Item# DD711

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

An amazing couture Pierre Cardin that from the research I have done I believe to be from the 1968 collection. There is a similar dress in feel and construction residing at the V&A Museum from that same collection! It is constructed of a silk satin fabric in an amazing soft pale blush pink. It is actually almost an exact match to the fabric used for a ballet slipper! The color alone makes this special and collectible! It is cut architectural style as typical of Cardin pieces. The A-line shape flares out pretilly from the shoulders. It is decorated with a relief pattern of tp stitched circles at the neck and hem. Lean sleeves and high neck complete the look. Truly amazing and a work of highly collectible art.

The first thing you must know about this dress is that it is a true baby pink. It has photoed in a more vibrant hue that how it presents in person. Think Barbie doll pink for this one! It is an incredible and iconic piece that is very very hard to find anymore! It fully zips open and the zipper itself has to be mentions - it is set to the side and is thick and chunky and though the pull is painted metal the teeth of the zipper are plastic! Those little half moon details snap into place as does the belt, The belt and the lower half moon are embroidered with the Courreges label. The skirt is slightly A-line and the shoulders rounded. It is amazing, iconic and other then slight wear to the paint on the snaps - it is in mint condition! Love it!

Bust: 16.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 23" from waist to bottom hem

The dress is fully lined in a white silky rayon. It closes with a chunky side set painted metal & plastic zipper. The two pieces that sit over the zipper each can fully snap on and off. The original belt is with it and also closes with a snap. There is minor wear tot he painted metal zipper and snaps as is typical of Courreges pieces of this age - this is not a flaw that detracts from the price, collectibility or how it presents.

Item# DD719

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 his Spring 1977 collection, Halston used the asymmetrical neckline and spiral cut that he was renowned for throughout. This neckline has since become one of his signatures and is instantly recognizable as a Halston. The dress is cut on the bias, and also on a spiral pattern, which gives it virtually no seams. It also means it drapes and winds about the body perfectly! Made of two layers of the finest silk, it is almost weightless on! Very flattering, very easy to wear and you can style in a million ways. A similar piece, worn by Pat Cleveland, is shown over loose pants on page 138 of the book Halston - An American Original, and the exact duplicate of the dress is shown on mannequins on page 291 of the Phaidon book on Halston. Truly amazing, a recorded book piece and a work of highly collectible art. Excellent condition.

Shoulders: no defined seams
Sleeves: approx 23"
Bust: approx 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: approx 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: approx 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from mid-back of the neck to the bottom hem

The dress is cut completely on the bias and with the absolute minimum seaming as was his trademark. It drapes and moves around the body once on. It is a study in restraint and quite remarkable.

Fully lined in a cream tissue silk, it slips over the head. Each sleeve has two hidden snaps to close. There is small pencil eraser size dot of light yellowing on one of the cuffs - you don't really see it when worn because of the drape of the sleeve. It is a true cream silk - it has photoed a touch yellower then it actually is but is not yellowed in real life

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML

Item# DD722

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

Girls who buy Ossie Clark dresses can become addicted -they transform when on a girl and it is very hard to resist that. Certain styles are a bit rarer then others and this one, in bright and true red moss crepe, is a rare one. A mile long tie that acts as a corset, threads through a series of fabric loops set along a seam inset along the waist. You can tie and wrap and cinch - or not- in as many ways as you can think up! I have shown it tied and cinched in the most basic of ways but you could come up with dozens of alternatives. When not tied the dress is actually a loose fitting smock dress that comes out from the shoulders in that classic Ossie Clark cut. Modified leg of mutton sleeves, a smocked back panel and dog ear collar add the perfect finishes. Excellent condition.

Shoulders: 15" across
Bust: open
Waist: can go as wide as 17" across and cinch as little as 12"
Hips: open
Total length: 40" from mid-back of the neck to bottom hem
Sleeve length: approx 22" from shoulder to cuff

Tagged an Ossie Clark vintage UK 12

Unlined and slips over the head to wear. The tie/corset belt is original and slips through loops at each side - you can wear it tight or very loose.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML (0-8)

Item# 2-DD95

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

An amazing black label 1970s Halston in a luxurious, rich purple velvet. The photos come close to conveying the color but it is even better n person. It is bias cut and with as little seaming as possible - in that classic Halston kind of way! The front literally plunges to the waist - though the cut is so well done you could spin this around and wear it to the back if you wished. The waist is elastic so is extremely comfortable to wear and will adjust easily to fit. The skirt is fairly straight with maybe a hint of an A-line to it. It is lined in a tissue silk hand dyed to match the purple and is all hand sewn and hand finished inside. Glorious, sexy and velvet is trending back in a big way! Excellent condition! Item# DD727

