If you collect hats you will be thrilled to see this little beauty as it is just exceptional. I am dating this to the early 1950s and I have to admit that I have not seen a hat this wonderful before. The cap base is made of a woven palm leaf that has been hand dyed red. Onto this are little burst of berries. Each hand placed. What is remarkable is that each of this berries is actually a small glass ball painted red. They are set so that they move and lightly brush against each other making a whispering tinkling noise. It is just extraordinary and a real treasure for the collector or hat lover.
It is made to just sit on the top of the head and so doe snot have a true hat size as it should fit any size head.
Item# A287
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.
SEE MORE FROM CHRISTIAN DIOR
christian dior
Spring 1972 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Haute Couture Off Shoulder Blue Silk Dress w Ruffled Cuffs & Hem
I Have a Question
- This Christian dress is from the Spring 1972 Haute Couture collection
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan
- In the book 'Dior Catwalk' it notes that the New York Times exclaimed, that "romance, contemporary style, is the provision look for spring." It goes on to declare that Bohans collection for Dior was the best of the season in Paris. "Mark Bohan succeeded in bringing back the fable elegance without becoming historical. There's no pinpointing of the 1930s or 1940s. The clothes look really contemporary".
- I love that we have reference photos so you can see how the dress looks like once in the body.
- The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- It is made out of a beautiful lightly starched blue silk gazaar that is woven on the bias. This is a difficult technique to achieve and allows the dress to retain its more sculptural structure and shape while keeping the dress light in weight.
- It is cut to sit fully off the shoulders to leave a bare expanse of skin showing.
- Each sleeve is cut to just above the elbow and has a beautiful five inch ruffle flaring out all the way around.
- It skims over the bust and curves in a touch at the waist. The shape is all achieved by the immaculate cut of the fabric.
- Inside there is a full boned inner corset that extends down to the top of the hips. The silk glides over top of this perfectly.
- From there it curves back over the hips and then widens out beautifully to the hem. The entire hem is finished with an eight inch wide ruffle that picks up on the detailing of the sleeves to perfectly tie all of the elements together.
- As good as this dress looks in the photos it is even more beautiful in person.
- The dress is lined in a hand set blue silk organza. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and there is an inner partial waist stay that hooks to close inside the corset. The dress zips to close over that at the side. All of the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It has its proper numbered Couture tag inside.
- There is no size tag since it is true couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 9.5" and they are 11" around the upper arm
Inner bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to It has its proper numbered Couture tag inside. It has its proper.12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 55" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5709
Reference Photos: Spring 1972 Christian Dior Haute Couture
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.
christian dior
Incredible Fall 2010 Christian Dior by John Galliano Runway Look 30 Ruffle Front Silk Chiffon Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this incredible dress walked the runway for Look 31 for the Fall 2000 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Vogue's review stated that Galliano's Fall ready-to-wear for Dior was "Equestrian-themed, a follow-on from the daywear strand of the acclaimed Couture show in January. This was to be a brisk albeit slightly perfunctory trot around the circuit of Galliano's longtime favourite 18th century."
- In the book Dior:Catwalk they noted that Galliano had baptized the collection "The Seduction of the Libertine". The collection notes read "Riding in from the hunt that began at the Haute Couture, Dior discovers intrigue and inspiration in gallant riding habits as it goes from the stables to the seductive style and verse of those infamous romantics, the 18th century Libertines"... "This season Dior takes up the heroic spirit of the French romanticism." said Galliano.
- This dress is deceptive in it simplicity. It is completely cut on the bias and this gives it incredible curves once on an actual body. It almost feels like you are wearing nothing because of the soft sand colour and the lightness of the silk chiffon.
- The bodice crosses over itself and there is a silk chiffon ruffle that follows the neckline. This wraps around you and buttons behind the neck. Panels extend out from the top that are cut wide and edged in a ruffle. By tying those around the front of the neck you get that beautiful ruffle falling down the front as seen here and on the runway.
- The bodice skims to the waist and the waist is seamed but with a slightly more generous feel. If you really wanted to add shape you can cinch this in quite substantially.
- The back dips low to leave a bare expanse of skin to show.
- The top layer of the skirt wraps over itself as it attaches in around the waist and there is a substantial amount of silk used for the skirt to give it it's extensive draping. Under that is a second inner silk layer in the same colour. A slit runs up the side of the inner layer.
- The entire bottom of the skirt has round cut outs in various sizes that circle all the way around the lower skirt. Each of the cut outs are finished with a heavily applied embroidered edge done in a matching coloured thread. This gives the bottom of the dress extraordinary texture and detail.
