The twin of the dress was Look 34 in the Resort 2016 lineup. The show was designed by Peter Copping and if you count the bridal collection that he did for the label, this was his third show since being appointed Creative Director at that time. In the Vogue review they noted that Copping stated: "I wanted to embrace color, pattern, and the house's general joie de vivre." And as promised, the clothes were bright, generous with embroideries, and blooming with flowers and ruffles.' They went on to rave about the evening pieces saying that "they captured De la Renta's flair for drama but retained a youthful, playful spirit." This was the second last look of the show and for me, it was one of the strongest. It is an incredibly beautiful dress and a highlight from Copping's time at the label.

This is a dress that instantly captures your attention and I feel like the colours in person are far more striking than how they photoed. There is a richness and depth to them that wasn't quite captured on the camera. The top is strapless and made out of a deep pink silk. It is caught to hug the body and has one of his signature built-in boned and wire cupped corsets inside. I love how the cups at the front have an extra panel of the pink silk set over them. This gives the illusion of a slightly larger bust and also adds a bit of an old Hollywood feel to the top of the dress. At the back it curves beautifully around you. The waist is cinched for shape. On the runway, they showed it with a belt and as far as I am aware that was sold separately. I think the dress works perfectly well on its own without one, but it would be very easy to add a belt if you wanted more shape. The skirt skims over the hips below that and then falls to the floor in a fairly straight column of a spectacular emerald coloured silk. Running down the front on each side is a trailing floral and vine pattern. The vines are made from a thick raffia cord in a deep blue that has been embroidered onto the silk. The flowers are elaborately done and made from deep blue sequins and beads in various shapes and sizes. They are set so that they set up and off of the skirt for the gorgeous 3D effect. There is a high slit that runs up the back of the skirt to allow you to walk comfortably and show a flash of leg. The dress has its original hang tag in place, in its original uncut length and was never worn. It is phenomenal. Excellent condition.

The dress is lined through the bodice in a matching pink silk and has a built-in corset that is boned and cupped. The skirt is lined in a matching green silk. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back and the inner corset closes with its own zipper.  An inner waist stay hooks to close. Ribbon edge finished inner hem. Tagged a modern ODLR 8.

Bust: 16.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 56.5" from top of bodice to hem with just over 1.5" turned under the hem
Back slit: 26" from the hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4894

Reference Photo: Resort 2016 Oscar de la Renta, Look 34.

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This is a piece done and shown for the special party and fashion show done in 2012 to celebrate Alber’s 10th anniversary with the company that year. Its twin in red was worn on several red carpets and I love that this lets you see just how spectacular it is on the body. 

The dress is gorgeous and I love the shot of the soft taupe colour against that deep charcoal black. The dress is made from a fine silk shantung and this fabric choice holds the structure and shape of the dress beautifully. The bodice is strapless and cut to hug the body to the waist. The top of the bodice is detailed with a panel of silk in that pale taupe and this folds around the top neck line on a slight angle to one side. Inside, there is a full built in hidden corset that is boned and shaped. The fabric is gathered into the waist so that it cinches in and then the skirt falls from there to the floor. On one side of the skirt there are extra silk panels that have been gathered up to one side to create that elaborate trained feel that you see. It is pleated into the side and then expands outward from there. A high slit is hidden under the panels so you get a flash of leg when you move. The entire skirt, including that outer extra panel, is all backed in a pale taupe silk organza so that when you move you get a flash of colour that ties into the colour at the top of the neck line. The added panelling gives the dress such an interesting shape as it falls around you. For me it is a nod to those grand gowns of the 50s where you saw these side sweeping skirts quite a bit. It is tremendously beautiful and has this wonderful sense of grace and elegance. It still has its original hang tag attached. Excellent condition

The dress is lined in a pale taupe silk organza. The top has a boned inner hidden corset to help hold the dress in place and shape you. The inner corset has its own zipper to close and an inner waist stay hooks to close. A second zipper closes at the side under the pleating of the side panel. It appears to be unworn and the original hang tag is attached. Tagged a modern 36

Bust: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist stay: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 11.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 55" from top of bodice to front hem, 57" to the longest point of the side panel
Slit: 27" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4892

Reference Photos: (1-2) Natalie Portman in Lanvin at the Golden Globes, 2012.  /  (3) Doutzen Kroes in Lanvin at the Tiffany Blue Book Ball, April 2013.  /  (4) Katherine Jenkins Performs At Selfridges, July 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.

The Richilene label was launched around 1970 and lasted to about 1990 or so from what I understand. It was a New York based label and was designed by Ilene Pacun and her husband Richard. The name came by combining their two first names which I only found out recently, and I thought was a cute little detail. They focused on party dresses for the most part and had a pretty wide range of options price wise. By the mid-1980s their prices ranged from about $200-$2000 and the higher and pieces were very well made. I can't help but think that this is a more attainable version of the famous 1986 Chanel with its removable sleeves. It has that same kind of vibe.

I absolutely love the cut of this dress. It is made out of a beautiful deep blue netting that has little dots worked through the tulle. The choice of this particular fabric gives it the structure to hold the shape but still keeps it fairly light in weight once on the body. The bodice is strapless and the neckline is cut fairly straight across all around you. There's inner boning for support and the boning continues down the sides on either side to help hold the dress in place. The waist curves in a bit and then the skirt is set in just at the top of the hip. I love how this gives the illusion of extra length through the body. The entire bodice has been heavily detailed with iridescent, deep blue sequence that are sat in a curving swirling pattern. They are heavily set so that they overlap each other and this allows them to catch the light in different ways to create a really pretty effect. Onto this are embroidered and beaded flowers that have petals set up and off the dress for a slight 3-D effect. These go all the way around the upper bodice. The skirt is very long and full. It flows to the floor in a cascade of that beautiful daughter in and there are five layers making up the skirt. The top two layers are the blue netting and then there is a organza layer under that that has a shimmering finish to it. Under that is a black layer of stiffen netting and then there is a final blue layer inside and under that. The very top layer has an edging of stiffen netting all the way around it, and that helps hold the shape and give it a pretty finish all of the volume you see in these photos are from the skirt and all of these built in under skirts. The final touch is of course those incredible removable half sleeves that you just slip on and wear high on the upper arm. They have stiff and tool inside, which helps to give them that puff, and then there is elastic at each end for an easy fit. I have pushed them up so they're very full, but you could also wear them a little more stretched out if you wished. The dress has a bit of a fantasy princess feel that I love. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined in a deep blue muslin feeling fabric and the skirt is lined as described above. It closes with a back set zipper. The sleeves have a stiffen tool interior and elastic on each end so they just slip onto the arm. 

