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#2556 $1,600 Gold floral lamé dress, early 1930s. Made from floral printed silk brocaded on the outside with metallic gold, the dazzling dress is shorter in front and longer in back, anticipating the longer styles of the 1930s. The neckline, which plunges lower in back, emphasizes the dip of the back hem. The overall color scheme is transitional between Art Nouveau and the clashing colors of Orientalism. Here are the complementary pastels of the Art Nouveau palette (buff, brass, copper rose) side by side with glittering gold and cadmium orange. NEW LISTING | |
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#2557 $1,600 Goddess-style silk lace dress, early 1920s. Made from layers of silver gray silk lace over an attached slip of mauve/pewter satin. The silver adds a hint of sparkle, while the mauve tint gives some warmth to the neutral color scheme. The bodice features a softly draped, cape-like, outer layer over a fitted under layer with short sleeves. Beneath the stylish refinement, there runs an undercurrent of sensual excitement. The masterful over-the-shoulder draping intimates Classical, goddess-style draping, the oldest and most compelling idiom in the Western costume lexicon. NEW LISTING | |
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#7150 $1,950 Babani metallic embroidered flapper dress, 1920s. Her work often exhibits that mix of invention and historical borrowing that constitutes the life of a true art form. In Madame Babani's original garments, she created, not only the image, but also the reality of the allure of the East combined with Parisian chic. The ravishing dress was made from deep salmon-colored silk velvet. The neckline is outlined with applied metallic cord. The magnificent embroidered hem border is a textural creation of couched metallic cord in tones of gold and bronze. NEW LISTING | |
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#4142 $1,800 Sold Boué Soeurs style lace dress, c.1920. Made from oyster colored cotton tulle with matching handmade filet lace panels, this fabulous dress from a French collection has exquisitely subtle textural coloring. The hand-embroidered floral design has a very faint blue tinge, which suggests fine Appenzell embroidery. With its delicate curvilinear leaves and tendrils, the embroidered central floral motif shows the influence of the early Art Nouveau aesthetic. At the neckline and hipline are the type of ribbon art flowers favored by Boué Soeurs. NEW LISTING | |
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#c366 $1,650 Sold Boué Soeurs style lingerie dress, c.1925. Made from sheer white cotton batiste, this masterpiece of the needle arts has side panels of matching cotton tulle. It is embellished in the manner of Boué Soeurs with medallions of handmade figural needle lace, delicate floral hand embroidery, and scalloped handmade filet lace borders. Lace is the ideal medium for the ultra-feminine floral design. The refined floral embroidery has the poignant charm of springtime in bloom—and of enduring love. NEW LISTING | |
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#1256 $750 Sold Embroidered tulle flapper dress, 1920s. Cut from a single piece of black tulle, the dress is seamed only on one side above the draped panel. The other side is shaped at the waist with tucks. The simple construction allows the eye to fully engage with the magnificent embroidery with black lace leaf appliqués. In the inspired Deco design, a brilliant, tri-colored rose takes center stage. The resplendent rose, queen of all flowers, is attended by entwining myrtle leaves and jet-black, fan-like, lace appliqués. The blooming roses convey the romantic sensuality of a Renoir painting. NEW LISTING | |
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#2456 $800 Sold Embroidered lace flapper dress, 1920s. The stylish dress features panels of hand-embroidered flowers bordered with handmade filet lace. The simple, straight style is softened in front with fullness below the drop waist. A matching slip will make a subtle statement; a contrasting slip will showcase the needle work. The deceptively simple design vertically repeats a semi-abstract floral motif. On each side, hand-embroidered panels reinforce the symmetry of the design, conveying a pleasing harmony, which delights the eye and soothes the spirit. NEW LISTING | |
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#6807 $9,800 Sold Fortuny stenciled silk gauze wrap, c.1920. The caftan-style wrap allows a body-clinging gown to show through. The 3/4-length wrap is cut square with openings for the arms. The edges are trimmed with coral-colored Venetian glass beads. A stenciled Fortuny garment has minimal cuts so that the garment can serve as a canvas for the art work. The hand stenciling is done with real gold metallic pigments aged to a mellow hue. His stenciled pieces are built layer on layer, achieving the effect of an old fresco. From the "alchemist" of textile decoration, whose magical effects have never been reproduced. | |
