Chloe Violin Dress Documented Limited Edition by Karl Lagerfeld/Chanel Museums
View Similar Items
Chloe Violin Dress Documented Limited Edition by Karl Lagerfeld/Chanel Museums
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU19614921242
Chloé
A part of the Left Bank intellectual crowd who shared her mother’s fondness for fashion, Chloé cofounder Gaby Aghion was inspired to empower independent working women to break from the conservative dress of the 1950s and don more free-spirited, feminine designs that were appropriate for both work and social life.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Aghion established her fashion house in Paris in 1952 with her business partner Jacques Lenoir to develop her own source of income, separate from her husband’s. She was one of the first designers to embrace the concept of luxury prêt-à-porter as a middle ground between haute couture and off-the-rack for the masses.
In 1964, Aghion hired a fledgling Karl Lagerfeld as a designer. The pair would bring Chloé into the international spotlight with their easy yet glamorous lines that drew such fans as Jacqueline Kennedy. Lagerfeld became the staff creative lead at Chloé in 1974 and stayed with the brand until 1983, during which time he became known for his romantic silk dresses that continued Aghion’s feminine vision and were a favorite of the “rich hippie” set. In 1988, then-unknown designer Martine Sitbon took the helm of Chloé for several years before Lagerfeld returned as creative director from 1992 to 1997, drawing all of the iconic 1990s supermodels to his runway.
After his second departure, Chloé tapped yet another early-career designer to lead the label: a punky 25-year-old Stella McCartney, who earned the position not because of her famous lineage (she’s the daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney), but because of her fashion education at Central Saint Martins and work experience on London’s Savile Row and at Christian Lacroix. Following McCartney’s exit to launch her own line in 2001, Chloé named Phoebe Philo to the post.
Under Philo’s leadership, Chloé expanded from women’s clothing to an accessories line — including handbags — and debuted the legendary Paddington bag in 2004. The padlocked satchel, notorious for weighing a hefty three pounds while empty, became one of the “It bags” of the decade (the brand’s double-handled Marcie holds its own in that regard); the entire 8,000-bag initial production run sold out via preorders.
Philo left Chloé in 2006; her successors include, among others, Clare Waight Kelle and Natacha Ramsay-Levi, who announced that she would be departing the house in late 2020. Part of Chloé’s decades-long lasting influence — which we’d like to speculate would appease Aghion greatly — is the brand’s dedication as a career-launching platform for newbie designers, particularly women.
Browse an extraordinary inventory of vintage Chloé handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
Karl Lagerfeld
More than a mere tastemaker, Karl Lagerfeld devoted himself to the continual pursuit of chic. “My life and my job,” the designer once said, “is to forget myself.” During his five-decade career designing shoes, handbags, evening dresses and other items for Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and many others, Lagerfeld was a quintessential chameleon, ever evolving to embody the times.
An outsize, instantly recognizable personality — his ponytail powdered like an 18th-century viscount, his eyes perpetually shielded by dark glasses, wearing fistfuls of chunky silver jewels — Lagerfeld was, above all, an avatar of style.
Born in Hamburg (in 1933, ’35, or ’38 by varying accounts), Karl Lagerfeld packed his bags for Paris in 1954. His design for a coat won him the International Wool Secretariat and landed him a job with the celebrated couturier Pierre Balmain. He went on to become the designer of Jean Patou, eventually realizing that his seemingly endless ideas could fuel a career as a designer-for-hire. As such, Lagerfeld lent his vision to everyone from Loewe and Max Mara to Krizia and Charles Jourdan, nimbly moving among a diverse range of styles. It was an unprecedented way of working in the days when freelance was still a dirty word. During the late ’60s and ’70s, he refashioned Chloé to reflect the free spirit of the day and, beginning in 1965, joined forces with the Fendi family, taking it from sleepy furrier to fashion’s haute-est stratum.
Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, in 1984 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday. From his first collection, Lagerfeld injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. He riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. Despite producing eight collections a year for Chanel, as well as four to five for Fendi, Lagerfeld never faltered in proposing new ideas each time he put pencil to paper.
Lagerfeld’s collections for Chanel, in particular, displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. From Watteau (Spring/Summer 1985 couture) and Serge Roche (Spring/Summer 1990 ready-to-wear) to hip-hop fly girls (Fall/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear), surfers (Spring/Summer 2003 ready-to-wear) and ancient Egypt (Pre-Fall 2019), Lagerfeld used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew.
