Vintage 1975 Madame Grès Haute Couture Rare Documented Silk-Jersey Cut Out Gown
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Bust: 31 in (78.74 cm)Hip: 35 in (88.9 cm)
- Style:1970s (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Beautiful condition.
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU30911803472
Madame Gres
Forever credited with having altered the fashion world with her pleated silk dresses, Madame Grès was one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th century. She defied the orders of Nazi soldiers and designed gowns and evening dresses that mirrored the colors and pattern of the French flag, working by hand with material that hung directly from live models. A consummate artist, Grès created garments that were demonstrative of exemplary construction and meticulous attention to detail — her signature floor-length gowns left a lasting impact on every aspect of haute couture.
Born Germaine Émilie Krebs to a French Jewish family in Paris, Grès initially studied painting and sculpture. For her, making dresses and working in sculpture were one and the same, and she pursued a career in fashion. Grès worked in millinery and was trained in haute couture dressmaking at the illustrious House of Prémet.
Grès opened her inaugural couture fashion house in 1932, and within a couple of years she began working under the name Alix Barton — the surname came from her coworker, couturier Julie Barton — calling her business La Maison Alix and creating gowns until 1942 in what became her signature style. She perfected modern pleating techniques and worked directly on live models, mostly with generous amounts of silk jersey and airy silk paper taffeta. Her designs showed the influence of Greco-Roman sculpture and would go on to help shape the work of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander and Azzedine Alaïa, who also thought of haute couture as sculpture.
Grès’s work was photographed by the likes of Horst P. Horst, and her gowns for Jean Giraudaux’s play The Trojan War Will Not Take Place in 1935 established her as a leading designer, though Nazi occupation stalled her growth.
During WWII, Grès refused to design the utilitarian garb that German forces requested and instead made clothes using the colors of the French flag as her own act of rebellion. Ultimately, she was forced to close her boutique in Paris. The designer married Russian painter Serge Czerefkov, changed her name to Grès — which is how her husband signed his name — and fled to the Pyrenees before returning to establish her second couture house under her new name.
Madame Grès’s second maison was widely successful and attracted a long list of rich and powerful clientele ranging from movie stars to royalty. A single dress could take hundreds of hours to complete. Some of the couturier’s clients became deeply loyal over the course of her career, including the Duchess of Windsor, Oscar-winning actresses Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo, iconic Tiffany & Co. jewelry designer Paloma Picasso and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Grès guarded her personal life closely and let her delicate, impeccable work speak for itself.
Original Madame Grès evening dresses and gowns, coats, jackets and day dresses, which transformed women into Greek deities, are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum at FIT and the Musée Bourdelle.
“Her dresses were about a sense of power, strength and beauty, not objectification,” explains Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Museum at FIT and author of Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion. “Everyone knows Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent,” Mears says, “but I believe that the great triumvirate was Madeleine Vionnet, Balenciaga and Madame Grès — those who knew how to make clothes with their own hands, couturiers in the old sense of the word.”
Find vintage Madame Grès clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Beverly Hills, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Vintage 1970s Givenchy Colorful Stripe Silk-Chiffon Billow Sleeve Bohemian DressBy Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique, GivenchyLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGivenchy, the name itself evokes glamour, refined elegance, simplicity and style. Givenchy’s trademark of flowing lines and print fabrics make his work easily recognizable. This gorg...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Olive Green Pleated Silk Organza Rhinestone Full-Skirt DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CAFashioned from rich olive-green light weight silk-organza, this 1950's creation has everything a woman wants. The boned bodice has a gorgeous pleated texture shelf-bust design. I ado...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1920's Goupy French Couture Tangerine Silk & Metallic-Gold Lace DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGoupy Paris was one of the elite couture houses operating during the magical Art-Deco era. This breathtaking garment, all hand-stitched, is fashioned in vi...Category
1920s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Rudolf Couture Metallic Peach Lace & Satin Scalloped Party DressBy Original by RudolfLocated in Beverly Hills, CABreathtaking and incredibly chic Rudolf couture designer golden peach party dress dating back to the mid 1950's. The company, started by Max Cory Rudolf, was an upscale boutique in New York City that catered to very prestigious and wealthy clientele. Rudolf was the first person to bring Hubert de Givenchy to America and Givenchy even did a line of dresses for Rudolf. His specialty was creating evening and cocktail dresses very much in the tradition of movie-star glamour. This metallic lace beauty is a wonderful example of his genius. Just look at the detailed fabric! The bodice is a flattering scalloped shelf...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1970s Scott Barrie Purple Floral Chiffon Low-Cut Plunge Maxi Wrap DressBy Scott BarrieLocated in Beverly Hills, CAStunning Scott Barrie purple and pink floral print chiffon maxi dress dating back to the mid-1970's. Scott Barrie was one of a group of black designers and models based out of New Yo...Category
1970s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1966 Yves Saint Laurent Beaded Metallic Pink Gold Brocade Cocktail DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThis exceptionally chic metallic silk-brocade cocktail dress is from the infamous Rive Gauche collection during Fall-Winter 1966. Pieces from this decade are very rare and are true e...Category
1960s French Cocktail Dresses
- Leonard of Paris Pastel Silk Chiffon Day / Evening DressBy Leonard of ParisLocated in New York, NYPretty pastel silk chiffon Leonard of Paris special occasion day / evening dress. Bodice has a ruffled capelet that flows from the center of the dress...Category
Late 20th Century French Day Dresses
- Fendi 1990s Python Mesh DressBy FendiLocated in Scottsdale, AZFeeling this Fendi? Add it to your collection! Circa 1990s/early 2000s, this mesh mini dress features a magnified python pattern, genuine python appliqué on the front and back, a win...Category
1990s Italian Day Dresses
- JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Femme S/S 2001 Rust Brown Constellation Faces Maxi DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Scottsdale, AZJean Paul Gaultier lovers this way!! Gautlier is known as the "troublemaker" and is highly known to take risks and push the envelope. He celebrates femininity in any and every possib...Category
Early 2000s Italian Maxi Dresses
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld orange and brown knit and tweed jacket dress, fw 1995By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, ChanelLocated in London, GB▪ Chanel orange and brown rib knit wool dress ▪ Designed by Karl Lagerfeld ▪ Checked boucle jacket attached to front of dress ▪ CC logo buttons ▪ 4 front pockets ▪ Long knitted ...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- Christian Dior by John Galliano Brown and Cream Suede and Lace Dress, FW 1999By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Brand: Christian Dior ▪ Creative Director: John Galliano ▪ Collection: Fall-Winter 1999 ▪ Sold by: One of a Kind Archive ▪ Fabric: Laser-Cut Suede, Lace, Silk ▪ Details: Cream...Category
1990s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Dolce & Gabbana gold lace and python shirt dress, ss 2005By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in London, GB▪ Dolce & Gabbana gold lace and python shirt dress ▪ Python trim ▪ 4 front python flap pockets ▪ Matching python belt ▪ Rolled-up sleeves ▪ Tortoise butt...Category
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Two-Piece Beaded Gown by Puerto Rican Designer David Fernandez Is the Embodiment of 1970s Glam
On the Met Gala red carpet, this vintage ensemble would bring the heat.
Madonna Wore the Same Plunging Azzedine Alaïa Design on the Cover of ‘Cosmo’ in 1987
The gold silk stunner was part of a knockout collection that changed the trajectory of Alaïa's then-troubled brand.