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#2517 $1,600 Deco beaded evening dress, late 1920s. The torso is decorated with alternating stripes of opaque white and clear crystal beads that swirl toward elaborate beaded medallions on one side. The scalloped hem border of the original flapper dress has a looped fringe of clear crystal beads. The elaboration of the curvilinear motifs is quite striking. The theme and variations on the geometry of the circle are worked out with great ingenuity throughout the design. It is as if the harsh geometry of Euclid has been trumped by the feminine principle. | |
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#6988 $5,900 Gallenga stenciled velvet cape, 1920s. Best known for medieval and Oriental designs stenciled in shades of silver and gold, Gallenga is renowned for the mysterious, Gothic quality of her designs. Made from black silk velvet and lined with silk velvet, the rich red velvet hue has a mesmerizing quality. The red velvet facing was attached to the body of the cape before it was stenciled. The facing was hand quilted after the stenciling was completed. The full signature "Maria Monaci Gallenga," part of the stenciled pattern, has been cut to fit the shape of the cape. | |
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#c337 $3,800 Jeweled metallic lace evening ensemble, c.1925. Wearable high style evening wear from the 1920s in good condition is virtually impossible to find. Made from gold metallic lace in fine condition, the magnificent ensemble has a matchless splendor and brilliance. The lace is embellished with jewel-tone glass beads and faux pearls. The sparkling beads on a golden canvas convey a regal, luxe work of costume art. The intricate, semi-abstract design uses rounded (feminine) motifs, including the ancient tear-drop boteh. The dress comes with a burnt orange silk chiffon slip. The cape is totally lined with matching burnt orange silk velvet. | |
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#6955 $1,400 Beaded chiffon flapper dress, 1920s. Made from cream colored silk chiffon, the torso is embellished with a cobweb style design of white glass beads—some opaque and some clear crystal. The fluid quality of the masterful design accentuates female curves. The neckline is bordered with open work. The dress has a celadon green ribbon cummerbund at the hipline. The hipline medallion glitters with rhinestones and silver-lined crystal beads. The bias cut skirt, which drapes in soft folds, has a wide beaded hem border in the cobweb pattern with more medallions. | |
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#2535 $1,800 Handmade Brussels Duchesse lace wedding train, c.1900-1920. The train is shaped to attach to your gown at the shoulders. The upper portion features a small floral pattern of Brussels bobbin lace; the lower portion has wide borders of Duchesse lace. The subtle elaborations and intricacies of the floral design are of the last degree of charm. Here are the highly stylized, flowing, curvilinear forms characteristic of Art Nouveau. A rare and exacting technique is required to achieve the refined and subtle complexity of Brussels Duchesse, a Belgian lace style developed in the 1850s. | |
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#7078 $1,250 Beaded chiffon flapper dress, mid 1920s. Covered with an undulating pattern of clear crystal beads, the two-piece dress consists of an over blouse and a matching slip. The plain top of the slip is crepe de chine; the slip skirt has layers of beaded chiffon petals that match the hem border of the blouse. One shoulder is decorated on both front and back with large daisy-style flowers of opaque white glass beads and silver lined crystal beads. This was a dress for a pretty young women from the Eastern social elite who had that curious mixture of the social and artistic temperaments found in society women and actresses. | |
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#6990 $4,200 Worth sequined evening dress, early 1920s. The asymmetrical design, slightly reminiscent of the classical Greek chiton, is a masterpiece of construction. One shoulder has a strap of glittering rhinestone rosettes. The flat, self-bow design on the other shoulder is repeated on the opposite hip. The bands of sequin trim, all the same color as the dress, sparkle and shift color in reflected light. The name "Worth" was then, as it is now, synonymous in Western culture with quality, sophistication, elegance—in short, with value or worth. | |
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#7079 $850 Gold evening shoes, c.1927-1933. During the prodigal 1920s, the demand for luxury shoes was met by an explosion of surface decoration and color. Gold kid shoes with elaborate decoration met the demand. They appealed to the appetite for extravagant, expensive accessories. These sexy evening shoes were the last word in style. They are fashioned from gold kid leather with cutwork accents. The narrow straps close in front with small gold tone buckles. The Louis heels are tall and slender. | |