- This is an incredible and rare documented runway piece.
- The dress is fully lined in a second layer of the same silk chiffon. A row of his signature matching silk covered buttons and loops runs down the side to close the dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8 IT40, US4
- Excellent condition
Bust: the front bust has open sides and is cut quite generously to fit a variety of bust sizes and shapes
The underbust area where the sides begin is cut on the bias and can range from 16-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 17-18" from neck to waist but meant to blouse over a touch
Total length: approx 70" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5705
Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2010 Christian Dior, Look 31.
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.
christian dior
Fall 2008 Christian Dior by John Galliano Bias Cut Silver Silk Halter Dress w Flower Detailng
I Have a Question
- This dress is from Fall 2008 Christian Dior collection.
-
It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- The fall 2008 show celebrated the 1960s and marked the launch of a new handbag called the '61. Galliano said of the show "I am always looking for heroines who make me dream". In the book Christian Dior: Catwalk they note that "his muse is included actress, model and Warhol superstar, 'Baby' Jane Holzer, as well as Raquel Welch, and of course Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate." "They inspired a Christian Dior collection Galliano called 'pure glamour,' one that worked the joyful high-voltage side of restraint in near perfection." said Women's World Daily.
- The dress is made from a soft silver coloured silk. The silk is a beautiful weight and is just heavy enough to keep the shape that he wanted without it feeling too heavy.
- Straps extend outward from the middle of the neckline and curve over the sides of your neck. They angle down to connect into the centre of the back.
- The bodice is shaped with a bit of a slightly stiffened lining over the bust. The fabric is softly pleated to angle in towards the centre.
- At the centre of the front, part of the silk extends out and is twisted to form a flower.
- From under the seam of the bust it falls over the body with a more generous feel. The silk all cut on the bias for beautiful movement.
- It is gathered and pleated on one side under the bust. This is repeated on the same side at the back. From there it flows with a more generous cut over the waist and hips.
- The very bottom portion of the skirt widens out as it nears the hem so you have fantastic movement when you move.
- The fabric at the hip on the opposite side of the pleating has been gathered and twisted to form two large flowers.
- It is exquisite and a fabulous example of his work during this time period.
- The dress is fully lined in the same silver silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. I see a couple of very small, very faint marks underneath the bust area near the pleats. They are very minor, but mentioned for accuracy. Please see the photo after the label shot.
- Tagged a vintage Dior FR40, GB12, IT44, US8
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5666
Reference Photos: Heather Graham at a Dior Party during the Marrakech Film Festival, 2008.
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.
christian dior
Spring 2006 Christian Dior by John Galliano Blue Bias Cut Silk Chiffon Dress w Silver Sequins & Beads
I Have a Question
- This dress is from the Spring 2006 Christian Dior collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Galliano began his own label in 1984 and he was instantly a bit of a 'boy wonder' in fashion. He was British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1995. In 1991 he made his Paris catwalk debut. In 1995 he was asked to head Givenchy and then went to Dior in October of 1996.
- His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut.
- They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning.
- This is an amazing example of his work from the Spring 2006 season and it is gorgeous. We believe that some of the detailing is based on / loosely inspired by the opening look of the Couture 2006 collection. We have included a photo of that dress for you and you can see similar bead work through the skirt of that dress that has similarity to the pattern of the beads on this dress.
- The dress is made out of a deep blue silk crepe chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it and a slight grey undertone.
- It is completely cut on the bias. The dress falls from the shoulders and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted.
- The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures.
- The fabric has been pieced together with both curved and angled seams through the bodice and lower skirt to create the fantastic lines of the dress that you see.
- Wide straps extend out from the bust to curve over your shoulders. The front is set in a V and the fabric is gathered across the front of the shoulders.
- I love the angled cut of the front bodice where he has pieced the two side of it together. These are set into a high curving seam that highlights the waist but still stays easy in cut.
- That seam curves around the back curving upwards there as well.
- The back is scooped into a low curved open expanse. The straps become smaller and run down the back to join into each side of the lowest part of that curve.
- An attached panel of silk drapes beautifully down the back in reference to the best of Old Hollywood.
- The dress glides over the body from there and flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening and length of the back hem is created with angled silk chiffon panels inset into the back skirt. It is an incredible feat of patterning.
- This creates a longer bit of a train at the back for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you.
- There is an incredible amount of fabric through the lower skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk.
