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The book Givenchy Catwalk says of this collection that "Hubert de Givenchy presented a collection made up of soft lines with dresses that suddenly highlighted the shape of the body before the pleated skirts flared out towards the bottom." It is interesting to note that some of the looser more flowing designs from this collection were a part of the November 28 1973 presentation at the Royal Opera at the Palace of Versailles as part of the fashion show that later became to know become known as the "Battle of Versailles". The book notes that "Givenchy took part in the evening event to raise money for the château restoration, presenting his dresses alongside designers by four other Persian Couture houses competing against five American design designers". I have found nothing that suggests that this dress was a part of that show but it definitely has the feel of what went. This dress was shot that year both for Vogue Paris and British Vogue and I love having those reference shots for you to see just how amazing this dress is on the body.
This is an amazing true Haute Couture Givenchy dress that is a very rare and special find. It is entirely cut on the bias and then the silk has been pleated into perfectly matched knife pleats. The cut is tremendously flattering to the body and it feels a little bit sexy with the way the top sits on the bodice. The fabric is a beautiful and very light red crepe silk chiffon that moves and drapes fantastically. The bodice is done with its own panel that wraps around to the back. It is set wide and open at the front and then the pleats wrap on a slight curve to follow the shape of the halter to the back where it is set with a wedge of open space between the two sides. Silk straps come out from the peak of the front and then curve over your shoulders to connect to the back. The skirt flares out from there and it has a ton of movement when you move. It is spectacular. The silk is very fine and light and it is cut on the bias and then pleated in long vertical lines. There are yards of it in the skirt and that and the lightness of the skirt picks up the air when you move so that it moves fantastically around you as you walk. This is a very beautiful example of Givenchy from this time period. It is easy to see why his work is the subject of so many books and retrospective shows at museums worldwide. It also comes with a matching curved shawl in the same fabric. Excellent overall condition with notes below.
The dress is fully lined in a matching hand set red silk. It zips to close at the back and then an inner wider waist stay hooks to close at the inner waist. Light. boning through the inner built-in corset. Hand finished throughout to couture standards. I see some wear and patching on the straps. A small repair at the top of one peak and and some repairs/ small shattering to the inner lining near the arms. A small thinned spot near the zipper and a mark here and there and also near the hem. Presents wonderfully but these are mentioned for accuracy. Proper couture tag and numbered tape present.
Bust: 15.5-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 12" from top of straps to seam under the bust
Total length: 61" from top of straps to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4664
Reference Photos: (1) Photos by Guy Bourdin for Vogue Paris Special Collections Issue, 1973. / (2) Susan Moncur in Givenchy by David Bailey for British Vogue 1973.
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.
jean paul gaultier
Masterpiece Fall 2001 Jean Paul Gaultier Runway Haute Couture Beaded & Embroidered Pant w Silk Jersey Top Set
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Jean Paul Gaultier's illustrious career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred through his pieces and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his brilliant vision. In 1997 he entered the sanctified world of Haute Couture and for just over two decades produced stunning work cumulating with his final show for Spring 2020. His pieces of couture rarely come to market and I am very pleased to have this unbelievably beautiful ensemble. This was look 33 for the Fall 2001 Haute Couture presentation entitled 'China and Spain'. For this season Gaultier combined elements from those two countries in a beautiful homage. Pieces from this collection were featured in the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit of 2013 and to have a piece available for purchase is almost as rare as being able to have bought it as a couture client in the first place. After the show Gaultier said of this collection “I wanted to do something more sensual than sexy. The idea was to bring together everything that you imagine when you think of China and Spain—theater, movement, color, history and richness.” The twin of this look was worn by Alec Wek on the runway with a huge red bib neckpiece over the top. We believe that this may have been the only piece ever produced beyond the runway set.
It is extraordinary to think that Jean Paul Gaultier has only produced a Haute Couture line for two short decades given his long career. Like most Haute Couture, this is a set that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body and the reference photos and video show you just how amazing it is on. The pants are a work of art. They are heavy and densely beaded with glass tube beads in tightly spaced rows to cover every inch of the pants. Worked in and among the sequins are brilliantly coloured hand embroidered flowers. These trail over the pants and wrap around the legs. The work to place each of these beads individually and do the embroidery would have taken hundreds of hours to complete. They are cut with a flat front and straight leg that gets a touch wider by the hem. When you the light catches the beads and the colours of the embroidered flowers is fantastic. The top is made out of a fine black silk jersey. It closes with a complex mix of a hidden zipper front and two separate areas of silk covered snaps and hooks. It wraps around the body and drapes down one side. The collar is high and you can see the nod to China within its shape. Each sleeve is incredibly long and they are meant to be pushed up to create a row of rounded gathers forming around the entire lower part of the arm. I love the long trailing panel of the silk jersey set on one hip. It falls over that pant on that side to the floor. It is meant to have a nod to the trade de luces cape, which is part of the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters wear. It is a brilliant piece of Haute Couture and is everything you want to see in a Haute Couture piece. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.
The upper portion of the top is lined in silk and it zips to close at the inside front. A jersey panel wraps over this and closes with a series of silk covered snaps and hook & eye along the side near the neck. More hook & eye sits along the waist and hip area on that same side. The pants are fully lined in a silk and close with a hand set zipper. Made by hand to Haute Couture standards. Proper Couture tags on both pieces.
Top
Sleeves: 45.5" and push up to wear
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Interior waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam, inner waist stay hooks at 14"
Hips: open
Length: 29" from neck to shortest point of the front side, 37" to longest point of the back
Hip swag: 47" from waist to longest point of the hem
Pant
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 30" from inner seam to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3581
Reference Photos/Video: Alek Wek for Fall 2001 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Collection.
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.
yves saint laurent
Well Documented Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Look 53 Silk Floral Dress
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The twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 53vfor the Spring 1983 Haute Couture collection. It was shown under a jacket initially and then the jacket was removed. I love that this shows you how versatile these little dresses can be. We also found the fabric noted in a WWD editorial and then I looked into my folio collection book and found the model number and original sketch for you to see. I have included all these reference photos for you here and it gives you a beautiful idea of how fabulous this is once on the body. The dress is gorgeous and Yves always cut his couture pieces so perfectly. It really is a beautiful piece and owning a piece of his couture work is always one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.
The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful Yves Saint Laurent could cut a dress to flatter a woman's body. It is made entirely by hand and the silk has the tiniest ribbed texture running through it. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulders have light padding just at their outer edges to slightly extend them outward. They are set into the bodice with gathers so that they slightly pouf above the shoulder line. The sleeves are slim and pouf out just slightly as they slim down to the zippered cuffs. The neckline is set wide across the collarbones and edged in a black silk band. The waist is seamed and we have added a black grosgrain ribbon there for shape. You can add a belt instead if you wanted a really cinched in look. The skirt falls under that in a simple pencil to just about the knee or above depending on your height. There are hidden set pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is the best thing about the dress. It is a mix of a bright pink, green, blue and a deep purple set in a large floral design that runs over the entire dress. It is so pretty. Truly a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. And it is just so good on the body. A masterpiece. Excellent condition.
Unlined through the bodice and lined in a black silk through the skirt. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It closes with a back zipper and two buttons at the back of the neck. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Each cuff has a hand set hidden set zipper to close. Light padding in each shoulder as described above. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. The grosgrain ribbon is not original to the dress but will be sent with it.
Sleeves: 22" and 13.75" around the upper arm
Slightly wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4642
Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway. / (5-7) Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Advance Preview. / (8) Womens Wear Daily, February 1983.
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.
yves saint laurent
Rarest Spring 2002 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Final Collection Black Silk Chiffon Dress
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"I have chosen today to say goodbye to the craft that I have loved so much. The next show to which I invite you, on Tuesday, 22nd January at 6 PM, at the centre of George's Pompano, will predominantly be a retrospective of my work… Some designs from the currencies will also be shown." This was how Yves the announced his intention to retire and leave the world of Haute Couture. That final show was over an hour long and was presented to a room of 1500 hand picked guests. To tell the story of his decades long career there was a total of 371 garments shown that day. The presentation began at the beginning of his career and the show was a full retrospective of his work that showed a highlight of all of his creations through the decades. There were also a small group of 11 new items for the 2002 season included about 2/3rds of the way into the show created as the Spring 2002 couture collection. All were pieces that were based on dresses from the past but done in new colours. They were all made of weightless chiffons and were in a variety of colours. This blending of past and present further evoked the idea of his journey and how his designs are truly timeless no matter when they were made. The twin of this black dress was included in that grouping and it is based on the green dress we have included a reference photo of for you here from the Spring 1991 collection. I love it even more in its black version. The dress has its own special couture tag that commemorates it as being a part of this final show. It is an extremely rare and wonderful piece.
This dress is stunning. It has a strapless bodice that is fitted perfectly to hold the dress on the body and then it falls from there to the floor in layers of weightless black silk chiffon. The silk of the bodice is gathered and set vertically and inside the bodice there is a full inner built-in corset that is shaped and seamed so the dress stays perfectly in place once on. A wide band of silk wraps underneath the breasts to the waist and there is a sash that ties in a soft bow off to one side. The ends of the sash trail all the way down the side to the floor and this helps to add to the beautiful movement this dress has once on. Below the beautiful shape through the bodice the skirt falls to the floor in a soft cascade of silk chiffon. The. side of the skirt that opens is slightly longer than the other and this is a clever way to give that side of the skirt even more movement. These are the tiny details in Couture that make a dress move the exact perfect way. The innermost layer of silk chiffon is set all the way around you and then the other layers of the skirt are set over this and slit right up to where the waistband meets the top of the skirt on that side. So when you walk and move you are covered by that single layer of silk chiffon underneath but you are still bare underneath the transparency of the chiffon. You can see this clearly in the video as the model walks. It is very sexy. The layers and open side of the skirt combined with the trailing ties from the waist are then what allow the dress to move so beautifully around you when you move. It is absolutely perfect in every way. The workmanship is beautiful and the dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little. What a joy to have such an important dress from Yves very last collection. Excellent condition.
Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup
Seam under the bust: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 4.75" from top of bodice to seam under the bodice
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to shortest part of the hem, 54" to the longest
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4624
Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 2002 Yves Saint Laurent Couture, Look 240. / (4) From the book “Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: CATWALK” / (5-6) Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent 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.
givenchy
Fall 1978 Givenchy Haute Couture Original Runway Sample Black Silk & Velvet Dress w Beaded Sleeves
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The House of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy. He has always been strongly associated with the work that he did dressing Audrey Hepburn but his range was incredible as a designer behind that relationship with her. Some of my personal favourite vintage pieces over the years have been from his work. His Haute Couture pieces are always amazing to find and this wonderful dress is an extraordinary example of his couture work during this time period. It is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and the workmanship and craft out into this dress is extraordinary. This is also the actual runway sample and you can see its near twin in the reference photos that we have added here that would have been in the same grouping as this one, which makes its place in fashion history even more special. As good as the dress is on the dress form you can see how it transforms even further on an actual body. This is true Couture and it is fabulous. I love it.
What a beautiful piece of couture. The bodice of the dress is made from a black silk with a slight sheen to the finish and the fabric has a touch of weight that allows it to hold the shape that you see. For the skirt he used a black velvet with a thick pile finish and this fabric choice also really allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see in the photos. Its beautiful shape is almost sculptural and it is a testament to the level of workmanship that you only see in true couture pieces. The bodice buttons to close down the front and the buttons run all the way up to the neckline. Each button is a thick circle of black with a glass rhinestone set inside. The neckline has no collar and it is just a simple, elegant swoop around your neck. The bodice has vertical darts so that it follows and accentuates the curves of the body. It narrows in slightly at the waist and then curves out and over to the top of the hip below the natural waist. A ribbon is tacked at the back and then ties on the front to give the dress the same look as how it was shown on the runway. The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. There is stiffened tulle just inside the edge of the shoulder for shape and this lets them puff out slightly around the upper arm and then it narrows down to their ends.The skirt has some built-in fullness around the inside of the upper hip that allows it to lift slightly off and away from the body. There are also weights that are set all around the inner hip so that it sits perfectly on the body once on. The skirt curves down and inwards from there. The skirt at the front is cut on a curve that swoops up at the centre so that you see a flash of leg as you walk or sit. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer so you get a beautiful curving line from the side. The sleeves are works of art. Each is detailed with hand applied prong set glass rhinestones in red green and clear to form a stunning red flower with trailing leaves that run over and down the outer edge of each sleeve. Little hand cut velvet bits are hand applied in and around the flowers to give them depth. The rhinestones catch the light beautifully. It is incredible. These have all been added one by one by hand and the entire dress is completely hand made to couture standards. I have taken some detail shots of the interior seams for you to see the fine Haute Couture workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and beautifully made. Excellent condition with a small note below
The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined in a black silk organza. Built in panniers around the hip area with weights that I have photoed. It closes down the front with the buttons as shown and the skirt snaps into place under that. A little hidden set snap is set on each cuff. Hand finished throughout. The proper runway sample tag is present. One rhinestone is broken but it is the button that lies under the ribbon when it is tied. Please see the photo after the sample tag. Some of the seams show minor stress. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.
Sleeves: 25" and 14" aroid the upper arm. 6.5" around the wrist
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and meant be cinched with the ribbon
Seam across top of hips: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 20" from the neck to the seam at top of hips
Total length: 41" from neck to shortest part of the front hem, 58.5" to the back hem with 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Modern Sizing Equivalent:
Item# DD4562
Reference Photos: Givenchy Fall 1978 Haute Couture Advance.
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.
yves saint laurent
Spectacular Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Look 47 Runway Dot & Embroidered Floral Pouf Dress
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This is a very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.
This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.
The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.
The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate.
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4509
Reference Photos: (1-3) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture. / (4-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".
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.
andre laug
Dreamy Late 1960s Andre Laug Roma Alta Moda Couture Pale Turquoise Applied Dot Strapless Dress
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The Andre Laug label launched in 1968 in Rome. Laug was one of the grand Italian Couturiers who would now be considered to have designed "Alta Moda" the Italian equivalent of Haute Couture. He apprenticed under Nina Ricci and was the designer behind the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection in the summer of 1961. From there he freelanced, working for both Philip Venet and Andre Courreges. His clients included Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Diana Ross and countless others.This dress is all done by hand couture tags and based on its style most likely dates to those first early years. It is gorgeous.
The dress has a more fitted strapless bodice that tops a fuller skirt. Everything about this dress is dreamy. The fabric on this one is so pretty. The base fabric is an ivory silk chiffon that has pale turquoise dots applied and woven into the silk. These cover the dress from the dice to the hem. Each dot of the pattern looks like it was woven and also embroidered into the silk. The slight texture and dimension this adds is so pretty. The bodice is strapless and lightly boned inside. The dotted fabric is hand gathered horizontally across you and then a panel of ivory silk curved downing over the front and sweeps around to the back. At the back those ivory panels swoop inwards around the waist to meet at the small of the back. A little loop that snaps hold them together and then they trail all the way down the back of the skirt. Its incredible. The skirt itself is full and made of two layers of the dotted chiffon layered over each other. The inner layer falls slightly longer and at the back it curves up and under the panels. All the fullness that you see is created from the way it is set in soft folds around the waist. All the inner seams are down by hand to couture standards. This would make an amazing non traditional wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative 'something blue' dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous eventExcellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in an ivory silk through the bodice and the two layers of fabric serve as the lining through the skirt. Light boning in the bodice and an inner waist stay that hooks to close. It closes with a back hidden set painted metal zipper. There is a shadow of a grubbiness along the seam under each arm and a faint mark on the attached ivory panel. Please see the photos after the label shot
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem and the sash extends past that another 3.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS- SML
Item# DD4514
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.
lanvin
Extraordinary Fall 1952 Lanvin by Castillo Haute Couture Brilliant Blue Alpaca Coat w Button Front
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This is a stunning and extremely rare example of the Haute Couture work being done by the house of Lanvin during the years that Antonio Castillo headed the atelier. Castillo started off his career at the houses of Paquin and Piquet. He also did a stint designing accessories for Chanel. He quickly became known as one of the most promising designers to emerge after WWII and that reputation was part of why he was chosen in 1950 to become the head designer at the House of Lanvin. The press at the time lauded him, along with Balmain, Dior and Balenciaga, as the new generation of the Paris Couture designers. During his time at Lanvin the house was known for the simple and elegant lines. This is a very rare and early Haute Couture coat and we found a reference photo of its near twin that was styled with a belt, dramatic gloves and matching hat added. It is very beautiful and the colour is exceptional.
This coat is beautifully tailored. The double row of buttons at the front and curving cut makes it feel as chic and wearable now as it was when first made. It is entirely finished by hand and has its numbered couture tape under the label. It is so chic and a very important and rare piece. This is truly a vintage gem. It has a deceptively simple cut that hides the precise seams and masterfully tailored cut. It is constructed with the absolute minimal seam work to create the curves of the coat that you see. It is more fitted through the upper bodice and then skims over the waist and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The collar is neat with a notched front and each sleeve ends in a turned up cuff. A half belt is attached at the back and you could add a belt over it to emphasize the shape even more. The fabric is amazing with a soft finish to it. I believe it is an Alpaca or perhaps a type of cashmere and it is extremely luxurious. The fact that it is dyed that amazing blue makes it that much more brilliant. It is even better in person and the fabric has to be seen and felt to truly be appreciated. This fabric choice allowed Castillo to be able to sculpt the exact shape that he desired. The front has detailed seaming that becomes part of the actual design and inside that is a double row of blue buttons that run down the front to the waist. You can wear this one open or do it up right to the neck like the reference photo. I love the sculptural effect the coat has once on and that beautifully full lower skirting. No shortcut was taken in the construction of this lovely coat and it is an outstanding piece of fashion history in every possible way. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a hand set black silk taffeta and closes with the button down the front. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. The Haute Couture numbered tape label is present under the main label and is numbered 15.418. This is a medium to heavy weight coat
Sleeves: 22" and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 45" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4489
Reference Photo: Model in Lanvin, 1952.
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
Documented Spring 1961 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan 'Slim Line' Haute Couture Debut Silk Jacket & Skirt Suit
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This is an incredible set that is extra special because it is from the debut Haute Couture collection of Marc Bohan. It has the added province of being documented which is sometimes not easy to find with these very early pieces. The book Dior, Catwalk talks about the reaction to this first collection by Bohan; "Thundering applause, led by the Duchess of Windsor, rolled through the elegant grey and white salons of the House of Dior, the happy ending to the suspense story of the fashion year. At stake was the future dominance of Dior, and the career of designer Mark Bohan. The Chicago Tribune hailed him as being "Mister Dior, the third". The New York Times stated "the shouting, clapping, surging mob at the press show cause chaos in the elegant salon. Bohan was pushed up against the boiserie, kissed, mauled and congratulated. Chairs were toppled. Champagne glasses were broken. People were knocked down. It was a complete triumph for the designer". The book goes on to state that; Bohan called the collection the "Slim Line". It was a streamlined take on the original "New Look". He revisited the day suit with wide cut jackets and low waisted flared skirts fitted at the hips. The Times declared it "a success from the appearance of the first model and worthy in the tradition of the great maestro himself. And Women's Wear Daily wrote three months after the collection was shown that "the Bohan flare is everywhere. Bohan has done the impossible. He is a big commercial success and respected by the fashion intellect."
The set is exceptional and is an excellent investment piece as well. Dior prices continue to skyrocket and finding couture examples like this from such an important collection and in this condition is getting harder and harder.
This suit is fantastic. It is actually two pieces. A flared skirt and then a top / jacket that goes over that. The top is fascinating in the way that it is cut and we were very happy to find and see in the reference photo of it that its construction is deliberate. The front only buttons at the bottom and then there is a snap just above that button to hold it closed. It is meant to stay open above that and the button holes that you see continuing up along the edge of the jacket are actually faux. They do not open all the way through. You can see in the photo that the model is wearing it the way that it's meant to be worn. The very bottom is closed and then she has a light top on underneath. This lets the jacket play on its volume that it has. You could certainly open the fabric and finish the buttonholes if you wish to wear it fully closed, but it is meant to be like this. The jacket has a lot of volume and is meant to skim over you and then the skirt is cut in a sleek little flare that skims over the hips and flares out with a series of flat pleats all the way around the skirt. Around the waist the silk lies flat and neat. It is very flattering once on the body. When you stand still the skirt lays flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume. Over that goes the jacket with its wonderful to the elbow wide cut sleeves and oversized MOP buttons down the front. The shoulders are soft and there is no collar. The fabric is a very high end silk twill dyed to that pale tan mixed with white. Both pieces are entirely finished by hand to Haute Couture standards and I've shown some of the detailing inside. It is chic and elegant yet still feels edgy. An amazing find. Excellent condition
The jacket is lined in a fine silk in the same colour as the exterior tan and the skirt is interlined in a white silk organza. The jacket closes with the bottom button only and a hidden snap above that as described above. The skirt closes with hook & eye at the waist and hidden snaps below that. Completely done by hand to Haute Couture Standards. Proper numbered couture label in place on the jacket. There are some natural, variations and lines in the silk that is inherent to this type of fabric and should not be considered a flaw. It is in remarkable condition.
