• This dress is from the Fall 1979 Haute Couture Yves Saint Laurent collection.
• It was made under the creative direction Yves Saint Laurent.
• The 1979 collection was an a homage to Picasso and Diaghilev. Yves had been to an exhibit on Picasso costume and set designs for Diaghilev's ballet Russes. At the time he told French Vogue that he had been on a different path entirely for the collection but then he saw the exhibition and "my collection took on the structure of a ballet. I embroidered on Picasso, on a slightly soft cubism, on harlequin, the Blue Period, the Pink. It's best when in inspiration comes! You no longer have any doubt, you get on with it, you feel an immense joy!"
• You can see that inspiration of the harlequin especially on the pattern of this dress. We found several runway examples where he used the same pattern and added those here. This pattern was a significant part of the collection.
• I snapped the sketch that is closest to this piece from my YSL folio that contains all the drawings from the collection and some shots to show that he used this particular print in several colours including the blue of this dress. 
• The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• It is made out of a beautiful silk that is scarf weight so is very light and easy to wear. It has a secondary pattern within the weave in the same blue and then it is printed with that black design leaving the blue to show between. 
• The collar is neat and done in the same silk. The silk of the bodice is gathered in around it for a added detailing and it closes at the back of the neck above a small keyhole. 
• The shoulders are soft and the top of each sleeve gathers into the shoulder. They narrow down to cuffed wrists that ends in a ruffle made of the same silk.
• The cut through the body is loose and easy and it has the slightest bit of narrowing inwards as it nears the hem. 
• The more generous cut through the body makes it easy to wear. You have the option of wearing it loose or adding a belt to cinch it in and add shape around the waist. I photoed it both of those ways with an added black rope belt. 
• The perfect finishing touch are the little slits on either side of the skirt. These allow for movement when you move and gives you ease of walking plus a little bit of extra leg to show.
• This is a superb piece of Couture and is an early example of his work.
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear with a single button at the back of the neck above a keyhole. Each cuff buttons to close. It is entirely made by hand. The belt is not original to the dress but will be included. The appropriate Haute Couture label is present.
• There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 23.5" and they are 15" around the upper arm. The neck is 13" around. The cuffs are 6" around where the button is presently but could be opened and the button moved to get 7".
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 36.5" from neck to hem. Each side slit is 9" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5821

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 the dress walked the runway for the Fall 1986 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
  
• On the runway it was shown in this colour and as a red version. The red version was also used in the ad campaign that season.
• The dress is made from a gathered velvet that has been gathered like that by hand. It gives it an amazing texture.
• The colour is a beautiful deep purple that in certain lights changes to have a touch of a blue undertone. 
• The dress is strapless with built in structure to help hold it in place once one the body. The back of the bodice has elastic so the dress is easy to fit. It curves down and past the waist with no seam to break the eye. From there it curves back out and over the hips in a sleek pencil silhouette.
• The dress closes with a zipper off set to follow a seam at the back. The inner bodice area is lined in a blue silk and the rest of the dress is unlined. An inner waist stay hooks to close. You can clearly see the hand stitching on the back of the fabric done to create the pattern on the velvet.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 32" from top of bodice to hem with 2.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5822

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 dress walked the runway for the Spring 1976 YSL collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• On the runway the skirt was pulled up more than how I have shot it here and I love that that shows you how versatile the dress is in terms of how you can wear the length.
• A similar dress was also used for the ad campaign.
• The dress is made out of a light floral printed pink silk jersey that has some stretch to it and drapes beautifully over the body while keeping light in weight.
• The neck line is set wide across so you can wear it off of the shoulder for a bare expanse of skin to show. An elastic is woven through the top of the neckline so you could also wear it up and on the shoulders if you wished.
• The sleeves extend out from there and are cut to just above the elbow. Their ends have elastic which allows you to change their length on your arm and how they sit.
• The bodice skims down to an elastic waist and this tops, a another panel of the same fabric that also has an elastic band that goes all the way around.
• The two bands of elastic are what let you choose how high to wear the dress around your waist and hips. You can dramatically change the length from a very long full length to something more like what you see on the runway. Bringing the dress up just allows the silk jersey to drape more over the layer underneath.
• The skirt is under the final band of elastic, flares out slightly as it reaches its hem. When the dress is laid out flat, it is extra long and then once on adjusting where the elastic band sit determines the final length.
  