- The entire dress to just past the knee is beaded with silver beads mixed with the tiniest silver sequins. These are laid out vertically over the dress in beautiful curving lines that cover the dress. They catch the light from every angle and take the dress to another level.
- His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side.
- The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn.
- It has a matching silk inner slip dress that loop through a stitch so that they are attached at the top of the inner shoulders. You could easily remove this to get more room if needed. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes and we have provided the comfortable range of measurements for both it and the outer dress below. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a FR42, GB14, IT46, US10.
- Excellent condition
Dress
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and approx 74" to the back
Inner slip
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD5662
Reference Photo: Fall 2006 Dior Couture, Look 1.
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.
christian dior
Fall 1970 Christian Dior Haute Couture by Marc Bohan Minimalist Black Velvet Column Dress
I Have a Question
- This gorgeous dress is a true couture piece from the Fall 1970 Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
- The book Dior:Catwalk noted that the Vogue proclaimed that "Any woman anywhere on earth would want to own these total feminine clothes"
- In the few photos that survive of pieces from this collection, it is interesting to note that he showed most of these shift dresses under capes, which would be a lovely combination even now.
- This dress would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The dress is made out of a jet black silk velvet that is extremely soft to the touch and has beautiful drape.
- I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress displays.
- Straps in a matching black velvet curve up and over your shoulders and then the front and back have just the most gentle bit of a scoop across. Just enough to take away the harshness a straight line would have.
- It skims over the bust and is cut more generously over the waist so that it falls in a perfect shift or column feel around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt or corded rope tie.
- It flares slightly out over the hips and then the skirt falls from there widening out as it near the hem.
- The dress closes down one side with glossy black buttons and I love the deliberate contrast in texture that it has against the black velvet. That pop of shine of the high gloss of the buttons is the perfect subtle detail against the inky texture of the velvet.
- The buttons close the dress down one side to just past the hip and then the rest of that seam is completely open all the way to the hem. When you walk, move, or sit, you get a flash of bare leg all the way up that one side. It is almost startling to have that flash of bare skin against the column of black and I love this play between elegance and sexiness.
- It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed and planned.
- This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set black silk and closes at the side with the row of buttons. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards and it has its appropriately dated couture tag present. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
- There is no size tag present because it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 29" from the hem up to the last button.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5655
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.
christian dior
Spring 1972 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Haute Couture Off Shoulder Blue Silk Dress w Ruffled Cuffs & Hem
I Have a Question
- This Christian dress is from the Spring 1972 Haute Couture collection
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan
- In the book 'Dior Catwalk' it notes that the New York Times exclaimed, that "romance, contemporary style, is the provision look for spring." It goes on to declare that Bohans collection for Dior was the best of the season in Paris. "Mark Bohan succeeded in bringing back the fable elegance without becoming historical. There's no pinpointing of the 1930s or 1940s. The clothes look really contemporary".
- I love that we have reference photos so you can see how the dress looks like once in the body.
- The dress would have been made completely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- It is made out of a beautiful lightly starched blue silk gazaar that is woven on the bias. This is a difficult technique to achieve and allows the dress to retain its more sculptural structure and shape while keeping the dress light in weight.
- It is cut to sit fully off the shoulders to leave a bare expanse of skin showing.
- Each sleeve is cut to just above the elbow and has a beautiful five inch ruffle flaring out all the way around.
- It skims over the bust and curves in a touch at the waist. The shape is all achieved by the immaculate cut of the fabric.
- Inside there is a full boned inner corset that extends down to the top of the hips. The silk glides over top of this perfectly.
- From there it curves back over the hips and then widens out beautifully to the hem. The entire hem is finished with an eight inch wide ruffle that picks up on the detailing of the sleeves to perfectly tie all of the elements together.
- As good as this dress looks in the photos it is even more beautiful in person.
- The dress is lined in a hand set blue silk organza. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and there is an inner partial waist stay that hooks to close inside the corset. The dress zips to close over that at the side. All of the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It has its proper numbered Couture tag inside.
- There is no size tag since it is true couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 9.5" and they are 11" around the upper arm
Inner bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to It has its proper numbered Couture tag inside. It has its proper.12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 55" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD5709
Reference Photos: Spring 1972 Christian Dior Haute Couture
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.
christian dior
Incredible Fall 2010 Christian Dior by John Galliano Runway Look 30 Ruffle Front Silk Chiffon Dress
I Have a Question
- The twin of this incredible dress walked the runway for Look 31 for the Fall 2000 collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Vogue's review stated that Galliano's Fall ready-to-wear for Dior was "Equestrian-themed, a follow-on from the daywear strand of the acclaimed Couture show in January. This was to be a brisk albeit slightly perfunctory trot around the circuit of Galliano's longtime favourite 18th century."