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#7068 $850 Black silk lace dress, 1930s. The long straight torso of the dress is broken at the waist with an attached peplum, which is fuller in back, and above the knee with a bias-cut flared skirt. The rounded neckline plunges dramatically low in back. This sophisticated dress features bold black roses embroidered on a delicate ground of net and leaves. Our wonder at the amazing verisimilitude (normally seen only in fine art) of the embroidered roses and leaves certifies the design as a true marriage of nature and art. | |
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#6992 $6,200 Gallenga hand-stenciled velvet coat, c.1925. Made from dove gray silk velvet, the magnificent coat has the long, partially open sleeves Gallenga regularly used in her famous tabard tea gowns. The three-quarter-length coat is gently shaped with hand-stitched pleats at the shoulders and back neck. In an elaborate pattern of medieval winged creatures and Chinese Fu dogs, the silver-and-gold stenciling on gray velvet is rich and subtle. The stenciled pattern is among her best because of the extensive elaboration of the symmetrical design. Here, Gallenga uses half the coat length to work out her inspired design. | |
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#2505 $550 Silk chiffon/lace nightgown, 1930s. Made from sheer silk chiffon with wide borders of beige cotton lace, the loose fitting nightgown has deeply cut armholes and a narrow self sash. The front bodice is embellished with fine pin tucks. Especially endearing is the band of diminutive silk chiffon roses. The leaves are green silk ribbon. The pastel hues underline the demure charm. Who can resist the soft curves and unapologetic femininity of this alluring beauty? | |
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#6641 $9,800 Sold Fortuny silk Delphos tea gown, 1920s. Based on the pleated linen chitons worn by Greek maidens 2500 years ago, the Delphos gown has preserved the poetry of line of the Greek robe. Incredibly soft and liquid, molding to the curves of the body, the gown is an unconditional statement of beauty, which adapts itself to the wearer and the occasion. Comes in the original box. The ultimate in high style glamour! | |
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#2441 $800 Hand-embroidered flapper dress, late 1920s. The skirt is open on the sides up to the thigh. The fullness in the torso is controlled with many pin tucks, front and back. The T-shirt style dress slips over the head with no closures. The simple unstructured style is effortlessly modern; the abundance of fine hand embroidery and handmade lace is a treasure of antique needle art. The skirt is hand embroidered with a graphic black-and-white pattern of grapes and exotic fruits. The carefree, whimsical style conveys the joyful exhilaration of the late 1920s. | |
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#2514 $1,250 Bias-cut velvet evening dress, 1930s. Made from black rayon velvet reverse printed with bronzed metallic gold, this chic dress epitomizes the seductive sensuality of 1930s glamour. In reverse printing, the floral design is blocked out so that the printing pigment covers the remaining ground. The mysterious, semi-abstract floral design would be the envy of the most beautiful leopard in the jungle. In front, the dress features a draped cowl neckline. In back, the overlapping surplice style creates a plunging "V". The faux sleeves are open over the shoulder and draped under the arm. | |
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#2088 $800 Hand-embroidered silk dress, c.1924. Made from ivory silk Chinese shawls exquisitely hand embroidered with bouquets of mixed flowers. The simple sheath style is the ideal canvas for the embroidery art. The skirt features overlaid panels of embroidery open on the sides. The panels are top-stitched by hand in silk floss along the top edge. The design reflects the conflicting stylistic influences at work during the mid 1920s. The simple, graceful silhouette hints at the streamliined Deco of the late 1920s. The superbly executed floral design looks back to the sinuous, curvilinear plant forms favored by Art Nouveau. | |
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#2515 $1,250 Beaded silk chiffon dance dress, 1930s-40s. Made with an outer layer of black silk chiffon over a black silk crepe slip. The beige chiffon top of the slip is attached to the dress at the neckline. The sleeves and belt front are embellished with large opaque white beads and clear crystal seed beads. The ankle-length gored skirt flares above the knee with inserted bias-cut panels and flounces. This is a Ginger Rogers dress! With swirling skirt and sleeves, a dazzling dance dress shaped for movement makes a great dance even more spectacular. | |
