If there is a dress more instantly recognizable and famous then the Valentino dragon dress I am not sure what dress that might be. It is a star even among the many outstanding dresses that Valentino has created over the years. The Haute Couture version was first created to great fanfare in 1969 and we have included some of the many reference photos that can be found for that original version. Then for the spring of 2001, the Valentino atelier released a limited edition collection of re-edited copy of the dress. This is one of those dresses and my couture client purchased it directly from Valentino. This is a rare chance to own an official Valentino version of one of the most iconic dresses ever produced. 

This version of the famous dragon dress follows the lines of the original couture one perfectly. The only difference is that this one is of ready to wear finishings rather then made to the Haute Couture level that the original would have been made to. At first glance you immediately think of the 1969 version and it is such a special piece. The description of the dress where it is documented in the book on Valentino's work sums it up perfectly; 'Printed tunic dress with a yellow, green and red oriental dragon against a very dark background; it features a seamed bust line, a stopped neckline, long sleeves and a deep slit along the left hip.' The dress is made out of a silk that has a satin like finish to it with that wonderful dragon printed on its surface. The dragon curls around the body on both the front and the back of the skirt and across the back and bust. Even the sleeves have part of the design on them. The neck is scooped and the sleeves each end in a wonderful flare out by the time they reach their ends. A curved horizontal seam gives a touch of definition just under the bust and then the skirt flows to the floor in a widening line. The choice of fabric is perfect as it is just heavy enough to keep the shape that you see so that you get the full view of the dragon design from any angle once it is on. The slit on the one side is very high and shows a ton of leg when you move, balancing out the coverage everywhere else. It is incredible. Excellent condition 

The dress is unlined and closes with a hidden set side zipper and a hook & eye at the back of the neck. It has no tags but was purchased direct by my couture client. Proper interior tag and tagged a size 42. The cut is small through the upper bodice and arms hence the XS-SML size designation I have given it

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem
Slit: 33" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3561

Reference Photos: (1) Vogue, December 1968.  /  (2-3) Valentino dresses, 1969.  /  (4-5) The re-issued Spring 2001 dress and credit from the book "A Grand Italian Epic: Valentino Garavani" by Taschen.  /  (6) Heidi Klum Valentino at the 2018 From Paris With Love Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala.  /  (7) Ruth Negga in Valentino, New York, 2018.

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 dress is instantly recognizable as an Alexander McQueen piece. While there are pieces out there that only die-hard collectors would know at first glance, this is one of the dresses that has entered the mid of the general public na have become a pop culture icon. The spring 2008 collection was called 'La Dame Bleue' and was a tribute to his mentor and friend Isabella Blow who had committed suicide on May of 2007 after a long bout of illness. His statement of the show was this; 'Isabella flew. The collection is exuberant and excessive. It's about her way of thinking and that way of thinking brought light into fashion. Even when she was down she was up with what she wore. I had the best times with Isabella. I remember going to Mauritius with her and I'd come back from scuba diving and it would be 100 degrees and she'd be standing on the beach head to toxin McQueen with a Philip Treacy Hat on. Or we'd be sitting around the pool and she'd still be head to toe in McQueen with a Philip Treacy hat on. I've though a lot about why she would wear things like that and she wore them because it made her feel like a diva. She was a diva in what she wore. She pulled it off. I never blinked at what she wore. It just seemed normal. So this was a collection about Isabella ad about wearing clothes that transform you." The entire show was a beautiful testament to someone he loved dearly and the series of rainbow butterfly dresses were an immediate hit world wide and have become some of his best known works. This was the fifth last collection of his career and these last collections are considered to be some of his most brilliant. 

On the runway this dress was shown with a feathered shoulder harness over it. It was endlessly documented at the time as everyone was drawn to its joyful exuberance and coloir. We found references of it from four different Vogues issues from different countries. In 2015, FKA Twigs wore the full runway version to the Savage Beauty exhibit opening gala to great acclaim. This dress sold out world wide when it was produced and there are very few out there. This is a rare opportunity to own an important piece of fashion history. The dress itself is a piece of art. It is strapless with a built in inner dress that has built in cups and a sheer nude inner mini dress. This inner corseted garment is attached and made from a combination of nude stretch lingerie jersey and nude silk chiffon. Over this are four panels of the rainbow printed butterfly pattern on a feather light silk chiffon. These are attached and draped around and over the top of the bodice and then swoop down from there is four sections. Each sections is miles long and ends in a point. When you have this one and walk in it the front panels swoop back and trail behind you like some fantastical fairy costume and you seem to float rather than merely walk. The bodice is curved to a modified sweetheart and I love how there was no expense spared into amount of silk chiffon used. You can see how it is heavily gathered at the front on particular. My client also bought the optional belt at the time that was shown on other runway pieces in the collection. Having this with the dress not only adds to the variation in how you can wear it, but it also adds another important bit of history and provenance to the dress as it is very rare to find the belt with one of these. The colours in the dress are spectacular and cover the full spectrum of the rainbow. To see it in person and how it moves is literally like looking at a moving three dimensional piece of art. This is a very rare opportunity to own one of his most recognizable dresses and the FKA Twigs association adds another dimension of modern culture to it as well. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

The inner dress has built in cups and light boning. Over this is a nude silk chiffon that falls to the top of the thighs. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and then the nude silk chiffon inner dress zips to close over that. It is tagged a McQueen size 42 but my client had it expanded at the back. These were sold out worldwide and this was the only one she was given the option to buy. I have photoed the triangle inset that was added to the back on the layers. The work is very well done and would be easy to reverse if you wished to do so. The bit of extra fabric from the exterior layer was stolen off the very end of one point. It as worn once for an hour and has not been worn since and is pristine. The belt snaps to close and is tagged a McQueen 44. There is a minor surface scuff on the belt. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam with an approx B-C cup 
Waist: the inner will stretch out to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: the shortest parts of the panels where they connect is approx 47" from the bodice and the longest parts extend down from the bodice to approx 86" to the ends of the points on each panel. 
Belt: Adjustable from 29.5" - 33.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3560

Reference Photos: (1-3) Viviane Orth for Alexander McQueen Spring 2008 Runway Collection.  /  (4) Daria Werbowy in Alexander McQueen by Mario Testino for British Vogue, March 2008.  /  (5) Daria Werbowy in Alexander McQueen by Terry Richardson for Vogue Nippon, February 2008.  /  (6) Chanel Iman in Alexander McQueen by KT Auleta for Vogue Russia, February 2008.  /  (7) Luca Gadjus in Alexander McQueen by Vincent Peters for Vogue Germany, April 2008.  /  (8-10) FKA Twigs at the Savage Beauty Gala, 2015.  /  (11) 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.

Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. The twin of this dress was photoed a year later for the September issue of Vogue on Donna Mitchell and I think that this photo has become one of the most famous shots of her and one of the best shots done for Vogue period. To have this in the shop is a bit of a holy grail for me personally as it is such a beautiful dress that I  have always loved. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of  the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with luxurious materials and his evening wear in particular seemed to have a way of flattering the wearer. Even when the dress was as extravagant as this one is. He knew how to walk that line perfectly. This very early piece of his work and with its glamorous fabric, history and that dramatic feather collar, it is some of his very best work ever. 

The dress is stunning and besides the actual beauty of it as a dress, the fabric is one of the best textiles I have ever seen. It is a printed silk voile in a riotous colour palette of yellow, coral and black with dots of an extra soft plush chenille fused onto the surface. The chenille appliqué covers the entire dress from shoulder to hem and gives it the most amazing tactile feel. The dots also give the dress texture and a three dimensional quality. To offset the texture and extravagance of the print on that fabric, the actual lines of the dress are fairy simple The bodice skims over the bust to the seamed waist and the sleeves are long and straight with zippers at each cuff. The neckline is high and scooped. The skirt falls from the waist to the floor in a gentle widening line. At the neck it becomes all drama again. Here we see that famous feathered collar in all its glory. the collar is actually a separate piece on its own that hooks into place and I have provided photos of the dress with and without the collar. The feathers on the collar have been hand dyed to match the colours of the dress and there are hand dyed smaller feathers hand placed and attached onto the larger feathers to create the pattern that you see. The effect is amazing and it is even better on person and on an actual body as all the elements really come to life. It is really one of the most significant and dramatic pieces ever done by him. A true collectors piece. Excellent condition 

The entire dress including the sleeves is fully lined in a nude coloured silk. It closed with a back painted metal zipper and each cuff has a zipper to close. The collar is backed with a silk organza and hooks to close. There are a few tiny areas of thinning to the silk behind the feathers of the collar but these are extremely minor. Overall it appears to have been worn very little if at all. 

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 42" from waist to hem with 3.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3562

Reference Photo: Donna Mitchell in Bill Blass, Shot by Richard Avedon, Vogue US, September 1971.

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

Christian Lacroix launched his Haute Couture house in 1987 and his work was instantly adored and revered world wide. He defined an era and he was crowned the King of Couture. A ready-to-wear line soon followed along with perfumes and menswear. His Haute Couture collections inn particular were always exotic lavish affairs. He drew his inspirations from across the decades and I doubt there was ever a more high glamour couturier. This jacket is very special and a stunning example of his work during this time period. It has all the signature Lacroix drama that you could ask for while still being refined and elegant. It comes to me from the original couture client and is immaculate. His true Haute Couture pieces are very special and rare. This one is particularly wonderful and slipping it on feels like magic. 

It is not until you put this jacket on that it really comes to life. It has a rich feel to it from the moment you slip it on. It seems unassuming on the hanger, and even on the dress form to a degree, but once on the body, the way it flares outward to the hip is perfection and you can tell it is a couture piece by feel alone. It is made from a textured black wool crepe and the high quality of the fabric is what allows it to retain and hold that shape. The sleeves are slightly cropped. The collar curves softly around the neck and then it is set wide on either side of the elaborate front. Running down the front is a panel of silk velvet that runs down either side and then there is a tightly spaced row of buttons placed on both sides. The buttons are magnificent and each is domed and made from metal done in a deep gunmetal grey-black. Each button is embossed with various configurations of black crystals. Because they are set so closely to each other you get a famous tactile feel along with an actual soft pretty sound as they softly click together when you move. It is quite wonderful. They are intentionally offset with one side having more buttons then the other for a whimsical touch. The back is equally spectacular with two extensive embroidered areas done down the centre. These layer a black lace with silk cording, embroidery work and 3D knotting and beading techniques. At the very bottom is a spray of three hand carved wood tassels covered in embroidery work that dangle down past the back hem. It is very difficult to full present black pieces and the jacket is even better in person. It has been sourced from the original couture client who recalls purchasing it around 1990. The hand written couture tape under the label reads 93789 and perhaps denotes the 1989 collection. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition 

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with as tries of Couture hook and eye down the front. The jacket has its proper Haute Couture label numbered 93789. All hand finished to couture standards. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. Sourced from the original couture client 

Sleeves: 19.5"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 26" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3558

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

Like the other suit I have today by Yves this one is also a Haute Couture piece. This one is documented and from the Fall 1996 collection. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer walked the runway in a pant version of it for that season. Having both reference photos and the video of that moment allows you to see the incredible tailoring and movement of the piece. For the runway it was shown with a pant. My client ordered it with a pencil skirt which gives it the benefit of being able to be worn day through to evening. Yves play on the tuxedo suit, most often called the 'Le Smoking' suit, is one of his most famous hallmarks. He first presented the now iconic suit in 1966. His play on traditional menswear is lauded by many as 'having empowered women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power'. 

There is nothing quite like slipping on a meticulously tailored piece of true Haute Couture. It feels different somehow then any other experience and the feeling is unlike any other. The suit is a meticulously constructed and is in pristine condition. It is sourced from the original couture client. These played on the lines of a men's tux and then were shaped and tweaked by Yves to be immensely flattering on the female body. The cut is masterful and its simple appearance is produced by his genius tailoring that is sharp and meticulous. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that follows the curves of the body. It has his signature matte satin notched tuxedo collar. This one's collar slightly exaggerates the classic men's version of a classic tuxedo suit. Yves produced many versions the this suit over the years but what I find remarkable is that each version is distinct in how it closes at the front and the way that the collar is shaped. This version closes with a single button below that amazing collar. Three pockets are top set on the front and the shoulders are sharp. The traditional mens suiting fabric has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. I love the row of three glossy black buttons on the cuffs of each sleeve. These are set with working buttonholes and that bit of gloss to the ends of the cuffs is fantastic. The skirt is cut in a simple pencil shape. There are small discreet belt loops on the skirt and these are made out of crocodile.  Once on, the suit transforms. You can see how beautiful the lines are from the runway photos and video that I have included here for reference. His suits changed the way we approach woman's wear and any example of the Le Smoking version is particularly collectible. They are a particularly wonderful example of how strong his tailoring was and vision for a woman's place in the world. This is a rare and iconic piece of documented YSL Haute Couture. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in a rich heavy black silk. The jacket has a single button at the front to close. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Three pockets on the jacket. All hand finished to couture standards. It looks to have been worn very little if at all. There are no tags present. Sourced from the original couture client 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27.5" from neck to head 

Skirt
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3557

Reference Photos: Claudia Schiffer for Fall 1996 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Runway Collection.