- In the book Dior:Catwalk they noted that Galliano had baptized the collection "The Seduction of the Libertine". The collection notes read "Riding in from the hunt that began at the Haute Couture, Dior discovers intrigue and inspiration in gallant riding habits as it goes from the stables to the seductive style and verse of those infamous romantics, the 18th century Libertines"... "This season Dior takes up the heroic spirit of the French romanticism." said Galliano.
- This dress is deceptive in it simplicity. It is completely cut on the bias and this gives it incredible curves once on an actual body. It almost feels like you are wearing nothing because of the soft sand colour and the lightness of the silk chiffon.
- The bodice crosses over itself and there is a silk chiffon ruffle that follows the neckline. This wraps around you and buttons behind the neck. Panels extend out from the top that are cut wide and edged in a ruffle. By tying those around the front of the neck you get that beautiful ruffle falling down the front as seen here and on the runway.
- The bodice skims to the waist and the waist is seamed but with a slightly more generous feel. If you really wanted to add shape you can cinch this in quite substantially.
- The back dips low to leave a bare expanse of skin to show.
- The top layer of the skirt wraps over itself as it attaches in around the waist and there is a substantial amount of silk used for the skirt to give it it's extensive draping. Under that is a second inner silk layer in the same colour. A slit runs up the side of the inner layer.
- The entire bottom of the skirt has round cut outs in various sizes that circle all the way around the lower skirt. Each of the cut outs are finished with a heavily applied embroidered edge done in a matching coloured thread. This gives the bottom of the dress extraordinary texture and detail.
- This is an incredible and rare documented runway piece.
- The dress is fully lined in a second layer of the same silk chiffon. A row of his signature matching silk covered buttons and loops runs down the side to close the dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8 IT40, US4
- Excellent condition
Bust: the front bust has open sides and is cut quite generously to fit a variety of bust sizes and shapes
The underbust area where the sides begin is cut on the bias and can range from 16-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 17-18" from neck to waist but meant to blouse over a touch
Total length: approx 70" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5705
Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2010 Christian Dior, Look 31.
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.
christian dior
Fall 2008 Christian Dior by John Galliano Bias Cut Silver Silk Halter Dress w Flower Detailng
I Have a Question
- This dress is from Fall 2008 Christian Dior collection.
-
It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- The fall 2008 show celebrated the 1960s and marked the launch of a new handbag called the '61. Galliano said of the show "I am always looking for heroines who make me dream". In the book Christian Dior: Catwalk they note that "his muse is included actress, model and Warhol superstar, 'Baby' Jane Holzer, as well as Raquel Welch, and of course Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate." "They inspired a Christian Dior collection Galliano called 'pure glamour,' one that worked the joyful high-voltage side of restraint in near perfection." said Women's World Daily.
- The dress is made from a soft silver coloured silk. The silk is a beautiful weight and is just heavy enough to keep the shape that he wanted without it feeling too heavy.
- Straps extend outward from the middle of the neckline and curve over the sides of your neck. They angle down to connect into the centre of the back.
- The bodice is shaped with a bit of a slightly stiffened lining over the bust. The fabric is softly pleated to angle in towards the centre.
- At the centre of the front, part of the silk extends out and is twisted to form a flower.
- From under the seam of the bust it falls over the body with a more generous feel. The silk all cut on the bias for beautiful movement.
- It is gathered and pleated on one side under the bust. This is repeated on the same side at the back. From there it flows with a more generous cut over the waist and hips.
- The very bottom portion of the skirt widens out as it nears the hem so you have fantastic movement when you move.
- The fabric at the hip on the opposite side of the pleating has been gathered and twisted to form two large flowers.
- It is exquisite and a fabulous example of his work during this time period.
- The dress is fully lined in the same silver silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. I see a couple of very small, very faint marks underneath the bust area near the pleats. They are very minor, but mentioned for accuracy. Please see the photo after the label shot.
- Tagged a vintage Dior FR40, GB12, IT44, US8
- Excellent condition
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5666
Reference Photos: Heather Graham at a Dior Party during the Marrakech Film Festival, 2008.
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.
christian dior
Spring 2006 Christian Dior by John Galliano Blue Bias Cut Silk Chiffon Dress w Silver Sequins & Beads
I Have a Question
- This dress is from the Spring 2006 Christian Dior collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of John Galliano.