Sleeves: each sleeve is up to 14 inches long and can be worn to be up to half that size in length. The elastic at each end stretches up to approximately 20"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist:12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at bottom of bodice: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips at inner lining: to 24"flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12.5" from top of the bodice to the seam at the bottom of the bodice
Total length: 53" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4879

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This is the actual dress that Sarah Snook wore to attend the Director Guild Awards in March 2022. This amazing sequin dress is by Bob Mackie from his boutique line and it is gorgeous. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his signature glamour. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to entering costume design and he began by co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years before launching his own label. His work always has that touch of the best of Hollywood glamour.

This is such a gorgeous dress. Its simple cut combined with that heavy sequin coverage add up to an incredible piece. Plus it is fabulous to have the added modern provenance after having Sarah Snook wear it. The dress has an incredible pattern done in sequins that make the entire dress catch the light from every angle. The sequins are all a glossy black and they are set in vertical rows. In between vertical sections of four, and four and a half inches in width, he left long bands of the fabric without sequins and then also did that same thing cutting across the dress so that he could create a slight check pattern that runs over the dress. It is subtle but adds the perfect amount of detail. The sequins within each created rectangular 'box' have been applied to slightly overlap the next sequin in line so you get a liquid effect. The dress is strapless with a slight curve to the neckline. The front neckline is cut straight across and the bodice kept simple. It is cut to fit over the bust and the waist is cinched. Inside is a hidden cupped and boned corset to keep the dress in place. The dress skims over the hips and the fabric there has stretch so it is easy to fit. The skirt falls to the floor and widens out as it nears the hem with a little flare to the lower skirt. The back is cut longer then the front for a bit of a trained feeling behind you. It has a very classic Old Hollywood movie star feel to it. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfection. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built in inner corset that is cupped and boned. The rest of the dress is unlined. It closes with a hidden set back zipper. There is a wide stay under the bust and at the inner waist that hooks to close with four hook options. Tagged a vintage Bob Mackie 6.

Bust: 17-17-5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to inner waist
Total length: 53" from top of bodice to front hem, 56" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4876

Reference Photos/Video: Sarah Snook in this Bob Mackie at the Director Guild Awards, March 2022.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a very rare runway documented Givenchy Couture dress from the Spring 1998 ready-to-wear collection "Rhinestone Cowgirls". It is the twin of the one that walked the runway. This is from the small period of time that Alexander McQueen was the Creative Director for the house. At just 27 years old he succeeded John Galliano as head designer in 1996. In 2001 his contract ended and he departed, telling the press that his creativity was constrained. His appointment had been tumultuous from the start. Hubert de Givenchy had describe his appointment as a "total disaster” and McQueen had shot back that the founder was “irrelevant”. Of course now in hindsight we see his collections for the genius that they were. It also showed his ability to design Couture. He said in later interviews that he walked away from the label with a greater knowledge about the process and techniques of couture, which benefited his own label afterwards. 

In the 'Givenchy Catwalk' book they note that the collection was heavily influenced by Westerns and said that "the hairstyles were inspired by the 1970s, especially Farrah Fawcett's iconic look with thick hair and flicked out ends. Dresses and suits made out of dip, lambskin, covered with flames and star motif created with insets of fabric appliqué." This is one of the most recognizable dresses from the collection and its photo also appears in that same book.

This dress is remarkable. It is strapless and the body of the dress is beautifully seamed. The upper edge of the bodice is finished with a dusty pink suede and the inner bodice is boned and shaped to hug the person wearing it. It is held in place by that inner corset and then it skims over the waist and down to the hips. I love how the skirt is set into the hip with a series of curved scalloped designs. This allowed him to do long vertical panels to make up the skirt. There are eight of them in total and each one spans out to be a full 25" across by the hem. That makes the bottom of the skirt incredibly full and if you lay it out flat, it is more than a full circle skirt. To emphasize the fullness of the skirt he had the model hold the skirt up and flick it around her as she moved. You can see in the photos here that when you are standing still you do have some idea of the fullness that the skirt has but this is really a piece that it is when you have it on and you see it moving that the amazing amount of fabric in the skirt gives it an entirely new dimension. The bottom of the skirt has been inset with the same dusty pink suede in the flame motif that ran so prominently throughout the show. I laid the dress out with the skirt extended so that you can get an idea of just how much fabric is in there. This is an amazing piece of both Givenchy and Alexander McQueen's history. Excellent condition with a note below.

The bodice and body to just past the hip is lined in a black silk. The skirt is backed in black. The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice is boned throughout with a built-in corset to the waist. A waist stay hooks to close. The suede shows some very slight minor fading and light grubbiness here and there. There is a small area on the bodice where the black has slightly lightened to have a reddish tint and there are a couple areas on one part of the skirt that has done the same. Please see the photos after the label shot. Tagged a vintage Givenchy 40

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13.25" flat across from side seam to side seam. Note that the outer waist is up to 15" so you could adjust the corset if you needed more room.
Hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to inner waist of corset
Total length: 56" from top of suede edge of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4872

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 1998 Givenchy Runway.  /  (6) From the book "Givenchy Catwalk: The Complete Collections" by Anders Christian Madsen.

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The book 'Givenchy Catwalk' says of this collection that "the new collection was heavily influenced by the fashions of the 1940s and was the height of sophistication." Several pieces walked the runway that season that had these Trompe L'oeil ribbons adorning their silk surfaces. The book notes that "the exclusive bow and ribbon prints on some day wear outfits reference the motif that had made Elsa Schiaparelli's name in 1927, but it was after dark that these features truly came into their own. In the evening were large ribbons tied into bows or loosely draped, decorating the bust like a tie or nipped in the skirts of extravagant colourful designs." This dress, or a very near version of it, was shown on the runway under a white jacket nipped in at the waist. We have also included a photo from the book that shows some of the other designs from that season that featured these sequin bows as well. It is a beautiful piece.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4870

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1979 Givenchy Haute Couture.  /  (2) Spring 1979 Givenchy Haute Couture Looks from the book "Givenchy Catwalk: The Complete Collections" by Anders Christian Madsen.

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.