Amazing early Pierre Cardin mod shift dress down in a deep blue wool. One of his most iconic designs this dress features a round cut out at the neck and circular cut outs that ring the entire hem! Each of those circles is created by stamping out the fabric which was then folded back by hand and stitch behind each center of each circle. The now set at the neck is done in a contrasting silk satin and is set at the top of the key hole there. The construction of this dress is amazing - it has a double zipper at the back and the lining is set by hand. A study in dressmaking techniques it is absolutely wonderful! It is very rare, very couture and very special. Mint condition. Item# DD731

This dress is amazing! It has almost an Edwardian Pannier feel to it and I am crushed that there is no longer a label present as I am certain it would be a piece made by a well known design house. It is very, very well made and of high quality. The bodice has a square cut neckline and this cleverly allows that trail of bead work that goes from hem to shoulder and around to stay the same width and fullness the entire span of its application. The back scoops and this draws the eye to the abundance and fullness of the skirting just below the lower back. The bead work expands to either side when it nears the hem and is planned to perfection to work with the folding and pleating of the skirt. Flat wide pleats are worked into each side and soft rounded pleats sit at the back but the front is left flat - this really keeps it form being overwhelming when worn. It is hand finshed and the inner skirts are of the old dressmakers paper - another sign of high quality. This would stand head to head with any of the fifties inpired runway pieces of this season! Excellent condition

Helena Barbieri pieces are as rare as rare can be and this one is so beautiful it takes my breathe away. A rich, luxurious, cream silk base has a flat cut-velvet design set directly into the fabric. The skirt is a slight bubble silhouette and the waist is constructed with a slight gather of soft flat pleats. The bodice is strapless and is beaded using pink rhinestones, beads, crystals & sequins! The bead work goes all around the front and across the back. A romantic half tie sits at the front center - a pretty, couture feeling touch - and the bodice is set so it drapes softly. I think the detail I love the most is the pale pink edging in silk that goes all the way around the bodice and is picked up at the very ends of each of those front half bows at the waist. Barbieri specialized in evening wear and it is easy to see why her pieces are so highly prized. The construction of this dress is impeccable. It is drop dead gorgeous and in excellent condition!

This beautiful and extremely well made little Ted Lapidus Couture dress is constructed using a fine silk colored a strong and vibrant pink. Lapidus pieces are a rare find and I think his work is extremely underrated. To find a piece at this level and this gorgeous is a real treat. The dress is extremely well made. Impeccably so. There is a double layer of silk and the bodice employs proper couture construction techniques - done to give the wearer support and shape, sculpting the dress around the body. That band that wraps across the waistline detaches half way around - it closes and snaps into place with matching pink fabric covered snaps all tucked carefully underneath. This gives the illusion that the dress has no openings and does not break the line of the dress. The beaded and rhinestone detailed centerpiece at the front waist hooks into place with a series of silver hook & eye. The back zipper is offset and hidden for the most part under this banding at the waist and the skirt cascades to just past the knee in a column of fine silk. It is truly a work of art and a study in dressmaking techniques. Excellent condition

Fully lined in pink silk and closes with a side painted metal zipper. The entire waist band snaps into place as pictured - the workmanship on this dress is incredible. Primarily hand finished and constructed.

Bust: 16" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: free
Bodice: 15" from shoulder seam to waist seam
Skirt length: 32" from waist seam to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD283

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

An amazing, classic and iconic Azzedine Alaia straight off the runway of Fall- Winter 1990! This look marries tough with sexy and has that classic Alaia wasp waist chic. The leather is a butter soft lamb in inky black. The sleeves are an almost dolman shape where they attach to the body and then taper into skinny cuffs. Each cuff has a big chunky brass zipper. A zippered pocket sits on one side and another sits off side and asymmetrically to close the jacket. Buckles are at either side of the waist to cinch it in. The collar works turned down to flipped up. Still insanely modern and instantly recognizable as an Alaia piece. As good as it gets and in excellent condition

An amazing, classic and iconic Azzedine Alaia straight off the runway of Fall- Winter 1990! This look marries tough with sexy and has that classic Alaia wasp waist chic. The leather is a butter soft lamb in inky black - this one is slightly more matte black then the size 36 I also have listed. The sleeves are an almost dolman shape where they attach to the body and then taper into skinny cuffs. Each cuff has a big chunky brass zipper. A zippered pocket sits on one side and another sits off side and asymmetrically to close the jacket. Buckles are at either side of the waist to cinch it in. The collar works turned down to flipped up. Still insanely modern and instantly recognizable as an Alaia piece. As good as it gets and in excellent condition. Item# C150

