UNFADED GLORY

There are few times that you come across a gown so beautiful that you feel intimidated by. This is one of such occasions.

Balenciaga was born in the small fishing village of Guetaria in the Basque region of Spain on January 21, 1895. From his early years, he spent many hours by his mother's side as she worked as a seamstress. In his teens, the most prominent woman of his town, the Marquesa de Casa Torres, became his patron and client, sending him to Madrid for formal training in tailoring and proudly wearing the results. Balenciaga found early success in his native country. He opened branches of his boutique Eisa in Madrid, Barcelona, and the fashionable seaside resort of San Sebastián. His designs were favored by the Spanish royal family and fashionable members of the aristocracy. Balenciaga then moved to Paris where he staged his first runway show. He had worn the world over. Women did not have to be perfect to wear his clothes. His clothes made them beautiful. In 1953 he introduced the ballon jacket, an elegant sphere like shape that put the wearer's head on a pedestal. This silk red gown was created in 1955, capturing both the new silhouette for women and the color of his beloved homeland, Spain. With a double label and in perfect condition, this 57 year old gown is fit for a museum and at the same time absolutely wearable. It is the perfect second wedding dress, and red carpet ready.

-Eri 

Eisa by Cristobal Balenciaga red silk gown with capelet, 1955. Modern size 2 to small 4. 

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-1960. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing.

BULLITT POINT

Nothing is more rewarding than discovering the provenance of a treasured dress.  My favorite way to acquire goods for Decades is from the original owners, but when an Eisa comes to us that was designed in 1952, as time goes by, the likelihood of the original owner coming to us with her dress becomes more and more occasional.  Fortunately the amazing Igor Zubizarreta of the Balenciaga Foundation in Madrid helped me discover that this Eisa gown designed by Cristobal Balenciaga was originally owned by the fascinating Anne Moen Bullitt. A similar model was photographed  by the late Gleb Derujinsky in April of 1953.  The picture is appropriately titled "Models on the Balcony." 

American socialite Anne Moen Bullitt lived in Spain from around 1948 to 1952.  At the time, she was married to Nicholas Duke Biddle, who was serving as a foreign service officer at the United States embassy in Madrid.  Eisa was the name of Balenciaga's original surviving label based in Spain (other business ventures floundered prior) that he founded in 1927.  Let's call Eisa his homegrown Couture and the Cristobal Balenciaga label his Parisian branch.  Bullitt was a famous collector of clothing and amassed a formidable collection of Balenciaga, Sybil Connolly, Lanvin, and Yves Saint Laurent.  Bullitt's fascinating history has totally consumed me.  Her mother was Louise Bryant, the American journalist who witnessed the October Revolution in Russia and was played by Diane Keaton in the film Reds.  Her father was William C. Bullitt, the first US Ambassador to the Soviet Union  from 1933 and 1936.  Among other things, he was psychoanalyzed by Sigmund Freud.  Bullitt and Freud actually authored a book about Woodrow Wilson together that they worked on in the 1930s, but it wasn't published until 1967. 

As you can read, Anne Moen Bullitt was surrounded by fascinating 20th century figures and certainly dressed the part from the day she was born in 1924 to her death in 2007.   She was famously tiny with an 18 inch waist and apparently a rather full bosom.  Dita von Teese could fill out this dress exquisitely.  Interestingly, Bullitt was the first female breeder and trainer of thoroughbred horses in Ireland

I can't stop reading about her and her family.  So much so that I haven't written much about the dress.  But this Eisa is extraordinary...as was the original owner.  I expect the next owner to be fill the shoes and bust of Ms. Bullitt and enjoy telling the tales of the past owner while she makes her own in a cream silk and puce tulle ball gown.

-Cameron

 

Eisa by Cristobal Balenciaga of cream silk and puce tulle gown, c. 1952.  Size zero with an18" waist. 

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-1960. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing.

