Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Original Runway Look 7 Sample Strapless Red Layered Panel Dress

Stephane Rolland took over as Artistic Director for the Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture atelier in 1997 at the age of 31 which made him the youngest of the 20 official Paris sanctioned couturiers at the time. He remained as the head of the Couture division until the last showing in 2005 when the house officials shuttered is couture division. This dress is from the Fall 2001 Haute Couture collection and it is the actual runway sample for Look 7 that was worn on the runway. I have included several runway reference photos for you so that you can see just how spectacular the dress is once on an actual body. This dress was also worn by Alexandra Daddario and those shots really showcase just how fabulous this is on an actual body. It is a gorgeous piece of Haute Couture history.

Having the actual couture sample means that Stephane himself would have fit the model to walk the runway that day. Runway samples are as hands on by a designer as you can get. It is an amazing opportunity to own what few people ever even see; a dress that is straight from the atelier, overseen and fitted by the couturier himself for its debut on the runway.

The dress gorgeous. It is covered with various sized panels done in hand cut red silk that has a almost linen feeling texture to them. These have been hand set over the entire dress. The panels start out small and delicate around the bodice and then their size gradually become larger as they run down the dress to the train at the back. This layering technique of the panels gives the dress more depth and texture and movement. In person it is even lovelier then how it photoed. There is a subtle movement when you move that is not truly captured in the still shots. Each panel is secured to the body of the dress along its top edges only and this is what gives them that touch of soft movement as you move. The bodice is strapless and the panels are set slightly more towards one side so that they form a bit of peak. The front inner dress is cut to above the knee so that you get a flash of bare skin as you move or sit. The dress flows back and around you from there. The back is full and dramatic as it sweeps behind you. The interior is corseted and structured so that it firmly holds the dress on the body and gives you shape. This is an incredible piece of modern Haute Couture. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully lined in a fine red silk and closes with two zippers. One is on the interior corset and the second is on the outer layer of the dress. The interior corset is boned and shaped. The skirt is lined in a red silk taffeta. Done with Haute Couture construction techniques. The hand written runway sample tag is present. Some grubbiness here and there at the hem and some faint marks on a few of the panels. I have photos some examples of them. They are mostly covered by the layers over top so make no impact when the dress is on. The inner zipper pull is missing and has been replaced by a ribbon. Perhaps the teeniest bit of fading to the edges of a panel here and there but this is natural to this type of fabric and is only mentioned for accuracy. 

Bust: 15-15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 11.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26" from top of bodice to actual hem at the shortest point of the front and approx 92" from top of bodice to longest point of the back train

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XXS-XS

Item# DD3054

Reference Photos: (1-4) Fall 2001 Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Runway Show.  /  (5-8) Alexandra Daddario photographed by Storm Santos.

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