Chanel Lineup Part Deux

We know that this is tough for you, but do try to focus on the suspects. This is the second batch from the Chanel gang bust we posted yesterday. Pay close attention to the height and other statistical information regarding each pair of suspects.

Suspect #1: Chanel large pearl earrings surrounded by black lacquer and gold picketed frame. Height 1 1/2", (Nickname "Snowball").
Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market
+44 (20) 7518 0680

Suspect #2: Chanel medium pearl earrings surrounded by ornate gold frame. Height 1 1/2", (Nickname "Shortie").
Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market
+44 (20) 7518 0680

Suspect #3: Chanel gold wheat earrings. Height 1 1/2", (Nickname "Kansas"). SOLD

Suspect #4: Chanel black lacquer buttons with gold rope details, Height 1 1/2". (Nickname "Shifty")
Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market
+44 (20) 7518 0680

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Chanel lineup

We've caught twelve members rue Cambon gang, Chanel. The suspects will be presented to you in a lineup. If any of these look like they could be the "one", please contact us immediately. We can only hold them for a limited time, then we will have to release them back into the general population, and I don't think any of us want that. Now prepare yourself, deep breath, here they come . . .

Suspect #1: Chanel cubist earrings with large amber and forest green griproix stones surrounded gold rope. Length 2 1/2" (Nickname "Cube-E")

Suspect #2: Chanel very large pearl earrings surrounded by thick gold rope. Length 2" (Nickname "Big Boy")

Suspect #3: Chanel trifecta of griproix earrings, gold with seven Griproix poured glass stones. Length 2". (Nickname "Trinity")

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

ROSIE THE RIVETER'S BIRKIN

If ever Rosie, the Riveter, were to have carried a Hermes Birkin, we think she would have opted for this lovely swift leather Birkin in this lighter shade of rose, which we will call Rosie.

Hermes Rosie 35 cm Birkin in Swift Leather, L Stamp 2008. Appears unused, comes with box and sleeper bag, plastic remains only on feet. SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

On the Fringe

If you were unable to make it to the Decades/MOCA fashion show and fundraiser, this is an opportunity so see what you've missed. This gown received a round of applause as it came down the runway (no surprise there). This fuchsia fringe work of art comes from Yves Saint Laurent and is Haute Couture. The gown is a one shoulder belted Grecian style gown that has been trimmed with long strands of silk satin fringe. As you can see from the first picture, the movement of this gown is amazing!

Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture fuchsia one shoulder fringe gown, c. 1970s. Contemporary size 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

IF YOU DON'T OWN A RED VALENTINO....

...then you aren't following our directions. There are a few Decades requirments (many of which tend to be of the Hermes and Chanel variety...just read the blog and you should learn the drill), but one of the mandatory steps one must take to graduate summa cum laude from the Decades Academy of Higher Fashion is a red vintage Valentino. This early 80s boutique red jersey dress is classy, sexy, "drapey", and in signature Valentino red. What appears to be demure and almost a bit conservative, actually accentuates one's figure as the draped and gathered jersey is clingy in all the right places. A key-hole below the bust and in the back give a little peak-a-boo of what lies underneath, but still retains a sense of decorum. The draped over skirt insures a fluid sense of motion when walking in this dress that will be the perfect addition to any closet of a fine student of fashion. Decades 101 once again!

Valentino Boutique red jersey draped long sleeve evening dress, c, early 1980s. Marked size 6, modern 4 to 6. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Women's Guild

For those of you who could not make it to our Fashion show/fundraiser last week with MOCA, here is another opportunity to see the Decades collection in action. Cameron Silver will be MC'ing the fashion show fundraiser segment at the annual Cedars-Sinai Women's Guild luncheon on April 16th at 11:30 AM. The event will include an informal salon style fashion show featuring many of our favorite iconic and glamorous 20th Century gowns from Decades styled with accessories from Saks Fifth Avenue and jewelry from Martin Katz. Christina Applegate will be honored at the luncheon. For ticket information, please contact Decades 323 655 0223, as this event is by invitation only.

All The Elements

This Ossie Clark dress has all the iconic treatments that have become synonymous with the dress. The dress is made from cream moss crepe, a material from which many Ossie pieces are cut. Now for some Details; pleated Keyhole front, open back, wrap dress, pleated balloon sleeve. We have had similar Ossie Clark pieces in before, but they had one or two of iconic details listed above, but not all of them. This dress truly sums up the Ossie Clark aesthetic; simple details, great fabric, fabulous cut. One last note, this would make the perfect wedding dress for a chic bride "in the know." To see some of our other Ossie Clark pieces click here.