Vicky Tiel was backed by Elizabeth Taylor as a young designer after working on the costumes for 'Whats New Pussycat'. After a stint with a partner she launched her self named label in Paris in 1970. She as one of the very early boutique owner/designer that offered a ready-to-wear option in Paris. That said, her clothes often walk a fine line between ready-to-wear and couture in terms of their construction and techniques used. By the mid to late seventies her style had developed into the ultra sexy and feminine clothing that she is now known best for. By the eighties and into the nineties, she had a cult celebrity following. This is a stunning example from 1984 of just how gorgeous and dramatic her work could get. 

The dress has the added modern provenance of being worn by both Julianne Hough and by Liz Gillies. We have included some of the photos from those two events and they show you just how fantastic this dress is once on the body.

The dress is made of a metallic gold lame fabric that gives it an extra shot of glamour. The fabric is quite light in weight so despite the elaborate construction of the dress is not heavy to wear. It is just heavy enough to hold the intended shape fabulously. The bodice is cut in a strapless rounded sweetheart finish that is very flattering. It is elaborately gathered and fitted around the bust with hand placed and gathered folds. Hidden inside is a built in under the lining internal structure with light boning so that the dress stays perfectly in place when it is on. The boning extends at each side, down and around the hips, which helps to hold the hourglass shape around the body. It is genius. The waist is nipped in but without any seam to break the gorgeous gathers that go across the dress. It curves out and over the hips and then under that the skirt falls in a straight long pencil silhouette with a vent up the back to allow you to walk and move. The gold glimmers in the light and it is one of the best Vicky Tiel dresses that I have ever had in the shop. It is so sensual and sexy and is even better once it is on an actual body. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silky rayon and closes with a painted metal and nylon zipper at the back. Boning through the bodice and sides as described above. Tagged a vintage Tiel 38. 

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam w up to a B-small C at the front
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to hem with about 1.5" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4868

Reference Photo: (1) Vicky Tiel in Town & Country magazine, December 1984.  /  (2) Julianne Hough in this dress at the NYC Ballet Spring Gala, 2023.  /  (3) Liz Gillies in this dress, November 2023.

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.

Well sourcing the collection for this dress we found an example in 1988 that felt close but I think it is most likely from the Fall of 1991. He showed several of these dresses with jackets over them at the end of that show and this feels more similar to those. You can also see the similarity in the one that we had that was worn by that Olivia Culpo. This feels like it's younger sassier sister. We have included reference photos from both collections here and either way, it is an absolutely fabulous little black dress. It is incredible and very sexy.

The dress is strapless with a pretty bodice that curves up at the front and down slightly at the back. It is boned and shaped to curve around the bust at the front and then hug the body to the waist. The exterior is made of a black silk and it has a little lace ribbon all around the upper edge for a little romantic touch. The skirt is made from two layers of a fine black netting that has a very smooth to the touch feel. The layers give you touch of transparency and you can see this in the 1991 show that this was deliberate. He meant it to be worn over an undergarment and tights that gives you some coverage and just have the transparency that shows your entire leg. If that does not work for you, you could easily add something underneath to lessen the transparency that the skirt has. It zips to close at the back and I love how you can see that the zipper has been hand set. The inner lining is also handset and it is just a beautiful example of how well these little dresses are made from Chanel. Especially in these early years of the Karl era. Excellent condition.

Lined in a handset silk through the bodice and closes with a back, hand set zipper. There is a stay in place around the waist that hooks to close. Tagged a vintage Chanel 38.

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: 10" from top of bodice at the front to waist
Total length: 32.5" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4837

Reference Photos/Video: (1) Spring 1988 Chanel.  /  (2-3) Fall 1991 Chanel, Look 98. Model Emma Sjoberg.  /  (4) Olivia Culpo in Fall 1991 Chanel from Shrimpton Couture.

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

This is just the prettiest Dior. I believe it is a production piece made for the shops perhaps from the 2010s. At some point we will find more and verify the date and update the info here, or send along to the new owner. The dress is made from a black silk net that has an intricate pattern laid over it that combines black silk ribbon, black cording and embroidery work. The bodice is strapless and has inner boning so that it hugs the body and stays in place. Ribbon and cording wrap horizontally around the top of the bodice and then under that are panels of lattice mixed with cross thatched netting and swirling bands of cording applied to it. All of the ribbon has been applied by hand and you can see all of the tiny stitches that have been done. The waist nips in and there is another silk and cord band to add definition. The skirt flares out from under that. The skirt is a little masterpiece in itself. It is very full and short and the netting gives it a touch of transparency over the inner silk chiffon lining. Long vertical bands of silk are combined the same lattice pattern from the bodice and then there is additional embroidery work over top of that.  Embroidered flowers are places all around the bottom of the skirt for the perfect extra touch. We shot it without any extra underskirts but there is enough fabric that you could probably add a light crinoline if you really wanted more fullness. There is already an extra layer of tulle over the silk chiffon inner skirt that helps hold the volume that you see. These multiple layers give the dress structure so that it holds the shape around you once on. It is beautiful and feels like it is a little piece of art. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a combination of black silk and silk net. It closes with a hidden back side zipper. Lightly boned through the bodice with two inner stays under the bust and another at the waist that all hook to close. Handwork. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a modern Dior FR36, GB8, IT40, US4.

Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 8.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 28" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4835

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 incredible dress is from the Fall 1998 collection and it’s twin walked the runway that season. It is incredibly sexy and it feels very French. This one has the added modern provenance of being the actual dress worn Adria Arjona for the 2018 Gold Globes season. We have included a shot of her in the dress so you can see how it looks on the body.

The dress is gorgeous and the fabric itself is part of what makes it so fabulous. The top layer of fabric is a black lace that has a silk cord applied on top of it to follow the pattern of the lace underneath. This sits over an inner lace that has metallic gold metal thread woven over its surface. The effect of the gold peeking out from underneath is gorgeous and I love the depth and interest that this creates. The dress is strapless and meant to hug and fit over the body. Inside there is a built in corset with boning that holds the dress in place around you. It hugs the bust and is shaped so that it curves in at the waist. There is no waist seaming, it just curves in for shape and then it skims over the hips and has a more pencil shape that will sit above the knee. How short it sits depends on your height. The dress has three pretty bows down one side. The top lace and cord layer is attached and it closes over the inner gold layer to the third bow. From the third bow to the hem that top layer is open so that when you walk and move you get a stronger feel of the gold underneath. It is absolutely fantastic and an instantly recognizable piece of YSL. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set side set zipper and the top layer of lace hooks in place over the zipper. The inner bust is boned. Tagged a vintage YSL 38

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 29" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4827

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1998 Yves Saint Laurent.  /  (2-3) Adria Arjona, wearing this dress, at the Vanity Fair x Instagram Golden Globes Party, January 2018.  

