This was the closing look of the prefall 2010 presentation by Stefano Pilati. When Vogue reviewed the collection Sarah Mower said; 'There are two ways of looking at pre-fall in terms of what it means in the great relay race of fashion. A designer can follow through on designs from the season before, but also perhaps start trying out ideas that will determine the look of the next show. In YSL's extensive new collection, Stefano Pilati had plenty of scope for both.' She also mentioned the draped dresses in particular saying; 'Anyone with a hankering for rushing ahead will, however, want to study Pilati's ankle-length A-line skirt, wide-leg pants, and draped wrap satin dress. Whether the Saint Laurent seventies that these pieces referenced is a fleeting transitional moment or something Pilati will commit to for Fall, they were the most interesting pieces in the collection.'

This was the strongest dress of the collection and its twin was worn by Halle Berry that year and also in a blue version by Jennifer Garner. Several years later one was also worn by Martha Hunt. I love having all of these reference photos for you because you can see just how beautiful this dress is on the body. The silk is biased cut and it is suspended from one shoulder. Starting at the top of the shoulder a twisted rope extends down one side of the back leaving the rest of the back bare. This strap ties in a knot at the low back on the side. Long panels of fabric drape down from the knot to cascade down one side. The front of the dress wraps around you and it is seamed and secured underneath the base of the edge of the back waist. This wrapping effect leaves a high slit up the back of the leg that you can see in the runway presentation photo. The shape at the front is created through a combination of the bias cut and the way the fabric has been gathered up and underneath the base of that knotting detail. The boas cit lets it skim over and fall down the body highlighting your curves but without being tight. The biased cut also gives this incredible movement as you move and is an extremely sensual and sexy feeling dress once on. That deep red colour is amazing. I love the panels that drape down on the one side. They add incredible movement floating out behind you as you move. I think this was one of the strongest dresses of his time at this label and it is a stunning dress. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Unlined and completely cut on the bias. It slips on to wear. The bias cut of the fabric allow it some stretch and movement. Tagged a YSL 36 but the bias cut makes it more flexible in sizing. It should accommodate a range of sizes. This was incredibly difficult to measure so I have given the comfortable range of the fabric laying flat. It may have additional give beyond that. The length may come up once on due to the bias cut

Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12 or smaller-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: to 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4159

Reference Photos: (1) Pre Fall 2010 Yves Saint Laurent Collection, Look 41. Model: Yulia Kharlapanova.  /  (2-3) Halle Berry in Yves Saint Laurent at the 32nd Annual Carousel of Hope Ball, October 2010.  /  (4-6) Martha Hunt in Yves Saint Laurent at The Double Lover Premiere, Cannes, May 26, 2017.  /  (7) Jennifer Garner in Yves Saint Laurent at the BAFTA Brits to Watch in July 2011.

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 special red jersey dress by Yves Saint Laurent is very well documented. We always love finding pieces that have a solid history behind them. It's from the Spring 1982 collection and its twin was shown on the runway and it was also featured in ad campaigns that ran in various magazines. It's interesting that we actually found two different shots for ads that feature the same three dresses but with the models depicted in different positions. The end that year was shot by helmet Newton which as yet another layer to the history of this dress. The dress is not perfect but it's completely wearable as is and its gorgeous lines and easy to wear cut combined  with its place in fashion history easily offset any small flaws.

The dress is made from a cherry coloured red silk jersey. It is an extremely easy dress to wear. There is elastic through the waist and you just slip the dress on and tie it at the one shoulder and you are ready to go. When the dress is off the body the waist looks dropped but once it's on you realize that this is what allows the bodice to drape over the waist line like you see on the runway and in the ad photos. The silk jersey is fine and light and I love this colour of red. It has an almost pink undertone to it in person and it's very flattering on almost any skin tone. The fabric is gathered along the upper neckline and this gives it the drape and slight gathered look that you see. The upper neckline edge is finished with a piped tie and this extends out and is what is used to tie it at the shoulder. I love how the ends of the long ties just fall down your back from there. The bust is loose and easy and it drapes over that inner elastic waist line. The skirt falls from under there and widens out as it nears the hem. Is incredibly easy to wear and incredibly flattering once on the body. Excellent overall condition but please read the condition notes below.

The dress slips on to wear with elastic through the waist. It ties on the top of one shoulder. Tagged a vintage YSL 40 but the generous cut and elastic waist should allow it to fit a range of sizes. The dress has some marks on the silk jersey of the skirt. It's mostly in the lower areas of the skirt. I also see grubbiness and a couple of pinholes around the hem. It has been cleaned of course and the marks may come out more with additional cleaning. The extent of fabric in the skirt hides it and the dress is perfectly wearable as is. The price is far less then what it would have been otherwise for this well documented dress. The fabric has stretch and movement. The measurements are given with a comfortable range laying flat.

Bust: 15-26" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-30" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 24" from top of shoulder to waist but meant to drape over
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4158

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (3-4) Spring 1982 YVes Saint Laurent Ad Campaign photographed by Helmut Newton.

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 wonderful cape is from the Fall 1973 collection and its twin in a green colour resides in the YSL museum permanent archive collection. I have a copy of a video shared by a former YSL employee that shows it behind the scenes and the sketch I have included here is a shot from that video. I love having that extra documentation on the piece. It is just stunning to see it in person

The cape is this wonderful rich shade of brown and the fabric is extremely soft and cozy. The chenille is heaven to the touch. It is so easy to wear. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. A tie in the same chenille sits at the neck  and you use this to tie it in place and to control how loose or tight it sits. A wide set hood extends out from the neck and I love how it drapes over your shoulders for added detail and drama. And of course of you wear it up. It is absolutely dreamy and has all the drama. If that was not enough it has chenille fringes that go all the way around the edges. I love this detail and the movement it adds. The cape is made out of a loose net that has a honeycomb feel to it that gives it a ton of movement and volume. When you're standing still it feels very sleek but the second you move that honeycomb technique expands it out as much as it needs to go. When you move you get wonderful movement as it floats around you. I also the softness and richest the chenille has. I feel like this makes it a lot more versatile than some of the more traditional wool fabric capes. It has this sense of whimsy that YSL really excelled at. I can't say enough good things about this one and the fact that it's twin is held in the YSL museum collection is just icing on the cake. It is a great piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulder to wear with a tie at the neck as described. The easy open cut should allow it to fit just about any size. It appears to have been worn very little if at

Length: 53" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# C605

Reference Photo/Video: (1-3) Fall 1973 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection.  /  (4-5) Taken from Instagram - credit unknown.

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

My couture client had this stunning silk chiffon dress made for her and it was one of the last pieces she acquired from the house. It is an interesting thing in that it shows how the client can really direct and combine different runway elements to make a one of a kind dress like this one is. When we look at the runway from that season we can see that skirt is taken from one dress, the top from another, and the colour from a third. It's a dress that combines the runway looks 25 ,26 and 27. The experience of couture is really client driven and I love how this dress takes elements from the three Valentino's pieces, stays true to his vision for this season and yet is completely unique. We found video of the dress that shares the skirt design of this dress and I've included it so you can see how beautifully this will move once it's on the body. Being a custom piece that was made specifically for her also means that it truly a one-off-a-kind which makes much more special. It is an extraordinarily beautiful piece of Haute Couture. The workmanship is exquisite.

This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it will only truly come to life on an actual body. The bodice of the dress is fitted and nipped in at the waist. It is cut in a sweetheart neckline that softly curves at the top. The bodice is done in an extremely intricate manner. Panels of the silk chiffon are hand gathered and placed in soft pleats to form that complicated pattern that wraps around the entire bodice. Sitting at the top of each shoulder is a rounded soft cap sleeve done in the same pleating technique. This painstaking manner of pleating and gathering would have taken hours and hours to accomplish. It is of course all done by hand. There is a silk band around the waist and then the skirt flows out to the floor from there. The skirt is made from many yards of a beautiful bias silk chiffon. The inner skirt is made from four layers of the bias cut chiffon and then over that are two more layers of silk. At the front the top layers are cut to just under the hip and then they trail and curve down the sides to the back. If you look at the video we have included you can see how much movement this adds to the dress. The fabric is feather light and the fact that is is made from six layers of silk chiffon allows it to catch the slightest bit of air and float around you. It is incredible. The interior of the dress is made to couture standards with a full built in cupped corset that is boned and shaped to the waist. I am obsessed with the soft degrade ombre effect that dress has because of how the silk gradually changes from a soft deeper green at the top to the palest green near the bottom. It is one of the most beautiful dresses I have seen and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is an amazing example of original Valentino Haute Couture. Excellent condition. 

The interior bodice is boned and corseted. The skirt has six layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with a zipper and then the dress zips to close over that. The top silk layer of the skirt snaps to close over. Two inner waist stays that hook to close. Finished with Haute Couture construction techniques throughout. 

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to bottom of waist seam
Skirt: 45" from bottom of waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4156

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2005 Valentino Haute Couture Runway, Look 27, 26 & 25.

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 fabulous caftan dress would have been designed by Jules-Francois Crahay, who headed the Lanvin ateliers from 1964-1984. He has been noted as one of fashion’s 'great colorists with his colorful patterns making his 1970s Lanvin designs hugel​y ​desirable and influential.' His time at the Lanvin label is one of my personal favourite periods for the house. I especially love his work during this period. He was a genius at colour and he pushed the envelope in his work with his cuts. This caftan dress dates to the earlier part of the 1970s and it is incredible. It is numbered and the inner seams are all edged and finished by hand. I love that it could easily worn by just about anyone with the way it is cut. It is just incredible.

The caftan is cut to be big and oversized so it is exceptionally easy to wear. It's generous and open cut will suit a large range of body sizes and types. On a smaller frame it will have an over-sized feel but could also easily work on larger frames. No matter what size underneath this incredible piece will billow and float around you as you move. The sleeves are cut to be very wide and full and billow out above the elastic at each cuff. The neckline is so unusual. It is gathered up into an elastic around the neck line that has a ruffle about it. This creates this interesting draping and soft pleating texture on the green silk just underneath the neckline. He then dropped another seam below that top portion with another ruffle that runs all the way around the shoulders. This gives you this off shoulder feel even though you're completely covered up to the neckline. It's so unusual and so beautiful. From there it falls to the floor widening out to be quite full as it nears the hem. It is cut to be very loose and easy through the body. The caftan is a made out of a spectacular printed silk that has a paisley pattern running over it that is insanely beautiful. At the hem it has a wide felt finish that gives weight to the hem so that it holds the shape and gives that sense of volume. I love that inside that hem it is trimmed with a silver lame ribbon on the top and the bottom. This is a detail that you don't see right off but as you walk or sit you get that tiny flash of silver. For some of the photos I added a green velvet ribbon to show you how dramatically the dress changes by adding a belt to add shape. I love that you can wear this loose and easy as a caftan or by belting it you suddenly have a dress that feels like it has a completely different look. The colours combine of different tones of green with a deep red and pops of white. It is just spectacular and so beautifully made. All of the inner seams are finished by hand and this is a numbered couture piece. This is an exceptional piece of Lanvin during this time period. Excellent condition

Slips over the head to wear with no closures. Set the net and both cars. The silk is very light in weight. The belt is not original to the dress but will be included. The loose and easy cut should work on a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: approx 27"
Shoulders: no true shoulder seam
Bust: to 33+" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist- hips: open
Length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-XL, OSFA

Item# DD4157

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

It is almost a miracle to find runway confirmation from address in the late 1970s by Oscar de la Renta. Photos of those shows during this time. Are not as readily available so whenever I can actually date of peace and have a runway confirmation it's very exciting. I also love that having that photo shows just how fabulous this dress is on the body because it's gorgeous as it looks on the dress form it's only really going to come to life once it's on. It's truly one of my favourite little Oscar dresses I've ever had in the shop.

This is such a gorgeous dress. It's made out of an inky black velvet that has bright little coloured rhinestones that are set in groups of two and then scattered over the entire dress. Each little cluster has been hand sewn into place. The way these catch the light as you move is just gorgeous. It also gives the dress this incredibly festive feel and elevates what would otherwise just be a normal little black dress. Inside there is a full built in cupped corset to hold the dress perfectly in place when it's on. It is cut to fit more snuggly to your bodice and then drops to a seam set just across the top of your hips. The skirt flares out from there and widens out a bit as it nears the ham. It's very flattering because it shows off your body but it's not skin tight everywhere. I love the wide grosgrain ribbon bow that sits at the center of the neckline. It's just this perfect little detail that Oscar excelled at. The dress is gorgeous and a favorite. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a black silk and has a full built in cupped corset that is boned and closes with hook & eye at the back. It closes with a back zipper over that. I see two areas on the back where the velvet has flattened slightly and catches the light a little differently. One is near the zipper and the other on the skirt below that. Please see the photos after the label shot. If you change the inner corset or remove that you could probably get it at least another inch through the bust and the waist

Inner bust: 15-16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 30" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4153

Reference Photos: Fall 1979 Oscar de la Renta Runway. Model: Kirat.

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 spectacular piece is from the Spring 2015 Christian Dior runway presentation by during the Raf Simons era. It was shown on the runway layered as a long vest but you can fully button it and wear it as a dress, or even as a sleeveless evening coat. I love the versatility of that. This was the second of the closing group of these pieces. Vogue's Tim Blanks said of the show; 'In the venue for the Dior show today, one of the most extraordinary feats in recent fashion history took place. In the Louvre's Cour Carrée, the ancient heart of an ancient palace, a mirrored tent was erected, perfectly rendering its environment in such a way that the tent was invisible. It was like the present had ceased to exist. An appropriate cue for the collection that Raf Simons showed, in which the 18th century and the 22nd century knocked boots, bypassing everything in between... Simons liked what he did in July's Couture so much that he wanted to extend the experiment into ready-to-wear. Finding the future in the far past—it's a challenge that would engage an artist in any arena. But addressing that challenge in everyday clothes produced a new poetry.' Blanks went on to talk about these last look specifically saying; '(they) referenced an 18th-century court coat, which evoked the historicism of Christian Dior's original Bar silhouette. Fashion present floats on an ocean of fashion past; Simons simply chose to ride the time machine a little further back. But he paired his gilet with Bermuda shorts. It was a look you could imagine piquing the interest of the women he's drawn to Dior. A judicious blend of fantasy and reality.' The piece is spectacular in person.  It is a fabulous piece of fashion history and of Raf's time at the label.

