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.
yves saint laurent
Exceptional Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Vivid Printed One Shoulder Cotton Dress
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This dress is just exceptional. Its twin walked the runway that season and we found the barest second of it on the runway as the model walked back down the catwalk. We have included that little bit of film along with a couple of stills taken from the clip for you to see. They are not the best photos ever but we were still very happy to have confirmation that the twin of this one was indeed a runway piece. We also included an editorial shot from Marie Claire that season that shows a different piece from the show in the same fabric. This fabric in a variety of different colour ways was integral to the show and there was a an entire section of the show devoted to them. The dress is gorgeous and its so very rare to find these more exceptional YSL pieces anymore.
The dress is made from a feather light cotton voile that that has enough weight and structure to it to perfectly fall into the line that Yves desired it to have. The fabric has just a touch of transparency to it but at the same time the print and the way it wraps around you covers everything and perfectly the transparency feels like more of a suggestion of sensuality. I love the bold use of all those brilliant colors that covers the entire dress. The print is a stunning abstract and it is just a piece of art in itself. There is a soft strap that curves over one shoulder on an angle from the other side. Inside the bust there is a soft bodice piece built in that has a bit of boning for shape. This zips and hooks into place to hold the dress in place on you. The outer where is gathered in under the strap and then it falls over you to the floor. Part of the fabric at the waist wraps around and snaps in the place and this gives just a suggestion of shape there. The shape is soft as it falls over you and meant to have a bit if a sarong feel. It is cut to skim over the body loose and easy with the only fitted place being that inner built in bodice. The skirt wraps over itself and part of it is longer then the other. This does two things. First, when you walk or sit that opening will open a bit to show some leg and second it allows the skirt to the air and billow around you when you walk. I love that way it drapes around you at the top. It is fantastic on the body and really showcases his genius at both print and cut. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Unlined and closes in the inner bodice with a zipper and flat hook and I as described above. The waist snaps and hooks in place. Light boning in the inner bodice. Tagged a vintage YSL 40.
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hooked waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: variable because of the wrap
Bodice: approx 15" from top of shoulder to inner hooked waist
Length: approx 50" from top of shoulder to shortest part of from hem and approx 67" to the longest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4411
Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Runway. / (5) Yves Saint Laurent Editorial, Marie Claire, June 1991
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.
john anthony
Extraordinary Fall 1975 John Anthony Couture Ivory Silver Hand Beaded Runway Sample Dress
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John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two of the dresses he sent for you with more to come. 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. The bead work on it 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. This one might even make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. It is a work of art.
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 ivory silk chiffon and then onto that are hundreds of vertical chevron bands of a silver coloured 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 silver ivory toned 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 is cut with a V and there is a border of the bead work following the V to highlight it. The rest of the dress falls from there is 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 widen out as they near the hem and this graceful line of the sleeves with their bordered cuffs is perfection. The back is just one long column of the bead work. The skirt widens out just a touch as it nears the hem. 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 with a minor note below.
Fully lined in an ivory 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 - a bit of the top row on the back of the collar is missing - but no bare areas. There is a slight darkening to some of the beads just above the hem. Please see the photo after the label shot. It feels more ivory silver in person.
Sleeves: 22" and 12" around the upper arm
Slightly dropped shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4398
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.
john anthony
Incredible 2005 John Anthony Couture Runway Sample Heavily Beaded & Sequined Plunge Dress
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John has dived into his archives once more for me and today I have two of the dresses he sent for you with more to come. This is a runway piece from 2005. The bead work on it was done by hand by one of the same European ateliers who did beading for many of the Couture houses for this time period. 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. This one is a work of art and it is just extraordinary to see it in person with all of that extensive bead and sequin work
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 $20,000 and more during this time period. Having this actual runway samples that John pulled from his own archives to share with you is just amazing.
This dress is absolutely stunning. The fabric is completely covered in thousand of tiny deep silver seed beads and teeny tiny iridescent aqua coloured sequins.This gives the dress some weight - we weighed it and it is just over 6 pounds - but it is so beautifully made that it balances and glides over the body perfectly and does not feel unwieldy at all. The front plunges right to the waist with two long triangles curving up towards the neck and hooking at the back. On the inside of each triangle there is a panel of the same fabric sewn down their lengths. These drape over the bodice to create a ruffle that falls from the top of the halter to the waist and gives the front a soft and feminine finish. The back is left completely open as a result so when you turn all you see is bare skin I love that curving cut of the sides as it scoops down. The waist is seamed for a bit of definition and then the skirt falls from under there to the floor. It widens out to the lower skirt and this give it beautiful movement when you walk. The colour is this magical deep aqua and silver mix and the way the beads and sequins are set give it a stunning pattern over you. The way this catches the light is fantastic. It is a very special piece. Excellent condition.
Unlined and closes with a low set side zipper at the back and hooks to close behind the neck. Hand finished throughout. Silk chiffon panel finished hem and edges. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: no true side seams
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15-16" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 52" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4399
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.
givenchy
Resort 2019 Givenchy by Clare Waight Keller Red Crepe Dress w Angel Sleeves & Sequin Detailing
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This was Look 54 of the resort collection and one of the best of the evening pieces from that collection. It was shown in black for the collection and then was also produced in this spectacular all red version for the shops. I love Clare Waight Keller's time as Creative Director for the house. Even though her time there was short there are many really stellar dresses that came from her time there and this is on of them. It is a dress that will only gain in importance as time goes by and it is a definite show stopper.
Clare said of the collection that year “There’s a powerful woman in there that I really love; she’s a very strong character who loves a strong shape—something that gives a real sense of fashion.”, and in the Vogue review of the resort collection, fashion journalist Amy Verner mentioned the black version of the dress in particular along with another comment from Clare; "This marks the first season since the passing of Monsieur de Givenchy in March and Waight Keller hinted that a more intentioned homage might be forthcoming. In the meantime, the collection’s evening looks—specifically the long-sleeved black dress showered with silver embroidery, and the gradient celadon and rust plissé lamé gown—further the couture spirit we’ve seen most recently at the Met Gala and at Cannes. “It’s a real joy to be able to work at both ends of the spectrum,” Keller said. “It’s what I believe in: everything from the really simple everyday to the absolutely fantastic and fabulous.”
The dress is amazing. It is made out of a light weight red crepe through the body mixed with a silk faille for the inset on the lower skirt and silk chiffon for those amazing sleeves. There is also the addition of the teeny tiny sequins and beads at the neck. The red is gorgeous and it is that vivid true red that will flatter most skin tones. The the dress is cut in a long minimalist sheath that widens out softly as it near the hem. The neckline is scooped and the dress is meant to skim over you from bust to hips before it starts to do that soft flare out on the lower skirt. The upper portion of the bodice is finished with vertical rows of tiny red sequins topped with tiny round red seed beads. These are set across the shoulders and then angle down to a point. The lower skirt is finished with a panel of silk faille that is just a touch of a shade lighter than the crepe fabric. This runs across the full front of the skirt and angles up on an angle so that it is the opposite of the angle of the sequins at the neck. This is a very subtle detail that adds beautiful impact to the dress. The sleeves are the absolute star of the show. Starting at each shoulder a silk chiffon caped sleeve Falls over the top of your arm and then widen out to cascade all the way to the hem and slightly passed. They are open underneath so this gives them the ability to catch the slightest bit of air in billow out around and behind you when you move. It's the perfect touch of drama that softens the rest of the dress. All this extra detailing shows the high quality in making this. The dress appears to have never been worn and it is in its original extra long supermodel length. It is absolutely amazing and the dress originally retailed at just under the 9k mark. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. The address is in its original length and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern Givenchy 36
Sleeves: 63"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4378
Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2019 Givenchy, Look 54. / (2) Credit unknown.
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.
hanae mori
Gorgeous 1968 Hanae Mori Strapless Pastel Peach Floral Print Chiffon & Silk Dress w Shawl
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Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional. Hanae Mori excelled at the beautiful prints that she created and they always have a hauntingly organic feel to them as she was constantly inspired by nature. This set is just absolutely gorgeous and pieces like this from her are getting increasing hard to find so it is a true treasure. This one is dated, based on similar one with the same print that had a dated label inside and we found a photo of another similar one from that year.
