural waist
Skirt: 44" from slightly dropped seam under natural waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4444

Reference Photo: Resort 1978 Oscar de la Renta.

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 love when I find these earlier examples of Oscar de la Renta's work. He would heave been more personally involved in them and they really showcase the designer he was to become. The label on this dress tells us that it's probably late 60s maybe the first couple years of the 1970s and it seems similar to some of the pieces I've seen from the 1970 season. The dress beautifully showcases the the genius of his work and attention to detail. This is a favourite from him that I've had in the shop

The dress is gorgeous and is made from a beautiful black silk taffeta that holds the shape and volume that this dress has perfectly. The fabric choice also keeps the dress fairly light in weight while giving the dress some structure and shape. The front bodice is stunning. Two shaped triangles cover the front of the bodice, and there is a deep V for the neckline. The triangles extend all the way to the top of the neck and they are finished with a ruffle in the same fabric. This makes that V be a little less apparent and is a pretty detailing as it goes up and around your neck. Ties extend from just behind the peak of each triangle to tie behind the neck. It wraps around the waist and scoops low there. This leaves your entire back open and bare above that. I love this unexpected bare skin moment that is in stark contrast to the coverage at the front. The waist nips in and we have added a wide grosgrain ribbon to add a little more shape. The skirt deserves it own moment. It is made out of the same silk taffeta as the bodice. It explodes out from the waist to become incredibly full by the time it reaches the hem. Tiers of silk allow this expansion and there are five tiers in total. Each tier is finished with that same ruffled detail that you see around the halter neck and this really makes the dress special. Inside there is a silk lining and then another netted lining sits between the outer skirt and that inner layer. This helps to hold the volume that you see and it is spectacular. The photos on the dress form do not come close to doing it justice. This is a dress that needs an actual body in it and then it really comes to life. When you walk the taffeta rustles and the skirt swoops around to create this stunning billowing effect. Then when you turn to leave you have that flash of bare skin at the back. It is utterly amazing. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a layer of silk taffeta and the skirt is lined as described above. The dress closes with a low set zipper at the back. Hand finished throughout. The ribbon at the waist is not original to the dress but will be sent with it

Bust: each triangle covers 8 inches plus there's an inch and a half a ruffle on each side. There's no true side scene.
Waist: 12.5-13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59" from neck to hem and can be adjusted a bit depending on were you tie the neck

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4633

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.

This Oscar de la Renta dress is gorgeous. The Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal collection was amazing and this was one of the star looks of the show. His wedding pieces range from about $10000-$20,000 USD with the more elaborate ones like this tending to be in the upper range of that. Oscar launched his first bridal collection in October of 2002 and his wedding pieces have been worn by some of the most famous women in the world. He once said 'In the same manner that she fell in love with that man, I hope she's going to fall in love with that dress.' Countless brides have done just that. This gown is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bride looking for that very full princess feel then this is the ultimate dress for that. It literally takes your breathe away when you see and hold it in person.

The skirt of the dress is magnificent. It is made from many yards of multiple layers of a white tulle silk netting. The strapless bodice above that is a slightly more ivory colour and it is stunning. It is completely covered with tiers of lace and little scalloped silk chiffon rows. I took close ups of the work done there for you to see. The edges of the lace are embroidered and there are tiny curvy rows of ivory iridescent sequins mixed in. If that wasn't enough there are also little rhinestones set in rows over the bodice. The top curves in a pretty sweetheart neckline and it has a full built in hidden corset inside the bodice so you don't have to worry about additional underpinnings. The bust is strapless and fitted across the bodice. It is cut to follow your curves and there are built in hidden cups inside to lift the breasts. It tightly hugs the bodice and then nips in at the waist. The waist is detailed with elaborate appliquéd 'belt' that is made from various faux pearls, silver tube beads and glass cut rhinestones in different shapes. For the runway presentation it was shown with a simple sash and I believe that this was a custom add on. The skirt is extremely full and that beautiful volume would float all around you. There are 12 layers of tulle in the skirt and many of the inner ones have a double hem finish at the bottom. Under all of that there is a silk taffeta inner skirt in a deeper ivory. If you look closely you can see that under the top two layers of tulle the skirt has been gathered up all around in little drapes. This gives it this depth in fullness that is incredible. It's a subtle detail that you can see through those top layers of skirts that is just absolutely genius. I did not add any additional crinolines to the dress for these photos. It has enough built in layers in the  skirt already that it falls on its own perfectly. Every angle that you look at this dress from gives you drama and gorgeousness. It is cut longer at the back so that it flows out behind you when you walk. If you wanted even more of a real princes gown feel I think you could have the inner layers starched and you would get even more volume. I love the bareness of the shoulders the strapless silhouette gives you. It is the perfect balance to that full on princess skirt. It is a very stunning gown and is a beautiful example of Oscar's work. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The bodice is boned with padded inner cups for structure and support. The dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Multiple layers of built in tulle and skirting as described above. The edge of the bodice near the arm area has some minor grubbiness and the hem of the inner skirt is grubby and some of the very inner layers of tulle have some marks at their hems and I see the very occasional small tear near the hem. You see none of these once on. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged an ODLR 8 but seems to be cut small