Jacket
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16-17"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4484
Reference Photo: Christian Dior Haute Couture Printemps-Ete 1961. Photo Emerick Bronson. Model Nicole de Lamargé.
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.
Louis Mies
1970s Louis Mies Haute Couture Off Shoulder Silk Taffeta Dress w Hand Made Lace Detailing
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This dress comes to me from my same client whose aunt purchased from both the couture houses and Ady Couture while she was living in Switzerland during the eighties and into the nineties. Prior to that, during the late sixties and into the early 80s her aunt lived in both France and Brussels where she purchased pieces from Louis Mies along with the couture houses. Mies was a small independent couturier who did custom work for his clients to haute couture standards. He designed many pieces for the Queen of Belgium and like Ady, he had permission from several of the Haute Couture ateliers to produce their Haute Couture pieces and bought the fabric directly from them. I have some new information that he might have sold actual couture pieces through his salon as well. This dress bears a striking similarity to some of the 1977 Valentino couture collection pieces and I have included some of those iconic photographs here and if nothing else to show you how this dress will look on an actual body. It is absolutely unbelievable in person and one of my favourite personal pieces from her estate so far.
The level that this dress is made to is incredible. The fabric is a fine black silk taffeta and then parts of the design are edged in a beautiful French Chantilly lace. There are yards and yards of fabric used in the construction of this piece but once on the body it is all perfectly balanced. It sits off the shoulder to leave a bare expanse of skin showing that balances the volume of the dress below. I love the cut of the top. There is a six inch caped ruffle that wraps all the way around your shoulders and is edged with a 3.5" band of lace. Under that are extra extra wide sleeves. The width of the inner sleeves give the illusion of a layered caped detailing but they are actually true sleeves. Each sleeve is edged in that same lace to give the bodice a tiered effect from the side. The bodice is cut to skim over the body and then the waist is seamed to nip in for shape. I added a grosgrain ribbon to define the waist even more and this will be included. The skirt curves out from there and falls to the floor widening out to be very full as it nears the hem. The skirt is made up of three layers. The innermost layer is a full built-in black silk under-skirt that has wide bands of stiffened netting at the hem and then again part way up the skirt. These bands help to hold the volume. There are these little ruffled details that run along the seams where this inner layer is pieced together despite the fact that no one would ever see them. I love that. The second layer over that is made of black silk taffeta and it has two ruffled tiers at the hem that are both edged with black lace. The final top layer sits over both these and it curves up at the front to meet the seam at the waist. It is stunning. The dress is completely made by hand and I have included a couple of shots of one of the inner seams for you to see the amazing handwork. Excellent condition with a note below
Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk and the skirt is constructed as described above. It closes with a painted metal zipper at the back. Made by hand to couture standards. There are a couple small repairs / tiny holes on the ruffle on the neckline. There is so much fabric they get lost in the folds. Please see the final shot after the label. It otherwise looks unworn
Bust: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of natural shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3882
Reference photos: Valentino campaign 1977 shot by Deborah Turbeville
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.
romeo gigli
Important 1990 Romeo Gigli One Off Haute Coutre Full Wedding Dress Set w Flower Filled Chiffon Coat & Accessories
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Every so often I am contacted by someone and entrusted with something very special and this wedding set by Romeo Gigli absolutely fits that bill. This incredible set is a one of a kind, Haute Couture made to measure piece that comes directly from its original owner and she has graciously given all of the original documentation on it to share with you along with a full write up on her experience with Romeo and a scan of the Elle article that was written a year after her wedding.
Romeo Gigli launched his label first in 1981 which failed. In 1983 he partnered with Carla Sozzani and in 1985 he presented a 25 piece collection in Milan. By 1986 he was an international sensation and his collections made world wide headlines. In 1989 he had his Paris debut. His work was romantic but dramatic. Hallmarks included shawl coats, which this set so perfectly displays, along with soft sloping shoulders and silhouettes that narrow as they come down the body. Historical references run through his work and his de-structured lines felt fresh and new.
This set has all of the original pieces that Marion wore on her wedding day and even includes the original boxes and silk bags that the set was delivered in. Every piece was made in studio by hand and when I tell you that my photos do not do the full set justice I have never been more honest as everything is more beautiful in person. This is a once in a life time opportunity to own this incredible and important piece of fashion history. The link to Marion's story is below and a short description of the pieces follows.
The wedding ensemble consists of a pale pink silk chiffon top, a gold lace hobble skirt and a deep gold silk jacket or top that was worn over those two pieces. An incredible silk chiffon coat that is filled with silk flowers and flows behind you in a knotted train was worn over that. The original pale taupe velvet shoes in their original box are present along with the hand made hair sticks and pins. The two original pink raw silk hand made bags that the skirt and tops were delivered in are included and the entire ensemble comes in its original raw silk covered box. The final piece included is the little hand held green silk bag that Marion carried that day.
The skirt and inner top are the base of the outfit. The top is slightly cropped and made from a pale dusty peach pink silk chiffon. The chiffon has been hand gathered into soft pleats and crosses itself over the front and back. It wraps around you and closes on one side, inside, with a series of silk covered buttons and then the other side wraps over that and closes at the back outside with buttons as well. The skirt is made out of fine gold lace and is banded around the waist for shape. It drapes softly over the body with volume through the hips created by the layers. It narrows down at the ankles for a touch of a hobble skirt in appearance with the ends curving up and under. It is an incredible design.
An oversized silk top goes over this that has a bit of volume through the body. It is made from a deep copper gold silk with a burnished finish. The sleeves are incredibly long and are meant to be gather along the arms and follow the cut and curve of them. The collar is very high and wired so that it stands and frames the face beautifully. One side is longer then the other and you can shape the wire to give it a quirky little curve in the direction and way that works best for you. I love the open cut out just under the collar. It hints at the silk chiffon top underneath and adds an unexpected flash of skin.
The coat is utterly remarkable. It is thoroughly Romeo Gigli in spirit and it is one of the most beautiful, magical things I have ever seen. It has those beautiful sloped shoulders he was known for and the front flips over into a deep shawl collar. It slips on over everything else with no front closures. It just falls over you in this exceptional drape of chiffon and flowers and then trails out behind you. The end has been knotted and I love this detail as it is absolutely Gigli at his best. The coat is made from a silk chiffon outer and inner layer that has a touch of transparency to it while inside and between the layers are thousands of silk flowers. Each would have been placed by hand one by one to form a solid layer of flowers that shows through the silk. It has weight yet it feels weightless. It has presence yet it feels ethereal. The top layer of the chiffon is a pale dusty pink and then the inner layer is a pale taupe. The flowers float between the two and it make this light rustling sound as it moves that it magical. It is one of the best things I have ever personally seen.
Finally are the accessories. Her original velvet shoes that slide on and then tie in place, the little green silk bag that is held by the tied straps and the various hand made hair and stick pins in their original box.
The entire set will be sent in it original box hand covered in a deep dusty pink raw silk as it came to Marion from the Gigli ateliers.
Everything is in superb condition. I see a teeny smudge of discoloration under the arms of the inner silk chiffon top and the wear to the soles of the shoes giving away the clue that it was worn that day. The silk on the large box it came in has more wear as seen in the photos
This is a once in a life time, absolutely remarkable piece of fashion history.
Inner top
Shoulders: no true seams
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 14" from top of shoulder to hem
Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from waist to hem and including the 4" waist band
Outer top
Sleeves: 39" from the dropped shoulder seam and are around 11" arond after the dropped shoulder
Shoulders: 27" across and meant to drop significantly
Bust: 30" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 27" flat across from side seam to side seam and narrows to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam by the hem
Length: 41" from neck hem
Neck: 13" around
Coat
Is about 36" flat across the inner bust and it is about 120" long from the neck to end past the knot and not including the deep shawl collar. It is pretty much OSFA
Bag
Approx 9.5" tall and about 5-7" in diameter
Shoes
Approx a 40-41
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED for the inner outfit and the coat is OSFA
Item# DD4458
Reference Photos: Courtesy of Marion Hume. (1-2) Fitting with Romeo Gigli. / (3-7) On the wedding day.
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 lacroix
Fall 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Silk Runway Backless Dress w Original Jewel Brooches
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The twin of this dress in a different colour walked the Fall 1990 runway and we have included the reference photos of that so that you can see just how fabulous this one is on the body. This dress also included the incredible and detailed brooches on both the front and back of the dress as it was presented on the runway. This dress is unlabeled but came to me directly from the original couture client from whom I have, and have had, several other Haute Couture pieces. She was fitted by Christian himself for the dress which makes it that much more special. It is a stunning example of his Haite Couture work during this time period.
The dress is made out of an iridescent silk taffeta that has a slight colour change to it depending on how the light hits it. It can go from a deep bronze to a more iridescent blue / purple tone. I love it. The sleeves are long and there is a row of five silk covered buttons at each wrist. The body of the dress is cut to skim over you. It is gathered at one side at the front with the first of two incredible jeweled brooches the dress came with. The brooch is hand made from a gold toned metal with large golden topaz glass crystals mixed with brilliant blue crystals. The neckline angles down and across your shoulder to leave one shoulder bare and exposed. At the back the neckline dips dramatically down into a deep open V that leaves your skin bare and exposed. The second huge jeweled brooch sits at the base of that. A panel of silk flares out dramatically to one side to create a half bow, half bustle feel. The interior of that panel has extra structure so that it stays perfectly in place. The skirt falls below that and depending in your height will sit at about the knee or just above. It is fabulous. Excellent condition with minor notes below
Fully lined in a black silk organza and closes with an elaborate mix of a zipper, snaps and hooks at the back. One panel loops through the other over that. There is fused strip of rubber ribbon along the inner neckline to hold it in place and this has degraded a touch here and there. One stone is missing at the bottom of the front brooch. The brooches are tacked into place at present but are removable and you can see little marks on the fabric under them where the pin has been pushed through in different places. There are a couple teeny pinhead snags on the fabric where the brooches have caught on the silk near the brooches. These are all very minor and mentioned for accuracy. Unlabeled. Sourced from the original couture client and Mr Lacroix has mentioned to me on insta that he remembers fitting her.