This is a gorgeous Hanae Mori piece. It has a wonderful custom designed print that is screened onto feather light silk on both the top chiffon layer and the silk twill layer underneath that for the skirt portion. It also comes with its matching extra large scarf / shawl piece that I love. It gives you the option to cover your shoulders with it, wear it around the neck or even use is as a head scarf or turban. The dress is strapless and there is just a hint of the print that curves over the bodice here and there. The bodice has a slight padded feel to it and it is banded under the bust to separate it from the skirt. The skirt fall to the floor under that and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The skirt has two layers. There is an inner silk twill skirt that has that same pretty floral print on it. Over that is an attached outer layer made of a feather light silk chiffon that has the same print screened onto it. The two prints layer over each other and create the prettiest effect. This layering technique with silk & chiffon is one of her signature techniques and she was a master at it by this point in her career. I love the floral design on the silks and the pretty effect is has as it goes from the field of flowers to the green at the bottom. Using silk chiffon for the top layer is what gives the piece its light and airy feel and when you walk that layer billows out around you. It is a stunning example of her work and beautifully made. It even has hidden weights set inside the inner skirt so that it falls perfectly. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Fully lined in white embossed silk and has a built in lightly boned and shaped inner bodice. Both the inner bodice and outer dress closes with their own back set zippers. Unlabelled but the lining is embossed with the Hanae logo throughout. The inner hem of the dress shows some grubbiness along the edge and there are marks on the lining. There is a slight darkening near the edge of the bodice along the sides. Please see the photos after the inner logo shot. Hand finished throughout with hand finished inner seams. The scarf has hand rolled edges.
Dress
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for up to a small B cup at the front
Inner waist: to 13.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from top of bodice to inner waist, 6.5" from top of bodice to seam under bust on the exterior
Skirt: 45" from seam under the bust to hem
Scarf: 104" x 34"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4371
Reference Photo: Hanae Mori window display at Bergdorf Goodman's in New York, 1968.
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.
bill tice
Versatile 1981 Bill Tice Full Length Pleated Peach Coloured Jersey Coat w Gold Cord Detailing
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I love all of the pieces by Bill Tice that I bring into the shop. Most, including this one, were made in the 1980-1981 time period. His easy-to-wear and glamorous jersey pieces have been worn by countless celebrities for the red carpet and events. Every girl that has bought one of his pieces through me has absolutely loved it. This is the first time I have had one of these long open jackets in this peach the shop and I'm absolutely obsessed with it. And I just out a peach dress from the same label that would match this perfectly. You can see that here.
It is made of a soft peach jersey that is meant to mimic the feel of silk jersey. This is one of those things that is a fail-safe piece that you know is going to work every time you put it on. This fabric has the added bonus of traveling very well. It is the kind of piece you can throw into your suit case and slip on over just about anything upon arrival with either flats or heels and you are instantly ready to walk out the door. It is cut to feel long and slim with pleats running down its full length. It has gold cording that defines the collar, the bodice and back, around the arms and the cuffs. There's also a long stripe of the gold cording that follows the ties that close it at the neck. To wear it you just slip it on and tie it at the neck with those ties. The fabric is very light so when you move this has a ton of movement and will billow out around and behind you. It's fantastic. Excellent condition.
Unlined through the body and slips on to wear. The easy cut and open front should allow it to fit a range of sizes
Sleeves: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: 26"+ flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4370
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.
alexander mcqueen
Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen Runway 'Natural Dis-tinctions, Un-Natural Selection' Crystal Print Dress
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The program notes told the audience of the Spring 2009 runway show that Mcqueen had been thinking of Charles Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest and 'the deleterious results of industrialization on the natural world'. The show was title 'Natural Dis-tinctions, Un-Natural Selection' and the McQueen book notes that 'the cat walk was filled with antique taxidermy, including an elephant giraffe tagger zebra and polar bear, in an art space that was formally of Paris morgue.' The twin of the dress was a part of the second portion of the show that was meant to 'continue to draw inspiration from natural forms, flowers, crystals and minerals, but here they were engineer with a hard as an enhanced to convey the synthetic qualities associated with modernity and human touch. Prints were angular and invoked crushed crystal, metallic structures such as the Eiffel tower and a granite mountain that was borrowed from a Dan Holdsworth triptych.' This collection was noted as being one of his most commercial to date during this time period and these print pieces especially had instant appeal.
This is a very recognizable Alexander McQueen piece. While there may be many of his pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that has that wonderful print that you instantly can identify as being a McQueen. The colour is amazing. This dress sold out world wide when it was produced and there are very few out there. The fabric is almost like a neoprene in the way it looks and feels and yet it is not a true neoprene. It is lighter and thinner with just enough weight to it to hold the shape that he wanted but without it feeling restrictive on the body. The shape is built into the dress beginning at the shoulders which are padded so that they sit up on top of the shoulders. It skims over the bust, nips in at the waist and then curves out at the hips. The shoulders and hips balance each other out and even when laying flat you can see the shape built into the dress. At the neckline there is a keyhole that has a nude netting in behind it. This adds to the unique feel of the dress. I love the way that the seams at the hip curve in and over the waist to just under the bust. This precise seaming and cut are all done to give that exact distinct shape that he wished the piece to have. When styled on the runway with the plastered hair around the face it had an almost alien feel to it that was unbelievably fantastic. This was one of the lauded crystal prints from the collection and it is just spectacular. The dress looks to have never been worn and is in mint condition. It is an extraordinary piece of Alexander McQueen history and having a runaway pieces from him in the shop are always an exceptional thing. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a ivory tissue silk and it closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 38. It appears to have been worn very little little bit
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for an A-small B cut at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 32" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4360
Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 24. Model Alex Sandor. / (3) Page from the book 'Alexander McQueen' edited by Claire Wilcox.
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.
geoffrey beene
Stunning c 1990 Geoffrey Beene Strapless Sequin Bodice & Floral Silk Taffeta Dress w Shawl
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Geoffrey Beene was one of the most awarded designers in the US. There is a currently an exhibit running of his work for the 2023 year titled MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene. I wanted to share the exhibit notes because they sum his career so well saying 'At his core, Beene was a fashion rebel who ignored trends, instead preferring to design garments that began as geometric shapes and evolved into silhouettes that moved naturally with the human form. His intuitive understanding of the body informed fashions that were unparalleled in their combination of luxury, thoughtful design, and comfort. Beene’s colorful, imaginative creations have been recognized with many accolades, including eight Coty American Fashion Critics Awards and three Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards. His work has also been celebrated through various exhibitions at institutions across the nation.'
This was a favoured silhouette of Geoffrey Beene that he was doing primarily through the late 1980s and into the very early 1990s. When looking through some of the images from the exhibit on his work there were dresses with very similar cuts from the 1990 season. It is a very pretty dress and very striking once on. The bodice is strapless and then it is completely covered in overlapping glossy black sequins at the front. At the back it is the same silk taffeta as the rest of the dress and I love how part of that extends and wraps around to the front just under the bust. This is all attached and adds a beautiful detail that really reflects his work from this time period. The bodice is meant to be fitted and has light boning inside to hold it in place. The top of it dips in the center and peaks slightly on either side to emphasize the bust. The waist is nipped in and then from there the skirt is cut beautifully full to the hem. The silk is all gathered into the waist and this is what helps give it that shape that you see. I love the oversized floral print that covers the silk and how there are these little woven dots running over the very top of the silk. These catch the light differently and are also a subtle nod to his love if dots in his work. Inside there is a black silk lining and the edge of that lining is finished with a sequin detailed lace. This peaks out from below the curving hem of the skirt and ties all the elements of the dress together. The dress can be worn on its own or with the matching shawl piece that is original to the dress. This extra wide shawl is caught up at each end in an elaborate twisted fabric flower that anchors it and allows it to open between for the volume you see. It can be worn numerous ways and I have photoed some of those here. You could also wear it over the head for a very glamorous look. It is so pretty. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Ribbon finished hem. Light boning through the bodice. The shawl is unlined with no closures
Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to longest points of hem
Shawl: 100" x 46.5"
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4353
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.
loris azzaro
Incredible 1973 Loris Azzaro Couture Black Flame Sequin Detailing & Feather Light Silk Chiffon
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work during the mid-seventies. When researching we found several examples of dresses from 1973 that utilized the same jagged flame pattern and sequins against silk chiffon. I've included those so you can get an idea of how great this looks on a body. This is a label that I really love and am always happy to find pieces from.