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. That said, his ready-to-wear was made to almost true couture and were made 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 the construction of his dresses and gowns. Grace Kelly was an early fan. His work is held in all of the major museums around the world and he is one of my personal favourite designers. 

The label on this dress is one of his earlier ones and when researching the date I found a dress in the Met Museum's collection with the same label and that uses the same technique for the way that the skirt is set into the bodice of the dress. The dress in the Met's collection was also photoed for Vogue that year. I have included both those for reference and it gives you a great idea of how this dress will look on the body. In the Vogue description the skirt was described as being; 'narrow in outline, but with beautiful easy folds from the waist, falling in self contained spirals' which is a lovely way to describe the way that it is set into the dress. I love that my version has a more bare shouldered feel to it and how the bright floral print covers the entire dress and adds a real wow factor it. It also gives it a bit more of an easy, tropical feel then the more formal version held at The Met. The fabric is a beautiful light weight silk that is completely covered with the large flower print that you see. The colours in the print are spectacular and combine a bright orange, yellow and green on a black backdrop.The skirt is cut so that it gathers up and into the middle of the dress. This gives it that lovely curved line at the front and the draping down each side that you see. It also creates a touch of volume across each hip which makes your waist look smaller. The bodice is suspended by tiny straps made out of the same silk. The front has a wide set scooped neck and the back is the same. The back of the dress closes with a series of buttons that run from the nape of the neck to the waist with a zipper set under that. It is seriously gorgeous on and gives you curves while feeling very forgiving. It really showcases just what a genius he was. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon. It closes with a low painted metal zipper at the waist and then has a row of buttons above that. Bias cut so there is a little play with the measurements which I have given below. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from shoulder to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3555

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1957 James Galanos Dress in The Met Collection.  /  (2) Model in James Galanos photographed by Irving Penn for Vogue, October 1957.

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 an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work from the early 1990s. Finding true couture pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition and so well documented is a rarity and and I am very pleased to have this beautiful evening suit in the shop. The set comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. It was ordered from the runway collection as presented in 1994. It was shown on Helena Christensen on the runway with just the jacket and skirt. My client also ordered the matching silk top to go with it. Having the reference shots gives you a wonderful way to see the suit how it looks worn on its own and with the top under it as on my dress form. 

Each of the three pieces that make up this set is exquisite and would be an amazing vintage find on its own. The suit itself is true to the runway. The skirt is cut to hug the hips and then flares out in a wide 11" band of silk at the bottom hem. The silk has been folded into sharp pleats and then set into the skirt so that by the time they reach the hem they open and swirl and curve around you. The movement this creates is wonderful. Over this is that stunning jacket that is cut and tailored to perfection. The soft set shoulders have just a suggestion of padding. It falls from those shoulders and gently widens out and away from the body. This gives the detailing on the jacket an uninterrupted line to be displayed on. The hem of the jacket ends in a rounded curving edge and then under that is a panel of the same pleated silk that finishes the skirt. It layers over the top portion of the skirt and the tiered effect it creates is stunning. The detailing on the jacket is extensive and the pattern combines insets of black silk and silk velvet with hand beading. Glass tube beads are densely applied by hand around the insets and these run from the hem to just about the bust area and all the way around the jacket. Each sleeve is finished with the same treatment. It is insanely beautiful. My client also ordered the matching pleated silk taffeta top to go under the jacket and it is remarkable in its own right. When worn under the jacket it is cut so that the top two pleated tier and collar lie perfectly over the jacket's neckline. That top tier is cut at the back in a way so that it sits perfectly in place so that it can be worn like this. The front of the top has a high ruffled collar and then there are three tiers of silk set on a slight curve at the front. A velvet strop runs down the centre with glossy black dome buttons. These are set on the upper part of the top and then hidden snaps close the bottom part. Each cuff is finished with a pleated ruffle. You can wear everything together or mix and match any of the pieces with what you have in your wardrobe. This is a very special documented set and a fantastic way to add a piece of real Haute Couture to your closet. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The top is unlined and the jacket and skirt are lined in a fine black silk. The skirt zips to close at the side and then hooks at the waist. The jacket closes with the glossy black dome buttons as seen and hand set silk loops. The top buttons to close and has hidden set snaps from where the buttons end to the bottom of the front. My client had the pleat that runs around the the of the jacket made so that it can be removed and worn without the ruffle which makes it even more versatile. Made with Haute Couture techniques and by hand. Hand done detailing on the jacket. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little 

Top
Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to first hem, 32.5" to the end of the pleated hem

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22.5" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 21.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3554

Reference Photos: Helena Christensen for the Fall 1994 Valentino Haute Couture Runway Collection.

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 dress comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition. It was ordered and made on the same time 1985 period as the crystal bow dress I am listing today. This is an exceptional example of Valentino's Haute Couture work that he was doing during the 1980s. Finding pieces from this time period in such immaculate condition is a rarity and I am very pleased to have this beautiful dress in the shop. I am also pleased to have found a reference photo to fully document and date it on Christy Turlington from the November issue of Vogue 1986

This dress is divine. The lines of it are beautiful and as good as it looks on the dress form it is perfection on an actual body. Couture pieces are very difficult to truly show in a photo as they are meant to highlight and show off the body and only truly come to life when worn. The bodice of this dress is made from an inky black silk velvet. It is fitted and nipped in at the waist. One shoulder is left bare and the other is encased in a sheath of velvet. The sleeve is cut to the wrist and the shoulder is set to be high and capped with a pretty gathered seam set on an angle on both the front and the back. The shoulder pad underneath is hand formed so that it is rounded to flow and exaggerate the curve of the shoulder. The skirt is wonderful. It is set into the waist in a series of soft pleats that help to give it the fullness that you see. It is very full and cut with a nod to the skirts of the fifties. It is made from a gunmetal silk taffeta that has wide panels of velvet flocking fused to its surface. These wrap around the skirt in three bands starting just under the waist and ending just above the hem. The inner construction of the skirt is amazing. The outermost layer is backed in a silk organza and all of the seams are hand finished along their edges. Set inside the skirt is that startling emerald green silk taffeta underskirt that is built into the dress. It falls below the hips and then has a second ruffled piece nearer the hem for fullness. This is placed into the interior by hand and backed in silk. There is a wide strip of stiffened net running though the two inner hems. It is cut very full to give the skirt its shape and volume. Plus the unexpected flash of green when you move a certain way or sit is fantastic. It feels very tactile on to have all these skirt swirling around you as you move. It really is wonderful and an amazing example of his earlier Haute Couture work. Excellent condition. 

The bodice, skirt and underskirts are all lined and backed in silk. The sleeve is self backed. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques and it closes with a hidden set metal zipper at the side and then has silk covered snaps and a secondary zipper on the side of the skirt. I have photoed this for you. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand made padding on the shoulder and light boning at the side of the bodice around the zipper. A fine metal zipper to close the end of the sleeve. Built in underskirt with stiffened inset at the edges as described above. 

Sleeve: 22.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 31.5" from waist to hem with 4.5" turned under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3553

Reference Photo: Christy Turlington in Valentino, Vogue, November 1986.

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 example of Valentino's Haute Couture work that he was doing during the 1980s. The bow in particular was an important element of the collections that year and it is the highlight on this dress. We were able to find the runway photo of this look as worn by the beautiful Amalia Vairelli which shows you just how gorgeous the dress is once it is on an actual body. The dress comes directly from the original couture client and is in immaculate condition.

The dress is fairly simply in its cut and it is not until it is on the body that it really transforms. I love that the more you look at it, the more you begin to see the many couture details. At first glance the dress appears to be a skirt and jacket but this is all an illusion as it is all one piece. The inner part of the dress is a black silk crepe and this is cut to create the illusion of wearing a  simple scooped top and pencil skirt under a jacket. Over this he has used an inky black velvet that is cut to look like a sharply tailored jacket over an inner dress. It has bold shoulders and long sleeves. It swoops down at the front on a curve to the waist where it is caught up in a 3D crystal encrusted bow. The lower part of the 'jacket' then curves down and around the hips. This is Haute Couture under the masterful hand of Mr Valentino himself and is an exceptional example of earlier Valentino Couture. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in handset, very high quality black silk crepe. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques and it closes with a hidden set metal zipper at the back. Inner waist stay hooks to close. Hand made padding at each shoulder. Signature faceted jet buttons on each cuff and all the buttonholes work. The inner waist stay is smaller then the actual waist so if you needed the room you can just wear it without hooking the stay closed. 

Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam and the inner waist stay hooks at 24"
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3552

Reference Photo: Amalia Vairelli for the Fall/Winter 1985-86 Valentino Haute Couture Runway Show.

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 dress was worn by Yasmin Warsame on the runway that season and you can see just how fabulous the dress moves. The key pieces from this collection, including this dress, were sold out or waitlisted around the globe despite their high price tags. Sarah Mower of Vogue said of the spring show: "In a season when India is inspiring so many collections, Etro—which uses a paisley print as its brand identity—is more entitled than most to roam the subcontinent. Sure enough, that's where the collection went, but via the seventies hippie route." This dress was mentioned specifically; "One of the standouts—which could make a lovely entrance at any party—was a long, flowing seventies-style dress with belled sleeves, detailed with pinwheel pleating in the Empire bodice."

This was Look 19 in the show and is truly fabulous. It is very flowing and beautiful and I would hazard to say that it is one of the stand out Etro pieces from any of their collections to date. It almost has the lines of an Ossie Clark and the print of a Zandra Rhodes. The top portion drapes over the bust and has a deep V at the front. The fabric has been gathered in and there is a topstitched pin tuck circle there that is quite wonderful and a unique detailing. Long attached ties sit on either some of the waist and they are long enough that you can leave them draped down the back or bring around to the front and wrap them around you. The skirt flows from under there in a pretty soft expanse of silk. There is a great deal of fabric in the skirt and this is what creates that wonderful movement as you move. At the back the dress closes with a tightly spaced row of silk covered buttons and loops. A tremendous amount of work and detailing. The sleeves are spectacular. each is cut extremely long so that once n they are caught up and the wrist the fabric over just drapes snapped flowers around the arm. The silk chiffon is a beautiful quality and light as a feather. Excellent condition.

The bodice and sleeves are unlined the skirt has an inner lining of an ivory silk. It closes At the back the dress closes with a tightly spaced row of silk covered buttons and loops. There is perhaps the slightest smudge under one arm near the seam but look to have been worn very little. Any yellow areas on the dress are lighting. In person the black part off the print is a true black and the white chiffon is white. The underskirt through the skirt has a touch of a cream color to it. Tagged a modern 44

Sleeves to the end of the actual cuff is 32" and then the extend from there. They do of course come up once on
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam and ties in with the ties
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 43" from waist to front hem, 46" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3551

Reference Photos: Yasmin Warsame for Etro Spring 2005, Look 19.

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 1996, the same year this gown was made, Hanae Mori was awarded the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan. This after a long and lustrous career that included becoming the first Japenese women to become a member of Le Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne in 1977. In the Encyclopedia of Fashion they say of her work:

"....examples used bright hot colors, juxtaposed in one ensemble to provide interest, bringing a strong Japanese feel to their narrow hues, frequently harking back to the kimono for their silhouette and cut. It is in this area that her work is most inspired, bringing together European tailoring and Japanese color and ideals of beauty. She uses the Japanese love of asymmetry to further develop her style and the linear patterns she prints onto her distinctive silks. She exploits the natural appeal of such fabrics with a well-defined sense of cut to illuminate her realistic styles. By doing so, Mori is providing both an alternative to and a definite rejection of the type of elaborate couture confections that mold the female form into fantastical shapes, ignoring the woman beneath the fabric.......The designer is also a favorite of the Japanese royal family and Thailand's Queen Sirikit."

