The twin of this dress was Look 24 for the Resort 2020 presentation. The Luisa Beccaria label is made in Italy and run by the mother-daughter team of Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria. They are known for their incredibly feminine pieces that have an almost story book feel to them. The cost of their pieces run into the thousands and their clothing is very well made. The label's pieces always have a sense of romance to them. Vogue said of the collection that; 'Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza.'

This is a gorgeous dress. It has the prettiest floral design screened onto a feather light silk chiffon. Think the finest silk scarf you could have in terms of weight and feel. The print is done in pale shades of blue on an ivory backdrop. The collar wraps around the neck with long attached ties that you can let trail down the back as they did in the collection photos or wrap and tie it into a beautiful soft bow at the front like I did. The silk is gathered into the collar for added detail on the bodice. From there it skims to the waist where you can cinch it in with its matching tie belt in the same fabric. The belt has an added flower that matches the print of the dress. The skirt falls to the floor under that and the silk is all bias cut with yards of fabric in the skirt. All of that fabric means that with your slightest move the skirt floats around you. The skirt is in its original uncut length. The sleeves are fantastic. Each is a very full balloon sleeve made out of a single layer of the silk chiffon. They puff out dramatically above the cuff with each cuff ending in a split ruffle. This is a dress that you slip on and feel completely comfortable when wearing and yet it has as much drama and impact as you could ask for. It is a stunning and very romantic example of their work and beautifully made. It comes with its original hang tags and was never worn. Excellent condition

The outer dress is unlined and it comes with a matching ivory bias cut silk chiffon slip to wear underneath. It closes with hook and eye at the back of the neck and a hidden set side zipper. Elastic through the waist and at the end of each cuff. The original tie belt is included. The loose and easy cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It will just drape more on a smaller frame and be more fitted on a larger frame. In its original uncut length, and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a modern 46 and has its original hang tags.

Outer Dress
Sleeves: approx 29" but meant to come up once on and 18" around the upper arm
Shoulders: no true defined seam
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist 
Total length: 67" from top of shoulder to hem

Inner Separate Slip
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 67" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4590

Reference Photo: Resort 2020 Luisa Beccaria, Look 24.

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This dress is the twin of Look 3 for the Pre-Fall 2020 collection. For this collection Pierpaolo paid homage to the Fall 1968 Haute Couture collection and I have included the reference photos of those original pieces here. This famous print was originally done by Mr Valentino and were inspired by the blue and white in Chinese Delft print vases. It is also very close in style to the 2013 Valentino dress that was a part of the in the Met Museums 2015 "China: Through the Looking Glass" exhibit. When speaking of this collection to Vogue Piccioli said; “I want to maintain couture’s values even in the pre-fall collection. I like the idea of breaking its rules and translating them into a modern, spontaneous wardrobe, making something historical become contemporary.” and they went on to mention this print in particular saying that 'he picked from the archives... a beautiful print of Delft blue vases from a sophisticated 1968 couture collection. “I want Valentino to be lively and joyous,” enthused Piccioli. “For me, beauty means life, emotion, something that vibrates and is full of energy—not something removed that you look at from afar, as if on a pedestal.” Mary Holland wore its twin to a premier that season as well. It is beautiful and very special.

The dress is pristine and utterly beautiful. It is made of a feather light silk organza that has been printed with a beautiful blue and white design. The print is intricate and I love how he has placed the print over the bodice and skirt to accentuate the design and cut of the dress. The silk is feather light in weight and floats beautifully over the body. The dress has a second layer of organza under the top layer which gives it just a touch less transparency and also helps to add to the airy and light feel that it has. For the sleeves, he kept them to one single layer so they have a touch of transparency. It has a neat little collar and buttons to close done the bodice with hidden set buttons. I love how carefully the pattern has been lined up across the panel at the front. The bodice lightly skims over you to the nipped in waist. The skirt falls from under the waist and is spectacular. It is lightly gathered into the waist seam and then opens up to be very full to the floor. This is a gorgeous dress and it is even better in person. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a silk organza with the sleeves unlined. It buttons down the front with hidden set buttons under that front panel and zips to close with a hidden set zipper down the back. Tagged a modern Valentino 40

Sleeves: 21.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist
Total Length: 65" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4588

Reference Photos: (1) Pre-Fall 2020 Valentino, Look 3.  /  (2) Models in Valentino, British Vogue, September 1968.  /  (3) Valentino dresses at the MET Exhibition "China: Through the Looking Glass", 2015.  /  (4) Model in  Valentino Autumn 1968 Gown, photographed by Steven Meisel, 2015.  /  (5) Mary Holland in Valentino at the premiere of "Happiest Season", November 2020.

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 Roberto Cavalli dress is from the Spring 2006 collection and is gorgeous. Its twin walked the runway that season and I am happy to have the runway shots of it and video so you can see how spectacular this dress moves when on the body. This was Look 36 and I think it was one of the most beautiful dresses of that collection. And it was certainly one of the most daring. You don't realize at first glance but the front plunges down and the back has a second unexpected opening that is quite low and exposes a flash of bare skin. It is exceptional and very sensual.

The dress is made out of a bias cut silk chiffon that has a gorgeous print work through it surface to create flowers. This is done in a combination of pale turquoise and a soft greens on an ivory backdrop. The front plunges quite low but the severity of the plunge is completely softened by the mass of ruffles that cascades around the neckline. The plunge is caught up by a large flower in the paler blue and then it is open a little bit more under that. When it is on the body, the lower opening is barely apparent because of the way the dress sits on the body, but it is there. The little capped sleeves are lovely and very full. They fall over the upper arm and are soft and wide cut. The dress skims over the body and is brought in just a touch around the waist by a combination of that flower and how it is seamed. At the back there is another long opening that begins at the back of the neck and runs to the very low back. You can see on the runway how this curves a bit once it is on the body. At the base of that opening there are attached ties that extend out to create a pretty little bow. You could also leave them untied and let them just cascade behind you. The skirt falls down from there to the floor and it is cut a little longer at the back so that you get a sweeping bit of a train that extends past the hem. I love how the layers in the skirt create this pretty ruffled feel. It also gives the skirt tremendous movement around you. When you move the entire dress seems to float perfectly around you. All of the silk is bias cut which allows the dress to fall like an absolute dream over the body. It is spectacular. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear with a hidden snap behind the flower at the front. The dress lost its label during the cleaning process but the fabric is signed throughout. The bias cut will allow for a lot of give in the measurements and I have put the comfortable range below.

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 68" from neck to front hem and 73" to the back hem. The length will come up a bit once on because of the bias cut.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4988

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2006 Roberto Cavalli, Look 36 Model Emina Cunmulaj.

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This was meant to be a slip when it was originally sold but a modern girl might dare to wear it as a dress. It is an easy to wear piece and very flattering once on the body. The bias cut silk and chic ivory colour make it easy to wear but still have high impact. The lines are simple and it has that perfect easy but sexy feel. It is made of a single layer of silk cut on the bias. Once it is on it moves with you. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by skinny straps in the same silk. The front dips down into a V and the back dips into a very low V to leave the back bare. It skims over your waist and hips and then falls to the floor, widening out slightly as it nears the hem. A band of open cut work set in a twirling fabric runs on an angle across the waist area. I love how this gives a little glimpse of their skin through the design. It is in its original length and very sexy on. This would make a phenomenal piece for a bride. Excellent condition

Unlined and slips on to wear It ties behind the neck with the attached strap. Completely cut on the bias so the measurements have some movement. I have put the comfortable range when laying flat below.

