• 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.

• This stunning and rare dress set is from the Fall 1981 Fabrice collection.
• It was made by Haitian born designer Fabrice Simon. 
• Simons launched his label in 1976 making this an extremely early example of his work and showcases how his early work especially was centred around hand, painted fabrics. He trained as a textile designer originally and pieces like this showcase his love of textiles beautifully.
• Fabrice was a Coty award recipient and one of the preeminent black designers during this time period and pieces by him are extremely difficult to find. Especially at the level that this one is at. It is a very important and collectible piece of Black fashion history. 
• The dress is especially iconic because it has two remarkable tie-ins. One with supermodel Pat Cleveland, who wore the twin of the top, and the second with Cicely Tyson who was photographed wearing a version of this set.
• His clothes were worn by some of entertainments most famous names - 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, Christy Brinkley and Jerry Hall were all fans. 
• When worn together it does look like a dress but it is a set of two pieces.
• Both pieces are made out of a beautiful light in weight red silk that has a metallic gold design covering its surface. The the gold portion of the fabric have all been painted on by hand and this is where we see Fabrice background as a trained textile designer.
• The top is a remarkable piece of fashion that transcends into art
• Both the front and the back dipped into a V and it buttons down the front with a series of round gold metal ball buttons that slip through red silk loops. There was a little gap left between each button with how it's laid out so you would get a tiny glimpse of skin between each button.
  
• The top is edged in a metallic gold cord that has a black band twisted around it. This little pop of black and gold contrasts beautifully with the painted fabric and adds a little extra bit of detail.
• The front dips down into a point, and while it has seamed to follow the curve of the body it is soft without boning so very comfortable to wear
• Curving up and around the the shoulders are three rows of silk that has been gathered to form the phenomenal volume and detail that you see. These are stacked beside each other with silk between each row, so they cover the full sides of the top on both the back in front. They are finished in hand edged jagged points and the way they have been set onto the top creates the incredible volume and density that you see in the photos. They add an exuberance to the outfit that is hard to describe until you see it in person. It is just extraordinary.
• The skirt is as fabulous as the top. It is banded around the waist so that you have shape and then it falls very full around you to the hem.
• There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt and it's sheer amount of fabric allows that gorgeous hand painted print to be shown off to the maximum. To achieve the fullness that it has all of the silk has been tightly gathered in and around the waist and then expands outward.
• I love that the skirt has pockets. It is the perfect bit of unexpected ease on such a dramatic piece.
• Having two pieces makes it extremely versatile because you can mix a match either piece with things you already have in your wardrobe. It is beautifully dramatic one worn together and then you also have endless styling possibilities when paired with other things.
• Both pieces have an additional handwritten museum tag from being deaccessioned. One has to wonder if that is a regretted decision.
• The top is fully lined in a black silk and buttons down the front as described above. The skirt is unlined and closes at the waist with hook and eye and then a zipper below that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
• The top is tagged a size Small and the skirt has no size tag.
• Excellent condition

Top
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom edge: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 17" from top of shoulder to bottom edge, not including the added 2.5" extended angle at the front

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total length: 47" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5462

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 the dress walked the runway for the Spring 1985 YSL runway.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
  
• This is a dress that is immediately recognizable as being YSL and was very well documented. Besides being seen on the runway one was famously shot by Helmet Newton for Vogue and it appeared in another editorial that season as well.
• The dress combines a black crepe skirt with a pink textured fabric, bought us and then a brilliant blue textured fabric piece that wraps around the hips and trails down one side
• I love that we have referenced photos of this one because it truly transforms once on the body.
• The pink of the top has heavy texture running through it. It is gathered into a wide strap across the top of the shoulder, and then extends down on an angle under the arm on the other side. It's all gathered into the top of the shoulder, and this creates the fantastic drape that you see running across on both the front of the bodice and the back.
• The seam where it meets, the black skirt is set on an angle that runs almost perfectly opposite to the angle of the neck line. It runs down to about the top of the hip on one side and then angles down to about mid hip on the other.
• Under that is a lightweight black skirt that continues to curve over the hips and then expands out for the lower skirt. There's quite a bit of fabric at the lower skirt so it has beautiful movement when you move and the back is cut a touch longer for a perfect little sweet behind you.
• Around the waist is a brilliant, deep, turquoise panel of fabric. This wraps around you and then comes back to hook into place at the hip where the ties start. I love how you can expand the fabric quite full over your hip on the one side.
• The ties continue down the side of the skirt and they are quite wide. They add to the movement the dress has when you move and add an unexpected bit of glamour.
• I love the almost startling combination of the three colours. It is a fantastic example of his work during this era.
• The dress is online and closes with a side, set, zipper, and hook an eye above that. The sash wrapped around the hips and hooks into place. The top and waist have a more bias cut feel, and I've put the range of measurements for those below.
• Take a vintage YSL 38
  
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem and the back extends another 3" with approximately 1.5" turned under the 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.