• This dress is from the Spring 2013 YSL collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Hedi Slimane and this was his debut collection for the label.
• The two closest looks that were shown on the runway that had the same/similar style of skirt were Looks 38 and 45 on the runway. We included both of those so you get an idea of how this falls once on the body.
• The bodice is strapless with a double panel of black silk that wraps around the entire bodice splitting at the back on either side of the zipper. The inner panel is fitted to the bottom and then the other one floats over that and is attached only around the upper edge.
• Inside there is a full built-in corset made out of black lingerie stretch netting that is lightly boned. It hooks to close at the side under the exterior zipper and has an attached waist stay that hooks to close. This is what holds the dress in place around you.
• From the the seem directly under the bodice panel the dress falls to the floor. It is pleated into that seam at the centre of both the back and the front and this helps to give it added volume and hold it slightly away from the body.
• It skims over the waist and curves back out over the hips. It flares out with more volume around the legs and then narrows in words towards the hem. 
• At the front, it is caught on a upward curve that makes the front portion of the dress more of a mini dress length. That cut out is cut on a beautiful curve down and around to the hem at the back and at the back it is completely full length.
  
• It is perfectly minimalist and yet has a definitive nod towards the time period where Yves favoured the same cut through the skirt.
• The dress has a full built-in boned inner corset that closes with its own zipper and hooks at the waist. The rest of the dress is unlined. It closes at the side over the inner corset with a hidden set zipper.
• Tagged a modern YSL FR36
• Excellent condition

Bust: 30-32" around the interior, including the cups
Inner waist: to 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 8.5" from top of bodice to inner waist
Total length: 56" from waist to back hem and 28.5" to the shortest part of the front hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5690

Reference Photos: Spring 2013 Saint Laurent, Looks 38 & 45.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.

• The twin of this dress walked the runway for the Spring 1973 YSL collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Yves Saint Laurent.
• The dress is very well documented. Its twin was shown on the runway that season and one was photoed on Marlene Dietrich with Yves himself. I love that. 
• Its modern day provenance includes being worn by Emmy Rossum and the dress that she wore is one that came from us.
• The dress is not perfect so please make sure to read the entire description before purchasing. It is completely wearable as found.
• This is one of my favourite dresses that Yves ever did. I believe there was a remake of it a couple of years ago, but the remake do not come close to the quality and level of craft that the originals have.
• The dress is made out of a fine slinky silk jersey in black.
• Two triangles sit at the front and come in around the waist and tight little gathers. They narrowed to the top of the shoulder where they are held in place by brass chain and loops. They appear to have been made by hand and they have a beautiful touch of patina to them. I love how these are the only embellishment on the dress.
• The triangles are set into the front and back in a way that allows the dress to plunge on all four sides
• The front is set in a V right to the waist seam as is the back. And then because the triangles are set the way they are, you also get a deep plunge down each side.
• I love how this leaves an unexpected flash of skin all the way around you but the way it's constructed holds the triangles perfectly in place once on the body.
• The waist is set slightly high and inside there is a wide band of grosgrain ribbon that hooks into place and holds the dress around you. 
• The skirt falls from there beautifully to the floor. It is from a single layer of the black jersey that is very full and then under that is an inner skirt made out of a matching black jersey. The movement this gives the skirt is incredible.
• This is a defining piece from YSL history and an absolutely beautiful dress
• The dress is fully lined in a second layer of the same silk jersey. It closes with a side, zipper and the inner grosgrain ribbon around the waist hooks to close. Around the entire top portion of the skirt there are a series of tiny thinning and holes. They do not appear to be present on the bottom or lower portion of the skirt. They are completely hidden within the pleats, but you do see them if you spread the skirt fully out and hold it up to the light. It is priced at less than half of what it would be if this was not the case. Please see the photo after the label shot for an example of it. 
• There is no size tag present. Please go by the measurements listed below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: each triangle measures 7 to 10 inches" flat across from side to side
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 59" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MD

Item# DD5691

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 1973 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /   (3) Backstage at Spring 1973 Yves Saint Laurent photographed by Jean Luce Huré.  /  (4) Model in Yves Saint Laurent, 1973.  /  (5) Marlene Dietrich with Yves Saint Laurent, June 1973. /  (6) Emmy Rossum in YSL from our archives for the Hollywood Reporter, 2022.

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 dress is from the Spring 1976 Collection
• It was made under the creative direction of Roy Halston.
• These front tie dresses are one of the most iconic signature pieces from Halston. It was heavily documented that season and remains one of the most beloved silhouettes of all the pieces he designed.
• Halston created several of these dresses in different colours that season. They tended to be mainly produced in a bias cut silk or a hammered bias cut silk and rarely in velvet. Even the silk versions are hard to find now and finding one in a black velvet is very rare.
• It is said that before even putting scissors to fabric, Halston already had a mental image of how he wanted to dress to look. He believed that evening pieces should be as easy-to-wear and comfortable as day wear but absolutely elegant at the same time. When these dresses were shown for the first time in 1976 the press dubbed them as being "clean and and yet still with sex appeal".
• This is from the main Halston label and these were pieces were custom-made or made to order at this point in the brands history.
  
• The dress is strapless and ties at the front of the bust. This creates a little discreet keyhole under the tie. It also allows you to adjust the fit by how loose or tight you tie it.
• The cut is very forgiving as it skims over the bust, comes in slightly at the waist. and then curves back out over the hips. It is not meant to be super fitted. This is a dress that is very easy to fit. On a smaller frame it drapes more and the bias cut will allow it to move to accommodate if you need more room.
• From there it continues to skim over the body all the way to the hem widening out slightly as it nears the floor.
• The seaming is all set on an angled curve that wraps around the body. This means the entire dress is made out of one piece of black velvet. Do not underestimate its simplicity. Creating the dress in this way is actually quite complex and a technical challenge. Without seaming at the sides, the shape of the dress completely relies on the way it drapes, making it a much more difficult task and complex problem to have it fall over the body as perfectly as it does.
• Personally, I think this might be one of the most iconic little black dresses to have ever been created. It's a highly collectible piece for the Halston collector. 
• The dress is fully lined in a black silk and slips on to wear with a tie at the front that you can adjust for fit. I see slight change in the pile of the velvet where it ties at the front from being tied. This is a natural occurrence and is not considered a flaw but mentioned for accuracy.
• There is no size tag present so please go by the measurements listed below
• Excellent condition

Bust: approx 17-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with the ability to adjust the size at the front because of the tie
Waist: 15-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem with approx 2.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD692

Reference Photos: (1) ‘The Strapless’ in Women’s Wear Daily, August 1976. / (2) ‘The New York Collections: Easy Winners!’, Jacques Malignon for Vogue, September 1976. / (3) ‘Your Night to Star’, Ladies Home Journal, December 1976. / (4) Elizabeth Taylor in Halston at the 1976 Oscars. / (5) Marisa Berenson in Halston, Vogue 1976. Photo by Richard Avedon. / (6) "Yves Saint Laurent + Halston. Fashioning the 70s" Exhibit at the Museum at FIT, 2015. / (7) Halston's original sketch for the tie-front strapless dress & Lee Radziwell, 1976.  / (8) Rachel Zoe in Halston at the Zoe Report Dinner, 2014.  /  (9-10) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.  /  (11-13) Spring 1976 Halston 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.