The gillet is made from a metallic finished pink silk mixed fabric that allows the dress to keep it shape. It's light in weight but the fabric still has enough structure to hold the shape and volume that you see. It has this incredible metallic finish to it that's quite beautiful. It is almost like a muted foil in person. This is when you see the magic that the larger labels have in being able to create these fabrics that are so unusual. It is sleeveless and the top is cut to skim over you and then comes in at the waist. The skirt flares dramatically outwards under that and it has the feel of a great coat in the way that it is set. There is a lot of volume in skirt and it is cut so that it hangs in that gorgeous expanding line that you see. The seaming through the bodice and waist to create shape is minimal and it buttons down the front with a row of tightly spaced silk covered buttons. Fabric loops sit on the other side that the buttons slip through to give it that feel of the past that Tim mentions in his review above. There are pockets on each hip which allows you to wear it with that fantastic ease that you see in the runway photos. I love that the runway video shows you how fantastically it moves and how gorgeous it is on. It is open under the buttons so if you did want to wear this as a dress you would have to wear something underneath and that could be anything from a sweeping skirt yo pants or even boy shorts if you dare. Inside it is lined in a black silk chiffon and that shock of the black contrast when it moves around you adds to its fabulousness. Excellent condition with a note below

Fully lined in a black silk and closes at the front with the button as seen. I see some light marks on one side around the pocket on each side of the seam. please see the photos after the label shot. There's slight grubbiness under each arm that is minor.

Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 53.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4150

Reference Photos/Videos: Spring 2015 Dior Runway, Look 49. Model: Hanne Gaby Odiele.

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

I have had tucked away in my archives for quite some time. This is it gorgeous little caftan dress that can play double duty as a light evening coat. It is a little extra special as I believe it is an early piece from her Greek Street shop in London that she opened in 1964. I was pleased to find a photo of a 1966 piece in a similar feeling vein in the 2015 book "Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic". by Laura McClaws Helms. These button front pieces that fully open down the front were especially loved for their versatility. Of all of Thea's pieces, her caftans have come to represent Thea's work like no other piece of her clothing that she designed. Elizabeth Taylor was a huge fan and collector. This one is just spectacular.

The caftan is very beautiful and is made from a stunning light cotton voile fabric. This fabric is extra special because it's actually signed along its edges and you can clearly see that on the inner seams. The fabric has a glorious floral print with a pink backdrop and then beautiful coral and pink flowers and green leaves run over the entire thing. Around the neck and across the upper back is an added antique gold metal cord embellishment. This goes all the way across the upper back and around to completely cover the shoulders. It then is set all the way down to the waist. It is amazing and it gives a caftan an elevated feel. Thea was known to hunt antique stores and markets during her extensive travels and use what she found in her designs and this is certainly a found antique textile. The dress buttons down the front almost to the hem and then the back has pleating for extra volume that falls from under the gold cording there. The sleeves are magnificent. They have their own lining and then the top layer of floral fabric falls over them and widens out an extremely wide cuff. The caftan is lined and the fabric over it is semi-transparent. This see-through quality gives the fabric depth and a floating feel over the inner lining. You can easily add a soft or structured belt to add shape if you wished and add even more to its versatility. I love that you can wear this in so many ways and one its own or over so many things. This is very special and are early piece of Thea's and  it is also very beautiful. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined and slips on to wear and then buttons down the front. It's easy and open shape should allow it to fit a range of sizes. Finished by hand throughout. There is some wear, discoloration and shininess to the lining here and there and I see one older repair on the shoulder. Please see the shots after the label photo

Sleeves: 25" to the longest point and the inner lining is 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 52" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4151

Reference Photo: Actress Fenella Fielding in a paisley kaftan on a matching Chesterfield couch in the shop. Photographs from this series ran in every major UK tabloid. Greek Street, London, October 1966. Photograph by William Lovelace. From the book “Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic” by Laura McLaws Helms and Venetia Porter.

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 stunning suit that has all three original pieces and is the twin of the piece that walked the runway for the Fall 2000 show. There is nothing more classic then an iconic Chanel suit and there are incredibly beautiful and chic once on. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love that this has all three pieces - the jacket, skirt and the inner silk chiffon tank. It makes it so versatile since you can mix and match all of pieces and wear them in so many different ways. The inner tank is made of a deep blue silk chiffon and then the suit is constructed from one of Chanel signature boucle fabrics. From a distance it presents as a black with a touch of a secondary colour running through it to create a pattern but as you get closer you see that there is actually a riot of colours woven through the fabric. The colours in there are a bright and vivid turquoise, pink, green and a peach mixed with navy and black and it is absolutely beautiful fabric. The jacket is that classic and perfect Chanel cut with every seam meticulously executed. The sleeves are long and the shoulders have soft padding inside for a touch of structure. The seaming is set in curving lines to create the shape that you see and there are little pockets hidden along the seams at the front. It has a small rounded and neat collar and it hooks to close down the front. What really makes it exceptional is that ruffled netting that goes from the neck right to the hem on both sides of the front. The ruffle gradually narrows down as it reaches the bottom hem. This adds an unexpected touch of detail and softness to the jacket. It also creates movement as it slightly moves as you move. The skirt is precisely and simply cut with that slight flare as it reaches the hem that the best Chanel skirts have. Both the jacket and skirt are lined in an extremely high-quality black silk. There is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem of the jacket. This is a classic Chanel suit that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture just makes it better and the workmanship is out of this world. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a black silk. The tank is made of a single layer of a deep blue silk chiffon. The tank slips over the head to wear with no closures. The skirt closes with a side zipper and hook and eye at the waist. The jacket has hidden set hook and eye down the front. The jacket has the appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. All three pieces are completely made by hand.

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem

Tank
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from shoulder to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4146

Reference Photos: Fall 2000 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 18. Model: Roos van Bosstraeten.

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 stunning set whose twin walked the runway that season. The set is incredibly beautiful and chic once on the body. Vogue noted that "The reinvention of the iconic Chanel suit began with fluted knee-length coats, worn, with ropes of glistening pearls at the neckline" and closed by stating that "This was a triumphant collection for Lagerfeld, as realistically wearable as it was dreamily desirable." I love that we found both runway photos and some video footage for you to see how dynamic this is on the body. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

I love how diverse and different this set feels depending on whether you wear the pieces together or separately. The set is made up of two pieces. A gorgeous to-the-knee coat with a chic little dress underneath that. Both of the pieces are constructed from a surprisingly light weight deep blue boucle. This fabric was actually a centerpiece of the show and a new step forward in the way they made their tweeds.  Karl wanted them to feel almost weightless and easy to wear once on the body. The dress mixes that with a silk chiffon bodice to carry on the feeling he strove for with these pieces. “Fragility,” he said. “Everything is almost weightless.” The inner dress is cut in the sleek and simple shape that skims over the body and flares out slightly as it nears the hem. The skirt is made out of the same deep blue tweed as the jacket and then the top is attached to that and is made out of a deep blue silk chiffon. The top is all about delicacy. It is made of two layers of the silk. Each sleeve is long and ends in a neat little buttoned cuff. Both the front and the back are detailed with flat knife pleats. I love how the front of the skirt dips up into the top and at the back it dips down. This little shaping detail just make it lie even better on the body. The workmanship is stunning. The coat slips on over that and has light shoulder pads for a touch of structure. The sleeves are long. It has no closures except for a hook and eye at the neck. This allows it to flare out around you and gives it a softness as you move. The jacket is incredibly detailed. It has four top set pockets on the front and each has a row of glass beads along the upper edge. The same glass beads circle the hem of each cuff and go around the collar. The glass beads cleverly act as a weight for the coat so that it always falls perfectly once on the body. I love the low scoop of the front neckline and the ribbons that sit at the base of the neck. You can just let them hang loosely or tie them. Ribbons also sit on the edge of each sleeve and again you can leave them loose or have them tied into a pretty bow for a more formal feel. The jacket and the skirt of the dress are lined in a high-quality black silk. This Chanel set is exceptional and is true Haute Couture. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the skirt of the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine black silk. The top is made from two layers of silk chiffon. The dress closes with a series of silk covered buttons at the back and each cuff has two silk covered buttons and loops. The jacket has a hook and eye at the top of the neck and at each cuff. Both pieces have an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Extremely faint spot on the front bodice. Slight pilling here and there on the jacket but I am being picky.

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to hem

Dress
Sleeves: 22.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4147

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2003 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 3.

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This amazing set is the twin of the piece that walked the runway for the Fall 2004 collection. Vogue said of this collection; 'Trust Karl Lagerfeld to rise above the cacophony of questions about the relevance of haute couture. At Chanel, he floated an argument that insouciantly covered the issues and showed what couture can be now: a beautifully thought-out, long-term investment that also addresses our multitasking world. “This is reality couture,” he said.... Though fully of the twenty-first century, his best pieces were also timeless Coco-isms: of the moment, yet guaranteed to outlast this and many seasons to come.' This set is just that. A completely timeless and beautiful suit that will never go out of style. True Haute Couture pieces by Chanel are an extraordinary find as they are so very rare and hard to come by. It is an incredibly beautiful and historically important example of the work that Karl was doing for Chanel during this time period. It is absolutely gorgeous to see in person.

The versatility of this set comes from a few elements. First of all it is made from a classic black and white boucle that will never go out of style. Then you have the fact that is made from two pieces. A chic and simple dress along with an amazingly perfectly cut jacket that goes over top of that. This all adds up to make these pieces very versatile. You can mix and match both pieces and wear them in so many different ways together or apart. Even just a change in colour of the accessories and shoes that you wear are going to make either piece look completely different. Both of the pieces are made from a stunning black and white version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. The dress is edged with a fringe made of the two wools that circles around the hem, arms and neckline. When the two pieces are worn together this extra little detail softens the feel of the set and gives it a pretty and romantic touch. The inner dress is cut in a sleek and simple shift that skims over the body and has a more pencil skirt cut. Clever and subtle seams shape the dress around you so that it's very flattering. It is hand lined in a rich black silk. The jacket slips over that and has structured shoulder pads for shape and the sleeves are long. It has meticulous seaming that creates that famous Chanel box cut. It closes down the front with carved out metal buttons. The collar is neat and high. There are two shallow flap pockets that sit one atop of the other at the front. I love the contrast of the very structured jacket with the softness of the dress underneath. The jacket is lined in that same extremely high-quality black silk as the dress and there is a signature Chanel chain set around the hem. This is a classic Chanel set that will never go out of style and it is exceptional. The fact that it is true Haute Couture is just the icing on the cake. It is meticulously made to the highest standards. It is a beautiful piece showcasing the work that the Chanel ateliers are capable of and of Karl's time there. Excellent condition.

Both the dress and the jacket are fully lined in a fine black silk. The dress closes with a back hidden set zipper. The jacket closest with the buttons down the front that you see. All four pockets on the jacket are shallow but functional and all but one still has their tacking in place. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The jacket has an appropriate Haute Couture label and numbered tape present. Both pieces are completely made by hand

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38.5" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4148

Reference Photos: Fall 2004 Chanel Couture Runway, Look 9. Model: Audrey Marnay.

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 wonderful cape is from the Fall 1977 collection and versions of it were shown on the runway that season. We found runway shots of it on the catwalk in both a red and a blue and I wish I had the entire show to see if the purple was also shown. The cape was also used for the ad campaign that year making it an integral piece of the Fall 1977 collection. 

The cape is this wonderful shade of purple and the fabric is extremely soft and cozy. It feels like the fabric is a mix of a soft wool and mohair. It is so easy to wear. You just slip it over your shoulders and it drapes in place. A wide set ruffle extends out from the neck and drapes over your shoulders for added detail and drama. A black braided rope circles through the loop around the neck and you use this to control how loose or tight it sits. At the end of each braided rope is a large pom pom. I took a shot of me holding it so that you can see the size. I love this bold detail. There is a ton of fabric in the body of the cape so that when you move you get wonderful movement as it floats and billows around you. The cut is impeccable and it is a great piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Unlined and drapes over the shoulder to wear with a tie at the neck as described. The easy open cut should allow fit just about any size

Length: 53" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# C603

Reference Photos: Fall 1977 Yves Saint Laurent Runway & Ad.

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

Vogue said of the Spring 2018 'La Bomba' show that 'Jacquemus: the young designer, his models, his friends, his sun-drenched South of France Instagram—they’re everything about the French which makes foreigners writhe with envy. Welcome to Paris! ....Not to mention the fact—for goodness sake—that we were all in the Musée Picasso, a national landmark never before used for fashion.' Simon Porte, the man behind the label is self-taught and this collection in particular cemented his cult-like status. The collection was a tribute to his mother who he lost at a young age. 'You see, Jacquemus is my mother’s name,' he said as his models surrounded him at the end of the show. 'She was shy, and she was sexy. It will always be about her, I don’t care! That’s me.' This was the closing look of the show and it was one of the strongest pieces of the season. It was photoed for vogue that season and shown extensively on their social accounts. And one is one of the hardest pieces to get a hold of.

