Jean Muir Silk Polka Dot Dress
By Jean Muir
Located in London, GB
A cute dress by Jean Muir, made for Harrods, London. The dress is made of sik and has an ivory background with brown polka dots. It has short angel like sle...
Category
Jean Muir
British, 1928-1995
With simple, classic designs, Jean Muir became known as the doyenne of British fashion, counting such luminaries as Princess Alexandra, Glenda Jackson and Lauren Bacall as clients. Similar to Diane von Furstenberg and her signature wrap dresses, Muir was most famous for the matte jersey dresses she initially designed for herself. Born in London, she got her fashion start at the age of 11 when she began designing her own clothing. Muir’s popular vintage dresses and gowns boast small shoulders, a slightly raised waist and a sheath-like skirt, perfect for someone with a petite frame like her own. In fact, Muir tried on every dress before it went into production.
The Jean Muir look — pared down, elegant and timeless — earned the designer an over 40-year-long career, which started in the stockroom at London’s famous Liberty luxury department store. Shortly after her stint in sorting inventory, she became a sketcher in the store’s made-to-measure department. After working as a designer for Jaeger, she was hired by dress manufacturer David Barnes in 1962. There, her jersey designs were so popular she was given her own label: Jane & Jane. She soon caught the attention of a buyer who brought her to Henri Bendel, where her career soared. Just four years after joining Jane & Jane, she started Jean Muir Ltd. with her husband, Harry Leuckert, a German actor.
During her long career, Muir never strayed from her signature long, fluid lines and feminine silhouettes that were especially flattering when the wearer moved. The jersey gave the dresses an architectural appearance and a flexibility in the designs as, unlike silk, the material doesn’t have to be hand-sewn or lined, nor do the edges need to be lined up and bound together to appear neat. Muir was particularly drawn to the simplicity of navy and black fabric, with topstitching giving even the most minimal styles some flair. Although jersey dominated her looks, she also worked with her team of expert craftspeople to punch patterns in suede, create draped textures with leather, tailor wool crepe, paint patterns on cashmere and stitch dramatic layers of tiered silk.
After her death, Muir’s team continued creating her beloved day dresses and evening gowns for another 12 years, carrying on her legacy. In 2007, the label closed, although the vintage dresses are enduringly popular with those seeking refinement and elegance in modern designs.
Find a collection of Jean Muir evening dresses, suits, jackets and other garments on 1stDibs.
| Average Sold Price |
| $326 |
| Related Designers |
Jean Muir Black Rayon Jersey Sequin V-Neck Maxi Dress, 1970s
By Jean Muir
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Slinky and sexy 70s dress by cult favorite English designer, Jean Muir. Black matte jersey rayon with black sequin detail punctuating the deep v-neckline. Matching black sequins at c...
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20th Century Jean Muir
Vintage Jean Muir for Fortnum and Mason Black Dress with Decorative Buttons
By Jean Muir
Located in London, GB
A chic and easy to wear vintage dress by Jean Muir for Fortnum and Mason . The dress has decorative buttons, and is in a moire effect fabric. Size 10 UK , measurements: Bust 36/37''...
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1970s British Jean Muir
1970S JEAN MUIR Ecru Rayon Jersey Slinky Bow Neck Halter Dress
By Jean Muir
Located in New York, NY
1970S JEAN MUIR Ecru Rayon Jersey Slinky Bow Neck Halter Dress
Category
1970s Jean Muir
Divine 1970s Jean Muir Pleated Chiffon Ivory Black Dots Layered dress
By Jean Muir
Located in Boca Raton, FL
The self-taught Jean Muir made her name in the 1960s, creating a reputation for exquisitely tailored timeless, feminine clothing. Having previously worked as a designer for the famous textile house, Liberty of London, Muir’s designs are extremely fluid and often incorporate simple jersey or suede fabrics with small craft details throughout. Of her work, Muir has noted that she is more concerned with the process of engineering garments to make “beautiful shapes” rather than designing clothes. Her pieces are held in museums worldwide and she has been hailed as the greatest dressmaker in the world, in a league with Madame Grès, Chanel, and Vionnet. Done in an ivory chiffon featuring a print of large and small black polka dots, this divine Jean Muir dress is effortless and regal at once. The gathered bodice begins with a high square neckline and layered sheer angel sleeves. The knife-pleated chiffon creates a pleasing rhythm throughout, adding another dimension to the layered flounces of the skirt and fluttering elbow-length sleeves. The skirt falls from a high fitted waist to a maxi length just above the ankles, creating a classic, elegant silhouette, while decorative black stitching at the neckline and waist adds a note of refined elegance. Size estimate: SML/MED Measurements: Bust: 34 inches Waist: 28 inches Hips: up to 38 inches Length: 54 inches From the bust waistline, a layer of chiffon creates a long, knee-length flounce, bringing a fullness to the otherwise columnar structure of the dress. The hems of the sleeves and both layers of the skirt are edged in black silk, adding a nice contrast of texture along with striking pop of color. An excellent choice for a wedding or special occasion, this Jean Muir dress has stunning proportions and can easily be worn as a day-to-night look. This vintage Jean Muir dress...
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1970s British Jean Muir
Vintage Jean Muir Aubergine Skirt
By Jean Muir
Located in London, GB
A great vintage skirt by Jean Muir, main line. In a wonderful rich purple colour, the skirt has great stitch detail and tailoring as you would expect. The skirt is unlined, and has...
Category
1970s British Jean Muir
Jean Muir Cut out Maxi Dress 1970s
By Jean Muir
Located in Water Mill, NY
A fabulous black jersey full length dress gown from legendary British designer Jean Muir. This dress has lots of detail- cut outs at the shoulders, upper and mid back with shoulder d...
Category
1970s English Jean Muir
Vintage Jean Muir Cashmere Jumper
By Jean Muir
Located in London, GB
A chic and cosy vintage cashmere jumper by Jean Muir. The jumper is in a pretty soft apricot colour , with elbow length sleaves. Measurements: ...
Category
1970s Scottish Jean Muir
Browse all Fashion from Jean Muir
Shop NowJean Muir Sale Prices
This data represents a recent sample of sales made on 1stDibs during the specified years. All sales are anonymized.
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Period | |||||
|
| $326 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $294-$358 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
Designers Similar to Jean Muir
Jean Muir fashion for sale on 1stDibs.
Find an extraordinary range of authentic Jean Muir fashion available on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing our collection of unique vintage and designer fashion to elevate your daily look or to introduce new colors to the dazzling formal wear in your wardrobe, this designer’s body of work includes elements of blue, purple, red and other tones. Customers who are interested in this designer might also find the work of Frank Usher, Zandra Rhodes, and Ossie Clark appealing. On 1stDibs, find haute couture, vintage and designer Jean Muir fashion from top boutiques around the world. Jean Muir fashion prices can differ depending upon time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $141 and tops out at $2,000, while the average work can sell for $434.
Questions About Jean Muir
- What was Jean Muir famous for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertJanuary 19, 2025Jean Muir was famous for her work in fashion. With simple, classic designs, she became known as the doyenne of British fashion, counting such luminaries as Princess Alexandra, Glenda Jackson and Lauren Bacall as clients. Similar to Diane von Furstenberg and her signature wrap dresses, Muir was most famous for the matte jersey dresses she initially designed for herself. Born in London, she got her fashion start at the age of 11 when she began designing her own clothing. Muir’s popular vintage dresses and gowns boast small shoulders, a slightly raised waist and a sheath-like skirt, perfect for someone with a petite frame like her own. In fact, Muir tried on every dress before it went into production. On 1stDibs, find a range of Jean Muir apparel and accessories.