To find a true piece of her Haute Couture is exceedingly rare and when the design is as beautiful as this one is, it just makes it that much more special. This is couture on the highest level with everything about the piece deliberate and constructed to work as a whole. It is made of the finest silk and silk chiffon. The design is one of her signature custom prints that she helped to develop. Along the hem of the skirt there is also a hand painted detailing layered on top of the print. Bead work has been hand applied to the silk chiffon bodice to follow the black and white pattern on the underlying silk. The skirt wraps and secures over, draping around the hips and legs in a beautiful swath of silk. At one side of the waist she works in a touch of the East with the bow that you see. Underneath is a short mini skirt that is built in and has just the slightest touch of padding at the back. This gives shape around the hip and I feel it is also a subtle nod to the bustle pad. The top is semi-transparent and zips to close from the waist. It can be left open more to give a deeper plunge. I photos most of the shots with the zipper left a little open and included one with it fully closed. The shocking flash of brilliant turquoise under the skirt and lining the bow along with the high slit created by the wrapped effect are the perfect finishes. Great condition with a note to review below

The skirt is lined in a brilliant turquoise silk and the interior partial skirt is lined in black silk. The bodice and sleeves are unlined. The bodice closes with a front zipper. Her signature tiny fabric covered snaps sit at each cuff. There minor loss and loose beads on the top. Please see the photo after the label shots for the worst area. Completely made by hand as per the the standards of Haute Couture. Numbered tag underneath labeled "HC 1363 (perhaps the first number is a 7?) Pe 6-12-96"

Sleeves: 26"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 53" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2363

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 from the famous Russian collection from the Fall 1976 Collection and these are rare and hard to find. The now legendary 'Opéra Les Ballets Russes' Haute Couture collection by Yves Saint Laurent for that season was one that took the fashion world by storm and has been endlessly re-interpreted since. Stylist Catherine Baba has the twin of this coat and versions have been well documented. The Met has a fabric version in their collection and the suede version was photoed for Vogue that season. This was a key look of the season and highly collectible. 

The coat is in exceptional condition and looks to have been worn very little if at all. The leather is soft supple and the color is a deep chocolate. The inner bodice has been lined in a sheared sheepskin that is very soft and fine and has been dyed to a deep chocolate color to match the leather. The sheared sheepskin is set to follow the front edges and goes all the way around the neck and down the front. There is also a a band of it set within each cuff. The lines of the coat are pure Yves from this time period. The neckline is cut high on the front to curve gracefully around the neck. The shoulders are set high with gathers so that they have a slight capped feel to them. Under the top portion of the coat the lower portion of the jacket is set into the waist seam and done like a proper skirt would be with slight gathers along the top so that it has some fullness. Inside the coat the upper bodice is lined with the sheared fur and the lower part of the skirt is lined in a quilted fabric.  I love how all the edges are top stitched with a deep red thread, placed to emphasize the lines of the coat and add to its Russian feel. This wide panel of red top stitching runs all the way down the front, around the collar and finishes each cuff. Highly polished buttons close the coat down the front. It really transforms when on a real girl and is just wonderful. Amazing and rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

The upper bodice and cuffs are lined in fur and the sleeves and skirting of the coat are lined in quilting. It closes with the buttons at the front. Tagged a vintage YSL 44

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C404

Reference Photos: (1) The Peasant Collection 1976 as photographed by American Vogue  /  (2) Coat from the MET  /  (3) Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (4) Catherine Baba at the S/S 2017 Haute Couture Shows in Paris. (Top Photo by Nabile Quenum; Bottom Photo by Phil Oh)

I have a small collection of historically important, key designer labelled vintage furs, fur trimmed & feather 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. All fur coats, fur trimmed & feather pieces are final sale

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 evening coat made for her. It is roughly based on the one that walked the runway but the detailing on the silk is far more delicate and intricate and combines elements from the suit that was also presented in that show. Since it was custom made for her it is a one off and the only one of its kind. It is an extraordinarily beautiful piece of Haute Couture that is also one of the most beautiful textiles that I have had in the shop. The workmanship is exquisite. 

The jacket is made from a fine silk brocade that has a slight sheen to its finish and a very rich and luxe feel. The color in person is far better then how my camera captured it. It has a touch more of a deep burnished gold feel to it and the flowers that are woven through the silk are a crisp white. Any change in color in the ohoptos is lighting. In person the jacket is absolutely pristine. What is truly remarkable about the jacket is that the designs has been carried flawlessly all around the coat and through to the interior. Inside it is an immaculately finished as it is on the outside. The only difference being that the print is not as extensive on lower half of the back portion as it is on the exterior and the sleeves have been finished in a high end silk. It has a simple cut with sleeves that are wide and set to just below the elbows. The shoulders are soft and the collar is small and neat, set to perfectly finish the top of the neckline. There is a single hand made button and silk loop at the top of the neck and below that are no other closures to break the line. It gently widens out as it nears the hem. The design is absolutely exquisite and it is one of the most beautiful textiles I have seen. Every inch of it represents the elegance and refinement that Valentino built his empire on. This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of true Haute Couture by one of the preeminent ateliers in the world. Appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The interior is finished in the same fine silk brocade as the exterior. The sleeves are lined in matching deep gold silk. All of the work is done by hand and finished to courier standards. Note that there is no label present but it was sourced from the original couture client who had it made for her. It is pristine and meant to fit loose through the body. 

Sleeves: 17"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist - hips: open
Length: 38" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C556

Reference Photos: F/W 2000 Haute Couture Valentino Runway. (Models: Erin O'Connor & Mini Anden)

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 coat walked the Fall 1983 runway, a version of it walked the runway for the Fall 1982 Haute Couture show and the cloth version was photoed for Vogue Italia that season. Most importantly, a photo of Catherine Deneuve was taken in a version of the coat allowing us to see just how wearable the coat is despite its avant grade and bold lines. The dramatic and huge sleeve detailing was an important element for that season. This is a rare and collectible piece. 

All of the documentation on this coat are gives you an idea of how spectacular the coat is in person. It is made out of a soft, supple leather that has been dyed to a deep brown. The bodice of the coat is meant to follow the lines of the body and then curve down into a slightly dropped waist seam. He has treated the lower portion of the coat like a true skirt and it is set into the seam of the waist in soft gathers. This helps to give it the fullness that you see in the photos. Pockets sit on each side of the hip. The collar is high and neat. It sits above a dramatic double row of polished hand carved wood buttons. They are large and sit in a double row of six buttons that down the front to just past the waist seam. These same buttons are then used on each sleeve. The sleeves are incredible and at the time were probably startling to see on the runway with their excessive fullness. They still feel dramatic even now. Each is cut on a rounded curve that starts at the shoulder and curves down the arm to the cuff. They are very full and wide. Six of the polished and hand carved wood buttons are hand set down the extended cuff whose overlapped edging goes right up to the elbow. Those sleeve and how they are cut are really a testament to his genius. Each button is fully functional which shows you just how much care and detail was put into the piece. Despite it being leather, the coat has been made with the same care as if it was fabric, which would have been a very innovative approach to leather for this time period. It is absolutely stunning and very rare. Excellent condition with a small note below.

Fully lined and closes at the front with the buttons as seen. All the buttons, including the ones on each sleeve are functional. Pockets on each hip. There is some minor discolouration on the inner lining. The fabric used for it tends to change colour over time so it is a natural progression of aging. One small and minor scuff to the leather next to the collar on the upper shoulder. Please see the photo after the label shot 

Sleeves: 27"
Slightly inset shoulders: 14"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 47" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C402

Reference Photos: (1) Fall 1983 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (2-3) Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1982 Runway.  /  (4) F/W 1982 Yves Saint Laurent Runway in the book "Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Catwalk".  /  (5) Outfits by Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue Italia, September 1981.  /  (6) Catherine Deneuve

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 set walked the runway for the Fall 1977 Christian Dior Haute Couture collection. It was also used in a Vogue editorial and photoed by Roland Bianchini that season. In the 'Dior Catwalk' book, journalist Alexander Fury references this suit specifically in his write up for that season saying; "The designers autumn/winter collections proposed a series of equally glamorous ensembles, including the 'white silk jacquard pants suit with the white fox, white pearls and bareness underneath - a soft white camisole' that Vogue predicted would be the 'sure fire' bestseller that season. Trouser suit aficionado Bianca Jagger was in the audience and 'said she loved everything''. It is exceptional and a wonderful example of the work that Marc Bohan was doing for the house during this time period.

The set is made from a beautiful ivory colored silk that has a secondary pattern woven through it. That pattern is made up of little abstract shapes and I love that every once in a while one of the shapes in that design look like a little heart. The pants are cut with a straight leg so that they have a soft flow to them. Pockets lie along the seams on each hip. The jacket is a simple, almost box cut that ends just at the hip to perfectly balance the line of the pants. It can be worn open like it was shown on the runway or fully closed. I love the clear lucite buttons with their little silver capped tops that run down the front. They are the only embellishment on the piece and give it a subtle bit of glitz. On the front of the jacket there are three top set pockets for detailing. Each sleeve buttons to close and on the runway these were left open and flipped back for an easy feel. This is a true piece of fashion history and an amazing example of Bohan's work during this time period. It is even better in person. All proper Haute Couture labels present. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

Both pieces are fully lined. The jacket in a rich cream silk satin and the pants are lined in a slightly lighter version of the same silk. The set is entirely made by hand. The jacket buttons to close and pants close with a front painted metal zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Pockets on the jacket and pants. The pants have a slight line of a yellow mark at the lower front right leg near the hem. The jacket shows slight discoloration under the arms on the inside lining that does not go through. There is the very slightest darkening to the edge of the collar. All minor and it presents as excellent. Please see the photos provided after the label shot

Jacket
Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem with 2.25" turned under the hems
Inseam: 30.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Reference Photos: (1) Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show.  /  (2)  Christian Dior A/W Haute Couture 1977 Runway Show from the book "Dior Catwalk: The Complete Collections".  /  (3) Photo by Albert Watson, Vogue, October 1977.  /  (4) Photo by Roland Bianchini, Dior, 1977.

Item# DD2793

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 was the closing look of the Spring 2001 Haute Couture collection and there are countless photos of Yves with Laetitia Casta wearing the twin of this suit. It was coined the 'Just Married' suit and the background and inspiration for this collection is one of my favorite things that I have read to date about his collections as it has such a romantic twist to it. This was one of his final collections and to have come full circle and to have him look back to his very beginnings in fashion strikes a chord in my heart. This is perfectly explained in the 'Dior Catwalk book which states; "The spring/summer 2001 collection paid tribute to Parisian elegance, and above all to Christian Dior, Yves specified, in an interview to the newspaper France Soir, that 'this collection represents my memories of the time when I was working for Dior an was an adolescent'. He added; 'I was very inspired... I wanted to go back to the Paris couture of the 1950s'. Leslie Veyrat, who wrote the  notes for this collection in that book, references the suits in particular stating; "The day suits presented a fluid silhouette, heightened by strong shoulders, designed for a confodent and powerful woman.'  She goes on to mention this suit specifically; "White dresses were followed by a 'just married' dress modelled by Laetitia Casta, bag in hand, and looking as though ready to go on her honeymoon. The couturier presents her with a bouquet of lilies in the valley, Christian Dior's talisman flower. The end of the show was greeted by a standing ovation, a sign of the emotion generated by this collection of 105 designs that seem to be a farewell and epitomized the poetic quality of the couturiers collections." 

The suit is a marvel of construction and is in wonderful condition. It is sourced from the original couture client. Its simple appearance belies the masterful cut and tailoring that lies behind it. The jacket is tailored with a sleek cut that has some fullness around the upper body and a wonderfully wide, notched collar. Three pockets are top set on the front and the shoulders are padded. The silk mix fabric has enough weight that it holds the lines perfectly once it is on. It has its original belt to cinch in the waist and add shape. I love the flipped up cuffs on each sleeve. These are set that way and give it a little French nonchalance feel to the suit that is fantastic. The skirt is cut in a simple pencil shape. The waist is banded and the lines have been kept simple to accommodate the belting of the jacket over it. Once on, the suit transforms and you can see how beautiful the lines are from the runway photos I have included here for reference. His suits change the way we approach woman's wear and this particular one is a particularly wonderful example of how strong his tailoring and lines were. The added provenance of it being from one of his final collections, and the sweet story behind how it was presented on the runway, adds to its importance. This is truly a once in a life time find. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Both pieces are lined in a rich heavy cream silk. The jacket has a single hand carved button at the front and there is a little hidden snap that allows you too close the lapels so that you don't have to wear anything underneath it. The skirt has a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Two top set pockets on the breast of the jacket. The slip belt is stamped as being Haute Couture and the jacket has its proper Haute Couture label numbered 075986. All hand finished to couture standards. There is a smudge of a mark at the seams under the arms and perhaps the smallest hint of grubbiness to the edge of the skirt. It looks to have been worn very little 

Jacket
Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from neck to head 

Skirt
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.75" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3548

Reference Photos: Laetitia Casta in the final look for the 2001 Haute Couture Yves Saint Laurent Runway Collection.  /  Last photo: S/S 2001 Haute Couture Collection as shown in the book “Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Catwalk” published by Yale University Press.

