Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. This has a similar feel to a dress I had in the shop a few years back that dated to 1971 and I suspect that this is from that same time period. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. Even when the dress was as extravagant as this one is, he knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is the type of piece that you are only ever going to find in vintage.

This very early piece of his work and with its glamorous fabric and that dramatic feather collar I think it is some of his very best work ever. The dress is stunning and besides the actual beauty of it as a dress, the fabric is one of the best textiles I have ever seen. It is a soft light weight wool or wool mix and it is printed with a tremendously beautiful lion print that runs across its entire surface. Where the print sits on the front bodice it has been beaded to follow the print underneath. It is a subtle addition that you noticed the closer you get, but it is there and gives the dress the most amazing added tactile sensation. To offset the texture and extravagance of the print on that fabric, the actual lines of the dress are fairy simple. The bodice skims over the bust to the seamed waist that is slightly high. the sleeves are long and straight with a little notch at the end of each cuff. The neckline is high and scooped. The skirt falls from the waist to the floor in a gentle widening line. The neck is, of course where all of the true drama of the peace resides. Here we see that gorgeous feathered collar in all its glory. The collar is attached and the feathers on the collar have been hand dyed to match the colours of the dress. The effect is amazing and it is even better on person and on an actual body as all the elements really come to life. It is really one of the most dramatic pieces ever done by him. A true collectors piece. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a creamy silky rayon and closes with the back zipper. The feathers are stable and show no shedding. The bead work on the front is all done by hand. Ribbon edge inner hem and hand finishing throughout.

Sleeves: 22" and are 11" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14" from neck to waist
Total length: 57" from neck to hem with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4973

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

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a beautiful example of his work from this time period.

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

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

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

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4656

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

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This is a gorgeous example of his work and I love that I can date it based on the very similar one that was used the a Vogue shoot that year. It gives you a better idea of how it will look like once on a body.

The dusty pink mauve coloured sequins that cover that entirely this dress are so densely applied that they actually overlap one another. There are hundreds of thousand of sequins used and it is incredible. Mixed in with those is a band of gold beads that wrap around the hips. This is set around the on one side and widens out over the hip and then narrows to a point where it meets the low set waist seam. Another triangle feeling band sits at the hem of the skirt on the opposite side. This time done in silver sequins. It is cut in that fabulous eighties big volume on top over a fitted skirt. The shoulders are strong and padded for shape. The neckline is scooped and the sleeves are long. The bodice is cut long and it is meant to blouse out over the skirt. Inside there is a silk lining in that same purple and then the sequin fabric is also lined in silk. It buttons down the back and you get a tiny glimpse of skin between the buttons. The sequins catch the light at your slightest move and its fabulous in person. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk with a low set inner zipper at the waist and a series of buttons down the back. Padding in the shoulders, It is meant to be oversized at the top so the hips are the most important measurement to consider.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: open
Seam at top of skirt: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 19.5" from top of shoulder to seam at top of skirt
Skirt: 22" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3953

Reference Photo: (1) Models in Bill Blass, Vogue, October 1982.  /  (2-4) Fall 1982 Bill Blass Collection. Model Alva Chinn.

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