This is a gorgeous dress. It is really one that will come to life even more once on an actual body and I hope the photos convey enough of how fabulous it is because when worn this one will be even better. The entire body of the dress is covered with densely applied black sequins and these catch the light from every angle. This covers you from that jagged design on the bodice down and over the hips. And because of the way the pattern is done on the bodice the sequins also extends down to cover each arm. I love it. Where it meets the skirt is finished in the same jagged pointed pattern all the way around. And then what is perhaps my favourite detail is that the skirt is actually made up of individual patterns that are each sat up and into the points. There are 12 of them all together and they go all the way around you. Each panel is a single layer of black silk chiffon that is incredibly light in weight. When you move sit or walk they have tremendous movement around you. And because each is an individual panel that is only attached at the top you also get glimpses of bare skin between each panel. It's incredibly sexy. He then used that same silk chiffon at the top of the chest and down the back where it dips into a low scoop. It buttons down the back can you see a hint of skin between each button. I absolutely love the way that the jagged flame pattern defines the bust and runs all the way around the scoop at the back. It makes it instantly recognizable as an Azzaro piece. It is really gorgeous. If there was ever a dress that needed a body inside of it to bring it to life, this is it. It is stupendous once on. Excellent condition
Fully lined through the body in a black silk and the rest is as described above. Each sleeve is unlined so you get a bit of transparency between the sequins. It closes with a buttoned back. Each sleeve has a small zipper closure. Where is one of his signature strapless bras attached inside the bodice which could be easily removed if you wish. The colour is a perfect solid black. Any green or any other colours you see are just the light reflection from the camera
Sleeves: 23" and are 12" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to the longest point of hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4347
Reference Photos: (1-3) Marisa Berenson in a Loris Azzaro. October 1973. Photo: Michael Holtz. / (4) The cover of the book "Azzaro" for Assouline - Marisa Berenson and Loris Azzaro photographed in 1973, for issue 604 of L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode de Paris, by Roland Bianchini. / (5) Image from the book "Azzaro: Fifty Sparkling Years" / (6) Magazine spread featuring a model in Azzaro, 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.
yves saint laurent
Chic Fall 2002 Yves Saint Laurent by Tom Ford Black Pant Suit w Velvet Trim & Curved Sleeves
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A version of this jacket was shown on the runway with a matching skirt for Look 5 as seen on the Fall 2002 Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent runway. The Vogue review of that collection stated in part: 'Tom Ford is very, very good at being wicked. The designer was in an adult-erotic frame of mind at Yves Saint Laurent, taking potential clichés such as black satin ribbon, taffeta, velvet, chantilly lace and fur and applying them in an offhand way to extravagant, body-emphasizing pieces that often looked as if they might fall off at the slightest pull of a bow. What, after all, could be more provocative than a woman wearing expensive clothes that look as if they were made to be undone by a lover? ... The show was full of amazingly detailed, sexily cut suits, fabulous coats and sweeping evening gowns delicately inserted with lace.' Ford's work for the Gucci and YSL label during this period has now reached cult-like status and this pant suit is an incredible example of what he was doing to make it that way.
This is a stunning suit. It fully has the feel of the runway that season and is a classic piece that defines Tom Ford time at the label. Both pieces are made from a black wool cashmere mix that is trimmed with deep black velvet. The construction is immaculate. The shoulders of the jacket are slightly sloped but still shaped with light padding. The sleeves are incredible. They are cut on a curve with no seam at the elbow which is in the proper and traditional tailoring method. Along the inner edge there is strip of velvet and the sleeves are gathered in towards that. This creates a gather all the way down the arm and it is fabulous. The body of the jacket is cut as precisely. It skims over the bust and nips in at the waist and then flares back out over the top of the hips. There is a neat flap pocket on each hip and another pocket on the breast. The collar takes a play from a men's tuxedo and is finished in velvet. The front is gathered slightly down the front like the sleeve detailing is. Two carved button close the front and I love the ribbon detail that follows along all the seams. Each sleeve has four more of the buttons. The pants are equally as fabulous. They are banded around the waist and are cut to sit slightly low on the hip. There is a sharp fold running down the front and back of the pants. The lower half of the pant leg flares out a touch and this gives them a long and beautiful line on the body. Slant pockets on each hip and button slit pockets at the back. This is a remarkable example of his skills as a tailor and his time at YSL. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black silk with two button closures on the jacket as described above. Lightly padded shoulders and the pockets have their original tacking in place. The pants zip to close at the front. Both pieces are tagged a FR34. It appears to have been worn very little if at all
Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from neck to head
Pant
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" waist to hem with 2" turned under
Inseam: 30.5" from inner seam to hem
Rise: 14.5" from back waist to inner seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4337
Reference Photo: Fall 2002 Yves Saint Laurent Runway, Look 5. Model Rie Rasmussen.
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.
bill blass
Fabulous Spring 1984 Bill Blass Runway Purple One Shoulder Silk Dress w Pink Bow & Ruffle
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Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work from this time period. It is beyond gorgeous and it is one of my favorites from him. I have had this dress in the shop before and at last we have been able to date it. It is from the Spring 1984 collection
I have had the twin of this dress in the shop in the past and I love it more every time I find it. The main body of the dress is made from a deep royal purple silk that has a vivid pink ruffle that runs all the way down one whole side. The way that the pink is attached to the dress gives the dress the feel that that it has been wrapped around the bust and then tied into a dramatic bow at the shoulder with the ties trailing down your side. It actually is all attached and a part of the dress but I love how it makes the dress feel. The pink is gathered and warps all the around the bust and then is caught up at side to create that gorgeous bow that you see. The other shoulder is left completely bare for a little skin to show. Under the bow the pink silk runs down the side of the dress in an extravagant ruffle finish all the way to the hem. The inner bust has boning to support you and there is a little hidden strap under the bow to keep it in place. The body of this is cut loose and easy and it widens out it falls to the floor. It is extraordinary. Even more beautiful in person. It appears to have been worn a very little if at all. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a deep purple silk. The inner bodice closes with its own zipper and then the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Lightly boned through the inner bodice.
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the outer waist goes to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of shoulder strap to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4109
Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1984 Bill Blass Runway, Model Dalma Callado. / (3-4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon.
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.
thea porter
Extraordinary 1969 Thea Porter Black Silk Chiffon Dress w Red Print & Huge Balloon Sleeves
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This same print was used on dress from one of Thea's very first fashion shows that was held at her Greek street shop in London. But the label on this dress was unusual and did not match the ones that would have been used for that show so I reached out to fashion historian and author Laura McClaws Helms. Laura wrote the book on Thea Porter released a few years back and she also curated the museum exhibit on her work. She told me that in the very early days Thea would sometimes meet with boutique owners and agree to sell select pieces to them. This dress is from one of those collaborations and that makes this dress a very rare piece. Once that was known we ended up finding a photo of the twin of this dress within Laura's photo archives dating it to 1969. It is a stunning and early example of what was to come and it is just a beautiful dress besides.