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#2445 $600 Reserved Satin and lace peignoir, late 1920s. Made from peach crepe-back satin and abundantly embellished with beige cotton lace, the exquisite peignoir shows why the 1920s in Paris marked the apogee of the golden age of fashion: the style and finish of clothing has never been equaled. I love the bias-cut lace sleeves and skirt panels. The lace floral design features delicate tendrils and vines waiting attendance on roses in the full bloom of the sun's love. The first time you surprise the man in your life in this super sexy peignoir, expect a positive reaction. Be prepared! | |
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#2476 $1,250 Reserved I. Magnin mink trimmed velvet evening coat, late 1930s. The sumptuous silk velvet coat shows the last flowering of 1930s glamour before the rationing of WWII. In this coat with an attitude, the plush mink trim signifies the woman who knows her value and expects the best! The shapely cut, with dramatic sleeves and flared skirt, is accentuated with bands of brown mink trim. The coat is lined with black satin; the clutch style has no closures. Here is the ultimate in style and elegance. Fashion goes out of style, but genuine style never goes out of fashion. | |
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#2439 $1,950 French beaded velvet evening coat, mid 1920s. Made from rose silk velvet and lined with peach satin. The sleeves and sides are elaborately beaded with alternating stripes of roses and geometrics. The sinuous, serpentine beading pattern is visually arresting. The main bands of the floral motif are executed with matchless mastery, conveying the exotic allure of the East. The bracketing patterns of linked circles add a delicate, feminine grace note to the design. The style and finish of clothing from the 1920s in Paris has never been equaled. | |
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#7069 $1,250 Velvet flapper dress, c.1925. Made from cheerful, cherry colored velvet, the sides are decorated at the hipline with large ruched velvet flowers and panels of metallic embroidered tulle. The edges of the flower petals are outlined with bronze metallic cord. The resplendent embroidery combines colorful silk floss and bronze metallic cord on a ground of sheer black silk tulle. The mellow burnished glow of the panels is the tribute that time pays to beauty. This is indeed that rare, luxurious dress that can produce the incandescent effect of a fashionable woman seen at her best. | |
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#7080 $450 French beaded velvet evening bag, 1920s. The softly structured bag is made from peachy pink silk velvet and lined with pink satin. There is one interior pocket. The front and back are both embellished with faux pearls and glittering rhinestones. The front of the silver frame is set with rhinestones; the back of the frame is plain. There is a metallic chain link handle. The bag is stamped "Made in France" in gold on the lining. Use this Jazz Age beauty with a vintage dress or to accent a modern piece. | |
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#6989 $1,250 Beaded chiffon dress, early 1920s. Constructed in layers attached at the waist to an inner petersham. The slip layer is brown taffeta with an upper yoke of matching tulle. The under bodice is ivory charmeuse. The rich muted shades of brown, gold, turquoise, blue, and rust in the printed pattern have been accented with blue and rose glass beads to stunning effect. The semi-abstract floral design has a subtlety that is mesmerizing. What accounts for the affecting feminine appeal? Is it due to the delicate transitions in the beading from one hue to a near neighbor? | |
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#6857 $750 I. Miller metallic brocaded shoes, early 1930s. The fab shoes were designed at the I. Miller shoe company during its heyday. The founder began his career by designing for famous theatre names like Ethel Barrymore and Mary Pickford. The shoes are fashioned from colorful printed silk with bronze metallic accents. The silk is bordered with gold kid leather. The sexy style features cut-outs on the sides and shapely Louis heels. They are stamped "I. Miller/Made in New York" on one insole. | |
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#4108 $1,200 Bias cut floral silk crepe dress, 1930s. Fashioned from navy/black silk crepe printed with large, cheerful floral bouquets. The halter front is attached at the back neckline to the back panel. The dress slips over the head with no closures. The floral motif is carried through with brilliant and delicate taste. The bias cut with the softly draped and almost bare back (fabulous back interest!) creates the fluid sensuality that we associate with glamorous 1930s dresses. | |