AQUA NET

I am a bit confused as I am getting conflicting answers as to when Aqua Net first came out:  some say the 1950s (which makes sense to me), but others way the 1980s (in tandem with the hair band glory days).  The history of Aqua Net has nothing to do with this 1960s Balenciaga Haute Couture aqua hued dress other than the sublime color of this 1960s dress.  You will see me sandwiched below by pink-haired Julie Macklowe and actress Abigail Spencer who is wearing the Balenciaga dress with great success.  I am sold on the color and the timeless style.  It's really what Decades is all about: vintage that looks modern.  So spray some Aqua Net in your hair but avoid it touching the precious fabric of this effortless dress by one of the masters of 20th Century design.
-Cameron

Balenciaga Haute Couture mousseline aqua print dress, 1960's. Modern size 4.

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-1960. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing.

FRENCH FASHION AT IT'S MOST FABULOUS

This weekend, two of the most important forces in fashion, Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier, have museum exhibits which will debut: YSL at the Denver Art Museum and JPG at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. To celebrate these designers, whose works are moving pieces of art in themselves, our co-owners Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos hand-curated two amazing collections from the past to the present of seminal pieces from each designer.

Curating both was a joy for Christos and Cameron, who have been avid collectors of both YSL and JPG for years. In fact, excavating past and present Jean Paul Gaultier was a particular pleasure for Christos as Gaultier is one of his "absolute favorite designers. We were treated to a sneak peek of the exhibit at the de Young. And it is out of this world. Our collection, which showcases seminal Gaultier staples from the designer's madcap trompe l'oeuil prints to his whimsical take on the mariniere to Gaultier's mad-for-plaid luxe grunge gowns, includes something for everyone."

As for Cameron, showcasing so many pieces from Yves Saint Laurent's, is exciting, not just to behold each piece's spectacular beauty, but to witness the progression of a "profound body of work that continues to influence fashion today. From basics like prefect gem colored silk blouses to dramatic strapless velvet gowns, YSL created the modern woman's wardrobe from day to evening." Amongst Cameron's favorite pieces: "I am mad for the strong shouldered jackets influenced by menswear and so perfect in the 21st century with a pair of jeans and the bijoux fantasie offers extraordinary examples of the power of costume jewelry to transform an ensemble."

Be sure to shop the collections and add a piece of fashion history, not to mention things of beauty, to your wardrobe now.

Click HERE to shop the ultimate in chic, YVES SAINT LAURENT!

Click HERE to shop fashion's OG enfant terrible, JEAN PAUL GAULTIER!

BALENCIAGA! 84150

One of my favorite women in Los Angeles has a new gig. Katherine Ross has been named the US Brand Consultant to Balenciaga and she will be phenomenal in this role as she is in everything else she does.

This made me think of the various Balenciaga gowns and dresses we have sold at Decades over the decades such as an amazing feather gown from the 60s, a mint organza gown with crystal bodice (you can find these on the blog) and then I thought of this terribly chic Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture LBD that is actually much more than just a LBD from the 1950s.

This dentelle lurex lace bateau neck dress has an effortless shift silhouette in a phenomenal fabric that is what Haute Couture is all about. The lurex lace is layered over a similar silhouette of fine black silk that is revealed slightly at the arm holes of the dress and at the hem. And what is "84150"? Why, it's the handwritten model number behind the esteemed black and cream Balenciaga label. This is the epitome of chic and the very definition of true luxury.
-Cameron

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture lurex lace bateau neck cocktail dress. c. 1950. 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1966

The metallic brocade party coat is a 1960s staple, often worn over a matching dress with gloves and a sensible top-handle purse and shoes. That was then, this is NOW: In the 21st century, we wear these coats with skinny jeans and a turtle neck when we want to look glamorous in the day as temperatures start to drop in the fall. The Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Coat rose coat below is from 1966 and we imagine it was worn on many festive occasions. We are certain you will party in 2010 like it's 1966 when you wear this coat over a LBD to a cocktail soiree, too. Fortunately, the original owner didn't party too much in the coat, so it looks quite fresh and not like a 45 year old memory of decades past. We imagine her to have been a glamorous Baroness with a streaked bouffant, who leaned politically liberal and by 1969 had let her hair fall to her waist and switched from metallic polished accessories to hippie couture and Woodstock regalia. This is our fantasy of the original owner, but we are fantasizing about the new owner, too...and that is up to you.