Ossie Clark keyhole front backless cream moss crepe dress, c. late 60's. Contemporary size 4 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Oil Slick Ahead

Halston was not known for his bead work, but this piece is a work of art. This gown is black silk chiffon that has been covered in iridescent bugle beads. The multi-color beads give the dress the appearance of an oil slick, a very chick oil slick. The gown has a halter top, an empire waist, and the bottom fishtails. One might say this is Halston's version of the iconic mermaid gown. The first image below is straight out of our Halston book. The image was taken on August 16th, 1979 at the Olympic Tower runway showing of the Halston, Spring 1980 collection.

Halston oil slick bugle bead black chiffon gown, Spring 1980. Contemporary size small 6. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

OLE

Who wears a cape? Then again, who wears a mantilla? (Actually our friend Diane Pernet rocks a pretty high mantilla better than a young lady painted by Goya). What does one get when one mixes a cape with a mantilla?: Apparently this Arnold Scaasi tiered Chantilly lace tango gown with cape! This is what we call a show stopper dress. It's also perfect for the bevy of black tie galas and weddings rapidly approaching in the spring and summer. Have to play dress-up in the Hamptons or St. Barths? Then wear this. And don't negate the cape. Trust us, when the sun goes down, the shoulders get chilly, so this cape is a statement and a nice alternative to the pashmina you have been schlepping all over. The dress can work also strapless and the back is so sexy. This a dress for which vacations are made!

Arnold Scaasi tri-color Chantilly lace spaghetti strap tango dress with cape, c. late 1970s. Modern 4 to small 6 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

GETTING "JIGGY"

It is always reliable to own a few Hermes Jige clutches. They go day and evening. One can throw one in a 40 cm Birkin and have some essentials in a neat package. Beyond trend, these are the clutches that sit at the front of one's closet, since they are used over and over again. These clutches are extra delicious as they are appear unused (Brick color is from 1997, and the Black color from 1999) and they are priced at around twenty percent less than current Hermes retail so not only are these essential additions to the closet of a chic Decades client, but these won't break the bank. Clutch us in the morning!

Hermes Jige clutches. Brick leather, 1997. Black leather, 1999 Both SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Channeling CoCo

Three more Chanel bags to add to the Decades collection (and possibly yours). The first is a rouge woven basket bag with leather strap and top. The interior lining of the bag is a red moire material. These woven bags hardly ever surface from closets, as they are produced in extremely limited numbers. The second bag is a black lizard 2.55 classic (enough said). The last bag is black quilted suede with black leather piping. The flap on this bag is interesting because the corners have been trimmed giving it an octagonal look.

Chanel rouge basket bag, c.1980's. 10" x 4" x 8", strap is 19" long SOLD

Chanel lizard 2.55 black bag, c.1980's. SOLD

Chanel black suede bag with octagonal flap, c.1980's. 10" x 8" x 4"SOLD
Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market
+44 (20) 7518 0680

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

BACK STAGE GOSSIP

Leave it to reporter, author, and television personality Merle Ginsberg to unearth the back stage gossip from last Thursday's glamorous fashion show on Fashion Rules.com

STYLE.COM LOOK OF THE DY

It pays to go to a Decades fashion show as all five nominees today on Style.com's "Look of the Day" were guests at last Thursday's An Evening of 20th Century Glamour. Who will you VOTE for?

DEAR DIARY

Read the beautiful and always fashionable Annelise Peterson's charming Diary of the Decades Vintage Couture Fashion Show An Evening of 20th Century Glamour to benefit MOCA on Fashion Week Daily's awesome website. The copy will make you chuckle and the picture are great!

HAPPY CLUTCH

An Hermes Jige in baby blue leather is a clutch you will want to clutch! We have a few brand new Jige bags we will post in the next few days, but this gently used and pre-owned Jige is a great pop of color that will put a little pep and pop in your step.