The dress was one of his first examples of using this modified and updated hoop-skirt. It is made out of a raw feeling cotton linen mix that has a slight texture to it and was left in a natural linen color. The dress is suspended from the shoulders with two tiny straps of the same material. The neckline is cut straight across and the body of the dress is cut slim and more tubular giving it a shape reminiscent of the 1920s. The fabric is softly gathered around the bodice giving it a subtle detail that feels easy and natural over the body. It runs down and past the waist and then flares out to meet the seam set below the hip line. The skirt flares out from that dropped seam and it has incredible volume to it. There is built in heavy stiffened net structure underneath that helps to hold that exaggerated shape through the hips. This gives it the feel of a modified version of the hoop skirts of the 20s and 30s that designers like Paul Poiret and Jeanne Lanvin were doing. The ease and casualness of the fabric give it this great contrast between that historical feel. It is a beautiful dress to wear and I'm glad that we found some video clips so you can see the incredible movement that it has. It is the perfect summer dress and a definite important future vintage piece. It might even make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition with one note below

Fully lined in a matching cotton through the bodice. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Internal structure under the hip in stiffened tulle helps to hold the shape along with the seaming. Tagged a modern 38. I see a couple of tiny scattered blue spots at the front that look like they are in the actual weave of the fabric. A small mark inside the bodice. Please see the photo after the label shot

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Under bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS SML

Item# DD4144

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-2) Spring 2018 Jacquemus Runway, Look 48. Model: Naki Depass.  /  (3) Photo by David Luraschi.  /  (4) Vogue, February 2018.  /  (5) Woman wearing Jacquemus during Paris Fashion Week SS19, September 24, 2018.  /  (6-8) From the Jacquemus Instagram.

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 exceptional dress is by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior and it is a wonderful example of his work during this time period. We’ve dated it to the Fall 1979 collection based on the runway photo we found that shows a dress with the same fabric. It is a very easy and comfortable dress to wear but has such a beautiful glamour to it. I feel that it perfectly represents this time period. His work was integral to the label's development over the decades that he headed the atelier and this is a stunning example of his vision. Beyond that it is just an extraordinarily beautiful dress.

This dress is incredible. It is super light and very easy to wear. The outer layer of it is a fine silk chiffon that is shot through with a gold and silver thread pattern that covers the entire dress. The metallic thread is woven through the silk and it catches the light from every angle as you move. The neckline is softly scooped and the dress has no sleeves. It is cut in a very twenties silhouette with a long bodice and dropped waist seam. It is meant to skim over you. The skirt billows out from under that with two wide layered tiers of chiffon. At the back it buttons at the neck and then has a keyhole for a glimpse of skin to show. Below that is a row of silk covered buttons. You can wear the dress in this very loose and easy way or you can use its matching silk tie belt to cinch it in and add shape through the waist. The dress actually comes with two separate ties. One very skinny extra long sash that you can use around the waist and then there is also a very long wider cut scarf/sash that you can wrap around the neck. You can also wrap the wider one around the waist for a softer look and to draw in the shape more as a wider belt. I've shown it in the photos a couple of different ways for you. The wider one could probably even be worn it as a turban. I love that these extra pieces give you a lot of versatility on how you can wear the dress. Once on the body the skirt in particular has incredible movement. Each layer in the skirt is made of several yards of fabric and there's another layer of a blue silk chiffon underneath the bottom layer. The fabric is so light that it will move with your slightest movement. It is very easy to wear but packs a tremendous amount of style with the two tone metallic thread and that spectacular fabric and cut. It is made to demi-couture standards. Excellent overall condition with one note below.

The dress is line with a blue silk chiffon. It buttons at the back as described above. It comes with two sashes as described above. Hand finishes throughout. The bias cut and easy shape should allow it to fit a range of sizes. There is a bit of a fade mark that runs down one side that is very light. Please see the photos after the label shot. Once on you would never notice it.

Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at dropped seam: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 25" from top of shoulder to dropped seam at top of skirts
Skirt: 32" from dropped seam at top of skirts to longest point of hem
Total length: 57" from shoulder to longest point of hem

Skinny sash: 156" x 1.5"
Wider sash: 124" x 19"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4140

Reference Photos: Fall 1979 Christian Dior Runway.

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 beautiful Yves Saint Laurent top is a true piece of Haute Couture amd comes directly from the original owner. It is a remarkable example of his work during this time period. I am hoping to find it exact date and then can also find the sketch of it which I will share with its new owner.

The workmanship on this top is absolutely exquisite. The top is entirely hand made and it is a work of art. It is made from a fine black silk velvet that is layered over a black silk chiffon inner base. The level of workmanship is extraordinary. The velvet is cut and embroidered to form an intricate floral and leaf pattern. Where it is open between the flowers and leafs you get that bit of transparent black with the silk chiffon. So it gives the illusion that you can see the bare body underneath while still completely covering you. It is an effect that is very sexy once on an actual body. Seeing it on the dress form just gives you a hint of it. The workmanship is extensive and the time it would have taken to create this piece is extraordinary since it would have all been pieced together by hand. The cut is kept simple so that the pattern takes center stage. The neck is scooped and the shoulders have light padding. I took a photo of one so you can see how even the shoulder pads are made by hand. The waist is brought in a touch but it really is meant to just skim over the body.  It is an absolute work of art and a stunning example of Haute Couture during this time period. Excellent condition

Backed in a black silk chiffon and closes down the back with a hand set zipper and then it snaps over that. The snaps are set to follow the pattern so that there is no closure shows at all. Entirely made by hand. Hand made light padding in each shoulder. Haute couture tag and numbered tape present.

Shoulders: 15.5"
Sleeves: 22
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# S979

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 beautiful dress from the Christian Dior label that showcases the elegance the best of the brands work has always displayed mixed with the youthful spirit that John added to the house. John Galliano went from Givenchy to Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. During John Galliano's years at the house of Christian Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing dresses in the house's history. His work is always beautifully cut and this one is no exception. It has that minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and it is stunning. This was a piece that was produced in limited quantities for retail. The main line runway pieces that season where based on his own couture work and then the actual production pieces included a group of more refined and elegant pieces like this one. It is always interesting to see how John translated his over the top runway collections into elegant, wearable and yet still glamorous pieces.

When I looked through the collection for that season I think they made a mistake by not including this one in the show. It is fantastic. The dress combines a sleek finished wool that lets it hold the shape that you see with a knit for the upper shoulders and sleeves. Where the two meet across the top of the bodice gives the illusion that you are wearing a strapless dress with a turtleneck sweater tucked underneath. But because it is all one piece you don’t get the bulk that doing that would give you. Instead it sims perfectly over the body once on. The upper portion of the dress is in a sleek turtleneck and the knit has a ribbon through it for texture. It’s fitted across the upper bodice and the sleeves are long. I love the chunky silver zipper detail that runs across the top if the shoulder and up the side of the turtleneck. Underneath the knit part the dress is sculpted and sleek. It skims over the bust and nips in at the waist. The skirt flares out on a curve to end just above the knee depending on your height. Pockets are hidden on each side of the hips. The colour is the deepest possible blue. I had to look at it in a few different lights to decide whether it was blue or a black. Its very chic and minimalist. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined under the wool part in a matching blue silk and the knit parts are unlined. It zips to close with a hidden set zipper at the back and the zipper at the neck is functional. Tagged a US6 GB10 FR38 IT42.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 13.5-15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4130

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

In 1993 Oscar de la Renta took over as Creative Director at Balmain where he designed the Haute Couture collections until 2002. The house had been floundering at that point and he had a huge impact on the reviving the sales of the couture pieces, mainly by catering to private clients, much like Balmain had originally. It is extraordinary to think that Oscar never produced a Haute Couture line under his own label and these few short years at Balmain gives us a chance to see just how talented he really was at all levels. I was very pleased to be able to fully document this dress with its photo on the runway and we even found one that shows the twin of this dress just behind Oscar for the finale of the show.

Like most Haute Couture, this is a dress that only truly comes to life when it is on an actual body. No matter how good it looks in the photos, the impact it has in real life and how it moves once on is undeniably beautiful. You can see in the runway shots that the dress sits lower on the sides of shoulders then where it sits on the dress form and this simple difference changes the look of it tremendously. The fabric is a fine silk in a pale baby blue that gives it the weight it needs to perfectly hold and to shape you through the bodice. The dress is sleeveless with wide straps that curve up and off the shoulder. It is fitted to be like a corset with built in boning and seaming to shape you. The neckline is scooped at the front and dips into a V at the back. There are attached underskirts to hold the volume of the skirt and if you wanted even more there is room to add a crinoline. The bodice is shaped with long vertical seaming that curves into the dipped waist seam. At the back it closes with a corset detailing and matching coloured ties. The skirt is set along the waist seam in a series of big soft inverted pleats that give you this lovely curve around the top of the hips. Then as they open out the volume of the skirt is achieved to give it the incredible volume that you see. Each layer of the fabric is light but when all the layers, and the sheer volume of fabric that has been used, is combined the overall weight of the dress is substantial and it feels like a couture piece. You can see how stupendous this is one in the runway photos and the massive sweep that the skirt has. This comes to me from one of his the original couture clients. This dress is definitely a dress that could walk a carpet and it would also make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully hand lined in a pale blue silk through the bodice. The skirt has an inner silk lining and then two layer of tulle over that and a partial layer around the inner hips. Hidden boning and corseting through the bodice. It closes with a hidden inner zipper, a half zipper at the exterior waist and then laces to close over that. A waist stay inside that hooks to close and a second hooked stay above that this sits just under the bust. Hand finished through out to Haute Couture standards. Proper couture tag present Couture tape #172438. I see some teeny marks on the grommets which would be a natural part of normal use. One yellowish mark near the seam above the hem. A couple of very faint marks here and there near the hem. A small lightened spot on the front edge of the center fold. All of which you only see if you lay it out flat and look for them. Perhaps a slight darkening under the arms but it very faint and only in very bright light. Please see the photos after the label shot

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to side waist
Skirt: 44" from side waist to hem with 3.5" turned under the hem 

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4136

Reference Photos: Spring 1994 Pierre Balmain Haute Couture Runway.

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 the third print version of this dress I have had and I am so pleased to have another one so soon. This one is even a little more special because it is an exact match to the one that walked the runway. The dress in the slightly different print to this one was used for the 1992 ad campaign that was shot by Helmut Newton. That campaign featured the beautiful Karen Mulder. It was also featured in Vogue that season on the equally stunning Beverly Peele. And if that was not enough we also have the original runway footage so you can see just how gorgeous it is on and moving. In the Vogue editorial it also included some interesting information that tells us that the original retail price of the dress was $1695USD, which would be the equivalent of $3000+USD in today's dollars. Yves pieces are only increasing in value each year and this one is still a bargain even at its higher price. It is pristine and a very collectable vintage piece due to its strong provenance. This was one of the iconic pieces of that season and I am very pleased to have this one come into the shop.

The dress is made from a soft cotton that has a slight texture to it. This gives it the perfect amount of weight to hold the shape and feel fabulous once on the body. It simply skims over your curves in a chic and simple line. The dress perfectly represents this time period and you can see the transition from the stronger, more angular shaped of the eighties slowly moving into simpler shapes for the 1990s while still retaining the emphasis on the shoulders that the eighties had. That touch of excess from the 1980s is still there, but the shape is softening. The neckline is scooped into a soft V and set wide so that you get a glimpse of collar bone. Vertical seaming runs down the front on either side so that is has some shape but there is no break in the line that a waist seam would have made. The skirt is slim and straight. The sleeves are the star of the show and each has an elastic at its end and lots of gathered fabric above that that gives it the volume you see on the dress form and the two reference photos provided.  It is amazing on the body and a rare find. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a green silk through the body. It closes with a side set zipper. Elastic at the end of each sleeve. Tagged a YSL vintage 40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4127

Reference Photos/Video: (1-2) Spring 1992 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (3) Karen Mulder for Yves Saint Laurent, Spring 1992. Photo by Helmut Newton.  /  (4) Vogue US, March 1992.

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

Sybil Connolly was based in Dublin and she was known for creating fashion from Irish textiles especially linens that she used both with and without pleats. Her first major US fashion show was in 1953. She quickly became a darling of the American market and was dubbed by the media as 'Dublin's Dior'. Jacqueline Kennedy wore Connolly for her official White House portrait and Connolly was a particular favorite of Carmen Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar. All of her pieces were made in her atelier in Ireland, even the ready-to-wear pieces. This was the opposite to all the other European designers who had the American market pieces made in America due to the stringent and high costs of customs. But Sybil wanted to keep employment in her own Irish workrooms. Sybil Connolly pieces are rare things to find and I love this one so much.

The dress is a dream. It is made out of a fine silk gauze chiffon that is very light and airy. This is a dress that you have to see in person to fully appreciate its beauty. The fabric has such lightness that is is just magical once on. The colour is a soft pale lavender with a darker large shade of the same colour screened onto the silk in the pattern that you see. The bust is cut to skim over you and it has an inset the at the front that contrasts with the rest of the print. This is just a pretty little extra detail. The waist is seamed but it is set slightly low and it is generous in cut. You could change the look of the dress by adding a belt or ribbon around the waist for more shape. Or wear it more loose and easy as you see it in these photos. The skirt billows out underneath that with a tiny bit of gathering around the waist seam. It opens out to the floor from there and has quite a bit of fabric by the time it reaches the hem. Circling the hem is a deep ruffle with a smaller ruffle set just above it at the joining seam. The same ruffle technique is also done at the ends of each sleeve. This gorgeous ruffle technique adds to the feeling of lightness the dress has. Above those pretty ruffle the sleeves are very full and billow out and around the arm.  The sleeves are not lined so you get a pretty glimpse of the arm through the sleeve. It is wonderful and rare example of her work. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in a white silk organza with the sleeves left and lined. It closes with a back zipper. The bodice is lined with a pale lavender silk. All of the interior seam edges are finished to Haute Couture standards and are completely done by hand. I see what looks like a tiny bit of a repair near the base of the zipper amd near the seam under one arm but both are extremely minor.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 16-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4133

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 gorgeous dress by Pierre Cardin and I absolutely love it. These printed silk gazaar dresses that he did on the early seventies are among my very favorites of his work. Even more so for me then the mod pieces he is often associated with. Pierre Cardin was actually a designer that had a huge range and could produce pieces with high level of glamour. I also love that we found a reference photo of this dress so that you can see just how spectacular it is on. I love it

This dress is extraordinary and any collector of Pierre Cardin will instantly recognize it for the every special piece that it is. The dress is made out of a printed silk gazaar and this fabric choice keeps the dress as light and airy as it could possibly be. It's hard to even realize how light the fabric is until you see it in person. The fabric also holds the shape extremely well so the fullness that you see are there by the placement and the way the dress is constructed. I didn't have to add anything under the skirts to give it that touch the volume. The dress is cut to skim over the body with just a suggestion of curves as it works it way over the bust, waist and hips. It is generously cut and you could add something at the waist if you wanted a really defined shape. Doing that would also exaggerates the shape and curve of the skirt underneath more. The sleeves are long and a single layer of the silk. The entire bodice is made from a series of precise, flat knife pleats. The sheer level of technicality that would be needed to achieve this is mind boggling. Each pleat is the exact same size the one next to it and they are stitched into place from shoulder the just past the waist with tiny hidden stitches. The volume you see in the skirt is created once the silk is released from these pleats. It is a stunningly beautiful and rare piece that I am very excited to have in the shop. It also comes with its original wide sash that you can see was wrapped around the neck in the reference photo. You could also use it at the waist or even as a head wrap. This is a stunning piece of Pierre's work and it looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a purple silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Hand finished throughout.

