1960s North Beach Leather Suede & Feather Halter Top & Wrap Skirt Set

This is an extremely rare and early set by North Beach Leather dating to the late 1960s, early 1970s. Michael Hoban and Frank Morgan started the label in 1967 and quickly gained a huge following. Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John... all major celebrities that wore the label. It was expensive in its day and each piece was made entirely by hand.

The set is entirely hand crafted using a combination of a deep chocolate suede, beads and feathers. The set is made up of two pieces. The top is a tiny halter top that ties onto place with the long braided suede cords that curve over the shoulders, cross and loop into the sides of the halter and then tie at the low back. This leaves you very bare across the back. The front dips low between each side of the halter triangles and the entire midriff is exposed. Hand placed feathers adorn the center. The same feather detailing is picked up on the skirt. The skirt is cut long and then wraps and buttons into place. Each button is hand covered in a matching suede and each button hole hand finished with their signature whip stitching. Feathers are hand placed in little bunches that are each finished with a a leather base that is accented with a hand made clay bead. These run down the high slit on the one side under the buttons and then around the hem. All of the edges are finished with whip stitching and you can easily see the hand work inside as well. It is incredible and a very rare example of the early work they were doing. Excellent condition

Made by hand. The top ties into place and the skirt buttons. Any variation in the suede is natural. Please read the note at the bottom of the description regrading feather pieces

Top
Bust: each triangle measures 4.5" across at its widest point. The base part of the front measures 17.5" across. The ties at the back make it variable in size otherwise
Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Skirt: 43" from waist to hem including feathers
Slit: approx 34" from hem up

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3351

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

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