Sleeves: 19.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3602
Reference Photos: Fall/Winter 1990 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
madame gres
1970s Madame Gres Haute Couture Wide Leg Pant Set w Metallic Gold Part Open Tie Top
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Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find. This set is from the early to mid-seventies and it is fabulous.
This is an amazing vintage set. I love the camel coloured wide legged jersey pants with their wide cut legs. The jersey they are made out of is the soft wool that she used extensively during this time period and it has a soft finish to it that looks and feels heavenly once on. The pants are banded at the top with a wide gathered sash of a pale yellow jersey for contrast to the camel colour below. This hooks to the one side and there is built-in boning at the sides to hold its shape around the waist. It is a touch wider on one side then the other to create a pretty curve. The pants fall to the floor and widen out to be 64" around at each hem. The top has a metallic finish to it and the contrast between the two fabrics is fantastic. The silk has actual metal thread woven through it and this gives it a subtle glint from all angles. A design runs through the silk and the metal thread is woven onto that in a floral design The neckline is scooped and it skims over you to the waist. The sleeves are long and simple. It ties into place at the back with ties made of the same fabric. These sit on an angle that starts at the neckline, run across to one side and then go straight down to the hem of the top. This leaves a little bare expanse of skin showing between the ties. I photoed the top un-tucked and tucked as it can be worn either way. Both pieces have a Haute Couture label in them and the top has an additional handwritten numbered tag inside. This is an incredible and rare opportunity to own a beautiful piece of her work and it is that much more versatile with the two pieces since you can mix and match with pieces from your exiting wardrobe. Excellent condition with a small note below.
Both pieces are unlined and have been completely finished by hand. The pants close with hook and eye at the band and a zipper under that. There's a small repair to the jersey inside the inner structure of the band and then one of the fold along one side. Neither is seen once on. The top ties to close at the back.
Top
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom seam: approx 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 12" from shoulder to hem
Pants
Waist: 12" at top of band and narrows to 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam of true waist
Band: 3.5" high on the boned hook closure side and the other side will widen to approx 9"
Hips: open
Length: 40" from true waist to hem
Inseam: 29"
Rise: 15" from true waist to inner seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD4182
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.
jean louis scherrer
Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Original Runway Look 7 Sample Strapless Red Layered Panel Dress
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Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier in 1997 at the age of 31 which made him the youngest of the 20 official Paris sanctioned couturiers at the time. He remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture division. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection and it is the actual runway sample for Look 7 that was worn on the runway. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. This dress was also worn by Alexandra Daddario and those shots really showcase just how fabulous this is on an actual body. It is a gorgeous piece of Haute Couture history.
Having the actual couture sample means that Stephane himself would have fit the model to walk the runway that day. Runway samples are as hands on by a designer as you can get. It is an amazing opportunity to own what few people ever even see; a dress that is straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway.
The dress gorgeous. It is covered with various sized panels done in hand cut red silk that has a almost linen feeling texture to them. These have been hand set over the entire dress. The panels start out small and delicate around the bodice and then their size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. This layering technique of the panels gives the dress more depth and texture and movement. In person it is even lovelier then how it photoed. There is a subtle movement when you move that is not truly captured in the still shots. Each panel is secured to the body of the dress along its top edges only and this is what gives them that touch of soft movement as you move. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak. The front inner dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a flash of bare skin as you move or sit. The dress flows back and around you from there. The back is full and dramatic as it sweeps behind you. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. Some grubbiness here and there at the hem and some faint marks on a few of the panels. I have photos some examples of them. They are mostly covered by the layers over top so make no impact when the dress is on. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Perhaps the teeniest bit of fading to the edges of a panel here and there but this is natural to this type of fabric and is only mentioned for accuracy.
Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from top of bodice to actual hem at the shortest point of the front and approx 92" from top of bodice to longest point of the back train
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3054
Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show. / (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.
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.
yves saint laurent
Fall 1979 Yves Saint Laurent Unlabled Haute Couture Black Silk Dress w Sequin & Rhinestone Detailing
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This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client and is unlabeled. In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1979 Yves Saint Laurent dress and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways except for the length. It is always the prerogative of the couture client to change some elements of the dress to suit their needs and in this case, this woman attended many functions where a full length dress was required. She frequented the Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro ateliers. She often removed the labels to avoid customs and it is fantastic to be able to verify which designer and collection this one is from as many of the records she kept were lost. The dress is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards and it is incredible. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body.
The dress is made from a crisp black silk and this fabric choice allows it to hold those beautiful lines that you see. It's beautiful shape is a testament to the level of workmanship that you only see in true couture pieces. At the front the neckline dips into a V and the dress is vertically seamed to follow the curves of the body. The sleeves are amazing. Each is cut on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of making a sleeve. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends. At the back the dress scoops low to give you a bare expanse of skin. The back has a low set seam under the open scoop and this allows the top of the back skirt to lift slightly off and away from the body. A tiny detail that feels very sensual on the body. That same seam curves around the hips and angles up towards the waist at the front and then the skirt at the front is cut on a stunning curve that widens out as it reaches the hem. The back is fuller and it also falls a touch longer to give it the feel of it sweeping out behind you. Built in underneath the skirt is a ruffled black silk net underskirt and when you move or sit you see just a peek of the ruffle around the inner hem. Built inside the top of the inner skirt are layers of silk net that help to hold the fullness around the hips. The dress is detailed with hand applied sequins to form little varying sized circles that run over the entire bodice, the waist and the top part of the skirt. Two types of sequins have been used, tiny silver sequins one and others that are an iridescent pale blue. The blue ones catch the light and range in colour from silver to an ice blue. It is incredible. Mixed into that are some circles that are made from little glass crystal beads. All are hand applied and the entire dress is completely hand made to couture standards. I have taken some detail shots of the interior seams for you to see the fine Haute Couture workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and just beautifully made. Excellent condition with a small note below
The bodice is unlined and the skirt is fully lined with a built in underskirt in a black silk net and taffeta. Built in panniers around the hip area that I have photoed. It closes with a hand set back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. There is the occasional sequin or crystal missing on the dots here and there and I have photoed one area for you to see as an example. Please see the last detail photo for that. Unlabeled. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.
Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 60" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3677
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.
Ady Couture
1982 Ady for Givenchy Haute Couture Gold Silk Taffeta Dress w Hand Done Sequin Detailing
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This is an incredible Haute Couture dress that came to me from the niece of the original couture client, In our hunt for more information on it we found the runway photos from the 1982 Givenchy Haute Couture presentations and you instantly see that it is its twin in all ways. I love having the runway photos so that you can see just how amazing it is in the body. 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.
The dress is made from a deep copper gold silk taffeta and this fabric choice allows it to hold those stunning lines and volume that you see. It is absolutely beautiful and a testament to the level of design that you only see in couture pieces. The colour of the silk is even better in person. I have managed to almost capture it in these photos but in person it is even richer feeling then what you see here. At the front the neckline is set in a simple high scoop. The bodice is cut to skim over your curves and is simple in cut. The sleeves are incredible. Each one is set on a curve to follow the shape of the arm in the traditional manner of dressmaking. They are set into the shoulders with a beautiful series of soft pleats so that you get a bit of volume at the shoulder. They puff out slightly around the upper arm and then narrow down at their ends. The waist is seamed and the skirt is gathered all the way around the waist in a series of soft pleats. These puff out from the waist slightly and this little couture trick gives the illusion that the waist is smaller then it is. On the runway it was shown with a black velvet bow and I have added one to emulate that same look. The skirt is one of the best skirts I have seen both from a design point of view and by its level of construction. It is made into two attached sections. The top comes out from the pleats all around the waist and it poufs out around you. A seam brings the skirt in and then the lower part of the skirt falls to the floor from there. That second tier has many yards of silk in it so that it flares out as it reached the hem. Between the two sections is a wide velvet ribbon that wraps around the seam and ties into a bow at the side. Which beautifully picks up on the bow around the waist. All of the volume and shape that you see is created through the way it is cut and the fabric choice. The skirt does not have extensive underskirts to shape it. The silk of the skirts are lined in a silk organza to help give support but it is really the genius of the cut itself that creates the shape. An elaborate and intricate floral design runs across the front and back of the bodice and down each sleeve. Hand done embroidery work is combined with tiny black sequins and hand applied beads. It is some of the finest hand work I have seen. Inside the dress is completely finished to couture standards with every seam finished by hand. I have taken some detail shots for you to see the fine workmanship inside. It is an incredible piece and absolutely beautifully made. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
The bodice is fully lined in a matching gold toned silk and the skirt is fully lined with a slightly gold tinged silk organza. It closes with a hand placed back zipper and the skirt snaps into place with silk covered snaps over that. Hidden set zippers at each wrist. Hand finished throughout. The velvet ribbon out is not original to the piece but will be included. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction. It is a slightly softer gold copper in person then how it photoed.
Sleeves: 26"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Length: 42" from waist to front hem, 45" to the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3685
Reference Photos: Fall 1982 Givenchy Couture Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
john anthony
Incredible Fall 1975 John Anthony Glossy Black Completely Hand Beaded Runway Sample Dress
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John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two more of the dresses he sent for you with one last one to come still. This is the actual runway sample from the Fall 1975 collection and you can see how fantastic it is on the body on the reference photo we found. Like the ivory coloured one already in the shop, the bead work on the dress was done by hand by Madame Gandini, who did beading for many of the Couture houses of the day. John is one of my favorite American designers and right out of the gate he won the Coty Award for his work. The first time in 1972 and then again in 1976. He designed clothes that were simple and elegant but glamorous. His work veers towards minimalism with sharp tailoring. Striking evening wear was his signature and he is renowned for his cutting and tailoring. It is an extraordinary privilege to have pieces directly from his archives and these are things you will never see again.
John's business was all done on a made to order basis. That means the majority of pieces you will find are a one-off, or if there are similar pieces, very few of each piece exist. This personal attention to each dress is clearly seen in the workmanship of his pieces. His work is very expensive and beaded pieces like this sold for over $10,000 even in the 1970s. If you convert that to modern dollars you get to about $68,000 which is incredibly still less then a modern couture pieces done to this level would be. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing.