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 56" from shoulder to hem
Scarf: 72" x 24"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4134

Reference Photo: Model in Pierre Cardin, Vogue, 1972.

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

Norman Hartnell was a British Couturier who is known for his long relationship dressing Queen Elizabeth dressed the royals and the aristocrats. Hartnell opened his couture house in 1923 and by 1947 his house was thriving. Besides his appointment as a dressmaker for the Royal Family he also had a loyal following with Hollywood starlets and socialites. The dress is of particular note as it is from the same collection as the one made for Queen Elizabeth. The Queen originally wore her version in 1961, 1962 and then again in 1966 with a revised hem. It was then lent to Princess Beatrice by the Queen to wear as her wedding dress where it was altered yet again. You can see in the original photo of the dress from 1961 that the skirt shape and volume are the same. There is also similarities in the way that the crystals on the dress are laid out on the bodice and upper skirt. It is an absolutely stunning example of his work and one of the best dresses by him that I have seen.

Norman Hartnell was known for his evening wear. The best of his work incorporate lavish embroidery and intricate details like this one has. The dress is made out of a black silk taffeta and has that distinctive skirt hem that it shares with the Queen's dress. The top is cut to skim over the bodice and has wide straps that gracefully curve up and over each shoulder. They can be worn higher up like a proper strap or to sit slightly off the shoulder to give just the suggestion of a capped sleeve feel. The  waist is seamed and I added a ribbon to give it a little more shape. Under that the skirt falls to the floor in a widening sweep of silk as it nears the hem. Several yards of silk are used just for the skirt. At the hem the silk is swept up and under to create that unusual full rounded hem. This technique gives the skirt extra volume. It also create this stunning movement once on the body. When you walk or move it floats and moves around you. It is incredible on. The dress is detailed with sharp and precise knife pleating around the waist that extend and then opens up and into the bodice and then does the same under the waistline down into the skirt. For the perfect bit of a glitzy finish there are hundreds of hand set crystal rhinestones scattered over the dress. They are each individually prong set and there are couple of different sizes so that they catch even the smallest bit of light. It makes you think of a sky full of stars. The dress is very beautiful. It is an extraordinary example of British Couture from this time period. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back metal zipper. There is an additional hook & eye closure just inside the zipper area and an inner waist stay. All the inner seams are hand finished to couture standards. The inner skirt is silk and has a tulle finish to the bottom half. There is an additional layer of tulle in the inside of the outer skirt. Each prong set rhinestone has been hand placed and hand set. Hand finished throughout to couture standards

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: approx 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3071

Reference Photo: (1-3) Queen Elizabeth in Norman Hartnell.  /  (4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture by Erin Leydon.

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

Alexis Mabille graduated from Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne program in 1997 and then apprenticed for Ungaro and Nina Ricci before landing at Christian Dior. He spent nine years there and then launched his own label in 2005. He started with RTW and then in 2008 was granted guest membership on the official Haute Couture schedule. In 2012 he was granted Haute Couture appelation by the Commission de Classement Couture Création. His label at this time period was called Impasse 13, and under this label he did both a unisex and ready-to-wear collections mixed with new couture pieces. This dress is the twin of the piece that walked the runway for the Fall 2018 Couture collection and it is a stunning example of his work. On the runway it was shown in a pale lavender. I love this stunning soft blue version though. It is just stunning.

This is an absolutely gorgeous dress that is easy to wear and still very flattering. It has an easy to wear caftan feel to it but at the same time the silk moves with you as you move and suggests the body underneath. It is made of a dusty blue silk mix that has enough weight to make it flattering as it skims and drapes over you but that is still light enough that it easily moves. The silk is self backed in a satin finish that makes it feel amazing once on the body. The dress has minimal seaming and is cut to simply fall from that one single shoulder in a cascade of fabric. The other shoulder is left bare and exposed. On the side that is covered the fabric falls over the arm and down to the floor. There is an inset of lace that runs down the top of that arm and then continues to the floor. I love that you get just a peek of bare skin through this inset. Once it starts its descent to the floor he has inserted a panel of a semi-transparent blue chiffon. This allows a glimpse of your leg to show when you walk or sit. It a subtle sexiness that is fabulous. I have included runway footage of the couture version so you can see just how fabulously this one moves. It is just a fantastic dress. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Unlined and slips on to wear with a hidden set zipper under the arm. The easy fit should allows it to work on almost any size. Tagged a 42. In its original uncut supermodel length. There are a couple tiny marks on the back near where it folds in. You see then laying flat but not when on. Please see the photo after the label shot

Bust: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist to hips: open
Length: 70" from shoulder to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD4117

Reference Photo/Video: Fall 2018 Couture Alexis Mabille Runway, Look 13.

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

There are hints of this dress from both the 1986 collection and in the 1988 collection. The original owner did buy it in the 1980s but I do not have the exact day. I tend to lean towards the earlier date for it but I have included reference photos from both the above mentioned collections. It is a stunning example of Valentino's work during this time period.

The dress is beautiful to see in person. It flows over the body from the more fitted bodice and the lightness of the silk allows it to move and float around you when you move. The bodice is a stunning example in shaping and couture techniques. Inside it is boned and has built in cups. This interior structure holds it perfectly in place over the body once on. On the exterior the silk is hand set and gathered over the bust and all the way around you. Each individual gather is meticulously hand stitched into place. Above this more structured part of the dress is a single layer of the chiffon. At the front it scoops in a higher set neck and at the back it is set with a keyhole running down to the top of the gathered bodice. The skirt flows out under that in four layers of the silk and each layer is bias cut. This is what allows it to have such beautiful movement when you move. The final touch are those pretty sleeves that are cuffed at the wrist and pouf out around the arm above that. It also has its original very large silk shawl piece. It is beautiful. The dress does have some flaws but is structurally sound. Please review the notes below.

The interior bodice is finished is boned and corseted. The skirt has four layers of silk as described above. The interior corset closes with hook and eye and the silk layer zips to close over. Each cuff buttons with two silk covered buttons and loops. Three buttons at the top of the back neck. There are areas of fading through the skirt that go through the layers. I have photoed the worst of them. There are some faint areas of the same fading in areas on the silk above the corset and on the sleeves. I see one tiny repair near the hem at the back of the skirt. Some stress to silk near the shoulder. I think you could potentially remove the sleeves and upper bodice and use the shawl to create a layer over the worst of the fading or just have it redyed and it would be perfect again. Sold as found and final and the price is according to the description above

Sleeves: 25"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16.5" from top of neck to interior waist stay
Skirt: 45" from interior waist stay to hem
Shawl: 54" x 52"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3018

Reference Photos: (1) From the book "A Grand Italian Epic, Valentino", 1988/1989 collection  /  (2-3) The "Degradè" Dress from the Valentino Haute Couture 1986 collection. (4) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon taken on location at JohnMel Stables 

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.

Halston did variations of hos famous one shoulder dresses over the course of several years and they are still among the most collectible of all of his pieces. Nothing says Halston like this classic and when you find one in a silk chiffon and this stunning shade of blue it is a joy to see. Versions of this dress have appeared in several museum exhibits of his work and I have included a photo of a similar one from The Met. These are still one of his best and most impactful designs. This one is from his main label. I have had versions of these in the past and some reside in my own personal collection and this one in its brilliant blue colour is one of the best. It is a very special piece of his work and it is gorgeous. It is not 100% perfect but its beauty outweighs it flaws.

The dress is entirely cut on the bias and utilizes his signature minimal seaming. Halston defined how woman dressed in the 1970s and these one shoulder dresses in particular were tremendously flattering to the body. It is also insanely sexy while still being extremely comfortable to wear. It is feather light and you are barely conscious of wearing anything. The fabric is a fine light silk chiffon that moves and drapes beautifully. The silk has been hand dyed to that brilliant blue color. The camera came close to capturing the colour but in person it is better. The blue is more saturated and the colour has more depth. The blue is one that is flattering on most skin tones and it is a beautiful pop of colour to wear. The inner dress is made of three full layers of bias cut silk and then that top caped layer is attached along the neckline to lie over those. The inner dress is made to drape over the body and the bias cut allows it to move with you as you move. The top layer is cut on a soft curve above the hem on one side and then sweeps upward to cover the shoulder and cascade down all the way to the hem. The bias cut and that caped effect on the one side give it tremendous movement as you move. It is spectacular. This is a rare example of Halston at his very best. Presents as excellent condition and is 100% sound but please review the full condition notes below

Constructed in multiple bias cut layers as described above. It slips on with no closures. Hand finished and the bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. There is fading down the top of the caped side and some marks near the neckline and on that side of the cape. If you wore it the other way around you would not see most of these. Once on these fade more into the fabric that is there. There is one mark on the inner dress under the overlay as well. Please see the photos after the label shot. Priced with this in mind.

Bust: 15-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 25" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD4116

Reference Photos:  Silk chiffon dress worn by Lily Auchincloss at the French-American fashion show, Palace of Versailles, 1973. Now part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (First image from the book “Halston”.)

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

Norman Norell was one of the great American designers. His clothes were wildly expensive in their day and he was credited for the unique ability to translate Paris couture into American ready-to-wear. He started in the film industry and then was hired by Hattie Carnegie. In 1941 he left and and joined Anthony Traina where the Traina-Norell label soon appeared. Upon Traina's retirement in 1960 he launched his own self-named label. He won the very first Coty American Fashion Critics' award ever given in 1943 and then won it again in 1951. In 1956 he became the first designer to earn a place in the Coty Hall of Fame. His signature styles for day ran the gamut from shirtwaists, suits, beautifully tailored coats and clothes that seemed simple at first glance but were logistically complex. Norman himself once said 'To qualify as a designer one should not be afraid to repeat a good design, and certainly must have his own signature'. He achieved that and more. I think every serious vintage collector should have a piece of his work in their archives.

Judy Garland wore the twin of this dress in 1963 and I wish that I could tell you this was the actual dress but I have no provenance to tell me that it is. This was one of Judy Garland's most iconic photos and it is amazing to have found the twin of it. It is a stunning dress and despite being almost 60s years old it still feels chic and modern

Norman Norell dresses were cut with an exception eye. Every line and seam is placed exactly where it should be to flatter the body. This particular dress is a fabulous example of his work during this time period. The dress is made from a wool crepe that is light in weight and has a bit of texture to it. The neckline is squared off and the sleeves are capped. There is an attached piped belt made in the same fabric that hides the seam under the bust and adds a pretty little detail. It is cut to hug the bust and the squared off neckline is fairly low to show some skin. It skims over the wait and hips and then from there it falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. It closes with a row of tightly spaced buttons that run down on side. These start at the top of the neckline and  and run all the way down to about the knee leaving an unbuttoned area that you get a flash of leg seen below. All of the buttons are functional and each has a perfectly and properly tailored buttonhole. The dress is made to demi-couture standards and the finishes within it are superb. I love it and it is a wonderful and beautifully documented piece of his work from this time period. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes at the front with the buttons as shown. The attached belt ties into place. Proper button holes finishes on all. Hand finished throughout and made to demi-couture standards.

Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under the bust: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from shoulder to seam under bust
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem, with 2" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3377

Reference Photo: Judy Garland in Norman Norell by Richard Avedon, New York, January 7 1963.

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

The twin of this gorgeous Spring 2001 Chanel dress was worn by Bridget Hall on the Runway. The show that year took place in the Carrousel de Louvre where the Chanel team constructed a multi-coloured Neon Staircase for the models to walk down. The Chanel 'Catwalk' books noted that the models sported tons of colour to go with that staircase and the collection showcased red, pink, blue, coral and purple besides the standard black and white used so often by Karl. Models had logos written on their faces and even their nails with a 'specially produced varnish embellished with diamante chips'. I love that you can see just how fantastically the dress moves in the footage. It is an absolutely stunning dress and I love it

This Chanel dress is phenomenal. This is the kind of dress that you see in real life and it makes you swoon. As good as it looks in the photos it only really comes to life on the body. When you move in it the air around you picks up the silk chiffon that it is made out of and it has the most beautiful movement. The dress is cut with a very soft and easy feel much like the dresses of the twenties and thirties. The bodice is cut to skim over you. The neckline is cut wide across and it softly drapes down a touch at the center dips softly down with angled seaming under that. The main colour is a soft dusty rose and there is a second deeper pinky red wherever he added a ruffled effect. The sleeves are one of those places and they drape around the top of the arm and are so pretty. The dress is entirely cut on the bias above and below the seamed waist so that it drapes down and over the bust and then around the hips and to the floor to show off your curves. On the runway it was styled with a classic Chanel chain belt and you could add something similar or wear it as it is. The skirt is seamed on angles to again give a nod to the seaming of the twenties and thirties. The hem curves around you and dips up at the front to show some leg. From the waist down to the top of that front where it curves up are two more rows of ruffles in those two tones of pink. These move so prettily when you walk. There is a seam just under that and this seam curves around you and the lower skirts are set into that. This allows the lower skirts to really flare out and move as you move. You can see that in the runway video. I love that the inside of the lower skirt is also lined with the deeper toned chiffon. He then extended the back to go just past the hem to create a slight trained effect behind you. If all of that wasn't enough the dress closes with a row of domed pearl buttons at the back. Each button is embossed with a tiny pink Chanel across its surface too. The entire dress is as light as a feather once on and it is almost like having nothing on at all. All of the added ruffles and layers of silk move with your slightest movement. It is just amazing and even better in person. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in the same silk chiffon as the main body of the dress and then some parts are accented with the other colour silk as seen. It closes with a low set side zipper at the back and buttons above that. Tagged FR40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Shoulders:
Bust: 16-19 " flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 18" from shoulder to dropped waist
Skirt: approx 42" from dropped waist to the front hem, 49" to longest point of the back hem. The opening at the front is 22" down from the waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4110

Reference Photos/Video: Spring 2001 Chanel Runway, model: Bridget Hall

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 chic late 1970s Christian Dior dress from the Marc Bohan years. It is a wonderful example of the work being done during this time period and shows the restraint that the label could have when it delved into minimalism. It is a very easy and comfortable dress to wear. Don't let the simplicity of it fool you. This is a dream to wear and the simple lines are offset  by the high quality silk and the ease and beauty it has once on.