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 2015 Curator and Fashion Historian, Laura McLaws Helms contacted me about the upcoming exhibit at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London on Thea Porter's work that she had planned. She ended up borrowing a dozen Thea Porter pieces from me for use in the exhibit and for the accompanying book 'Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic'. A close up of the fabric from this dress appears on p.84 of the book to illustrate the collaborative efforts between Thea Porter and textile designer, Hannah Meckler. The pattern on this dress is the 'Wave' design and in the book this is clarified as being done by hand and "painted onto meters of silk chiffon that were made into evening dresses and Abayas". This dress has the added provenance of being the same print and fabric of a Thea Porter owned and worn by style icon, Kate Moss

This is a wonderful Thea Porter dress that has a bare back and halter neckline. This more fitted shape is a bit unusual for her but that is part of what I love about it. It shows the range that Thea had while still staying within her wheelhouse of that bohemian feel. Thea's pieces often created sensuality by combining full coverage and flowing fabrics, so to see a dress that has far more 'bareness' to it is a bit of an anomaly for her and really showcases how multi-faceted she was. The hand painted Hannah Meckler wave design that covers the silk is appropriately named for its beautiful blue tones that are reminiscent of the ocean. The pattern has been set to highlight the lines of the dress which would have required much pre-planning and a disregard for the extra fabric needed to achieve this. The skirt is made from many yards of the silk and is set on a bias cut so that the movement it has is incredible. The fabric choice gives the dress an airy, floating feel. The bodice is fitted and cut with a high halter neckline that curves up and around the neck to tie at the back. There is a second layer of silk there that ties over the inner strap and trails down the back. The back is left completely open with a wide expanse of bare skin showing. Curved pleats, done by hand, angle up to the silk chiffon rosette details the neckline. It is very beautiful. A wonderful example of Thea Porter's work and her collaborative efforts with textile designers of the time period. Excellent condition with minor notes to review below

Fully lined in pale blue tissue silk. It closes with a low, hand set, back painted metal zipper. The halter closes at the back with hook and there is a panel of silk chiffon that ties into place over that. Light boning on either side of the bodice. All hand work. There is a slight discoloration to the lining near the top edge, the waist and inner skirt. Tagged a vintage UK 10. Note that it was too small for my mannequin and it does of course zipper and close properly.

Bust: approx 16" flat across from side seam to side seam but there is some play here as the back is open
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 13" from neck to slight empire waist
Skirt: 45" from slight empire waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD1108

Photo Credit: (1) From the Book Thea Porter; Bohemian Chic, p.84.  /  (2) Kate Moss in a dress with the same print

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 dress is the twin of the one worn by Miley Cyrus on The Voice in 2017 and is instantly recognizable as having been designed by Bob Mackie. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his undying love of opulence and bead work, both of which he incorporates heavily into the best of his designs. Modern girls are obsessed with his vintage pieces. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In some ways he and his creations defined their careers and that era of glamour. I think he secretly always designed for the big screen and the bygone glamor of Hollywood as his work is always over the top and extravagant.

This is an amazing strapless dress that is extremely sexy and flattering. The base of the dress is made of a black silk chiffon that has a pattern made up of beautiful gold curving bands that feel like they are wrapped around you. The designs that you see are made up of gold glass tube beads hand set in curving bands. Scattered within those are little highlights done in a silver sequin with a tiny clear bead at their centers. This combination of the gold glass tube beads and pop of silver sequins give the dress an extra layer of texture and glamour as every inch of it catches the light and sparkles. The dress has a decent weight to it when it is off of the body because of that extensive bead-work, and yet once on the body it drapes in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The strapless bodice is cut in a deeply dipped sweetheart neckline. The waist is brought in to create shape but there is no horizontal seam to break the lines of the design. The skirt is incredible and is cut on a curve so the back is longer then the front and it has a high slit at one side of the front. The effect of this is far more dramatic and fabulous on a real body and it really shows off the legs. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will love when you see it in person. Extremely well made and made to demi-couture standards. These were sent to the stores with a full lining made of a second layer of black silk chiffon and you could remove this if you wanted a true nude, semi-see through dress that Mackie is so well known for. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk chiffon and it closes with a painted metal and nylon back zipper. Hand finished throughout. The bust has built in inner cups and is lightly boned. Tagged a vintage 6

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam with probably a B to small C cup
Waist: 12-12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam of the built in corset
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 51" from peak of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3545

Reference Photos: Miley Cyrus, in Bob Mackie, on The Voice, 2017.

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 was the closing look of the resort collection and one of the most visible of the pieces from Clare Waight Keller's time as Creative Director for the house. It was featured in the ad campaign that year and Emma Stone chose it for her red carpet premiere. And just this year Nicole Kidman was spotted wearing one on her Instagram in a behind the scenes look from her new show. It also appears in the trailer for her show. It is a very well documented dress that will only gain in importance as time goes by.

Clare said of the collection that year “There’s a powerful woman in there that I really love; she’s a very strong character who loves a strong shape—something that gives a real sense of fashion.”, and in the Vogue review of the resort collection, fashion journalist Amy Verner mentions this gown in particular along with another comment from Clare; "This marks the first season since the passing of Monsieur de Givenchy in March and Waight Keller hinted that a more intentioned homage might be forthcoming. In the meantime, the collection’s evening looks—specifically the long-sleeved black dress showered with silver embroidery, and the gradient celadon and rust plissé lamé gown—further the couture spirit we’ve seen most recently at the Met Gala and at Cannes. “It’s a real joy to be able to work at both ends of the spectrum,” she said. “It’s what I believe in: everything from the really simple everyday to the absolutely fantastic and fabulous.” You can believe she means it.

The dress is amazing. It is made out of a light weight silk mixed with a metallic thread. The fabric was then pleated into permanent, sharp edged knife pleats. The color of it is gorgeous and it ranges from a deep metallic green to a burnt rust and copper and these are done in a gradient ombre that runs the length of the dress. The front is cut into a dramatic cut out that leaves a wide swath of skin exposed down the front. The width is kept perfectly in place by how it is set into the waist and closed at the top of the neck. The dress is so well made that I think you could spin it around and wear the cut out at the back if you wished. Each shoulder has a caped effect with the pleating allowed to splay out dramatically over them. I love how the colors are set to follow each pleat and the cut of the dress. This extra detailing shows the high quality in making this. The waist is banded with the only bit of fabric not pleated on the dress and then the skirt falls to the floor from there in an extra long supermodel length. There is a ton of fabric in the skirt so it moves and flows around you when you move. It is absolutely amazing  and the dress originally retailed at just about the 10k mark. This one appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

The skirt is lined in a black silk chiffon and the bodice has a built in halter under the exterior fabric made out of a fine  black silk netting. It closes with a hidden set side zipper and there is a hook & eye at the top neck. Tagged a 38. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Note that the owner took the main tag out but it has its correct inner fabric and size tag present

Bust: the inner net halter is open does the sides to the waist so there are no true side seams
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to top waist seam
Skirt: 50" from the top waist seam to hem including the 1.5" band at the waist

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3543

Reference Photos: (1) Resort 2019 Givenchy Collection, Look 57.  /  (2-3) Emma Stone in Givenchy for Netflix’s Maniac premiere, September 20th, 2018.  /  (4-5) Nicole Kidman in Givenchy for HBO's "The Undoing". 
Reference Video: (1) Givenchy Pre-Spring/Resort 2019 Campaign.  /  (2) Nicole Kidman in Givenchy for HBO's "The Undoing".

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 only ever seen one other of these. His pieces were only ever made in very limited quantities. The tag is numbered and states that it is #8/BO and I suspect the number detonates the production model number. I can confidently date it to just after 1987 as it has a Fred Hayman Beverly Hills tag which came into being that year. Some of the most beautiful women in the world wore his clothing including Marisa Berenson, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Dalida, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Tina Turner. It was a label that defined sexiness and had a certain French flare that women world-wide loved. Loris launched his label in 1967 and quickly defined his trademark looks with color, ornate beading, sequins, daring cut-outs and avant garde ways of defining the body.

The dress is pristine and even the labels inside are still crisp and brand new looking so I don't think it was ever worn. The dress is a figure hugging sheath that is covered in hand applied copper sequins that easily number into the thousands. Once on, these catch the light fantastically and shimmer with every move. The dress is cut to cover you from head to toe. The sleeves are long and it is cut to follow the curves of the body. At the back, the skirt extends out past the floor for a little drama. Both the back and the front are cut wide across so you see a glimpse of your collar bones and then it plunges into deep V's. I love how the sequins form a little peak at the front center bust to add a little extra detailing there. The shoulders are spectacular. An iridescent copper silk taffeta has been pleated and then this is fanned out and around each shoulder to dramatically frame the shoulders and face. He has used three stacked layers to achieve this look and I took photos from the side so that you can see how they are set to wrap around and under each arm. It is absolutely magnificent. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a copper silk and closes with a back painted metal & nylon zipper. Each sleeve has its own individual zipper at the cuff. Tagged a FR38. The fabric has a little stretch as it is bias cut. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: variable
Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from shoulder to front hem, 63" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2874

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 second of these dresses that I have had in the shop and I am very pleased that this one a little more of a wearable size. Three versions of this dress were presented on the Fall runway that season making it an important theme for that season. The twin of this one was worn by Trish Goff on the runway.

Vogue's review of the collection states in part; 'Fall 2000 was, overall, the season of the lady. One who had polish—and, likely, two homes and one eye on the fluctuating stock market. “With the Dow Jones and Nasdaq soaring and plunging like a late-sixties hemline,” wrote Sally Singer in Vogue, “it was perhaps inevitable that many designers would choose for fall 2000 to forgo fantasy and get back to basics—luxe basics, that is.”....Upending Chanelisms was not Lagerfeld’s goal for Fall 2000, but he worked with the building blocks (as opposed to basics) with which Coco Chanel built a wardrobe for active women while adding his own touches, like whisper-light pleated skirts or midi-length ones of quilted down. (The double-C tights deserve mention too.) Asked to elaborate on his inspiration, Lagerfeld said he had been looking at and thinking about “early ready-to-wear, the end of couture.."

The dress itself is an absolute stunning example of the work that Lagerfeld was doing during this time period. It has an easy, sexy feel to it while still fully showcasing that famous double C logo in the print. The custom screened silk chiffon used is feather light and mixes a purple and a magenta print for the various layers of silk. The fabric is draped and gathered to create the very feminine silhouette that you see. The inner dress is fully lined to just below the hip and the silk gathered in soft sweeps around the body. There is a curved panel of fabric attached along one hip that drapes down and around the hips and then another panel attached at the top that drapes over one shoulder and down the arm. These are left unlined so you get an interesting play on the patterns underneath. The lower skirt is also unlined so has a touch if transparency that gives just a glimpse of the shape of the leg underneath. It is cut on an angle to further play on the asymmetrical feel of the dress and slit up on side. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a purple silk chiffon through the body of the dress and closes with a hidden set side zipper. Light boning on either side of the bust. Tagged a 44. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: to 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 5" wide
Line part of the body of dress: 28" from top of bodice to end of inner lining
Total length : approx 60" from top of shoulder to longest point on hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3544

Reference Photo: (1-2) Chanel Fall 2000 Runway Collection, Look 72. Model: Trish Goff.  /  (3) Look 73.

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 Rive gauche label was often derived from the couture pieces of the previous season and with this dress exemplifies that progression. A dress with a similar hemline treatment was shown in the 1979 Haute Couture collection. That couture look was then translated into silk taffeta gowns for the Rive Gauche Fall collection of 1980. The twin of this dress was photoed in March 1980 on the runway and backstage at YSL.  This is actually the second dress like this that one I have had in the shop and I am very pleased to have found another. This one is not perfect but its flaws are in a spot that still makes it very wearable and its a very good price as a result. 

The dress combines two of his signature fabrics, silk taffeta and velvet. He used these fabrics extensively during these years as they gave him the structure and volume he needed to pull off his designs while keeping the dresses to a reasonable weight. On this one, the silk he chose is a deep, rich magenta. The silk has an iridescent quality to it that catches the light and gives the silk different hues and tones. This is combined with a inky black velvet that he uses for the bodice. The top portion of the dress is cut to be more fitted and it has a ruffled collar in the same silk as the skirt. At the end of each sleeve is a ruffled finish that is also done in the silk. A wide, attached silk sash wraps and ties around the waist to cinch it in and add shape. The velvet extends down to the top of the hips and then the skirt falls from there. It is set high up on one side and then curves down and around the back. On the side that it is set high up on the hip the hem is cut to also follow that line making it shorter at the front and then falling long at the back. It is exceptionally full and the fabric choice keeps it light in feel while still giving it volume. I love the wide ruffle that circles the hem giving it an extra flounce and added movement. There is an incredible amount of fabric in the skirt. It is truly remarkable. Excellent overall condition with a note to review below 

Fully lined through the bodice and unlined through the skirt and sleeves. It closes with a side painted metal and nylon zipper. There are areas of thinning on the back ruffle of the hem. The volume of fabric makes these pretty much lost on the folds. Please see the photos after the label shot.  Tagged a vintage YSL 38

Sleeves: 25.5"
Slightly inset shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 51" from shoulder to shortest spot on the front hem, 61" to the longest part of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2854

Reference Photos: (1) 1979 Haute Couture Yves Saint Laurent  /  (2-3) Sayoko, wearing Yves Saint Laurent, in Paris, March 1980 for the Fall 1980 Collection. Backstage photo by Roxanne Lowit. 