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.

On the runway the closest to this dress seems to be Look 3 which was shown underneath a jacket and was cut to a longer length. This one with it's just past the knee, feels more versatile and wearable. The collection was called 'Dolores' and the muse was Dolores Del Rio the famous Hollywood star of the 1920s. The show told the tale of the love affair between her and James Martinz Del Rio. Besides the longer black version of this dress there was also a white strapless skirt and bodice that had a similar silhouette. This one with it's perfectly simple minimalist silhouette is an amazing way to wear a historically important and early piece of Galliono's work, while still having a dress that you can wear on many different occasions on its own or layered under other garments. 

The dress is made from a lightweight black wool that has a slight texture to it. This choice of fabric lets it hold the shape that you see without making it heavy to wear. It is strapless and cut to skim perfectly over the body once on. There is a built-in boned inner corset that closes with its own row of lingerie hooks under the zipper at the back. This holds the dress in place on you and it also flattens and pushes the breasts up. The outer dress skims over that and then is shape so that it curves in at the waist for shapes. It curves back out over the hips and then the the skirt is cut in a sleek pencil that narrows down just a touch at the hem for the perfect hourglass shape. The seaming is all meticulously and purposefully done to shape the dress around you. A closed event at the back of the skirt allows you to walk and gives a little kick as you move. It is very chic and minimalist. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Fully built-in corset inside that closes with its own series of lingerie hooks and then the dress closes over that with a hidden set zipper. The dress is also lined in a black silk. I see one tiny nick in the fabric near the neckline at the front. Please see the photo after the label shot. Tagged a vintage Galliano 40/8 

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 35.5" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-SML

Item# DD4799

Reference Photo: Fall 1995 John Galliano, Look 3. Model Michele Hicks.

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 spectacular piece is one of the best dresses from the Spring 2008 collection. Its twin walk the runway for Look 53. The Spring 2008 collection has some extra importance in the labels history because it marked Dior's 60th anniversary and it was John Galliano's 10th year with the label. He celebrated with a show that was a nod to Old Hollywood glamour. The result was a collection that was filled with beautiful things that were wait-listed for worldwide. This dress was also produced in a black for the shops and both versions were produced in very limited quantities. I am very pleased to have such an exceptional example of his work for you. You just need to see the runway reference photos here and the video of it on and walking to see how amazing this one is. 

The dress is made out of red silk that has a touch more weight to it. John often chose this weight of silk because of the control it gave him with his signature draping and the angled and curved seam work that he loved to do. All of the pieces that make up the dress have been completely cut on the bias. The dress is strapless with an inner boned and cupped corset that holds the dress in place. Silk panels have been draped over the inner corset, gathered and hand stitched into place to create the dramatic sweeping detailing you see at the front. At the back he gathered all of the fabric down and into the centre line to meet in a little peak at the centre of the waist. From there his signature bias cut allows the dress to skim and drape over you so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. As in many of his pieces the seaming has the feel  of the work you see from the twenties and thirties. The fabric has been pieced together with low dropped angled panels to create the widening of the lower skirt. It flares out at the bottom and at the back it is cut longer so that you get a touch of a sweeping feel behind you as you walk. It is an incredible feat of patterning. A row of signature tightly spaced buttons & loops in the same silk run up one side. The dress is even better in person and on the body. John's pieces 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. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk and closes at the side with a series of silk covered buttons. The inner corset hooks to close with two rows of hooks to choose from. It is boned and cupped. It is made out of lingerie netting and does have some stretch. The hips also have range because the silk is biased cut so I have given the comfortable ranges below when the dresses lay flat. I see a teeny tiny darkened spot near the hem. Hand finishes.

Inner bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 55" from top of the bodice to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4772

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 2008 Christian Dior, Look 53. Model Morgane Dubled.  /  (5) Aishwarya at the IIFA 2008.  /  (6) Lucy at the People's Choice Awards, 2024.

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This dress is the Ready-to-Wear version of the Haute Couture Dior dress that walked the Fall 2021 show for Look 32. You can see the striking similarities to it from the similar metallic net fabric, to the cut. This version for the main line was produced for the shops in limited quantities and only sold at certain of certain Dior shops from what I understand. It is an absolutely stunning dress and I love knowing that it is based on that beautiful couture gown. It is truly a beautiful piece and it 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.

The fabric on this dress is very unusual. A fine metallic gold thread is done in a grid cut out that creates a thatched pattern over the entire dress. This sits over a layer of a pale nude silk netting and then both of those sit over the inner layers of silk tulle and silk on the bodice. The skirt has multiple layers of tulle underneath that top metallic layer with an inner silk lining under them all. The skirt has a ton of fabric and I did not use any extras under-skirts in the photos. All of the volume that you see is created by all of the existing layers of tulle and silk. If you wanted the skirt to be even fuller you could add something underneath and turn it into a fairy-tale cupcake dress. The bodice is meant to be fitted and the fabric is wrapped and gathered all the way around you. Inside there are padded cups that create a sweetheart neckline and light boning to hold the dress in place and give you support. Tiny little half sleeves leave the shoulders bare and they wrap around your upper arms for a pretty feminine detail. The waist is cinched and then the skirt poufs out below that to create all that gorgeous volume that you see. The dress comes with its original Dior cloth garment bag and looks to have been worn very little at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in silk and constructed as described above. It closes with a back hidden set zipper and an inner waist stay hooks to close. The front cups are padded and there is light boning in the inner bodice. Hand finishes. Tagged a F36, GB8, I40 US4. The colour is slightly more metallic in person and better.

Sleeves: 11" and are 11" around the upper arm
Bust: 15-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 57" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4733

Reference Photo: Fall 2021 Christian Dior Couture, Look 32. Model Mathilde Henning.

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In 1952, Hubert de Givenchy founded his namesake house on Rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris and quickly rose to fame as one of the grand couturiers. 16 years later for the 1968-69 season he added a ready-to-wear line of clothing and accessories called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'. The line was initially sold in the United States exclusively through Bergdorf Goodmans and was eventually made available at other retailers. The line was high end and extremely well made. This part of his brand was created specifically to appeal to his non-couture clients who wanted to be able to purchase a piece of the Givenchy dream. This label continued until 1992 when it was retired and re-branded as the Givenchy Couture label. This dress is from those early days of the label and it is one of the prettiest Givenchy dresses I have seen. 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4721

Reference Photos: Spring 1982 Lanvin Couture. Model Anna Bayle.

