1940's Exquisitely Designed White Charmeuse Wedding Gown
Located in Oradell, NJ
Offered for sale is this exquisitely designed, 1940's vintage, white charmeuse wedding gown with a long and full train, embellished with ecru embroidered lace insertions and trim.
Vintage 1940's Saks Fifth Avenue Creme Beaded Chiffon One-Shoulder Bridal Gown
By Saks Fifth Avenue
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Ethereal late 1940's Saks Fifth Avenue creme goddess gown from the Old Hollywood era of glamour. This stunning silk-chiffon garment has so much couture detail, you can tell it was ma...
1940's Ceil Chapman Windowpane Print White Cotton Peplum Full-Skirt Dress Gown
By Ceil Chapman
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is such a stunning and ethereal Ceil Chapman full-length garden gown dating back to the mid 1940's. Perfect for any upcoming wedding or daytime party; you can't help but feel fe...
Late 1940s Silk French Couture Wedding Dress
Located in London, GB
This elegant late 1940s pure silk ivory dress is a perfect example of the refined glamour of the era, its simple line skilfully accentuated by subtle detail in the construction. The ...
1940's White Sequin Embellished Dress
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Our 1940's white with sequin embellishment dress is a timeless piece with a classic style. It features cap sleeves, a side zipper, a keyhole back, and 12.5" front slit. The dress is...
Vintage 1940s 40s Heavy Satin Custom Strapless Gown/ Dress with Cord Detailing
Located in Sparks, NV
Stunning heavy satin 1940s gown with hand stitched cord detailing at the bodice and an extra full sweep. Side metal zip and hook closure. Unlined with custom detailing and hand-stitc...
1940s Lace Wedding Gown with Original Matching Bolero
Located in Kingston, NY
A romantic mid-century lace wedding gown dating to the late 1940s to early 1950s, complete with its original matching bolero jacket.
1940's Ivory Satin Draped Wedding Dress With Bustle & Train
Located in Atlanta, GA
Indeed, this dress was worn by two generations of stylish women ... first in the 1940's and years later in the 1980's ... a true heirloom beauty.
Vintage 1940's Irene Lentz Couture Cream Silk Sculpted Asymmetric Bustier Gown
By Irene Lentz
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This stunning piece of fashion history would make an unforgettable wedding look. Measurements Bust: 34-35 inches Waist: 26-27 inches Hips: up to 38 inches This iconic late 1940's Ir...
Vintage 1940's Harry Cooper of Hollywood Ivory Sequin Chiffon Halter Bridal Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Ethereal Harry Cooper designer ivory-crème gown dating back to the 1940's Old Hollywood era of glamour.
1940s White Swiss Dot Wedding Dress
Located in San Francisco, CA
1940s White Swiss Dot Wedding Dress. Peekaboo shoulders adorned with small ruffle trim. Long sleeves come to a point at hand. Gathered bust and basque waist. Full length train at back.
1940's Metallic-Gold & Ivory Silk One-Shoulder Grecian Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
In this gorgeous 1940's metallic-gold & ivory-white gown, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern haute-couture. T...
1940's Cranberry-Red Strapless Crepe Pleated-Back Evening Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A stunning cranberry-red crepe gown from the "Old Hollywood" era of glamour. The bodice is a heavily-ruched sweetheart low-cut plunge in an amazing shelf-bust strapless. The waist is...
1940's Gothe Mint-Green Beaded Metallic Taffeta Trained Tea-Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
In this gorgeous 1940's "Gothe" New-York designer gown, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern haute-couture. Thi...
Vintage 1940's Silver Silk Satin Shawl-Collar Low Backside Sculpted Formal Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Enchanting ballgowns from the late 1940's era are perennial favorites and this silver showstopper is breathtaking. The garment's silver silk satin reads so modern yet the detailed st...
Vintage 1940's Ivory Embroidered Rhinestone Beadwork Satin Strapless Bridal Gown
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
In this gorgeous late 1940's ivory-white gown, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern couture. This enchanting ga...
1940's Ceil Chapman Embroidered Beaded Deco Silk-Chiffon Gown
By Ceil Chapman
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Alluring early labeled 1940's Ceil Chapman evening dress in the most stunning black and coral-orange color combination! The metallic gold-lame soutache adds a perfect amount of spark...
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.
Costumer to the stars Ray Aghayan brought the famed painting to life with his spectacular design.
From handbags and heels to jackets and jewels, Sharon Coplan Hurowitz has a deep admiration for (and collection of) all things Chanel.
Jeriana San Juan explains how she undertook the intimidating project of designing costumes for the new Netflix series about the New York fashion legend. (Hint: She found vintage Halston on 1stDibs!)
Once considered a controversial item of clothing, fashion designer Sonja de Lennart's creation is now a bona fide classic.
The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.
Amanda Benchley and Bridget Moynahan teamed up to explore the relationship between powerful women and their most significant footwear.
This year's Costume Institute exhibition is all about embracing the eccentric.
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.