• This is an absolutely stunning example of his work during this time period and one of my favourite pieces I have ever had in by him.
• The versatility and ability to style. The dress in multiple ways is just fantastic.
• The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear with elastic as described above. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a YSL 40
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: approximately 16" and they are very full around the upper arm
Bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Elastic waist: 11-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Lower elastic band: 14-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approximately 15" from top of natural shoulder to elastic waist and there is 16" between the two elastic bands
Total length: 70" from top of natural shoulder to hem and then you can shorten the length by how much you adjust where you wear either elastic band

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5776

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 dress walked the runway for the Fall 1997 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• I love that the reference photos show you how gorgeous it truly is once on the body.
  
• The dress is made of a beautiful bias cut silk that has an extraordinary brilliant floral pattern running over its entire surface. It is like wearing an entire bouquet of flowers in the best possible way.
• The bust angles on a slight curve up to a wide gathered strap that curves over the shoulder to become a part of the back where it angles softly back down to the side. This leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed.
• The inner dress drapes and skims over the bust and curves in at the waist to a seam. From there it curves back out over the the hips.This gives is a slightly more generous feel through the waist so it is easier to fit. 
• There is an attached panel of fabric at the front waist that loops around and then wraps all the way back around you to attach along the front of the neckline. At the back it snaps into place over a hidden set zipper slightly off to the side. At the front it snaps into place under the arm and then it is attached to the shoulder on the other side.
• This panel is what gives the dress is extraordinary beauty. The panel that is attached to the shoulder curves and cascades over the arm and all the way down the body. As the panel falls down the side of the body it extends well past the hem to create a training affect around you. You can also loop this panel more over your arm to bring it up and off the floor. You can see that in the runway photos.
• On one side of the skirt there is a high side slit so that when you move or sit you get a flash of bare leg and it also allows you to walk.. 
• The way that this is all laid out and attached is a nod to a sarong but at the same time it feel so elevated and chic. It is absolutely the most flattering dress once on the body. This is a true YSL masterpiece.
• The dress is fully lined in matching nude silk chiffon through the upper bodice and then the rest of the dress is lined in a deep blue silk chiffon. It closes with a hidden offset back zipper. The lining is partially set by hand. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 38 
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 23" from the hem up. The shoulder panel extends out another approx 12" beyond that.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5760

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 is a phenomenal dress whose twin walked the runway for the Fall 1989 YSL show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress is made out of a feather light silk chiffon that has a brilliantly covered print over its entire surface. Worked into the fabric are little gold thread metallic 'dots'. This fabric choice holds the colours beautifully. 
• The neckline is set more wide across so that it sits towards the edges of the shoulders and then plunges into a V at the front. The front wraps over itself and hooks into place around the waist and then has a small row of snaps under that. This clever partial wraparound lets the front wrap over itself to create that V.
• The shoulders are soft and the sleeves extend out from there. They are cut a bit wider at the top and narrow into the wrist.
• The cuffs on this one are spectacular. There is a hidden set zipper at each wrist and then on the opposite side the cuffs are gathered into the seam and highlighted with eight silk covered buttons that run up from the wrist.
• The bodice is cut to skim over you and then it narrows into the waist. The dress comes with its original matching silk chiffon belt that lets you define the waist even more. I love the soft bow that sits underneath where the belt hooks into place around you. It just adds yet another phenomenal detail.
• The skirt is as gathered into the waist and it has many, many yards of fabric in its construction. Tiny gathers are set in all along the seam around the waist and then it opens out to be very full under that. This is what gives the skirt its incredible volume.
• You get an idea of just how much fabric is in the skirt by the reference photos that we have added here. It is truly incredible. 
• Even with all of the volume in skirt because of how many yards of fabric are in it the dress remains light in weight because of the silk chiffon.
• I love how the gold gives the entire dress a touch of a metallic glint to it in the light and the mix of colours keep it vibrant and beautiful.
• This is an absolutely stunning example of his work during this time period and this is a rare and hard to find piece.
• The dress is unlined and closes with a combination of hooks and snaps around the waist and just under the waist. A hidden set zipper at each cuff. The belt closes with hooks under the bow and it is original to the dress. The dress is unlabeled and appears to have been worn very little if at all. 
• There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: 26" and they are 14" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist and meant to blouse over the waist a bit once the belt is on.
Total length: approx 60" from top of shoulder to hem. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5759

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 the dress walked the runway for the Fall 1986 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent
  
