1960s Norman Norell Vintage Dress in Black Taffeta W/ Polka Dots w/ Provenance
View Similar Items
1960s Norman Norell Vintage Dress in Black Taffeta W/ Polka Dots w/ Provenance
About the Item
- Designer:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Some of the white polka dots have darkened with age.
- Seller Location:Portland, OR
- Reference Number:Seller: 27211stDibs: LU22324275113
Norman Norell
The signature details that characterize vintage Norman Norell evening dresses include classically tailored silhouettes, feminine round necklines and tenderly applied beading, carefully inspected both inside and out. Pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe wore many of Norell’s classic dresses over the years. And as a young model for a Seventh Avenue clothing manufacturer, screen siren Lauren Bacall liked to scour the racks of Loehmann’s with her mother, looking for the odd piece by a famous designer like Norell.
Norell began his career in his early 20s, designing costumes for Paramount Pictures and Brooks Costume Company, as well as for esoteric vaudeville productions. The theater remained a major source of inspiration throughout his career. Often drenched in beads or sequins, a material that remained readily available despite wartime restrictions, his show-stopping mermaid gowns, a marriage of glitz and simplicity, harken back to the days of vaudeville. He continued to design these gowns until the end of his life.
Raised in a family of haberdashers, Norell was long-influenced by the cuts, fabrics and details of traditional menswear, and he sought to incorporate those concepts into his designs. In 1960, at a moment when women were not yet wearing pants to work, he made waves when he presented his then-controversial wool flannel culotte suit. Some years later, he designed a black dinner suit with a bow-tie, beating Yves Saint Laurent to the punch, and later still, he conceived a feminine version of an aviator jumpsuit.
A creature of habit, Norell stuck with many of his classic designs throughout his career, but he continued to experiment with avant-garde ideas for evening garments. This was perhaps most vividly expressed in his wild coats, runway crowd-pleasers adorned with ostrich feathers or massive red and pink flowers.
A fan of a full dirndl, Norell made skirts that ranged from delicately creased to voluminous balloons, and he frequently paired these with pleated blouses or tight turtlenecks. One of the first designers to incorporate traditional elements of sportswear into his evening attire, a typical Norell evening gown was divided into three separate colors: one for the top, one for the skirt and one for the sash. And vintage Norman Norell gowns are inherently versatile — they’re as modern today as they were decades ago. The little black dresses that Norell designed offered similar flexibility. Perfectly simple and sexy are the round necklines, which Norell introduced to declutter his dresses and allow for a more modern look.
Norell was the first American designer to have his name on a dress label and on a successful fragrance. He possessed a refined elegance and a quiet audacity that he expressed through timeless, wearable pieces boldly embellished with luxe trimmings. His work would come to redefine the American ready-to-wear industry and earn him the nickname the “American Balenciaga.” He received the inaugural Coty Award for womenswear and was the first designer inducted into the fashion industry critics’ hall of fame.
Find vintage Norman Norell day dresses, suits, jackets and other clothing on 1stDibs.
- 1985 Bill Blass Vintage Runway Dress Abstract Black White Evening Gown DrapingBy Bill BlassLocated in Portland, ORThis elegant Bill Blass designer vintage dress is from his 1985 collection and we think it's so fabulous! The long dress in in a stunning black and white abstract print...Category
1980s American Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Oleg Cassini Vintage Evening Dress With Black Sequins & PeplumBy Oleg CassiniLocated in Portland, ORThis is a fabulous \vintage 1980's Oleg Cassini dress covered in shimmering black sequins. This elegant party dress shines brilliantly and has such ...Category
1980s Chinese Evening Dresses and Gowns
- 1980s Terence Nolder Vintage Dress w Handkerchief Hem in Metallic Sparkle FabricBy Terence NolderLocated in Portland, ORThis 1980's vintage dress is from the British designer, Terence Nolder, who worked for Alfred Radley at Quorum and won the British Evening wear Designer Award in 1980 and The British...Category
1980s British Evening Gowns
- Albert Nipon Vintage Black Velvet Lace Dress 1970s Victorian Renaissance RufflesBy Albert NiponLocated in Portland, ORThis 1970's vintage Albert Nipon Victorian renaissance evening dress is really amazing. This beautiful satin faced black velvet dress has a built in satin and tulle slip underneath. The bodice, collar and cuffs are trimmed in a lovely black lace and the dress is perfect for the holidays! Ruffles are very much on trend right now and even if they weren't, we think this dress is timeless and beautiful! There is a side metal zipper and I love the ruffled lace that makes the collar look so elegant. I would estimate this dress to be a modern day size 12, but please use the measurements as a guide. We are passionate about purchasing sustainable fashion and we believe that vintage and used fashion...Category
1970s American Cocktail Dresses
$225 Sale Price62% Off - Vintage Carolina Herrera Pleated Wool Crepe Dress Pleated Black & Yellow SilkBy Carolina HerreraLocated in Portland, ORThis is a really lovely vintage dress from Carolina Herrera in black wool crepe with gorgeous marigold yellow pleated silk at the neckline and the waist. This dress zips up the back ...Category
1980s American Informal Dresses
$413 Sale Price49% Off - Art Deco 1920s Beaded Black Vintage Dress W/ Handkerchief Hem & Sheer SleevesLocated in Portland, ORThis is an outstanding vintage 1920's dress with original sash and gorgeous white beadwork. The dress has a slight drop waist, handkerchief hemline and hooks and eyes up the side. ...Category
Early 20th Century American Evening Dresses
$1,500 Sale Price37% Off
- 70s Louis Carling Dress with Embroidered Epaulettes 12UKLocated in Port Hope, ONBoat neck; discreet ruching from the neckline to the armpits (as well as the sleeve bottoms), and side slits. The material feels like a polyester jersey, and the color is a deep but...Category
1970s British Evening Dresses and Gowns
$117 Sale Price40% Off - Museum Worthy 50s Jacques Heim Attributed Black Cocktail Dress with Low Back (S)By Jacques HeimLocated in Port Hope, ONAbsolutely beautiful couture workmanship with amazing detail including inside net bodice; boned neckline (including back) and shoulder straps; plunging back; hidden zip closure at ba...Category
1950s French Cocktail Dresses
$484 Sale Price24% Off - Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti Cotton / Silk Black Embellished DressBy Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Philosophy by Alberta FerrettiLocated in Port Hope, ONThe sleeveless dress has an arrow pattern of black beads on the chest a ribbed expandable waist; three strips of metallic bands as well as a number of flat frills. Would make a great...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Dresses
$135 Sale Price38% Off - Late 1980s Chanel Black Sequin and Tulle GownBy Chanel Boutique, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in Port Hope, ONThis is a very special full-length gown with a drop waist ending in a grosgrain trimmed inverted v. The sequin/boucle top and long sleeves also have a grosgrain trim which is rep...Category
1980s French Ball Gowns
- Very Special 1950s Jacques Heim Attributed Black Cocktail Dress with Low Back(S)By Jacques HeimLocated in Port Hope, ONAbsolutely beautiful couture workmanship with amazing detail including inside net bodice; boned neckline (including back) and shoulder straps; plunging back; hidden zip closure at ba...Category
1950s French Cocktail Dresses
$446 Sale Price25% Off - Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti Black Silk DressBy Alberta FerrettiLocated in Port Hope, ONThis is a fully lined silk dress with a net and bead floral design neckline. There are also three front side pleats and a bottom gather at the bottom of the skirt on the other.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Dresses
$165 Sale Price58% Off