This stunning gown has no labels but was attributed to Philip Hulitar. I have had a dress in the past that matches it line for line in cut and construction but was a shorter version. It is definitely a high end piece and a real rarity to find such a vivid color from this time period. The silk is a bright true pink with gold thread worked through it to create the pattern that runs top to bottom. This allows the dress to have a subtle sheen and the combination of the pink and gold is mesmerizing. The bodice is hand draped and hand stitched into place. The skirt was also hand stitched into place and the zipper hand set. Truly this gown would have taken hours to construct! The bodice crosses and drapes and the flat folds of fabric add to the illusion of the nipped in waist. The swag detail on the hip is stunning and the back dips extremely low. The skirt is cut to curve around the hips and narrows as slim as possible while still allowing you to walk. The back vent has extra fabric in the fold so when you walk you don't see raw edges. It is a complete and absolute jaw dropper. Truly a work of art and a study in dressmaking techniques. Excellent condition

Bust: to 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 16.5" from shoulder seam to waist seam
Skirt length: 39" from waist seam to bottom hem

The dress is fully lined in a matching pink silky rayon and closes with a low back painted metal zipper. The exterior draping is placed and stitched by hand. The side swag detailing are lined in dressmakers paper so that they hold their shape. There is the slightest of color change on the bodice - I thought it was just the way the light was catching it but I think it is a teeny bit changed. Very subtle and I am being very picky - the edges could be taken back and the V increased if this bothers you.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# E409

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

When you find a really really great silk chiffon vintage dress it takes your breathe away and this is one of those pieces. It is like wearing air and magic. Constructed form layers of a deep purple silk chiffon the details and craftsmanship that went into constructing this dress is exceptional. The way the chiffon is stitched into little rounded pleats all along the top to create a Elizabethan feeling ruffle detail - I love! In a season where the shape of pieces is exaggerated and full this feels especially modern and relevant. Two scarves of matching silk are with it and you can use these to style the dress in many ways! You can leave it loose and easy or cinch it for shape. Really exceptional. Excellent condition. Item# DD753

I love the bright vibrant color of this classic and iconic Ossie Clark design! It is one of his classics done in moss crepe and it showcases his signature dog ear collar and a fabulous row of small, fabric covered buttons. You catch just a hint of skin between the buttons even when they are fully done up - so subtly sexy! The sleeves are very full and each billows out until they cinch in at the buttoned tight, skinny fit cuffs. It has an attached fabric tie on each side that you can tie at the front or the back and made of yards and yards of bias cut, moss crepe fabric, that cascades to the floor. Perfect for this season's nod to bright, solid hues! Excellent condition! Item# 2-DD327

A rare and wonderful find, this is am amazing numbered haute couture suit by Pierre Balmain. Everything about it is a showcase to what you get when attention is paid to every last detail. The dress is beautifully cut and has a unique double zipper. Just the process of zipping and snapping everything perfectly into place makes you feel like you are wearing something really special. The bodice is a deep blue and kept simple. Long refined sleeves, a high neck and a body that skims over your curves. The skirt has an extra layer of fabric inside so that it retains its shape and hangs perfectly. It is lined in the finest, softest silk that feel wonderful against the skin. Both the skirt and jacket are custom, hand screened in a check that highlights the blue has just enough pop to it to keep the ensemble from being staid. I love the top set pockets. Both pieces are tagged and both tags have handwritten numbers under each label. The original belt is present. Note the perfection of how even the button lines up with the pattern of the fabric! It is a testament to couture and the set is in excellent condition. Item# DD760

This would have been done while Hubert de Givenchy led the Givenchy House and is a couture, numbered piece! It is an exceptional example of day wear for the period and immaculately constructed. The exterior is a deep rust knit jersey - cutting edge fabric of the day - and that is lined in the highest quality silk hand dyed to match the color. All the interior work is by hand and the lining and zipper are hand set. I love the subtle sexuality of the back buttons and hidden snaps lie between each so that no matter how you move they keep perfectly in place. The neckline is high and no seams break the line of the bodice - they just sleekly turn into the slightly dolman sleeve. The skirt is set with a slight gather and the curve of the seam ever so gently curves downward so the illusion os of height and leanness. Understated but refined is is an exceptional piece. Excellent, unworn condition.

A truly rare, numbered piece from the Fall 1967 Haute Couture collection. The silhouette is very minimum in design, with the emphasis on the understated drama pf the tiered silhouette and simplicity of cut. It is made of an inky black velvet with a heavy weight silk taffeta interior. It is a classic two tiered cape style that is meant to be worn primarily to just simply sit on the shoulders. There are finished opening on each side were your arms just slip through and silk "straps" that you can also use but really it works best just sitting atop the shoulder. Both the inside and outside are impeccable. I love how stark and simple it is. One single hook and eye sits at the neck so you can move without fear of having it slip of. Truly fabulous and it is true couture. Excellent condition.

