Designer Dress Gown
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses
2010s Maxi Dress
Early 2000s Evening Gowns
20th Century Indian Evening Dresses
2010s American Mini Dress
2010s American Mini Dress
1940s Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Gowns
2010s Italian Evening Gowns
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Gowns
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
2010s Evening Gowns
1990s European Evening Dresses and Gowns
Late 20th Century Italian Evening Gowns
1980s American Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary American Evening Gowns
Late 20th Century Evening Gowns
1990s Evening Dresses
1980s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Evening Dresses and Gowns
1880s American Evening Dresses
1980s American Evening Gowns
1910s American Tea Gowns
20th Century Evening Gowns
1990s French Evening Dresses
2010s American Evening Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Evening Dresses
1950s American Evening Gowns
2010s American Evening Gowns
2010s Italian Evening Dresses
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses
1970s American Maxi Dress
1980s Evening Gowns
2010s Spanish Evening Gowns
1990s American Cocktail Dresses
1980s Evening Dresses and Gowns
1960s American Evening Gowns
2010s Italian Evening Dresses
1980s American Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses
20th Century Moroccan Caftans
1960s American Evening Gowns
1970s American Evening Gowns
1980s American Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary British Maxi Dress
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses
Early 2000s Italian Wedding Dresses
2010s American Evening Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary American Maxi Dress
1980s American Cocktail Dresses
1980s American Maxi Dress
1990s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary British Maxi Dress
2010s American Evening Dresses
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Designer Dress Gown For Sale on 1stDibs
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Finding the Right evening-dresses for You
With entire museum exhibitions dedicated to examining fashion designers and their creations, we’re finally recognizing that costuming is art. Evening dresses over time have conveyed specific statements about social class, position and beliefs. Fashion is a powerful means of self-expression, and sophisticated vintage evening dresses and gowns by our favorite couturier play no small role in making us feel wonderful but, perhaps more importantly, making us feel like ourselves.
In the 16th century, dresses and gowns were so important that England's Queen Elizabeth I defined rules about what dresses women could wear — guidance included long skirts and fitted bodices. Forward-thinking designers have responded to this history.
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel reimagined traditionally masculine garments for feminine shapes, and her elegant evening dresses and gowns promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by layers of fabric. Christian Dior's gowns celebrated luxury and femininity in the late 1940s — and gave to women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of the war. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent introduced innovative and highly coveted dress designs in the 1960s while at the same time challenging sexist stereotypes about which members of society could wear tuxedos.
Works by unconventional British designer John Galliano — featured in houses like Givenchy and Dior — redefined limits that dressmakers faced in terms of material, construction and vision during the late 20th century. From his embroidered absinthe-green Oscars gown for actress Nicole Kidman to the iconic sleeveless Dior newspaper dress that Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw made famous, Galliano’s intricate and multifaceted work is reliably collectible and newsworthy
Today’s designers target an increasingly broad audience with their boundary-crossing work, and their tendency to play off of each other’s ideas means that every walk down the runway is also a walk through an entire history of fashion design and dress craftsmanship.
Whether you gravitate toward backless maxi dresses or silk charmeuse gowns by Alexander McQueen or embellished, ruffled floral-print designs by Chloe or Versace, there is an extraordinary collection of vintage and designer evening dresses and gowns waiting for you on 1stDibs.
- Is a gown and a dress the same?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022No, a gown and a dress are not always the same type of clothing. While a gown is a type of dress, not all dresses are gowns. Gowns tend to be more formal and suited for black-tie and evening events. Shop a wide selection of high-end gowns and designer dresses on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A Chinese dressing gown is called a cheongsam or a qipao. It is often styled as a high-necked, closely fitted dress with a slit on the side. Cheongsams were considered fashion-forward and influenced the rise of modern Chinese women in the 20th century. Shop a selection of cheongsams on 1stDibs.
- Who designed the Revenge dress?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2024Christina Stambolian designed the “revenge” dress, the dress that Princess Diana wore to a dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens in 1994. Stambolian had actually created the evening gown for the Princess of Wales three years before. It was a black off-the-shoulder piece made of silk. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of evening gowns from some of the world's top boutiques.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A ball gown dress and a princess dress are different names for the same style of cut in a wedding dress. This style of dress features a flattering fitted bodice and a full, voluminous skirt that flares out at the waist. The term ball gown is associated with more volume in the skirt than the term princess dress. Browse 1stDibs to find a beautiful array of wedding dresses from top boutiques around the world.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 15, 2024Norman Hartnell designed the Queen's coronation dress. The British designer actually produced eight different dresses for Queen Elizabeth II to consider. Ultimately, she opted for one made of white satin that featured intricate gold embroidery. Hartnell also created the dress the Queen wore when she married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947. On 1stDibs, find a range of Norman Hartnell apparel.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024Narciso Rodriguez designed Carolyn Bessette's wedding dress. When he created the dress in 1995, the American designer was working for Cerutti. Bessette commissioned him to create her wedding gown because the two of them were friends. In 1997, Rodriguez launched his own eponymous fashion label. Explore a collection of Narciso Rodriguez apparel on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024William Travilla designed Marilyn Monroe's pink dress. The iconic strapless dress appeared in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. An accomplished costume designer, Travilla won an Academy Award for his work on the 1948 film The Adventures of Don Juan and was nominated for Oscars three more times across his career. Explore a variety of William Travilla apparel on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Elizabeth Hurley’s famed 1994 safety pin dress, which the actress wore to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral, was designed by Versace. The dress was made with revealing slits in the sides that were held together with oversized gold safety pins. On 1stDibs, shop vintage and contemporary Versace pieces from top sellers worldwide.
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A Chanel Obsessive’s Cache Extends Well beyond Her Walk-In Closet
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A Short History of Capri Pants, on the 100th Birthday of Their Inventor
Once considered a controversial item of clothing, fashion designer Sonja de Lennart's creation is now a bona fide classic.
How the Chanel Jacket Forever Changed What Women Wear
The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.
A Pair of Shoes — Heels or Flats — Can Tell an Impactful Story
Amanda Benchley and Bridget Moynahan teamed up to explore the relationship between powerful women and their most significant footwear.
You Saw It at the Met Ball. Here’s What Camp Fashion Is Really About
This year's Costume Institute exhibition is all about embracing the eccentric.
The V&A Takes a Fresh Look at the New Look’s Pioneering Progenitor, Christian Dior
Ballrooms, Bar Suits and British royals — in a sweeping exhibition, the London museum looks back on 70 years of the French fashion house, as well as its illustrious founder and his fondness for the United Kingdom.