The dress is made from a black silk that drapes beautifully over the body. The bodice has an almost squared off feel to it with a straight across neckline at both the back and the front. Circling the entire top of the bodice is a panel that falls from the upper edge. This floats over the bust and if you cinch on the waist like I did it creates this beautiful line. You can also wear it without adding anything around the natural waist and it has a more skimming over the body feel to it. Underneath that panel the inner bodice is cut to skim over the bust and then it widens out slightly as it nears the waist line. The waist seam is dropped low to just about the top of the hips. This play on proportion gives the dress a touch of an unusual feel but without needing anything extra in terms of ornamentation. Adding a low slung belt at this seam would give the dress yet another look to it. At the back it stays as simple as the front. The skirt is set into the dropped waist seam in a series of small soft gathers and this gives it the ability to softly move around you when you move. The label on the set is numbered and when you see that in a Dior Boutique label it most often meant that the piece was a special order or was a custom made order for a client in the atelier but fitted at the boutique store rather then in Paris. This is a dress that you just slip on and it is perfect for day or evening. The different ways that you can wear help to extend its life and let you wear it more. You can see the hand work throughout and it is beautifully made. Excellent condition.  

Unlined and weighs ounces. It closes with a side set zipper. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. The ribbon at the waist in the photos is not original bit will be included. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Dropped waist seam: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural hips: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to dropped seam
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4108

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

Fall 1983 marked the first fall ready-to-wear collection that Karl did for the label. So any piece from this first year is now a part of fashion history. This first year was instrumental to what Chanel was to become as a brand. He pulled inspiration from the twenties and thirties, something he continued to do throughout his career, and mixed it with that classic Chanel feel. He said at the time 'Even if she never did it this way, it’s very Chanel, no?'.... We were very excited to find the reference shot included here that has a variation of this dress made in a black lace. Documentation on these early collections is rare. It is absolutely gorgeous in person

This Chanel dress is so good. It is also a rare piece from Karl's first year at Chanel which adds to its collectability. The cut of the dress is timeless. The dress is made from a layers of black bias cut chiffon. The layers float over each other and play on transparency of the fabric. The bias cut makes it incredibly comfortable once on the body. The fabric is light in weight but with enough substance to hold the that wonderful curved shape that you see. The bodice skims over you and has a V neckline. The neckline is edged in a black satin ribbon. I love the little bow that sits at the base of the V for a very Chanel feel. The back is also dips into a V but there it is cut shallow and wide so that it sits higher up on the back of the neck. Attached to the ribbon edging of the neckline is a silk chiffon caplet that cascades all the way around you. It falls over each arm and drapes down the back to the waist. When you move even the slightest it moves with you for a pretty effect. The waist is seamed and cinched. The skirt falls under that and is cut to follow the curve of the hips. I love the little slant pockets that edged in the same black silk ribbon. These sit on each side of the hip. At about the knee the skirt flares out in a dramatic expanse of silk chiffon. More silk ribbon is set to separate the lower skirt and this last bottom part flares out and around you. It has a more transparent feel to it since it is only layers of chiffon.  When you walk the movement it creates is incredible. The final perfect touch are the little satin covered buttons that run all the way down the back and the final flat little flat blow at the base of the ribbon detailing. Beautifully constructed and it looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is an amazing example of Karl's very earliest work for Chanel. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching black silk chiffon and it buttons to close at the back. It is tagged a Chanel 42. I see a repair along the hem. The bias cut fabric does have some give between the ribbons.

Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist, and does come up a bit once on
Skirt: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3867

Reference Photo: Fall 1983 Chanel.

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

The Fall 2003 Chanel collection began with inspiration from the work of painter Kasimir Malevich. In Vogue's review of the collection Sarah Mower stated in part that; 'Lagerfeld mixed things up with his usual polymath flair... The decorative vibe ran through the collection.... In other words, all the usual playfulness of Chanel ready-to-wear was there, done with a light-handed touch that underscored Coco's legacy of flexibility—and fun— in the reign of King Karl." This is a wonderful example of his work from this time period and it is so versatile with the two pieces as you can wear them together or mix and match with other pieces you already own.

The dress set is stunning. It has an easy, sexy feel to it that I love. It is actually a set made up of two separate pieces. The inner dress is made from a fine high end black silk. It is suspended from the shoulders by two little silk straps. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the back dips into a low V. The seam at the waist that is set on a pretty inverted curve for a bit of a play on the twenties, a theme he often touched on. The skirt falls from there, skims over the hips and widens out as it nears the hem. The hem is cut on that same inverted curve as the waist seam at the front and then the back sweeps down into a longer slightly point hem that mirrors the dip on the back. Over that goes the top chiffon piece. This top piece is so well made that you can easily wear it to the back or to the front. I have included photos of it both ways for you. The top layer slips on and buttons into place with a row of glossy black buttons. It has that same  hemline as the under dress with one side set on a curve and the other ending in a point. Depending on which way you wear it you get a totally different feel when it is layered over the inner piece. Both the dress and its matching are edged in a black fur. The lightness of the silk give it beautiful movement once on the body. My photos do not come close to doing it full justice. Excellent condition.

Both piece are unlined. The inner dress closes with a hidden set back zipper and the over lay closes with buttons. Tagged a Chanel 40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Inner Dress
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulders to the waist
Skirt: 28" from waist to front hem, 41" to longest point on hem

Overlay
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 35" from waist to longest point of the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3868

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

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs and fur trimmed pieces stored away in my archives that I will be slowly posting on the site over the next couple of years until I have none left. I will no longer be buying furs for the shop moving forward and have not purchased anything for several years now. I feel like times have changed and while there still is a place for vintage furs for some, including collectors and historians, many modern girls are choosing other options. Many of the pieces in my collection are representative of the designer during a set time period in history that was different then our modern outlook. I have decided that the best course to handle this controversial issue is to let the pieces I have go rather then sit in a cold storage unit. Fur coats are final sale.

This is a stunning Halston that is very rare and very special. I have had it in my archives for a long time and for some reason it feels like it is the time to let it go. That season Halston did a series of pieces using this pleated silk jersey. This was a runway piece and we've included the runway shot here. It is also interesting to note that they looked to have added a belt on the dress to style it for the show. I love when you can see how the designer intended it to be styled. At this point in his career pieces would have been made in very limited quantities. That alone makes this dress that much more special never mind to have runway documentation. It is an incredible example of his work from this time period. And it is a killer dress.

The dress is made from a light weight silk that has tiny pleat work throughout. Like most of his best work its design is simple yet impactful. As in many of his pieces his genius lies in the ability to use the least possible amount of seams yet he still manages to create the most stunning lines. The dress wraps around and is secured through the inner waist with snaps and hooks to keep it in place. The waist has elastic running through it that gives it this incredible ease once it is on the body. The front plunges into a low V and there is a tiny snap to hold it more securely in place. I did not use it for these photos but if you wanted a plunge that was a little less extremely you could close it a bit more with this snap. It skims over the bodice and comes in at the waist. You could add a belt if you wanted more shape or wear it as it is. The skirt wraps below that and falls in a cascade of the silk. The pleating gives it a little movement so that it moves wonderfully when you walk and the wrap allows a touch of leg to show when you move or sit. The sleeves are the star of the show on this dress. They are cut extra long and on a curve. They come in at the wrist where they snap to close and pouf and balloon fantastically above that. On my dress form they hang low but you can see in that glimpse of a shot how they billow around the arm and wrist once they are actually on. It is an incredible dress and like many of his pieces it truly will only come to life once there is a body in it. It is remarkable and a true piece of fashion history. This would make an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. And of course it could also be worn to any event. Excellent condition

Unlined and wraps around you to close. It hooks and snaps in places around the waist. The waist is elastic so there is give there. You could also get less of more room by moving some of the hooks inside if needed. The range given below is the comfortable range where they are now. Each cuff has hidden set snaps to close and there is a bit of room to move those as well. I have put XS-MED and with some moving of the inner hooks / snaps it would probably work on a larger frame as well

Sleeves: 30" but will come up once on
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: open on the sides and will accommodate from 15-19" flat " flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15-16" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4106

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1978 Halston Runway.  /  (2-4) Halston Spring 1978 Ready to Wear Advance.

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

Toni Scervino and Ermanno Daelli founded the Ermanno Scervino label in 2000 and had their first official show in Milan in 2003. Since that debut they have added menswear, a junior line, swimwear and accessories. They now have 50 stores around the world and also sell in high end boutiques. They are a red carpet regular. A red version of this dress was worn that season by Elsa Hosk to AmFar, while Kat Graham wore one in a yellow to the Venice film festival. This one in a bright pink is as equally stunning as either of those and I love it. It is gorgeous.

It is easy to see why this was a red carpet favourite. It is absolutely stunning and so flattering. I love having reference photos of it so that you can see just how great it is on. It has all the flounce and drama of a full on gown but it is as light as a feather. This dress is absolutely dreamy. It is made out of a bright pink coloured silk chiffon. It is strapless and the upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it. The silk is draped over the bust in soft folds that run down to the waist. Inside it is cupped and shaped for support with a full inner corset. That stunning colour combined with the soft gathers creates the most gorgeous effect. Inside and under that is a shorter skirt that is finished in a pink lace. This gives you a little extra coverage under the sheer layer of the  top skirt. The outer skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of a cascade of silk chiffon that is gathered and shaped around the hips to give a bit of a hip pannier or bustle effect. It is set longer at the back then the front so that you get this pretty curve from the side view and this fantastic sweep of skirts from the back. The entire skirt is a single layer of the silk chiffon and this gives it a touch of transparency. The lightness of the silk keeps it from looking bulky. It is the best of both worlds. You get the drama and sweep of fabric with the volume it has but it is as light as a feather to wear. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. The final perfect detail is that slit that runs up one side of the skirt. That flash of skin it gives and the peak of the lace on the underskirt is the perfect detail that make it feel sexy, romance and feminine all at once. It is a tremendously beautiful dress. Excellent condition

The inner bodice has a full cupped and boned corset that closes with its own hook and eye. The skirt is unlined and the dress zips to close at the back. The buttons at the back are decorative only. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a modern 42. The inner corset has some give and that is reflected in the measurements below for the bust and waist

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam with about a B cup
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9" from top of bodice to waist
Inner skirt: 14.5" from waist to hem
Out skirt has uneven lengths: 38" from waist to shortest part of hem, 50" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4097

Reference Photos/Videos: (1) Spring 2018 Ermanno Scervino Runway, Look 5. Model: Dilone.  /  (2-6)  Elsa Hosk in Ermanno Scervino at the 2018 amfAR Gala at Cannes Film Festival.  /  (7-9) Kat Graham in Ermanno Scervino at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.  /  (10-13) Unknown on model shots.

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

"It was woman as dandy." declared Tom Ford. That was his comment to Vogue's Sarah Mower. Her review talked about 'the sinuous twenties and thirties feel he (Ford) melded into satins and chiffons for YSL's Spring collection....Together with the major frizzed hairdos and sexy high-heeled spectator shoes in leather and canvas, it added up to a new silhouette for the tall, sexually-in-control woman Ford envisions as the spirit of modern YSL.' She went on to talk about the dresses that season saying; 'There followed a line of equally individual gowns in satin and chiffon, worked with curving scalloped layers and plissé skirts and held up by the finest shoulder straps....The visions of pared-down, re-imagined Deco glamour kept coming. There were more sober options in black, with strands of jet beading moving over dark georgette' This is the twin of the dress shown on the runway and worn by Karen Elson. It has a gorgeous twenties inspired feel and sense of sensuality once on the body.

This dress is not 100% perfect but it is completely wearable as is. If it were perfect it would be double the price it is set at. It is a very collectible runway piece and it is the kind of dress that you see in real life and it makes you swoon. As good as it looks in the photos it only really comes to life on the body. It is made out of the lightest possible silk jersey in the lightest possible shade of a ballet pink. When you move in it the air around you picks up the jersey and it has the most beautiful movement. The dress is cut with a very soft and easy feel much like the dresses of the twenties and thirties. The bodice is suspended from two straps that curve over your shoulders. The center dips down into a very low V and a panel of jersey drapes over the bodice on both sides. At the back the dress is cut to plunge low with panels of jersey set along the edges of the plunge. These move with your slightest movement and the contrast between the panels and your bare back is very sexy. The dress is entirely cut on the bias so that it drapes down and over the bust and waist yet still shows off your curves. There are horizontal seams that run across the top sides of the hips. These dip down in a curve when on the body and a diamond is shaped between them at the front. The dress skims over you to meet the lowers skirts. The skirt is made from two layers of the fabric and cut longer at the center of the front and back. All of the seaming on the dress is done to give a nod to the fantastic seaming of the twenties and thirties. The entire dress weighs ounces and it is almost like having nothing on at all. It is so sexy and yet so refined. It is just amazing and even better in person. It presents as excellent condition but please review the notes below

The layering of the fabric act as the lining. No closures, it just slips over the head to wear. The bias cut and stretch to the fabric should allow it to fit a range of sizes. I see two tiny burn marks on the inside edge of the neckline and one mark on the skirt. There is a little cut out on one hip and a tiny hole in the skirt. Light snagging around the hip area and a repair to the point of the skirt. All individually are very tiny flaws and when on the dress presents perfectly. Please see the shots after the label shot. The fabric has stretch and the measurements below are of it laying flat and at a comfortable range.