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#2512 $1,850 Reserved Devoré velvet flapper dress, mid 1920s. Fashioned from multi-colored devoré velvet cut to a ground of teal green silk chiffon, the torso is straight to the hipline. The bias-cut skirt below drapes in soft folds. The neckline and hipline are accented with inserts of beaded metallic lace. The skirt hem is bordered with loops of beaded fringe. The fabric, unbroken by nonessential seams or decoration, is everything. Against a vivid teal background unreels a scintillating symphony of color: pink, purple, navy, goldenrod, ghost white, blanche white. | |
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#6763 $850 French silk velvet jacket, 1930s. Made from soft black silk velvet, the luxe jacket reminds me of the clothing favored by the young American expatriates in the film, The Talented Mr. Ripley—the sort of ease and elegance that comes from money and leisure. They were not afraid to be stylish or artistic—or decadent for that matter. The shawl collar of butterscotch silk velvet ties at the back of the neck. The gracefully draped skirt of the jacket is bias cut. The ivory silk lining features a set-in pocket with bows on each end. | |
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#4105 $550 Sequined net evening cap, late 1920s. Here is the Twenties look of streamlined modernism, seen in all areas of design, in this cap with a charming turned up brim; a look that again seems fresh and relevant. You will be the party's darling cynosure in this one-of-a-kind, elaborately embellished cap with gold and orange silk braid, bronze metallic braid, and bronze sequins on a ground of black net. An ultra-fashionable cap like our evening cap would been part of a stylish, modern wardrobe in America as well as in England in the late 1920s. | |
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#6954 $1,200 Deco rhinestone/velvet evening dress, c.1925. The asymmetrical style is a triumph of design when viewed from any angle. The side train is especially dramatic. I also love the tension of style opposites: the plush sensuality of the silk velvet vs. the hard edged, pavé panels of rhinestones. Early 20th century dresses, made from real silk velvet, have a luxurious feel not found in modern synthetics. The magnificent Deco evening dress pairs an understated but luxe monochromatic palette with streamlined rhinestone embellishment in a stylish, sophisticated modernism. | |
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#1653 $1,250 Marcelle André evening dress, c.1930. Made from heavenly aubergine silk chiffon with lace inserts, the skirt has an amazing, intricate cut and molds to the hips before falling in soft full folds. The dress comes with a matching satin slip that has a nude silk chiffon top. In every era, there are creators who have fallen into obscurity due to a caprice of fate. Today, savvy collectors are beginning to research neglected designers and their work. I believe that Marcelle André was one such artist, whose creations deserve our respect and approbation. Magnificent labeled French couture! | |
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#2185 $1,950 French sequined evening jacket, 1930s. The hand-beaded jacket is fashioned from black silk organza, which is sheer like chiffon but has a little more body to hold the shape. It closes at the neckline and waist with small self-covered buttons. Lavishly hand embroidered with multi-colored, sequined flowers. The heart-shaped leaves are quite thrilling! The designer rivals nature in the brilliant profusion of color and form. A work of wearable art with the showiness and brilliance celebrated in the 1930s. | |
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#2391 $950 Chiffon evening cape, 1930s. Dramatically shaped with fluttering double layers of black chiffon that plunge from just below the bust in front to full length in back. The amazing scalloped edges are thematically repeated in the multi-layered petal collar. The cape closes at the neckline with two hooks concealed behind the corded chiffon trim. Is it the black chiffon cocoon or the exotic scalloping that creates an inviting yet enigmatic intimacy? The sphinxian cape will wrap a stylish woman in the mystery of the night, making an unforgettable impression as she makes a dramatic entrance. | |
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#2396 $2,600 Paquin velvet evening cape, 1920s. The attached upper shoulder cape with rows of ruffles across the back creates the illusion of sleeves, but there are no armholes. The layered, clutch-style cape has no closures and is lined with black silk crepe. Here is Paquin's originality and flair for glamorous, romantic clothing—couture as both a temporal art (music) and an immediate, instantaneous art ( painting). Like the former, couture reveals itself over time as the wearer makes her entrance. Like the latter, couture also has an immediate, instantaneous (yet permanent) effect on the first time viewer. | |