Bust: 14-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: approx 60" from to hem and that length can be adjusted up or down an inch or so by how tight you tie the straps at the back of the neck

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4982

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 incredible dress that dates to the 1998-2002 era based on similar cuts that I have had in the shop and what was on the runways. It is a design from Mr Valentino and it is a dress that is easy to wear and very flattering once on the body. I had a version in the shop of this recently in black and I love this ivory one even more. It is a show stopper. The fact that it is easy to wear is just bonus. This would make an amazing wedding dress for a bride or could be an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any fabulous and glamorous event. 

This is a gorgeous dress. It has the perfect amount of sexiness but still manages to feel elegant in that classic Valentino kind of way. It is also a dress that really comes alive once on the body. It is very light and easy to wear. It is completely cut on the bias and this lets it skim over your body and highlight every curve, but not in a tight, constricting kind of way. It is made from an ivory silk with a matching ivory silk chiffon for the skirt. The dress falls from wide straps that curve around and over the shoulder. The front dips into a V and the back has a second V that i s touch shallower then the front one. It skims over the bust, waist and hips and then falls to the floor from there. The skirt is inset just above the knee and it is made out of a matching chiffon. The lightness of the fabric lets it have beautiful movement as you move. There's a slit up the front so you get a bit of leg showing as you move and I love how the back trails out behind you a touch for a sweeping feel. The dress has a crisscross of ivory beads that start under the bus wrap around the waist area and then down over the hips to the top of where the skirt is in inset. The bands are quite wide and have four rows of ivory tube beads on either side of a row of overlapping space ivory sequins. This gives this dress the perfect amount of added detail and elevates it to that next level. It is a beautiful example of Mr Valentino's work. Excellent condition with a very minor note below.

Fully lined in a matching ivory silk and closes with a hidden set size zipper. Tagged a vintage Valentino six. I see some extremely minor pulls here and there that are mentioned for accuracy and some very minor grubbiness along the edge of the hem and at the top of the shoulders, again mentioned for accuracy. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4983

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.

During John Galliano's years from 1996-2011 at the house of Christian Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing bias cut and chiffon dresses in the house's history. His work often has a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and thirties with their beautiful cuts. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. This is an amazing example of his work from the Boutique line and it is gorgeous. It is so classically Galliano for Dior in its shape and cut. It is a real beauty.

The dress is made out of the palest possible peach / pastel salmon nude silk chiffon that has a slight bit of texture to it. It is completely cut on the bias which makes it so easy to wear. The dress is cut wide across the shoulders with a scoop at both the front and the back. From there it drapes down and over the body to the floor. That signature bias cut that he did so perfectly allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The sleeves are cut a bit wide through the upper arm, narrow down just slightly to the cuff and then have a full ruffle to finish them. The bead work that you see over the dress is continued over the sleeves so you get an amazing little glitz in the light from every angle. The bodice is heavily finished with an intricate pattern of silver tube and seed beads and these catch the light beautifully. The bead work continues around the back of the dress and then you have scattered medallions of beads down the front and back all the way down to where the skirt begins. The cut of the dress is meant to simply glide and skim over the body and then it flares out dramatically through the lower skirt. The seaming is a nod to the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The fabric of the lower skirting has been pieced together with a series of angled chevron panels. The widening of the hem is created by the way those angled silk chiffon panels are stacked on top of each other with each panel getting wider than the one above. This gives you so much movement when you walk. A row of tightly spaced matching silk covered buttons run up one side for the perfect finish. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. It is an incredible example of his work and looks to have been worn very little if at all. In its original uncut length. Excellent condition

Fully lined in the same silk chiffon and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. You can see the hand work that was done to apply the beads on the inside of the fabric. The bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes and I have taken the comfortable range when laying flat for you below

Sleeves: approx 23" to their longest points and are 16" around the upper arm
Shoulders: Approx15-16"
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 68" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4954

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Dolce and Gabban launched in 1985 by founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana  who still run the label to this day. After a shaky start in the first few years, by the 1990s they they had started to open their own boutiques and had become a force in fashion. In 1993 Madonna chose them for her 1993 Girlie Show tour and they gained world wide recognition. They are known for their dramatic designs that are heavily inspired by their Sicilian heritage. This dress came to me from the same owner as the black 2008 one I just put in the shop and she told me it was purchased around the same time period. It is a dress that is incredibly beautiful. It would obviously make an amazing wedding piece for the bride looking to go the non-traditional route or as a part of a wedding weekend of events, but I think it is also a dress that could cross over and be worn to other events. We have found more history in this dress and you can see the story in our instagram by linking here. 

The dress is made from a pale nude silk tulle net that has a touch of a pink tine to it. This is then layered over inner layers of more tulle, lace netting and silk. The bodice is strapless and has a heavy application of cut out flowers added over the tulle all the way around you. They are placed to fall past the seam that sits under the bust and over onto the top of the tulle as it begins to flare out into that incredible top layer. As the dress moves down to the ham, you see more cut out flowers scattered over the entire dress. At the front, there is a cluster of soft silk chiffon flowers that add a beautiful detail. Small versions of these are also scattered over the top layer of the dress, all the way to the hem..This incredible treatment on the top layer of the dress really adds to the depth and texture of the dress. That entire top layer of tulle tents over the dress to create volume all the way around you and to sweep out behind you. Under those layers is an inner dress that has a dotted lace. I love the effect of this peeking out tulle. More layer sit under that. Besides the visual effect this creates, this technique of multiple layering also gives the dress some of its structure so that it holds the shape around you once on. The bodice is strapless and cut on a soft curve across the neckline. There is a built in boned corset on the inside for shape and to hold the dress in place on you. It curves in just slightly to skim over the waist and then curves back out for the hips. The top skirt is set to fall to the floor with all of the beautiful volume that you see in the photos. The top layer of the skirt gets progressively wider so that it is very full by the time it reaches the hem. The inner hem falls to the floor, but that top outer layer falls slightly longer all the way around you and then it sweeps out behind you. It is incredibly beautiful and romantic. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Fully lined in a soft nude pink silk. The innermost layer of stretch silk goes to just above the knee. It closes with a back zipper and then the tulle layer snaps over that to hide the zipper. Inside the bodice is a cupped and boned corset. I see one vertical repair in the tulle of the skirt at the back otherwise it appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a Dolce & Gabbana 36

Bust: 13-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx A cup built into the front
Waist: 11-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 5.5" from top of bodice to seam under the bust
Total length: 60" from top of bodice to front hem, 69" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4955

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The Spring 2008 show coincided with John Galiano's tenth year with the label and it was Dior's 60th year as a label. John celebrated that by creating pieces based on some of his signature looks through the past decade. The result was a collection filled with beautiful things like this dress. It is so rare to find a Dior dress in this colour and in the perfect condition that this dress is in. I am very pleased to have such an exquisite example of his work and it is always extra special when you have a dress that could perhaps be worn by a bride who is looking for a non-traditional dress or as part of her wedding weekend. It is also an exceptional dress for any event and for the Dior collector. 

