Vera Wang Lavender
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Day Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary British Mini Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Day Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Dresses
Late 20th Century European Boots
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Day Dresses
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Gowns
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
20th Century German Skirt Suits
Early 2000s Italian Evening Gowns
1990s Italian Maxi Dress
Early 2000s Japanese Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
Early 2000s French Cocktail Dresses
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses
1970s American Caftans
20th Century French Day Dresses
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
Early 2000s Italian Shoes
1980s Indian Evening Dresses and Gowns
Early 2000s French Cocktail Dresses
1990s American Crop Tops
Early 2000s Italian Evening Gowns
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Vera Wang engagement rings are certified by an official gemological laboratory, and they have a certificate. A certified engagement ring means that the diamond has undergone a quality analysis.