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#6919 $875 Beaded crepe evening blouse, c.1939. Made from black rayon crepe with a persimmon crepe neckline border, the blouse closes on the side with a metal zipper. The blouse is gently fitted at the waistline with darts above a bias-cut peplum. The beaded decoration—with a profusion of coral, turquoise, and burnished gold metal—is spectacular. Here is the showiness and brilliance in clothing celebrated throughout the Great Depression. The creativity of the design motif conveys a stylish elegance that the initiated understand, but which remains a mystery to the rest. | |
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#6918 $700 Beaded velvet evening blouse, c.1938. The blouse is fashioned from black rayon velvet. It closes in front with a metal zipper and can also be worn as a jacket. The sleeve caps have narrow pads to support the slight puff. With its coral and turquoise combination, the beading pattern is reminiscent of Navajo jewelry design. The pattern is outlined with burnished metallic gold beads. The bold beaded design executed in assertive, contrasting hues creates an almost hypnotic aesthetic tension that holds the viewer's eye. | |
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#7065 $850 Sold Chiffon and lace flapper dress, c.1925. The little black dress will outlive any fashion fad. In spite of the somber nature of black, the dress hints at the romance and mystery of the night. Made from black silk chiffon, it is sheer and will need a slip. A black one will make the dress more serious; a lighter colored slip will show off the lace. The skirt is open on both sides to mid thigh. The dress is decorated with bands of delicate black silk lace, creating a subtle sexual frisson rarely seen in the typical flapper dress. | |
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#2242 $1,250 Beaded tulle flapper dress, 1920s. This eye-catching beauty is gracefully styled with cap sleeves, deep open-side armholes, side-hip fullness, and a pointed hem. The dress is almost totally covered with a textured assortment of black glass beads. Small faceted seed beads subtly sparkle; bold bugle beads define the rosettes of stylized flowers. The dress slips over the head and closes at the back neckline with snaps. Here is truly a showpiece for the carefree mood of the brief Flapper Era. | |
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#7057 $750 Suede T-strap shoes, c.1927-1933. The rising hemlines of the 1920s focused attention on the exposed leg and foot. By the late 1920s, heels were higher, and cutwork over the toes was popular. The fabulous T-strap shoes were then the acme of style. These knockout shoes are fashioned from burgundy suede and lined with tan kid. The cutwork areas and straps are decorated with narrow bands of matching top-stitched kid. The straps close with brass buckles. The Louis heels are high and slender. | |
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#2239 $1,250 Brussels/filet lace dress, early 1920s. Made from hand-knotted beige linen thread, the flat surface is embellished with textured appliqués of handmade needle lace. There is long tunic of embellished handmade filet lace over a silk slip, which has a wide border of fine Brussels bobbin lace. The tunic slips over the head with no closures. The slip is fashioned from double layers of pale peach chiffon. The top border is ecru cotton tulle; the hem border is ecru handmade Brussels lace. The gossamer floral motifs convey a heartrending feminine beauty. | |
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#2270 $1,200 Caftan-style evening dress, 1920s. This superb example of Orientalism features a black silk chiffon caftan worn over a black satin slip. An ethnic motif added drama and mystery to the design and warranted the sophistication of the wearer. The caftan is embellished in front with a wide panel of gold metallic lace. The sides are open; inside bands at the waist connect the front to the back. The fetching silk ribbon flowers and the simple but ingenious construction create an irresistible feminine appeal. | |
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#2410 $650 Printed silk day dress, late 1920s. The floral print has a fresh innocence that is irresistible, perhaps due to the improbable purple binding around the edges or to the layers of flirty ruffles. The dress is fashioned from pale green silk crepe de chine printed with a disarming design of plaid lines and flowers. The sleeveless torso is straight to the hipline, where it breaks to overlapping rows of bias-cut ruffles. The large cape collar (tying in front) forms faux sleeves. The bodice front insert is of embroidered organdy backed with silk chiffon. Here is an endearing charm that will win all hearts! | |
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#4127 $750 French metallic lace cloche, c.1923. The mid-1920s cloche, or bell-shaped hat, is a perennial favorite because it perfectly frames the face. The frame is totally covered with bronzed gold metallic lace, while the crown is lined with gray silk and interlined with metallic gold lamé. The bouquet of silk ribbon flowers on one side is delightful. The flowers have soft pastel and metallic gold stripes. The striped ribbon used to fashion the leaves is textured with ruffled edges. Here is a verisimilitude that nature herself would envy. | |