Hermes Jige leather clutch in baby blue, c late 1980s. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Diffused Elegance

It may be diffusion, but this raspberry taffeta dress looks and feels like Haute Couture. This dress is Christian Dior New York, a diffusion label of the greater Christian Dior that was around during the 1950's. This Dior diffusion label was before the pret-a-porter (ready to wear) revolution swept the fashion scene, offering couture looks to a wider audience. Yves saint Laurent was the head designer at the House of Dior when this piece was produced. This makes the dress highly collectable because Yves only designed five seasons for Dior before being called to duty. Also, Yves Saint Laurent was the only assistant Christian Dior ever had.

This dress represents that classic 50's cocktail shape with a large bustier bow pulled taught to the right. The back of the dress is gathered and pleated at the waist, and there is a thin waist belt done in the same raspberry taffeta. If our amazing description has not swooned you, check out the dress above, on a live (fabulous) friend of the store.

Christian Dior-New York raspberry taffeta dress with bust bow, c.1958. Contemporary size 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Icarus would be jealous

The word steel evokes images of large, heavy, immobile objects. The Yves Saint Laurent steel silk charmeuse gown below is the antithesis of said evocation. This column gown moves with the sustained grace of a Martha Graham dancer, fluid without appearing messy. The shell of the gown is a heavy weight silk charmeuse that is backed with grey crepe chiffon. There is an interior body-hugging column, topped with a bustier done in the same steel silk charmeuse. This dress floats on the body, giving the wearer the wings necessary to fly across any grand ballroom that might get in her way.

You can view this gown paired with a fantastic Geoffrey Beene coat in a past post named "Ultimate Hoodie" Here.

Yves Saint Laurent steel silk charmeuse column dress with interior bustier, c. early 1980's. Contemporary size 4.

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Please read Booth Moore's blog about Thursday night's Evening of 20th Century Glamour fashion show on The Los Angeles Times website or check out Booth's video footage of the evening here. We will be posting photos (red carpet, front row, runway, and backstage over the next few weeks). Plus a high-quality video will be posted soon, too.

WHO WORE WHAT?

The amazing London-based Catherine Kallon's website http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/ is always the first to identify what the stars are wearing down the red carpet. Fashionistas around the world count on Catherine to answer the proverbial question: "What are you wearing" Well, here is what the glamorous guests at last night's benefit for MOCA featuring a fashion show of 20th Century Fashions wore as astutely gathered by the stunning Ms. Kallon. We only wish Catherine had been in LA to attend...she loves gorgeous colors on the runway, and we delivered them last night!

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

Read Rose Apodaca's fantastic rundown of last night's triumphant 20th Century Glamour Fashion show at MOCA. We think you will love Rose's photos, too!

Patou for YOU

If an Easter garden party has you all in a tussle, wondering "what on earth am I to wear?" Here comes Decades to the rescue with Jean Patou in hand. This canary yellow day dress is made from a very light weight linen. The linen is light enough to keep you cool in the sun, but strong enough to keep its shape in humid conditions. There are large yellow buttons all down the back of the dress from the over sized collar to the pleated high waist skirt. Above is a photo of Lisa Rinna attending an event in the same Jean Patou dress.

Jean Patou canary yellow linen dress, c.1960's. Contemporary size small 4.

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

WHAT TO DO ON THURSDAY NIGHT!

Don't miss the stunning fashion show ‘An Evening of 20th Century Glamour’ benefiting The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles this Thursday, March 19, 2009 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. The front row of celebrity guests - decked in vintage from Decades - promises to be as glamorous as the gowns coming down the runway!
Co-Hosted by actress Rachel Griffiths and Cameron Silver, the fashion show will feature a myriad of 20th Century Haute Couture gowns from Decades, styled by Petra Flannery, with shoes by Brian Atwood and jewelry from H. Stern. Make-up is designed by MAC; and Jonathan Antin has created a signature chignon for the LA Models.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m and the runway show will start at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at only $50 (proceeds benefit MOCA) and are available for purchase online at www.DowntownLaFashionWeek.com
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA is located at 152 North Central Avenue in the Little Tokyo section of Downtown Los Angeles.
For press inquiries please contact:
Alyson Dutch, CEO
BROWN + DUTCH PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC.
www.bdpr.com310.456.7151 x1
We hope to see you there!
Team Decades

Daryl Hannah, Eat Your HEART OUT!

