Eugene Alexander One Shoulder Black Jersey Draped Gown With Floral Shoulder 1980
By Eugene Alexander
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Eugene Alexander, one shoulder draped jersey gown with floral shoulder applique detail, from the early 1980s.
Eugene Alexander 80s Strapless Lamé Party Dress
By Eugene Alexander
Located in Gresham, OR
Eugene Alexander 80s strapless lamé party dress originally sold at Neiman Marcus.
Sold
Size: Small / Small Medium
1980s Eugene Alexander Avant Garde Green + Black Vintage 80s Mini Dress
By Eugene Alexander
Located in San Diego, CA
Avant Garde EUGENE ALEXANDER 1980s green silk brocade and black silk velvet off the shoulder mini dress!
1980 Eugene Alexander Black Velvet Evening Gown w Cobalt & Purple Silk Sash
By Eugene Alexander
Located in Gresham, OR
A stunning 1980s Eugene Alexander black velvet column gown with a vivid cobalt and purple silk sash draped across one shoulder and bust, gathered to a large rosette with boning at sh...
Eudon Choi Grey Gown
Located in London, GB
A stunning and very elegant gown by Eudon Chois. In a pretty shade of grey , the dress has a sexy tie back and hangs beautifully. Measurements
$12,254
Size: FR40 - UK12 - US6/8
John Galliano Pink Bias-Cut Satin Evening Dress with Rhinestone Straps, SS 2002
By John Galliano
Located in London, GB
John Galliano, Spring-Summer 2002. Bias-cut evening dress in rose-toned crepe-back satin. The fitted bodice features a draped cowl neckline, with rhinestone-embellished straps. The g...
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Size: Extra Small
Comme des Garcons Avant garde Striped Applique Jacket Fall 2013
By Comme des Garçons
Located in University City, MO
Comme des Garcons Avant-garde striped floral rosette applique jacket Fall 2013 Extra Small Size The edgy unique high fashion jacket is constructed with black & white stripes througho...
$600Sale Price|33% Off
Size: 6
Vintage Arnold Scaasi Black Velvet Evening Gown w/Red Sequin Floral Pattern
By Arnold Scaasi
Located in Studio City, CA
1980's Arnold Scaasi black velvet strapless evening gown with allover red sequin floral print. In excellent condition with minor sequin loss at back zipper. Size 6. MEASUREMENTS: B...
1980s Bernard Perris Vintage Brown Copper Metallic Pleated Dress
By Bernard Perris
Located in Sparks, NV
Amazing vintage Bernard Perris copper/brown pleated dress with belt loops and tiered skirt. Partially lined with front button closure, rear zip, hook and snap closure with zip closur...
$580
Size: Size 1 Small
Leonard, Paris Strapless Silk Floral Print Gown with Silk Flower Corsage Bodice
By Leonard
Located in New Hope, PA
This strapless dress from Leonard, Paris is just so cheerful and feminine. The floral print seems to have every shade of every color under the rainbow set against a black background...
Gucci by Tom Ford SS 2003 Black Silk Ruched Evening Dress With Ruffled Skirt
By Tom Ford for Gucci, Gucci
Located in North Wales, PA
Abundantia Curation presents this stunning Silk Gucci by Tom Ford’s collection Spring-Summer 2003! Constructed from black silk Deep-v neckline Tired ruffled floor-length skirt wi...
$595
Size: best fits M/L, see measurements
Christian Lacroix 1990s Black Gold Accent Pocket Front Maxi Wrap Dress Gown
By Christian Lacroix
Located in San Francisco, CA
Christian Lacroix vintage black full length wrap dress with gold embellishment at one strap. Fastens closed at other strap and wraps with belt and snap at waist. Patch pockets at fr...
Bob Mackie 1980s Size 6 Light Pink + Grey Silk Chiffon Strapless Grecian Gown
By Bob Mackie
Located in San Diego, CA
Phenomenal vintage late 80s Bob Mackie Couture light pink and gray silk chiffon, lace and rhinestone encrusted strapless Grecian gown ! Features grey lace and rhinestones on the bodi...
Silk fushia evening dress CHRISTIAN DIOR
By MARIA GRAZIA CHIURI, Christian Dior
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Silk fushia evening dress with bow on the shoulders. Invisible zip and hook&eye closure on the middle back. Pocket on both side. Silk lining. SIZE 36 (Fr)
Giorgio Armani Beige Jersey Halter Neck Strap Back Evening Dress
By Giorgio Armani
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Giorgio Armani Black Jersey Halter Neck Strap Back Evening Dress. From the late 1990s this amazing dress will keep all eyes on you! Graceful & sexy, simple & elegant it doesn...
1990 Documented Valentino Purple Iridescent Silk Chiffon Ruched Dress
By Valentino
Located in London, GB
This stunning Valentino Boutique gown was designed as part of the Fall 1990 collection, when Mr Garavani was still at the helm of his eponymous fashion house. A dress with the same s...
$28,594
Size: FR 38 - UK 10 - US 6
Christian Dior by John Galliano black silk strapless trained gown, fw 2008
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in London, GB
▪ Christian Dior black silk faille strapless evening gown ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Built-in boned corset with underwired bra ▪ Oversized draped bow ▪ Narrow floor-length skirt ...
John Galliano Rare Dolores Intarsia Carnation Bias Evening Dress
By John Galliano
Located in New York, NY
A rare John Galliano bias cut Carnation dress from the Dolores collection, Autumn-Winter 1995-96. Of Bianchini Férier ivory and black satin backed rayon acetate crêpe inset with int...
Rare Roberto Cavalli Runway Grecian Serpent Silk Dress Gown
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Since Cavalli recently passed this is one of the most memorable runway gowns from the 2007 Roberto Cavalli collection. Highly collectible. Grecian drape with plunging neckline. Fashi...
$17,600Sale Price|20% Off
Rare 1990 Versace Atelier Egyptian One-of-a-Kind Heavily Beaded Runway Gown
By Dolce & Gabbana, Atelier Versace
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 1990 custom made gown designed by Gianni Versace for his Versace Atelier label. High neck sleeveless dress fashioned of rich green damask silk; adorned throughout with weighty...
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.