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#2160 $650 French hand-embroidered silk nightgown, 1930s. The soft curves and luxurious silk set the mood; the exquisite hand embroidery and dainty hand finishing details have irresistible feminine appeal. The bodice is fashioned from a combination of pastel pink and blue satin. The scalloped floral motifs on the bodice, outlining the breasts, make a seductive, ultra-feminine filigree. The skirt is matching blue silk crepe de chine. The label reads "Suzanne Foly/Rue St Honoré 372/Paris." | |
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#2430 $1,250 Metallic lace evening dress, mid 1920s. Fashioned in layers connected at the shoulders and hipline. The under layer is a slip of black satin; the outer layer is made from black knotted net lace embroidered with black silk floss leaves and a zigzag pattern of burnished gold floss. The large gold lamé rose at the shoulder and the black-and-gold Deco clasp at the hipline are fabulous period details. The petal-shaped hemline is to die for! Here is a dress worthy of an exceptional woman, a hostess who unites graceful repose and unaffected dignity with the most amiable regard for others. | |
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#6628 $950 Chanel-style black flapper dress, c.1926. This creative interpretation of the LBD is made from black sheer silk chiffon over a black crepe slip. The Chanel exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in 2005 had a similar Chanel original. The floating back cape gracefully emphasizes the dip of the skirt. Both pieces slip over the head with no closures. The flirty handkerchief hem of the bias-cut skirt that dips lower in back is a delightful touch. The designer was obviously very au courant. The bias cut had been invented by Madeleine Vionnet in 1922, four years before this dress saw the light of day. | |
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#2315 $950 Silk chiffon & lace dress, 1930s. The body-conscious diaphanous dresses from the 1930s are treasured by collectors for their fluid grace. The ultra-feminine dress combines delicate, pale peach chiffon with matching silk lace. The body-hugging style is broken above the hipline with flirty bias-cut lace ruffles. The lace skirt falls in gentle folds. The silk lace motifs are executed with consummate artistry, creating a delicate floral design of the utmost feminine allure. This fabulous dress epitomizes the seductive sensuality of 1930s glamour. | |
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#4043 $375 Sequined evening cap, 1920s-1930s. Fancy evening caps were an essential part of the wardrobe of the most stylish flappers. Made from black cotton net totally covered with glittering silver blue sequins. I love the mixture of textured sequins on the crown. The cap has a look of streamlined modernism—so fresh and relevant today. The Juliet cap was in vogue in the 1530s and the 1960s. Now is time for another revival! | |
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#2411 $450 Belgium tape lace jacket, 1920s. The cream-colored lace jacket is hand assembled using straight tapes, shaped princess lace tapes, and fancy braided tapes. The patterns of tape are connected with hand-knotted fill work. The sleeves have cuffs that can be extended to accommodate long arms, like those of my manikin. The cardigan style is so versatile. You can wear it open as a jacket or closed as a blouse—there are small snaps in front. Wear the jacket with jeans or pair it with a long skirt and sandals. The jacket's crisp, clean lines will always attract admiring glances. | |
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#6950 $975 Silk velvet evening coat, c.1936. Made from luxurious silk velvet, the elegant velvet evening coat captures the glamour aesthetic of the 1930s. The collar is tightly pleated around the neck to stand up and frame the face. The coat closes on the inside with ties and on the outside with two self-covered buttons—one at the neckline and one at the waist. The leg-of-mutton sleeves are puffed at the top. The opulent burgundy hue gives our luxe coat an enduring significance and charm. Indeed, it is a coat with an "attitude," conveying both old money assurance and the confidence of supreme stylishness. | |
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#4119 $475 Mixed lace cardigan jacket, 1920s. Fashioned from ivory cotton tulle machine embroidered with an all-over zigzag pattern. Bands of lace outline the front opening, cuffs, and sleeve caps. The hem is trimmed with a wide border of floral lace. The jacket is open in the front with no closures. The airy lightness of the design is a treat for the eyes. Wear it with jeans or as an evening jacket. Either way, you will have the unique vintage "look" without the high cost of handmade lace. | |