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"I have chosen today to say goodbye to the craft that I have loved so much. The next show to which I invite you, on Tuesday, 22nd January at 6 PM, at the centre of George's Pompano, will predominantly be a retrospective of my work… Some designs from the currencies will also be shown." This was how Yves the announced his intention to retire and leave the world of Haute Couture. That final show was over an hour long and was presented to a room of 1500 hand picked guests. To tell the story of his decades long career there was a total of 371 garments shown that day. The presentation began at the beginning of his career and the show was a full retrospective of his work that showed a highlight of all of his creations through the decades. There were also a small group of 11 new items for the 2002 season included about 2/3rds of the way into the show created as the Spring 2002 couture collection. All were pieces that were based on dresses from the past but done in new colours. They were all made of weightless chiffons and were in a variety of colours. This blending of past and present further evoked the idea of his journey and how his designs are truly timeless no matter when they were made. The twin of this black dress was included in that grouping and it is based on the green dress we have included a reference photo of for you here from the Spring 1991 collection. I love it even more in its black version. The dress has its own special couture tag that commemorates it as being a part of this final show. It is an extremely rare and wonderful piece.

This dress is stunning. It has a strapless bodice that is fitted perfectly to hold the dress on the body and then it falls from there to the floor in layers of weightless black silk chiffon. The silk of the bodice is gathered and set vertically and inside the bodice there is a full inner built-in corset that is shaped and seamed so the dress stays perfectly in place once on. A wide band of silk wraps underneath the breasts to the waist and there is a sash that ties in a soft bow off to one side. The ends of the sash trail all the way down the side to the floor and this helps to add to the beautiful movement this dress has once on. Below the beautiful shape through the bodice the skirt falls to the floor in a soft cascade of silk chiffon. The. side of the skirt that opens is slightly longer than the other and this is a clever way to give that side of the skirt even more movement. These are the tiny details in Couture that make a dress move the exact perfect way. The innermost layer of silk chiffon is set all the way around you and then the other layers of the skirt are set over this and slit right up to where the waistband meets the top of the skirt on that side. So when you walk and move you are covered by that single layer of silk chiffon underneath but you are still bare underneath the transparency of the chiffon. You can see this clearly in the video as the model walks. It is very sexy. The layers and open side of the skirt combined with the trailing ties from the waist are then what allow the dress to move so beautifully around you when you move. It is  absolutely perfect in every way. The workmanship is beautiful and the dress appears to have never been worn or worn very little. What a joy to have such an important dress from Yves very last collection. Excellent condition.

Bust: 15.5-16" flat across from side seam to side seam with an A-B cup
Seam under the bust: 14.25" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Inner waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 4.75" from top of bodice to seam under the bodice
Total length: 51" from top of bodice to shortest part of the hem, 54" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4624

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Spring 2002 Yves Saint Laurent Couture, Look 240.  /  (4) From the book “Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture: CATWALK”  /  (5-6) Spring 1991 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture. 

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McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress was a piece made for production for the shops and you can see a similar swooping cut that the final pieces of this show had in its design. It is stunning.

The dress is made out of a beautiful rich black silk and is cut with an almost sculptural line combined with that bias cut draping. The combination is fantastic. The dress has a more fitted inner dress and then the silk drapes over that. The bodice is strapless and there is a full built-in cupped corset that holds the dress in place and gives you support through the bust. One side of the inner more fitted dress is exposed and this gives a suggestion of the shape of the body underneath. You see the inner dress from the top of the strapless bodice, around its side, and then down to about the hip. That inner portion of the dress has been been elaborately embroidered and beaded in a stunning floral design. It is beautiful. On the other side of the bodice, a silk panel is attached all the way around the top of the neckline and then it drapes down and around to frame that exposed inner dress. It creates this beautiful curved draping effect that gives the dress a bit of a Grecian goddess feel and picks up on those drapes that he used for the final few dresses on the runway. The silk panel continues all the way around the back and then the entire thing drapes to the floor. The hem is set on a slight angle with the side that drapes down sitting longer than the other side. This creates a very classic and signature McQueen feel. It is a beautiful mix of exposing just enough of the shape of the body while still showcasing the exceptional draping that he excelled at. I love how the draping slightly exaggerates the shape of the body and add curves even though the dress is not tight tot he body in any way. No matter what angle you see this dress from there is an interesting drape or an elaborate beaded detail. It is gorgeous. Excellent condition

An inner black silk lining goes to just above the knee and there is a built in inner corset that is lightly boned and cupped. The corset has its own back zipper that fully opens and then the dress zips to close over that. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Tagged a McQueen 44

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with B to maybe small C cups
Inner waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
inner hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from top of bodice to shortest point of hem, 58" to the longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4622

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This is the second of this dress I have had in the shop and I was surprised to find another so soon after having the first. Its twin walked the Fall 1989 show and I love that we have the reference photo for you to see how it looks on the body. The runway look was styled with a metal belt and I love that it shows you that with a simple switch of what you choose to wear around the waist you can give the dress a different feel. Bob Mackie became a household name when he started dressing Cher. He started off his career freelancing for costumers Edith Head and Jean Louis and it was while there that he sketched the design for Marilyn Monroe's famous 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress. He met fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan who eventually became his life partner. Together they designed costumes for Hollywood and created a made to order line of RTW. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years and the launch of his own label. His work helped to define an entire era of high glamour on the small screen and beyond.

The dress is made out of a stunning ombre deep dusky pink and taupe silk chiffon. Then under the top layer of the silk is a second layer of silk chiffon that has these incredible gold and silver thread leafs worked through the silk. These shimmer through under the top layer and create a beautiful depth and unexpected glimmer when you move and as they catch the light. It is a combination that is stunning to see together. The bodice is strapless and it has an inner shaped corset that is boned and shaped for support and to stay perfectly in place. The top of the bodice is peaked at the sides and then it is slightly rounded as it dips down and into the centre. Onto the bodice the silk chiffon has been gathered and softly draped so that it follows the curve of the bust and then slightly overlaps at the front. It does the same at the back where it meets at the centre set zipper. The waist cinches in and the dress comes with its original matching silk sash that you can tie and style around the waist or the neck. The skirt flows out from under there and it is made up of yards and yards of feather light silk chiffon. There are two layers of the bias cut silk stacked on top of each other and then an inner silk layer that sits next to the body. The top two layers of chiffon are feather light and the movement they create as they float over each other as you move is just incredible. It is incredible to see in person and the colour has a touch softer feel to it then how it photoed. That little bit of added glamour and drama from the gold and silver under that top layer of chiffon elevates the dress that much more. I love it. Excellent condition

The bodice of the dress is fully lined in a copper brown silk. The skirt has an inner nude layer of silk under the top two layers of bias cut silk chiffon as described above. The bodice is shaped and boned inside and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. A tiny touch of wear at the top off each peak and a small darkening to the skirt that gets lost int he folds of the skirt. Please see the photo after the label shot. It closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for at least a C cup at the front
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of the tallest point of the bodice to waist
Total length: 56" from tallest point of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4612

Reference Photos: Fall 1989 Bob Mackie 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.