Jewel tones anyone? Norman Norell, created an iconic gown known as the Mermaid which became a status symbol in the 1960's. This is one of the Mermaid sample gowns from a runway show, done in amethyst. This piece is the first of many Norell Mermaid gowns that we will be posting. We have recently obtained a collection of Norell Mermaid gowns from a woman that purchased Norell runway pieces and collected the press/advertisements that went along with the collections (as seen above). This particular Mermaid gown is a lilac silk jersey, covered in amethyst metallic paillettes. These gowns will not last, and this particular one will be in a runway show this Thursday in downtown Los Angeles. If you like this piece, we recommend you come down and see it in person.

Norman Norell amethyst mermaid gown, c. mid 1960's. Marked runway sample CLARE405, Contemporary size 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

BARBIE'S BIRKIN

Apparent, Barbie turned fifty and Ken bought her the perfect gift: an Hermes 32 cm HAC Birkin in fuchsia Chevre leather.

Hermes 32 cm HAC Birkin in fuchsia Chevre goat leather, I stamp 2005. Unused in box, plastic on hardware. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

MAKE ART NOT WAR

The Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week (DLAFW) (www.DowntownLaFashionWeek.com will kick off LA’s Fashion Week with ‘An Evening of 20th Century Glamour’ benefiting MOCA on March 19, 2009 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Hosted by actress Rachel Griffiths the runway will feature Cameron Silver’s vintage couture collection, styled by Petra Flannery, with shoes by Brian Atwood and jewelry from H. Stern. Make-up is designed by MAC; and Jonathan Antin has created a signature chignon for the LA Models. Louis Verdad’s new Louver collection will be shown, along with photos by August Bradley, and a video installation about the designer by film director Robertino Fonseca, Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets start at only $50 (proceeds benefit MOCA) and are available for purchase online at www.DowntownLaFashionWeek.com.

CREATIVE AND FESTIVE

Certainly you have received an invitation which suggests a dress code of "Creative" or "Festive." Might those be the two scariest fashion dress code dictates that appear on an letter press invitation? Well, once again we have the answer; and, once again, it's Yves Saint Laurent to the rescue. Creative and festive means an LBD on steroids and this black strapless hammered silk dress is trimmed in peach organza and has a terrific and coquette-ish matching bow for your derriere. Add some tonal patent shoes (we are digging Brian Atwood's spring collection at present) and diamond studs and you will be both creative and festive, but not a victim! Leave it to Yves Saint Laurent to dress you in an appropriate manner when the dress code suggests something that might be construed as costume.

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche hammered black silk strapless festive dress with peach organza, c. early 1980s. Modern 6 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Lady of the Rings

This teal viscose jersey gown comes to us from Loris Azzaro. On both the front and back of gown are two central rings that tie the whole piece together. The rings serve as meeting points for the five panels of fabric. The halter top consists of two ruched panels which meet at the bust creating a small V neck. The halter top connects to a ruched horizontal waist belt that is bookended by the two rings. Falling from the waist belt is a long skirt gathered at the front ring. This color screams warm weather, and the material is a perfect match for those balmy summer days we are all longing for.

Loris Azzaro teal viscose jeresy gown with ruched halter and ring accent, c.1970's. Contemporary size 4.

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

FOREVER AND EVER

Every woman needs a forever gown in her closet. It's the gown that you know will always fit; always be appropriate; and may be re-invited a dozen times with different accessories and jewelry. It's the type of gown that is season less and timeless. It's a gown that is amazing with evening flats or sky high sandals. It's a gown that wouldn't look out of place at the Oscars or the AMFAR dinner in Cannes, but is also rarefied for a dinner at the White House. Here is that gown: an Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture black silk satin halter that we feel can be worn as pictured or back-to-front. A sensual bias cut with neck and hip bows, this is a gown that defines elegance and proves that subtle drama is as desirable as a gown with a swooping skirt and a cornucopia of embroidery. This one is a keeper.

Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture black bias cut halter, c. mid 1970s. Modern 4 to 6 SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

21ST CENTURY HALSTON - SAMPLE SALE IN LOS ANGELES

COUTURE FOR A CAUSE

What do you get when you mix stunning gowns designed by the great Haute Couturiers of the 20th Century (think Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent) with Brian Atwood's amazing colorful shoes and H. Stern's bold gold and mixed gem jewelry; plus add MAC make-up and Jonathan Antin's hair styling; all combined with Petra Flannery's take on vintage coming down a Hollywood red carpet? Well, you get an evening of 20th Century Glamour to benefit The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Hosted by Rachel Griffiths and Cameron Silver. Tickets begin at only $50 and can easily be purchased by clicking below:

http://dlafw.inticketing.com/evinfo.php?eventid=32395&sid=
Please join us at the The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA 152 North Central Avenue in Downtown Tokyo on Thursday March 19th. Doors open at 7 pm and the Runway show begins at 8 pm.

