Vintage 1950's Madame Grès Haute Couture Sculpted Silk Back-Bow Dress & Jacket
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Bust: 36 in (91.44 cm)Waist: 26 in (66.04 cm)
- Style:1950s (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU30912923542
Madame Gres
Forever credited with having altered the fashion world with her pleated silk dresses, Madame Grès was one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th century. She defied the orders of Nazi soldiers and designed gowns and evening dresses that mirrored the colors and pattern of the French flag, working by hand with material that hung directly from live models. A consummate artist, Grès created garments that were demonstrative of exemplary construction and meticulous attention to detail — her signature floor-length gowns left a lasting impact on every aspect of haute couture.
Born Germaine Émilie Krebs to a French Jewish family in Paris, Grès initially studied painting and sculpture. For her, making dresses and working in sculpture were one and the same, and she pursued a career in fashion. Grès worked in millinery and was trained in haute couture dressmaking at the illustrious House of Prémet.
Grès opened her inaugural couture fashion house in 1932, and within a couple of years she began working under the name Alix Barton — the surname came from her coworker, couturier Julie Barton — calling her business La Maison Alix and creating gowns until 1942 in what became her signature style. She perfected modern pleating techniques and worked directly on live models, mostly with generous amounts of silk jersey and airy silk paper taffeta. Her designs showed the influence of Greco-Roman sculpture and would go on to help shape the work of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander and Azzedine Alaïa, who also thought of haute couture as sculpture.
Grès’s work was photographed by the likes of Horst P. Horst, and her gowns for Jean Giraudaux’s play The Trojan War Will Not Take Place in 1935 established her as a leading designer, though Nazi occupation stalled her growth.
During WWII, Grès refused to design the utilitarian garb that German forces requested and instead made clothes using the colors of the French flag as her own act of rebellion. Ultimately, she was forced to close her boutique in Paris. The designer married Russian painter Serge Czerefkov, changed her name to Grès — which is how her husband signed his name — and fled to the Pyrenees before returning to establish her second couture house under her new name.
Madame Grès’s second maison was widely successful and attracted a long list of rich and powerful clientele ranging from movie stars to royalty. A single dress could take hundreds of hours to complete. Some of the couturier’s clients became deeply loyal over the course of her career, including the Duchess of Windsor, Oscar-winning actresses Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo, iconic Tiffany & Co. jewelry designer Paloma Picasso and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Grès guarded her personal life closely and let her delicate, impeccable work speak for itself.
Original Madame Grès evening dresses and gowns, coats, jackets and day dresses, which transformed women into Greek deities, are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum at FIT and the Musée Bourdelle.
“Her dresses were about a sense of power, strength and beauty, not objectification,” explains Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Museum at FIT and author of Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion. “Everyone knows Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent,” Mears says, “but I believe that the great triumvirate was Madeleine Vionnet, Balenciaga and Madame Grès — those who knew how to make clothes with their own hands, couturiers in the old sense of the word.”
Find vintage Madame Grès clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Beverly Hills, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Vintage 1930s Worth Haute Couture Beaded Black Velvet & Silk Billow-Sleeve DressBy House of WorthLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThis superlative couture beaded art-deco dress by The House of Worth is in a class of its own. Charles Frederick Worth died in 1895, when Jean-Philippe ...Category
1930s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1970s Madame Grès Haute Couture Beaded Berry Motif Navy Sheer Silk GownLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGorgeous Madame Gres haute couture two-piece dress ensemble dating back to the mid 1970's. Madame Gres felt that the true job of the couturier was not to create a name for one's self, as many designers do, but to pay rigorous attention to the clothing. This stunning navy-blue sheer silk organza dress has so much detail, you can tell it was made with loving devotion. The bodice is a unique cap-sleeve hourglass nipped-waist design with figure flattering attached sash-belt. The sash can be wrapped around in a cummerbund style or pulled back as a waist-tie. The sparkling holly berry novelty hand-done bead work really makes this piece modern and relevant. The work itself must have taken weeks. The full swing-skirt finished this dress off with an effortless romantic vibe. Grès had an extraordinarily long career, working until the late 1980's. Through each decade, which encompassed huge changes in fashion, her work remained consistent and timeless. Any one of her elegant gowns...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Plaid Print Cotton Strapless Shelf-Bust Bustle Full Dress & ShawlLocated in Beverly Hills, CAIn this gorgeous 1950's graphic plaid party dress ensemble, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern couture. This ...