This is from the Spring 2016 collection and its twin walked the runway for Look 32. This is Maison Margiela designed by John Galliano and I love having the photo references and runway video so that you can see how amazing the dress is once on the body. Vogue called this collection the "most rounded and product fulled collection so far" They went on to note that "He made a delightful merge of vintage-y eccentricity, Japanese geisha styling, and color—themes that have constantly been part of Galliano’s design territory from the beginning, of course....for evening and events, numerous dresses in extraordinarily subtle combinations of kimono-inspired prints and tints" This is dress was a part of that grouping and you see the elements of a traditional kimono in its padding detailing and painted silks. On the runway they showed it with a bag wrapped and tied around the bodice and I loved that clever staying that added that bright pop of unexpected green. 

The first thing you will notice when you take this out of the box is how tiny it seems. It seems almost impossible to fit on an actual body but when you actually put it on you realize the amount of stretch that is cleverly hidden in it that allows it to form and fit you perfectly around the bodice. The colour is a muted plum and it is a fascinating and complicated combination of fabrications. The bodice has a built-in boned and cupped inner corset and then there is a layer of padding between that and the outer stretch silk jersey. It is strapless and meant to hug and fit the body. The skirt under that is fascinating. There is a layer of a thick stiffened mesh netting that sits over a white layer of the same netting and then that all sits over an inner printed layer of silk. Then that is backed in a black almost neoprene feeling fabric. This creates the slightly padded feel you see. If that wasn't enough the entire back of the dress has been painted with swaths of a bright turquoise paint that actually sits on top of the fabrics. It feels like he took a roller and just rolled over the fabric. John always pushes the edge in the way that he uses fabrics and this dress is no exception of that. It is a fascinating piece to see and an amazing future collectible. It has that brilliant tailoring and innovation that the label is know for combined with Galliano's genius. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined as described above and closes with a back zipper. Fully separate boned and cupped corset inside. Tagged a 40. The fabric has some stretch.

Bust: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to top seam at the waist
Total length: 48" from the top of the bodice to the hem with approx 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4598

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2016 Maison Margiela, Look 32. Model Martina Lew.

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 gorgeous Monique Lhuillier was Look 15 in the presentation and we also found a photo of one on the beautiful Dee Hilfiger. This was one of the strongest looks from the presentation and the dress is beautiful. The Lookbook was shot at a picturesque French château and Lhuillier  said of the show that she "wanted the clothes to be seen in the place where they might be worn”. How magical would it be to have that happen? Although in reality this is a dress that would instantly make anywhere it ended up being worn feel magical. 

This was part of her ready-to-wear collection and it might even make for a magical dress for a bride who wants to go the non-traditional route and wear something that was not white. It would also make for an amazing wedding guest option or for any gala or fabulous event. The bodice is strapless and fitted and meant to hug you and shape your curves. The peaks at the front are high and I love how she has wrapped the netted tulle over the bodice and used variations in colour on the bodice to add a bit of interest and depth. Inside it boned and shaped and I love how it scoops down and around the back. The waist is nipped in and then the skirt explodes out from under that. The skirt is spectacular. It is layers and layers of tulle set on top of each other and cut in different sections to get that elaborate shape that you see. Underneath each layer is netting cut to follow the shape above and then that has a wide panel of stiffened netting that goes all the way around you and follows every single cut and pattern in the skirt. This helps to hold the shape that you see. As good as it looks on the dress form, I think seeing it on the two women shown here really gives you an idea of how it sits and floats around you once on the body. The layers also give it a sophistication and keep it from being just another big puffed tulle skirt. The back is cut a little longer so that you get a bit of a trailing effect behind you. This is the ultimate dream dress for the girl that wants to make an entrance. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

The bodice has a built-in netted and lightly boned corset, and the skirt is lined in a pink silk. Layers of netting underneath the tulle as described above. This gown was over $10,000 and was done in very limited quantities. Tag a modern 4.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with some room at the front cups to fit at least a B cup maybe a small C
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner lining at hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to waist
Total length: approx 60" from top of the peaks at the front of the bodice to the front hem and aprox 75" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4580

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 2019 Monique Lhuillier, Look 15.  /  (2) Dee Hilfiger in Monique Lhuillier.

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 Andre Laug label launched in 1968 in Rome. Laug was one of the grand Italian Couturiers who would now be considered to have designed "Alta Moda" the Italian equivalent of Haute Couture. He apprenticed under Nina Ricci and was the designer behind the first "Mademoiselle Ricci" collection in the summer of 1961. From there he freelanced, working for both Philip Venet and Andre Courreges. His clients included Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Diana Ross and countless others.This dress is all done by hand couture tags and based on its style most likely dates to those first early years. It is gorgeous.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS- SML

Item# DD4514

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I sold a pink sleeved version of this dress in the past and was very pleased to find this strapless green one. These dresses were not runway pieces and were produced for the shops as a special series in limited quantities. I had showed you the runway pic that is also presented here because it was the closest thing to the pleat work on the dress and at least give you an idea of how the skirt falls once on the body. Fall 2019 was a wild success. The Vogue review for this collection touched on Pier Paolos's inspiration for the show saying; "(he is) a man on an intuitive mission to place fashion on a positive plane. 'I feel that people are looking for emotion and dreams—but not distant dreams,' he said today before his ready-to-wear show was about to take to the runway. 'I want to create a community for Valentino. I mean something different from ‘lifestyle,’ which is about owning objects. It’s about people who share values.'” Every piece he does is special and this dress is no exception.