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam if inner hook is closed 13" if left unhooked or the hooks moved
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to front hem, 50" to inner back hem and 5*" to the ends of the tulle at the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML maybe a smaller MED

Item# DD4222

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal Collection, Look 5.  /  (5-7) Solea, wearing this dress, for her tribute performance to Evita for PBS Great Performances, March 2023.

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.

The twin of this Geoffrey Beene dress was showcased in the Met Museum's exhibit 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashiont' and that  dress resides in their permanent collection. This was already one of his most iconic dresses and it is now even more so after the exhibit and being included in the accompanying book. The dress is heavily documented and was photoed extensively the year that it debuted. It is an extraordinary dress

The cut of the dress is so perfectly simple. It is made out of a black very light wool jersey that has an almost soft t-shirt feel to it. The dress is unlines and the jersey has perhaps the slightest bit of transparency in certain lights, which only adds to its sensuality. The sleeves are long and sleek. Each one ends in a hidden set zipper and their edges are finished in a black silk ribbon. That same black silk ribbon edges the neckline. The dress is cut to skim over you at the front with slight shaping through the waist. It curves back out over the hips and then falls to the floor where it widens out. At the back, you see that bare expanse of skin which is what makes the dress so famous. It hooks at the back of the neck and then it curves out and around to a very low dipping back. Insets of a pale silk chiffon curve down and into the sides of the hip seams to give the illusion that you are even more bare than you actually are. Where are those inserts end, the seams extend down and curved to the front where they run down towards the centre hem. This clever bit of seaming helps to shape the dress around you and continues that curved feeling that the open back gives. It is quite genius. One of the most iconic dresses ever made. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. It hooks at the back of the neck. Ribbon finished inner seams and hidden set zippers at each cuff. Tagged a vintage Beoffrey Beene 8. I see two teeny tiny repairs near the centre back seam. The jersey has stretch through the body and the comfortable range of the measurements are below 

Sleeves: 24” and 14-16" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15”
Bust: 17-20” flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-16” flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22” flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 61” 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4871

Reference Photos: (1-5) Fall 1989 Geoffrey Beene (credits unknown)  /  (6) Model in Geoffrey Beene for Mirabella magazine, 1989, photographed by Michael O'Neill.  /  (7) Part of The MET Collection online.  /  (8) Image from the book "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" that accompanied the MET Exhibit of the same name.

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.

Vicky Tiel was backed by Elizabeth Taylor as a young designer after working on the costumes for 'Whats New Pussycat'. After a stint with a partner she launched her self named label in Paris in 1970. She as one of the very early boutique owner/designer that offered a ready-to-wear option in Paris. That said, her clothes often walk a fine line between ready-to-wear and couture in terms of their construction and techniques used. By the mid to late seventies her style had developed into the ultra sexy and feminine clothing that she is now known best for. By the eighties and into the nineties, she had a cult celebrity following. This is a stunning example from 1984 of just how gorgeous and dramatic her work could get. 

The dress has the added modern provenance of being worn by both Julianne Hough and by Liz Gillies. We have included some of the photos from those two events and they show you just how fantastic this dress is once on the body.

The dress is made of a metallic gold lame fabric that gives it an extra shot of glamour. The fabric is quite light in weight so despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not heavy to wear. It is just heavy enough to hold the intended shape fabulously. The bodice is cut in a strapless rounded sweetheart finish that is very flattering. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with hand placed and gathered folds. Hidden inside is a built in under the lining internal structure with light boning so that the dress stays perfectly in place when it is on. The boning extends at each side, down and around the hips, which helps to hold the hourglass shape around the body. It is genius. The waist is nipped in but without any seam to break the gorgeous gathers that go across the dress. It curves out and over the hips and then under that the skirt falls in a straight long pencil silhouette with a vent up the back to allow you to walk and move. The gold glimmers in the light and it is one of the best Vicky Tiel dresses that I have ever had in the shop. It is so sensual and sexy and is even better once it is on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a painted metal and nylon zipper at the back. Boning through the bodice and sides as described above. Tagged a vintage Tiel 38. 

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam w up to a B-small C at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to hem with about 1.5" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4868

Reference Photo: (1) Vicky Tiel in Town & Country magazine, December 1984.  /  (2) Julianne Hough in this dress at the NYC Ballet Spring Gala, 2023.  /  (3) Liz Gillies in this dress, November 2023.