The dress is stunning. It feels a bit like her 'Faye' dress in its design but with the addition of those incredible sleeves. I love the stark mix of black white and red and how the print is done in panels that run down the front and back of the dress. The the sleeves and side of the dress are made from a semi-transparent black silk chiffon and that touch of transparently is very sexy. The printed parts are also a silk chiffon that has been completely covered in a graphic swirling pattern of red, white and black. The body of the dress is backed in a layer of silk chiffon to make it slightly more opaque and wearable but the sleeves are a single layer of chiffon. Their volume is partly created by how they come out from the waist and because of how they are set from the waist like that you get a glimpse of the transparency along the sides of the bodice when you move which is just insanely sexy. It is still subtle though because of how full the sleeves are cut. Each one falls from the shoulder and connect down right to the waist. Each wrist is finished with a tie made from the printed chiffon. Once on they will sit up more and billow around you. There is banding at the slightly empire set waist and this extends out at the back into long ties that you can cinch to add more shape. The print runs down the front of the entire dress, circles round the hem and then meets the panel that runs down the back. Beyond its rarity and place in fashion history it is just a gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a small note below
Fully lined in a black silk chiffon except for the sleeves which are unlined. The dress zips to close at the back. Stiffened tulle set into each shoulder to hold the shape. The band at the waist extend to ties that you can cinch in the waist as desired. Hand finishes throughout. One of the ties at the wrist has a tiny bit missing from its edge that you do not see when it is tied. I see a couple of tiny pinholes near one shoulder. Please see the photos after the label shot
Sleeves: approx 28"
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: no true side seams
Seam under the bust: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3491
Reference Photo: (1) Model in Thea Porter, 1969. Photo courtesy of Laura McLaws Helms. / (2) 1969 Thea Porter 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.
arnold scaasi
Exceptional Dated 1986 Arnold Scaasi Strapless Floral Print Silk Gazar Dress w Full Lower Skirts
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This dress is by Arnold Scassi and I love the choice of sequin and net that he used for this one. Scaasi worked under Charles James at the start of his career and many of his dressed reflect this early influence. His boutique line was launched in 1984 and was high end ready-to-wear and very expensive. Pieces from it often have a demi-couture level finish and really are an extension of his couture line. This one is especially fabulous and just is one of those pieces that feel joyful to look at.
Yards and yards of a brilliantly coloured floral silk gazar have been used in this Arnold Scassi dress and it is just exceptional. This particular piece is a little extra fascinating because it actually has Bergdorf Goodman tag inside with the exact date this dress this dress was delivered so we know that it was is from 1986. I love that. This dress varies from his usual boutique pieces as it was an obvious special order piece and it has mote the feel and construction of his main couture line. I would get that it was based on one of his ready made pieces, but then was a special order it would've been a one of as far as measurements and perhaps she even changed the design as well. So it was most likely made in his atelier for this specific woman so is half way between his RTW and couture line. The silk used for this dress is just incredible. It is feather light but the gazar has enough structure to it that it holds that beautiful shape perfectly. All the fullness that you see are because if the fabric choice and the seam work and yet it sill moves and floats around you effortlessly once on. It is strapless and on the bodice the silk has been gathered over to one side. This adds detail and also is how he has shaped the dress to create and highlight the curves of the body. The bodice glides over the waist and then extends past and below the hip.Again a trick to exaggerates your curves. The skirt is set into the seam there and it has a wonderfully full feel. When you walk the movement that this creates is exceptional. It is as good inside too. The innermost skirt is made from layers of a fine green silk with a broad band of horsehair taping inside the bottom hem of both the exterior skirt and the inner silk lining to help hold the volume. Between those layers is a third layer whose bottom is finished with layers of silk net tulle. It is just exquisite. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine green silk organza and the skirt is lined as described above. Lightly boned through the bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Hand finishes
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a B or small C cup at the front
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52.5" from top of the bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4314
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.
Pretty Little 1950s Jobere New York Brilliant Green Silk Satin Dress w Bead & Rhinestone Detail
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I am very excited to bring you our latest mini capsule collection. This is one of nine dresses from a single owner collection. Her collection was lovingly sourced over decades and she has decided that it is time let them back out into the world for others to enjoy. For this capsule we have moved forward to the 1940s and 1950s. Really good examples from this era are becoming increasingly hard to find and these are all gorgeous little examples of that time period. This is just a tiny sampling of her overall collection and I hope to have more of these capsules for you in the future.
This stunning little dress is from the Jobere label out of New York and it is made from a bright emerald dress silk satin mixed with a cotton muslin and beaded detailing. This is a fabulously beautiful little labelled 1950s piece. It is very well-made. The colour is spectacular and I love the contrast the green has with that detailing that runs around the top of the bodice. The panel there is made out of a pale nude cotton muslin. Its edges are finished with hand done bead-work and prong set glass rhinestones. The neckline sits wide across so that you see the collarbone. It curves up and over the shoulders to create tiny cap shoulders. The green falls under that and there’s a bit of an illusion that it’s extremely low busted by the way the green is curved underneath the bust. The waist nips in and then the skirt flares out. The dress has its own built in underskirts so it is full on its own. For some of these photos I added a light crinoline but it is full even without. It is very pretty and fresh feeling. Excellent condition with a note below.
The dress is fully lined and has its own attached inner tulle skirts. It closes with a back zipper. The beads and rhinestones are hand applied. Slightest barely fade at the edge under the arm. There is light fraying to the very edges of the shoulders - please see the photos after the label shot.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 42" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# D644
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.
arnold scaasi
Stunning 1980s Arnold Scaasi Couture Black Silk Strapless Dress w Shocking Pink Ruffle
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Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi. He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'
You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to just past the hip. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and the seam is done on a slight angle to add visual length to the dress. On the opposite side that seam extends down and into a deep point to give the body length there as well. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is held by the inner construction which is quite amazing. The innermost layer closest to you is a fine black silk that is finished at the hem with a broad inset band of stiffened netting so that the shape is kept. Over this lay four full layers of tulle netting and then the outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary ruffle that is set along the side and runs down the front all the way to the bottom of the gathered bodice. The ruffle is black on one side and then the other is finished in a shocking pink silk. This unexpected shock of color is fantastic. I have placed it to one side but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides.Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned on the ruffle side and it closes with a back metal zipper on the opposite side. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 18" from top of bodice to dropped seam
Skirt: 39" from dropped seam to hem with 4" turned under the top layer
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4305
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.
arnold scaasi
Gorgeous 1980s Arnold Scaasi Black Net Dress w Multi Colour Sequins & Asymmetrical Skirt
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This dress is by Arnold Scassi and I love the choice of sequin and net that he used for this one. Scaasi worked under Charles James at the start of his career and many of his dressed reflect this early influence. His boutique line was launched in 1984 and was high end ready-to-wear and very expensive. Pieces from it often have a demi-couture level finish and really are an extension of his couture line. This one is especially fabulous and just is one of those pieces that feel joyful to look at.
This gorgeous little dress is constructed from multiple layers of feather light black tulle net that has hundreds of sequins sewn onto the very top layer. The sequins absolutely bring the dress to life. They are a mix of red, green, blue and gold and cover every square inch. The light bounces beautifully off them as you move. The top netted layer sits over multiple inner layers which is what gives the dress the volume that you see. The dress is strapless and the bodice is kept simple so the sequins take center stage. It is gathers down one side and the seam at the bottom is set on a sharp angle that dips down very low on one side. The skirt explodes out from that seam and that angled cut of the bodice is followed by the angle of the hem as is cascades towards the floor lower on one side. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt. Under that very top sequin embellished layer is another layer of tulle, then two layers of a stiffened netting and an inner black silk layer beside your skin. A flower made of the same black netting and sequins, with a black bow on top, sits on the one hip for the final perfect touch. It is fabulous and just a joy to see and wear. Excellent condition with a note below.
The skirt is fully lined in layers as described above. The bodice is lined in a black silk with interior boning. The dress closes with a side zipper. The occasional missing sequin here and there but no large bare spots. There is a touch of patina on the sequins here and there.
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 27" from waist to shortest part of the hem, approx 40" to the longest
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4304
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
loris azzaro
Dramatic 1987 Loris Azzaro Black Strapless Dress w Low Full Skirt & Shoulder Flare
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Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and his trademark look soon developed. He became know for his extravagant use of colour, beading, sequins and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new cutting edge fabrics. This is a wonderful example of his work during this time period. We found a reference photo of an Azzaro dress with a very similar shoulder treatment and I think this one is even better.