Bust: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 52" from top of shoulders shortest part of the front hem, 62" to longest point

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4098

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 2004 Yves Saint Laurent Runway, Look 12. Model: Karen Elson.  /  (5) Kate Beckinsale at the 2004 Vanity Fair Oscar Party .

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

Guy Laroche began working for Jean Desses in 1949 and eventually launched his own Haute Couture label in 1957 as a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Parisienne.  He became known for his color sense and the young, sexy look of his clothes. In 1985 he won the Haute Couture Golden Thimble award and two years later he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur. His second Golden Thimble was given posthumously after his death in 1989. This dress is original Laroche and it is a beautiful example of the work he was doing in Couture. Laroche once was quoted as saying “It is my intention to try and adapt haute couture to modern requirements: to make dresses that are simple and chic.”

This is a spectacular example of his work and a simply beautiful dress in its own right. It was lent to Hannah Bronfman and I love that you can see just how gorgeous it is on her. It is also the actual runway sample and has a written tag identifying it as such. Carla is also written on it and I suspect that it may have been Carla Bruni who wore this one as she often modeled for him. I hope one day to find its runway photo and will send it to the new owner when I do.

This is a dress that makes you draw in your breath the first time that you see it. The dress is made out of a very fine silk chiffon that is printed with a stunning floral print in a colour that lies partway between a red and a pink. The dress is strapless and the bodice is covered with hand draped silk that is gathered in towards the center and secured with a little silk piping in the same fabric. The dress falls to the floor from there and the fabric that makes up the front part of the dress is incredible. It is the same silk as the back and bodice but is has been gathered and hand sewn onto a puffed fabric. This gives it this incredible texture. The print is the exact same but has a completely different look when it is gathered like that. There is this incredible contrast between the gathered silk and the silk that is not treated in this manner. The puffed fabric has beautiful movement and drape. It falls softly over the inner lining and moves with you when you move. The back of the dress is finished in an almost cape like detail and it is spectacular. It falls outwards from the top edge and he attached it down the sides so that it still billows out behind you when you move but falls in a stunning column when you stand still. There are two very long panels of fabric that run down on either side of the zipper at the back. These are attached along the top and are extended from the front bodice. You can use them to style the dress several different ways. I have photoed a few that I came up with and you could probably come up with even more. I love that it gives you options and extends the wearability of the dress. There are endless couture level details put into this one and the workmanship throughout is perfectly and meticulously done. It is an amazing example of the fine workmanship and attention to detail of Haute Couture and it is a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition with one minor note below

The dress is fully lined in an ivory silk. There is a full built in and boned corset in the bodice. This is the original runway sample and it has its hand written and numbered tag present. Hand finished to couture standard throughout. It closes with a hand set, back zipper. I see a tiny bit of wear the silk at the edge of the top of the zipper. Please see the photo after the label shot

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with a A-B cup
Inner waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from top of bodice to front hem, 58" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item#cDD4099

Reference Photos: Hannah Bronfman in this 1982 Guy Laroche styled by Sarah Slutsky.

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

I think at this point in time everyone pretty much recognizes certain Celine pieces from the Phoebe Philo days and this red jersey dress is one. This was Look 23 in the Pre-Fall 2017 show. This show is interesting as it is the one where Phoebe went completely silent. She offered no press quotes, gave no background on her inspiration and was not present at the press previews. It drove the press mad but her loyal fans loved here even more for it. Her work has spoken for itself ever since and still garners the same devotion, if not more.

 This is one of the easiest dresses to wear that has ever existed. You just slip it over the head and then adjust it with the tie at the dropped waist seam and walk out the door. That tie that runs through the seam around the hop allows you to wear it low and loose or you can cinch it in and wear it higher up on the waist and have the top blouse over. The jersey is fantastic and the red is one that should work on most skin tones. The neckline is detailed with a small strip of red leather that circle around the the neckline and down the front to the waist seam. It is studded with silver studs for the subtlest of details. It falls loose and easy over the body and the skirt has yards and yards of fabric. Besides wearign it this way you could also wear it the other way around. And it has pockets. This is the genius of Phoebe where she manages to have something be so perfectly simple and easy and yet have so much drama at the same time. I love it. Excellent condition 

Unlined and slips on to wear. Adjust with the tie at the waist seam. Tagged a 36 but very generous in cut. The jersey has stretch. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. It should fit a wide range of sizes

Bust: 15-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist-hips: open and adjustable
Bodice: 19" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 35" from waist to longest point of hem
Total length: 54" and it will hang a little longer on a smaller frame

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4095

Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2017 Celine Collection, Look 23.

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

Marc Vaughan is one of the lesser know Couturiers that launched his label in 1953 and then re-named it in his own name the year after. He began solely as a couturier and in 1957 expanded to offer a pret-a-porter line. He concentrated on the European market in the early days only expanding into America in 1963 where his work was sold in New York through the Hattie Carnegie House. In 1966, the year that this set is from he 'used and grouped together the cubes, the pyramids, the squares, the rectangles, the obelisks ... He created there his most authentic creation based on angular forms inspired by the eye of a geometer.' This is also the collection where he showcased his cubic pants, pants that are seamed like these are so that they fall in a more square shape around the leg. We found a photo of a similar pant to this one and we were also able to find one reference photo of a similar set to this. I like this one with its stark silver contrast even better. It is just exceptional and you will never see another.

This is a fabulous set that is truly something you will only ever find in vintage. It showcases perfectly that mod feeling of the mid-sixties while also representing the extravagances of couture during this time period. The set is two pieces, a metallic silver pant and a tunic with open sides. The tunic is a masterpiece and I love the fabric. It combined and embroidered black and silver thread on a white silk organza. Each of those black and silver designs that you see are individually added to the base and have a 3D feel to them as they sit on the fabric. Big silver flowers are added over the tunic and each is secured in place by more of the silver thread. It runs straight down and over the body at the front and the back and then the two sides are attached with four wide bands of silver lame. It is open down the sides between the bands. The tunic is just long enough that you could wear it as a dress if you dared which adds another element to its wearability. You could also layer it over other things to get more looks. This tops a pair of silver lame pants and the fabric is an early version of it. It is more like fabric that has been coated with silver then the lame we are more used to now. These are cut with that amazing seaming that lets them sit in a box shape around the outer leg. They are simple in cut with a high waist and flat front. It is quite genius and a gorgeous set that illustrates the leaps and bounds that couture was taking during this time period. Excellent condition with minor notes below.

The top is lined in a silk organza and the pants are lined in a lingerie weight netting. The tunic closes with a back zipper and the pants also zip to close. There is some minor wear on the pants. I see slight rubbing of the silver in the edges of the waistband and there is minor discoloration to the inner lining. The inside lining of the tunic shows some grubbiness and the edges of the silver have the same very minor rubbing here and there. It presents perfectly when on.

Tunic
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 28" from top of shoulder to hem

Pants
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.75" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 29.5" from waist to hem
Gusset: 13.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD4093

Reference Photo: Model wearing Marc Vaughan Couture, 1966.

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

Huishan Zhang was launched in 2012 and his label has garnered a loyal following. He studied at Central Saint Martins College and worked at the Dior's Haute Couture Atelier during his 3rd year. In 2014 and again in 2015, Huishan was named the BOF 500 as one of the people shaping the Global Fashion Industry. He was also awarded the International Chinese Designer of the Year at the Elle China Style Awards in 2014. In 2015, he was a finalist for the LVMH Prize and in 2017 he was a nominee for the Vogue Fashion Fund. He is a bright and talented designer sure to do even more great things and I am very pleased to have this stunning piece by him on the shop.

The film Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn, was the central inspiration for the show mixed with couture ideas of the past. This was one of the strongest looks of the show and part of the closing line-up. The dress is easy to wear yet packs a tin of impact. It is cut in a loose and easy caftan feeling shape that skims over the body in a loose and easy shape from head to toe. The neckline is set wide and the sleeves are short and each ends in a magnificent pouf of feathers. These add so much drama and movement to the dress and I love them. The front of the dress is done in black sequins set into diamonds that run across the entire surface. The backing behind the sequins is in a black and this sits over a white lining to create a bit of depth and define the border of each diamond. Then when you turn he has done the entire back in the opposite using silver sequins on white for a stark contrast. The back is also dipped into a low V so that when you do turn and walk away it is almost a shock to see the silver and bare skin. I love it. The dress has all its original tags and has never been worn. Excellent condition

Fully lined in an ivory silk and closes at the back with a hidden set zipper. New with tags. Tagged a modern UK16 US12 FR44 IT48

Sleeves: 16" to the actual hem and the feathers extend down to about 20" in total. The sleeves are 15" around the top of the arm
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4092

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2019 Huishan Zhang Runway Collection, Look 32.

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

A similar silhouette to this dress walked the runway for Fall 2019 but this dress was a production piece that was done in limited quantities for the shops. I still included the runway shot here because it gives you an idea of the fit of the dress once on the body. Fall 2019 was a wild success. The Vogue review for this collection touched on his 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 is one of my favorite pieces and it feels thoroughly Valentino. When you add in that spectacular floral print that covers almost the entire front of the skirt and it's just a joy. The dress is made from a fine and very light weight cotton that has been finished to have a 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 pleat work far better then a silk would. This dress comes with its original hang tags and it notes on them that the cotton was spun in such a way that it may have variations in it. There is also a tag that outlines how to maintain the plisse effect that dress by wringing 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 pleating is what lets it move so beautifully over the body once it is on. When you walk, the fabric of the skirt and those fantastic caped sleeves catch the air and billow out around you. The entire dress has been finished to look like it was hand painted. The body of the dress it done to suggest stone or sand and is in soft variations of a pink taupe in several tines. Then onto the front skirt is the giant abstract painting that has been done to suggest a flower or perhaps a field of them. It is actually screened onto the fabric yet it somehow feels as if it is hand painted into it. The neckline is set high and there is the tiniest little ruffle set there. It skims over the bust and the a second small ruffle curves around the easy set waist seam. The skirt falls from under there to the floor in a sweeping expanse of fabric. There is a very deep ruffle that is attached to the upper skirt and here to the seam of this tier is also finished with a ruffle. 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 sleeves are wonderful. Each is a full circle around and fall over your shoulders. I took a shot from the side so you can see how wide they are. I love them. The precision in cut to have this all fall and move so beautifully should not be underestimated. It has never been worn and has all its original tags. Excellent condition

Lined through the bodice and skirt with a similar but un-printed cotton. The dress closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. Tagged a Valentino 40. All original tags. Has its original price of 4400 euros which was about $5300USD in 2019.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4078

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

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 one of the prettiest Oscar dresses I have ever had in the shop and I love it. The movement it has when it is on and you walk is just incredible. It's exact twin was did not make an appearance on the runway but there were several dresses that had similar elements to this one. I have included the two closest here. I think that this one is even more gorgeous then either of those and I am kind of obsessed with it. In the review of the show Vogue's Janet Ozzard said in part; "It’s virtually impossible not to get swept up in Oscar de la Renta’s confident vision of the luxurious life. The designer played to all of his strengths for spring, showing more of the pretty dresses, chic suits, and slim coats that have made him a touchstone of relaxed, modern elegance....Judging from the cuts and colors of this collection, de la Renta has Palm Beach on his mind." and for the evening pieces she noted that; "Turning up the volume for evening, de la Renta progressed from a long, cool pour of pink charmeuse, to a giddy yellow satin strapless dress covered in nosegays of silk flowers, to embroidered and embellished showstoppers guaranteed to make it a memorable night—red carpet or not." This dress is definitely a dress that could walk a carpet and it would also make an amazing dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration.

This dress is absolutely dreamy. It is made out of the perfect pale mint green coloured silk chiffon. It is strapless and the upper bodice has a soft rounded shape to it. The silk is draped over the bust to give the feel of a bandeau and gathered in along the center. Inside it is cupped and shaped for support. Under that it is cut to hugs the body and the silk has been draped softly over the inner lining. The gathers are all set to curve and wrap around your body. That stunning colour combined with the soft gathers creates the most gorgeous effect. The dress is meant to hug the body and highlight your curves to past the hips to create an hourglass feel. The skirt is set in at about mid-thigh and it is spectacular. Here you see the genius of Oscar. The skirt has a ton of volume to it that shows best when you move. It is made out of a cascade of silk that becomes very full as it nears the hem. It is set longer at the back then the front so that you get this pretty curve from the side view and this fantastic sweep of skirts from the back. The entire skirt is covered with individually placed chiffon 'feathers' or 'petals' that move with the slightest bit of air and fall softly to the floor. The lightness of the silk causes all those appliques on the skirt to move with the slightest bit of air. When this is on and you are walking the effect that this creates is absolutely gorgeous. The final perfect detail is that open keyhole under the center of the bust. This little flash of skin is the prettiest detail that adds that perfect finishing element of romance and femininity. This is Oscar at his very best and it is a tremendously beautiful dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching pale green silk. The applique work on the skirt are set on top of the same silk chiffon as the rest of the dress so you get a touch of transparency under them. It closes with an inner side zipper to close the built in boned inner support and then a second hidden set zipper over that to close the exterior dress. Lightly boned through the inner bodice and built in hidden cups. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Tagged a US 6. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner corset waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from top of the bust to front hem, 57" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4073

Reference Photos: Spring 2004 Oscar de la Renta Runway Collection. Look 49 & 53.