I love that even in these still dress form photos you can get the sense of how beautifully the silk chiffon on the skirt will move once this is on the body. It is a gorgeous dress and his time there was one of the best. The dress is interesting because when you stand still you get a beautiful long silhouette but the second you move the chiffon in the skirt and the back panels are picked up by the air and the dress becomes even more extraordinary. The skirt of the dress is made from bias cut ivory silk chiffon that sits over an inner silk lining. It is set around the waist and heavily gathered at one side. This is what gives you that extra panel and volume on the one side that you see. The skirt is slightly split at the hem on that side so you get a little bit of leg when you walk. The other side curves down slightly longer and it creates that beautiful curved shape at the hem. The bodice is strapless and the neckline slightly curved at the front. Inside there is a built in boned and cupped corset that extends down to the waist. This is what holds the dress firmly in place around you. The chiffon over the bodice has been draped and gathered over to the side to tie in with the skirt. At the back, on that same side, there are two very long panels of silk chiffon. You can allow them to just drape down and behind you to catch the air and move as you walk or you can take one and drop it over the shoulder to get a caped feel. I have photoed it both ways for you to see. His signature row of silk covered buttons runs down the other side and then the last perfect detail is the extraordinary flowers that are embroidered over the dress. This is what takes the dress to its magical level of beauty. Soft pastel flowers are heavily embroidered onto the dress so that they have a slight 3D effect. Little gold threads are mixed in between then along with tiny sequins and beads to catch the light. They are reminiscent of the flowers that Mr. Dior often used in his early work. It is a beautiful nod to the archives that perfectly combines past and present. It is magical. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk. It has a full built in boned and cupped corset. The corset closes with a series of lingerie hooks and the dress buttons to close over that at the side. Tagged a Dior FR36, GB8, IT40, US4

Inner bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 56" from top of bodice to the longest point of the hem and the panels extend to 59" from the top of the back bodice.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4944

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 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-$20,000USD 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.' 

The skirt on this dress is just magical. It is made from multiple yards of multiple layers of white tulle silk netting. The strapless bodice above the skirt is slightly more ivory in colour so that you get just a tiny bit of contrast between the two. The bodice is completely covered with delicate little scallops of a silk chiffon with embroidered edges. These sit on top of a lace fabric underneath. Following the top edge of each layer are tiny rows of ivory iridescent sequins. Little prong set rhinestones are also scattered over the bodice in little vertical rows so you get a subtle little glitter in the light. The front curves in a pretty sweetheart neckline and it has a full built in hidden corset inside the bodice. It nips in at the waist and is detailed with an elaborate applique design that wraps all the way around you. The runway dress only had a ribbon at the waist and I much prefer this more elaborate design that is made from faux pearls, silver tube beads and glass cut rhinestones in different shapes. The skirt is extremely full. There are 12 layers of tulle in the skirt and then an inner silk skirt. Under the top two layers of tulle some of the tulle layers have been gathered up in little drapes  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. It is a very stunning dress. 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. Minor grubbiness/marks to the inner hem and the tiniest bit of darkening to the colour of a couple of the scallops near the top edge at one side. The dress was already in the shop and it had some issues and I decided to pull it out for a bit and had it completely restored so it is now in beautiful condition for its future bride. Tagged an ODLR 8

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

Item# DD4943

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2011 Oscar de la Renta Bridal Collection, Look 5. 

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 beautiful dress was Look 42 on the Spring 2014 runway for Ralph Lauren. It was part of a grouping of all white pieces and I think it is the stand out from that grouping and from the show. The purple label from Ralph Lauren signifies the runway pieces that are the high-end pieces the label produces. Ralph Lauren launched it in 1994 and the label was meant to be the pinnacle line for the brand. The dress is beautifully made. It is a dress that could be worn to any event, but would make a fantastic piece for a bride looking to go the non-traditional route.

This dress is absolutely gorgeous. It is meant to skim over the body and it has a beautiful movement that you can see in the runway video. It is made out of a stark white cotton with an inner lining of another crisp layer of cotton. Little white flowers have been individually cut out and hand sewn onto the dress with a spray of tiny sequins and beads to create their centres. The flowers change slightly in size and are set so they closely cluster up against each other. From the top of the bodice down, the entire dress is covered with a heavy layer of these flowers. This creates this fantastic and whimsical layer of texture over the entire dress. It is like you are wearing an entire floral bouquet and it is magical. Wide straps curve over the shoulder. The front has a slightly squared off feel and I love how the back dips down into a V so you get a bit of bare skin showing. There is no waist seam on this one. It is shaped to come in slightly at the waist and skims over your bust, waist, and hips. The skirt flares out starting at about the knee and is very wide by the time it reaches the hem. At the back, there is extra fabric built-in so that you get a bit of a sweeping feel behind you as you walk. The dress is made out of cotton which gives a bit of weight to it but the applique of all those flowers gives it this sense of lightness and airiness that is wonderful. All of the little hand sewn beads and sequins that attach each individual cluster of flowers to the dress catch the light in a very pretty way no matter what angle you see the dress from. When this is on and you are walking, it is absolutely gorgeous. This is Ralph at his best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a white cotton and closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. There are some very tiny brown dots here and there on some flowers near the hem. It is extremely minor and it otherwise appears to have been worn very little if at all. The flowers have been hand applied and you can see the hand stitching at the back of the fabric. Tagged a modern Ralph Lauren 0.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 62" from top of the shoulder to front hem, 66" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4942

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 2014 Ralph Lauren, Look 42. Model Katya Riabinkina.  /  (6) Jun Hasegawa in Ralph Lauren. 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.

This is a gorgeous little set that was one that was produced for the shops that season. It is very pretty and has that perfect feel of the work that Galliano was doing for the label during this time period. 

I always love finding a pretty little set like this because it just gives you more options to be able to style the pieces. With this particular set you also get the option of wearing the top tucked into the skirt or letting it lay above the skirt's waist-line for a softer feel. Both pieces will also mix and match with other things you already have in your closet. The pieces are made from a pretty silk that has a secondary deeper ivory flower woven into it with a different finishing thread. There are also little medallions of embroidered clusters of flowers as well as a scattering of gold flower and leaves. This gives the fabric in almost antique feel that is gorgeous. The top buttons to close and is suspended from the shoulders by tiny straps that come out from the centre of the top and cross over the upper back on the other side. The top has the feel of a lingerie piece with soft gathered cups and little insets of lace underneath the breasts. Both the top edge of the camisole and the bottom hem are detailed with a lace finish that has a pretty ivory ribbon running through it. It buttons to close up the front. My dress form doesn't have quite enough chest to really have this sit on it properly but it will be better on an actual body. The skirt is a little masterpiece. It has a banded waist for shape and then it is made of several panels placed horizontally on curving bands down the skirt. When you lay it out flat it is tremendously full across the bottom and this is what lets it fall in those pretty folds that you see here. It is a gorgeous little set. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are unlined. The top closes with a series of MOP appearing ,Dior engraved, buttons down the front. The very bottom button is missing. The skirt zips to close with hidden set snaps on the waistband. Tagged an FR36, GB8, IT40, US4

Top
Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total Length: 23.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: " from waist to hem

Skirt
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total Length: 26" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4937

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 the second time I have had this absolutely gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress in the shop and I think I love it even more this time. The dress was the final look on the runway for the Pre-Fall 2015 show and it is absolutely stunning. The pieces from this collection feel to me like they have an extra bit of sentiment to them. As Vogue noted in their review. "Pre-Fall 2015 was the last collection he (Oscar de la Renta) had a hand in designing. The house's new creative director, Peter Copping, advised the studio a bit on how to finish it after de la Renta's death in October but this wasn't his debut. Copping sat in the front row taking it all in as a bystander." They continue the review saying, "How does one review a collection like this—one that operates not as a swan song, not as an homage, but as a coda to a great career, now definitively over? On its merits, of course. And though these clothes didn't serve to turn the fashion dial in any way, they manifested the soigné de la Renta signature in spades....It spoke loudest in the collection's clutch of cocktail frocks and gowns, particularly the champagne-toned finale gowns with allover gold or silver embellishment." This is one of those dresses and it is very beautiful.