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 lines of this dress are pure Yves Saint Laurent for this time period. It is just extraordinary. For the skirt of the dress he has used a silver grey silk taffeta. This fabric choice gives it the volume that you see and helps to support the edging that circles the entire hem. For that he chose a black, sequin detailed lace. This same sequin and lace fabric was then used for the bodice. The dress is suspended from the shoulders by two thin silk ribbons. I love this detail because it gives you the option to tuck those in and wear this as a strapless piece if you wanted. The bodice is fitted and covered in a black silk lace netting over a silk organza. Black sequins have then been applied by hand to highlight the curving design underneath. This same fabric as been used all around the hem where it has been used in a single layer with no lining backing it. This gives you a touch of transparency that is very sexy. Some parts of the skirt are actually cut quite high up the leg when you just look at where the grey silk part falls to and this transparency gives you a flash of skin behind the lace. The skirt is very full so that when you move you get a lot of volume and movement. A long silver silk sash wraps and ties to cinch in the waist. It also comes with its original matching wrap. This is very large and finished with a wide ruffle all the way around. This is a dress that is even better on an actual body and moves and feel fabulous once on. Excellent condition with a couple of minor notes below

Fully lined through the bodice with a black silk and the grey part of the skirt has a black silk chiffon inner skirt. It closes at the side with a metal and nylon zipper. Tagged a vintage YSL 42. There is a faint mark on the side of the skirt near the seam and bottom of the grey part of the skirt that you only would see if you lay it out flat as I have. The straps show a bit wear and fraying at their very tops. Please review the first two photos after the label shot. The matching wrap has a small blue mark near a seam and there are some watermarks/scuffs to the fabric. These are shown in the last two shots. All of these are minor.

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: approx 42" from waist to longest points and approx 25" to shortest
Shawl: 57" x 46"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3342

Reference Photo: (1) F/W 1981 Yves Saint Laurent Runway Show.  /  (2) Model in Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1981 Rive Gauche Collection. Photo by Helmut Newton. From the book "Yves Saint Laurent: Icons of Fashion Design" by Schirmer/Mosel.  /  (3) Andie MacDowell for Yves Saint Laurent, photographed by Helmut Newton, 1981.

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

These net dresses are among the most coveted of all Giorgio Sant Angelo's designs. They are almost impossible to find anymore and are much prized by their fans when one appears. Out of all the bandage and fitted dress out there over the decades they stand at the top of the ranks for the title of the ultimate fitted and sexy dress. They date to the 1989-1991 period. Versions of this dress with sleeves was photoed for Vogue Australia on Lana Ogilvie in 1990 by Anthony Gordon and also on Yasmin Le Bon for Elle UK

The dress is made out of two layers of a fine stretch netting with a stretch jersey layer lining the body of the dress. At the bottom of this one is a skirt that is done in a single layer of the netting so that you get a semi-transparent feel there. The opaque parts hit to just below the bum and the skirt gives you just enough coverage to make it only a little bit scandalous. The mesh and fit allow you to make the skirt as high up the thigh as you dare or leave is as long as it will extend down. I photoed is at what is probably the longest length. The front plunges down into a deep V and the back mirrors this same deep plunge. There is a swag of netting attached along the side seam of one hip and this exaggerates the shape there and gives the dress a little extra detailing. It is amazing and looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Made up of two layers of the black stretch net through the body and a layer of stretch jersey under that. The dress is almost impossible to measure as it literally will stretch to fit up and down. In 1990 the one pictured on Lana retailed for $1890 - which is about $4000 in modern US dollars.

Bust: 12-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 10-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 10-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: its full length off the body is approx 37" from top of shoulder to hem but can be adjusted up or down once on and will come up in length regardless as it stretches to accommodate the body underneath it

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3539

Reference Photos: (1) Photo by Anthony Gordon for Vogue Australia, 1990. / (2) Yasmin Le Bon in Giorgio di Sant'Angelo for Elle UK, December 1990. Photographed by Robert Erdmann.

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 dress was not presented on the runway but a version was made for Rhianna for her to wear to the Fall 2014 Dior show. The dress was then seen on a huge variety of stars. Rita Oro loved it so much she wore it in 2014 and then again two years later in 2016. Selena Gomez wore it in both black and red and it appeared in her music video that year as well. Dior pulled it from their own archives for Natalie Portman to wear it to shoot the Miss Dior 'Rouge Dior' campaign in 2016. Irina Shank, Lucy Hale and Elsa Hosk all made appearances in it as well. The Raf Simmons era at Dior has become extremely collectible and this dress in particular is perhaps the most documented and well known pieces from his time there.

This dress is incredible. The shape is a play on the famous rounded hips of the bar jacket transformed into an incredibly modern micro mini. The fabric choice of the silk matte satin gives it a strong and powerful feel. You see Raf's tendency towards clean and simple lines while still honoring one of the most definitive shapes of the house with the overtly shaped and rounded hips. The top is the barest suggestion of a halter at the front with a deep plunge. They have built in cups inside for support and to add shape. The back is cut straight across, low on the back and I love how the straps curve down across the bare expanse of skin to meet that line. The waist curves in under the bust and is defined by a series of vertical seams. The skirt is wonderful and it curves out and is shaped by seaming and the fabric to hold that gorgeous curve that you see. It is cut to micro mini length. The dress looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Built in, hidden cups for support in the bust. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. Tagged a US4. Note it was small on my dress form and the back does close all the way up at the back to make a straight across line there.

Bust: to 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 28.5" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3541

Reference Photos: (1-3) Rihanna during Paris Fashion Week S/S 2014, February 2014.  /  (4) Selena Gomez, Same Old Love Music Video, Sept 2015.  /  (5) Rita Ora, June 2014.  /  (6) Rita Ora, June 2016.  /  (7) Selena Gomez, Oct 2014.  /  (8-11) Natalie Portman for the Miss Dior 'Rouge Dior' Campaign, 2016.  /  (12) Irina Shayk, March 2016.  /  (13) Elsa Hosk, February 2014.  /  (14) Lucy Hale, 2014 Teen Choice Awards.

Reference Video: Selena Gomez "Same Old Love" Music Video.

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 Nina Ricci Haute Couture house was founded in 1932, at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris and became one of the pre-eminent couture ateliers in the world. In 1964, Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant who took over the atelier in 1954. Over the following three decades, his Haute Couture vision "celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day." This late seventies gown is a wonderful example of Pipart's vision for the house and is a stunning example of the work that the atelier was producing during this time period.

This dress is spectacular. It is one of the best Nina Ricci pieces I have seen. This is true Haute Couture label from the atelier and every stitch has been done by hand. The hours that would have been put into making this dress and ensuring that drape and line are perfect are mind-boggling. The dress is made out of a fine silk that has been dyed to the perfect clear red. In person it is perhaps a touch brighter and better then how it photoed. The silk that has been chosen for the fabric gives it that fantastic drape you see. The fabric is so light that the dress seems to  float around you when you move. The neckline is slightly scooped and the silk is gathered up on one shoulder. It skims over the waist and is gather into a low drape over the skirt. On the side opposite to the draped shoulder there is another gathering of the silk. The creates a lovely long line through the body. The skirt flows to the floor from under that. It is cut on an angle at the hem and one corner of the back skirt is left longer so that it trails down and past the lower hem to create a slight trained feel. There is a slit up the leg and above that, a tightly spaced row of buttons that run up the side and disappear under the drape of the bodice. The sleeves are amazing. They are each cut to drop to the floor and flow around you every time you move. Here Pipart has again played on the asymmetrical feel he has created for the dress and he has cut one sleeve to be longer then the other, with the longer one set on the same side that the skirt is longer. The final touch is that fabulous pleated double flower at the neckline that gives it the perfect finish. This little extra detail creates that last bit of high drama to the design. Excellent condition with some small notes to review below.

The body of the dress is fully lined in red silk crepe and the skirt and sleeve are unlined. It closes with a side, hand set, zipper and a second one at the top of the shoulder where the flowers are. Light padding in the shoulders. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely made by hand. Note that there is some grubbiness on the trailing parts of the silk panels and some very tiny areas of thinning/picking of the fabric on the lower trailing panel of the skirt especially. Some small areas of darkening on the sleeves. Once on these do not detract at all and the fabric and dress is strong and stable. This is more from not being stored properly prior to my acquiring of it. I have included photos after the label shot to review. It is cut on the boas so there is a little play on the measurements. Haute Couture label present and made to couture standards.

Sleeves: the left is approx 62", the right is 52"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: to 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 60" from neck to front hem and the trailing panel extends another 15" longer

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3386

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 dress and coat set is extraordinary. After much research I have dated it to the mid-fifties while Christian Dior still presided over the house. You can see a striking similarity to the color and print in the examples shown here from the Haute Couture collections between 1954 and 1956. This is the Christian Dior - London label and is considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history and this set in particular is numbered. This label is a little extra special as it is a 'Modele Original' label and these were done one a custom order / custom made basis. The designs were based on the Haute Couture presentation from that season and then special ordered through the London store by clients. The line Dioe London was created and designed by Jorn Langberg, Artistic Director of Christian Dior London and he would have overseen the custom order of this piece. It is not unusual to see variations and small changes from the runway line in these while still retaining the same color and line references found in the Couture examples.

Both the coat and dress are numbered and entirely hand finished and extremely well made. The silk used is very fine with a soft washed raspberry coloured floral print screened onto the entire surface of both pieces. The dress is backed in a feather light silk organza while the coat is a double layer of the silk with the organza lining only found in the sleeves. Both pieces are so light that each of the two pieces have hand placed weighted hems in their interiors so that they fall and stay perfectly in place. The seaming is wonderful with the shape deliberately created through the placement of the seams. The inner dress has a voluminous cut that is wider and has more volume through the upper body and then narrows in towards the hips and hem. There is a small notched neckline anchored by a flat bow at the front and the back has a low slung flat bow and strap detailing set at the base of the small of the back. It is cut to be loose and full through the body and has an almost cocoon shape to it. The coat is cut with even more volume. These exaggerated lines and shapes perfectly showcase the feel of that era and would have been cutting edge then and still feel avant garde now. The evening coat is collarless and cut to sit almost off of the shoulders. On an actual body it has an almost slouched feel and the back puffs out tremendously in a beautiful curving swoop. The seams are all cut gracefully on a curve and the sleeves are to the elbow and wide. The sizing is a bit deceptive as these were made to be oversized and narrow through the hips. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in hand set silk, the dress in an organza and the coat in the same silk as the exterior and silk organza through the sleeves. The dress closes at the back with a series of hook & eye and snaps at the back and a low set zipper under that. The coat has no closures. Hand placed weights in both pieces. Slight stress points at the corner of the lining under each arm. Please review the photos after the label shot. The dress is numbered 19013 and the coat 19012. These were made to be worn over-sized. The hips on the dress do narrow down and there is no give there. The generous proportions should allow it to fit a range of sizes. 

Jacket
Sleeves: 12.5"
Shoulders: 23"
Bust: 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40.5" from neck to hem

Dress
Bust: 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD2674

Reference Photos: (1) Dovima in Dior, 1956. Photo by Henry Clarke.  /  (2) Dior Afternoon ensemble, 1954 from the Chicago History Museum Collection.  /  (3-5) 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 remarkable example of his Courrege and his more extravagant work during that time period. I know we more often associate his work with very mod, strict lines but he also did many dramatic pieces like this using silks and organza's and I am sometimes more excited to find these then the more common mod feeling ones. A version of this one is held at the Munchner Stadtmuseum making it even more special.

