The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 runway and I love that we found a reference photo so you can see just how fantastic this is once on. It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person. 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 unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. This dress is so unusual and I absolutely love it. It is truly one of the most spectacular of his dresses that I have had in the shop.

This dress is incredible. The fabric alone is a work of art. The base is a rich blue silk and then onto this is a fantastic design made of out a black velvet. The velvet is very soft to the touch with a chenille like finish that gives the design a beautiful texture and softness. The dress has the feel of an antique 18th century gown and I love this reference back to the past. The top is a fitted and strapless with a band of black silk wrapping around the breasts. The blue silk and black velvet fall from there to skim outward over the waist and hips and then narrow back down to the floor as it reaches the hem. This gives the front of the dress a more long and lean feel but with a hint that something special might happen as you turn. The back is the star of the show. Sitting over the top of the closure at the back is a large black velvet bow. This tops an added panel that has the feel of a bustle. I is made out of a tremendous sweep of the same fabric. It  expands outward and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it swoops in. The sheer volume of fabric used to create this nod to a bustle is fantastic. From every angle of the dress you get these wondrous sweeping views because of this unusual detail. There is a slit under that at the back to allow you to walk. The combination of the beautiful fabric and that extra detailing is just amazing. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen from him. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper hidden under a seam and there is an inner hooked waist stay. Light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4995

Reference Photo: Fall 1987 Bill Blass 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.

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 beautiful example of his work from this time period.

The dress is made from a light weight black silk organza and it is an easy-to-wear and very pretty dress. The dress is made to look as if it wraps around you but it actually is fully secured all the way around. The bodice has a cross over the front and is meant to skim over you to the waist. At the back it closes with a hook and eye at the top of the neck and then there is an open keyhole slit to where the zipper begins just above the waist. I love how the back and upper part of the shoulders are made from only one layer of the organza so that it has a touch of transparency. This transparency has been carried over to the sleeves as well. The sleeves are spectacular. Each one is extremely full and balloons out over the cuffs. They are also open with a keyhole from the top of the shoulder to the wrist. The wrist is highlighted with a bow made from the same organza and then you have a huge double ruffle of silk that falls over your hands. The waist is brought in and has an attached band of the same organza that you tied to one side. Under that the skirt falls to the floor and widen out beautifully. It is scooped up at the front to one side and there is another double layer of ruffles that begins at the top of the hip and then falls all the way to the floor. It follows the edge of the skirt all the way around the back and then scoops up the other side. This adds that incredible volume and drama to the skirt that you see. The skirt is lined underneath and the inner skirt has a smaller open slit so that your full leg is not exposed. If you wanted to, you could easily expand that inner slit so that opened all the way up and you did see all of your leg. It is gorgeous and even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk. It closes at the back of the neck with a hook at the top of the neck and a zipper starting just above the waist. Each cuff hooks to close, and the belt at the waist snaps into place. Perhaps the tiniest bit of fading to an edge here or there, but this is a natural occurrence with this type of fabric in this age of garment and I'm being pretty picky.

Sleeves: 29" including the 6 inch ruffle. 15" around the upper arm.
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to top of the band at the waist
Total length: 61" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4656

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 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.

The twin of this dress walked the Fall 1987 runway and I love that we found a reference photo so you can see just how fantastic this is once on. It is one of those dresses that looks amazing on the dress form but is even better on an actual person. 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 unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. This dress is so unusual and I absolutely love it. It is truly one of the most spectacular of his dresses that I have had in the shop.

This dress is incredible. The fabric alone is a work of art. The base is a rich blue silk and then onto this is a fantastic design made of out a black velvet. The velvet is very soft to the touch with a chenille like finish that gives the design a beautiful texture and softness. The dress has the feel of an antique 18th century gown and I love this reference back to the past. The top is a fitted and strapless with a band of black silk wrapping around the breasts. The blue silk and black velvet fall from there to skim outward over the waist and hips and then narrow back down to the floor as it reaches the hem. This gives the front of the dress a more long and lean feel but with a hint that something special might happen as you turn. The back is the star of the show. Sitting over the top of the closure at the back is a large black velvet bow. This tops an added panel that has the feel of a bustle. I is made out of a tremendous sweep of the same fabric. It  expands outward and then loops back in to attach just under the hips. A second black velvet bow sits at the base of where it swoops in. The sheer volume of fabric used to create this nod to a bustle is fantastic. From every angle of the dress you get these wondrous sweeping views because of this unusual detail. There is a slit under that at the back to allow you to walk. The combination of the beautiful fabric and that extra detailing is just amazing. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen from him. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk. It closes with a back painted metal zipper hidden under a seam and there is an inner hooked waist stay. Light boning through the bodice. Hand work throughout. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4995

Reference Photo: Fall 1987 Bill Blass 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's business was all done on a made-to-order basis. That means that each piece is the only one that exists, or in the very occasional circumstance that there are similar pieces, only a very limited amount of pieces were made. And to make things even a little more special.... the pieces I have in the shop come directly from John's archive. He is one of the great American couturiers and he was known for his sharp tailoring and striking evening wear. He launched his atelier in 1971 and he quickly rose to fame, winning a Coty award in 1972 and then again in 1976. This jacket is from his Fall 1980 collection and is the original sample from his archives.