This is an amazing dress that is heavily and densely beaded. The base of the gown is made of an black silk chiffon and then onto that are thousands of vertical rows of glossy black glass tube beads laid out in to fully cover every square inch of the dress. The dress is already spectacular on its own and the addition of the thousands and thousands of glass tube beads give the dress an extra layer of texture and glamour. Every square inch of the dress catches the light and sparkles. As a result the dress is fairly heavy off the body. We weighed it and it is almost 10 pounds because of that extensive bead-work. Yet once on the body it perfectly drapes over you in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The impact of all those beads from head to toe is stunning in the light. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will gasp to see it in real life. This needs a body to give it a life of its own and the camera cannot capture just how gorgeous it is and how the beads catch the light. The cut is sublimely simple. The bodice has a high collar and the bead work there is done in a slightly different pattern so that it has just a bit of added detailing. The rest of the dress falls from there in a beautiful column of beads to skim over you all the way to the floor. There is just a suggestion of the waist and it skims over the hips. The sleeves are long and equally as simply. They have that same slightly different bead work to give them a cuffed detail that is perfect. The back is just one long column of the bead work. The skirt widens out just a touch as it nears the hem and there is an extremely high slit up the back. You don't get as much sense of it in these photos but once on the body this really adds a high flash of bare leg as you walk away. It is insanely sexy. As good as it photoed, the effect that this dress has once it is on an actual body is far more dramatic and fabulous. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will dance when you see it in person as it is so much better in real life. It is completely made by hand and you would never be able to find its modern equivalent. It is stunning. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk chiffon and it closes at the back with a metal and nylon zipper. Hand finished throughout. As noted above it has a good weight to it since it is fully beaded from top to bottom with glass beads but feels balanced when on and comfortable. There is perhaps the occasional bead missing here and there but no bare areas. Numbered sample tag on the inner hem.
Sleeves: 22" and 10" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem
Back Slit: 30.5" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML
Item# DD4404
Reference Photos: Fall 1975 John Anthony Runway.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
christian lacroix
Prettiest Spring 1996 Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Runway Three Piece Set w Jewel Buttons
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The twin of this set walked the runway and was worn by none other then Carla Bruni. Which makes this suit that much more special. It also still has all three of its original pieces and I love that as well. Christian Lacroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and his work was an instant worldwide sensation with the press declaring him to be the King of Couture. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His collections were always exotic and lavish affairs. He drew his inspirations from across the decades and I doubt there was ever a more high glamour couturier. This suit with its supermodel tie-in is very special and a stunning example of his work during this time period. His couture pieces rarely come to market and I love having them in the shop when I can get them.
I love that this still has all three original pieces. It came to me with the jacket, skirt and the inner silk top that matches the lining of the jacket. Which is a very traditional Haute Couture detail. Having all three pieces makes it that much more versatile since you can mix and match all of pieces and wear them in so many different ways. The inner top is made of a silk with a abstract vertical wavy pattern in ivory, pale blue and pastel lavender. That exact same silk is used to line the jacket so when you wear the jacket open you get that incredible continuation of design. The skirt and the jacket are both made from a textured wool boucle with the skirt being a two-tone aqua and pale blue and the jacket picking up the lavender in the silk top. Unusual colour and pattern mixing was a forte of Lacroix and we see that beautifully in the suit. The jacket is stunning and every seam has been meticulously executed. The sleeves are long and the rounded shoulders have soft padding inside for a touch of structure. The seaming is set in curving lines to create the shape that you see and there are little boned Silk satin inserts at the front for shaping. That same silk details the inside of the collar runs across the top of the shoulder and along part of the edge of the split cuff sleeves. At the back he used that same fabric to gather and bring in the back of the jacket for shaping and add a pretty romantic detail with the bow. It snaps to close down the front with silk covered hidden set snaps. Buttons are sewn on the outside and each is a stunning jewel. Gold tone metal has been set with rhinestones crystals and turquoise. So even if you wear the jacket on its own or closed you get this stunning jewel detail there. The skirt is precisely and simply cut with that slight flare as it reaches the hem. The front panel wraps over which as a touch of detail and also leaves a hidden opening underneath so that when you sit or walk you get a tiny flash of leg. It is lined in an extremely high-quality pale blue silk. This is a stunning example of his work that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture just makes it better and the workmanship is out of this world. Excellent condition.
Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in silk described above. The top is made of a single layer of silk. Top closes with a hidden setbacks zipper and has ribbon finishing at the hem. The skirt closes with a side zipper and couture hook and eye at the waist. The jacket has hidden set snaps down the front. All three pieces are completely made by hand and have their proper Haute Couture tags present with sequential couture numbers under the tag.
Jacket
Sleeve: 21"
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19" from neck to back hem, 22" the longest points of the front hem
Top
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from shoulder to hem
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4391
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 1996 Christian Lacroix Runway, Look 4. Model Carla Bruni.
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.
jean paul gaultier
Exquisite Fall 2000 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Nude & Black Net 3D 'Script' Dress
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This dress is a work of art and instantly recognizable as being a Gaultier. His career spans decades. His first show was in 1976 and his avant garde designs quickly gained him the reputation of being fashion's 'l'enfant terrible'. His designs mixed cultures with abandon, gender norms were blurred and the body was presented encased in ways unimaginable prior to his own unique vision. His first Haute Couture collection debuted in 1997 and his final show where he was the designer was in Spring 2020. He has since then had guest designers come in for his couture collections and I love this solution for him as a designer. Gaultier couture rarely comes to market and this one is exceptional. It is also very well documented.
The Fall 2000 Haute Couture presentation was called 'Paris and its Muses'. I have included the original runway reference photos here and tyou can see that this is the twin of the runway look. Doutzen Kroes was photoed in it for Vanity Fair that season and in 2013 its twin dress was featured in the exhibit "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk". I was invited and attended the opening of that show in San Francisco and I love having this dress in hand now. This dress was obviously a favourite of Jean Paul's because he also chose to recreate a version of it for his Fall 2018 Haute Couture collection. That 2018 version was then worn by Rita Ora for the 2018 MTV VMAs. I believe that this may have been the only dress that was produced beyond the runway version
The dress is made from a layer of fine black silk netting that falls over an interior nude coloured lingerie weight stretch silk. This makes it very easy to wear and be comfortable on despite the dramatic feel it has. Onto the silk netting are hand made and hand applied letters made of a black silk chiffon shaped over stiffened netting inside them. This is how they get that 3D dimensional feel that you see. It is fascinating to think that the entire dress would have had to have been careful planned out prior to its creation. Every single word that you see running over its surface would have had to have been laid out and placed on the netting for it to all work before it was even started. The degree that each word would need to curve over the body would have had to be planned for and then each word meticulously sewn onto the netting by hand like a puzzle. The letters cover the dress from head to toe and include 'Cherie', 'Mon Amour', 'Jean Paul Gaultier', 'Paris' and more. It falls from the shoulders and skims over the body and then widens out dramatically as it nears the hem. Where the words are set along the hem the hem is actually done to follow their shapes. A stunning couture detail. The letters also cleverly act as support to hold the fullness of the dress and are in a way like having a crinoline but one that is done in letters and attached on the outside of the skirt rather then worn underneath and hidden. The entire dress is suspended from the shoulders from straps that are just wide enough to accommodate the lettering that runs over them. The front has a low scoop and the back dips into a low V for some bare skin to show. It skims over the waist and then it flares out dramatically to the hem. The entire dress is bias cut so moves beautifully over the body. All of the seams are finished with proper couture techniques and it is as beautiful to see as the outside. This is a dress that would have taken hundreds of hours to complete and you really are wearing a piece of art. I am obsessed. Excellent condition with some very minor notes below
Composed of two layers, the inner nude lingerie weight stretch silk and then the netted layer over that. The inner layer closes with a zipper and the outer layer snaps to close with a tightly spaced series of tiny snaps. There is some minor stress to the netting around the seam of the armholes. I see a couple of the ends of a word that have popped through the silk a bit and some small tiny snags/ stress to the netting here and there. All of these are very minor. Please see the photos after the Couture label. The dress otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Made by hand to Haute Couture standards. It's proper Haute Couture tag is present and it comes to me direct from the original couture client . It is extraordinary and rare.
Bust: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3612
Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2000 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection. / (4) Doutzen Kroes in Jean Paul Gaultier couture from the 2000 collection for Vanity Fair, 2009. / (5-9) Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Grand Palais, 2015. / (10) Fall 2018 Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 34. / (11-13) Rita Ora in Jean Paul Gaultier at the 2018 MTV VMAs.
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.
chanel
Spring 2006 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Pant Set w Detachable Collar & Sleeves
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This is an incredible example of Karl Lagerfeld's Haute Couture work. I am so glad this was a runway piece because it was almost impossible to photo correctly on the dress form. The elaborate sleeves that you see coming out from under the jacket are actually separate pieces altogether. You can see on the runway shots how beautifully they sit on an actual arm. My client opted for a more sleek jacket that did not take her in it at the waist as much as the runway look did and a more classic trouser. If you preferred that cinched in waist look you could easily belt the jacket. The simpler silhouette of this jacket allows for more versatility and styling. Sarah Mower said on her review of the show that; ‘It was pure Chanel, crystallized to a point of perfection only witnessed in haute couture…. Karl Lagerfeld began this mostly black-and-white collection with a new treatment of the Chanel suit…. These were paired with flat white go-go boots, which were not referenced from the sixties, but from a pair Coco (always ahead of her time) was wearing in a photograph from the decade before. That allusion and others demonstrate just how deftly Lagerfeld—Chanel historian par excellence—marshals his knowledge. He sprinkles the camellias, the satin bows, the organdy collars, and the bound edges so lightly that they become playful thrills—not belabored underscorings of theme or "brand identity."…. Lagerfeld reinvents the house signatures to pique the fantasies of today's young woman—and that he does just beautifully.’