This beautiful dress made out of a feather light black silk organza is just absolutely stunning. Many of his pieces are a play on volume and proportion and this dress is an amazing example of that. It is a dramatic piece that is more fitted through the upper shoulders and then flares out very dramatically through the body to the hem. When you think about how this is a look that you really started to see pick up speed a couple of decades later, you really get an idea of just how far ahead of the curve his work really was. The fabric is a very light weight black silk organza that has just enough structure to it that it holds the intended shape and volume while feeling like you are barely wearing anything. The slight sheen and texture to it combined with the absolutely superb seaming details give the dress a rich, luxurious feel. All of the seams are set vertically and there are long lines of ruffles done in the same fabric that run from the neckline down to the hem. Each of these is set to follow the flare of the dress and this added texture to the surface of the dress is a wonderful touch. The same ruffle treatment runs down each sleeve. The neckline is finished with a flat, hand set piping of the same fabric and a sweet little bow that sits at front of the neck. Each sleeve is finished in the exact same manner. The dress somehow is able to feel like a combination of a child's baby doll dress and the most wonderfully edgy avant garde thing you have ever seen. Made to demi-couture standards. Extremely collectible and rare. Adding a modern belt would add shape and change the look and feel of the dress. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a hand set black silk organza. The lining zips to close at the back and then the layer over that snaps in place in a series of snaps that lie over the zipper. There are 1/2 snaps ringing the interior of the neckline but I think they are placed there for weight and were never intended to actually snap into anything. Hand finished throughout. Tagged a Courreges A but very generously cut through the body. The open cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes keeping in mind that the shoulders have a slightly narrower cut

Sleeves: 22'
Slightly inset shoulders: 13"
Bust: 19.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist-hips: open
Length: 48" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3532

Reference Photo: 1969 Courreges Dress from the Munchner Stadtmuseum Collection.

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

Versions of this dress have appeared in several museum exhibits of his work and I have included a photo from one of the Halston's books that shows a close variation of this style. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. These one shoulder pieces are one of the most instantly recognizable looks that he ever created. I have versions of these in my own personal collection and this one is a very versatile version of his classic dress 

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 very fine light silk chiffon that moves and drapes beautifully. The silk used is on two tones of hand dyed color. The inner dress is a deep raspberry and then one half of the overlay is a deep burgundy. Both  colors are flattering on most skin tones and are a beautiful alternative to black. The inner dress is suspended by a single hook at the shoulder and is made of three full layers of the silk. A second, separate piece is made of the same silk. That second piece is an oversized rectangular constructed from two attached layers of the silk chiffon. This is what allows you to be able to create countless looks. I quickly styled a half dozen variations by tying the over layer in different ways around the inner dress and you could easily get more elaborate if you started using brooches or got more creative. When draped over the shoulder and tied it creates a full second outer layer, cascading down and over the inner layer for his classic one shoulder silhouette. It is spectacular. This is a rare example of Halston at his very best and it is easy to see why it is a piece favored by Museums. Presents as excellent condition but please review the full condition notes below

Constructed in multiple bias cut layers as described above. The inner dress slips on and has a hook at the top of the shoulder and the second outer layer is a double layer of silk in two colors tones. Hand finished and the bias cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes. There are two marks n the inner dress's skirt. One on the hip and one on the lower skirt. You would not see either with the overlay worn over it. The marks are only on the top layer so you could remove the one layer or have it switches to the inside. Note the length will come up when on due to the bias cut

Dress
Bust: 13.5-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 13.5-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from shoulder to hem but will come on once one

Outer Layer
80" x 39"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2473

Photo Credit: "Halston" by Phiadon, 2001. Various Halston dresses held in The Metropolitan Museum Permanent collection, NYC

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 beading technique used on this dress is distinctive and it led me to a dress from this the Fall 1974 collection that uses the same beading technique. That one was photoed by Guy Bourdin for Vogue that season.  And a twin of of that dress was auctioned off at Sotherby's with the final hammer reaching 3000 euros. Examples of Karl's work during this time period are held in museums around the world and are rare finds. This is an important piece of fashion history.

In person, this dress is even better then how it photoed. The cut is simple but it is very sexy with a wrapped feel to the bodice and its long silhouette. The dress is made out of a black silk crepe that has a slight bias cut to it that allows it to flow over the body and mold to your shape. Gold glass tube beads are applied in little angled rows over part of the bodice to highlight that feeling that the dress is wrapped around the body. The beads have been hand applied and are set onto the bodice on the one side up and curve up and around the neckline. From there they wrap around the waist and wrap around the hip in a long curve. This amazing design really emphasizes your curves. The neckline is high and the back curves and dips down quite low to leave the back bare. I love the wrapped illusion created by the way the beading is applied over the bodice and how the neckline curves up and around the neck in such a graceful line. The dress skims over the hips and flares out once it reaches the hem with a touch of a fishtail effect at the back and a side vent that really allows it to flare out as you walk. It is magic once on an actual body. Excellent condition

Partially lined on the same silk through the bodice and the skirt is unlined. It closes with a side painted metal zipper. Hand finished interior and beautifully constructed.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to front hem,  62" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3293

Reference Photos: F/W 1973-74 Chloe by Guy Bourdin for French 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 last dress I had by Pierre Cardin in a similar fabric and from this same time period ended up being purchased by a museum and I am very pleased to have such a wonderful example once again in the shop. It is always nice to have that museum validation as a collector to know that you are buying an important and relevant piece. I have included two reference photos. One of from the dress held in the Met Museum that dates to 1959 showing the origins of his idea for the ruffled 'petal' roundel hem> the other is a shot from the March issue of British Vogue showing a model in a dress and hat made of a similar print.

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 organza and I love that if you look closely you will see little hearts worked into the design. The dress is sleeveless and is cut to skim over the body with just a suggestion of curves as it works it way over the bust, waist and hips. The skirt is spectacular and the highlight of the dress. In person the movement it has and the volume created when you move are incredible. Long oval roundels are hand stitched down their centers to the skirt. This leaves each side of the oval free and off the dress so that they move freely. They are spaced tightly together all the way around the hem. I love how they are set so that they are higher in the front and then curve gracefully down to the back where they are set to fall longer and to the dresses full length. It is a stunningly beautiful and rare piece that I am very excited to have in the shop. Excellent condition with a minor note below to review.

Fully lined in a turquoise silk and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Hand finished throughout. There is a tiny repair near the zipper and a tiny repair area near the side seam. Please see the two photos after the label shot.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18,5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 49" from neck to shortest point of the front hem, 60" to the back

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3520

Reference Photos: (1) Model in Pierre Cardin for Vogue UK, March 1971. Photo by Barry Lategan.  /  (2) 1959 Pierre Cardin Dress from The Met Collection Online.

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 dress in a similar cut in a blue metallic was worn by Iman on the Fall 1988 runway. Just behind her shoulder you can see one that was done ina black and gold colorway like this one is. This figure hugging bodice with a low-slung voluminous skirt was a trademark look for Ungar during this time period and this is a stunning example of his work at the time.

This is a dress made to hug and shape your figure into an hourglass. The metallic gold used is fantastic and pops against the black silk. The metallic thread catches the light and intensifies the feel of the gown. The fabric itself is quite light in weight but the construction of the dress is so elaborate that the dress has a decent weight to it on the hanger. Once on the body it feel balanced and light. The inside of the dress is quite structured for support and it is molded and boned to hold the shape that you see. The bodice is a modified strapless sweetheart neckline that curved and dips across the top. Through the body the dress is elaborately gathered with hand placed and gathered folds. These run from the bust right down and over the hips so your shape is very emphasized. Under that, the skirt is set with tiers and panels of a black silk, and each panel is individually set on an angle. This gives the low set skirt a huge amount of volume and movement. This technique also allows each panel that makes up the skirt to move freely so that whenever you move it does as well. A little box at the back is the perfect finishing detail. It is incredible and even more so once on. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and zips to close at the back. Tagged a vintage 8. Note that the zipper stops a few inches above the low seam of the hips so there is no give in that part of the measurement. Looks to have been worn very little if at all. Boned through the bodice.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 26" from top of bodice to low seam below hips
Length: 54" from top of the bust to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3509

Reference Photo: Iman on the F/W 1988-89 Emanuel Ungaro 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 perhaps one of the most famous of all the Gucci dresses produced while Tom Ford headed the house. The white version of this one was worn by Georgina Grenville in the Gucci ad campaign of 1996 and the twin of this black version was worn by Tatjana Patitz for the Vogue Australia editorial 'The Lioness' in the May 1997 issue. It was wait-listed world wide and sold out everywhere as it was only produced in very limited quantities. To this day it is one of the most easily recognizable pieces created by Tom Ford from entire body of his work while at Gucci.

These were only ever produced in black or a white. Even when one of these come to market on the very rare occasion they do not always have their original gold metal G-string that sits under the dress and peeks perfectly through the keyhole on the hip. This one not only has that still, but the G-string is still in its original Gucci packaging. The dress is cut to fall in a beautiful sweeping column of slinky black jersey and skims over the body rather than hug your curves. The neckline is cut wide across and the sleeves are long and slim. The sexuality of the piece is in that glimpse of skin at the hip and the flash of gold against the span of bare skin. Carolyn Murphy wore this on the runway with nothing under it but that G-string that its curved gold metal plate and it brought down the house. It is incredible and an extremely well documented piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black jersey rayon. Slips on to wear. Tagged a 40. The G-string that goes under the dress hooks to close on one side with a large lobster claw clasp. The G-string comes in its original Gucci packaging and has stretch and is made to fit the corresponding size to the dress. There is the tinsel of fraying around the seams on it. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. The fabric has some stretch.

Sleeves: 25.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 59.5" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3505

Reference Photos: (1) F/W 1996 Runway Collection.  /  (2)  Vogue Australia, May 1997.  /  (3) Gucci ad campaign, 1996.

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 dress is instantly recognizable as having been designed by Bob Mackie. Mackie was best known for dressing Cher and for his undying love of opulence and bead work, both of which he incorporates heavily into the best of his designs. Modern girls are obsessed with his vintage pieces. He worked for both Edith Head and Jean Louis prior to working as a costume designer and co-designing with Ray Aghayan. That led to his incredible journey in designing for stars like Cher and Diana Ross for many years. In some ways he and his creations defined their careers and that era of glamour. I think he secretly always designed for the big screen and the bygone glamor of Hollywood as his work is always over the top and extravagant. This dress has the added provenance of being the twin of the one recently worn by Tracee Ellis Ross on a 2020 episode of Blackish where she portrayed Cher. 

This is an amazing dress that is heavily sequinned and extremely sexy and flattering once on. The base of the dress is made of a nude stretch silk netting that has a pattern made up of beautiful curving bands that feel like they are wrapped around you like flames. Mixed into this is an elaborated detailing made of faux pearls that curve down the front of the dress and highlight that very high set slit at the front. The pearl embellishments travel upwards right to the neckline and even run down each sleeve. The designs that you see are made up of ivory colored sequins hand set in curving bands. White and silver tube beads are set vertically to create an edge around each of those curving bands. Additional silver sequins and even some rhinestones are scattered in between. This combination of the glass tube beads and sequins give the dress an extra layer of texture and glamour as every inch of it catches the light and sparkles. As a result the dress has a decent weight to it when it is off of the body because of that extensive bead-work, and yet once on the body it lies and drapes in a way that it is balanced and not at all unwieldy. The bodice is cut to skim over the chest with a high, slightly angled neckline. The sleeves are cut straight and lined with an additional layer of nude silk to really show off the design that trails down and around each sleeve. The waist is brought in just slightly so that there is a bit of shape created but there is no horizontal seam to break the lines of the design. The skirt is incredible and is cut on a curve so the back is longer then the front and it wraps around you to that high, wide slit at the front. The effect of this is far more dramatic and fabulous on a real body and it really shows off the legs. If you even remotely love it in the photos you will dance when you see it in person as it is so, so, so much better in real life. Extremely well made and made to demi-couture standards. These were sent to the stores with a full lining made of a nude silk chiffon and you could remove this if you wanted a true nude, semi-see through dress that Mackie is so well known for. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a nude silk through the body and the sleeves have a more transparent nude chiffon lining. It closes with a painted metal and nylon back zipper. Hand finished throughout. Slight padding in each shoulder and zippers on each cuff. In person it is a touch more of a cream. It does have some stretch and the measurements below are the comfortable range laying flat. I see a bit of grubbiness to the lining near the arms. 

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15
Bust: 18-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 56" from neck to longest point of back hem
Slit: approx 24" from front hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3503

Reference Photo: Tracee Ellis Ross in Bob Mackie for Blackish (from her Instagram and the Blackish 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 dress is from the archive of the Roman couture house Tiziani, which was founded in 1963 by American designer Evans Richards. The label quickly became a favorite among celebrities and socialites including Elizabeth Taylor, who was a regular client; Doris Duke, Gina Lollobrigida, and Principessa Borghese. The label is also famous because of the fact that as a young designer, Karl Lagerfeld accepted a job there. Lagerfeld worked at Tiziani from 1963 to 1969. This piece is unlabeled but has the provenance of being a part of a past auction that featured the sketches and a few select pieces of work from Karl Lagerfeld's time at the label, this dress being one of them. It also does have it couture tape present. 