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

Marie-Louise Carven, who founded her label in 1945, was one of the few female couturiers in the post-Chanel/Schiaparelli days of the Parisian designers. Her work was exquisite and she was a brilliant marketer, launching perfumes and a ready-to-wear line in 1950, something that couturiers still were not doing to a great degree at that time. She was known as being one of the great couturiers of the 'Golden Age' of Haute Couture and her designs became know for being so perfectly French and representing the spirit of Paris. She specialized in making dresses for a more petite sized woman. She was only 5'1" tall and found that there were often no options for herself so she decided to fill that gap saying that the other couturiers had no time for smaller stature women. Green was an integral colour for the house. Her atelier was green and white and her perfumes came wrapped in green and white striped paper. This dress is a stunning and very rare example of her work during this time period and encapsulates all that she meant to achieve with her work.

The dress is made to the typical fashion of her work in this time period. She loved to add collars and trims and often used organdy and linen that were cut out and embroidered. This dress has all of those and it is tremendously beautiful. The workmanship on this dress is amazing. The body of the dress is made from a pale green organdy that has been embroidered around the edges and on each individual piece of the pattern as well. It has open cut outs between the green parts so that you can see the pale ivory silk organza lining underneath. The effect of this layering is wonderful. It gives the pattern even more depth and texture then it would have with just the embroidery work. It is also slightly transparent which adds to its feeling of airiness and lightness. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the waist is seamed and set slightly high. I have added a ribbon to some of the photos and you can wear it with or without a belt for more shape. The skirt widens out as is nears the floor and is cut slightly longer in the back for a pretty sweep of skirts behind you. The neckline is finished with an elaborate silk organza ruffle. The ruffle is made of four layers and each layer is edged with a silk ribbon finish. It can be worn on or off the shoulder. I prefer it off the shoulder so that you get that bare expanse of skin. The hem is finished with the same ruffle technique and this cleverly weights the skirt so that is fall perfectly and also gives it this beautiful little kick with you move. It is an extraordinary and rare piece of Haute Couture and it is fabulous. This is an amazing piece of fashion history and it is a simply beautiful dress. Present as excellent condition with some small things to note below

Fully lined in the ivory silk organza and zips to close at the back. It is in overall great condition and at first glance looks perfect. There are some tiny flaws that I think are inevitable with this type of fabric. There are some well dome repairs here and there to the inner lining that do not show from the exterior. Some tiny areas of darkening here an there to the ruffles. There are some small stress tears around the armholes. I photoed these. Here and there the connecting bridge to another pattern piece has come apart and there is maybe a couple of tiny tears on the fabric here and there. Please see the photos after the label shot. It is completely wearable as it is now. The ribbon tie belt is not original to the dress but will be sent with it. It is slim through the hips

Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 39" from waist to front hem, 43" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4074

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

Please do not buy. On hold for DM 

This twin of this dress walked the runway for the Fall 2013 collection and it is not only the twin of the runway piece but it is also the twin of the same dress that I have had in the shop before. I think I love it even more this second time around. In 2013 Valentino was headed by both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. They had stepped into Mr Valentino's shoes and were breathing new life into the brand. Vogue's Nicole Phelps said of this show in her review: 'Vermeer's Girl With a Pearl Earring stared out from Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli's mood board this season. At a preview, the Valentino designers were making connections between what they called the severe yet sensual portraits of the Dutch masters and their exquisite new collection for Fall. "We wanted to capture women in a private moment," Chiuri said. "In this show, the face is very important." This is Valentino we're talking about, of course, so in the end there was no lack of intricacy in the details. There were gowns galore, many of unsurpassed beauty, and some too beautiful not to bring up. But to prattle on describing them would be to defeat the point. They weren't the news; the austere grace was" This dress is one of the best examples of that 'austere grace' that Phelps describes above. It was also the closing look of the show with an added white collar and cuffs for styling. Last looks are always a shoe-in as a collectors piece as they are the look the designers wished to leave with us that final impression of the show. And what a piece to have an impression of.

The dress has this fabulous almost stark and severe feel with is simple cut and black fabric. You are fully covered and this makes it feel so refined and elegant. The dress is made from a black cotton and silk mix that has a slight coated sheen feel to it. This fabric choice keeps it light in weight but still has enough structure to hold its shape. The cut is minimalist with a high neck with a small and neat collar. The bodice is cut to skim over you and the shoulders extend out to the sleeves with no seam there. This takes a lot more fabric to execute and is a detail that you rarely see in modern clothing. The sleeves are long and just slightly taper down to the wrist. There is a hidden set button at the end of each sleeve and I love how this button is set towards the inner lining so the line of the sleeve is unbroken. The waist is brought in slightly with vertical seaming and then skirt falls under that to its original uncut supermodel length. All of the seaming on the dress is vertical and the width of the skirt that you see is achieved by adding an inverted pleat down the center of the skirt. The panels within this pleat are the same width as the ones that circle the skirt and it is all cut exactly and precisely so that the skirt balances and falls perfectly. At the back the hem curves down and is cut a few inches longer then it is at the front. This gives it this pretty and graceful curve from the side and also adds the sense of sweeping skirts as you walk away. The dress is fabulous on the body and and it is beautifully finished. I have included runway photos and also shots of myself wearing the one I had in the shop previously so that you can see how amazing it is on the body. We also found runway footage that gives you a better idea of how that stunning skirt moves once on. The dress appears to  have never been worn or worn very little if at all. It's perfect. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a fine black silk throughout and has a hidden set zipper at the back. Each cuff buttons to close with hidden buttons. Tagged a Valentino 42. It appears to have never been worn. There are hidden buttonholes inside the collar and cuffs to be able to button in the collar and cuffs that you see on the runway photos that were sold separately. With those button holes there you could get ones made in any color or style you wished to really change the look of the dress.

Sleeves: approx 22"
Shoulders: no true defined seams
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 61" from neck to front hem, 65" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4071

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 2013 Valentino Runway Finale Look. Model: Maud Welzen.  /  (2-6) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

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 gorgeous dress by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel and its twin walked the runway for the Fall 1998 season. On the runway is was shown with boots and a loose jacket over it but it is as good or better worn on its own. If nothing else it shows how versatile a great LBD like this can be. It was also amazing to find a runway photo from this time period and I love that with it you can see how lovely the dress is on an actual body. It is very hard to find photos from these earlier collections and having that additional documentation makes this dress that much more special.

This is an absolute stunning dress from 1998 Chanel fall collection. My client knew that it was a runway piece and after sifting through hundreds of photos we finally spotted it in the photo added here for reference. Everything about it has that chic Chanel feel that makes many of Karl's designs classics forever. It is very beautiful in person and the simple lines and cut make it the kind of dress that you can wear multiple times and the styling and accessories you add will make it feel different each time. It is made of very light black wool crepe. The dress is almost weightless and it drapes over the body perfectly. The dress is actually a strapless sheath that has panels added over it that create that one shoulder silhouette. There is a long panel added to the bodice on both the back and the front and these extend out to meet at the top of the shoulder at the one side. This leaves the other shoulder bare and exposed. Under that is an additional strap that helps to hold everything perfectly in place. What is interesting about this one is that each panel on each side is cut slightly different. The dress is so well made that you can actually wear it either way and by switching it around you get a slightly different shape and feel. I have photoed it both ways for you to see. Its like getting two dresses in one.  The waist is slightly shaped and brought in for a bot of shape but there is no seam that breaks the eye. You could even add a belt if you wanted to add shape and change up the look more. The skirt falls under that to the floor and has an inset panel on one side. This extends down past the hem for a slight trailing effect. It also perfectly offsets the one shoulder feel. It is light in weight so as you move it moves around you. It is a clever way to add movement and interest to the skirt without sacrificing the lean line he has created. It is just stunning. Excellent condition

The main part of the dress is lined with a Chanel logo embossed fine black silk. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Tagged a Chanel 36 from collection 98A

Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to shortest part of hem, 51" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4070

Reference Photo: Fall 1998 Chanel Collection Presentation.

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

In 1951, 27 year old James Galanos launched his first label called Galanos Originals. By 1954 he had won a Coty award and the Neiman Marcus award. By 1958 he was producing clothing that could range in price from $200 to $3000, an astronomical price for ready-to-wear for that time period. His ready-to-wear line was made close to couture standards and with a level of craftsmanship that was on par with the French couturiers. Galanos was a master cutter and draper and he used many couture techniques in his work. Grace Kelly was an early fan. He was truly one of the great American designers and his work is held in all of the major museums around the world. He is one of my personal favourites. This dress is exceptional and I was very excited to have it come into the shop. It would be red carpet worthy and it would also be an amazing wedding dress for the bride looking for a non-traditional choice or as an alternative dress in a more extended wedding celebration. It already has the something blue built in. And of course it could also be worn to any non wedding event too. 

I love this dress. The color combination is fabulous together and the two different silks that he used are the highest quality. Galanos excelled at silks and silk chiffon and this dress is a testament to that. It is very difficult to work with these fabrics and have them sit properly. The skirt is really where you see his genius. It is made out of four layers of an ivory silk chiffon with each layer stacked perfectly over the one beneath it. Then on top of those is a fifth printed floral layer. This final outer layer has a touch of texture to it that makes it incredibly beautiful. The layers are attached at the side seams and around the waist so that the hem and shallow slits at the sides can benefit from the full movement created by all the layers. This is what gives the dress movement when you move while still keeping it light as air. Along each side of the skirt is a panel of a liquid finish silk satin. This is a clever way to help the skirt hold its shape and give it weight so that when you move it always sits right. The side panels are actually extensions that run down from the bodice. The top is a simple affair that covers you at the front and leaves the back completely bare. It is gathered in soft horizontal folds across the bust and then those gathers tighten and curve down low at each side. Instead of wrapping around you to the back they drop and extend into those side skirt panels that you see. It is incredible. Tiny straps curve up and over your shoulders and then drop all the way down your back to the waist to hold the dress in place. The inside of the bodice is lightly boned and then lined with what feels like several layers of silk and structure so that you can wear it with nothing underneath. To finish the look he then added this spectacular and huge flower print on both the front and back of the skirt. This bold blue flower covers almost the entire skirt and makes sch a beautiful statement. It is like wearing a piece of art. It would also have had to have been all planned out prior to construction and the silk used for it done separately so that the flowers fell in the exact right position. As with most silk chiffon pieces it really will only truly come to life when on an actually body. It is beautifully made and feather light. Gorgeous. Excellent condition with a small note below.

The multiple layers of silk in the skirt serve as the lining. It closes with a low back hand set zipper. Hand rolled edges and hand finishes throughout. Light boning through the bodice. There is the very faint mark on the side panel of the skirt and some small ones near the hem of the inner lining. Please see the last two photos after the label shot. Slightly more ivory in person then how it photoed.

Bust: the total width of the bust across is about 16" and there is no back
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from the top of the strap to the waist
Skirt: 42.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD4064

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

John Galliano went from Givenchy to Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. During John Galliano's years at the house of Christian Dior he arguably produced some of the most amazing bias cut dresses in the house's history. His work, especially the bias cut pieces that he did, have a feeling of the decadence and abandonment of the twenties and they are beautifully cut. They marry Old Hollywood with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early 2000s and the results are stunning. This is an amazing example of his work from the Boutique line and it is gorgeous. I have included some photos of Riley Keough in a dress with the same print that she wore at the time to attend the Couture show. It at least gives you an idea of how fabulous and vibrant the print is on the body. I have to say that I prefer this dress over hers. It is far more classically Galliano for Dior in shape and cut.

This dress is made from a fine silk crepe chiffon that is cut completely on the bias. It is very beautiful. The silk is covered in one of his more vibrant prints and I love it. An explosion of flowers cover every inch of the dress. The signature bias cut that he often did allows the dress to skim and drape over the body so that is shows every curve but is not overly fitted. The seaming is highly reminiscent of the work you see from the twenties and thirties which became another of John's signatures. The fabric has been pieced together and laid out to form a low dipping bodice and then low dropped angled panels that create the various parts of the pattern that you see. Set along the seams are loops made out of the same fabric and I love how some are only attached at one end so you get this bit of a raw decadent feel. This also creates incredible movement. All those loops move as you move and the effect is fabulous. The dress is suspended from wide straps that curve over each shoulder. The bodice is simple and soft with dropped seams. It glides over the body and then flares out as it reaches the hem. The widening of the hem is created by the way the panels are inset. It is an incredible feat of patterning. The skirt falls longer at the back and the sides are cut higher as well. There are slits up the side to add to the movement of the skirt. This also gives you a flash of leg when you sit or move. The back is a low V that leaves a bare expanse of skin to show. The dress is even better in person and on the body as the static photos cannot fully convey how a bias cut dress moves. They only truly come to life when worn. This one also comes with a matching silk chiffon stole that is cut extra long and wide and is finished with a trim of silk flower petals. I have shown several ways that it can be worn and there are probably more. 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 white silk chiffon and both layers are cut on the bias. It slips on to wear with no closures. The bias cut should allow it to fit a variety of sizes. The length might come up when on depending on the size of the girl underneath since it is cut on the bias. Tagged a US10 FR42 GB14 IT46. The measurements given below are the comfortable stretch of the fabric laying flat. You might get a touch more when on an actual body. Comes with its original matching shawl trimmed with silk petals at each end

Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 54" from shoulder to the front hem, 57" to the back hem
Shawl: 92" long x 20" wide

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD4062

Reference Photos: (1-3) Riley Keough, in Dior, with John Galliano at the Fall 2004 Haute Couture Dior Runway Show. / (4-5) Alek Wek attends the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum's Young Collectors Council Artists Ball hosted by Dior on December 16, 2004.  