This is truly a beautiful piece and it 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. The dress is made from a fine ivory net that is covered in beautiful curving gold metallic appliques that form flowers and pretty patterns over the entire surface of the dress. Each individual applique is made from a pale, muted silver-gold lame fabric sewn that is embroidered all the way around its edges. The lame has a slight vertical ribbing that combines the gold and silver thread and this adds a beautiful texture. I love how they catch the light in a subtle way from every angle. In person the dress has a more metallic and gold feel then how it photographed here. It is tremendously beautiful. It sits wide across the front and the straps are sent to the edge of the shoulder. The bodice curves up and over your shoulders and then at the back it falls in a V for a bit of bare skin to show. All of the edges follow the curving pattern of the applique and I love this little romantic touch. There is an inner lining inside the bodice that has a sweetheart neckline shape to it and then the netting has a touch of transparency above that. It skims over you from there, past the waist to the seam that sits at the top of the hip. From there the skirt explodes outwards in two tiers. Underneath each tier is a layer of tulle and then another layer of netting under that. The second layer has a stiffened edge to help hold the shape of the skirting. Then inside the skirt itself there is a built-in underskirt that has multiple rows of that same stiffened fabric so it holds the volume that you see in the photos. I have added no extra crinolines underneath the dress to take these photos. All of the volume that you see is all built into the dress already. The dress is cut shorter at the front and then the back is cut so that it trails out behind you past the floor. The lightness of the tulle and netting allows the dress to billow out around you when you walk. This is dress that feels like a fairy tale come true once it is on the body. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

The skirt is fully lined in layers of tulle and netting as described above. The bodice has an inner layer of silk and netting. The dress closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a modern OLDR US2

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with room at the front for at least a B cup
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at the top of the hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: open
Bodice: 19" from top of the shoulder to the seam at the top of the hip
Total length: 49" from top of the shoulder to the front hem, 80" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4933

Reference Photos: Pre-Fall 2015 Oscar de la Renta, Look 36.

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 Spring 1982 collection marked the 20th anniversary of Yves' Couture house. In the book Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk they note that the historical importance of his collection made him feel very anxious. He was quoted as saying "I am frightened of this collection. I am far more anxious than I was for my first collection. It is a reassessment of 20 years… It is the end of adolescence, the beginning of maturity. I really feel like a beginner." But of course, it was a masterpiece of a collection and raved about.

The collection was extravagant and was heavily influenced by India and the beautiful work done by Indian artisans. There was a play on proportions with wide shoulders and a narrowing at the hips. This tunic was one of the more simple pieces in the collection but it still has the touch of an oversized shoulder and the ease and elegance of a beautiful silk in its making.

I love that you can wear this as a tunic over something else. It was shown over a skirt and a modern girl could easily wear it on its own as a dress. It was shown belted with a silk sash in the advance photos for the collection and you could easily add a belt or ribbon if you wanted to have more shape. The shoulders are padded and set a little wide. The sleeves are cut wide through the upper arm and even as they narrow to the wrist, they are still wide set by the cuff. The cuffs and collar are done in a black silk and I love the contrast to the ivory of the body. It is meant to be worn fairly loose and easy to skim over your bust, waist and hips. It falls to about the knee or just above depending on your height. A slit runs up each side and you can see that he has lined the entire inside of the piece in that same black silk as the collar and cuffs. When you walk and move the slits let you to see that flash of black which ties the whole piece together perfectly. The silk is a rich and heavy weight that drapes beautifully over the body. This is a dress that really needs to come to life with a body in it and my dress form photos are nowhere near to doing it justice. It is completely made by hand and an absolutely beautiful, refined and easy piece of true Couture. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined in a handset black silk and closes at the back with a hand set zipper. Handmade padding in each shoulder. It is completely made by hand to Couture standards. Has it proper YSL numbered Couture label. There is one small mark near the elbow of one sleeve. Please see the photo after the label shot. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. On a smaller frame, it will just feel more oversized.

Sleeves: 22.5" and each is 20" around the upper arm
Exaggerated shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 39" from top of shoulder to hem
Slits: 11.5" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4913

Reference Photos: Spring 1982 Yves Saint Laurent  Couture Advance Preview. Model Kirat Young.

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.

For the Cruise 2012 Karl booked the entire Hotel du Cap in Eden Roc on the French Riviera so that he had it at his full disposal for the show. This is remarkable in that it is arguably one of the most expensive hotels in the entire world. The show is also of note because he accessorized all the pieces with real diamonds and pearls. Vogue noted that he said "too much may not be enough" when asked about this extravagance. The twin of the suit walked the runway for Look 8 and was adorned with diamonds on the pockets and at the neck. It was sent to the shop with a beautiful crystal rhinestone and faux pearl button at the top of the neck and left to the clients to add their own personal diamonds.

This collection was a nod to old-school glamour and you can see that in the beautiful lines of the suit. It is constructed from an absolutely stunning ivory version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. The weave is very tight and it is one single ivory colour. It has little bits of silver thread woven through it. These glitter in the light in this very subtle and beautiful kind of way. I know the still photos are not properly capturing it but in person it is magical. The collar is soft and rounded with a raw finish to its edges and then it is covered with the tiniest possible ivory sequins. He added another band of sequins under the collar to circle the inner shoulders near the neckline. A little jewelled clasp sits at the top of the neck that has crystal rhinestones and large faux pearls with the double C logo on their sides. I love the nod to the 1940s this little jewelled detail has and how it picks up on that old Hollywood glamour theme. The sleeves end at about the wrist depending on the length of your arms. The jacket has a beautiful curving seam at the front and two top set pockets. I photoed the jacket open as it was shown on the runway but there is one single little hidden snap so that you can close the jacket more if you wished. A second curved seam sits at the back. The construction is absolutely beautiful. Inside it has a Camellia flower embossed silk lining and a silver chain is hand sewn along the inner hem. The skirt is as beautifully cut as the jacket. It has a curved band around the waist and pockets on either side of the hip. It curves out to skim over the hips and then comes in at the bottom. There is a wide 7" band of the same fabric circling the bottom hem. He added a back vent that has three beautiful buttons and you could open those if you wished. The set comes with the matching belt that you see on the runway. The belt follows the same curve of the waist band. It hooks in place and it is completely covered on both sides with more of those tiny little ivory iridescent sequins. This is an exceptional Chanel. It would make a great bridal piece for the bride not looking for something traditional or as a piece for an event surrounding the ceremony. Excellent condition.

The jacket is fully lined in an ivory silk embossed with the Chanel camellia flower print and has a clasp at the neck and a hidden set snap halfway down. The skirt is lined in an ivory silk and closes with a hidden set zipper. The belt hooks to close. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. All three pieces are tagged a Chanel 38. The very subtle bit of metallic silver thread that runs with through the boucle is more apparent in person.

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". 