The dress is constructed from a fine, pale blush pink coloured silk chiffon that in person has a prettier and softer feeling then how it photoed. The colour is even better when you see it in person. The dress is very beautiful and has a very romantic feel to it. The silk it is made out of is extremely light and airy so that it feels like it is floating around you when you move. The work on this dress is meticulously done and I have included a shot of the interior so that you can see the couture workmanship inside. The bodice is cut to skim over the bust with light padding in each shoulder to give it just a touch of structure. At the neckline there is a pretty bow shaped cut out with an open lattice inside of the bows. This has been densely embellished with pink sequins, beads and rhinestones. I love the little flowers formed along the lattice and how Lagerfeld has used this touch of glitz almost like it was an attached piece of jewellery at the neck. The bead work is extremely fine and mixes tiny seed beads, sequins and prong set rhinestones. Being set onto a lattice means that you get just a touch of skin peaking through from underneath. The neckline is softly scooped above that with a ring of the same embellishment circling the neckline. The sleeves are cut to pouf above the buttoned and cuffed wrists. Each sleeve is unlined so that you get a touch of transparency through the silk. The skirt falls from under the bodice and is set along the waist on a curved line and a series of soft gathers. It falls to the floor and gently widens out as it nears the hem. The construction of the dress is entirely by hand and it is done to Haute Couture levels and is stunning. It is extraordinary and an amazing piece of fashion history. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a hand set pale pink silk through bodice and the skirt has an inner skirt that is made of silk satin. It closes with a hand set back zipper. Each cuff buttons to close. Hand work throughout and made to couture standards. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness here and there to the very edges of the hem.

Sleeves: 26"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3501

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 client purchased this spectacular Vivienne Westwood gown from her mothers shop. She wore it to a friends birthday gala and that was the only time it was ever worn. We narrowed down the date based on that info and also recently found footage of a version of it in the spring 1996 show.

The cut and line of this dress are pure heaven. It is strapless and has that famous dipped and front peaked bodice edging that Vivienne has become famous for. Inside the bodice is one of her boned and shaped corsets. This is constructed to cinch you in at the waist and push up the breasts. Once on an actual body you will get that full Westwood effect from that inner corseting. The large flat bow that sits at the top of bust only emphasizes this. The bow is constructed so that it curves out from the body and this adds more shape to the bust and gives the otherwise simple dress detailing. Below that, the waist curves in with vertical seaming. It then curves over the hips and flares out, widening out as it curves towards the floor. The construction of the skirt has an almost architectural feel to it and it reminds me of that famous Charles James gown in the way that it flares and curves outwards on each side. The fabric is a heavy black silk satin that gives the dress the stability it needs to hold that shape once on the body. It is incredible and a rare find. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black silk with an inner built in corseted bodice as shown. Inner wired peaks at the side of the bodice The corset zippers to close. The outer dress also zips to close with a hidden set zipper along the seam offset at the back. Tagged a vintage Uk 10

Bust: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 51" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3343

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 gorgeous little dress is a version of the all pink dress that walked the runway and was featured in the ad campaign that featured Linda Evangelista. The 1987 collection with its pink bows and accents is one of my all time favourites and I am very pleased to have this wonderful example from it in the shop for you.

This gorgeous dress is made from a black silk faille base with a bright shot of the signature pink used throughout the collection that year. The ruffle is in the same fabric that has been specifically dyed to this exact colour of pink. This choice in  fabric gives the dress its structure and shape and also allows for the volume that you see in the ruffle detailing that wraps around the waist and hips. The bodice is strapless and cut to curve in a modified sweetheart neckline. It is lightly boned on the inside for a built in shape that molds your form to it. It then curves in to skim over the waist and curves back out for the hips. From there it falls past the hips and then gently flaring outwards at the hem. The hem is not as dramatically cut as the runway version but also feels more wearable as a result. It is cut slightly longer at the back and I love how there is a matching dip at the back of the bodice so that there is an illusion of added length created. The pink ruffle is the star of the show and makes a wonderful impact. It is attached starting at the back waist and then wraps and dips down and around the lower hip on the other side. It is precisely folded and set so that the ruffles flare outwards from the body. Where it meets at the back hem the fabric on each side extends into two long and wide panels. You can let them hang from a simple knot as I have shown it or create a more elaborate bow. It is fabulous. Excellent condition with a very minor note below.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a side set zipper. It has a built in inner bodice that is lightly boned and shaped. Inner waist stay that hooks to close with a flat hook & eye. Tagged a 38 and has no give. There is the teeniest bit of fading to the pink along the fold edge on the one hip. Please review the photo after the label shot.

Bust: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 47" from top of bodice to front hem, 49.5" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3276

Reference Photo: (1-3) S/S 1987 Yves Saint Laurent Runway.  /  (4) Linda Evangelista for Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue, March 1987.  /  (5) Linda Evangelista in Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue UK, March 1987. Photo by Hans Feurer.

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 dress was shown as Look 30 for the Fall 2016 Rosie Assoulin show and it was only offered for sale through the trunk show feature at Moda Operandi. Meaning that only the few dresses pre-ordered were produced in this style making it a rare piece of her work. This dress still has both its original Rosie Assoulin tags and the Moda Operandi tags attached and is in unworn condition. 

This dress is amazing and if you are not afraid of a strong colour then you will love the statement it makes. The yellow is incredibly vibrant, it is almost a neon and in real life is even a touch more of an true bright lemon yellow then the tone it photoed. The fabric is light weight, yellow embroidered wool on a crinkled silk chiffon. It is very easy to wear. When the ties are not done up the dress has an almost caftan feel and is cut very loose and easy through the entire body. The design is quite clever. Long ties loop through the plunge at the front neckline and then extend out for several yards. There are little double sided loops that slide and move along the ties that you can adjust to sit where you wish. These help to hold the ties in place and create a halter feel as you wrap them around your body. The front has a little squared off plunge that sits quite deep and the the neckline is cut wide and meant to sit almost off the shoulders. The ties help to suspend and hold it in place as you see it in the reference photo. The dress falls from there in a widening line to the floor and it is cut supermodel long. The sleeves are spectacular and were a cornerstone of this collection. They are each very full and voluminous with ties at their cuffs so you can cinch them in to where you wish. It is a remarkable dress and stunning on. Excellent condition. 

The dress is interlined in a matching yellow silk organza. It slips on over the head and you can adjust the attached ties as you wish. Comes with an additional tie as well. All tags attached as per above description. Tagged a US 8. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: 15"
Wise set shoulders: approx 16"
Bust: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3497

Reference Photo: Fall 2016 Rosie Assoulin Collection, Look 30.

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

Renato Balestra launched his couture label in Rome in 1951. His work quickly gained international fame and was one of the cornerstone ateliers of the Italian couture 'Alta Moda' movement. On their website they state: 'The Balestra brand blends the mastery of the artisans and the style of the designer to express its vision to the fullest, thanks to hundreds of hours of craftmanship and the highest attention to details.' This is a beautiful example of his work and is in remarkable condition. This particular piece has the added provenance of having been more for the Ebony Fashion Fair and could very well be the only one ever made exactly like this. 

The jumpsuit is made from a very fine silk satin that uses both a yellow and a purple for an electric clash of colours. The purple silk is used for the halter cut top of the jumpsuit and then a bright clear yellow has been used for the wide cut pants that start just under the high set waist. Under the bust the same purple silk has been individually cut into an intricate design and laid out onto the yellow silk. This was then appliqued onto the silk using a mix of a purple metallic thread embroidery, rhinestones and tiny tube beads to give it a 3D feel. These have all been meticulously laid out and done by hand. This touch of glitter around the waist is what gives the jumpsuit its sparkle and glitz. The bodice is simple and perfect with a deep V front that plunges right to the band under the bust. A sweet little flat bow sits there for detailing. The back secures with a hook and eye at the neck and then is left open in a long slit to the banding at the waist. The pants are cut wide and full so that you have this beautiful long line and a touch of movement when you move. The interior is all done to Haute Couture standards and is beautiful to see. The top is lined in a hand set silk crepe and the pants have been interlined with a yellow silk chiffon. The workmanship and care need to work with these types of fabric when all the work is done by hand cannot be underplayed. This would have taken hours of meticulous hand work to accomplish. The workmanship is exquisite and the liquidity of the fabric and the cut of the jumpsuit once on the body is very sexy. Excellent condition

Fully lined through the bodice in a hand set purple silk and fully interlined through the pants with a yellow silk chiffon. It closes with a hand set zipper starting at the waist and then has a hook & eye at the back of the neck. This leaves an open slit between the two at the back. All hand finished with hand finished interior seams and all the beadwork and embroidery work is done by hand to Haute Couture standards. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Note that the yellow in person is a slightly lighter shade then how it photoed. It did not quite do up all the way on my mannequin at the back but will close as described above on the proper sized person for its size. 

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam at under-bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 13" from top of bodice to seam under the bust
Pants: 46" from seam under the bust to hem
inseam: 35"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3498

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 near version of this set can be found in the book 'Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective' by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin. This book was done to accompany the 2016 ‘Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective’ exhibition at de Young Museum, San Francisco that was curated by André Leon Talley.  

This gorgeous set from Oscar de la Renta has a wonderful high glamour feel to it because of the jewels and gold cording accents. It is made up of two separate pieces. An open jacket and midi length skirt. Having the separate pieces makes it very versatile since you can mix and match them with other pieces in your existing wardrobe. The print use for the silk of both pieces has an intricate designed worked over it and this pattern has been done in a mix of rich jewel tones. The silk used for the set also has a ribbon effect so that parts of the silk have a different finishes and catch the light differently. The silk is light in weight but still structured enough to retain the shape he intended. The skirt is banded at the waist with the fabric set into the waist in a series of soft knife pleats. These then open up and allow for the volume that you see. It is cut loose and easy through the hips and then widens out slightly as it near the hem. The hem is finished with an intricate edging of black velvet, gold cording and paste jewels that are set into the designs that the cording forms. This gives the hem some structure and catches the light fantastically. The matching jacket has a simple cut and slips on to wear with no front closures. It has the same highly detailed embellishment that follows the front edge, curves around the neckline and runs around the entire hem of the jacket. Each sleeve is also finished at the cuff with this same gold, velvet and jewelled detailing and is inset into the shoulder so that they have a slight puffed effect. It is fabulous and looks like it has never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Both pieces are lined in a black silk. The skirt closes with a series of snaps and flat hook & eye at the waist. The jacket has no closures and has padding in each shoulder. Tagged a vintage OLDR 8. Very well made and it looks to have never been worn or worn very little

Jacket
Sleeve: 24"
Shoulders: 15.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from shoulder to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 37" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3496

Reference Photo: Fall 1981 Oscar de la Renta collection photo from the book "Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective" by Jennifer Park and Molly Sorkin.

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 Bryce coat from the Fall 2013 Stella McCartney collection quickly sold out worldwide. It was spotted on celebrities like Katy Perry and Nicole Richie as a wonderful alternative to wearing real fur. It is actually made out of thick mohair blend that give it lots of texture. It has the look of fur but it is entirely faux. The cut of the coat is simple with her classic, slightly cocoon silhouette that you see in so much of her work. It has squared off shoulders that are lightly padded and they are cut long and straight. The cut through the body is also fairly straight with just a hint of a curve through the body and a slight narrowing at the hem. Pockets sit on each hip. The coat closes with a series of ivory covered snaps that are hidden in the fabric so that you see nothing to break the line when it is closed or open. It is surprisingly light in weight and yet is is very warm. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition. 

Fully lined in an ivory silk textured fabric and closes with the hidden set snaps at the front. Pockets on each hip. Tagged a modern 44. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves: 27"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust- hem: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# C495

Reference Photos: (1) Katy Perry in London, September 2013.  /  (2) Nicole Richie in Paris, November 2013.