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#7049 $750 Open toe linen shoes, c.1938. Open toe and open back strappy shoes with very high heels first appeared in 1938. Despite complaints about the exposure of the stocking toes and heels, the new styles were popular. With their sassy bows and cheerful polka dots, the shoes have a sprightly gaiety. They are made from beige linen printed with red, blue, green, and gold polka dots and are lined with brown canvas. The insoles are brown kid. The straps close with pewter colored buckles. | |
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#0979 $850 Beaded silk crepe party dress, c.1929. The figure-flattering long torso is covered with slightly iridescent black cut-glass beads. The design features large gray stars filled with cobalt blue beads. The body of the dress is attached to a flirty skirt of silk georgette ruffles. The marriage of a sophisticated long torso and a coquettish ruffled skirt makes for inspired design. Add the striking contrast of cobalt blue and sable black and you have an unforgettable fashion statement! | |
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#1640 $875 Beaded silk chiffon jacket, c.1928. The simple cardigan style is a timeless classic. The neckline opening is finished with self binding. What a brilliant kaleidoscope of color! The jacket is covered with a profusion of glass beaded roses in shades of rose, blue, green, and clear crystal. The flowers and leaves are outlined with metallic silver beads. The subtle intricacy of shading cannot be found in modern beaded pieces. The jacket showcases the final flowering of the brilliant Art Deco style. | |
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#4101 $475 Flapper velvet skull cap, late 1920s. By the late 1920s, the bell shaped cloche was pared down even more to become a skull cap. The look of streamlined modernism, seen in all areas of design, seems fresh and relevant today. This essential flapper accessory is fashioned from black silk velvet and is lined with black felt. The hard-edge skull shape is softened with bouquets of black velvet petals that frame the face. Skull caps are perfect for bad hair days—just tuck your hair up inside the cap and forget about it. | |
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#6906 $475 Handmade eyelet jacket, 1930s. Fashioned from beige hand-embroidered eyelet cutwork, the jacket is bolero length in front and longer in back and closes in front with one snap at the neckline. You can wear it with jeans, or as an evening jacket, or as a blouse. The fine wheel-and-diamond cutwork pattern has a mesmerizing fascination. The abstract motifs express inimitable delicacy and refinement. | |
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#6484 $1,200 Copy of Schiaparelli couture coat, c.1936. Made from a black wool/fur blend and lined with black taffeta. The red velvet collar is appliquéd with gold leather stars and turquoise-colored glass beads, showing her celebrated flair for color in eccentric combinations—typical Schiaparelli whimsy and daring.This is a literal store copy of a famous Schiaparelli couture coat from the Autumn/Winter 1936 collection. The original Schiaparelli coat can be seen on pages 488-489 of Fashion/The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute by Taschen. | |
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#6785 $850 Flapper printed velvet day dress, c.1925. The torso of the slip is black silk crepe. The attached skirt and over blouse are fashioned from silk velvet printed with a small scale Deco geometric design. Both the slip and the over blouse slip over the head with no closures. The style is effortless and easy to wear. The simple style is nicely detailed with open work at the neckline and pointed sleeves at the wrist. A draped, bias-cut front panel softens the straight lines of the skirt. A stylish "fashion uniform" from the 1920s! | |
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#7006 $1,950 Reserved Adrienne Landau 1920s style evening coat, 1990s. The exterior is lavishly embroidered with gold thread, Persian-style flowers. The collar and cuffs are luxurious black dyed Finnish fox. The coat is bordered all round with hand-knotted, black cord fringe. Landau's design philosophy of creating fashion "for someone confident about attracting the right kind of attention" has made her a celebrity favorite. The flapper evening coat—even in its modern incarnation—remains a perennial favorite: no other look combines such opulence with such youthful sass. | |
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#6949 $1,250 Metallic brocade/velvet evening coat, 1920s. The body of the coat is fashioned from luxurious blue silk velvet. The fit is loose and comfortable. The deeply set kimono sleeves present an inspired contrast of black and gold metallic brocaded satin. The opulence of black-and-gold (royal colors) makes an indelible impression on the eye of the viewer. Indeed, it is the burnished metallic gold brocade that epitomizes the luxe Art Deco design. If you have a flair for the dramatic, our brilliant coat for the grand occasion is meant for you. |