Jacket
Sleeve: approx 21" from the natural shoulder and is 17.25" from the dropped shoulder scene. They are 14.5" around the upper arm
Dropped shoulders: 19"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from waist to hem

Belt: It currently hooks to close at 28" and you could move the hooks if needed. it is 30" in total from end to end.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4911

Reference Photo/Video: Resort 2012 Chanel, Look 8. Model Sigrid Agren.

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.

McQueen's Fall 2006's collection was called The Widows of Culloden and it was dedicated to his muse and friend Isabella Blow. The Alexander McQueen site says of this collection: "The inspiration here is highly personal – the designer’s own heritage – which goes at least some way towards explaining the exquisite hand-craftsmanship that goes into each piece as well, of course, as bird head-dresses and McQueen tartan. The collection is luxurious and romantic but melancholic and even austere at the same time. The silhouette – all nipped waists, bustles and exaggerated hip lines – is designed to exaggerate a woman’s form and each piece is unique, a one-off couture creation with emotional content intended to be handed down from generation to generation like the most precious of heirlooms." This was also the show where Kate Moss made the famous glass box closing look. Vogue described that feat by saying; "Only Alexander McQueen could provide the astonishing feat of techno-magic that ended his show. Inside an empty glass pyramid, a mysterious puff of white smoke appeared from nowhere and spun in midair, slowly resolving itself into the moving, twisting shape of a woman enveloped in the billowing folds of a white dress. It was Kate Moss, her blonde hair and pale arms trailing in a dream-like apparition of fragility and beauty that danced for a few seconds, then shrank and dematerialized into the ether." They went on to talk about the collection saying; "The quality of the performance—and the extraordinary workmanship in the clothes that preceded it—was a timely reconfirmation of McQueen's unique powers as a showman-designer, and a far cry from the more straightforward presentations he¿s given the last few seasons. For this collection, he delved into his past, revisiting his Scottish family roots and refining the contents of the rampaging tartan "Highland Rape" show with which he began his career in London in the early nineties. Shorn of its original rawness and anger, the result was a poetic and technically accomplished tale that involved romantic images of Scottish fantasy heroines wandering glens and castle halls in vaguely Victorian tartan crinolines, bird-wing or antler-and-lace headdresses, feathered gowns, and pieces made from brocades that might have been dragged down from ancient wall-hangings." I have also included a shot from one of the McQueen book pages that tells more on the show. This was one of his most extraordinary shows and this dress is the twin of Look 32 worn by Freja in that show. It is fabulous. 

This is an incredibly rare piece of McQueen history and may even make a dress for a bride looking to go the non-traditional route or as part of a wedding weekend. And of course it is something that any McQueen collector would be thrilled to own.

I love this dress. It is basically an elaborate silk net tulle piece that sits over an inner ivory silk chiffon lining. Over that he has added embroidered lace panels in black that have all been placed by hand. The dress is incredibly full and voluminous. The bodice is meant to skim over you and the neckline of the tulle overlay is set scooped under the neck. There is a scooped bodice built in underneath that has been stiffened for shaping. Having the net extend up and to the shoulder allowed him to also place the embroidery up and over the shoulder, giving the illusion that it is somehow suspended over you from a distance. The trailing panels of black embroidered flowers contrast beautifully over the deep ivory netting underneath. The waist is seamed and set just above the natural waist line. The embroidery trails past the seam to soften the line. The waist is cut on the more wide and generous side which helps to create the shape he wanted the dress to have. The skirt has yards and yards of tulle with two more layers under the top layer and over the inner silk lining. The embroidery work is even more spectacular around the skirt going all the way around you. I love how it becomes very dense and heavy by the hem and then it trails upwards towards the bodice. It is incredibly beautiful and the pictures do not convey how magical it is in person. It feels like wearing a magical cloud of tulle. Alexander McQueen was incredibly gifted and this dress really shows the extent of his talent. It was one of my favourite dresses at the show. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in an ivory silk chiffon and closes at the back with a button at the back of the neck and a hidden side zipper under the waist line. I see a couple small breaks in the netting and it looks like there are some minor repairs done near the waist seam. I have photo them all and I've been very picky because it presents as perfect once on. It's beautiful.

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 11" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 43" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4851

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2006 Alexander McQueen, Look 32. Model Freja Beha Erichsen.  /  (4) From the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams and 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.

Lace was one of the primary fabrics that Sarah Burton used for the Spring 2012 collection and Vogue reported that "She based her collection on the three Gs: Grès for the pleating and draping, Gaudí for the architecture, and Gaia for the sense of all-encompassing oceanic life that infused the clothes, like the outfits composed of coral or shells." They went on to remark on the beautiful pastels and golds used saying "this collection proved how hot-wired into the core of McQueen Burton truly is. The colour palette—as translucent as the inside of a shell—had the kind of unambiguous prettiness that McQueen himself might have felt inclined to disrupt in some way". The twin of this stunning dress in black was featured in the  Spring 2012 collection Lookbook sent out to select retailers. Pink wore one in black for an editorial shoot and Du Juan wore one on the red carpet. I love it in the gold. It is so striking.

The dress is stunning and it might even make for a spectacular bridal dress or to be worn for the events surrounding a wedding weekend or as a gala / event piece. It is made out of a muted gold lace that tops a pale nude silk underneath. The dress is cut to follow the curves of the body from the top of the neckline to below the hips but in a way that doesn't feel overly tight or confining. It just curves over the body in the best possible way. The neckline is a scooped and the bodice is shaped to flow over your curves. The waist is a touch on the more easy side and you could easily add a wide corset belt to get the effect you see in the reference photos and really cinch it in. It curves over the hips to about the knee and then the lower skirts explode out from there. Insets of the same lace with masses of a silk organza underskirt are set all the way around the skirt. If you lay the lower skirt out flat it has more volume than a full circle. This is what creates those incredible rounded effect and the volume that you see in the photos. We did not add any additional underskirts on this dress. All of that sweeping volume is all built in. It also creates beautiful movement as you move. You can see in the photos that the back is cut slightly longer then the front so you get this beautiful sweeping effect behind you as you walk. It is so special and absolutely stunning. This is Sarah at her best. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a pale nude silk for the body of the dress and then silk organza through the lower skirts. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged McQueen 42.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 63" from top of bodice to front hem, 66" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4824

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2012 Alexander McQueen Lookbook.  /  (2-3) Pink, in McQueen, photographed by Andrew MacPherson, Feb 2012.  /  (4) Du Juan in McQueen at the Deja Vu Screening, June 2012.

This is an extraordinary little dress and I'm very pleased to have the exact date of it because my clients grandmother wore it to her wedding on October 15, 1910.  By all accounts it was a long and happy marriage and my client hopes that this dress will pass on that love to its next owner.