This dress is nothing short of a bold and dramatic statement piece. The bodice is hand draped into soft rounded gathers over the bust. They continue all the way down under the bust to follow the curve of the body all the way to just below the hips. For this part of the dress he used a black stretch jersey that gives the dress it's fitted shape but also keeps it comfortable to wear. Inside the dress is one of his signature strapless underwire bras and this has been sewn into the dress for added support and shape. The top edge is shaped into a low sweetheart curve and the gathers are set to run horizontally down the body. Hand set vertical seams are tacked into place at points all the way around you to give the gathers a slight scooped feel and add length to offset the horizontal lines. It also keeps the gathers from adding bulk. Under that the skirt is set low and i is made out of a black textured silk that has a metallic finish. This is set over several layers of built in under skirting to help give and hold the volume you see in the skirt. On each outer side the panels of the skirt slightly lift up and away from the dress. To tie this into the top, the same fabric and swooping line is used to create that sweep of fabric on the one side of the bodice. I love how this flares out up and over the front portion of the shoulder. It is fabulous. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a black silk with a built in bra though the bodice that hooks to close separately. It closes at the back with a painted metal and nylon zipper. The interior bodice is boned. Layers of tulle and silk underskirts under the low set skirt. The flame/fan detailing on the bodice has wire inside to hold it up. It would be easy to add additional wire or stiffening inside if you wanted it to really hold even taller then it does now. Hand finished throughout
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam and the inner waist stay hooks slightly smaller then that
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3680
Reference Photo: Model in Loris Azzaro, L'Officiel No. 734, September 1987.
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.
bill blass
Stunning Fall 1970 Bill Blass Pink Quilted SIlk Floral Pattern Metallic Dress w Banded Waist
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This is one of two dresses that I have in the shop from Blass from this time period and it is incredible. Bill Blass worked for the Maurice Retner label for 10 years as the chief designer. In 1968 the Bill Blass Inc label became a subsidiary of the Retner label. Then in 1970 he fully bought out his partners at the Maurice Retner label and re-launched it under his own name as Bill Blass Ltd. 1970 was the same year that he won his third Coty American Fashion Critics' Award and with it, his lifetime membership in the Coty Hall of Fame. By 1980 the company was doing 20 million dollars in revenue. He was arguably one of the most famous of all the American designers. By the eighties his work was even more ornate and luxurious than what he had done in the past. Prices for dresses could be as high as $5000 (which would be about $15,000 today). He was once asked why his clothes were so expensive and he replied, 'I'm an avid believer that we have to have clothes made in this country. Therefore we pay more money. ... The cost of labor and fabrication is what makes the clothing expensive.'
This is an exceptional dress. It is a stunning example of his work during this time period and these metallic pieces are among my favorites by him. This one even more so with its pretty pink colour and extraordinary fabric. The fabric is the perfect shade of soft pink used to create a floral design and that is mixed with a soft green for the leaves. Some of the pattern is raised and has been embroidered into the fabric. The thread used is incredibly soft and this adds yet another dimenesion to the dress. Woven over and through the silk is a muted gold lurex thread that give the fabric its metallic glitz and makes it gleam and glitter in the light. This same thread is also used to create the horizontal rows that you see. The gold covers the dress from head to toe. The neckline is a cut into a high V and the bodice crosses over itself and skims over you. This is then is balanced beautifully by those spectacular sleeves. Each sleeve is cut extra long so when it is on an actual body it will bunch up a bit on the arm for added texture. Set just under the bust is a wide band of the same fabric that wraps all the way around you and snaps and hooks into place. The crossed over bodice above and this wise high set belt is what gives the dress its nod to a kimono and obi. This tops the skirt that is set to widen out as it nears the floor. On one side and extending down from where it crosses on the bust it has a soft pleat that falls all the way to the floor. This adds a little extra detail and volume and it also hides a small pocket set along the inner seam. The hem has been let down at some point and it is supermodel long as a result. Blass did a soft version of a kimono inspired dress for this collection as well and that one was photoed on Candice Bergen. I have included it here as they do share some similarities. This dress is an absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition with a note below.
The fabric is self backed in a muslin throughout. You step into it and then it closes with a series of hidden snaps. The belt is attached and it snaps and hooks into place. Hand finishes. The hem was let down at some point and it is ribbon finished. It poufs a bit at the edge as there are spots where it was stitch in to sit proper when it is hemmed. If you needed the full length you could just take those out. It could be worn as is but I've left it so you could redo the hem to your perfect length. You can see a slight grubbiness here and there were the hem was. The hem was very deep and the length turned up under the sleeves is also very deep.
Sleeves: approx 25" w 3" turned under. It is 16" around the widest part of the upper arm
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of shoulder to seam under the bust
Skirt: 52" from seam under the bust to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4293
Referece photo: Candice Bergen Wearing A Bill Blass Dress, Vogue 1970
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.
bill gibb
Museum Held 1970s Bill Gibb Black Liquid Jersey Dress w MOP Buttons & Extensive Beading
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Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were worn by the rich, the famous and the beautiful. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. His work has a high fantasy element to it. Every piece I bring into the shop is very special and the range he had was incredible. I recently had a deep brown version of this dress in the shop only a couple of weeks ago and I'm very pleased to have another one so soon. This dress is also a little extra special because its twin in ivory was part of the 'Great Names in Fashion' exhibit at the Fashion Museum Bath.
The body of the dress is made of a fluid black jersey fabric that is light in weight and drapes amazingly on the body. It cascades and flows to the floor from the densely beaded panel that sits across the upper bust. A second matching panel is also set at the back. Both panels have been completely hand covered with a design that is made out of hundreds of ivory and gold glass tube beads. Along the one side of the front panel there is a row of hand carved mother or pearl buttons that runs from the top of the shoulder to just past the waist. The buttons are functional and hold a decorative overlay in place that tops the inner dress. This overlay loops under the opposite arm and wraps around you to the back where it attaches to the panel there. The overly adds this incredible draped Grecian feel to the dress and it also gives it added movement when you move. The dress underneath is a long sheath that falls from the shoulders and widens out slightly as it nears the hem. The sleeves are long and each one ends with more of the MOP buttons. The entire dress is detailed with these strips of tiny little raised beads on a silver strip. These follow all of the edges of the dress and he even use them for all of the long interior seams of the inner dress even though you don't easily see them. I just love that he did that and it just shows you the attention that was paid to dresses during this time period as opposed to modern pieces where they probably wouldn't have bothered to put extra detailing where no one would ever see it. The strips add a touch of weight and help the dress to fall perfectly around you and they also catch the light for added glamour. During this time period these jerseys would have been cutting edge fabrics and an unusual choice for a designer to use and considered very avant garde. It is stunning and a beautiful example of Bill Gibb's work and its never a bad thing when it is a proven museum worthy piece. Excellent condition with a tiny note below
The dress is unlined and slips over the head top wear. The attached panel buttons into place over the interior dress. Each cuff has loop and buttons to close. It appears have been worn very little if at all. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. I have given the comfortable range of measurements while laying flat. On a smaller frame it will just drape more. The striped applique at the top of one shoulder has a couple of beads missing on one part. Please see the photo after the label shot
Sleeves: 21.5"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 15"
Bust: 15-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4232
Reference Photos: Bill Gibb Dress on display at the "Great Names of Fashion Display" Exhibit at Fashion Museum Bath.
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.
Micro Mini Spring 2014 Anthony Vaccarello Runway Strapless Mini Dress w Gold Dome Buttons
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Anthony Vaccarello is currently the Artistic Director of Yves Saint Laurent and his rise to fame was meteoric. He started at Fendi under Karl Lagerfeld where he stayed for two years and then in 2009 he moved to Paris and launched his own self-named line with five looks. In 2011 his label won the ANDAM prize. One year later his muse, model Anja Rubik, wore a look to the 2012 Met gala and he rose to international fame as she went viral worldwide in it. By 2014 his collections sold out the second they dropped and were wait listed worldwide.'Girls are their most beautiful during their holidays,' Anthony Vaccarello explained backstage. 'I wanted to try to bring swim to the city.' His clever cuts for this show felt fresh and new and they were very sexy. Dresses like this one were cut micro mini short and were as bare as you could get. The twin of this one walked the runway for Look 14 on Cindy Bruna and its spectacular. This one is new with tags and has never been worn.
