Bill Blass Light Blue & Multicolor Strapless Dress
View Similar Items
Bill Blass Light Blue & Multicolor Strapless Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 10 (US)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU147212415162
Bill Blass
Venerated designer and philanthropist Bill Blass helped define style for women of means during the late 20th century and inspired generations of fashion industry professionals and enthusiasts all over the world.
Blass designed garments that saw a playful mingling of notes both subdued and bold, and his clothes were comfortable, easy to wear and sexy. The Indiana native was influenced by the likes of Coco Chanel and became famous for refined, simple looks that appealed to prominent women such as Brooke Astor and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Blass didn’t endeavor to produce showstoppers — he worked with quality materials, and his modern designs boasted meticulous tailoring. He glamourized sportswear with chic lines and dramatic colors, and by way of subtle, graceful ruffles or a tasteful application of sequins, he introduced modest flair to his day dresses and evening dresses. Vintage Bill Blass clothing is just as relevant today as it was during the height of his career.
Blass, who spent his spare time sketching red-carpet looks in his school notebooks as a kid, left home at 17 and moved to New York City, where he trained at the McDowell School of Fashion. After finishing design school, he joined the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. When the war was over, Blass returned to Manhattan. In 1946 he joined the fashion house Anna Miller and Co., where he worked as a design assistant for Anna Miller and her brother Maurice Rentner.
Anna Miller and Co. merged with Maurice Rentner, Ltd. in 1959, and Blass became the company's head designer. There he quickly built a name for himself and was soon a staple of the postwar fashion scene, impressing even the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar at the time, Diana Vreeland. Blass expanded into designing menswear and was the first couture designer in America to create a collection for men.
In 1970, Blass gained ownership of Rentner and renamed the company after himself. Blass employed a licensing-based business strategy, and soon his name marked a full array of accessories and apparel, including Bill Blass jeans, watches, home furnishings, eyewear and luggage. Blass's renown and success expanded considerably, as fashion bearing his name became more accessible than it had ever been.
Throughout his life, Blass made considerable contributions to the AIDS care center at Cornell Medical Center and to the New York Public Library. In 1962, he became a founding member of the Council of Fashion Designs of America (CFDA) trade association, which promotes American designers around the world. The CFDA presented Blass with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and he was the first recipient of their Humanitarian Leadership Award in 1996.
Find vintage Bill Blass fashion on 1stDibs.
- Vintage Rust Saint Laurent 1978 Tunic Dress Size FR 40By Saint LaurentLocated in New York, NYVintage rust tunic dress by Saint Laurent. Circa 1978. Pointed collar. Long sleeves. Dual hip pockets. Drawstring at waist. Button closures at front. 40" bust, 19" shoulder width, 18...Category
1970s Tunics and Wrap Dresses
$420 Sale Price20% Off - Vintage Black Zoran Sleeveless Silk Mini Dress Size US MBy ZoranLocated in New York, NYVintage black silk sleeveless mini dress by Zoran. Bateau neckline. Draping at back. 30" bust, 28" waist, 35" length, 12" shoulder width.Category
Late 20th Century European Mini Dresses
- Vintage Red & Black Chanel Boutique Velvet Mini Dress Size FR 36By ChanelLocated in New York, NYVintage red and black velvet mini dress by Chanel Boutique. Circa 1990s. Mock neck. Long sleeves. Button closures at back. 34" bust, 36" waist, 31" length, 13" shoulder width.Category
1990s European Mini Dresses
- Black The Row Paulette Maxi Dress Size US MBy The RowLocated in New York, NYBlack Paulette long sleeve maxi dress by The Row. Crew neck. 34" bust, 32" waist, 55" length, 17" shoulder width.Category
21st Century and Contemporary North American Maxi Dresses
- Valentino Turquoise Silk Belted DressBy ValentinoLocated in New York, NYProduct Details: Turquoise silk double-breasted dress by Valentino. Notched lapel. Dual hip pockets. Button closures at front. 34" bust, 28" waist, 39.5" length, 16" shoulder width. ...Category
2010s Italian Day Dresses
$676 Sale Price20% Off - Black Amina Muaddi x Wolford Sleeveless Bodycon Dress Size US MLocated in New York, NYBlack sleeveless bodycon dress by Amina Muaddi x Wolford. Crew neck. Ruching at sides. 36" bust, 32" waist, 38" length.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Day Dresses
$212 Sale Price20% Off
- Claire McCardell (attributed) by Townley Floral Chiffon DressBy Townley, Claire McCardell Clothes by TownleyLocated in Sharon, CTOffering a Floral Chiffon Dress by Townley (labeled), the design attributed to Claire McCardell. Approximate size: 8, length 43" and waist 28".Category
1970s English Informal Dresses
- Kenzo Takada Wraparound Skirt DressBy Kenzo, Kenzo TakadaLocated in Sharon, CTThe front of the dress extends with a rectangular panel. At the waist, the skirt becomes a wrap a round, and ties at the side. The skirt lining is cotton.Category
Early 2000s French Casual Dresses
- Ted Lapidus Boutique Haute Couture Paris Silk Top/SkirtBy Ted Lapidus Haute CoutureLocated in Sharon, CTMade in France 1980's. Length of blouse 25", length skirt 28.5". Layered ruffle peplum skirt, fully silk lined.Category
1980s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
- YSL Yves Saint Laurent 1970's Rive Gauche Silk Day DressBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Sharon, CTOffering a very colorful abstract patterned silk day dress Designed by Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche (Labeled). Size Eu 40. With a button on back at the collar. Waist to hem 26.5"Category
1970s French Casual Dresses
- Jean Paul Gaultier Diving Parrot Bird Tropical Swimmers Ruffled Mesh Dress TopBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in PARIS, FRJean Paul Gaultier Diving Parrot Bird Tropical Swimmers Ruffled Mesh Top Shirt Skirt Set Beautiful designer skirt & v-neck tank top + skirt SET with ...Category
1990s French Mini Dresses
- Jil Sander Arte Povera DressBy Jil SanderLocated in Miami, FLModern item from Jil Sander, the 'Arte Povera' dress in a techno hieroglyphic style print on a radzimir fabric. The dress has a rounded neckline and pleated bodice, A-line skirt wit...Category
2010s Italian Shift Dresses