The lines of this suit are crisp and sharp and the tailoring is immaculate. This is sharply contrasted with the dandified collar and arm pieces. It is incredible to have the full suit. This set includes the jacket, pants, inner top, collar and both arm pieces. The suit is made from a fine black wool that is light in weight and has a slight texture. It is just heavy enough to hold the shape beautifully. The jacket is cut to have a slight oversize feel through the body. The shoulders are shaped and the sleeves fall to just past the elbow. There is no collar. The neckline comes down the front in a simple V and then it zips to close down the remainder of the front. Two sleek little pockets are stacked on top of each other on either side of the waist for some detailing. It is cut to be more straight through the body and then flares out slightly at the hem, falling to just past the hip. The pants are classic and simple in their cut. They are flat fronted and cut to taper down to the ankles. A sharp fold runs down the front and the back of each leg. The inside of the suit is as immaculate as the outside and it is entirely made by hand. Every stitch is perfection. Under that goes a little sleeveless ivory silk top with a small neat collar. The top is easy fitting through the body. The top three buttons are finished with rhinestones and enamel and then the rest of the buttons are hidden under a flap of silk. Three additional pieces come with the suit. The first is a detachable silk organdy collar that goes around the neck and adds a romantic flounce with a large soft bow and ties. This gives the suit an unexpected touch of drama. Next is a pair of detachable sleeves. The sleeves are also made out of the same silk organdy as the collar and slip on the lower arm. Both those and the collar have a nod to the regency era when this type of sleeve and collar were all the rage. The sleeves are finished with a row of those beautiful buttons and the ends are ruffled. Every piece has been entirely made by hand and all the proper Chanel couture labels and numbered tapes are present. I love that with this one set you have so many pieces to mix and match with other things you own. It allows you to be able to sprinkle a bit of vintage Haute Couture throughout your wardrobe. This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of true couture by one of the most important designers of our lifetime. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
The jacket and pants are hand lined in a fine black silk. The jacket closes with a hidden zipper under the front panel of fabric. The pockets appear to be functional and all four still have their original tacking in place. The pants zip to close with a hidden set side zipper. The toppings to close at the front. The collar snaps into place and the sleeves slip onto the arm with functional buttons running down the cuffs. The edges of the collar and cuffs have intentional raw edges. I see one small area of breakage in the silk on the edge of one cuff. Please see the photo after all of the label shots. I see one rhinestone missing off one button on each cuff and one on the top. All of the pieces are made and finished by hand to couture standards. Proper couture labels present with couture tape are present on all pieces but the sleeves. Sourced from the original couture client
Jacket
Sleeves: 18"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 34.5" from neck to head
Pant
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from waist to hem with 1.5" turned under
Inseam: 28.5" from inner seam to hem
Rise: 15.5" from back waist to inner seam
Top
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to head
Collar
14" around and the snaps could be adjusted up or down a bit if needed
Cuffs
Length: 13" including the extended cuff, 9" without
10" around the upper edge and narrows to 7" around the wrist
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4263
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2006 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 9. Model: Svetlana.
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.
madame gres
Magical c.1958 Madame Gres Haute Couture Printed Silk Chiffon Dress & Hooded Cape Piece
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Madame Gres' work has had profound effects on Haute Couture and her influence still resonates to this day. Her attention to detail, master draping techniques and respect for the female form is unparalleled. She was known for designing and creating garments directly on her models and this became a signature of her work. She opened her first atelier, La Maison Alix in 1932. A partnership briefly changed the house's name to Alix Barton and then the label went to simply Alix. In 1942 she married, and the label made its last change to became Madame Gres, which was a partial anagram of Serge, her husband's first name. Her work spans over five full decades with the vast majority of it, with the exception of a short-lived RTW line begun in 1980, dedicated solely to creating Haute Couture. She is one of the greatest couturiers of our time and her pieces are very rare and hard to find.
This Haute Couture dress is exceptional. It comes to me directly from the family that the other recent Gres pieces have come from. Her son told me that 'Madame Grès would let her wear many dresses as she was size model and those she really liked she purchased afterwards.' This was one of those that she kept and it is a very special piece. He remembers her wearing this around 1960 to some galas. This is also the time period that she would have had that relationship with Madame Gres. In the course of researching the dress we found that the 1958 and 1959 collections in particular were ones that featured braided details and cape elements like this dress has. I have included here some examples other dresses by Gres that share some of those common elements to this one from those years for you to see.
This is one of the most stunning dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is made from a biased cut silk chiffon with a small abstract print on it. From a distance it gives you that beautiful mottled red effect. Then as you look closer at the fabric you see that there is a deeper red, coral, soft green and a blue that all work together to form a pretty abstract floral print. The dress itself is simple and minimalist. It falls from the shoulder with wide straps that are made from hand gathering the silk chiffon and hand stitching them in these incredible little curved sections to create the illusion that the silk has been braided. These curve over the shoulders and then follow the neckline for a square off feel at the front. At the back they run down to the mid back and then run across in a straight line there as well for that same squared off finish there. The body of the dress falls from under that detailing in a swoop of bias cut silk. By the time it reaches the hem it is quite full. When you are standing still you get a soft column feel but then when you move you get incredible movement. The dress is lined in a layer of biased cut ivory silk and this gives the top layer and that pattern more depth. The silk is as light as air. Every seam on the dress has been finished by hand. Working with a silk chiffon as fine as this makes that an incredible achievement that would've taken countless hours of handwork. The dress is stunning on its own but this is a set and it comes with a incredible matching caped piece that has such an unusual and beautiful design. Two wide panels done in a single layer of silk chiffon are sewn together at the top of the neck at the back and then they hook together at the front. The panels fall over each shoulder to the floor and just past the hem of the dress. It is incredibly light in weight. This allows the slightest bit of air to pick them up so that they waft and float around you as you move. If that was not already beautiful enough the cape is topped by an oversized hood made of the same silk chiffon. It is cut extra long at the back and in such a way that when it is off the head the ends twirl on their own. I have taken a photo of this for you because it is just such an incredible detail. It's something that happens naturally and on its own as a result of how the silk has been placed and sewn into place. When the hood is up it falls gently around the face to frame it. The dress is in incredible condition and appears to have never been worn. It is literally a work of art and one of the most special things I've ever had in the shop. This is truly an extraordinary piece of modern couture and is exceptionally beautiful. No matter how good you think it looks in the photos, it is better in person. Excellent condition.
The dress is lined in a fine ivory silk. There is handmade soft inner corset set inside and under the ivory layer and it closes with its own zipper. The ivory silk lining closes over that with its own zipper and then the outer layer of the dress closes with hidden set tiny snaps. The cape hooks to close at the front. An inner waist stay hooks to close with metal couture hooks. I see a very tiny and finely done seam at the base of where it snaps to close at the front and I'm not sure if it is there deliberately or if it was a repair at one time but it's invisible when the dress is on. Please see the photo after the label shot. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. The proper Haute Couture label is present. The bias cut of the dress does allow for a range of measurements and I have listed those below to the comfortable range laying flat where that applies. Note that due to the value of this dress returns will not be accepted so that it ships only one time.
Inner waist stay: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem
Cape: 65" from neck to hem and will come up a touch when on the shoulders
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4254
Reference Photos: (1) 1958 Madame Gres Evening Dress in The MET Collection. / (2) Madame Gres evening dress, L'officiel de la mode, 1958. / (3) 1959 Madame Gres Evening Dress in the Chicago History Museum Collection.
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.
chanel
Tailored Fall 2000 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Black Haute Couture Dress & Jacket Suit
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The twin of this set in a different colour walked the runway for the Fall 2000 show for Look 11. My client ordered hers in black and that simple colour change makes it incredibly timeless. The suit is beautiful and so chic. I also have Look 17 from the show in the shop that has a longer jacket from the same client. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
I love that this is a suit with a dress and jacket rather than a jacket and skirt. It makes it so versatile and you can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways. Both of the pieces are constructed from a find black wool that has a touch of texture. It is absolutely beautiful. The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the ham. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. I love the seaming detail at the neck to give it the feel that the fabric crosses over itself. It is hand lined in a rich black silk so feels like heaven on. The jacket slips over that and has slight shoulder pads for a touch of structure and the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. There is a simple hook and eye closure at the neck and two functional pockets on each side. It is hand lined in that same high end black silk and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled piece that goes from the neck right to the hem. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem and this adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. On the dress this same fringe detail circles around the hem. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a nice pretty and romantic touch. This is a stunning and timeless example of Chanel's Haute Couture work. It is meticulously made and it is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.
Both the dress and the jacket are hand lined in a fine black silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper that follows along an offset seam so that it looks to have no closure at all. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand
Jacket
Sleeve: 23.5"
Slightly inset shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem
Dress
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4177
Reference Photo: Fall 2000 Chanel Haute Couture Runway Collection. Look 11
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.
valentino
Incredible Spring 2005 Valentino Haute Couture Green Ombre Bias Cut Silk Chiffon Dress w Pleated Bodice
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My couture client had this stunning silk chiffon dress made for her and it was one of the last pieces she acquired from the house. It is an interesting thing in that it shows how the client can really direct and combine different runway elements to make a one of a kind dress like this one is. When we look at the runway from that season we can see that skirt is taken from one dress, the top from another, and the colour from a third. It's a dress that combines the runway looks 25 ,26 and 27. The experience of couture is really client driven and I love how this dress takes elements from the three Valentino's pieces, stays true to his vision for this season and yet is completely unique. We found video of the dress that shares the skirt design of this dress and I've included it so you can see how beautifully this will move once it's on the body. Being a custom piece that was made specifically for her also means that it truly a one-off-a-kind which makes much more special. It is an extraordinarily beautiful piece of Haute Couture. The workmanship is exquisite.
This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it will only truly come to life on an actual body. The bodice of the dress is fitted and nipped in at the waist. It is cut in a sweetheart neckline that softly curves at the top. The bodice is done in an extremely intricate manner. Panels of the silk chiffon are hand gathered and placed in soft pleats to form that complicated pattern that wraps around the entire bodice. Sitting at the top of each shoulder is a rounded soft cap sleeve done in the same pleating technique. This painstaking manner of pleating and gathering would have taken hours and hours to accomplish. It is of course all done by hand. There is a silk band around the waist and then the skirt flows out to the floor from there. The skirt is made from many yards of a beautiful bias silk chiffon. The inner skirt is made from four layers of the bias cut chiffon and then over that are two more layers of silk. At the front the top layers are cut to just under the hip and then they trail and curve down the sides to the back. If you look at the video we have included you can see how much movement this adds to the dress. The fabric is feather light and the fact that is is made from six layers of silk chiffon allows it to catch the slightest bit of air and float around you. It is incredible. The interior of the dress is made to couture standards with a full built in cupped corset that is boned and shaped to the waist. I am obsessed with the soft degrade ombre effect that dress has because of how the silk gradually changes from a soft deeper green at the top to the palest green near the bottom. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is an amazing example of original Valentino Haute Couture. Excellent condition.
