This is a fabulous dress from the Valentino boutique label. Valentino launched his ready-to-wear label in 1962 just two years after opening his first couture salon in Rome. In 1970 he expanded and opened a boutique in New York. The desire to attend the opening was so popular that it shut down the city. Traffic was backed up 3 blocks with people trying to get in on opening night. His ready-to-wear was done to give everyone access to the Valentino experience. He often based the boutique designs from his main couture label and in the early days pieces were remarkably close in quality and the line between the two labels was often blurred. This is a beautiful example of that.

I love the soft and romantic lines that this dress has. The dress skims over the body and is easy to wear and very flattering. It is made of crepe finish silk chiffon mixed with a lighter in weight silk chiffon for the ruffles and netting at the waist. The silk has just enough weight to hold the shape that you see, but still feels light on the body. . And of course it is in his famous Valentino red. The neckline is set on an angle with a wide strap, that curves up and over one shoulder. The silk is gathered in at the top of that strap to create the pretty draping that you see at the front and the back. It skims over the bust to meet a net cut out at the waist. The top of the netting follows the ankle of the bodice, and the bottom lays flat along the waist seam. I love this bit of transparency that lets you see the body underneath, but still keeps you covered. Another band of silk is angled down across the hip to soften the line at the waist and add detail. The skirt falls out under that. The skirt is a masterpiece. Perfectly spaced little panels are done all the way around the hips to just about the knee area. They open out from there into soft pleats that allow the skirt to have volume and widen out as it nears the hem. Set into every fourth pleat is a panel of silk chiffon that falls to the hem and is done on an angle to create the fantastic vertical ruffles that you see. When this is on and you move you are going to get the most incredible movement when you move. The silk is light in weight and yet has enough structure to hold the shape so it does not collapse around you once you are standing still. It is genius in its execution and quite beautiful. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a red silk and closes with a side zipper. An inner waist stay hooks to close. Tagged a vintage Valentino 10 

Bust: 16-17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to  waist
Total length: 53" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4765

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