The star-studded audience promised to be as gorgeous as the gowns coming down the runway, too!

Seperate but Equal

These two dresses come from a designer that evokes visions of elegance and languid luxury. Halston is his name, and the game in this case is embroidery. Both dresses below are done in organza, one baby blue and the other cream. Both dresses are embroidered with metallic blue or gold bugle beads in a layering pattern. This is where the differences begin, the blue dress has been altered. There was a zipper added to the left seam of the blue dress and a satin slip has been sewn to the interior of the dress. The gold dress has the original nude chiffon slip and and there is no zipper. Both dresses come from the Halston 1981 collection (Spring/Summer, if we had to guess).

Halston blue embroidered organza dress with side zipper, c.1981. Contemporary size 4-6 Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market +44 (20) 7518 0680

Halston gold embroidered organza dress, c.1981. Contemporary size 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

AVOID A ROUGH LANDING

When sky diving in Couture, may we suggest this Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche parachute silk balloon skirt? This skirt will surely break the fall. The Mediterranean blue gathered waist skirt is a very interesting design that has no hem. Rather, the bottom of the skirt folds under the top in one seamless sweep. It's a really marvelous construction that gives the skirt a sense of weightless-ness. We are showing it with a simple cream silk Ted Lapidus blouse, but we think a ribbed tank would look terrific with it or a Pucci print top, too. As for shoes, if ever a skirt demanded sandals, this would be the skirt. There is something vaguely Prada about this skirt, but it's a Saint Laurent design from the late 1970s and Miuccia Prada often references the maestro's designs in her collections. Ideal for spring travels, this bubble of a skirt will bunch up nicely in your trolley bag and refrain from wrinkles. If only our face would refrain from wrinkles after a long-haul journey!

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Mediterranean blue silk bubble skirt, c. late 1970s, Marked size 40, Modern 4 to 6 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

COOL SHOES

UPDATE: THE FRONT ROW HAS SOLD OUT.

The upcoming March 19th fundraising fashion show featuring 20th Century glamorous gowns from Decades and benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles keeps getting better! Stylist extraordinaire Petra Flannery (her clients include Faith Hill and Zoe Saldana and outfitting Reese Witherspoon in the new spots for Avon) will add her impeccable taste with top-notch styling. We are also thrilled to announce that Brian Atwood will be making sure are models aren't barefoot, but rather walking the runway in Brian's fantastic and sexy shoes. We will be announcing our jewelery partner shortly, too. As for the clothes, Petra has selected everything from a Christian Dior from 1958 to a Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture from 1978 all the way up to a Thierry Mugler from 1988. Gorgeous gem colored gowns will make this fashion show a colorful experience. Please order your tickets today as seating is limited. Please order your tickets here:
http://dlafw.inticketing.com/evinfo.php?eventid=32395&sid=

Cascade in Cream

Decades strives to only buy pieces that are in as close to perfect condition as possible. This Holly Harp dress is a fabulous exception to this rule. When we received the dress there was a small hole in the cream knit jersey that we had re-woven. If one is close enough to the garment it is possible to see where the repair was made, but it certainly isn't obvious to the untrained eye.

This dress is cream jersey that has been draped in such a way that the bottom of the dress swags both in front and back. The neck and shoulders are lined with pearls, and dripping under the arms are three strands of pearls. As we assert, we rarely purchase things in less-than-perfect condition, but this one is truly a rare find that we had to share with our beloved clients. We have sold vintage Holly Harp dresses since we opened in 1997 and this dress is a great example of Holly's wore from the late 1970s.

