RARE Excitement

It is the fantasy of many a collector of vintage haute couture to find a dress by Madame Gres not to mention, dresses! But our never ending search to bring exciting and unique pieces of wearable and collectible vintage to our RARE vintage blog readers and clients is our mission and our pleasure. The Wall Street Journal recently devoted a page to the discovery of these dresses.

For many designers the grueling amount of creativity needed to sustain collection after collection and to continue to grow and remain relevant eventually exhausts their resources. Madame Gres is one of the few designers to have had a long and remarkable career. Alix Barton opened her first couture house in 1934 and after a falling out with her associates, opened a new salon calling it Gres in 1942. She showed her last collection in 1988. Even in the 1970s she worked with Guy Bourdin to produce provocative and revolutionary advertising campaigns and layouts in French Vogue.

All of these dresses are signature pieces of Madame Gres' work. The teal silk jersey is the classically inspired style most immediately associated with Gres. It is a fantastically beautiful gown and it is only when looked at more closely does the technical brilliance of its design become evident. The draped cowl neck is one piece of fabric that becomes the slashed open sleeve. It is this kind of technique that makes her work so unique and appealing to collectors. And it is incredible on the body!

In the 1960s and 1970s Madame Gres incorporated elements from saris, kimonos and caftans. Our two-piece rose silk ensemble's top has kimono sleeves.

The multi colored silk aqua dress is an amazing draped gown. Well known for sculpting with fabric, this dress shows her ability to sculpt in a soft languid fabric like chiffon. It is very couture hippie. It is also very refined and elegant but whimsical too in the large scale flower print. And on the body it is spectacular and special.

1970s rust colored two-piece silk evening ensemble with dramatic dolman sleeve top.

1970s draped acqua silk chiffon gown. The bubble shaped back gathers at the waist. Labeled Gres.



1970s teal silk jersey dress with draped cowl neck. Lined in teal organza.
Labeled Gres.



1970s two-piece rose silk evening ensemble with kimono sleeve detail. Labeled Gres.

1970s two-piece electric blue silk chiffon evening ensemble with fine dense pleating at the waist. Labeled Gres.

For more information about these items please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

It is Naughty and Nice

This is a beautiful silk chiffon navy dress with tiered ruffles from Oscar de la Renta's first haute couture collection for Pierre Balmain in January of 1993. Oscar de la Renta was the first American since Mainbocher to design a couture collection. It is elegant and at the same time has a bit of sizzle in the playful peek of leg and waist. High strappy silver sandals would look amazing with this dress! Size 4.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

A Nina Ricci Ballgown

Romance, splendor and exuberance all find expression in this late 1980s Gérard Pipart for Nina Ricci haute couture ballgown. Ribbons, delightful bits of sparkle and a grand silhouette recall the eighteenth century but the vibrant red, green, purple and yellow floral print is for a modern girl. The laced corset is body conscious with all of the volume billowing out in the skirt and train. There are even horsehair panniers (now, how many gowns in your closet have panniers?). A dress for a grand evening statement. Size 4.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Oh Say Can You Say Surplice?

Claire McCardell is known for creating American sportswear fashion. It was not about the lady who lunches but the girl about town who was active and independent. And since Independence Day is almost here we thought that we would celebrate with one of our greater designers. This 1940s Claire McCardell for Townley wrap dress with surplice neckline in a light and fresh navy seersucker with decorative white topstitching is simple, sexy, wearable and collectible (which is what RARE vintage is all about).
Size 6/8.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

A Fine and Important Pierre Balmain

Collectible and wearable are what we are always looking for in the pieces that we buy for RARE vintage. New York is the home of American fashion and we are happy to bring haute couture from Paris, Italy and London to Manhattan and to our clients from around the world.

This is a fine and important 1950s Pierre Balmain lace dress with black sash. Balmain is recognized for grande couture. His elegant and feminine designs were worn by the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich and Brigitte Bardot. This dress is particularly modern in ivory lace with contrasting black sash and full skirt.

For the Jolie Madame in all of us.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Fashion Icon: Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway was on Good Morning America this morning looking radiant in a vintage Mila Schon Due dress from RARE vintage. GMA host, Robin Roberts, called Anne Hathaway a fashion icon and we could not agree more! They also spoke about wearing vintage and getting a little help from a berry colored garment. Color, especially at that hour in the morning, is a wonderful thing!

Ultimate Fashion Moment

Here is a photograph of Michelle Trachtenberg at the opening of superheroes at the Met in vintage Yves Saint Laurent from RARE vintage with its matching belt by Goossens for YSL sharing a moment with Marc Jacobs and Amanda Harlech. Since Marc Jacobs is one of our most creative and important designers and Lady Amanda Harlech is a fashion world legend (in addition to having been muse to John Galliano early in his career and since 1997 has been working with Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel) we think that this definitely qualifies as an ultimate fashion moment!

Timeless Fashion

Fashion waits for no one. Summer pieces are being marked down 60 percent, Pre Fall collections are in the stores now, the fashion magazines are showing what is hot for the fall and Resort 2009 is on Style.Com. At RARE vintage we like to be au courant for our fashion savvy clients. After all, which connoisseur and devoted admirer of Yves Saint Laurent would not love to have the shearling from our earlier post in their collection waiting patiently for them for that first cool day!

And because classic fashion is timeless, here is a softly tailored Chanel haute couture dress from the late 1970s. The dress has a subtle all over ochre floral print and ruffled neckline that adds to the feeling of prettiness in this piece. The attention to detail and craft is remarkable. A perfect, pretty dress for a modern girl that could easily go from day to evening. Size 4/6.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Christian Dior 1954

In the fall of 1954, Christian Dior showed the "H-Line" collection based on the silhouette of a young girl and an exploration of volume. Both of which merge in this elegant black silk evening coat with sailor collar. There is the sweetness of a turn of the century school girl's costume and masculine borrowing from the boys but in a very refined and grand coat for evening. A collectible but wearable piece from one of the most important and celebrated couturiers!

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

The Russian Collection

This extraordinary shearling with wood beading is an important part of the Yves Saint Laurent legacy. The amazing Russian Collection is renowned for its luxurious haute hippie look. To even see this beautiful piece is incredible but to actually feel it is sublime.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

The Glamour of Yves Saint Laurent

Since Yves Saint Laurent's death on June 1st, many people have spoken about about his pantsuits and the tuxedos, sexily referred to as smokings (back when smoking was still sexy) as having changed the way women dress. Of course, we remember how alluring Marlene Dietrich was in her smoking in the 1930s but we could not all be Marlene Dietrich. That is until Yves Saint Laurent gave us sharp shouldered suits and louche tuxedos. With brilliant cutting and innate awareness of how women want to dress, it became possible to wear pants and feel powerful, feminine and sexy.

RARE vintage is happy to offer the following early 1990s pantsuits and tuxedos by Yves Saint Laurent.

Early 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche brown wool pinstriped suit with sharp shoulders and defined waist with oversize black buttons. Size 36.

Early 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche black skirt Smoking with oversize black buttons. Size 36.

Early 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Smoking with oversize black silk satin pockets. Size 36.

Early 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Matador style suit with extravagant jeweled buttons. Size 36.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273