Ady Couture
yves saint laurent
Fall 1989 Ady Couture Lausanne Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Copy Green Metallic Suit
This dress was made by hand in the atelier of Ady Couture who was based in Lausanne Switzerland. Ady herself was a couture trained seamstress and headed a team who had full permission of the Haute Couture houses she worked with to make the designs they showed in Paris for clients based in Switzerland and the surrounding areas. She would purchase the couture fabrics from the couture houses along with the patterns and then make the actual dresses in her atelier. This arrangement with the couture houses was a way to work around customs during this time period and do fittings for clients unable to travel to Paris. So far we have verified that she had this arrangement with Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro. There may have been others but those are the four labels we have documentation on from the runway. This particular suit seems to be done based on the Fall 1989 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture collection that focuses heavily on these amazing lame metallic brocades. This suit would have been made during the time period my clients aunt lived in Switzerland, from the late 70s to 1993. The suit is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is very well tailored and cut. The Haute Couture glass crystal buttons on this one alone are probably worth what I have priced it at.
In the book 'Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk' the collection notes for this season mention this fabric specifically saying: "The collection was notable for its lavish use of lame brocades created by the house of Abraham... Evening wear was covered in these lame brocades. Whether the form of suit or dresses, jacket or skirts. short of long, more then 25 designs were made from the fabric."
The suit is one of those pieces that just stops you in your tracks. It is insanely cut and tailored to a master level. Both pieces are made from a rich metallic green silk brocade and the colour in person is so much better then how it photoed. The camera really doesn't capture the depth of the colour or how much the metallic glints in the light. There is a pattern worked into the fabric and parts of it are raised with a different finish then the parts that are not raised. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that has some fullness through the upper body. The collar is set high and flat towards the back of the neck. Two pockets are set on the front at each hip and the shoulders are padded for volume and shape. Each sleeve is cut wider at the top near the shoulder and cut on a curve to follow the arm in the traditional way of tailoring a sleeve. As each sleeve narrow down to its hem it is caught up in a series of the most amazing buttons I have ever seen. These are incredible works of art on their own. Each are made from glass crystals and form a flower that combines a green centre with pink petals and then this is all edged in clear crystals. Five of these jewels sit on each sleeve on top of properly done silk covered button holes. Two more of them close the jacket at the front. The two are the front are slightly larger in size for more impact. The skirt is its own masterpiece. It is cut to wrap and button to close with a slight curve at the hem where is meets. The waist is banded and it closes down the front with more of those jewelled buttons. Five more of them follow the curved line down the front of the skirt. No need to wear jewelry with this suit. There are an inscribed 17 of those large jewel buttons in total on the suit. Once on the suit transforms. If you even remotely like it in the photos you will be overjoyed when you see it in person as it is far far better in real life and on. Yves' suits change the way we approach woman's wear and this particular one is a particularly wonderful example of how he combined strong tailoring with full on glamour. It is spectacular. Excellent condition
Both pieces are lined in a rich heavy green silk. The jacket closes with the two jewelled buttons at the front. The skirt also buttons to close. Two top set pockets on the breast of the jacket. Five jewelled buttons on each sleeve for a total of 17 crystal buttons. Incredible. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It looks to have been worn very little if at all
Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to back hem, 25" to the end of the little point at the front.
Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20.5" from waist to shortest point at the front hem, 22.5" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3811
Reference Photos: (1) A/W 1989-90 Haute Couture. / (2-3) From the book Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Catwalk. / (4) Model, Cordula Reyer, in Yves Saint Laurent for "Couture Report", US Vogue October 1989. Photographed by Peter Lindbergh & Guy Marineau.
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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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.
