Rare 1960s Ossie Clark Cream Fortuny Pleat Plunge Dress
View Similar Items
Rare 1960s Ossie Clark Cream Fortuny Pleat Plunge Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. someone let the hem down to gain more length and there is a teeny bit of grubbiness along where the hem was.There is one teeny pinhole at the front that gets lost int he fold once an and is stable. See listing for details.
- Seller Location:Rockwood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1281658973
Ossie Clark
It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that neither the Swinging Sixties nor the hippie looks of the 1970s would have been what they were if not for Ossie Clark, who popularized the flamboyant fashion synonymous with the eras.
Born Raymond Clark in 1942, the designer moved as a boy to Oswaldtwistle, the source of his lifelong nickname. Clark began studies in architecture at just 13, a foundation that instilled in him the lessons of proportion and scale that would inform his day dresses, suits and other unique clothing decades later.
After learning tailoring, pattern cutting and more important technical skills at the Regional College of Art in Manchester (now the Manchester School of Art), Clark attended London’s prestigious Royal College of Art. There, he began a lifelong friendship with the artist David Hockney, who would eventually paint a portrait of Clark and his wife and partner, Celia Birtwell, also a designer.
Clark’s graduation show in 1964, featuring at least one garment decorated with a line of light bulbs, made instant waves in the fashion world, foreshadowing the career he would have as a boundary-pushing creative. He landed his first feature in British Vogue just months later and was a veritable instant addition to the London fashion scene. While he was still a student, Clark’s designs were being sold in the famous London boutique Quorum, and Henri Bendel had brought his collection to New York. His fashions soon became inextricably linked with the famous “Chelsea Girls” of the decade.
Clark’s clothing ran the gamut from free-flowing garments in muted hues to graphic patterns in bold colors informed by a fascination with Pop art and flora. He collaborated with Birtwell for most of his career, incorporating her dynamic Art Deco–inspired prints in his work before the couple parted in the 1970s. Clark favored crepes and chiffons and paid close attention to small details, often eschewing simple zippers in favor of, say, fabric-covered buttons. At the end of the 1960s, Clark adjusted hemlines to the maxi length and introduced a line of chiffon dresses intended to be worn over a nude body.
Clark’s penchant for flowing pants, bell sleeves and fringe is largely regarded as popularizing the archetype of 1970s fashion in London and the United States — influence bolstered, no doubt, by his dressing such A-list clients as Mick Jagger, Liza Minelli and The Beatles. A gifted draper, he was known for his uniquely flattering fits. As footwear icon Manolo Blahnik once said, “He created an incredible magic with the body and achieved what fashion should do — produce desire.”
Find vintage Ossie Clark evening dresses, blouses, day dresses and more on 1stDibs.
- Chanel champagne sequins dress F/W 2001 FR 40By ChanelLocated in Rubiera, RECHANEL dress F/W 2001 collection A-line dress in beige melange tweed and champagne sequins; on the front martingale belt with logo buttons; short sleeve; zip on the back. Size Fr 40...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Dolce & Gabbana pink crepe halter-neck skater dress, ss 1995By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in London, GB▪ Dolce & Gabbana pink crepe skater dress ▪ 79% Acetate, 21% Rayon ▪ Nipping in at the waist and flaring out into a full skirt ▪ Halter-neck with string fastening ▪ Concealed zipper...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Alexander McQueen striped cotton and lace dress with pleated skirt, ss 2005By Alexander McQueenLocated in London, GB▪ Alexander McQueen dress ▪ Constructed from a fine cotton-silk fabric in two colour-ways of red, cream and blue stripes ▪ Ivory lace inserts and trim ▪ Low-waisted skirt made up of...Category
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Prada by Miuccia Prada brown silk chiffon slip dress, fw 1996By Prada, Miuccia PradaLocated in London, GB▪ Rare Prada evening slip dress ▪ Designed by Miuccia Prada ▪ Fine silk chiffon with geometric print in brown and cream ▪ Sold with a matching Prada nude silk slip dress to wear u...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Prada by Miuccia Prada orange silk chiffon slip dress, fw 1996By Miuccia PradaLocated in London, GB▪ Rare Prada evening slip dress ▪ Designed by Miuccia Prada ▪ Fine silk chiffon with geometric print in orange, brown and cream ▪ Sold with a matching Prada nude silk slip dress t...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Chloe S/S10 ivory white beige chiffon silk layered sleeveless wedding dress gownBy ChloéLocated in Paris, FRLOVE LALI Vintage Look 29 from the Chloe Spring Summer 2010 runway collection Floor length silk gown in what one would call off white/ecru, or a very pal...Category
2010s Unknown Wedding Dresses