Style / Fashion

Vintage dresses from Chanel, Pierre Balmain and more auctioned by Sotheby’s Paris

The classic dress gets its very own day in the sun with an auction that features pieces from as far back as the 1920s

Jul 18, 2017 | By LUXUO

Ever wanted to own a classic ‘LBD’ — that means Little Black dress for those who are unfamiliar — from the roaring 20s or swinging 60s? Kerry Taylor Auctions will be joining Sotheby’s in Paris to present an auction that features vintage dresses from French fashion antiquarian Didier Ludot’s private collection. A dealer in vintage Haute Couture, you can find no one else who is better suited to provide women with such exquisite creations.

To be held on October 3, the auction is a follow up to the initial sale in 2015. The collection is one that has been put together painstakingly and includes designer pieces from Chanel, Jean Patou and more. Frequent visitors to the Metropolitan Museum in New York may find some of the dresses familiar, having been displayed previously, such as those by Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Balmain and Yohji Yamamoto.

There are several pieces that keen bidders may want to keep an eye out for, apart from the 20 designs by Dior that will be featured. The top of the list is a classic that was created by Lanvin in 1938, that features a simple contrast piping on the neckline. Chanel joins the fray with a ruffle-trimmed chiffon shift dress from 1960 that has a satin waistband, while Givenchy’s LDB by Alexander McQueen from 1998 that features an open back.

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Also not to be missed is Lucien Lelong’s demure LBD from 1947, a testimony to his draping expertise and a chic silk faille cocktail dress, featuring oversize lapel by Dior from 1950, encapsulating the label’s controversial taste for post-war frivolity. Delicate silk pumps featuring an Ottoman toe or kingfisher feathers are just some of the shoe highlights by Roger Vivier that will also feature at the sale, along with a selection of furs.


 
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