This jacket is stunning to see in real life. It has a beautiful sleek cut and it is meant to be more fitted through the body. I love that it completely closes as this allows you to wear it on its own or layer it over other pieces. The shoulders have light padding for shape and the sleeves are long. The waist is brought in just a touch. It is meticulously tailored and John told me that creating jackets were one of his favourites things to do. They are infinitely challenging to have them sit perfectly on the body and his are tailored to a master level. It has no collar and the neckline is a sleek V.  It closes down the front with a series of hidden silk covered snaps and then there are three glass rhinestone buckles that close over the front. They are spectacular. The entire jacket is covered in glossy black sequins. These have all been set by hand and completely cover the silk that the jacket is made from. Each sequin is laid out so that it slightly overlaps its neighbour. To think of the man hours out into this jacket is incredible. The final finishing touch on this one are the bold motifs beaded onto the sequins on each side at the front. These have a 3D effect and sit up and off of the sequins below. The personal attention to each piece is clearly seen in the workmanship of his designs. His work is very expensive and beaded jackets like this retailed for up to $6,500 in the 80s and 90s which would be around $25k in modern dollars to recreate at this level. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Filly lined in a black silk and closes at the front with hidden set silk covered snaps. The rhinestone clasps close over that. Padding in each shoulder. Made by hand. A one of a kind.. 

Sleeves: 22" long and 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4551

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 a fantastic and surprisingly avant garde Haute Couture dress by Pierre Cardin. It is from the Spring 1985 collection and we have included some reference photos of the twin of the dress on the runway so that you can see how it sits on the body. They really give you an idea of how fantastic and unusual this is once it is on the body. It is a beautiful and elegant piece that may not be as mod in feel as some of Cardin's earlier pieces but it is one that shows the breadth of his talent. From a historical perspective it's also an interesting insight on the volume and play on proportion done in the 1980s. 

Throughout his career Cardin often played with volume and for the 1985 collection he put huge voluminous caped bodices over narrow skirts, a silhouette we first saw him begin to do in the late 1970s. This dress is made from a fine silk that is covered in a dynamic and bold floral print. You can see that fantastic play on volume in the cut. The dress was completely made by hand and the fine workmanship is wonderful to see. That avant garde cut is all created by clever seaming and traditional couture methods and this mix is fascinating. There is an inner more sheath-like dress and then a caped piece attaches over that. The neckline is set higher across the front with a pleated over piece that falls from the shoulders. At the front it is set into a black silk ribbon that wraps around the hip area. Your arms slip underneath it at the sides and then the cape extends downwards into a long point at the back. The top layer has been softly pleated and this gives it more volume and movement as you move. It is also what gives it that incredible and unusual silhouette that you see. The skirt falls from under the wide black silk ribbon that is attached around the hip area and it is done in a sleek and simple cut to the floor. It is very chic and unusual. Excellent condition with minor notes below

Fully lined in a hand set white silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper on the inner dress. At some point the hem was let down and I have left it for the extra length. You can see a faint line where it was folded. There are light shoulder pads whose inner stuffing has degraded. I see some minor yellowing to the inner lining around the top of the zipper area and very light grubbiness  to the very edge of the inner arm that you don't see because it is covered by the cape.

Inner bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 59" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4981

Reference Photos: Spring 1985 Pierre Cardin 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.

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 unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. This dress is so pretty and I absolutely love it. This is the type of piece that you are only going to find in vintage.

As good as it looks on my dress form this is a dress that is even better in real life and moving. It is really when you are moving that this dress lives up to its full potential. There is an incredible amount of feather light silk chiffon that has gone into the making of this dress. Once on the skirt will float and billow out around you with your slightest movement. The bodice falls in a wide panel at the front and back with vertically gathered pleating. The waist is shaped by a light stitch that runs across horizontally. It is cut to be more on the loose and easy side. I added a pretty coral-orange coloured ribbon to give it more shape and I will include it with the dress. The skirt is remarkable. It is in its original length and is made from a single layer of that beautiful printed silk chiffon. It has many yards of silk in it and it is constructed to have this incredible fullness and movement. The fabric is so light and fine that when you stand still it falls in a pretty column around you without adding bulk. You still get a hint of the fullness that it has but then when you move the many yards of fabric that are actually there allow the skirt to move around you. As good as it looks here it only really comes to life once on. The flower and fern print that runs over the entire dress is gorgeous. It is an incredibly pretty dress and no matter how good it looks in the photos the sensation and tactile feeling of the fabric and lightness when you have it in hand is just phenomenal. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a white silk through the top and unlined through the skirt. It closes with a back zipper. The ribbon belt is not original to the dress butt will be sent with it. The lining through the top looks like someone added it at a later date. There are some very light pulls in the silk here and there, but it is evenly throughout the dress and I believe that it is the nature of the silk. It is very minor and mentioned for accuracy.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from neck to waist
Total length: 60" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4977

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 gorgeous little dress is the ready-to-wear version of the Spring 1987 Haute Couture version. We have included the runway photos of the couture version and the editorial photos to give you an idea of the dress on. This version is simplified version but still has very similar line. It is fascinating that he did this at times with a few select pieces from his collections so that his non-couture clients had access to his couture designs. The 1987 collection is a favourite and I love having this dress in the shop for you.

This is a dress that is not being done full justice on my dress form but it is gorgeous once on the body. The dress sits off the shoulders to leave a bare expanse of skin and the sleeves are cut to just past the elbow. A pretty chiffon ruffle runs around the neckline and then another ruffle wraps around each wrist. The bodice skims over the bust and comes in at the waist for shape. 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 be full length at the back. The fullness and the length change give it a ton of movement when you move. The fabric is so unusual. 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. 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 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 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 that 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 point 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.