The dress is strapless with a built-in inner added corset for support. The dress is shaped through a series of vertical panels piece together with long seams running from the top of the strapless bust to the bottom of the mini skirt. The half seam at the front waist drops down on an angle to create length through the body and add tot eh sarong illusion that the skirt has. One side of the skirt is cut exceptionally short and then the other side drops down at the front to create the illusion of a wrapped around you piece. This is what gives the dress a sarong feel and brings in that swimsuit/vacation feel that he mentioned as being part of his influence. Fused onto the front of the skirt are huge cabochon feeling gold domed metal buttons. These buttons were applied to many of the pieces throughout the collection and gave everything a slight play on military dressing. The dress is short, fitted and meant to show off all your curves. It is sexy AF. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a black rayon and has an inner additional lightly phone bodice to help shape. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. The colour is a black that in some light has a blue feel to it. All the original tags are attached and has never been worn. Tagged a modern 38
Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" to hem and 30" to the longest point at the front
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4233
Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2014 Anthony Vaccarello, Look 14. Model: Cindy Bruna.
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
Gorgeous Resort 2018 Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri Stripe Knit Dress w Fringing
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The twin of this dress walked the runway as Look 38 for the 2018 resort season. The show was held in the remote Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, California. The show was star packed with Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Solange Knowles there alongside the fashion pack. The inspiration for the show came from the archives and Chiuri said 'she went to the archives, where she came across the house founder’s Lascaux collection of 1951, inspired by the ancient cave paintings discovered in southwestern France a decade earlier.' This dress to me also harkened back to the earlier Galliano era and the times that he did knits in a similar colurway. It was a favorite of the street style crowd and it is a gorgeous little creation. I believe that I read at the time these were all hand knit.
The dress is easy to wear and makes a huge visual impact that I love. It is made of a knit virgin wool that is light and feels fantastic once on the body. I love the horizontal stripes of colour that were meant to depict desert sunsets. The weave is loose and open so that you will see either your bare skin underneath or whatever you decide to wear underneath it. It is cut to skim over the body. The neckline is a wide boat neck and then it travels down over the bust, waist and hips, opening up to be quite flared as it reaches the hem. You can see in the reference video that this flare allows the dress to kick out around you when you move. The sleeves are cut to just above the elbow and they are finished with hand knotted yarn tassels in black. These circle the cuffs for pretty detail. These same hand-tied tassels are also set all the way around the hem for added movement there as well. It is just gorgeous. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition
Unlined and slips over the head to wear with no closures. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a US4, GB8, FR36, IT40. The knit has considerable stretch. I have put the comfortable range of measurements lying flat and there may be a little bit of room beyond that once on the actual body
Sleeves: approx 15" and are 7-13" around the upper arm and is 12-14" around the cuff above the 2" fringes
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 13-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4218
Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Resort 2018 Christian Dior Look 38, Model Zuzu Tadeushuk. / (4-7) Sofie Valkiers in Dior at Paris Fashion Week 2017. / (8) credit unknown.
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.
oscar de la renta
Romantic Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Embroidered Lace & Fantasy Tulle Skirt Wedding Dress
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This Oscar de la Renta dress is gorgeous. The Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal collection was amazing and this was one of the star looks of the show. His wedding pieces range from about $10000-$20,000 USD with the more elaborate ones like this tending to be in the upper range of that. Oscar launched his first bridal collection in October of 2002 and his wedding pieces have been worn by some of the most famous women in the world. He once said 'In the same manner that she fell in love with that man, I hope she's going to fall in love with that dress.' Countless brides have done just that. This gown is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bride looking for that very full princess feel then this is the ultimate dress for that. It literally takes your breathe away when you see and hold it in person.
The skirt of the dress is magnificent. It is made from many yards of multiple layers of a white tulle silk netting. The strapless bodice above that is a slightly more ivory colour and it is stunning. It is completely covered with tiers of lace and little scalloped silk chiffon rows. I took close ups of the work done there for you to see. The edges of the lace are embroidered and there are tiny curvy rows of ivory iridescent sequins mixed in. If that wasn't enough there are also little rhinestones set in rows over the bodice. The top curves in a pretty sweetheart neckline and it has a full built in hidden corset inside the bodice so you don't have to worry about additional underpinnings. The bust is strapless and fitted across the bodice. It is cut to follow your curves and there are built in hidden cups inside to lift the breasts. It tightly hugs the bodice and then nips in at the waist. The waist is detailed with elaborate appliquéd 'belt' that is made from various faux pearls, silver tube beads and glass cut rhinestones in different shapes. For the runway presentation it was shown with a simple sash and I believe that this was a custom add on. The skirt is extremely full and that beautiful volume would float all around you. There are 12 layers of tulle in the skirt and many of the inner ones have a double hem finish at the bottom. Under all of that there is a silk taffeta inner skirt in a deeper ivory. If you look closely you can see that under the top two layers of tulle the skirt has been gathered up all around in little drapes. This gives it this depth in fullness that is incredible. It's a subtle detail that you can see through those top layers of skirts that is just absolutely genius. I did not add any additional crinolines to the dress for these photos. It has enough built in layers in the skirt already that it falls on its own perfectly. Every angle that you look at this dress from gives you drama and gorgeousness. It is cut longer at the back so that it flows out behind you when you walk. If you wanted even more of a real princes gown feel I think you could have the inner layers starched and you would get even more volume. I love the bareness of the shoulders the strapless silhouette gives you. It is the perfect balance to that full on princess skirt. It is a very stunning gown and is a beautiful example of Oscar's work. Excellent condition with a minor note below
The bodice is boned with padded inner cups for structure and support. The dress closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. Multiple layers of built in tulle and skirting as described above. The hem of the inner skirt is grubby and some of the very inner layers of tulle have some marks at their hems and i see the very occasional small tear near the hem. You see none of these once on. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged an ODLR 8 but seems to be cut small
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam if inner hook is closed 13" if left unhooked or the hooks moved
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to front hem, 50" to inner back hem and 5*" to the ends of the tulle at the back
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML maybe a smaller MED
Item# DD4222
Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal Collection, Look 5. / (5-7) Solea, wearing this dress, for her tribute performance to Evita for PBS Great Performances, March 2023.
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
Demi-Couture 1970s Lanvin by Jules-Francois Crahay Blue Net Dress w Metallic Gold Detailing
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This dress was designed by Belgian-born Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugely desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourites for the house. I especially love the his work during the period through the late sixties and into the early 1970s. He was a genius at print and colour and he pushed the envelope in terms of using cutting edge fabrics available during this time period. This dress is from the early part of the 1970s and it is incredible. The Lanvin label is numbered and it is made to demi-couture standards. I love it.
This dress is incredibly beautiful in person. The camera really cannot do it justice. It is made from a fine blue silk tulle that has a floral pattern embroidered over its surface in the same blue. The entire dress is lined in a purple silk and this gives it this very unusual colour that lies somewhere between a deep blue and purple. A metallic gold thread was then embroidered over parts of the floral design. Around the entire lower skirt is a dense application of the gold with two wide panels completely covered in a open chain link design. These circle around the entire hem and lower skirt with more of the floral netting in between. The result is fantastic and I think in person the effect is far stronger then how it photoed. I love how the gold catches the light from every angle. The bodice skims over you and the sleeves are long. Each sleeve has a subtle poufed effect above its elastic cuff that would show more once on an actual body. The waist is seamed but cut more loose and easy. If you wanted a more defined shape you could easily add a ribbon or a belt. The skirt falls to the floor from there and widens out as it nears the hem. Besides adding beautiful detail those added panels of gold at the hem also help to give just a touch of weight and help the skirt hold its volume and shape. It is very light in weight and just stunning. Far better person then the camera is doing it justice. The fabric has so much texture and the metallic bits pick up the light perfectly. Gorgeous. Excellent condition
Fully lined in a purple silk chiffon through the top and a purple silk through the skirt. It closes with a back hand set zipper and there is elastic in each cuff. Hand finishes and hand finished inner seams mixed with machine work. The label is numbered. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut of the lining and the net give it a little give so I have put the comfortable range of measurements where it will give a bit.
Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3925
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 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Iridescent Purple Silk Taffeta Gigot Sleeve Dress
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The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1982 show and I love that we found photos of it for you so you can see just how spectacular it is one and how the sleeves sit once on a body. This silhouette with its dramatic sleeves and full skirts was an important element for that season. It is just a stunning example of one of his most recognized looks.
