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ossie clark
Iconic 1972 Ossie Clark Couture 'Cuddly' Black Moss Crepe Open Back Wrap Dress w Huge Sleeves
I Have a Question
- This is one of his most iconic and collectible designs that dates to 1972.
- The dress made under the creative direction of Ossie Clark
- Ossie named all of his couture dress and this one is known as the Cuddly.
- To wear the dress you simply slip it on and wrap it at the waist where it ties into place.
- The dress is made out of his signature moss crepe in black.
- The wrap creates a V at the front and then the back has a large open cut out that leaves your back bare and exposed.
- It is very sexy and instantly recognizable as being an Ossie Clark piece.
- The sleeves are phenomenal. Each is a huge very full balloon bishop cut sleeve that are puffed and full above their cuffs.
- Once the dress is wrapped around you the skirt curves over your hips and then falls to the floor, widening out as it nears the hem. The dress is in its original length.
- The wrap leaves a long overlap at the front side of the skirt. When you stand still it falls over itself but when you move or sit you do a flash of leg. Depending on how tight you tie out around the waist you can show the entire leg.
- The dress is unlined and made out of a black moss crepe. One tie is a little shorter then the other but does not appear to have been altered. I see very minor bits of lighter areas on the moss crepe here and there. This is a natural patina on this type of fabric as in ages and is mentioned for accuracy
- The wrap style should allow it to fit a variety of sizes.
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Tagged a vintage Ossie Clark UK10
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: approx 29" and will cuff at the wrist once on
Bust: adjustable 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: adjustable 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to top of band at the waist
Total length: 60" from neck to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5354
Reference Photo: (1) June Ritchie, in an Ossie Clark Cuddly dress, at a photo call for Gone With The Wind at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1972. / (2) Madeleine Hinde, in Ossie Clark, at the premiere of British horror film 'The Fiend' in London, April 7 1972. Photo by M. McCarthy. / (3-4) Suzanna Leigh, in Ossie Clark, by Allan Warren, 1973. / (5-6) Pink in Ossie Clark, from Shrimpton Couture, for her 'Walk Me Home' music video, 2019. See below for video.
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.

I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress and it's matching shawl walked the Fall 2008 Armani runway for look 48
- It was made under the creative direction of Giorgio Armani.
- Armani called the show 'free spirited' in his notes and in the review that Vogue did they noted that "he really poured it on at night, tossing cobweb, scarfs, and wraps over nearly everyone of his dresses."
- This is the full set as seen on the runway, comprising of a one shoulder dress with its matching highly detailed wrap.
- The dress is primarily made out of an inky black velvet and then the strap and front of the bodice are made out of a black crepe. The wrap is made out of a black velvet with various types of cording running over it surface.
- The dress has all of the sleek feel that you look for in the best of his work. A strap extends out from the bodice and curves up and over the shoulder, running on an angle past the neck. It curves down the back where it widens out before attaching to the back bodice. The bodice is shaped around you and then a seam runs underneath where it changes to black velvet for the rest of the dress.
- The waist is brought in with subtle darting and then it curves out and over the hips to fall to the floor, widening out as it near the hem.
- It is the perfect sleek silhouette that you expect from Armani.
- Over that is an elaborate shawl to give contrast to all that simplicity. It is a huge square of velvet that is backed in a matte silk finish fabric. Onto the velvet are different widths of cording and net ribbon. It is interesting that ribbon parts are what you would normally use as interfacing inside the garment. For this piece he has taken that and put it on the outside.
- Long fringes dangle off with sequins and elongated oval beads covered in black fabric at their ends. Cording has been made into flowers and held in place by oversized faceted black beads.
- I love that the two pieces let you mix and match with other things in your wardrobe.
- The dress is fully lined in a black silky finish fabric through the bodice and crepe through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set zipper at one side. The original tags are still attached. It has never been worn.
- Tagged a vintage Armani 42
- Excellent condition
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam and the seam under the bust is 15.5" across side to side.
Natural waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 12.5" from top of shoulder to seam under the bus
Total length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem
Wrap: 54" long x 22.5" wide and the fringes stand up to another 25" at each individual end.
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD5355
Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2008 Giorgio Armani, Look 48.
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 Fall 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Black Silk Wrap Dress w Bow Detail
I Have a Question
- The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 1983 YSL Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
- The dress would have been completely made by hand in the Paris atelier
- In this collection Yves paid homage to Paris. He told French Vogue that the collection was dedicated to "the prestige of Paris, as I knew it when I first arrived… That is why it reflects many things from my youth, my first sensations when I arrived in Paris from Algeria.". The book Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk noted that the cuts were loose and offered room to breathe. Pink and black with the two primary colours used for this season and that "the black dresses were chic and cut to perfection".
- This dress is exceptional in person and I feel like the photos are not giving it full justice. The silk is light and weight, and it has far more drape and ease than I think the photos are conveying. It is an absolutely beautiful and chic dress that needs a body to truly come to life.
- The runway photos really give you a better idea of how this dress will look like once on the body.
- The dress is made out of a light weight black silk of exceptional quality.
- The shoulders are lightly shaped and the silk has been gathered up and into the shoulders. The sleeves are cut wider where they are set into the bodice and then narrow to a zippered wrist.
- The dress wraps and snaps at the side to close and there is a built-in inner waist stay to hold it perfectly in place. This is one of his signature designs and allows the drape that you see while letting the dress stay secure. It also allows the bodice to drape beautifully over you.
- The wrap of the dress creates a V neck line at both the front and the back.
- Where the dress closes at the waist the fabric has been gathered into a black silk bow to highlight the waist area. On one side of the dress the fabric is finished with a pleating detail that opens up to create the perfect drape over the body. On the other side, it is pulled up and under the bow which lets the hem at that side have a slight curve up from the bottom.
- The dress is so well-made that I think you could wear it either way around depending on how it works best on you.
- This is an extraordinary piece of true Haute Couture by one of the greatest designers of our lifetime.
- The dress is unlined and is completely hand finished inside to Haute Couture standards. It hooks and snaps to close at the waist and inside there is a hidden set zipper and inner built-in waist stay. Each sleeve zips to close at the wrist. Light padding at the top of each shoulder.
- There is no size tag present because it is true Couture. Please go by the measurements listed below.
- Excellent condition
Sleeves: 22.5" and are 15" around the upper arm
Shoulders: approx 14-15"
Bust: approx 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 56" from top of shoulder to longest point of the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD5356
Reference Photos: Fall 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.
All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.
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From its humble beginnings in 2006 with just a dozen or so vintage pieces, Shrimpton Couture has grown to be one of the most respected online shopping destinations for vintage shoppers world-wide.
It is our mission to find the timeliness and special pieces that are cherished and coveted by designers, museums, celebrities and countless fabulous women around the world.