I love this dress. It feels thoroughly Valentino. When you add in that spectacular floral print that covers the entire side and length of the skirt it is just a joy. The dress is made from a fine and very light weight cotton that has been finished to have a slight sheen so that it looks at first glance to be a silk. It has a touch of transparency to it and I think he choose a cotton over a silk as it hold the soft pleat work far better then a silk would. I know from the previous dress that I sold that had its original hang tags that the cotton was spun in such a way that it may have variations in it. There was also a tag on that previous dress that said to maintain the plisse effect that dress has you were to wring it to compress the pleats after cleaning. I love that Valentino goes to these lengths and uses such natural fabrics. It is part of what makes the exceptional quality of his pieces. The lightness of the cotton combined with that soft open pleating is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric of the skirt catches the air and billows out around you. The body of the dress is done in a deep moss green and is has soft variations of that colour  in it. The skirt of the dress has been finished to look like it was hand painted. There is a huge abstract painting effect that trails over the side of the skirt and down the length of it that has been done to suggest a field of flowers. It is actually screened onto the fabric yet it somehow feels as if it is hand painted into it. The dress is strapless and it is fitted over the bust and then brought in at the waist with a seam. The fabric is set vertically over the bust and there is an inner lightly boned bodice made out of an almost startling coral silk chiffon whose colour peeks through the exterior cotton very slightly. The skirt falls from that seam under the bust to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. There is a very deep ruffle that is attached to the hem of the lower skirt for even more volume there. The skirt is cut beautifully and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. There are yards of fabric in the skirt and the pleats expand to give it a floating effect as it moves with you. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Lined through the bodice in a coral cotton and an inner chiffon, lightly boned bodice piece. The skirt is lined in a light white cotton. The dress closes with a hidden set side zipper and the inner bodice also zips to close. You can see the hand tied stitches inside the bodice to hold the pleating in place. Tagged a Valentino 40. 

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 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 8" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4499

Reference Photo: Fall 2019 Valentino Runway, Look 60. Model: Yoon Young Bae.

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. 

Loris Azzaro launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks by using ornate fabrics and avant garde ways of defining the body. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. By the seventies and eighties he was experimenting with volume and proportions and new fabrics that at the time were all cutting edge. This is a stunning example of his work from the mid- to later part of the 1970s and is fantastically beautiful. No matter how good it looks on my dress form, in person and on the body it transforms into even more of a bombshell. It is spectacular. To give you an idea of the way the paper bodice fits I have included a photo of French singer Dalida and one if Raquel Welch both wear dresses similar to the bodice of this one. I think this one with its fantastical net tulle skirt is even more special 

This is a killer dress. It is one that will come to life even more once it is on an actual body because this is a dress that in person it is even better. The movement it has cannot truly be captured until it is on a body and moving. The first thing you see is that the entire body of the dress is covered in overlapping glossy black sequins that catch the light from every angle. This detailing alone takes your breath away when you see the dress in person. The dress is strapless and the bodice is cut with a rounded sweetheart neckline and has shaped cups with one of hi signature inner tacked in strapless bras.  It skims over the body from there gliding over the waist and hips. There is some shape at the waist but it is with a more easy feeling which keeps the dress feeling long and lean. Under that the skirt falls to the floor in an explosion of netted tulle that is set in ruffle layers that curve up and toward the centre front. The layers give the skirt so much volume and movement when you move and it is just incredible. When you move even the slightest, they move with you and it's gorgeous to see. It has a full underskirt in a black silk but the way the ruffle are set give the illusion of being more open at the front. I love how the dress curves around the hips and dips down slightly before turning into the tulle to give you maximum curves at the back as well. Above that the entire back is also left bare and open and it is as incredible from the back as it is from the front. The dress is wonderfully made. It is a stunning dress and you will definitely turn heads in it when you walk into the room. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and it closes with a zipper at the back. His signature copper strapless bra is tacked unsaid and you could remove or replace this is needed for a better fit. It is fuller through the waist and If you wanted a more hourglass feel you can alter the waist in. Elastic through the upper seam of the bodice. and the fabric has some give. Hand finished throughout.

Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with the current inner bra about a B to small C cup 
Waist: 14-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item#DD4486

Reference Photos: (1) Raquel Welch with Loris Azzaro, 1978.  /  (2-3) Dalida in Azzaro, 1976. - First two photos from the book 'Azzaro: 50 Sparkling Years'.

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.

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi.  He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'

You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to the waist. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and it is done with an asymmetrical cut so that one side of the skirt is linger them the other. This was a signature cut for Scaasi and a detail you see in many of his pieces. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is all created by the way the seams are done and the inner construction of the dress. The innermost layer closest to you goes to just past the hips and it is made out of a fine black silk. A layer of tulle sits between that and the outer skirt and this is how the shape is created. The outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary half bow that is set along the one side of the bodice. This is lined in a brilliant pink for an unexpected pop of colour. I have placed it to one side but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides. I think you might even be able to wear it with your arm slipped through and if you really wanted to create more drama you could add some wire inside to ensure it stays high and full no matter how you move as it may flop down when moving as out is now. This one also comes with its original high shawl that is black on one side and that same brilliant pink on the other. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned and it closes with a side set zipper. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 10" from top of bodice to natural waist
Skirt: 24" from natural waist seam to shortest point of the hem and 52" to the longest part of the hem with 4" turned under

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4477

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 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.

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.

Geoffrey Beene was one of the most awarded designers in the US. There is a currently an exhibit running of his work for the 2023 year titled MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene. I wanted to share the exhibit notes because they sum his career so well saying 'At his core, Beene was a fashion rebel who ignored trends, instead preferring to design garments that began as geometric shapes and evolved into silhouettes that moved naturally with the human form. His intuitive understanding of the body informed fashions that were unparalleled in their combination of luxury, thoughtful design, and comfort. Beene’s colorful, imaginative creations have been recognized with many accolades, including eight Coty American Fashion Critics Awards and three Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards. His work has also been celebrated through various exhibitions at institutions across the nation.'