The dress is made from a combination of two of his favorite fabrics, silk taffeta and silk velvet. These became signatures of his and ran through his collections from the start of his career to the finish. It is a stunning piece. The top is cut to skim over the bust with a scooped neckline at the front. It is seamed at the waist and then extends down over the top of the hips. There is an attached silk taffeta sash that wraps around the waist and cinches you in for added shape and detail at the waist. The sleeves are full with a beautiful sweeping cut that starts at the shoulders and remains full to just past the elbow. At that point the fabric changes to to a velvet. Four glossy dome buttons detail the lower part of the sleeve. These are meant to be pushed up slightly to exaggerate that pouf of the upper sleeve even more. The skirt falls from under the velvet and it is beautifully full. The photos do not really do the amount of fabric in the skirt full justice. I love that under the top purple layer of silk there is a lining finished in a coral red silk taffeta. You don't see that inner layer when you are standing, but when you sit or move just right, you get that extra flash of color. It's a small detail that I am obsessed with. The fabric choices helps keep the intended shape and volume. Pieces by Yves from this time period have become an important piece of fashion history and having documentation like this one has makes it that much better. Excellent condition.
Fully lined through the bodice in a black silk satin. The skirt is lined in a deep red silk taffeta and the sleeves are unlined. It closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper and each cuff buttons to close. The sash is attached at the back. Slight flattening to the velvet here and there along the waist seam that is covered by the belt once on. Tagged a vintage YSL 40.
Sleeves: 29"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 43.5" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD2856
Reference Photos: (1-2) Fall 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway. / (3) Alice Englert wearing this dress for Harper's Bazaar, 2023.
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.
malcolm starr
Rare Early 1970s Malcolm Starr by Youssef Rizkallah Felt Folk Art Dress w Quilted Top
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This dress would have been designed while Youssef Rizkallah headed the company. Youseef joined the Malcolm Starr label in 1969 and remained as the head designer until 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and felt patchwork are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland. These felt applique pieces are among my favorites of his. This piece is a little extra special as it is a piece that was deaccessioned from FIT museum. It's archive numbered tag from there is found on inner lining of the skirt.
I love these Malcolm Starr pieces - they really are works of art and the best of the sixties/seventies arts and crafts movement. The fabrics for this one combine a cotton for the bodice and a wool for the skirt. The cotton used for the top still has a crisp finish to it. The sleeves are a single layer of the cotton and then the rest of it is a padded quilted cotton that has top stitching and what feels like a touch of padding inside. The skirt has a slight felted finish to it and then onto that are those fantastic felt appliqués. These are both fabrics that hold shape and color beautifully. The bodice is cut to skim over you with a high collar and matching fabric covered buttons that run down the front. It tucks and is attached into the skirt. One interesting thing to note is that is that it is just tacked along the inside waist. What I love about this is that in theory you could actually separate these two so that instead of a one piece you have a separate top and skirt. It would be extremely easy to do and it would make both pieces far more wearable because you could then mix and match them. In fact after seeing this dress I suspect that many of these felted appliqué skirts that you see by him out there for sale once did have an attached top.The waist line is defined with a band with a piped velvet band that circles around and ends in a bow at the front. The skirt has pockets hidden along each seam. I love the appliqué work that runs all the way around the dress. It looks to depict a woman and two boys holding balloons and then this pattern is repeated all the way around. The figures and balloons are all made from appliqued felt that has been applied by hand to the skirt. I love the red band at the bottom that finishes off the skirt. It is the perfect pop of colour to highlight everything else and anchors the piece. It's gorgeous and these felted pieces are among the most desirable of all of the Malcolm Starr pieces out there. Excellent condition with a small note below
Both pieces are fully lined except for the sleeves. Each piece has its own back set zipper to close and the cuffs have hidden set zippers. The piped belt snap and hooks into place around the waist. Pockets along the seams at the front. The buttons at the front are technically functional but the opening has been tacked closed as it's only meant to be decorative. I see grubbiness at the hem along the fold line and the occasional teeny darkening to some of the belt pieces. The pull tab of the zipper pull is missing off the skirt.
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD4169
Reference Photo: Lauren Hutton in Malcolm Starr, Vogue 1970.
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
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
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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
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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
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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.
guy laroche
Rare Fall 1994 Guy Laroche Haute Couture Wide Sleeve High Low Dress w Cumberbund
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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.
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Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work and I love that I can date it based on the very similar one that was used the a Vogue shoot that year. It gives you a better idea of how it will look like once on a body.
The dusty pink mauve coloured sequins that cover that entirely this dress are so densely applied that they actually overlap one another. There are hundreds of thousand of sequins used and it is incredible. Mixed in with those is a band of gold beads that wrap around the hips. This is set around the on one side and widens out over the hip and then narrows to a point where it meets the low set waist seam. Another triangle feeling band sits at the hem of the skirt on the opposite side. This time done in silver sequins. It is cut in that fabulous eighties big volume on top over a fitted skirt. The shoulders are strong and padded for shape. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are long. The bodice is cut long and it is meant to blouse out over the skirt. Inside there is a silk lining in that same purple and then the sequin fabric is also lined in silk. It buttons down the back and you get a tiny glimpse of skin between the buttons. The sequins catch the light at your slightest move and its fabulous in person. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in silk with a low set inner zipper at the waist and a series of buttons down the back. Padding in the shoulders, It is meant to be oversized at the top so the hips are the most important measurement to consider.
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: open
Seam at top of skirt: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19.5" from top of shoulder to seam at top of skirt
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS
Item# DD3953
Reference Photo: (1) Models in Bill Blass, Vogue, October 1982. / (2-4) Fall 1982 Bill Blass Collection. Model Alva Chinn.
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.
bill gibb
Stunning 1970s Bill Gibb Deep Purple Fuchsia Silk Chiffon & Glitter Dress w Deep Front & Back Plunge
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Bill Gibb was one of the most influential designers in 1970s Britain and his clothes were sought out and worn by the rich and famous. His work has a high fantasy element and he was crowned Designer of the Year in 1970. Much of his work verged on couture and he was unrelenting in striving for perfection. I love finding his worn becasue its rare and exceptionally well made. It represents the more fantastical side of British fashion during this time period and I love that.
This dress is amazing and a wonderful example of his work. It may not be what you typically think of when you see Gibb's work but it does show the range that he was capable of. The dress is made from a silk chiffon that has been dyed to a deep fuchsia that gradually darkens to a deep mauve. I love how the color deepens as it goes down the dress. The bodice is cut with a wide sleeve that comes out from the gathered and corseted waist. The neckline at the front and back dip in a deep V to meet the high set waist. This creates a beautiful shape that is far better on a real body then how it looks on my dress form. The front neckline is detailed with a little fabric flower that is finished with sequins to pick up on the detailing on the skirt and to tie the top and skirt together. The body of the dress is one large extra wide band. The silk is gathered over it and it is given support and shape by that gathering and the seam work inits construction. This runs right to the top of the hip. The skirt cascades to the floor from there in a sweep of silk chiffon. Fused directly minor the silk of the skirt is a fantastic pink glitter that catches the light every time you move. The inner lining s a pale silver blue silk and having that colour layered under the top colour gives it a very unique effect that is conveyed better in real life then how it photoed. It is gorgeous and really needs an actual body in it to bring it to life. Excellent condition.
The dress is fully lined in a pale silver blue silk and closes with a side metal and nylon zipper. There are hook and eye along part of the bottom seaming of the arm on that side as well. Big iridescent glass buttons on each cuff. Small areas here and there where the glitter has fallen off but its minimal and I am being picky. It appears to have never been worn, or worn very little
Sleeves: approx 23"
Shoulders: no defines seam
Bust: no true side seams so open and variable
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of gatherings 24" down from the shoulder: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, skirt is open under that
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3068
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
Spring 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Black Net & Raffia High Low Dress w Ruffle Detail
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This gorgeous little dress is the ready-to-wear version of the Haute Couture dress that Yves created. I have included the runway photos of the couture version that walked the runway and that was featured in an editorial that year so that you can see how the dress looks on. The ready-to-wear version is a slightly simplified version of it but otherwise looks remarkably the same. He often did this with a few select pieces from his collections so that his non-couture clients had access to his work as well. The 1987 collection is one of my all time favourites and I am very pleased to have this wonderful example from it in the shop for you.
