• This dress best matches the look of the collections that were being done around the 1990 time period. 
• It was made under the creative direction of Gerard Pipart.
• The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932 at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris. In 1964 Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant, as head of the brand. Pipart, who had previously worked for Balmain, Fath, and Patou, brought a wide range of experience in all aspects of fashion to the brand. 
• Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' He headed the Couture division until 1998.
• This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture and would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• This dress is a masterpiece and really showcases how beautiful a piece of true couture can be. Everything about its construction goes above and beyond.
• The bodice and hem are made out of a red silk that has a bit of very fine ribbing through the fabric. That same fabric in a black is used for the main part of the skirt and then the band around the top of the bodice and the band around the waist are detailed with a wide black velvet ribbon.
• The bodice is strapless and curves across the front and around to the back. There is a built-in  inner structure to hold the dress in place and it is fitted to the waist where it nips in.
• The way that the skirt falls is just extraordinary. It is so full and voluminous as it curves outward and down to the floor. To achieve that shape there is an elaborate built-in underskirt that is all hidden. It is made out of a stiffened net that is hidden between the outer layer and the inner silk lining.
• The silk of the skirt is set in beautiful rounded pleats in the hidden structure underneath is what gives the support needed to hold the shapes. I have not added any crinolines under the skirt - all of the shape and volume is there because of the brilliant hidden structure underneath.
• The back of the skirt is cut slightly longer then the front for a beautiful sweeping feel behind you.
• A final band of black velvet circles its way around the lower skirt, topping a wide panel made from the same red silk as the bodice.
• The contrast between the red and black is absolutely stunning. It is an exceptional piece of Couture.
• The dress is fully lined in a handset black silk and closes with a handset back zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. There is hidden boning through the bodice and structure through the hips as described above. I see that the zipper was let out a bit at some point and there is some grubbiness and tiny breaks along the edge of the hem. All minor but mentioned for accuracy.
• The proper Haute Couture label is present.
• There is no size tag since it is a couture piece. Please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition with the minor note abovewith the minor note above

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 52" from top of bodice to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5575

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 was Look 5 for the Resort Givenchy collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Ricardo Tisci
  
• This was his fifth year at the label and in the Vogue review of the show they noted that Tisci told them that the colour palette of black, red and white mixed with the occasional leopard was inspired by Frida Kahlo and her animal-filled paintings.
  
• The dress is made out of a black net with a red lace overlay strategically placed over the dress to emphasize the cut and design.
• The dress is is suspended from two tiny straps that curve up and over the shoulder. The very upper edge of the bodice is finished with leather piping.
• The bodice is cut to skim over you and I love how the red has been applied on the black to give you extra coverage and really highlight the cut and flow of the dress.
• It continues down to skim over the waist in a more loose and generous feel and then it curves back out over the hips.
• The skirt cascades outward from there to the floor and it is fuller by the time it reaches the hem. The lace applied around the bottom and the way it is cut helps to hold the shape around you.
• That combination of red lace and netting that has been applied over the dress creates a beautiful and striking pattern. The pop of red against the transparent black net is even more striking once on the body and you see the transparency through it that contrast against the red lace and netting.
• The width of the lower skirt allows the dress to move beautifully around you as you move.
• The inner black silk chiffon slip acts as the lining. Both the dress and the inner slip have no closures and slip over the head to wear. I see a couple of tiny repairs in the net near the raw edge finish of the skirt. Very minor but mention for accuracy.
• Tagged a Givenchy 40
  
• Excellent condition

Dress
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 14.5-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to lowest part of the seam under the bust at the sides
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem

Inner slip
Bust: 15.5-17" 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
Total length: 36" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5577

Reference Photo: (1) Resort 2011 Givenchy, Look 5. Model Daphne Groeneveld.  /  (2) Ciara in Givenchy by Cameron Smith for Wonderland Magazine, Nov 2010.

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

• This is an exceptionally beautiful Jean Patou silk chiffon dress that is an absolute masterpiece. It is an important and early representation of both the house of Patou and the level of Haute Couture being produced during this time period. 
  
• Jean Patou once said "Certain dressmakers desire to pass for an artist. I have one ambition: that is to have good taste." and this dress is the very epitome of that statement.
• The dress is made entirely by hand and represents countless hours of dedicated hand work within the atelier.
• It is one of the most beautiful dresses that I have had come through my hands and the photos cannot begin to convey the detail and fine work that has gone into the creation of this piece.
• It is constructed from a fine black silk chiffon and the bust is fitted with a boned and shaped interior to hold the dress around you. The upper edge of the bust has a little silk chiffon ruffle that folds over for a pretty detail.
• It cinches in at the waist and the skirt flows down on a gentle curve. The waist seam curves upwards at the centre front and then curves downward towards the hip. The back seam continues curving downwards to to create a dip at the back.
• Under this the skirt falls in a cascade of silk chiffon tiered panels. There are three in total and each one overlaps the one underneath. Hidden in between the ruffles are panels of silk organza which helps to give the dress its volume. An extra panel sits under the very lowest tier. Inside the skirt is a layer of stiffened netting.
• The skirt follows the same curve the waist seam has with the front coming up a touch and the back sweeping out behind you.
• We have not added anything under the skirts. There is room to go fuller if you wanted to add a crinoline underneath you can go as full as you wish.
• A spray of pink silk flowers and black velvet leaves run down one side of the skirt.
• This is really an extraordinary piece of early golden era Haute Couture.
• The bodice has a hand set silk lining and is boned. It closes with hand set back metal zipper. The skirt is lined as described above. I see some minor grubbiness around the hem of the interior lining. The tulle lining under the skirt is raw cut and there may be occasional little break near the hem here and there. There is light stress near the seams on the bodice around the waist area that indicate there was a belt or ribbon attached at some point. You could easily add a belt or ribbon and you would never see these. The flowers do not feel fresh. They are just tacked in place and they could be removed or replaced.
• There is no size tag present because it is Couture. Please see the measurements below.
• Excellent condition with the notes above.

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 12" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem, 62" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5578

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.