This was a favoured silhouette of Geoffrey Beene that he was doing primarily through the late 1980s and into the very early 1990s. When looking through some of the images from the exhibit on his work there were dresses with very similar cuts from the 1990 season. It is a very pretty dress and very striking once on. The bodice is strapless and then it is completely covered in overlapping glossy black sequins at the front. At the back it is the same silk taffeta as the rest of the dress and I love how part of that extends and wraps around to the front just under the bust. This is all attached and adds a beautiful detail that really reflects his work from this time period. The bodice is meant to be fitted and has light boning inside to hold it in place. The top of it dips in the center and peaks slightly on either side to emphasize the bust. The waist is nipped in and then from there the skirt is cut beautifully full to the hem. The silk is all gathered into the waist and this is what helps give it that shape that you see. I love the oversized floral print that covers the silk and how there are these little woven dots running over the very top of the silk. These catch the light differently and are also a subtle nod to his love if dots in his work. Inside there is a black silk lining and the edge of that lining is finished with a sequin detailed lace. This peaks out from below the curving hem of the skirt  and ties all the elements of the dress together. The dress can be worn on its own or with the matching shawl piece that is original to the dress. This extra wide shawl is caught up at each end in an elaborate twisted fabric flower that anchors it and allows it to open between for the volume you see. It can be worn numerous ways and I have photoed some of those here. You could also wear it over the head for a very glamorous look. It is so pretty. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back hidden set zipper. Ribbon finished hem. Light boning through the bodice. The shawl is unlined with no closures

Bust: 17-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from top to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to longest points of hem
Shawl: 100" x 46.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4353

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

This dress is by Arnold Scassi and I love the choice of sequin and net that he used for this one. Scaasi worked under Charles James at the start of his career and many of his dressed reflect this early influence. His boutique line was launched in 1984 and was high end ready-to-wear and very expensive. Pieces from it often have a demi-couture level finish and really are an extension of his couture line. This one is especially fabulous and just is one of those pieces that feel joyful to look at.

Yards and yards of a brilliantly coloured floral silk gazar have been used in this Arnold Scassi dress and it is just exceptional. This particular piece is a little extra fascinating because it actually has Bergdorf Goodman tag inside with the exact date this dress this dress was delivered so we know that it was is from 1986. I love that. This dress varies from his usual boutique pieces as it was an obvious special order piece and it has mote the feel and construction of his main couture line. I would get that it was based on one of his ready made pieces, but then was a special order it would've been a one of as far as measurements and perhaps she even changed the design as well. So it was most likely made in his atelier for this specific woman so is half way between his RTW and couture line. The silk used for this dress is just incredible. It is feather light but the gazar has enough structure to it that it holds that beautiful shape perfectly. All the fullness that you see are because if the fabric choice and the seam work and yet it sill moves and floats around you effortlessly once on. It is strapless and on the bodice the silk has been gathered over to one side. This adds detail and also is how he has shaped the dress to create and highlight the curves of the body. The bodice glides over the waist and then extends past and below the hip.Again a trick to exaggerates your curves. The skirt is set into the seam there and it has a wonderfully full feel. When you walk the movement that this creates is exceptional. It is as good inside too. The innermost skirt is made from layers of a fine green silk with a broad band of horsehair taping inside the bottom hem of both the exterior skirt and the inner silk lining to help hold the volume. Between those layers is a third layer whose bottom is finished with layers of silk net tulle. It is just exquisite. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine green silk organza and the skirt is lined as described above. Lightly boned through the bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Hand finishes

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with room to a B or small C cup at the front
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52.5" from top of the bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4314

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.

Arnold Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal and the name Scassi is simply his own surname in reverse. He studied in Montreal and in Paris, apprenticed at the house of Paquin and then worked with the legendary Charles James. In 1964 he opened own couture salon. He dressed Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Taylor. He dressed several first ladies including Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and both the Bush first ladies. He even once bragged that he refused to give Jackie clothes for free. He was the man behind the scandalous 1969 Barbra Streisand sheer trouser outfit that she collected her Oscar in, and he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The dress is from his main label and these were extremely well made pieces. It is so dramatic and in being so also so very Scaasi.  He himself once said 'I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.'

You can easily see the influence of Arnold having worked for Charles James in this piece. The lines are dramatic and yet elegant. The silk is that incredibly rich feeling silk that drapes and sits beautifully. The dress is strapless and is gathered from there to just past the hip. The gathers are all held in place along the side and this brings in the cut so that it follows and highlights your curves. The skirt is set under that and the seam is done on a slight angle to add visual length to the dress. On the opposite side that seam extends down and into a deep point to give the body length there as well. The skirt is quite full and the shape and volume that you see is held by the inner construction which is quite amazing. The innermost layer closest to you is a fine black silk that is finished at the hem with a broad inset band of stiffened netting so that the shape is kept. Over this lay four full layers of tulle netting and then the outermost layers sits over all of that and even that top layer is self-lined in a black silk organza. The final perfect touch is that extraordinary ruffle that is set along the side and runs down the front all the way to the bottom of the gathered bodice. The ruffle is black on one side and then the other is finished in a shocking pink silk. This unexpected shock of color is fantastic. I have placed it to one side as it was shown on the runway but the dress is so well made that you could wear it almost anyway around and just change where the zipper sits and the back or sides.Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black tissue silk. The bodice is lightly boned on the ruffle side and it closes with a back metal zipper on the opposite side. The inner skirt construction is described above. Hand finished throughout.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 18" from top of bodice to dropped seam
Skirt: 39" from dropped seam to hem with 4" turned under the top layer

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4305

Reference Photo: Fall 1982 Arnold Scaasi.

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

This dress is by Arnold Scassi and I love the choice of sequin and net that he used for this one. Scaasi worked under Charles James at the start of his career and many of his dressed reflect this early influence. His boutique line was launched in 1984 and was high end ready-to-wear and very expensive. Pieces from it often have a demi-couture level finish and really are an extension of his couture line. This one is especially fabulous and just is one of those pieces that feel joyful to look at.

This gorgeous little dress is constructed from multiple layers of feather light black tulle net that has hundreds of sequins sewn onto the very top layer. The sequins absolutely bring the dress to life. They are a mix of red, green, blue and gold and cover every square inch. The light bounces beautifully off them as you move. The top netted layer sits over multiple inner layers which is what gives the dress the volume that you see. The dress is strapless and the bodice is kept simple so the sequins take center stage. It is gathers down one side and the seam at the bottom is set on a sharp angle that dips down very low on one side. The skirt explodes out from that seam and that angled cut of the bodice is followed by the angle of the hem as is cascades towards the floor lower on one side. There are yards and yards of fabric in the skirt. Under that very top sequin embellished layer is another layer of tulle, then two layers of a stiffened netting and an inner black silk layer beside your skin. A flower made of the same black netting and sequins, with a black bow on top, sits on the one hip for the final perfect touch. It is fabulous and just a joy to see and wear. Excellent condition with a note below. 

The skirt is fully lined in layers as described above. The bodice is lined in a black silk with interior boning. The dress closes with a side zipper. The occasional missing sequin here and there but no large bare spots. There is a touch of patina on the sequins here and there.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 12" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 27" from waist to shortest part of the hem, approx 40" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4304

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.