Browse a collection of sophisticated designs by Karl Lagerfeld on 1stDibs, including evening gowns for Chanel, vintage cocktail dresses for Chloé and more.
- Christian Dior by John Galliano Collector Asymmetric Leather Bondage DressBy Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in Los Angeles, CAJohn Galliano's 2000 collection for the House of Dior eighteenth-century inspired asymmetrically cut dress fashioned of black soft lambskin leather. Dress features a gathered pulle...Category
Early 2000s Evening Dresses
- Thierry Mugler Rare Black w/ Coral Inserts Petal Dress Rare CollectibleBy Thierry MuglerLocated in Los Angeles, CARare circa 1989-90 Thierry Mugler petal dress. During this period the designer created a few different versions of this style of which this ...Category
Late 20th Century Mini Dresses
- Rodarte Homage to 1960's Tie-Dye Maxi Dress Neoprene CollarBy RodarteLocated in Los Angeles, CARodarte tie-dye motif creates an unusual and exotic look that was part of Rodarte's F/W 2013 collection. The Rodarte brand is now part of major museum collections such as the Costum...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Maxi Dress
- Oscar de la Renta Embroidered Silk Caftan with Matching dress New!By Oscar De La RentaLocated in Los Angeles, CAOscar de la Renta 2 piece silk caftan Fashioned of rich tomato red silk with matching slipdress. Neckline adorned with heavily embellished gol...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Caftans
$2,240 Sale Price20% Off - Oscar de la Renta Summer Late Day Evening Party DressBy Oscar De La RentaLocated in Los Angeles, CAFabulous Oscar de la Renta crisp white organza party pouf from the designer's runway collection. The one being offered is identical to that in the runway photo below. The red and wh...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Dresses
- Alexander McQueen 2009 Futuristic Crystalized Print Sheath Dress -newBy Alexander McQueenLocated in Los Angeles, CAAlexander Mcqueen's Spring 2009 collection showcases the romantic, ethereal and purist side of the designer in his effort to send his message regarding the evolution of the world in ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sheath Dresses
- Jackie Rogers Classic Black Satin Bias Cut DressBy Jackie RogersLocated in West Palm Beach, FLJackie Rogers classic silky black satin bias cut dress from the 1990s. The perfect black dress to dress up with jewelry and or a belt. The dress slips o...Category
1990s American Cocktail Dresses
- 80s Kevan Hall Couture Black Sequin 1980s Off Shoulder Vintage Cocktail DressLocated in San Diego, CALate 1980s KEVAN HALL COUTURE black off-the-shoulder sequin dress ! Features a nude chiffon underlay with a lace nad sequin bodice. Flowy silk chiffon skirt. Boned bodice. Hidden zip...Category
15th Century and Earlier Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 1980S THIERRY MUGLER Black Rayon Blend Crepe Asymmetrically Draped Cocktail DreBy Thierry MuglerLocated in New York, NYTagged a European 36 1980S THIERRY MUGLER Black Rayon Blend Crepe Asymmetrically Draped Cocktail Dress With Sheer Lace Back & SleevesCategory
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- 1990s Emanuel Ungaro Size 10 Black Rayon Vintage 90s Bell Sleeve Wrap DressBy Emanuel UngaroLocated in San Diego, CAChic late 90s EMANUEL UNGARO black rayon blend size 10 bell sleeve wrap dress ! Tailored bodice with a flirty skirt. Buttons up the front. Ruffle detail at center front neck, down th...Category
1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 1960s Navy Blue Chiffon White Rhinestone Flowers Vintage 60s Gown Maxi DressLocated in San Diego, CABeautiful 1960s navy blue and white silk chiffon flower rhinestone applique gown ! Features a tailored bodice with hand-sewn white flowers that are encrusted with rhinestones. Sheer ...Category
1960s American Evening Gowns
- 1990s Calvin Klein Collection Inside Out Black Jersey Vintage 90s Midi DressBy Calvin Klein CollectionLocated in San Diego, CASuch an amazing take on the little black dress ! CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION black jersey 'Inside Out' short sleeve midi dress ! Features unfinished seams that look like they are inside out. Hidden zipper up the back with hook-and-eye closure. The perfect black dress...Category
1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.
The Best Ways to Dress for Your Astrological Sign
Makeup and astrology expert Linda Mason dispenses fashion advice for every zodiac sign. Does your wardrobe match your horoscope?