Holly Harp cream jersey dress with swag and pearl drip, c. late 1970's. Marked size Petite, Contemporary size 4-6. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Through the Glass

This month the window features a lovely red Valentino gown. Be sure to check it out on your next stop to Decades.
Valentino red column "Haute Couture"-style gown with dramatic taffeta adjustable train and two red bows, Fall 2005. Modern size 4, no label

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

ULTIMATE HOODIE

Who doesn't love a hoodie? Ironically, one never uses the hood of a hoodie, but the look of a hoodie is so sporty chic that you automatically have the illusion of being a jockette, just by having a hood coming down your back. Well, hoodie lovers UNITE! This is the hoodie to end all hoodies. This will take the juice out of your Juicys. A Geoffrey Beene silver lurex full length hoodie (and this hood is super sized) that has wide old Hollywood glam silver fox cuffs. We've shown it over an Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture steel strapless column gown, but this is terribly chic over a cashmere turtle neck and tailored pants, too. Having a beach party? Leave the terry robe in the bathroom and throw this on top of your barest Eres maillot. Expecting "company"? Greet your guest wearing this over a Kiki di Montparnasse next-to-nothin' teddy and we guarantee a fun night. Whether you wear this over a gown, over something tailored or over nothing, we think this hoodie demands attention!

Geoffrey Beene ultimate hoodie in lurex with silver fox glamour cuffs, c. 1970s. No size
Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market
+44 (20) 7518 0680

Belt sold seperately BELT IS SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

The Future is Chloe

This amazing black gown comes from the mind of Karl Lagerfeld while at Chloe. The majority of the gown is made from silk crepe with a peek-a-boo silver lurex lining. The lurex lines both front pockets, the collar, and the cuffs. The collar is sewn on in such a way that it appears to be a jacket over a black silk blouse. Four sets of three silver buttons run down the back of this gown. The dress is constructed to appear like a jumpsuit, but it just isn't. There is a black woven YSL belt shown on the gown that is sold separately.

Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld silk crepe jumpsuit style gown with silver accents, c.1980's. Contemporary size 4-6.

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Beene Mosaic

From the mind of Geoffrey Beene we bring you this silk satin mosaic print dress with wrap. The dress has an empire waist and is trimmed with a dark blue grosgrain ribbon. Just under the center of the bust is a bow detail that snaps off when getting in and out of the garment. The dress comes with a large square shawl cut from the same cloth as the dress and lined with the same ribbon. The mosaic print on the dress has a floral motif, making this a fabulous choice for a spring garden party.

Geoffrey Beene silk floral motif mosaic dress, c.1960s. Contemporary size 2-small 4 Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market, +44 (20) 7518 0680

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

10 Strand

We have a lovely take on a Chanel classic pearl bracelet. The bracelet pictured below is 10 strands of gold chain with 4 or five strands on each chain. The strands alternate in amount of pearls, 5 -4-5-4 and so on. The total count is 45 pearls, 5 strands of 5, and 5 strands of four.

Chanel 10 strand gold and pearl chain bracelet, c.1980's. Length 7", Width 3".

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

THE BABA

In 1972, Loris Azzaro designed this jersey dress he named "The Baba." A halter of jersey connects to a collar of abacus beads hand-knotted on a web of jersey strings that criss-cross sensually down the back. Additional strings swag to the floor and provide for some high-drama from the back of the dress. One of our favorite Decades red carpet moments was when model and actress Carolyn Murphy wore a green Baba to the Met's Costume Institute in 2004. The theme was the Goddess and Ms. Murphy certainly captured the essence of what it means to be a Goddess. The dress caused a sensation and was a great fashion moment as the stunning Murphy ascended the stairs to the top of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This version of "The Baba" comes directly from the original owner who purchased the dress in Rome. She chose a vibrant purple for her Baba. Now all we need is the girl who will turn a sheath of jersey and beads into a dress worthy of a Goddess.

Loris Azzaro "Baba" of purple jersey, 1972. Modern 4 to 6 SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

La Crema

Simple, short, and very MOD, this James Galanos dress is perfect for celebrating the upcoming vernal equinox (March 20th). The dress is made of a heavy silk crepe and the interior is lined with cream silk satin. On either arm there is a pleated gusset that opens when one bends their arm. The large pleat in the front holds a small pocket on either side, perfect for an I.D. and small cell phone.

James Galanos cream silk crepe MOD dress with pleated gussets, c.1960. Contemporary size 2- small 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

ALL DECADES RUNWAY

Decades cares! On Thursday March 19th Decades will fill the runway with amazing gowns from the world's most celebrated designers of the 20th Century to benefit The Museum of Contemporary of Art in Los Angeles in conjunction with Downtown LA Fashion Week. Support the Arts and enjoy a memorable showcase of incredible dresses. The show is co-hosted by Decades proprietor Cameron Silver and actress Rachel Griffiths.