This extraordinary dress was completely made by hand and is very feminine and beautiful. It is a wonderful example of the level of craftsmanship being utilized during this time period. It has survived the passing of time exceedingly well and was carefully stored all of these many decades. The base of the dress is made from a fine and light netting and it is this fabric choice that has allowed it to remain strong and sturdy over the years. The colour is a beautiful ivory that was almost impossible to capture and in real life it has a slightly more pastel feel to it that I think is just lovely. Onto this is an intricate design made of glass tube beads and little iridescent sequins that highlight the design and lines of the dress. The front neckline is in a soft scoop, and the back angles into a bit of a V above a row of snaps that close the dress. The sleeves extend out and are gathered along the top of the shoulders for a pretty little detail. They're open on their underside and the sequins and beads follow the pattern to circle the neckline and edge the sleeves. A wide band of sequins and beads detail the waist, and then the dress falls in a pretty cascade of the netting to just past the knee or a bit below depending on your height. A floral pattern is worked throughout the dress, and the workmanship is exquisite. Hangs lower than the front so you have a bit of a swooping feeling. There's a touch of light boning around the inner waist to hold the dress perfectly in place while it's on you. The placement of each and every embellishment is by hand and it is amazing to think of the time it would have taken to create this extensive design. The combination of the soft and romantic ivory net and the beautiful floral patterns that runs over it is absolutely fantastic. This would be an amazing dress for a collector or a bride who wants to incorporate a bit of the past into part of her celebration. Excellent condition

The dress is unlined with snaps at the back to close. Some of the snaps appear newer than others. The fabric appears to be strong and is wearable with the care. Perhaps the tiniest mark here and there and tiny break in the net but for something over 100 years old I would rate it as being in excellent antique condition. 

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Bodice: 13" from the top of the shoulder to the top of the 3" band at the waist
Total length: 46" from the top of the shoulder to the shortest part of the front hem, 51" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4804

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 very rare piece of vintage and it is a delight to have it in the shop. It is from the 1988 Spring / Summer "Blanche Dubois" collection. The show had a total of 96 looks in it. My client purchased this right after the show and has had it since. The inspiration for this collection was Tennessee Williams 1947 heroin from the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" combined with the idea of the English country lady. An integral part of the collection were the way that he had the hems of the skirts and some sleeves done. He described then as "blown away" hems. Galliano had given his pattern cutters a book on origami and asked them to incorporate the feel of it into the clothing. He wanted the hems to look as though it had been blown up in the wind hence the name "blown away." Interior buttons and button holes along the hems were added to allow the skirts to achieve the draped bubbled effect that you see here and in the reference photos. The collection was critically acclaimed and it was his most commercially successful to date. US Vogue noted that he went from fashion cult to pacesetter with this collection. 

When we photoed the skirt we did it to show how you can change the look of the hem depending on if you choose to button the buttons up, or leave them undone. there are many configurations that you can do, including buttoning some of the button holes onto the same buttons inside or leaving them all undone and having a longer length skirt. Another key component of the show where these extremely high waists that you would then put a large belt around. My client told me that she often wore this as a strapless dress as well and if you are small enough through the bust to do so, you can have that added option. There is boning through the sides of the waist that help to hold it up and in place. The amount of fabric that the skirt has, and that unusual way the hem has been sewn combined with the buttons, really does give it the most fantastic and fascinating movement when you move. The fabric is at ultra soft white cotton or cotton mix. This piece was only ever owned by one person and it was loved and worn. It does have some faint marks on it but it doesn't take away from the importance or rarity of the piece.

This is an exceptionally rare piece to come up for sale from one of his very early collections. Excellent overall condition with a note below.

The skirt is unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper. There are buttonholes hidden along the hem of the skirts and then button sit along the seams inside the skirt which is what allows you to change the look and length of the skirt. I see a repair along the back but because of the asymmetrical hem you would actually think that this was deliberate if you did not know better. I see another tiny area at the front where someone has put a stitch near the seam. There are some marks on the front and along one side of the hem. I did have this cleaned and they faded quite a bit but we were not overly aggressive in the cleaning. You might be able to fully get these out with more specialty cleaning. Please see the photos after the label. It is a remarkable piece of fashion history

Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total Length at its longest and unbuttoned it is 45" and then it can be adjusted with the buttons shorter

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4785

Reference Photos: Spring 1988 John Galliano. (Third image from the book "Galliano: Spectacular Fashion" by Kerry Taylor for Bloomsbury.)

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 the twin of the dress that was shown on the Fall Christian Dior Fall runway show in Prague. This was a special presentation that showed looks from both Fall and Resort 2008. On the regular runway for that season this look was not shown but you did see a similar cut though the bodice and bead work for Look 26. A shorter version in black that had a slightly different bodice was worn that year by Penelope Cruz when she attended the 2008 Cruise collection show. The dress 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. And of course it could also be worn to any event.

The dress is entirely cut on the bias and it falls beautifully over the body once on. As good as it looks on the form it is even better in person. The dress is made from a rich looking champagne coloured silk that 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 you to highlight every curve but is very comfortable and easy to move in. At the front it scoops down at the front into the squared off neckline. From the base of the neckline a wide panel of the same fabric runs down to about the hip. The silk is gathered and hand draped under that front panel in big soft folds. It is then covered 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 beautifully as you move. Under the panel the skirt open into soft folds to expand out tot he floor. There are  yards of silk in the skirt and I love the draping around the sides of the hips.At the back the fabric is lightly gathered into the zipper area and then it opens up with a series of panels that are built in for added volume. It extends out past the hem so that you have a sweeping feel as you walk. A very beautiful dress. 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 vintage Dior US8 

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 longest 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.

Philippe Venet apprenticed to a local tailor who is authorized to make Balenciaga designs. In 1951 he moved to Paris and became a cutter to Schaparelli. From there he met Hubert de Givenchy and in 1962 joined his atelier where he was the head cutter. In 1964 he opened his own Haute Couture label with Givenchy's blessings and support. His work tended towards minimalism and clean lines. His business was never as large as Givenchy's which allowed him to be more hands on for a longer period of time. Couture pieces from him are rare and hard to find and the early were ones like this even more so. This was almost certainly a piece custom-made for somebody and it is incredibly beautiful.

The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful a piece of true Haute Couture can be. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is that beautiful rich silk that you only seem to see in the very best pieces of couture. The dress wraps over an inner dress and this added inner structure keep the dress perfectly in place and also gives it the structure needed so that the outer layer falls perfectly over you. The bodice is cut into a V and it wraps, snaps and hooks into place. I love the way that he has brought in angled seaming and pleating to create the design that you see at the base of the plunge. On the panel that sits underneath the wrap everything is angled towards the centre of the dress and then the panel that sits over the wrap is set so that the pleats fall vertically all the way down to the hem. The hem is set on a curve that goes up at the front and around at the back. So when you walk you get a flash of bare legs. The back is cut longer and depending on your height you will have a bit of a sweeping behind you. The cut also gives you some pretty fullness and shape through the hips. At the back the seams are set vertically so that you just get one long swoop of fabric that extends out as touch at the bottom hem. There are even weights placed inside of the back so that it sits perfectly once on. Underneath this is a structured foundation piece. It has a structured corset top with boning and shaped cups in an ivory silk. The skirt is made of the same silk as the exterior and it is cut to just about the knee depending on your height. All of the inner seams are finished completely by hand and seeing how it is all piece together is a joy in itself.  The colour of the silk is a beautiful creamy ivory. This is a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is. It really shows how sometimes simplicity can have so much of an impact. It would be a dress that might make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice, for a day wedding, or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The inner dress acts as the lining and then the outer dress is also fully lined in an ivory silk. All the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. The inner dress closes with a hand set side zipper at the front. The outer dress snaps into place directly onto the inner dress and then the outer dress wraps and snapped onto itself. The zipper on the inner dress was slightly moved at some point but of course you don't see this once on. I have included a photo in the detail shots. I see a tiny hairline mark of thinning near the neckline and some wear to the edges of the top of the seams. Please see the photos after the label shot. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. 