Shoulders: no defined seam but they are approx 14-15" across inside.
Total length: 32" from mid back of neck to bottom hem

The cape is fully lined in a heavy weight silk taffeta of extremely good quality. The top tier is also lined in the same fabric. Hand finished and with a hand set strap of taffeta that you can put your arm though on each side inside. A large fabric covered hook and eye sits at the top of the neck.

Modern Sizing Note: It is not the body on this piece but the shoulders - you do not want to be much past 15" flat across or it will not sit right

Item# C153

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 absolutely love the color of this piece - it's a rich combination of a silk peach base with a swirling design of gold and silver delicately woven through the fabric. The cut is fairly simple with no sleeves and a scooped neckline. The waist nips in and the† skirt is set with spaced inverted pleating so you don't get any bulk around the middle but the skirt is still allowed to widen as it reaches to the floor in one beautiful sweep. A wide, long sash of the same fabric is still with the gown and I have shown it wrapped around the waist. The dress has a fantastic romantic, pretty and light feel, but is still regal and beautiful. Excellent condition.

Made of a stunning and unusual shade of orange printed silk - I would best call it a deep tangerine - with a customs design screened onto it. The front is gathered in great, elaborate pleating and gathering that is caught up by the extended fabric straps that go over each shoulder. This cleverly draws the eye into the waist and gives the illusion of an even greater nipped in waist and hourglass silhouette. I love how the straps glide over each shoulder and meet close together together at the back, its a nice, sexy detail that is a little unusual and gives the feeling of a barer back then what it actually is! The skirt is very full and has a built in underskirt - it is photographed here as it naturally falls with no extra crinolines added. The bottoms of the pleats are caught up with hand placed tacking so that the skirt falls exactly as the designer intended - shaped and slightly sculptural. Amazing and in excellent condition. This dress was featured in a September 2010 issue of Hello Canada magazine

This is one of the holy grails of vintage Missoni - a metallic lurex floral caftan dress! Done in a stunning pewter lurex with bands of beautiful flowers circling the fabric at every 6 inches or so top to bottom. The fabric is feather light so wearing this feels like wearing air. It is actually seamed down each side so unlike a traditional caftan it gives you shape and defines your curves. A long fabric belt of the same fabric cinches in the waist and gives it a modern twist. I love the sides - they are left open to the inner seaming so you get that feel of a true caftan and all the decadence and flow that a caftan would have. You see these vary vary rarely and this one is exceptional. Excellent condition!

Shoulders: no defined seams
Bust: no defined side seams
Waist: 14-15" flat across from side seam to side seam, has belt to cinch
Hips: will stretch 19-21" comfortably flat from side seam to side seam
Length: 55" from shoulder to bottom hem

The dress is unlined and slips over the head to wear. The original metallic tie belt is included. There is stretch to the fabric so it will allow a variety of sizes to wear it. The smaller you are the more it fits like a loose caftan! The dress does have seaming form the waist down. The belt is original and in excellent condition. Note that my client removed the label as it showed but I have had this exact piece before and it is guaranteed to be Missoni.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD780

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

Insanely sexy and unequivocally Ossie. This silk crepe dress is everything that is iconic about his work. Cut to mimic a thirties swing dress it is all on the bias so has perfect drape and movement once on. The skirt is made of panels of vertical fabric and gently flares out when it reaches the hem. It skims up and over the waist - nipped in by seaming, The bodice is amazing - it is a draped and gathered Maid Marion-eque affair but with a plunge to the empire waist that is held in place by those fabulous ties. You can style the top portion of the dress a few different ways, wearing it on or off shoulder, crossed or more exposed. The back is also gathered and there is a slit so that it is actually entirely open to the back high waist seam. The print is all Celia Birtwell with its bright coral floral design screened on the silk with pops of a lighter blue against the deep blue backdrop. It is sexy, brilliant and iconic. Excellent condition.

Bust: 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
At empire seam: 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Natural waist: 13.5" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Bodice length: approx 13" from shoulder to slightly empire waist
Skirt length: 29" from slightly empire waist seam to hem

Unlined, you slip it on and the is closes with a low back zipper. The front has a tie that runs through the circumference of the top bodice.

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML

Item# DD786

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

Once in a while you come across a textile that is so extraordinary you have two reactions to it - First you can't quite catch your breathe and sort of get lost in it. Second you feel the irrepressible need to have it in your hands! This is one of those pieces. The fabric is so extraordinary I am actually sad that i have to try to convey it by words. It is a fine silk chiffon, customs screened and printed. Onto it are bands of fine matte silk satin that are unbelievably light, soft and smooth. These bands are highlighted with a vivid coral print and the combination of the color and the fabric makes this coral seem to glow. It catches the light and adds a sheen and glow to where these are places. The sleeves widen as they reach their ends and are as light as air. You see Oscar's nod to the orient with the offset row of buttons down one side of the bodice. The skirt flows to the ground and adds to the feeling of lightness and romance. It is really exquisite and exceptional piece of early Oscar De La Renta. Excellent condition.

Shoulders: 14" across
Sleeves: 22" long
Bust: 18" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice length: 15.5" from shoulder to waist
Skirt length: 40" from waist seam to the bottom of the hem

The skirt is lined in a black silk crepe and the top in a fine black tissue silk. The sleeves are left unlined. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and the zipper is hand set. Hand finishes.

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML

Item# DD791

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

An iconic Valentino gown done in silk crepe whose color combination feels fresh and startlingly new. A pale blush pink bodice mixes with soft mint green. The somewhat romantic innocence of these two colors is contrasted sharply by the all out impact of that deep peek a boo bodice and corseted top! A decadent drape of green plunges from the low cut of the top and spills down the front in a secured wrapped effect. The gown is in excellent condition and is of course, the level of quality one expects from Valentino. An important piece whose silhouette was highlighted by Vogue as being one of the dresses instrumental to Valentino's career. The red version is featured in the Valentino perspective and Hamish Bowles chose it as one of the top ten dresses of Valentino's career, commenting:

This iconic crepe dress in that pure, clear red that became Valentinoís signature was modeled for the designer by the socialite beauty Princess Luciana Pignatelli, and Henry Clarke photographed Veruschka wearing it for Vogue. It is such a significant piece that when Valentino held his 2007 retrospective at the Ara Pacis, it was isolated in its own glass cube on the concourse leading into the museum.

The dress was designed to be worn beneath a red tulle evening coat embroidered with an impasto froth of scarlet ostrich fronds and clusters of beads. Wildly elaborate. And then you shrug it off and this startlingly pure-lined, unembellished dress with its sly bodice detail is revealed. It is a classic, bravura Valentino gesture that takes a woman with great presence and a sense of drama to wear it. Welcome to VaVaís world!

†

My version is a softer, more romamtic color palette but with the same startling and dramatic silhouette! Item# DD405

An amazing, bold and sexy jumpsuit, with a dramatic addition of a circle of bright red bandannas at the hip line! Each of those bandannas are secured by an acrylic heart shaped button! The base fabric is a ribbed stretch jersey. The front is slightly scooped at the neck and the back mirrors this with a deep plunging scoop. Each leg goes to just below the knee. Onto the jumpsuit, the fantastic bandannas are set in a circle to form a skirt-like flounce! Patrick Kelly is renowned for his wit and fantastical designs and this particular piece is perhaps the most unique piece of his that I have seen. The contrast of the extremely fitted body suit with the drama of the red at the hips is fantastic. It is a rare piece from a great American designer. Museum quality and highly collectible. Excellent condition

Bust: stretches between 15-19" comfortably from side seam to side seam
Waist: stretches between 12-15" comfortably from side seam to side seam
Hips: stretches between 14-17" comfortably from side seam to side seam
Total length: 42" from shoulder seam to bottom hem
Inseam: 18"

Unlined and slips on to wear. The fabric has lots of stretch.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# 2-DD354

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

Exceptional strapless wiggle dress by Patrick Kelly. Known for his love of boldness and sex appeal, his pieces have a sense of lightness and wit. In this piece he skillfully mixes a bold floral with a stark dotted back ground. An extra layer of texture is built in through the use of a textured fabric. The dress is cut to follow a girl's curves. The bodice is strapless and boned and the waist nips in. The skirt is cut to skim the hips and hug the body. A superb piece by a great designer. Excellent condition

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with A-small B cup room built in
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17" flat across form side to side - the skirt wraps over so there is a bit of room here
Length: 34" from top of bodice to hem

The dress is fully lined in black silky rayon with light boning through the bodice. It closes with a back painted metal zipper.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS

Item# DD794

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 is utterly fabulous! A bright mod print is done in shades of corals and tangerines with pops of purple on this stunning silk jersey maxi dress. The La Mendola label is highly collectible and sought after - when the duo behind the label where designing in Rome it was girls like Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth that were buying! The Italian shop closed in 1974 so this would date prior to that. The actual dress is supermodel length and fitted with a long and lean silhouette. Added to this is a silk chiffon overlay made of yards and yards of a custom screened matching fabric. It is cut almost apron like with an opening down each side and it just ties. This allows you to wear it a variety of ways - as a skirted top layer or you can get clever and use it as a top tier or a cape! That wedding gown like tiny spaced row of fabric covered buttons at the back and the high neck are just icing on the cake! It is an amazing piece and in excellent condition. Item# DD795

Truly a wonderful and unusual dress! I think this is one of the best example of sixties Beene I have ever seen actually! It is a masterpiece in cut with an almost sculptural/architectural nod in its design. Constructed out of a dyed, vivid turquoise, silk linen it has that crisp, almost sharp quality to it when touched. It is one sleek, space age feel with its amazing rounded skirt that is cut so that is hangs perfectly in that shape in both the front and back. The front portion of the skirt is actually an overlay that tops a curved up and in inner skirt. For some reason this "hidden" curve makes me wild for this dress. It did not need to be done functionally but from a design point of view it is just astounding! Big decorative fabric covered pockets sit at each hip and I love the curves seam at the waist on both the front and back of the dress. Museum quality condition

Bust: 17.5î flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16î flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from mid neck at the back to hem

Note the color is a true turquoise - bright and clear - just amazing in person

The dress is fully lined in cotton muslin that has been dyed to match. It closes at the back with an inset zipper. The front flap covers a curved inner skirt as shown. Hand finished

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML (6-8)

Item# DD811

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

Guy Laroche began his fashion career under Jean Desses in 1949 and just under ten years later he opened his own house in 1957. He made extraordinary pieces of couture and this dress is one of them and an earlier sixties example of his work. It is stunningly constructed and in museum quality condition. It is also a wonderful example of the mod baby doll look that swept the fashion world at the time and still feels fresh even now. A testament to how great design stands the test of time! An inner dress made of a good quality black silk crepe gives the wearer the feeling of some inner structure. The exterior however is all fabric and extravagance. On, it is much fuller and has much more movement then how it photos. It is cut on the bias so naturally flares out from the body. The hem is finished in a† tiny strip of back velvet so it is weighted properly. I love the tuxedo bib front and the matching cuffs. The buttons are glass pearls, each in a metal base. It is sixties supermodel once on! A fabulous piece and in excellent, museum quality condition. Item# DD814

Impeccable and very rare structured dress by Hubert Latimer for Irene Lentz that is of really exceptional quality. It is almost architectural in is strict cut and immaculate seaming & construction. Made of a fine cream wool if skims the body and flares out at the A-line skirt. The cut is forgiving and gives the wearer one clean, long line. The curved seaming at the front acts as the dress's embellishment. Small discreet pockets are hidden along those seams. It closes at the front under what looks like the extension of the collar detail. This allows the line of the back of the dress to be unbroken by a zipper and again gives the illusion of length and lets the seaming shine. Amazing, seemingly unworn condition.

Shoulders: 15" across
Sleeves: 22" long
Bust: 20" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 39" from mid-neck at the back to bottom hem

Fully lined in fine cream tissue silk and it closes with a hidden zipper and hidden buttons down the front. All hand finished and extraordinary couture level construction. Each sleeve has 3 decorative buttons topping proper dressmakers buttonholes.

Item# DD821

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

Item# DD825

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

Amazing and very rare set from the Rive gauche Fall-Winter 1979 collection. Yves inspiration for this collection was Pablo Picasso and the Harlequin print was used in in both the Haute Couture collection and the ready to wear. This is a very rare and pristine example from that collection. The colors are amazing! Who else but Yves could mix pink and green and purple and make you wonder why you do not wear them together every day? The boxes of color are separated and then gold lame thread worked into the silk to form dots that run over the entire ensemble. These glimmer in the light and add an extra layer of texture. The print would have been customs screened specifically for this collection and the silk is the finest, lightest silk chiffon you can find. The entire set has volume and substance, yet weighs but a few ounces. Flat pleat work circle the hips and allow the maximum amount of fabric through the rest of the skirt. The top is bloused and loose with voluminous sleeves. The attached tie sits just off side and adds that perfect romantic, feminine touch. It is a masterpiece and in unworn, excellent, museum quality condition. Item# DD826

An extremely rare Jean Desses, numbered and labeled emsemble. This is an "ÈxÈcutÈ par Maria Carine sur autorization spÈciale" (made by Maria Carine with special authorization).

This is a special garment and needs a bit more explanation - it is best explained by this excerpt from the Vintage Fashion Guild: Maria Carine was owned by Maria Moutet-Chenu. She worked with four couturiers: Heim, Desses, LaRoche, and Lanvin. After the couture showings, each couturier would give her sketches based upon the garments they had just shown. Moutet-Chenu made the toiles which were approved by the designers. Then each ready-to-wear garment was cut individually by hand in the Maria Carine workrooms in Paris using the same fabrics that were used for the couture garment. Maria employed hundreds of seamstresses, many of whom worked in their own homes. They sewed each garment individually to exacting standards. This was the highest of early high-end ready-to-wear.

In other words - this is a hand sewn, authorized piece, that would have been completely overseen by the house of† Desses and is how "ready to wear" pieces were produced for† clients. These were only produced for a small window of time before more mass market production methods took over. The quality is that of couture and this is perhaps the rarest of labels to find of this ilk. I love the classic cut of this set with it's box coat and chic and flattering sheath dress. The fabric is unbelievable - it is a very lightweight fine gold lame silk† brocade woven with bits of yarn worked in. It is extremely supple and is the perfect balance of being able to move and have structure. The dress is a† simple shift that is cut to skim over your curves. I love the inset V panel at the front and the seamed bust. It has the original tie belt that ends in velvet so that you can cinch in the waist or wear over the jacket. The jacket has a pretty velvet collar and tie at the neckline. It is simplicity mixed with a masterful seaming and cutting and extraordinary fabric. This is really the equivalent of a made to order, one step under couture, garment. Hand finishes and extra detail throughout. Excellent condition and a chic, rare set!

Jacket:
Shoulders: 16î from seam to seam
Bust: 22î flat across the inside from side seam to side seam
Waist: 21î flat across the inside from side seam to side seam
Length: 21î from mid-neck to bottom hem
Sleeves: 19î from shoulder seam to longest point

Dress:
Bust: 20î flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17î flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20î flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Total length: 40î from top of shoulder to bottom hem

The jacket is lined in a taupe silky rayon and dress is lined in a cream tissue silk. The jacket closes with the gold metal buttons as pictured. The tie at the neck is attached. The dress closes with a hand set back painted metal† zipper. All hand finished. Note the gold is more muted then shown - truer tot he close up photo of the label. The tie belt is original and in excellent condition. Both pieces are labeled and the dress has an addition hand written label.

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED (8-12)

Item# DD833

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 rare, museum quality, Christian Dior (1905 to 1957), silk faille taffeta coat with Christian Dior, Paris, Automne-Hiver, 1954 label, numbered 45970. Constructed in deep raspberry silk, lined in silk to match the exterior, it is a voluminous, draped evening coat with three-quarter length sleeves and deep shawl collar.

Throughout the 1950s Christian Dior was the biggest and best-run haute couture house in Paris and his label accounted for half of Franceís haute couture exports. In the fall of 1954, Christian Dior showed the "H-Line" collection based on the silhouette of a young girl and an exploration of volume. This was an important departure form his earlier "New Look" and it was this collection that set the tone for the next decade of fashion and once again changed the way women viewed fashion and defined the silhouette.

The coat is well documented with the green version appearing in the September 1954 issue of Life Magazine with Christian Dior, and in editorials in the September 1954 issues of both Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. Item # DD839

This is a very rare piece that is extremely hard to find Couture Pierre Balmain piece. This is a full underdress/ foundation garment meant to wear under an exterior dress. Its base is constructed and made as well as you would expect from a proper cocktail dress! The inner layer of fabric is a ribbed grosgrain like silk and this is covered in the layers of netting - all in the perfect off white. It is strapless and boned through the bodice and the tulle at the bottom is finished with horsehair ribbon to give it structure. This would be the perfect "something old" under a cocktail length wedding dress and to the collector is invaluable. Excellent condition. Item# DD840

This is an amazing mid-fifties numbered silk Christian Dior London dress that was sold through Holt Renfrew. The dress is so representative of that time period for the house of Dior. The "New Look" was in full swing and the excessive use of fabric and the full skirted silhouette is presented beautifully in this dress. The shawl or portrait collar is expansive and covers the entire shoulder - in notes for other shawled collared dress The Met comments "A full skirt balances a nipped waist or a portrait collar counteracts a fitted bodice in numerous examples of Dior's work". I love the soft bow made of multiple pieces of fabric - pieced into place rather then ties as one long expanse. The sleeves are to the elbow and the bodice fitted and nipped in at the waist. The full and beautiful skirt shows off the gorgous floral woven silk to its greatest possible advanatge with yards of fabric flowing out form the waist. It is exquisite and a stunning, rare and early Dior! Item# DD847

A few years back there was a sale of some Pierre Cardin pieces done for Mia Farrow in 1967. This dress is from that same time period and shows many of the same elements. Those dresses, because of their celebrity association all went for about $20,000 a piece! I love this particular version - it really embodies the late 1960s with its baby doll, short skirted exterior and swingy cut. The bodice is cut high with a demure slightly scooped neck. From this a dramatic tightly pleated expanse of fabric swings out - there are literally yards of fabric in there all finished with tiny knife pleats. Each pleat is secured into place at the hem with a padded round finish. This gives the dress weights and adds a signature Cardin touch. The sleeves are cut to narrow at the shoulder and gradual widen to a soft billow at each cuff. A fitted under dress in silk gives the wearer the feeling of structure! An amazing piece of couture and fashion history! Truly a find and in excellent condition. Item# DD848