Go to http://www.downtownlafashionweek.com/ for more 411

or click right here straight away to purchase tickets starting at just $50

http://dlafw.inticketing.com/evinfo.php?eventid=32395&sid=

NOT A RE-EDITION

Who doesn't want to own an original Cristobal Balenciaga? Although current and mega-talented Balenciaga Artistic Director, Nicolas Ghesquiere, offers a collection annually called "Edition" composed of 6 to 8 re-issued archival designs originally made between 1930 and 1968, below we offer you a chance to own and wear an original Haute Couture dress designed by Cristobal Balenciaga in the 1960s. The baby-doll silhouette was originally featured by Balenciaga in 1957, and this empire waist interpretation of the baby doll also infuses the Spanish heritage of Balenciaga in the three beautiful tiers of black lace on the skirt. The bodice is elegantly draped and trimmed in black satin. The chiffon covered straps are augmented by black satin bows that gently cap each shoulder. In amazing condition and purchased form its orignal owner, too.

It's not a bad 24 hours when Decades posts a Christian Dior from 1957 on a Thursday and a Cristobal Balenciaga on a Friday. Both divine black dresses and both the type of vintage with which dreams are turned into reality!

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture black chiffon and lace baby doll evening dress, c. 1960s. Modern size 4 SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

2 minis and some caviar

For those of you that do not yet have a classic Chanel handbag, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Below are photos of two classic mini 2.55 bags, one in navy and the other in chocolate. In the center of the photo is the iconic black caviar bag with gold hardware. The caviar bag interior is visibly worn, but the exterior is in great condition. The navy 2.55 mini has a burgundy interior and is in great condition. The chocolate 2.55 has chocolate interior and is also in fine condition.

Chanel black caviar leather bag, c.1980's. Measurements 9 x 3 x 7
SOLD

Chanel navy mini 2.55 leather bag, c.1980's. Measurements 7 x 2 x 5 SOLD

Chanel chocolate mini 2.55 leather bag, c.1980's. Measurements 7 x 2 x 5 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

1957

Update: The enchanting new owner of this dress suggests its very Bette Davis as Margot Channing in All About Eve and we agree!

When we received this monumental Christian Dior Haute Couture silk evening dress from 1957, we immediately felt it had an Ava Gardner vibe. One may have seen the stunning Gardner wearing a similar dress out with Frank Sinatra at a fashionable Hollywood super club. A little nostalgia is always a desirable way to describe a dress as grand as this one from Mr. Dior's last year of living. Purchased from the original owner, this dress was very gently worn and lovingly stored. This Dior was titled "Caracas" from the Spring 1957 collection. With swept shoulders, a nipped in waist, and crinoline enhanced full skirt, "Caracas" may be a city in Venezuela, but this dress is the epitome of Parisian Haute Couture. We believe a woman of great style can make a black dress not look black. Wearing a Dior Haute Couture of this magnitude, the style setter radiates the colors of the rainbow - but that gets a little easier if you have some divine gems around your neck and on your ears, too! Come to think of it, this is a dress that compliments, rather than competes with, the jewels in the safe.

Christian Dior Haute Couture black silk grand evening dress, Printemps/Ete 1957. Contemporary size 4 SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

If it is Good Enough for Martha . . .

Lynn Manulis and Martha Phillips (pictured above) owned and operated Martha Boutique. The Park Avenue establishment sold the best fashions to the upper echelon of New York society for decades. Miss Martha carried designers that with which any avid blog reader would be very familiar; such as, Pauline Trigere, Oscar de la Renta, Geoffrey Beene and of course Halston. To quote The New York Times, Miss Martha and her daughter were "the doyennes of Haute Couture in America."

This Halston gown was purchased at Martha Boutique in the early 1980's. The dress is constructed form pleated lilac silk satin with eggplant polka-dots. The pleating fans out from a central bow of the same material just below the bust. This strapless Halston gown comes with a cocoon jacket made of the same silk satin polka-dot material.