If you are a Yves Saint Laurent fan the second that you saw this dress you would have known that it was his work. This was a definitive look of the Couture collection and I love that he made a ready-to-wear version. I am also glad I have reference photos for you because if there was ever a dress that needed be seen on a body this is it. It really is not being done full justice on my dress form but it is gorgeous on the body. The dress sits off the shoulders to leave a bare expanse of skin. The sleeves are cut to follow the arm to just past the elbow. A pretty chiffon ruffle edges the entire neckline and then another ruffle curves around each wrist. The bodice skims over the bust and comes in at the waist. Under that the skirt flares out dramatically and is quite full. The front of the skirt is cut to the knee, or just above depending on your height, and then the edges of the skirt curve down and around to a full length at the back. The fullness and the length change give it a ton of movement when you move. The fabric is a segment in itself. It is made from a black silk net backed by a black silk tulle. Then onto the top net layer is a design made of black raffia. This gives the dress an incredible texture and the raffia catches the light fantastically. It also means that the parts of the dress that are not lined have a touch of transparency which is very sexy. This is an incredible piece of Yve's history and an absolutely gorgeous dress. Excellent condition with a minor note to review below
Lined in a layer of tulle as described above and then there is a inner lining though the bodice and to just past the hips that is made out of a gold nude toned silk chiffon covered in a layer of black silk chiffon. It closes with a side set zipper. The raffia has small breaks in it here and there. I have never seen a vintage piece with raffia detailing that does not do this as it ages. It is inherent to the material and normal wear.
Sleeves: 18"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam before it flares out
Length: approx 35" from natural shoulder to front hem, 52" to lowest pint of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3888
Reference Photos: (1-2) S/S 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Show. / (3) Brynja Sverrisdottir in S/S 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Couture. Photo by David Bailey.
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
Exceptional Fall 2007 Christian Dior by John Galliano Champagne Silk Satin Dress w Crystal Beading Detail
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John Galliano was moved from Givenchy to Christian Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. This dress is from the Fall 2007 collection and was a piece that was produced in limited quantities for retail. In the runway we can see similar beadwork and the design used on the upper part of the dress referenced in look 26 in an shorter orange version. A shorter version in black with a slightly different bodice was also worn by Penelope Cruz when she attended the 2008 Cruise collection show. I have included photos of both of these examples here as it is always interesting to see the progression and variations on a theme that a designer chooses to do.
Vogue raved about the collection saying in part: "If you're getting into the forties this season (and that's definitely one way to go), John Galliano is the man to fulfill those latent Joan Crawford urges, no holds barred. His ready-to-wear collection for Christian Dior was virtually a camp-fabulous Hollywood spectacular—like a pumped-up 2007 remake of The Women (Cukor, 1939; ever a fashion favorite), but this time played out in full glorious purple, pistachio, electric blue, and fuchsia, rather than black and white.' This is one of my favourite Dior dresses that I have had in the shop to date and it is even better on person and on an actual body.
As with many Galliano piece this dress is entirely cut on the bias and it is meant to be on an actual body and not a mere dress form. As good as it looks on the form once on an actual body it will only be better. The dress is made from a rich looking champagne coloured silk satin that in certain light has a slight silver undertone to it. The fabric and the way it is cut and draped allows it to hug the body but without being tight. It skims over the body and highlights every curve yet is very comfortable and easy to move in. Once on an actual body and you start to move in it the dress moves with you. The dress molds itself around the bust and plunges at the front into the squared off neckline. A wide panel of fabric runs down the centre of the body to the bottom of the torso. All of the fabric on either side of that center strip is gathered and hand draped into and under the panel in big soft folds. Then he embellished it with little silver flat metal sequins meant to suggest tiny leaves, hand sewn tube beads and prong set glass crystal rhinestones. These catch the light and add even more glamour to the dress. As the draped silk of the dress nears the bottom of that center panel is starts to open up more into looser folds and eventually falls and expands out into the skirt. The skirt has yards and yards of fabric in it and I love how it is draped around the sides of the hips for shape and volume. It gives you this insane hourglass feel. At the back the fabric is lightly gathered into the zipper so it is fitted on the back and then it falls out to the skirt with a series of panels built into the back for added volume. It then extends out to a short train at the back for the perfect finish. It is one of the most beautiful and glamorous dresses I have ever had in the shop. It is red carpet worthy and would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition
The dress is fully lined with a fine ivory tissue silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a US 8 but cut very small
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to front hem, 64" to the lowest point of the back hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML
Item# DD3875
Reference Photos: (1-2) Dior Runway Show in Prague showcasing Fall 2007 RTW/Resort 2008 pieces. Dress shown worn by Miss World 2006 Tatana Kucharova. / (3) Fall 2007 Christian Dior Runway, Look 26. Model: Patricia Schmid. / (4-6) Penelope Cruz at the 2008 Dior Cruise Collection Presentation.
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
Spring 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Red Floral Print Balloon Sleeve Dress w Corset Waist & Peplum
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This little Yves Saint Laurent dress has such a joyful feel to it. I am always excited to find examples of Yves' work from this time period and this one is extra special because it is the twin of the dress that was shown on the 1983 runway. We also found a editorial shot from that season with the same dress in a solid colour that was shot for L'Officiel magazine. I love the solid colour version as well but the printed one just has so much colour and joy to it I can't help but love it a little more.
This is a gorgeous little day dress that you could easily style to work into the evening, especially during the warmer months. The colours are amazing and absolutely pop off of the cotton fabric that he chose for this dress. Cotton takes colour extremely well and it is the perfect choice to get these crisp vibrant tones. It also holds the shape well so that the dress has volume where Yves wanted it. Yves Saint Laurent was a master at choosing the fabrics that were the perfect compliment to the prints that he used. This dress is no exception to that rule with its riot of bright flowers covering its surface. The cut is pure Yves and a wonderful example of the work he was doing during this time period. The sleeves end just below the elbow and are cut with a full balloon sleeve pouf above their wide and easy elastic cuffs. The bodice is fitted with a V neckline at the front. The upper portion of the bodice is done in the same floral fabric as the sleeves and skirt but he then inset a blue fabric to define the waist and visually cinch it in. He then plays with proportion by adding a blue cotton peplum that runs all the way around the hips and flares outwards. Below that the skirt flares out with a pretty swing feel. And there are pockets hidden along each hip under the peplum. The combination of the prints and the cut is genius. Excellent condition with a minor note below
Unlined and zips to close at the side. It is tagged a vintage YSL 36. It appears to have been worn very little if at all but there is some fading to the tops of the curves on the peplum. You notice it more when it is off the body and laying flat but not when on. Please see the photo after the label shot.
Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3653
Reference Photo: (1-2) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Runway. / (3) Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, L'Officiel, 1983. / (4) S/S 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Ad Campaign.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
This wonderful little 1920s flapper dress was completely made by hand and a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has its original Made in France label still present and these pieces were always a little higher quality then some examples you see from the time period. It has no other label but it is not hard to imagine that it might have been a designer piece as well. The base of the dress is a black silk netting that is strong and sturdy. Onto this is an intricate design made up of gelatin sequins set boxes. Each is a combination of purple, pink & turquoise in an alternating design. The placement of each sequin is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to make the fabric alone. The center of each block makes me think of a cluster of little pink "hearts" that are then surrounded by an abstract shape. A metal based gold lame thread and tiny little gold tubes beads are then shaped around each to make the block design that you see. These are then stacked in rows to cover the dress entirely with the black netting serving as the separation between each. This combination of colored sequins, gold thread & beads is absolutely fantastic. There is an extra panel of netting inserted at each hip to give the skirt extra flare. Excellent antique condition
The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The edges of the side net panels are raw and at one time there may have an extension to them but it is now cut even with the hem. I see no other flaws and it appears to have been worn very little if at all and is wearble with the care it would deserve to be worn with. Even with that small defect the dress is remarkably sound and shockingly beautiful. It is almost 100 years old and is considered to be in museum quality condition.
Bust: 17" from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40" from shoulder to bottom hem
Note that antique and twenties pieces are final sale. They will be packed exceedingly well and we only sell pieces that will stand up to the stress of shipping, however, having pieces potentially shipped multiple times through multiple customs and countries is too hard on garments that are historically important and deserve to be treated with love and care. Please purchase accordingly.
Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML
Item# E290
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.