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

James Galanos was known as the designer that could rival the French in terms of construction and design. He launched his atelier in 1951 and though he was never a designer that was formally acknowledged as being a true Haute Couturier, he certainly produced clothing that had all of the hallmarks that define couture. This attention to detail and cut gave him the status as being known as one of the 'American Couturiers'. This dress is a fantastic example of his work and its twin is held in the permanent archives of the Goldstein Museum

This dress with its huge bright print that runs down the front is exceptional. I absolutely love the drama and high couture feel of it. The fabric is beautiful. It is a gorgeous black silk crepe that has a good weight to it so that the lines he wished the dress to have stay perfectly in place once it is on the body. The body is cut to skim over you and the neckline is cut in a wide low V. The width of that V leaves just a touch of collar bone exposed. The sleeves end at above the elbow and each puffs out above the piped cuff. The back dips into an even lower V which leaves a large expanse of skin exposed. The skirt falls from under the bodice and it is interesting how it is set on a curve under the bust at the front instead of a more standard straight seam. Tiny soft folds run around this curve and it wraps around the sides and part way at the back. This curve perfectly follows the top of the floral design that has the feel of a piece of art painted into the fabric. The one single huge flower runs the full length of the skirt to the just above the hem where the leaves of the flower peak out. The back is left a solid black so that you get this long unbroken line with just a hint of what is happening on the front from the bits of the print that peek out at the sides. It is amazing. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk. The inside seams are ribbon edge finished. Hand finished and closes with a hand set, back painted zipper that is offset to follow a seam

Shoulders: approx 16"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from shoulder to hem, with 4" turned up under the hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3489

Reference Photos: (1) Spring 1964 James Galanos Couture Runway.  /  (2) 1965-1975 James Galanos Dress at the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection.

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 dress is from John Galliano's own label and is an incredible example of all the elements that his work is known for. Galliano has always been known for his amazing bias cut gowns and this example is a stunning lace version of that. His work, especially the bias cut pieces like this, have a feeling of high decadence mixed with the glamorous luxury of the twenties and thirties. They are always beautifully cut. His work marries the old Hollywood feel of those past eras with the minimalist spirit of the nineties and early aughts and the results are stunning.

This dress is exceptionally beautiful. It is made out of an ultra fine black lace that is cut to follow and mold to the body as it curves down the length of you. It is completely cut on the bias, is miles long and once on the body it skims over your curves and highlights your shape. It is extremely comfortable to wear and the lace drapes over a black silk interior that gives you the barest touch of coverage. The lace is transparent of course and the chiffon semi-transparent so there is the effect that you are seeing the body under the dress. The neckline is incredible. It is cut in a dramatic panel of lace that is caught up on one side. This is angled slightly to the side and is top stitched an gathered to anchor that huge collar. The collar can be worn low or almost as a hood depending on how you wish to have the lace lie and how much you allow the panel to open. The way that lace top sits you get a glimpse of one shoulder that is very sexy.  Under that the dress swoops down tot eh floor with a trained back. There is a little snap at the very end of the train and that snaps into place along the side seam. This allows you to pick the train up off the floor. I took a photo of the skirt both ways so you can see how this change in the skirt transforms the dress. A tightly spaced row of buttons and loops run down the side. This button technique is derived from the gowns of the twenties and thirties and this play a large part in the vintage feel the dress has. It is stunning on. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a bias cut black silk. It closes with a that row of side buttons and loops that you see. It appears to have never been worn or worn very little. The bias cut will allow for a little stretch and a bit of range on sizing. The train snaps into place along the seam if you wish to wear it without the train

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from shoulder to hem with another 19" for the train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3490

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 Roberto Cavalli dress is from the Spring 2006 collection and is very sexy. It's twin walked the runway that season and was worn by Carmen Kass. I have included that reference photo here so you can see how amazing it is once on the body.

It is an easy to wear piece and very flattering once on the body. It is very short and I think you could easily wear it as a tunic as well if you are not brave enough to go that short for a dress. The crispness of the white cotton and that deep front and back plunge pack a lot of punch into the design. The lines are simple and despite its overt sexiness it is surprisingly comfortable to wear. There are long, long ties that go through the dress under the bust and these can be loosened or tightened as needed. I have tied them into bows so they are like how it was shown on the runway but you could also leave them looser and hanging. There is a wide band of elastic at the hips that stretches for the perfect fit. Each sleeve is very full and cut very long with two bands of elastic. One just above the elbow and one above the huge double layered bell cuffs. This allows you to push them up or down to get the most volume through the sleeve and adjust the length. It is fabulous. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips over the head to wear with ties at the waist to adjust the fit. Tagged a 40. Appears to have been worn very little if at all.

Sleeves:28"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: ties to adjust from about 12" to probably over 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: will stretch up to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 31" from top of shoulder to hem but will come up when on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3488

Reference Photo: Spring 2006 Roberto Cavalli Runway Collection, Look 2, modeled by Carmen Kass.

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 exact dress that Martha Hunt wore to the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. Amal Clooney also wore a more graphic print version of this dress at one point in a different print and colorway. Hers was more graphic and did not have the same ruffles and softness that this one does. I think this floral one is just the prettiest thing I have ever seen. The dress is spectacular and even landed Martha in the Harper's Bazaar round up of the best looks from Cannes that season.

The dress is a work of art and the silk chiffon used to make it is some of the finest, lightest chiffon I have seen. The fabric is notoriously difficult to work with and with all the intricate pleats and detailing, putting this together would have taken a lot of man hours. The dress is all finished by hand is is just spectacular. The halter top is made of two long panels of fabric that are cut wider where they go over the bust and then narrow a bit to extend into very long ties that tie behind the neck. Each is finished with a ruffled edging and this gives it both a soft and hyper feminine feel and also softens that deep plunge and hides that touch of transparency of each halter a bit. The waist is more structured and is a wide panel of banding that wraps around you. It is top stitched all the way around and has additional layers of fabric built inside to give it more structure. The skirt flows to the floor from there and it is a soft, floating cascade of the silk over an inner silk lining. The skirt is pleated around the hips so that you get a slim feel there and then opens out so it is soft and flowing below that. Excellent condition with two notes to review below

The halter is unlined and semi-transparent. The waist band is lined in a blue silk and has some structure. The skirt is lined in a blue silk crepe. It ties to close at the back neck and has a low painted metal zipper below the waist. There are two tiny well done repairs, one along the zipper and at the base of the zipper, and then another in the skirt at the back above the hem. Some other tiny repaired holes here and there and marks on the inner lining. None detract and once on you don't see any of them. It is fabulous. Hand finished throughout. Note that it does close at the back. It is just a touch small on my dress form. Tagged a vintage Valentino 6

Bust: no true seams and adjustable
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 15" from top of bodice to top of waist band but fully adjustable with the ties
Skirt: "45 from top of waist band under bust to hem. Waist band is 4.5"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3487

Reference Photo: (1) Martha Hunt in Valentino, Cannes, 2018.  /  (2) Martha Hunt featured in Harper's Bazaar.

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

Valentino knows how to cut a dress to perfectly flatter a woman's body. Few designers can come close to the masterful techniques he perfected over the decades of his prolific career. This is an exceptional example of his work and it is very beautiful and striking. It's twin walked the runway for the Spring 2004 show

The dress has that feeling of simplicity that the nineties epitomized and yet, still feels modern and fresh even now. It is made out of layers of a beautiful silk chiffon that is  cut on the bias. The bias cut and soft floating feel of the chiffon are used to create beautiful movement through the skirt when you move. It is draped and molded perfectly over the body, skimming over your curves for the most flattering of fits. The color in person is even better then how it photoed and that soft turquoise is very flattering on most skin tones. The bodice of the dress is fabulous. It is set in a series of hand draped panels that are woven together to softly wrap and hug the bodice and down to the waist. This is suspended from a soft chiffon halter that crosses over at the front and then fastens behind the neck. This leaves the back almost completely open and that expanse of skin that is left bare is stunning. The skirt drapes to the floor from the waist and has two layers that are wrapped over each other and scoop up front the hem on a curve. When you walk or sit it lets some keg peak out. The back is slightly trained. It is just stunning on the body. Excellent condition with a small note below

Fully lined in the same silk chiffon through the bust. The skirt is unlined but the panels are two silk chiffon layers each. It closes with a hidden set side zipper. Hand finishes. One small repair at a seam at the back and a couple of tiny repairs along the hem. Tagged a Valentino 8 but please check the actual measurements.

Bust: 17.5" across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: approx 15.5" from top of the bodice to waist
Skirt: 46" from waist to front hem, 52" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3485

Reference Photos: Spring 2004 Valentino Runway Presentation, Look 63. Model: Eva Riccobono.

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 dress has appeared in several museum exhibits of his work and Carmen Kass wore one on the red carpet. Barbra Walters was also photoed wearing a version in 1977 and that photo is now in one of the books on his work. This is classic Halston from his main label couture line. It is one of the most instantly recognizable looks that he ever created. I have one of these in my own personal collection and it is one of the stars of my personal archives. I feel very lucky to have found another one that can be loved by someone else too.

This is an amazing couture Halston dress and a very rare and special find. It 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 very fine, light gold silk lame that moves and drapes beautifully. The dress is suspended by one hook at the shoulder and then you wrap and tie the outer layer over that to tie it into place over the hook. An elastic band inside hooks around your waist so that it sits just perfectly. The wrapping of the dress creates a high slit up the side for your leg to show. The entire dress falls from that single shoulder, cascading loosely down for the ultimate Grecian goddess feel. It is spectacular. This is a rare example of Halston at his very best and it is easy to see why it is a piece favored by Museums. Excellent condition

Constructed from a single bias cut layer with part of the inner dress closed. The dress slips on with an elastic that wraps and hooks around the waist. It hooks at the top of the shoulder and then wraps and ties on the top of that shoulder. Hand finished. It is all bias cut which should allow for a larger range of sizing. This one is not quite as long as the one Carmen is wearing in the reference photo. They were made to order specifically for the height of the girl buying them though the photos are slightly deceptive as it does fall longer at the back point of the hem.

Bust: 14-18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open with the elastic inside stretching to about 38"
Hips: no true defined seams because of the wrap
Length: 58" from shoulder to very longest point on the hem but will come on once on

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD3483

Reference Photos: (1) 1976 Halston Original Gold Lamé Sarong from the Halston Retrospective at Nassau County Museum of Art.  /  (2) Halston Dress at the Studio 54 Exhibition at the Brooklyn Art Museum.  /  (3) Carmen Kass in Halston at "The Michael Awards", November 2000.  /  (4) Barbara Walters in Halston, accompanied by Alan Greenspan, December 1977. From the book "Halston: An American Original".

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

This is a very rare and beautiful example of Halston's work using cashmere during this time period. He was a master at combining function and ease but without sacrificing glamour. He did this with the absolute minimum of seaming that a garment required. His knit, bias cut pieces like this one, sometimes feel somewhat shapeless on the hanger or dress form and it is only when they are slipped on that they drape and settle into place the way they were intended. They seem so very simple but they are not. A similar dress to this example appeared in the book 'Halston' and I also found a similar example from an earlier collection he was doing in cashmere from the 1972. The 1972 dress was actually featured in the Museum at FIT exhibit 'Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s'. In their exhibit notes they mention these cashmere pieces specifically:

"Halston’s use of historical elements to create new collections was sparing. Rather than re-interpret the designs of those who came before him, he made subtle allusions to those designers whose work he most admired. He was inspired by body-revealing active wear and the sinuous, bias-cut gowns of Madeleine Vionnet from the 1930s, while primary influences from the 1940s included the cashmere sweater sets of Mainbocher and the ingenious ties and closures employed by Claire McCardell"

The dress is cut to be a full supermodel length with a halter type front from which the dress falls to the floor in a column of pale turquoise cashmere to the floor. The ties are very long and I think you could easily wrap them around the body to emulate the reference piece from the exhibit if you preferred that look. The back drops almost scandalously low depending on how tight you tie the neck. It will also drop along the sides more if you choose to wear it lower. Basically, the ties give you full control on just how much skin you wish to show. In the book 'Halston; An American Original' they talk about Halston's cashmere pieces and quote Polly Mellon as saying: "His cashmere pieces to the floor... weren't just tubes: they had armholes, were neat on top, yet very cozy and at the same time elegant". It is said that they were inspired by a close associate that was a dance instructor and were intended to give the body complete freedom. The color on this one is truly amazing and I have not seen this exact color in one of his pieces before. It is a rich pastel turquoise that is even better in person then how it photoed and has a more dusky tone to it in real life. It is the kind of color that will flatter most skin tones. These brilliantly created, more colorful examples of his work are not as easy to find for Halston anymore and this dress is an amazing and rare piece of fashion history. It is also remarkable in that it is in absolutely wonderful condition. So many of his cashmere pieces that you find now are not and a piece this good and in this condition is a true find. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. It is made from 100% cashmere made in Italy. Tagged a size M . Because it is knit it has stretch and will fit a variety of sizes. I have given the comfortable range of stretch while it is lying flat in the measurements below. You could probably go a little beyond that range listed depending on how fitted you wanted it.

Bust: variable with no true side seams
Waist: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 63" from top of neck to hem and you can adjust that a bit depending on how tight you ties the neck

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3476

Reference Photos: (1-2) Illustration and Model in Pale Blue Cashmere Halston Set, 1974, from the book "Halston" by Rizzoli.  /  (3) 1972 Red Cashmere Halston Dress, from the book "Yves Saint Lauren + Halston: Fashioning the 70s" by Patricia Mears and Emma McClendon.

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