The interior bodice is boned and corseted. The skirt has six layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with a zipper and then the dress zips to close over that. The top silk layer of the skirt snaps to close over. Two inner waist stays that hook to close. Finished with Haute Couture construction techniques throughout.
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to bottom of waist seam
Skirt: 45" from bottom of waist seam to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4156
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2005 Valentino Haute Couture Runway, Look 27, 26 & 25.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
chanel
Spectacular Spring 2003 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Blue Beaded Runway Dress Coat Suit
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This is a stunning set whose twin walked the runway that season. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. Vogue noted that "The reinvention of the iconic Chanel suit began with fluted knee-length coats, worn, with ropes of glistening pearls at the neckline" and closed by stating that "This was a triumphant collection for Lagerfeld, as realistically wearable as it was dreamily desirable." I love that we found both runway photos and some video footage for you to see how dynamic this is on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
I love how diverse and different this set feels depending on whether you wear the pieces together or separately. The set is made up of two pieces. A gorgeous to-the-knee coat with a chic little dress underneath that. Both of the pieces are constructed from a surprisingly light weight deep blue boucle. This fabric was actually a centerpiece of the show and a new step forward in the way they made their tweeds. Karl wanted them to feel almost weightless and easy to wear once on the body. The dress mixes that with a silk chiffon bodice to carry on the feeling he strove for with these pieces. “Fragility,” he said. “Everything is almost weightless.” The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shape that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of the same deep blue tweed as the jacket and then the top is attached to that and is made out of a deep blue silk chiffon. The top is all about delicacy. It is made of two layers of the silk. Each sleeve is long and ends in a neat little buttoned cuff. Both the front and the back are detailed with flat knife pleats. I love how the front of the skirt dips up into the top and at the back it dips down. This little shaping detail just make it lie even better on the body. The workmanship is stunning. The coat slips on over that and has light shoulder pads for a touch of structure. The sleeves are long. It has no closures except for a hook and eye at the neck. This allows it to flare out around you and gives it a softness as you move. The jacket is incredibly detailed. It has four top set pockets on the front and each has a row of glass beads along the upper edge. The same glass beads circle the hem of each cuff and go around the collar. The glass beads cleverly act as a weight for the coat so that it always falls perfectly once on the body. I love the low scoop of the front neckline and the ribbons that sit at the base of the neck. You can just let them hang loosely or tie them. Ribbons also sit on the edge of each sleeve and again you can leave them loose or have them tied into a pretty bow for a more formal feel. The jacket and the skirt of the dress are lined in a high-quality black silk. This Chanel set is exceptional and is true Haute Couture. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.
Both the skirt of the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine black silk. The top is made from two layers of silk chiffon. The dress closes with a series of silk covered buttons at the back and each cuff has two silk covered buttons and loops. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck and at each cuff. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Extremely faint spot on the front bodice. Slight pilling here and there on the jacket but I am being picky.
The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.
Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem
Dress
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4147
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2003 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 3.
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.
chanel
Chic Fall 2000 Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Runway Dress & Ruffle Fringe Coat
I Have a Question
Other then the colour this is the twin of the set that walked the runway for the Fall 2000 as Look 17. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. I also have Look 11 from the show in the shop now that has a longer jacket from the same client. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
I love that this set has both the light car length coat and a chic inner dress. It makes it so versatile and you can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways. Both of the pieces are constructed from a stunning deep coral pink and moss green version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. From a distance it combines to give a more rust coloured feel but as you get closer you see the two distinctive colours. It is absolutely beautiful. It is then edged with a fringe made of the two wools. On the jacket this fringing follows all of the edges of the coat and then also circles each cuff. On the dress it circles around the hem. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a nice pretty and romantic touch. The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the ham. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. It is hand lined in a rich deep green silk. The jacket slips over that and has shoulder pads for a structure and the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming set in curving lines to create the shape that you see. It has no closure except for a hook and eye at the neck. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled piece that goes from the neck right to the hem. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem. This adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. The jacket is lined in that same extremely high-quality green silk and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. This is a classic Chanel set that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture is just the icing on the cake. It is meticulously made to the highest standards. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.
Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine deep green silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand
The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.
Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4142
Reference Photos: Fall 2000 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 17. Model: Tetyana Brazhnyk.
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.
chanel
Incredible 1990s Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Haute Couture Blue Organza Silk Dress & Jacket
I Have a Question
I am starting to work through a collection of couture pieces that I am handling at the moment for my client and all she could recall for this piece was this it was her mothers and that it was from the 1990s. I have not yet found a photo reference for this one but when I do I will add it and send to the new owner. The set is incredibly beautiful on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful example and historically important example of the work that the Chanel ateliers were doing during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.
The ability that this set has to transform once on the body is fabulous. With the jacket on the set has that classic Chanel suit feel and it feels very elegant and reserved. But once you take the jacket off it takes on more of the feel of a more sensual evening piece. The dress has that easy dropped feel of the twenties that Karl so often touched upon in reference to Coco's initial designs for the house. Both pieces are made from a deep blue silk organza. This fabric allows it to keep the shape that he intended while still keeping both pieces extremely light in weight. The dress is dropped from the shoulder from wide straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The bodice is easy fitting and cut to skim over you with a shallow V at the front. It is hand pieced together in a pattern of panels that are meticulously sewn together. The waist is dropped and then from under that the pleated skirt flows out to the floor with incredible movement. The combination of this fabric choice with the pleats gives the skirt incredible movement. The pleats open and flare outward as they reach the hem and this allows the skirt to swing out around you. Two layers of silk tulle are built-in underneath the skirt to add to and create the volume that you see. The lightness of the fabric and the pleats combine to make the skirt move at your slightest movement. I think it's incredible to see this on and moving. The jacket sits over top of this and it has a soft and simple cut. The neckline is cut wide across to follow the neckline of the dress underneath. The collar is wide and notched for that bit of a 20s feel to the design. The sleeves are long and each has a notch that runs up the inside seam. It hooks and snaps to close down the front. It does have structure but it's meant to look soft on the body. There are small shoulder pads in each shoulder but they are soft and light. There is a signature Chanel chain at the base of the jacket so that it hangs perfectly. All of the work is meticulously done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is an incredible piece of Chanel couture. It's very beautiful and even better in person. Great condition with a note below
The jacket is fully lined in a blue silk and closes with hidden snaps and hook and eye at the front. A signature Chanel chain runs around the inside hem. The dress is lined in the same silk organza through the bodice and then the skirt has two layers of silk tulle. One layer is black and the other is a matching blue. The dress closes with a zipper and then there is a separate set of snaps to close on each of the three layers of the skirt. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Some of the edges of the seams have slightly faded. Mainly on the jacket and bodice of the dress. It gives it a kind of degrade look. It almost feels intentional because it's so even everywhere but I can't say for sure that it is. Please see the shots after the label shots and on the general shots as well. Some of the pleats have softened slightly in the skirt. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture number and tape
Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem
Dress
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 18" from top of shoulder to slightly dropped waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4139
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.
yves saint laurent
Extaordinary Fall 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Look 126 Purple & Bronze Silk & Lace Dress
I Have a Question
This dress is from the Fall 1990 collection and came to me directly from the original couture client. In the book Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk they said this of this collection; 'Yves Saint Laurent allowed himself to be truly audacious for this presentation of 137 designs. The Baroque style was evident in outfits were the a fairy tales.' Elle magazine summarized Saint Laurent's work as 'insouciance elevated to the rank of fine art.' .... and of the colours that he chose for the collection the New York Times noted that 'He works with a painter's eye, and the results are always satisfying, never soporific.' They also said that 'Lace is a cornerstone of evening dressing. Sometimes it is thick velvety guipure lace, sometimes spidery Chantilly. It never looks matronly.' This was one of the final dresses of the show and a beautiful example of all of those comments by the press. I am also very happy to have found the runway photo. With 137 looks shown finding this exact one from the handful of shots that are out there of the collection is almost miraculous. In addition to tall of that I have included a snap of the original sketch and fabric swatches from the boxed book set "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002". The dress has so much structure and form to it but once on the body it sits just perfectly and transforms into something magical. It is an exceptional and well documented example of Laurent's Haute Couture work that he was doing during this time period.
A silk taffeta in a jeweled toned fuchsia sweeps across the top of the bodice and then extends down to form each sleeve. The fabric is gathered and ruched down the length of each arm. The shoulders are left bare to balance out the volume underneath and have that expanse of skin for a touch of sensuality. Under the fucshia is a wide band of a slightly metallic copper silk that goes from the top of the bust the the slightly dropped waist. The silk has been gathered along each side to create soft pleats that wrap around you. The skirt comes out from under that in a series of soft gathers that open up to allow it to be quite wide by the time it reaches the hem. The underskirt is made from a pale purple silk and that is covered in a top layer of French black lace. The lace is hand made and has a stunning floral design set within medallions. These are repeated throughout the lace to create the beautiful pattern that you see. I love that the bottom edge of the lace follows the curving shape of the design that is in the lace. To finish Yves wrapped a wide green silk ribbon around the waist. This unusual colour choice is spectacular when you see it all together and on the body. This is a spectacular example of his work and a piece you would only ever normally see in a museum. Excellent condition
Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk. There is a built in silk covered elastic that is attached and wired right between the breast for a slight bit of support and then that wraps around you and hooks to close. It closes with a side set zipper and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. There is a series of snaps above the zipper that run under the arm seam. Each sleeve zips to close at the wrist. The exterior layer of the skirt closes with its own a hand set side zipper. The silk ribbon belt is tacked into place on either side of the waist. On the interior of the skirt at the inner waist the fabric has been folded down and it looks like it would be possible to lengthen the skirt from there by just about 4". It looks to have been worn very little if at all.
Sleeves: 20" from where they start off the shoulder
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to slightly dropped seam at the waist
Skirt: 38" from the slightly dropped seam at the waist to the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3598
Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Collection. / (2-3) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002"
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.
valentino
Incredible 1980s Valentino Haute Couture Pale Blue Silk Chiffon Dress w Elaborate Gathered Bodice
I Have a Question
There are hints of this dress from both the 1986 collection and in the 1988 collection. The original owner did buy it in the 1980s but I do not have the exact day. I tend to lean towards the earlier date for it but I have included reference photos from both the above mentioned collections. It is a stunning example of Valentino's work during this time period.