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

There is very little information of the cruise collections from the early 2000s but I do know that this came from the estate of a woman who shopped a lot at Chanel. Her things were stunning and she took immaculate care of them. This is one of several suits from her estate that I have had including this other Chanel suit that is available at the moment  (find that one here). She was not a size 0 and it is nice to find some Chanel pieces that are a slightly larger size when so many that I see are usually very very tiny. That all said, we were able to find a reference photo of a similar top which was worn with pants on the runway that season and a shot of Emmy Rossum who wore the twin of the jacket in 2012 for an event. Which gives you a great idea of how amazing it is on.

The suit is constructed from an absolutely stunning ivory silk version of the Chanel signature boucle fabric. It is absolutely beautiful. It is then edged with the palest possible pink silk chiffon. I love the mix of the boucle and silk chiffon. On the jacket the chiffon is inset down the front edges, along each pocket and at the ends of the sleeves. The edging is composed of three layers of the silk chiffon and left with raw edges.The effect of these layered over top each other is very soft and romantic. The silk continues all the way around the hem. I especially love how it peeks out from the cuffs of each sleeve and drops down on an angle. Pockets and curving seams detail the sides of the jacket. The skirt is cut with a slight flare is it nears the hem and has more of the silk chiffon technique applied and inset under the hem. The entire suit is then lined in the highest quality camellia flower embossed white silk. This came with the matching pale pink lace top that is from that same collection. It would have been bought separately but I decided to keep it all together because it just felt right. The lace mixes a pale deep cream and pink thread that forms the signature Camilla flower of the label. It has no closures just a touch of elastic at the base of the back and the lace will stretch. A padded double C logo and cross are added at the front.  This is classic Chanel and it is exceptional. It would make a great bridal piece for the bride not looking for something traditional or as a dress for an event surrounding the ceremony. Excellent condition.

Both the skirt and the jacket are fully lined in a fine, white silk embossed with the Chanel camellia flower print. The top is unlined. The skirt closes with a hidden set zipper. The jacket and top have no closures. Chanel logo sewn onto both pieces of the suit. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The color and texture are even better in person. The jacket is tagged a Chanel 44, the skirt a 42 and the top has no size tag present. Some of the glitter looks to be missing around the edges of the appliques on the top. It is a little creamier in colour then how it photoed

The Chanel boucle is created with their proprietary method of weaving that they themselves describe as "by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless". This technique gives you that classic Chanel look.

Jacket
Sleeve: 25"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21" from waist to hem

Top
It has stretch. It fit on my dress form that has a 39" chest and a 31" waist and I think it can go up to that bit not much more. The measurements below are unstretched and laying flat
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD4057

Reference Photos: (1) Cruise 2004 Chanel Runway Presentation.  /  (2) Emmy Rossum, in Chanel, at the 9th Annual John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit in California, 2012.

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

John Galliano was moved from Givenchy to Christian Dior in October of 1996 and stayed there until he was dismissed in February of 2011. This dress is from the Resort 2009 collection and it is the twin of the piece that walked the runway. The runway pieces that season where based lightly on Poiret and the Paris of the past and for production there was a group of more refined and elegant pieces like this wonderful dress. You so often see how John translated his over the top runway collections into elegant, wearable and yet still glamorous pieces like this dress but this one is the twin of the actual runway dress and it is infinitely wearable. The look was worn by Chanel Iman on the runway and it is gorgeous. The Vogue report on the collection noted that: "Galliano has been mining the good old U.S. of A. for raw material from which to spin his dreams....grandes dames like Barbara Hutton, Millicent Rogers, and Nan Kempner—women who weren't afraid to make a bold sartorial statement, one that preferably involved a whopping piece of jewelry. From a shimmering backdrop that conjured a Tony Duquette garden, there emerged a full wardrobe for their modern-day counterparts in Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, and Dallas.... What this season is really about is not so much breaking the mold as delivering a vision of the good life—and Galliano can do that in spades."

This is a very easy and wearable piece by John and I love that its soft and romantic lines could easily play double duty and make a great bridal piece for the bride not looking for something traditional, a court ceremony dress or as a dress for an event surrounding the ceremony. The dress flounces over the body and is easy to wear and still flattering. It is made of three tiers of a light weight silk gazaar that opens up and widens out as it travels over you. The neckline is cut wide across the shoulders and an ruffle in the same fabric adds a pretty face framing touch. At the back this ruffle continues down, curving over the shoulders and highlight the deep V at the back. Each of the tiers under that have that same ruffle treatment and I love that they are all set on a bit of a downward curve. This is a clever way to add length and shape so the dress does not sit on you like a sack. It is insanely pretty without being juvenile and the dreamy ivory has the perfect amount of romance and softness to it. The silk is light as a feather and yet has enough structure to hold the shape so it does not collapse around you once you move. It looks remarkably simple yet is genius in its execution. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in fine white silk and closes with a hidden set side zipper. The ruffle that runs over where the zipper is set snaps to close with hidden set clear snaps. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a FR 36, GB 8, I 40, USA 4. The easy cut should work on a range of sizes.

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4056

Reference Photos: Resort 2009 Dior Runway, Look 9. Model: Chanel Iman.

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 suit is instantly recognizable as an Alexander McQueen piece and it is stunning. The FIDM Museum has its twin on their permanent archives and they did a spectacular write up on the suit which I will share here; "Deliverance, Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2004 fashion show was the hit of the season. Based on the 1969 film, "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" Deliverance subverted the typical fashion show narrative by reversing the order of presentation; evening gowns kicked off the extravaganza while faux-homespun daywear and a tarnished evening gown concluded the show. This narrative mirrored the film, which documents a Depression-era dance marathon. In order to earn a cash prize the hopeful participants must dance for days with only brief breaks for food and short naps. Lack of sleep and food, paired with non-stop dancing, drives the dancers to the point of emotional and physical collapse and ends in tragedy... 20 trained dancers paired with 20 models, all of whom rehearsed for two weeks. Deliverance began with models and dancers moving about the dance floor with a sense of eagerness and purpose, dressed in delicate gowns. By the end of the show, the dancer/models struggle to stay upright while dressed in patchwork garments representative of their overall decline. Of course, Deliverance was a fashion show presented by Alexander McQueen, so even the patchwork garments were exquisitely crafted. The woman’s suit constructed of men’s cotton shirting seen below appears near the end of the Deliverance, worn by a model slumped on the shoulders of her dancing partner.... The emotional and physical deterioration in Deliverance is typical of McQueen’s work, which frequently explores themes related to violence and decay. Garments, particularly in his early collections, are often intentionally cut and torn and his fashion shows have been called a “theatrical staging of cruelty.”Though it almost seems counterintuitive, McQueen has expressed a strong interest in creating a feminine persona that is intimidating in its visual power. When examined closely, it is easy to view the FIDM Museum suit as an expression of McQueen’s interest in powerful femininity. The symmetrical patchwork resembles the patterning of an animal or insect and the small flounce at the lower back of the jacket references the stinger of a bee. Despite these obvious danger signals, the subtle and varied patterning of the textiles invites closer inspection, enticing the spectator as a spider lures an insect to its web."

The suit is identical to the one that walked the show. It has the additional provenance of having twins of it worn by Nicole Kidman, Jennider Colnnolly and Sienna Miller. The collection was also re-shown in LA in a special presentation the the Chateau Marmont. Few of these would have been produced and it is amazing to have such an wonderful piece of his work in the shop.

A piece like this truly showcases McQueen’s strong tailoring background& and master cutting abilities. The suit is made from a variety of cotton suiting fabrics and gives a nod to his heritage and strong tailoring roots. The jacket is also cut with sharply tailored lines and then he has added that spectacular button detailed collar and brought in the waist to create a more feminine shape. I love that it still feels very refined despite its avant garde patchwork details and cut. The shoulders are squared off and padded to hold their shape. Each sleeve is cut on a slight curve in the proper manner of tailoring a sleeve and ends in 4 functional buttons at each cuff. The body of the jacket is shaped with a female body in mind and is cut in at the waist for shape. Buttons run down the entire front. Six of them close at the center part of the jacket and then the rest above and below are decorative. It then flares out over the hips into a peplum around you. At the back it is cut to flare out into a sharp flounce as referenced above in the FIDM description. The skirt under that is equally as exceptional. It is cut with a flat front and is fitted around the hips. Curved inset allow it it flare out beautifully around you. You really need to watch the runway clip to see just how stunning it in on and moving. I think my favorite thing about it is how the the various cottons are pieces together and so deliberately sewn and apparent. The workmanship is meticulous and it is an absolutely beautiful and a rare piece of his work. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined with an ivory cotton twill in the jacket and a silk through the skirt. The jacket buttons to closes at the front. The skirt closes with a hidden set side zipper. The jacket is tagged a size 42, the skirt a 40. Padding on the shoulders. Tiny and shallow hidden pockets on the jacket along the front waist seam. Deliberate raw edges on some parts of the set. I see the tiniest marks near the waist and on the front ribbed cotton. My cleaner thinks it is a part of the fabric and an inherent to the way it was woven. I have photoed both for you to see even though it is so minor. It otherwise looks to have never been worn or worn very little. The suit has an overall more creamy tone to it n person then how it photoed

Jacket
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to longest point of hem

Skirt
Waist: to 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: The hem ranges from 29" from waist to middle front hem to 31" to the sides

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4055

Reference Photos/Video: (1-5) Spring 2004 Alexander McQueen Runway Show, Look 55.  /  (6) A model walks the runway at the Los Angeles debut of designer Alexander McQueen's Spring / Summer 2004 Collection at Chateau Marmont on January 21, 2004 in West Hollywood, California.  /  (7) Spring 2004 Alexander McQueen Suit in the FIDM Museum Collection.  /  (8-10) Nicole Kidman, in Alexander McQueen, at AFI's 2003 Awards Luncheon, January 2004.  /  (11-12) Jennifer Connelly in Alexander McQueen, November 2003.  /  (13-14) Sienna Miller, in Alexander McQueen, at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship, 2004.  /  (15) From the book "Alexander McQueen" Edited by Claire Wilcox.

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 one of several versions that are well documented from the Spring 1979 Yves Saint Laurent runway show. I have included all that we could find so you can see how wonderful this collection was and what an integral part of that years show this dress and those like it were. The very first reference photo has the twin of this dress but in a different colour way towards the back of the shot. It gives you an idea of how fabulous this will be on. It is a spectacular piece and very easy to wear.

I love the pretty mix of colours in this dress and the incredible movement that it has. Yves was just a master with fabric and this dress is wonderful. The three colours used are bright and compliment each other perfectly. The top layer is a bright sea green and then there is a royal blue layer under that and a final red layer at the bottom. The entire thing is constructed from a beautiful light weight silk chiffon. Each tiered layer has been knife pleated. This allows the fabric to expand out as each layer reaches the hem. When you move the pleats are what gives the dress its incredible movement. The entire dress is cut to be as comfortable to wear as possible. The neckline is finished with a green satin finish flat ribbon piping to highlight its edge. This same ribbon is used for the straps that curve up and around your shoulders. I think that you could probably tuck the straps in and wear this as a strapless dress if you wanted and I love the versatility that would give you. The dress skims over your bust and then opens up to be full over the waist and hips. The layers flow to the floor and they widen out in with each tier to the bottom hem. The dress has a fantastic romantic and light feel to it and the bareness of the shoulders gives it a bit of a sexy touch. I love that the runway and ad shots show you how he would have styled this too. Tons of ideas to play with there. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The bodice is lined in a nude silk chiffon and then the tiers under that make it opaque enough to wear. It buttons to closes at the side above a small keyhole. I see slight colour run on one side of the green tier but it is very subtle and faint. Withe the pleats you really only see it if you spread it out flat as I did for the photo. Please see the shot after the label shot. Some of the pleats have softened slightly near the hems. Tagged a vintage YSL 38. The top edge seam has no give so that measurement is firm unless altered. Otherwise the easy cut should fit a range of sizes.

Seam at the top of the bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 55" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4050

Reference Photos: (1-5) Spring 1979 Yves Saint Laurent Collection. Assorted runway & ad campaign photos.  /  (6) 1979 Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Photo by Francois Lamy for Vogue.

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

The early eighties are a time period often overlooked in the Paco Rabanne history but there are some lovely pieces that came out of this time period. This dress is definitely one of them. It is a Haute Couture piece and has been entirely made by hand. His entire brand was based on innovation Even in the 80s he was experimenting and developing new fabrics. This is a beautiful piece and a very wearable one as well. 

This is a lovely dress whose fabric is phenonemal. The dress has a simple cut. It is cut fairly straight all the way from shoulder to hem and just widens out a touch as it nears the hem. This makes it very comfortable once on the body. The neckline is cut straight across and wide. Each sleeve is cut very wide with a slight flare as it reaches the end and you can see how this adds a beautiful line to the dress. The sleeves add movement and drama to the dress and really give it that caftan feel. To offset the coverage of the velvet there is a high slit worked on one side so that you get a flash of bare leg when you sit or move. The fabric is just beautiful. It is a deep deep burgundy red and the velvet is soft and plush. Worked into this are two large clusters of flowers. One on the bodice and the other near the hem. The fabric these inset is made out of an iridescent pink gold that changes colour as the light hits it. Tiny little gold coils and beads are then hand placed all around the edges for a 3D effect. You can see and feel the gold popping off if the velvet and it really is just an amazing detail. This is the type of dress you will only ever find in vintage and it is probably a one off. it has the feel of a runway sample to me. It is all done by hand but some of the seams seem basted and that is usually what you see with runway pieces. Excellent condition with a minor note below

The dress is partially lined through the middle and this partial lining helps to hold the skirt in pace where it wraps under itself with the way the skirt is constructed. The inner hem is extremely deep so it might be possible to extend the length of needed. Minor flattening of the velvet in places but that's normal with vintage velvet. Weights on the hem. It slips over the head to wear. Hand finishes throughout and hand finished inner seams

Sleeves: 26.5" to longest point
Shoulders: 16.5" and meant to drape down slightly past the natural shoulder
Bust-hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 55.5" from shoulder to seam under the bust
Slit: 29" from seam under the bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4047

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