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture evening coat of rose brocade with silver lurex, number 100415 for 1966. Modern size 4 to 6 (narrow shoulder). 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

ACQUA DI BALENCIAGA

You may have heard of Acqua di Gio, but have you heard of Acqua di Balenciaga? This is a Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture gown in aqua (get the pun?) gazar featuring an intricate top of metallic embroidery with crystals and silver pearls. Between the gorgeous color, classic silhouette, and sophisticated metallic embroidery and applications, this is a gown that creates a "moment" of red carpet flawless glamour. Wear you hair in a chignon, your lips red, and a Vivier metallic pump and disappear into a world of high glamour and Haute Couture. It's a dying world, but we are bringing it back one gown at a time!

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture aqua gazar evening gown and stole, No. 72776 for 1960. Modern size 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

A VISION OF VISON

Certainly you have heard of Christmas in July and today we offer fur in 90 degree weather, but not just any fur. This is a Balenciaga Haute Fourrure white tourmaline mink pelerine or cape from the 1960s that one could actually wear on a summer evening over a slip of a dress. The fur is in impeccable condition as the previous owner kept her furs (we will post a horizontal mink Balenciaga coat when the temperates do go down from the same collection) within Revillon's cold fur storage, so they look and feel like a just-procured J. Mendel but for less money and with a Balenciaga label. The oyster silk lining is also super fresh and the jacket has a delicate hook and eye for hands-free glamour.

Balenciga Haute Fourrure white tourmaline mink cape, c. 1960s. One size fits most. 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

REACH OUT AND TOUCH THIS BALENCIAGA

If we could get your hands on this evening manteau by legendary Cristobal Balenciaga, you would be intrigued by the fabric and raised texture of the silk, which the French call soie cloquee ouatinee. Alas, if you aren't with us in Los Angeles, we are just going to have to seduce you with our description of this berry-licious coat that is marvelously festive and the work of a great artist whose canvas of fabric belies explanation as the swirls and wrinkles of silk are simply extraordinary. The relaxed silhouette with raised non-collar makes this Couture coat very versatile in a sporty way with jeans or dressed up over a perfect cocktail dress. The evening coat is one of those surprisingly useful pieces in a women's wardrobe. Take a basic LBD and give it a little razzle dazzle with a shot of texture and color. An evening coat, keeps you warm and makes you look hip and isn't just for a grand evening, but easily works dressed down when you don't want to look too "down."

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture coat of raspberry silk "cloquee", Number 92790 for 1964. Flexible sizing from 4 to 8 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

NAVY AND IVORY

Sometimes when we are taking photos of our latest arrivals, a client comes in and falls in love and the vintage collectible leaves Decades like an unrequited love. Such is the case with this Cristobal Balenciaga. As we were taking photos, someone said "I have to have this" so before we could tuck in the blouse and add the belt, we were stuffing the dress with acid free tissue and sending it away to a new home. We wanted to share it with you regardless and have a few more Balenciaga Haute Couture pieces from the 1960s that will post in the coming week. Just act fast, as this one got away before we could share it with all of our vintage couture loving friends - at least we have the photo as our memory and the new owner will wear this incredibly elegant ensemble with much joy and with the belt!

Cristobal Balenciga Haute Couture ensemble of perforated blue and white silk, Number 93894 for 1965. 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

WHEN PAINTING IN PROVENCE....

A Decades' client spends the summers in Provence painting fields of lavender in oils, cobblestone alleys with pencils, and glorious sunrises using watercolors. And she does so in Balenciaga Haute Couture, of course! This late 50s smock is rather decadent when painting in Lacoste, but when worn with white cropped jeans (wait for the Decades Denim "Marilyn" for Holiday 2010!) and a pair of requisite espadrilles, it's an E-ticket to artistic genius even if your painting talents are questionable! The raw silk "baby doll" has a white pique collar and an optional belt that nips your waist to take you from Van Gogh to Vanderbilt in one simple knot. If Avignon isn't on your itinerary then live the fantasy, buy an easel, and paint in your backyard - but do it in Balenciaga!

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture navy raw silk "artist smock" blouse, c. late 1950s. Size 2 to 8 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, so may offer you a high level of personal service.