Norman Sales
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Barware
Steel
Vintage 1960s Chairs
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco End Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco End Tables
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Serving Pieces
Porcelain
1960s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Lithograph, Offset
1990s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Lithograph, Offset
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Prints
Screen
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Prints
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21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Animal Prints
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Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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Antique Early 19th Century Italian Stone Sinks
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Early 20th Century American Art Deco Barware
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Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
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Recent Sales
1960s American Cocktail Dresses
1960s American Cocktail Dresses
1960s American Skirts
1960s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1970s American Coats
1960s American Sheath Dresses
1950s American Informal Dresses
1960s American Skirt Suits
1960s American Skirt Suits
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1960s American Coats
Early 1900s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Vintage 1920s American Antiquities
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Prints
Lithograph
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Lounge Chairs
Aluminum
20th Century Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s American Modern Landscape Paintings
Oil, Panel
1990s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Lithograph, Offset
1990s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Lithograph, Offset
1950s Modern More Art
Porcelain
1970s American Modern Figurative Prints
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Prints
Screen
Late 20th Century American Modern Figurative Prints
Screen
1960s American Jackets
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1950s American Jackets
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1970s American Day Dresses
1960s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1950s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Day Dresses
1960s American Day Dresses
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1970s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1950s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Clothing
1950s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Shirts
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1970s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Sheath Dresses
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1970s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Belts
1960s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Coats and Outerwear
1960s American Shirts
1950s American Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Jackets
1960s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
Norman Norell for sale on 1stDibs
The signature details that characterize vintage Norman Norell evening dresses include classically tailored silhouettes, feminine round necklines and tenderly applied beading, carefully inspected both inside and out. Pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe wore many of Norell’s classic dresses over the years. And as a young model for a Seventh Avenue clothing manufacturer, screen siren Lauren Bacall liked to scour the racks of Loehmann’s with her mother, looking for the odd piece by a famous designer like Norell.
Norell began his career in his early 20s, designing costumes for Paramount Pictures and Brooks Costume Company, as well as for esoteric vaudeville productions. The theater remained a major source of inspiration throughout his career. Often drenched in beads or sequins, a material that remained readily available despite wartime restrictions, his show-stopping mermaid gowns, a marriage of glitz and simplicity, harken back to the days of vaudeville. He continued to design these gowns until the end of his life.
Raised in a family of haberdashers, Norell was long-influenced by the cuts, fabrics and details of traditional menswear, and he sought to incorporate those concepts into his designs. In 1960, at a moment when women were not yet wearing pants to work, he made waves when he presented his then-controversial wool flannel culotte suit. Some years later, he designed a black dinner suit with a bow-tie, beating Yves Saint Laurent to the punch, and later still, he conceived a feminine version of an aviator jumpsuit.
A creature of habit, Norell stuck with many of his classic designs throughout his career, but he continued to experiment with avant-garde ideas for evening garments. This was perhaps most vividly expressed in his wild coats, runway crowd-pleasers adorned with ostrich feathers or massive red and pink flowers.
A fan of a full dirndl, Norell made skirts that ranged from delicately creased to voluminous balloons, and he frequently paired these with pleated blouses or tight turtlenecks. One of the first designers to incorporate traditional elements of sportswear into his evening attire, a typical Norell evening gown was divided into three separate colors: one for the top, one for the skirt and one for the sash. And vintage Norman Norell gowns are inherently versatile — they’re as modern today as they were decades ago. The little black dresses that Norell designed offered similar flexibility. Perfectly simple and sexy are the round necklines, which Norell introduced to declutter his dresses and allow for a more modern look.
Norell was the first American designer to have his name on a dress label and on a successful fragrance. He possessed a refined elegance and a quiet audacity that he expressed through timeless, wearable pieces boldly embellished with luxe trimmings. His work would come to redefine the American ready-to-wear industry and earn him the nickname the “American Balenciaga.” He received the inaugural Coty Award for womenswear and was the first designer inducted into the fashion industry critics’ hall of fame.
Find vintage Norman Norell day dresses, suits, jackets and other clothing on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right clothing for You
From museum-worthy vintage Oscar de la Renta evening dresses and jackets to audacious T-shirts and trousers from provocative punk designer Vivienne Westwood, one thing is abundantly clear: If the clothing available on 1stDibs could talk, it would certainly make a statement.
For fashion lovers, the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers — think Galliano and Cavalli — but maybe ‘80s accessories are among your (guilty?) pleasures. Playful, boldly colored coats and outerwear from Moschino and other titans of the era can take a simpler ensemble to the next level, while chic and practical suits from the likes of Christian Dior and Chanel remain classic for haute couture advocates and beyond. By exploring the vast array of vintage collections on these pages, you can transform your closet into a retreat that is as retro as it is royal.
Velvet cocktail dresses and silk evening gowns designed by French-born American couturiere Pauline Trigère — who dressed Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor — have proven timeless since their mid-century debut, while an overcoat by Alexander McQueen is the perfect finishing touch. In fact, an emerald one stays in rotation for Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
Those seeking modern high-fashion brands are also in luck. Turn your day-to-day into a runway with selections from Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent and Versace or complete that fresh look with stunning footwear classics from the likes of Gucci and Christian Louboutin. The future — and glamorous past — of fashion is yours for the wearing.
Build your collection of covetable and iconic vintage garments by shopping on 1stDibs. No matter where you roam, our diverse apparel and accessories will keep you covered in the hottest styles and comfiest black hoodie imaginable.