JunyaWantanabe 1996 Convertible Draped RedRoseJacquard & NavyCotton Skirt Cape

In the 1930s when French couturier Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946) was creating decorative bias-cut silk tulle overlays for her feminine full-skirted sleeveless "robes de style", she designed this black semi-transparent tulle formal jacket featuring diagonally-striped topstitched silk-crepe appliques throughout the bias-cut panels. This sheer geometric-patterned cape-like jacket has a skirt that drapes from an open waistline and a top-fastening bodice with gathered rounded 3/4-length sleeves that each have two arm seams and shirred embroidered cuffs. It could have been the first "swing coat" design that was given that name around 1935, when Lanvin was the "uncontested leader in the haute-couture field" according to the French Palais Galliera that has collected and exhibited similar garments at its fashion museum in Paris. TheMet collected a House of Lanvin black evening coat with a similar shape that also features dramatic linear appliques, but in a white starburst, which it dates to Spring/Summer 1927. The unprecedented modern look of this Art-Deco women's jacket, which was inspired by 18th-Century French and Spanish topcoats for aristocratic court dresses, may have been good cause for Maison Lanvin to custom-make some close reproductions of a one-of-a-kind couture original for additional clients in Paris, which is implied by the remaining French brand-label noting "Adaptation Jean Lanvin...

Japanese Rei Kawakubo designed this wool-blend half-dress topcoat with embossed pinstripes for her Comme des Garcons Fall/Winter 2000 collection, which she titled "Hard And Forceful"...

This antique ArtDeco-period bespoke British wool and satin black tuxedo button-decorated open-breasted tailcoat fits a women's U.S.-size 6 so well that we think it was custom-made fo...

This couture lingerie-like spaghetti-strapped black silk satin apron vest, with extraordinary graphic cutwork featuring a heavily hand-beaded breast-plate and appliques, was custom made by a young designer for a New York City female...

This timeless quintessential corseted, shirred, ruched and topstitched "little black dress" produced by Victor Costa in the 1980s was made for the high standards of New York's trendsetting Bergdorf Goodman when it was the first U.S. luxury department store to order exclusive special-occasion dresses from this Texas designer and subsequently to give him a namesake in-store boutique. He soon became associated with the feminine glamorous gowns worn by "PYT" (Costa-speak for pretty young things) on the Dallas-based television-series "Dynasty", which idealized a status-conscious Texas woman mostly via fashion. With a strapless curvaceous sweetheart neckline (spared from '80s shoulder pads!), narrow sinuous folds of crepe silk-blend jersey cross diagonally below the decollete, while contrasting vertical ruching defines the seven bones of the invisible corset structure that is fully lined on the interior. Under the bust in front below the empire-like peaked high waist, the fitted tucked underlay of the cocktail dress wraps around the back to end as an overlay in front, where the opening on the left side extends to the bodice like a discreet slit. The freely hanging bias-cut overlay in front is gathered underneath each breast for a forgiving central drape that adds additional curves to make the wearer's torso underneath appear in sleek condition despite a potentially less than ideal figure. The dress closes with a concealed zipper in the center of the back, with exterior hook-and-eye fastening to narrow the waist. There is a second concealed hook-and-eye fastener at the top of the zipper. Although the only remaining tag is the Costa/Bergdorf label, it is a contemporary U.S.-size 8, which will also suit a large-busted size 6 or a svelte size 10. Now 88 years old, Victor Costa (b.1935) became widely known by the 1980s in The States for perfecting affordable luxurious gowns that could be mistaken for one-of-a-kind flamboyant designs by foreign couturiers Christian Lacroix, Arnold Scaasi, Oscar de la Renta or Valentino Garavani. Early on, the avid female sketcher...

From one of the last fashion collections by legendary Belgian artist Martin Margiela, this asymmetrical plunging V-neck black jersey pullover that he designed for Spring/Summer 2008 ...

This is an absolutely stunning vintage Geoffrey Beene monochromatic dress and coat ensemble in a gorgeous burgundy wool and alpaca fabric. We love vintage Geoffrey Beene pieces and a...

This is a two piece vintage black alpaca dress and coat ensemble from Geoffrey Beene from the Fall 1999 collection. This outfit includes a midi length bla...

This gorgeous kimono is another of the beautiful pieces we acquired when we purchased an estate of Asian textiles. We love the fall color - a rusty burgundy with gorgeous gold metallic starbursts! The kimono has a snap for the collar in the back so it can be folded down and beautiful silk lining. This kimono measures 62" long from the nape of the neck and would make a lovely evening coat, hostess robe...

Norma Kamali is a pioneer in the fashion industry. According to her website, in the 1970's she created the sleeping bag coat on a camping trip that i...

Amazing bordeaux/red velvet gold brocade gown We offer more exclusive vintage items, view our frontstore Details: Red velvet embroidered with ...

1991 DOLCE & GABBANA Satin Coat Dress Emerald Green Condition: Excellent 100% Polyester Made in Italy 35" length Size 40 / current US 0/S