Halston for Martha Boutique silk satin lilac polka-dot gown and jacket, c.early 1980's. Contemporary size 4- small 6. Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market, +44 (20) 7518 0680

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

10-in-1

This is possibly the most versatile gown we have sold. The designer is unknown, but whomever it was, was a genius. The main portion of the dress is made from a silk satin material with a yellow, green and brown stone pattern that is attached to an inner bustier top. The outer shell is a layer of glazed liquid metallic chiffon material with the same pattern as the satin material.
Now for what makes this dress so very special: Hanging from the front of the bustier top are two large triangular swaths of the glazed chiffon material. The pieces are gathered and join in the back on either side of the zipper. The fabric pieces can be used to turn the dress into a halter, or a one shoulder, or a cross back, and so on and on and on. The options for this gown are limited only by ones imagination. Below, please find some options with which we created. This is for a goddess who likes a lot of options. Sometimes, one can't decide what to wear, but with this gown, one has to decide "how" to wear it!

Anonymous glazed liquid metallic chiffon dress with neckline options, c.1970's. Contemporary size 4. Now available through Decades London at Dover Street Market, +44 (20) 7518 0680

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Pearls and poured glass

From Chanel comes another classic faux pearl and gripoix poured glass gold necklace. The necklace consists of sets of four large pearls, broken up by sets of green poured glass, cut clear glass, red poured glass, clear cut glass, and again green poured glass. Then the sets repeat all around the gold chain necklace. There is a stamp on the necklace marking it as from a collection in 1985.

Chanel Griproix and faux pearl necklace, 1985. Length 20"SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

Wrapped in Paillettes

This fabulous black one shoulder Chloe gown comes from the Lagerfeld era. There are large swaths of high pile fuchsia paillettes over fuchsia chiffon covering the top and bottom of the gown. The paillettes are applied in such a way that they appear to be piled on top of one another. When the light hits the paillettes they sparkle like a fuchsia mirror ball. The majority of the gown is constructed from black silk crepe, the paillettes wrap around the bust, and come up from the bottom ending at a point in the back of the dress.

Chloe Lagerfeld era black silk crepe dress with fuchsia paillettes, c.1970's. Contemporary size 4. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

EAST WEST

Last night, Decades proprietor Cameron Silver joined Tiffany Dubin at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for a discussion titled "Fashion Faultlines" exclusively for members of the esteemed Costume Institute. The discussion was moderation by Andrew Bolton and the audience actively contributed their opinions on comparing the style of the two Coasts. Derek Blasberg just posted his reflections on the Coast-to-Coast comparison on Style.com. Read all about it!

We will be posting a LOT of vintage couture and accessories today and through the week, including spectacular Balenciaga Haute Couture, Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture, and many Hermes Birkins will be coming on-line, too.

Light and Fun LBD

This Teal Traina LBD is great for those upcoming warmer weather events. Although it's around twenty degrees in NYC today, the temperatures will rise later this month and this dress will be good to go. Featuring a hint of mod blended within its empire waist/baby doll silhouette, the square neck shaped of the dress is jazzed up with bars of crystal ribbon over the shoulders and under the bust which reflect light. This is a LBD that sparkles. The foundation of the dress is made of silk crepe with two layers of black silk chiffon over it. The dress may be worn bare or more demure with the optional chiffon overlay.

Teal Traina black chiffon LBD with crystal ribbon, c.1960's. Contemporary size 4

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.

NOT SO ANONYME AFTERALL!

UPDATED!

We would like to thank Decades blog-reader Kristen L for identifying this dress which is Valentino!

Original Description from 14 February 2009:

It's Valentine's Day! Everyone's favorite fabricated Hallmark holiday! Today's the perfect day to be the "Lady in Red." And Decades has the perfect dress, but we have no idea who designed it. We do know that the designer knows a thing or two about drama. Using the base of a classic red crepe column to showcase one's figure, a dramatic red taffeta over-skirt with adjustable train takes this gown from basic to ballistic. Throw in two huge bows (one at the waist and the other below your booty) and presto you have a gown that's ready for a ball. The gown was likely made in the 1970s, but the design is inspired by late 1950s Haute Couture styles. Please note that the train can be worn at full extension or the hidden eye and hook can be attached for a more narrow train, as the pictures below reference.

Valentino red column "Haute Couture"-style gown with dramatic taffeta adjustable train and two red bows, Fall 2005. Modern size 4, no label SOLD!

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting.