dolce & gabbana
Rare 2008 Dolce & Gabbana Black Silk Net Corset Lace Up Dress w Massive Lower Skirts
Dolce and Gabban launched in 1985 by founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who still run the label to this day. After a shaky start in the first few years, by the 1990s they they had started to open their own boutiques and had become a force in fashion. In 1993 Madonna chose them for her 1993 Girlie Show tour and they gained world wide recognition. They are known for their dramatic designs that are heavily inspired by their Sicilian heritage. This is the twin of the dress that was worn by Jennifer Lopez for Elle US Magazine that year and the twin of the dress in white was worn to the 2009 Oscars. It is a dress with incredible modern provenance given these two important moments in both fashion and Hollywood history.
Corsets with exposed boning along with lace ups are a hallmark of the Dolce and Gabbana label and this dress has those distinct design elements on full display. The entire body of the dress is one long exposed corset. It is made out of a fine black netting mixed with tulle. All of the boning that gives it structure is covered in a black ribbon that is exposed and becomes its own detail. The bodice is strapless and the cups are exposed. It is meant to hug you like a second skin. The waist is brought in and then the dress glides over the hips. Past the waist the ribbon no longer has boning behind it but it still serves to add structure to the dress. The way that the ribbon and boning have been laid out over the dress visually adds to the hourglass shape that the dress creates on you. At the back the dress closes with one of their big silver zippers that have become a signature and this sits just under one side of a full lace panel that runs long down the back. I love how the ties have been left long so they run down you at the back. The laces can also be used to adjust the size if you need a touch more room. The dress is cut to follow the body all the way to just about the knee and then the lower skirt explodes out from there in a massive fabulous bell shape. The top layer is that same silk net as the body of the dress and then under that there are multiple layers of soft tulle and stiffened tulle. I count seven in total. Running all the way around inside the top of the skirt is a wide padded panel that helps to add structure and support to the skirt. When laid out flat the entire skirt is just beyond a full circle which gives you an idea of how full that lower skirt really is. This is an utterly amazing dress. It has all its original tags in place and was never worn. Excellent condition.
The dress is lined in a combination of black silk and stretch silk with boning all through the bodice as described above. Multiple layers through the skirt as described above. All of the original tags are attached. It is tagged a Dolce and Gabbana size 38. The fabric has stretch. I have added the measurements with the lace is fully tightened so the measurements below are the comfortable range when it is worn like that. The laces could be loosened to get another couple of inches if needed.
Bust: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: approx 9-10" from top of bodice to natural waist
Total length: 60" from top of bodice to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD4949
Reference Photos: (1) Jennifer Lopez and Stefano Gabban photographed by Carter Smith for ELLE US, October 2008. / (2-3) Melissa George wearing Dolce & Gabbana at the Oscars, 2009.
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