Outer Dress
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to longest point of the back hem

Inner dress
Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4779

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 such a beautiful dress from Alexander McQueen and I love how wonderfully romantic it feels. It is from his Spring 2010 collection and it is a dress that was produced for the shops. The dress does not have a single unnecessary seam and I think it is even prettier in person. Even with its simplicity it would still be a dress that is red carpet worthy or 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. And of course it could also be worn to any other event. It is a fantastic example of his work.

The dress is made from a printed, soft liquid silk that is covered with one of the most beautiful and romantic floral prints I have ever seen on a dress. Oversized blossoms trail across the entire dress in a wonderful pale pastel design. The base colour is ivory and then the print is a soft wash of pink, pastel corals and soft taupe that cover the dress from shoulder to hem. Wide straps curved over the shoulders and extend down to form the halter feeling bust. The cut is very reminiscent of pieces from the 1920s and 1930s. The silk is all cut on the bias and the way that it falls over the body is beautiful to see. At the front there is a deep plunge and the fabric is gathered into a centre knot at the base of the plunge. Seams angle down from there across the hips and they actually hide little hidden slit pockets. A wonderful little detail. Those slanted seams are only on the front of the dress. At the back the dress falls in one swoop down from the shoulders. An extra panel of fabric is created from the front knot and then runs down the centre of the dress all the way down to the hem. It creates that beautiful draping and also gives the skirt incredible movement. There is actually a ton of silk through the skirt and the way that it is cut lets it billow and float around you when you move. It is in its original supermodel length and is unworn with its original hang tags attached. It is spectacularly beautiful. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in an ivory silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a McQueen 40. The bias cut should allow it to work on a range of sizes. I have put the comfortable range of measurements below when laying flat. Original hang tag attached. 

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 64" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4777

Reference Photos: Allison Williams in "Girls" Season 1, Episode 10 (aired June 2012).

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 very recognizable Alexander McQueen piece. While there are many of his pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that you instantly know is McQueen. Lee had only recently joined the Gucci Group at this point and his shows were becoming bigger and more commercial. The Fall 2003 collection was titled 'Scanners' and he went to the frozen arctic tundra for the show set. The runway was a wasteland set against an icy mountain. Models walked among rubble and rocks on the runway and and a dusting of snow covered everything. The name of the show came from the invitation that had scans of McQueen's actual brain on them. In the book "Alexander McQueen" by Abrams, they noted that "the collection engaged McQueen's interest in Eurasian culture and was presented as a journey of displaced travellers from west to east, from dark to light across the harsh planes of Siberia through Tibet, and into Japan, the land of the rising sun." The looks touched on both Russia and Japanese themes as well as mixing in a little bit of his signature punk. This is the twin of the dress that walked the runway for Look 55 and it is outstanding. It also has a strong tie-in with red carpets and we have included photos of some of the people that have worn one here including Eve and Naomi Campbell. This is an exceptional, very rare and extraordinary piece of his work for the collector. It might even make an amazing choice for a bride looking a non-traditional choice or alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration.

This dress is beautiful and rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready-to-wear. The fabric is a feather light white silk chiffon that moves with the barest breathe of air. The cut is classic McQueen with a low cut squared off neckline at the front that is meant to hold and push the breasts upwards. Underneath the bodice sits a band of silk to add some shape and structure. This tiny little detail adds the perfect bit of shape and gives the bodice its empire cut. The back is scooped to show a bare expanse of skin. I love how the straps are meant to sit at the very outer edge of your shoulders. Inside it is lined in an ivory silk satin and has hidden set boning. The construction is beautiful and done to the high level that you expect from runway McQueen. The skirt falls from the band beneath the bodice and there are yards and yards of silk used to create the skirt. At the front it is cut to just past the knee or just above mid-calf, depending on your height. It curves around the back where it drops in length at the centre and then there are two long panels on either side of you that fall to the floor. The effect this multi-length hem creates when you move is fantastic. As you walk it floats out behind and around you. You can see the movement in the runway video and it is extraordinary. If that was not enough, the entire dress was then hand, beaded and sequin with a combination of silver thread, tiny little silver beads and tiny silver sequins. They form an exquisite and highly detailed trailing flower design that is denser around the hem and then trails up the dress into the bodice. Attached ties extend out from the centre back of at the waist with extra extra long ties that can be wrapped around you or tied and left to trail out behind you. This is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in a white silk satin through the bust and white silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a series of large hidden set hooks at the back. The hooks could be moved a quarter to half inch up or down to get more or less room. The interior bust is shaped and boned. Hand finishes throughout. No size tag present. 

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Empire waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9" from top of shoulder to the top of the 1" band under the bust
Total length: 39" from top of shoulder to the front hem, 44" to the shortest pont of the back hem, 59" to the longest point of the hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4744

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Fall 2003 Alexander McQueen Runway, Look 55. Model Natalia Vodianova.  /  (4) Eve at the 2003 CFDA Awards.  /  (5) Naomi Campbell at a Party thrown in honor of McQueen, November 2004.  /  (6) Lily Donaldson on left at the 2006 Met Gala.  /  (7) Julia Schlaepfer wearing this dress at the BAFTA Tea Party, 2024.

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 1990 Haute Couture collection. Its twin was shown under a jacket on model Gloria Burgess and we found the original sketch of the dress in my YSL folio. I thought it interesting to see that Gloria was not the original model intended for the dress and that there was a change by Yves as to who wore it on the actual runway and you can see that interesting little detail in the sketch. I have included all the reference photos for you here and it gives you a beautiful idea of how fabulous this is once on the body. This is also the collection that the book 'Yves Saint Laurent: Catwalk' notes that "The end of this catwalk show was greeted by 10 minutes of a standing ovation, following Yves Saint Laurent's homage - via 119 designs - to the hugely talented men and women who had thus far influenced him and made an impression upon him". The dress is gorgeous and Yves always cut his couture pieces so perfectly. It really is a beautiful piece and in my opinion, owning a piece of his couture work is one of the ultimate vintage acquisitions.

The dress is amazing and showcases how wonderful Yves Saint Laurent could cut a dress to flatter a woman's body. It is made entirely by hand and the silk is that heavier richer silk that you only see in the very best pieces of couture. The top is cut to skim over you and blouse over the waist. The shoulders have padding to extend the line of them outwards a touch over the ends of the shoulder. The sleeves are cut full through the upper arms and then narrow to the wrists. Each cuff ends with four handmade silk covered buttons and loops and each button is perfectly functional. The neckline is set a touch wide across. The silk is gathered around the waist into soft folds to create a little extra bit of a detailing. The folds are set slightly off to the side and on an slight angle that visually helps to extend the body of the person wearing it. The waist is seamed but cut on the more generous side. To cinch it in we have added an ivory silk chiffon sash that is a beautiful match to the dress. The skirt falls under that in a simple shape that flares out as it nears the hem. It falls to just about the knee or above depending on your height and there are hidden pockets along each hip. The colour of the silk is beautiful creamy ivory. This is a brilliant dress and when you see it in person you will fall in love with how good it is in person. It really shows how sometimes simplicity can have so much of an impact. It would be a dress that might make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice, for a day wedding, or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in an ivory silk and all the work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It closes with a hand set side zipper and a button at the back of the neck. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Each cuff has four hand made silk buttons and loop. Padding in each shoulder as described above. Completely made by hand. Proper Haute Couture numbered label present. The silk chiffon sash is not original to the dress but will be sent with it. Any change in colour that you see in the photos is lighting.