- Galliano began his own label in 1984 and he was instantly a bit of a 'boy wonder' in fashion. He was British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1995. In 1991 he made his Paris catwalk debut. In 1995 he was asked to head Givenchy and then went to Dior in October of 1996.
- His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut.
- They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning.
- This is an amazing example of his work from the Spring 2006 season and it is gorgeous. We believe that some of the detailing is based on / loosely inspired by the opening look of the Couture 2006 collection. We have included a photo of that dress for you and you can see similar bead work through the skirt of that dress that has similarity to the pattern of the beads on this dress.
- The dress is made out of a deep blue silk crepe chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it and a slight grey undertone.
- It is completely cut on the bias. The dress falls from the shoulders and then drapes down and over the body to the floor. It is very beautiful. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted.
- The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures.
- The fabric has been pieced together with both curved and angled seams through the bodice and lower skirt to create the fantastic lines of the dress that you see.
- Wide straps extend out from the bust to curve over your shoulders. The front is set in a V and the fabric is gathered across the front of the shoulders.
- I love the angled cut of the front bodice where he has pieced the two side of it together. These are set into a high curving seam that highlights the waist but still stays easy in cut.
- That seam curves around the back curving upwards there as well.
- The back is scooped into a low curved open expanse. The straps become smaller and run down the back to join into each side of the lowest part of that curve.
- An attached panel of silk drapes beautifully down the back in reference to the best of Old Hollywood.
- The dress glides over the body from there and flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening and length of the back hem is created with angled silk chiffon panels inset into the back skirt. It is an incredible feat of patterning.
- This creates a longer bit of a train at the back for a bit of a sweeping feel behind you.
- There is an incredible amount of fabric through the lower skirt which gives you so much movement when you walk.
- The entire dress to just past the knee is beaded with silver beads mixed with the tiniest silver sequins. These are laid out vertically over the dress in beautiful curving lines that cover the dress. They catch the light from every angle and take the dress to another level.
- His signature row of tightly spaced buttons run up one side.
- The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn.
- It has a matching silk inner slip dress that loop through a stitch so that they are attached at the top of the inner shoulders. You could easily remove this to get more room if needed. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes and we have provided the comfortable range of measurements for both it and the outer dress below. It closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. It looks to have been worn very little if at all.
- Tagged a FR42, GB14, IT46, US10.
- Excellent condition
Dress
Bust: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 59" from the top of the shoulder to the front hem and approx 74" to the back
Inner slip
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# DD5662
Reference Photo: Fall 2006 Dior Couture, Look 1.
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.
christian dior
Fall 1970 Christian Dior Haute Couture by Marc Bohan Minimalist Black Velvet Column Dress
I Have a Question
- This gorgeous dress is a true couture piece from the Fall 1970 Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
- The book Dior:Catwalk noted that the Vogue proclaimed that "Any woman anywhere on earth would want to own these total feminine clothes"
- In the few photos that survive of pieces from this collection, it is interesting to note that he showed most of these shift dresses under capes, which would be a lovely combination even now.
- This dress would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The dress is made out of a jet black silk velvet that is extremely soft to the touch and has beautiful drape.
- I love the nod to classic minimalism that the dress displays.
- Straps in a matching black velvet curve up and over your shoulders and then the front and back have just the most gentle bit of a scoop across. Just enough to take away the harshness a straight line would have.
- It skims over the bust and is cut more generously over the waist so that it falls in a perfect shift or column feel around you. If you wanted to add more shape you could easily add a belt or corded rope tie.
- It flares slightly out over the hips and then the skirt falls from there widening out as it near the hem.
- The dress closes down one side with glossy black buttons and I love the deliberate contrast in texture that it has against the black velvet. That pop of shine of the high gloss of the buttons is the perfect subtle detail against the inky texture of the velvet.
- The buttons close the dress down one side to just past the hip and then the rest of that seam is completely open all the way to the hem. When you walk, move, or sit, you get a flash of bare leg all the way up that one side. It is almost startling to have that flash of bare skin against the column of black and I love this play between elegance and sexiness.
- It is a dress that appears to be so simple in shape but every seam and line of the dress was purposefully and masterfully executed and planned.
- This is an extraordinary example of his work during this time period and it is an absolutely stunning dress.
- The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set black silk and closes at the side with the row of buttons. All of the work is done by hand to Couture standards and it has its appropriately dated couture tag present. It appears to have been worn very little at all.
- There is no size tag present because it is Couture so please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem and the slit is 29" from the hem up to the last button.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5655
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.




