#6869 $750
Scaasi satin cocktail dress, late 1950s-early 1960s
Scaasi's designs have been described as high spirited and sculptural. With saturated color and dramatically shaped skirt, the stunning dress is both. Whether designing couture or ready-to-wear, Scaasi's aesthetic consistently focused on shape over embellishment.
A rare example from his early career, the dress is a special find for the serious collector. Scaasi's ready-to-wear business gained recognition when one of his designs appeared on the cover of Vogue (12/1955). The ready-to-wear business was relatively short lived, lasting until 1964.
At that time, he ceased to produce the line, opting instead to open a couture salon. He returned to ready-to-wear only in 1984 when he launched Scaasi Boutique.
The dress is fashioned from rich royal blue satin. The bodice is lined with black China silk; the skirt is lined with black organza. The dress closes in back with a hand-stitched metal zipper. It has a "Harzfeld's/Kansas City" store label as well as the Scaasi label—see bottom picture.
Scaasi is an important name in fashion because he consistently produced exquisitely beautiful cocktail and evening wear. In the 1980s, his ready-to-wear sold for over $1,000 and his couture for about $5,000. He has made evening wear for five First Ladies.
The condition is excellent. It is clean and ready to wear.
It measures: 40" bust, 30" waist, and 42" from shoulder to front hem.
