Chanel Vintage Burgundy and Gold Iridescent Silk Chiffon Gown, 1970s
View Similar Items
Chanel Vintage Burgundy and Gold Iridescent Silk Chiffon Gown, 1970s
About the Item
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns. In 1926, she introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women. Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag introduced in 1955 with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. Chanel's collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- Roger Freres Black Lace and Green Silk Taffeta Gown-10-Circa 70'sBy Roger FreresLocated in West Palm Beach, FLRoger Freres Black Lace and Green Silk Taffeta Gown - Sz 10 - Circa 70's Additional Measurements: Bust 40" Waist 30" Shoulder to Shoulder 16" Sleeve length 25" Length 59"Category
1970s French Evening Gowns
- Vintage Circa 60's Purple Lace Cocktail DressLocated in West Palm Beach, FLVintage purple chantilly english lace coctail dress circa 60'sCategory
1960s Canadian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Louis Feraud Vintage Circa 80's Velvet DressBy Louis FeraudLocated in West Palm Beach, FLLouis Feraud vintage circa 80's eggplant velvet dress with sashCategory
1980s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Carolyne Roehm 1980's Black Velvet Dress with Olive Ruffle Bottom - 4By Carolyne RoehmLocated in West Palm Beach, FLCarolyne Roehm 1980's Black Velvet Dress with Olive Ruffle Bottom - 4. This dress is in excellent vintage condition. It is short sleeved and has side ruching with rhinestone buttons ...Category
1980s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Vicky Tiel Black & White Lace Strapless Dress w/ Beading - 44By Vicky TielLocated in West Palm Beach, FLVicky Tiel Black & White Lace Strapless Dress w/ Beading - 44. This beautiful dress is in excellent condition. It features a gorgeous black lace over a white nylon blend, a built-i...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Evening Dresses
- Oscar de la Renta Navy Silk Taffeta Strapless GownBy Oscar De La RentaLocated in West Palm Beach, FLOscar de la Renta Navy Silk Taffeta Strapless Gown - 14. This beautiful Oscar gown is in excellent condition. It features a gorgeous navy silk taffeta, a bow, a self-belted ribbon ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Ball Gowns
$1,950 Sale Price35% Off
- 1990s Louis Feraud Black Cerimony Floral Velvet Vintage Long DressBy Louis FeraudLocated in Brindisi, BtLouis Feraud vintage women dress. Black color, 100% polyester. Long model, floral applications in velvet, adjustable waist belt, collar with flou...Category
1990s German Evening Dresses
$1,147 Sale Price20% Off - Gianni Versace F/W 1993 Runway Couture Sheer Knit Mesh Lace Evening Dress GownBy Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in Naples, FLGianni Versace F/W 1993 Runway Couture Sheer Knit Mesh Lace Bustier Black Evening Dress Gown IT 44 Excellent Condition!Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- F/2015 look # 17 VERSUS VERSACE + Anthony Vaccarello ASYMMETRIC BLACK DRESS 38By VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXVERSACE VERSUS + Anthony Vaccarello Actual PR-sample Fall 2015 look # 17 Little black dress For a seductive LBD that packs a punch, turn to Versus Versace. This dress has ...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
$1,382 Sale Price22% Off - The little black dress by Chanel black and white silk Sculpted figureLocated in Bilbao, ESAbsence of vulgarity was central to Chanel’s definition of luxury, a view formed during her impoverished early life. Born in 1883 in Saumur, France, as Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, she was just 12 years old when her mother died and her itinerant father put her in a home for orphaned girls run by a local convent. She learned to sew and, upon moving to Moulins six years later, became a seamstress. She also sang in nightclubs, earning the sobriquet “Coco,” an allusion to a popular song of the time. Beautiful, one of a kind vintage silk dress and jacket for everyday ware as a coktail dress...Category
1990s Aesthetic Evening Dresses
$2,759 Sale Price32% Off - Vintage Linz Line Black Cocktail /Dinner DressLocated in London, GBA chic vintage cocktail/ dinner dress by Linz Line. The dress has a scalloped off the shoulder neckline and is fully lined. There is gatherin...Category
1950s Unknown Evening Dresses and Gowns
- F/2012 look # 6 NEW VERSACE MACRAME GOTHIC CROSS COCKTAIL SILK DRESS 38 - 2By VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXVERSACE Actual Runway Samole Fall/Winter 2012 Look # 6 Macrame Gothic Cross Cocktail Dress This long sleeve, turtle neck cocktail dress features an allover macrame Gothic cross...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
$3,555 Sale Price40% Off
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
With a Wink, Karl Lagerfeld Sent This Egg-Carton-Shaped Chanel Bag Down the Runway
For the brand’s 2014–15 ready-to-wear show in Paris, the designer was inspired by a most unexpected place: the supermarket.
This Vintage Chanel Fur Muff Is Après-Ski Chic
It might not be as practical as a pair of mittens, but for something that looks this good, practicality really doesn't matter.