What a stunner! Made by Larry Aldrich this is an exceptional 1950s cocktail dress in a lovely bright pink and gold fabric. The fabric is very unusual and the print very pretty - it has an almost Asian feel to it and has delicate pops of clue running through it! The skirt is lovely and full and the top is darling. I love the simple cut and the attached ribbon detailing around the waist. It closes with a series of buttons down the front and these are all hidden under the front panel of fabric It is utterly gorgeous! In person you get an extra bit of richness tot he texture and feel of the fabric with more of a shimmering gold effect to it - if you love the pictures you will love it more in person! An exceptional vintage dress. Item# DD857

This is a fantastic little dress and one of the most recognizable prints from Prada. It is constructed from a gorgeous custom screened silk crepe that is one level up from chiffon as far its weight but has an opaqueness that a chiffon would not have. It does have the lovely drape of a light silk though! The bodice is crossed and scooped low and each shoulder has a little fabric detail at the top. I love how the skirt cascades from the waist and has a panel of fabric that is an extension of the bodice above. This makes it very flattering and gives the wearer a beautiful long, lean line. It is all cut on the bias so immediately settles into place and highlights a girl's curves perfectly! So sexy! It's labeled, gorgeous and very well made. A dress fit for a modern day pin-up girl! Excellent condition

The dress is unlined and closes with a back zipper. Internal waist stay and the quality of finishes that one would expect from Prada. Tagged a Prada 40

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to bottom waist seam
Skirt: 26" from bottom waist seam to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML (4-6)

Item# DD860

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 McQueen website has this to say of this collection:

With this collection McQueen revisits the subject matter of The Highland Rape ñ the show with which he made his name ñ but applies to similar territory a sophistication and expertise that reflects his experience as both couturier and designer.

The inspiration here is highly personal ñ the designerís own heritage ñ which goes at least some way towards explaining the exquisite hand-craftsmanship that goes into each piece as well, of course, as bird head-dresses and McQueen tartan. The collection is luxurious and romantic but melancholic and even austere at the same time. The silhouette ñ all nipped waists, bustles and exaggerated hip lines ñ is designed to exaggerate a womanís form and each piece is unique, a one-off couture creation with emotional content intended to be handed down from generation to generation like the most precious of heirlooms. Item# DD863

This gown is from the Fall 2006 "Widows of Culloden"Alexander McQueen collection and is an amazing example of a how he took his inspiration from the past and gave it his own unique spin. This gown was produced as it was shown on the runway and it is exquisite. Rich, black silk velvet is lined in a stunning high grade, luxurious yellow silk. The back and shoulders cut to drape and emphasize volume and this was then beaded with glass tube beads. The cut is impeccable and the dress feels absolutely wonderful when worn. Excellent condition and rare. A true masterpiece!

The McQueen website has this to say of this collection:

With this collection McQueen revisits the subject matter of The Highland Rape ñ the show with which he made his name ñ but applies to similar territory a sophistication and expertise that reflects his experience as both couturier and designer.

The inspiration here is highly personal ñ the designerís own heritage ñ which goes at least some way towards explaining the exquisite hand-craftsmanship that goes into each piece as well, of course, as bird head-dresses and McQueen tartan. The collection is luxurious and romantic but melancholic and even austere at the same time. The silhouette ñ all nipped waists, bustles and exaggerated hip lines ñ is designed to exaggerate a womanís form and each piece is unique, a one-off couture creation with emotional content intended to be handed down from generation to generation like the most precious of heirlooms. Item# DD869

This is an amazing couture, numbered piece from the house of Balmain! It is an exceptional example of day wear for the period and immaculately constructed. The exterior is a black silk crepe wool - very fine and light and that is lined in the highest quality silk that feels amazing against the skin - it is so sensual and soft feeling. All the interior work is by hand and the lining and zipper are hand set. Each of the two buttons on the cuffs are hand covered in a matching fabric and the buttonholes are properly finished even though you do not really see them! I love the front detailing - it is a red, black and white boucle that has been set in a strip down the front and around the neck. Each cuff has the same treatment. The neckline is high and the skirt flares out in a gentle A-line so the illusion is of height and leanness. Understated but refined. It is an exceptional piece. Excellent condition.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulder: 14" across
Bust: 18î flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15î flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19î flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from neck to waist seam
Skirt: 26" from waist to hem

The dress is fully lined in a high grade black silk and closes with a back metal zipper. Each cuff closes with fabric covered buttons - the buttonholes are properly finished. A hand written numbered tag sits under the main tag.

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML (4-6)

Item# DD877

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