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.

This has been in my archives for a while now and it is a lovely little jacket by Yves Saint Laurent that most likely is from the later 80s or early 90s. The colour is a rich deep chocolate and the fur is supple, soft and very shiny. The jacket is cut in a classic swing car coat style and it is a piece that you just slip on and it has no closures down the front. There are pockets on each side of the front and it is cut with a full flare as it nears the hem. The sleeves are cut straight and full to the wrist. At the wrist they have a 2" cuff and the fur has been gathered into the cuff in little pleats to create a bit of a pouf effect above the wrist. The collar is a neat and sits up to frame the neck. It has been properly stored and cared for and appears to have been worn very little if at all. No splitting or shedding. It is a lovely example of the work from this label during this period of its history. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a deep brown silk that has the YSL logo running over it. Slit pockets on each side at the front. I see no bald spots or shedding, the pelts are supple, soft and shiny. Perhaps slight wear at edges of the sleeves and very edge of the hem, but very minor and mentioned for full accuracy. For a vintage fur I still rate this as excellent. The fur has been professionally cleaned. It has a minor touch of a vintage smell to it, but is still supple and is stable with no signs of excessive shedding that would indicate that it is breaking down. 

Sleeves: approx 22.5" and is 20" around the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 37" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4865

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 small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

Each piece that John Anthony made was on a made-to-order basis, which means that each piece is the only one that exists, or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces made, only a very limited amount of pieces were done. All of the pieces I currently have in the shop come directly from John's archive. 

He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This is the original sample of this piece from his archives. We found a series of photos of pieces with the same bead work so you can get an idea of how beautiful they are on the body.

The dress is made out of a feather light deep brown silk chiffon. Glass tube beads are set in vertical rows over both pieces and all of the beads have been applied by hand in perfect little rows onto the silk. I love how they catch the light from every angle. Both pieces have a simple and easy cut so that they are easy to wear and are very flattering on the body. The neckline is scooped and closes with a hook and eye at the back of the neck above a keyhole. The sleeves have the same bead detailing and then they fall in a straight cut to the wrist for a touch of fullness. The bodice is cut to skim loosely over you to the waist. The waist is finished with elastic which lets the silk pouf under a touch. The skirt has a banded waist and falls to the floor under that. It flares out a touch as it nears the hem. It has a high slit on one side for a flash of leg to show. They are gorgeous when worn together. The work has all been done by hand and the workmanship is fantastic. They fall like a dream once on the body. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a second layer of nude silk chiffon. The top closes with a hook and eye above a keyhole at the back of the neck and has elastic at the bottom seam. The skirt closes with hook and eye at the waist and a zipper under that. A tiny area of missing beads here and there but nothing major. Please see the photo after the label shot. The sample tag is stitched inside the cuff of one sleeve.

Top
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 45" from waist to hem
Slit: 27" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4571

Reference Photos: Fall 1981 John Anthony Ready to Wear Advance Preview.

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.

This remarkable dress is the twin of the one that walked the runway for the Fall 1986 Rive Gauche collection by Yves Saint Laurent. I was so pleased to find a shot of it on because it really shows you just how much it comes to life when worn. He did several variations of this look for that season and this deep brown velvet with its leopard print within the velvet is one of my favourites. I am obsessed with his work and this one is so well known, especially since other designers have copied it (most notably Gucci when they did a green version of this dress). It is a pleasure to have it in the shop.You can see that they belted it on the runway and you could certainly add a belt to add more shape to this one as well.

This gorgeous dress is made out of a brown silk velvet with a leopard print done in a different finish of velvet within the fabric. This pattern gives the velvet an extra depth and richness, and also catches the light as you move. It is stunning. It drapes absolutely beautifully over the body. It is really an outstanding fabric. The bodice is set into a deep V that crosses over itself where it is set into the waist. Without a belt it has a more deeply plunged feel but you could cross it over a bit more and have a sash or belt hold it more closed if you wished. In a classic Yves shape, it drapes loosely over you at the front with a touch of extra fullness. The waist is seamed and cut slightly on the more generous side. The top of each shoulder is gathered and the sleeves start out very wide and then narrow down to a zippered cuff. The skirt falls to the floor in a pretty sweep of fabric. Extra fabric has been gathered down the centre of the front for a little added detail. It makes it so glamorous and it gives the dress a bit of a wonderful 1940s feel too. It is a gorgeous dress and a wonderful piece of his fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a side set zipper. Each shoulder has very light padding and each cuff has a hidden set zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a vintage YSL 42. 

Sleeves: 23.5"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" across lowest seam at very top of hips, open under that
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to slightly dropped waist
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4855

Reference Photo: Fall 1986 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.

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.