• On the runway it was shown in this colour and as a red version. The red version was also used in the ad campaign that season.
• The dress is made from a gathered velvet that has been gathered like that by hand. It gives it an amazing texture.
• The colour is a beautiful deep purple that in certain lights changes to have a touch of a blue undertone. 
• The dress is strapless with built in structure to help hold it in place once one the body. The back of the bodice has elastic so the dress is easy to fit. It curves down and past the waist with no seam to break the eye. From there it curves back out and over the hips in a sleek pencil silhouette.
• The dress closes with a zipper off set to follow a seam at the back. The inner bodice area is lined in a blue silk and the rest of the dress is unlined. An inner waist stay hooks to close. You can clearly see the hand stitching on the back of the fabric done to create the pattern on the velvet.
• Tagged a vintage YSL 40
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 32" from top of bodice to hem with 2.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5822

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 dress is from the Fall 1984 Givenchy Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hubert de Givenchy
  
• The dress would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier.
• This is the actual sample dress that walked the runway that day.
• I love that the reference photos from the runway lets you see how perfectly this will fit once on the body. Having a piece of true Couture is always extra special and the fact that this is the runway sample makes it that much more so. It is a true piece of fashion history.
• The skirt of the combines a beautiful black silk velvet and black silk cut out beaded overlay while the bodice is made from a very high quality soft blue coloured silk.
• The dress is strapless and inside is an attached inner corset. The inner corset is boned and structured to hold the dress perfectly in place around you.
• The silk is set over the inner corset so that it softly drapes around you. A panel wraps around the upper bodice meeting at the front where it appears to tie. Underneath that is where it closes and this tie detail cleverly hides a hidden handset zipper.
• It snaps into place over the zipper and there are more snaps set along part of the waistline. It is extremely elaborate in the way it closes and this is the kind of closure and attention to detail that you see in true Couture pieces.
• It nips in at the waist and then curves back out over the hips and falls to the floor widening out as it nears the hem.
• The skirt has a black silk velvet base with an entire second layer attached over that. This gives you this incredible depth and texture to the layers.
• The top black silk portion is a hand cut out floral design that has all of the edges finished with a black stitched edging.
• The flowers are set to overlap each other over the entire skirt. The open cut outs between the flowers leave open areas that you see the underlying velvet through. At the centre of each flower is a faceted black jet bead that adds a bit of a sparkle to the dress. 
• This is an incredible piece of history from this time period under the direction of the original Hubert de Givenchy.
• The inner velvet acts as the lining and then the bodice is lined in a matching blue silk. Inside the bodice is a handmade built-in boned inner corset. Two zippers close the dress. There is one hidden at the front of the bodice as described above and a second one sits on the side of the skirt. Two inner waist stays hook to close. The bodice snaps into place over the zipper and partially around the waist of the skirt. The very final row of flowers at the hem have no beads. The hem has a simple surged finish. This is not unusual to see in runway sample pieces. The dress has its original handwritten sample Couture tag present.
• There is no size tag since it is a true couture piece. Please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 57" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5809

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 is a stunning and rare dress designed by Coty Award winning, Haitian born designer, Fabrice Simon. He was one of the preeminent black designers during this time period and pieces by him are very hard to find.
• It is the very near twin of the piece worn by Cornelia Guest in the photo that we have added here.
• His clothes were worn by some of the most famous names of the time and his work was seen on women like Kathleen Turner, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston, who wore one of his dresses to the 1988 Grammy's. The top supermodels of the time like Iman, Beverly Johnson, Christie Brinkley and Jerry Hall were also all fans of his work. 
• The dress is meant to be worn off the shoulder and the entire top of the neckline features an elaborate finish made out of a two layers of a black silk. Each layer is attached down its middle and then sat side-by-side. The edges are all angled and pointed. This creates a gorgeous volume around your shoulders that balances out the volume of the lower skirts.
• The body of the dress is a black silk that is covered in black tube beads. The beads run over the dress in an interesting little panel with big square cut, rhinestones and little beads interspersed throughout for a little added glitz.
• The waist comes in and then the dress curves back out over the hips. It is fitted to past the hips with a border of the black beading that runs around where the skirt is attached. A ruffle with the same detail and finish as the shoulder sits below that.
• The lower skirt is incredibly full. It is made out of a soft pink silk that flares out all around you and moves incredibly as you move. There is a built-in underskirt that is made out of multiple layers of a white net with a very inner layer of an ivory silk.
• An incredible piece that is a rare example of his work.
• The top of the dress is fully lined in a black silk and the skirt is finished as described above. It closes with a back zipper. There is light boning through the bust and elastic at the top of the shoulders. There are some very small areas where the bead work is missing and some grubbiness on the skirt. Please see the photos after the label shot.
• There is no size tag present as it would have been custom made. Please go by the measurements list of below
• Excellent overall condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 65" from top of the natural shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5810