The dress is beautiful to see in person. It flows over the body from the more fitted bodice and the lightness of the silk allows it to move and float around you when you move. The bodice is a stunning example in shaping and couture techniques. Inside it is boned and has built in cups. This interior structure holds it perfectly in place over the body once on. On the exterior the silk is hand set and gathered over the bust and all the way around you. Each individual gather is meticulously hand stitched into place. Above this more structured part of the dress is a single layer of the chiffon. At the front it scoops in a higher set neck and at the back it is set with a keyhole running down to the top of the gathered bodice. The skirt flows out under that in four layers of the silk and each layer is bias cut. This is what allows it to have such beautiful movement when you move. The final touch are those pretty sleeves that are cuffed at the wrist and pouf out around the arm above that. It also has its original very large silk shawl piece. It is beautiful. The dress does have some flaws but is structurally sound. Please review the notes below.
The interior bodice is finished is boned and corseted. The skirt has four layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with hook and eye and the silk layer zips to close over. Each cuff buttons with two silk covered buttons and loops. Three buttons at the top of the back neck. There are areas of fading through the skirt that go through the layers. I have photoed the worst of them. There are some faint areas of the same on the silk above the corset and on the sleeves. I see one tiny repair near the hem at the back of the skirt. It comes. I think you could potentially remove the sleeves and upper bodice and use the shawl to create a layer over the worst of the fading or just have it redyed and it would be perfect again. Sold as found and final and the price is according to the description above
Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16.5" from top of neck to interior waist stay
Skirt: 45" from interior waist stay to hem
Shawl: 54" x 52"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3018
Reference Photos: (1) From the book "A Grand Italian Epic, Valentino", 1988/1989 collection / (2-3) The "Degradè" Dress from the Valentino Haute Couture 1986 collection. (4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon taken on location at JohnMel Stables
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.
guy laroche
Rare Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Wide Sleeve High Low Dress w Cumberbund
I Have a Question
Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launches his own Haute Couture label in 1957 as a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne. He became known for his color sense and the young, sexy look of his clothes. In 1985 he won the Haute Couture Golden Thimble award and two years later he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur. His second Golden Thimble was given posthumously after his death in 1989. Michel Klein took over the couture division where he remained until 1996. This dress is from Klein's tenure as the Haute Couture director and label and it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing during his tenure there. Laroche once was quoted as saying “It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.” and I feel that this dress tries to live up to that thought while still maintaining the feel of couture during this mid-nineties.
This is the type of piece that is so bold and edgy that you will only ever find it in a Haute Couture piece. I feel like whoever ordered this one had it tweaked slightly from the runway presentation and made it better. The bodice is scooped across on a more graceful line (I don't love how it fits Kirsty Hume who is the model in the photo) and the back skirt feels longer. They also eliminated the bow at the front, opting instead for a single long panel falling at the back that matches the colour and fabric of the skirt. These small details add up to a big difference in how it presents. I also feel that the fit overall is far better then how it appears on the runway. It makes me wonder if there was a last minute substitution of the model for this piece, because in person the dress that I have here is a far better cut and fit overall then how it looks like in the runway shot. The dress is a mini dress that has an attached long panel on the skirt that wraps part way around you to leave the full front open under the mini skirt. The bodice is scooped wide and low at the front and made from a pale taupe silk. It extends down past the waist so a very short mini skirt that has a slight flare to it as it reaches the hem. The long skirt wraps around and is attached at the side of the waist. It is a soft olive toned green and done on that same rich heavy silk that has a slight satin finish. It falls to the floor in a long smooth drape of fabric. A wide silk cummerbund wraps around the waist to give shape. This narrows down at one end and hooks into place under a long swooping gold brooch which I believe is gold plated. The cummerbund has a long panel attached at the back and I have left it hanging as an extra panel. You could probably be clever and wrap /tie it to create a bow effect if you wished to emulate the runway photo more. The darkness of the sash around the waist is then picked up by the spectacular sleeves. Each is made out of a deep blue-black silk chiffon and are cut extra long. They are also cut wide and full to fall at an angle at the end of each sleeve. This bit of softness and transparency the sleeves have contrast sharply to the rich silk the rest of the dress is made from. It is a very unusual dress and shows the experimental side of couture. This is one of those dresses that when the right person wears it, it is going to blow people away. Excellent condition with a minor note below.
Fully lined in hand set silk that matches the colour of the exterior silk that is being lined. The sleeves are unlined. The dress closes with a hand set hidden back zipper and then there is another zipper that closes the inner mini skirt. The sash at the waist wraps and hooks into place. The brooch is detachable and shows sight patina on the gold. Proper couture label present. The dress is entirely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner silk of the long skirt is scuffed near the hem and I see slight grubbiness along the hem on parts. Please see the shot after the label photo.
Sleeves: 34" to the longest point
Inset shoulders: 12"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Mini dress length: 31" from top of shoulder to hem
Full Length: 60" from shoulder to longest point of the hem
Waist sash: 26.5" in length to where the hooks presently sit with an extension past that that wraps and hooks into place
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4012
Reference Photo: Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Runway Collection on Kirsty Hume.
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
Rare 1984 Christian Dior Haute Couture by Canton Furs Model #3007 ‘Dynastie' Russian Sable Coat
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This is an incredible and rare piece of Dior's history in the fur market. During this time period there were select furriers that had permission to make the Haute Couture pieces and the maker of this coat, Canton Furs in Lausanne was one of those. This coat was made in 1984 and this time period was known as the 'Golden Age' for the Dior fur division. Frederic Castet was appointed the head of the division after joining Dior in 1953. He single handedly restructured the fourrure department to follow the haute couture and the prêt-à-porter philosophy of the house in 1968. He was one of the first to treat fur like fabric and would dye it, trim it, pluck it and create whimsical fantasy pieces that had never been see prior. By the 1980s he was doing extravagant presentations that only showcased his furs. These were held on the second floor of the Dior mansion on Avenue Montaigne. They were as wanted a ticket as the couture shows were and they were legendary in terms of the extravagant spectacles that he would put on to showcase his work. His work was worn by all the major stars from Sophia Loren to Elizabeth Taylor.
This coat was originally purchased for the sum of CHF 120’000, on 11.10.1984. That was about $93,000 USD at the time. I have a digital copy of the original insurance value paper done for the coat that is dated to december 13th 1984 that states its insurance value at FR. 200,000. If you want to talk modern dollars that is well over an astonishing $248,000USD. The insurance papers along with the information given to me by the family also gives us an amazing amount of detail on the coat. It is the Haute Couture model nr. 3007 that was named 'Dynastie'. The sable pelts that is is made out of are some of the rarest on the planet. It is made of a Russian sable, 87 Bargouzine quality skin, ’sauvage pointée’, color grade 3 with a matching belt. We found a very similar model that was photoed for the cover of L'Officiel that year. It is of special interest that during Gianfranco Ferre's tenure at the house he used these same sleeves as inspiration for a sable piece that he post on the runway for the Fall 1994 Haute Couture presentation. I have included both these reference photos for you here.
The coat is in exceptional condition and appears to have been worn very little if at all. The style is very much like a men’s evening smoking jacket with how it wraps to close at the front. I love that feeling of the masculine contesting with the feminine in this piece. I have done a video for this piece that you can watch to get a really great idea of its suppleness and how it moves. It also shows more of the details on the coat. The sleeves are especially of interest. They are cut exceptionally wide and full and the pelts have been set horizontally to contrast against the vertical pelts on the body of the jacket. At their cuffs they are a full 24" around. Everything about the coat is exquisite and exceptionally made to the very last detail. Even the belt has a special hook that allows you to keep it perfectly in place once it is tied at the front. And if you want to wear the jacket without the belt tied you can hook the belt at the back as I’ve shown in the video so you never have to worry about losing it. For those of you that collect and wear vintage furs this is one of the most exceptional pieces you will ever come across and and it is set at an extraordinary price given its original value. It is truly a one-of-a-kind find. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a brown silk with a second lining floating over that. It hooks to close at the front with fur hooks and the belt has it own hook as shown in the video. Silk lined pockets on each hip. The fir is exceptionally soft and supple. Because of the the tie front it should work on a variety of sizes.
Sleeves: approx 24"
Shoulders: soft with no defined seams
Bust: to 22-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open and adjustable when tied
Length: 44" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG
Item# C593
Reference Photos: (1) Original Purchase Insurance Papers. / (2) Model in Christian Dior, Officiel de la fourrure, 1984. / (3) Fall 1994-95 Dior Haute Couture Runway.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.
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This is one the last of this batch of amazing pieces from my client whose aunt had most of her clothes made. This one, like several others already in the shop, was made by Ady Couture and the story behind this label is fascinating. 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. Both the skirt and jacket in this set have been completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. I am sure that this one is based off of a YSL suit as it has all the hallmarks of his work during this time period.
I love this more formal full length skirt and the fact that you can mix and match the pieces of this suit with other things already in your closet. The jacket is tailored with strong shaped and padded shoulders. It is box cut through the body and meant to be slightly over-sized in the way it sits through the shoulders. It has a belt that came with it and that is used to cinch in the waist and create shape. The collar is angled and strong. Large red buttons with a stripe of gold metal run down the front. More of these same buttons run down each cuff and all of the buttonholes on the sleeves are functional. Pockets are top set on the hips and a third pocket sits on the breast of the jacket. The color is a strong bright red and the fabric is ribbed which gives it a wonderful texture. The skirt is cut in a long column of a fine black wool that falls to the floor. There is a black, flat braided detailing that runs down each side to give the suit a subtle nod to a tuxedo. High slits run up each side of the leg so when you walk or sit you get a glimpse of leg. It is very striking and strong silhouette. And it is completely made to Haute Couture standards. Excellent condition with a small note below.
The skirt is hand lined in a black silk and the jacket is hand lined in a red silk. The jacket buttons to close down the front. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Hand made padding in each shoulder. Couture finished inner seaming. I see a faint spot near the pocket of the jacket and the fabric behind the belt at the front shows faint rubbing. Please see the photos after the label shot. The skirt appears to have been worn very little if at all. Made to Haute Couture standards with a tremendous amount of detail put into its construction.
Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Padded shoulders: 18"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem
Slits: 19.5" from hem up
Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG
Item# DD3721
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.