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1978 Lanvin Couture Black Sheer Silk & Stripe Velvet Billow-Sleeve GownBy Lanvin ParisLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThis extremely gorgeous Lanvin Couture sheer silk chiffon dress from their 1978 fall-winter collection is a statement piece. I love the beautiful bohemian chic vibe mixed with an elegant refinement. The striped velvet trim adds the perfect amount of color to the garment. The bodice has a stunning ruffle collar with dramatic billow-sleeves. Shaped with an elastic band, the figure flattering cut adds a sophisticated blousy nature while still showcasing your waistline. Under the direction of Jules Francois-Crahay, Lanvin was a playground for imagination. This vibrant primary hues is the perfect example of this. Lanvin may be the oldest fashion house in Paris, but it has also managed to remain one of the most relevant. Through many years and many designers, it has stayed true to the vision of its founder, Madame Jeanne...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1969 Nina Ricci Couture Documented Rainbow Block-Color Velvet Maxi DressBy Nina RicciLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThe French fashion house Nina Ricci, known for its feminine, ladylike clothing, has long been the go-to for Parisian chic. Elegant Frenchwomen and their daughters streamed steadily through the doors of Maison Ricci, seeking debutante dresses, party frocks and wedding trousseaus distinguished by fine details and luxurious fabrics. To achieve her figure-flattering cuts, the seasoned dressmaker draped on a live mannequin, pinning and snipping with a couturier's care. This breathtaking rainbow stripe block-color gown, dating back to fall-winter 1969, is a perfect example of this brand's genius. The bodice has lean, long sleeves with an hourglass wide sash belted waist. I adore the bold primary colors and flattering bell-shape skirting. I totally see this walking down any red carpet or at a special holiday event! Measurements Bust: 32-33 inches Waist: 25 inches Hips: up to 40 inches Total Length: 57 inches This Nina Ricci Couture...Category
1960s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1979 Givenchy Haute-Couture Metallic Gold & Black Burnout Velvet DressBy GivenchyLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGivenchy, the name itself evokes glamour, refined elegance, simplicity and style. Givenchy's trademark of sculpted lines and luxurious fabrics make his work easily recognizable. This gorgeous cocktail dress, dating back to his 1979 collection, is a beautiful example of his brilliance. The fabric itself is a masterpiece; metallic gold and black graphic illusion burnout silk velvet. I adore the elegant slight-puff shoulder billow bodice with lean, long zipper-wrist sleeves. The five-inch long cummerbund nipped waist adds the perfect amount of drama to this timeless beauty. The a-line skirting, with flattering tiered ruffle detail, finishes this garment off with a perfect "femme fatale" vibe. As Givenchy said, "The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress." Measurements Bust:33-34 inches Waist:25 inches Hips:36 inches Sleeve Length:24 inches Total Length:40 inches This vintage Givenchy numbered...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- ALAÏA 1990 black knitted mini dressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Genève, CHAlaïa knitted mini dress with sheer raised edge skirt -Back closing with a hidden set zipper -Long sleeves -Nude knitted lining -Made in Italy -100% V...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dress
- ALBERTO BINI 1990 leather mini dress with gold tone Lion NEW with tagBy AlbertoLocated in Genève, CHThis vintage dress from Alberto Bini is coming directly from the 90s, and it's also a beautiful ode to Versace universe. -Lion detail in metal gold tone ...Category
1980s French Mini Dress
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Vintage Off-Shoulder Black Dress 1990sBy Chanel BoutiqueLocated in Berlin, BEThe perfect little black vintage dress by Chanel. This classic beauty is a 1990s piece designed by Karl Lagerfeld. This elegant Chanel dress is an incredible classic that will truly...Category
1990s French Mini Dresses
- Gianni Versace 1997 Couture fall black leather gownBy Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHGianni Versace was an influential Italian fashion designer who founded the Versace brand. In the fall of 1997, he presented his couture collection in Paris, which was widely acclaimed for its opulent fabrics, bold prints, and intricate detailing. The collection featured several notable pieces, such as a black evening gown with a plunging neckline and a gold-encrusted jacket. However, just a few days later, on July 15th, 1997, Gianni was tragically murdered outside his Miami Beach home. Despite his untimely death, his contributions to the world of fashion continue to be celebrated, and his legacy remains an inspiration too many. This collection is iconic as it’s the final collection before his passing. The collection very much showed a new direction for the house. Which was heading away from the bombshell curves and souped-up sex appeal that the house previously focussed on. But took more Inspirations to the new wave John Galliano and Mcqueen were leading. MET Gala: Salma Hayek y sus mejores momentos en la alfombra roja Vogue For the 1997 Met Gala Salma Hayek wore a very similar Gianni Versace look...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- 1980s Lily Rubin Carwash DressLocated in Scottsdale, AZThese photos do no justice to the movement of this incredible 1980s Lily Rubin Dress! Covered in long strips of black carwash style fabric. Flattering empir...Category
1980s American Maxi Dress
- Ossie Clark angel-sleeve drawstring dress with print by Celia Birtwell, ss 1971By Ossie ClarkLocated in London, GB▪ Ossie Clark angel-sleeve dress ▪ 'Busy Lizzie' floral print by Celia Birtwell ▪ Pink and green with black ground ▪ Loose fit ▪ Drawstring fastening a...Category
1970s British Day Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Two-Piece Beaded Gown by Puerto Rican Designer David Fernandez Is the Embodiment of 1970s Glam
On the Met Gala red carpet, this vintage ensemble would bring the heat.
Madonna Wore the Same Plunging Azzedine Alaïa Design on the Cover of ‘Cosmo’ in 1987
The gold silk stunner was part of a knockout collection that changed the trajectory of Alaïa's then-troubled brand.