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 dress walked the runway for the Spring 1988 show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan for Christian Dior. 
• The evening portion of the collection focused on short dresses that had a corseted waist and bust with wrapping techniques that gave the feel of a sarong. The dress is a wonderful example of the feel he was after and it is fantastic.
• We found a teeny slice of a photo of it on the runway and even though the photo shows the model on an angle it does give you an idea of how wonderful this will be on the body.
• This would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The fabric is a black silk organza that has been gathered so it has a slight 3D puffed effect. This creates an incredible texture over the dress.
• The fabric is light in weight and despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not at all heavy once it is on.
• Inside the dress has a full proper corset with boning and built in cups to give support . A wide grosgrain ribbon hooks in place around the inner waist.
• All of the seams are finished by hand and its construction is a nod to the early days of couture.
• The bodice is cut with a curving sweetheart neckline and it is meant to hug the body. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with all of the gathered folds coming in to the seams that run over the bodice.
• It nips in at the waist and there is a large and elaborate bow that sits at the base of an angle seam coming from the bust. I love how this is set to curve around the hip to the back.
• The addition of the bow adds to the hourglass feel the dress has.
• The skirt curves down and comes back in and under the front panel to give it a more wrapped sarong feel.
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hand set side zipper. The interior of the bodice is boned and cupped for support. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and a wide band at the interior waist hooks to close. There is a tiniest bit of lightening to some of the edges on the fabric. This is a natural aging of this type of fabric and I do not consider it to be a true flaw but it is mentioned for accuracy. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Interior waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 10" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 29.5" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5782

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 the dress walked the runway for the Spring 1988 collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Christian Lacroix
• I love that the runway shots show just how phenomenal the dress is once on the body. It feels as relevant now as it did then.
• Lacroix's Luxe label was only produced the very first couple of seasons after launching his label. It was a very high-end (very expensive) ready-to-wear line that was made to demi-couture standards. It was available primarily to his couture clients and a select few beyond that. It was the predecessor to his regular ready-to-wear collections. The label only lasted the first two seasons because some of the couture clients complained at how close the garments were to their Haute Couture pieces. Very few pieces were made so they are almost as rare as finding one of his Haute Couture pieces.
• The dress is spectacular.It is made out of a cotton pique that has a gorgeous texture running through it. A white dot pattern pops off the red backdrop.
• It is meant to be fitted to the body. The inner bodice is boned and shaped and I love the two black grosgrain bows that sit on the top of each peak. The back dips quite low to expose an expanse of bare skin. 
• Black grosgrain straps have been tacked into place at some point. The dress was shown originally and produced as a strapless piece. It would be easy to tack the straps if you prefer it that way or just tuck them in so you can wear it either way.
• It curves in at the waist and the inner underskirt is attached there and acts almost like a bit of a corset around the waist. 
• The skirt has wide inverted flat pleats that open out to achieve the fullness that you see and this falls over an inner attached underskirt.
• The underskirt underneath is what gives the dress its incredible volume. It is made out of a stiffened white net and all the volume that you see is from the underskirt. It has added built-in side panniers inside to add extra volume and hold the width of the skirt. The very lower edge is finished with a stiffened netting and then that is covered with a band of black lace that peeks out from under the edge of the skirt.
• The best part about the dress is that it still has its original little removable 'sleeves'. Each is made out of the same red fabric and slips over your arm to sit high on the upper arm. They are lined with organza inside so once on the arm, they hold their gorgeous puffed shape. 
• The dress is fully lined in a white silk through the bodice and has built in boning to hold it in place around you. The inner attached skirt hooks to close around the waist and the dress zips to close over that. Hand finishes throughout. I see a couple of extremely minor marks on the inner lining and a couple of the dots on the exterior have just slightly faintly yellowed. It is extremely minor but mentioned for accuracy. It otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• There is no size tag so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Sleeves: the openings are elastic. The larger opening is 12" around and will stretch to a mass of 18" around. The smaller opening is approximately 10" and will stretch to 18" around.
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approximately 11" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 32" from from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5781

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.