Sleeves: 22" and 14" around the upper arm
Slightly wide set shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder to waist but mean to blouse a bit
Total length: 38" from top of shoulder to hem with 2" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4727

Reference Photo: Spring 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway. Model Gloria Burgess.

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This is a very rare dress that is the twin of the dress that walked the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1992 Haute Couture runway. It is extremely well documented and I have included photos of the original sketch and swatches that I have here from the Saint Laurent couture archive book set that I own in addition to runway reference photos of it that we found. You can see just how fantastic it is on the body. This was Look 47 and part of the short evening segment of the collection.

This collection marked Yves' 30 year anniversary and it was presented on January 29 to coincide exactly with his first collection presented January 29, 1962. The book, Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk, notes that at the time people were expecting a retrospective but Yves actually surprised everyone by producing a full 91 piece collection. There was a definitive tribute aspect to his first 1962 collection. Flowers were a main motif and ran throughout the collection as did polka dots and stripes. Puff sleeve tops with balloons skirts were integral and dresses like this one were a key look. It is an exceptional to have such beautiful documentation on this stunning dress. Every piece of Saint Laurent Couture is a treasure but when it's as highly documented in from such an important collection as this, it is just that much more special.

The dress is exquisite. It is made from a combination of a white silk that has been hand embroidered with roses and leaves across the entire bodice. This is then combined with a silk faille skirt that has dots that appear to be hand painted onto the fabric. A silk organza bow is wrapped around the waist and I love the deeper mustard yellow tone of it. It perfectly offsets the black and white palette. The neckline is scooped across the front and the bodice is meant to skim over the body to the waist. The sleeves are fantastic and each insets into the bodice in a series of pleats across the top of the shoulders. This is what gives them the volume that you see. The edges of the neckline are finished with a black cord and this runs around the cuffs as well. Each cuff is brought into the arm with a button and loop and this bringing in at the arm also helps to exaggerate the puff above. The entire silk of the top is embroidered in this magical, dreamy, black rose embroidery that pops against the white of the silk. The embroidery is done onto the silk directly in some places and then in other places the leaves or roses have been cut out and hand stitched in place. The waist is seamed but it is more generously cut and the organza ribbon that circles it adds the perfect pop of color. Under that the skirt is fantastically full and the fulness is created by the pleats that are set into the waist and the way it has been wrapped in and under at the hem to attach to the skirt underneath. Between the those two layers of the skirt you can feel that there is tulle and some structure inside that helps hold that exaggerated shape. It is a fantastic magical piece of Haute Couture and an important piece from an important collection. Excellent condition with a note below.

The bodice is lined in an ivory silk and the sleeves are unlined. The belt at the waist is attached and wrapped and hooked into place. The skirt is lined in the same fabric as the outer skirt and there is stiffening between the layers as described above. It closes at the back with a button at the top of the neck and then there is a hidden set side zipper too close. The dress is unlabeled, but I have seen the original label that came with the dress. The dress had been let out at some point and my client had it brought back in and unfortunately when she had it altered back to its original size, the tailor lost the tag. I see some very minor evidence of that alteration on the bodice. There are some areas of stress near the embroidery and some minor reinforcements underneath the arms. I see slight dustiness on the fabric at the top the shoulders and there is a tiny chip on the button on one sleeve. Perhaps a slight grubbiness along the inner edge of the lining under the arm. The outside presents as clean and fresh and once on it looks immaculate. 

Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 18" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4509

Reference Photos: (1-4) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture.  /  (5-6) From the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: L'oeuvre Integral 1962-2002".

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This incredible dress has it's original tag that appears to indicate that it was a sample from 1998. I have not been able to verify if this dress was produced for the shops or if it remained a one-off sample. If it is the only one that would be an incredible thing to have and even if it was produced it's so utterly beautiful that it would just be adding more beauty to the world if there was more than one. Of course I will continue to hunt for that information and one day I hope to send its new owner verification. Regardless of its production status, the dress is one of the best Valentino pieces I've ever seen.

This is a really stunning dress. And it shows how beautifully Valentino emphasize the female body will always stay completely elegant. The netting treatment on the dress makes you feel like you have been wrapped in the tulle. Underneath, the inner ivory silk taffeta layer gives the dress structure and it makes this beautiful, slight rustling sound when you move. The silk netting over that has a dot pattern over its surface. It is gathered down and along both sides. This creates this fantastic ruching all the way down that highlights your curves. Where it is gathered down both sides there is an elaborate line that has been beaded with two types of tiny black seed beads. The neckline curves around you at the top and then the dress is cut to skim over you with the shape all created by inner vertical seaming. The bottom skirt of the silk ivory underlay has been allowed to peek out from underneath the netting. It flares out and has an elaborate pleated ruffle all the way around. It is cut a little longer at the back and has extra fabric there as well so that you get this bit of a train effect behind you and a little fabulous kicking out of fabric as you walk. This is an incredible dress and one of my favorite Valentino pieces I've ever had in the shop. Excellent condition

The ivory acts as the lining through the body and then the bodice is lined with an additional layer of black silk satin. Lightly boned through the inner built-in bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice piece has its own separate zipper. It has its original tag and appears to have never been worn. Tagged a vintage Valencia 40

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to front hem, 59" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4431

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 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.

Philip Hulitar designed under his own namesake label from 1949 to his retirement in 1964 so his pieces fall in a very defined window for dating. He was known for his sophisticated dresses and evening gowns. Shortly after the launch of his label a journalist gushed that; 'The star of a gifted designer has risen recently on the fashion horizon'. Prior to launching his own label, Mr Hulitar was the in-house designer and head of the women's dress division for Bergdorf Goodmans for 18 years. His work is amazing. This would absolutely make for an amazing wedding dress for the bride or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. It is just beautiful.

This dress so beautiful to see. The fabric is that rich ivory champagne colored silk that seems to have been done nest during this time period. The cut of the dress is magical. The bodice is fitted and strapless and I love how it has a slight curve across the top of the bodice. Inside it is boned to help to hold the shape that you see. There is a little bow at one side for detailing that is so pretty. It is cut to follow your every curve. The waist is brought in but there is no horizontal seam there to break the eye. Instead it is held in place inside so you just get this beautiful unbroken curve to shape the body. The skirt curves over the hips and then widens out to fall to the floor in a stunning expanse of silk. The entire dress is shaped by the seam and the use of long vertical panels which give the skirt the volume that you see. You cod make it even fuller by adding a full crinoline underneath too. On the front and back are those inset panels of the same fabric bit for the panels they have been hand gathered across. This creates these long and wide panel of intricately gathered silk that run the full length of the dress. I love how they are used to add to the hourglass shape of the dress by being set wide across the bust, coming in at the waits and then expanding out across the width of the skirt. It does the same at the back but in a not so exaggerated way. The back is cut slightly longer for a beautiful sweep of fabric there. It is just a beautiful and rare piece of 1950s couture. Excellent condition with small notes below.

Fully lined in a tea coloured silk organza and closes at the back with a hand set metal zipper. Hand finishes throughout. Boning through the bodice. Beautifully made. The inner lining has a variation throughout that of course does not effect the outer dress at all.  I see a tiny foxing mark on one side of the outer skirt and the edge under the arm has started to give on one side and it is just starting a tiny on the other. These could easily be altered out by reducing the width of the band there a little. Please see the photos after the label shot. The construction throughout is to demi-couture standards. The colour is a bit more ivory then how it photoed. You could easily alter this one down if needed

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a C cup at the front
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem and 62" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4373

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.