1970's Madame Grès Haute Couture Beaded Embroidered Ivory Sheer Silk Bridal Gown
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Hip: 36 in (91.44 cm)
- Style:1970s (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Beautiful condition.
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU30918492632
Madame Gres
Forever credited with having altered the fashion world with her pleated silk dresses, Madame Grès was one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th century. She defied the orders of Nazi soldiers and designed gowns and evening dresses that mirrored the colors and pattern of the French flag, working by hand with material that hung directly from live models. A consummate artist, Grès created garments that were demonstrative of exemplary construction and meticulous attention to detail — her signature floor-length gowns left a lasting impact on every aspect of haute couture.
Born Germaine Émilie Krebs to a French Jewish family in Paris, Grès initially studied painting and sculpture. For her, making dresses and working in sculpture were one and the same, and she pursued a career in fashion. Grès worked in millinery and was trained in haute couture dressmaking at the illustrious House of Prémet.
Grès opened her inaugural couture fashion house in 1932, and within a couple of years she began working under the name Alix Barton — the surname came from her coworker, couturier Julie Barton — calling her business La Maison Alix and creating gowns until 1942 in what became her signature style. She perfected modern pleating techniques and worked directly on live models, mostly with generous amounts of silk jersey and airy silk paper taffeta. Her designs showed the influence of Greco-Roman sculpture and would go on to help shape the work of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander and Azzedine Alaïa, who also thought of haute couture as sculpture.
Grès’s work was photographed by the likes of Horst P. Horst, and her gowns for Jean Giraudaux’s play The Trojan War Will Not Take Place in 1935 established her as a leading designer, though Nazi occupation stalled her growth.
During WWII, Grès refused to design the utilitarian garb that German forces requested and instead made clothes using the colors of the French flag as her own act of rebellion. Ultimately, she was forced to close her boutique in Paris. The designer married Russian painter Serge Czerefkov, changed her name to Grès — which is how her husband signed his name — and fled to the Pyrenees before returning to establish her second couture house under her new name.
Madame Grès’s second maison was widely successful and attracted a long list of rich and powerful clientele ranging from movie stars to royalty. A single dress could take hundreds of hours to complete. Some of the couturier’s clients became deeply loyal over the course of her career, including the Duchess of Windsor, Oscar-winning actresses Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo, iconic Tiffany & Co. jewelry designer Paloma Picasso and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Grès guarded her personal life closely and let her delicate, impeccable work speak for itself.
Original Madame Grès evening dresses and gowns, coats, jackets and day dresses, which transformed women into Greek deities, are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum at FIT and the Musée Bourdelle.
“Her dresses were about a sense of power, strength and beauty, not objectification,” explains Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Museum at FIT and author of Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion. “Everyone knows Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent,” Mears says, “but I believe that the great triumvirate was Madeleine Vionnet, Balenciaga and Madame Grès — those who knew how to make clothes with their own hands, couturiers in the old sense of the word.”
Find vintage Madame Grès clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Beverly Hills, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Vintage 1970s Travilla Ivory Chiffon & Lace Illusion Dolman Sleeve Bridal DressBy William Travilla, TravillaLocated in Beverly Hills, CAExtremely chic late 1970's ivory silk-chiffon and rose-print lace bridal dress from the iconic Travilla label. William Travilla designed costumes for...Category
1970s American Wedding Dresses
- Iconic 1999 Thierry Mugler Documented Sapphire Blue Silk Corset Strapless GownBy Thierry MuglerLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAn iconic and well documented Thierry Mugler 1999 fall-winter sapphire blue silk corset strapless gown with original $6500 price tag attached. With inflation, that would be over $15,000 today. This legendary French fashion designer is known for bold fashion and edgy, sometimes even campy, theatricality. Though Mugler stopped designing his couture and ready-to-wear lines in 2003 to focus on photography and costume design, his work has a lasting legacy. This seductive sapphire blue dress...Category
1990s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1977 Bill Gibb White Eyelet Cotton & Jersey Low Plunge Maxi Wrap DressBy Bill GibbLocated in Beverly Hills, CAEthereal Bill Gibb of London documented designer maxi dress dating back to his documented 1977 spring-summer collection. His pieces are very collec...Category
1970s English Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Vintage 1930's Floral Garden Silk Bouquet Appliqué Couture Old Hollywood GownLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThe breathtaking rich red and maroon watercolor deco floral print used on this late 1930's silk gown has a striking allure that I find irresistible. The elegant bodice has a low plun...Category
1930s American Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1930s Marigold Floral Garden Print Silk Flutter-Sleeve Ruffle Maxi DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThe vibrant marigold floral garden print used on this 1930's 'Ryder's of Philadelphia' designer silk maxi dress has a fresh innocence that I find irresistible. The bodice has a fanta...Category
1930s North American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Vintage 1940's Harry Cooper of Hollywood Ivory Sequin Chiffon Halter Bridal GownLocated in Beverly Hills, CAEthereal Harry Cooper designer ivory-crème gown dating back to the 1940's Old Hollywood era of glamour. Definitely something Lana Turner or Veronica Lake ...Category
1940s American Wedding Dresses
- Gianni Versace 1997 Couture fall black leather gownBy Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHGianni Versace was an influential Italian fashion designer who founded the Versace brand. In the fall of 1997, he presented his couture collection in Paris, which was widely acclaimed for its opulent fabrics, bold prints, and intricate detailing. The collection featured several notable pieces, such as a black evening gown with a plunging neckline and a gold-encrusted jacket. However, just a few days later, on July 15th, 1997, Gianni was tragically murdered outside his Miami Beach home. Despite his untimely death, his contributions to the world of fashion continue to be celebrated, and his legacy remains an inspiration too many. This collection is iconic as it’s the final collection before his passing. The collection very much showed a new direction for the house. Which was heading away from the bombshell curves and souped-up sex appeal that the house previously focussed on. But took more Inspirations to the new wave John Galliano and Mcqueen were leading. MET Gala: Salma Hayek y sus mejores momentos en la alfombra roja Vogue For the 1997 Met Gala Salma Hayek wore a very similar Gianni Versace look...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Christian Dior by John Galliano grey checked nylon sheath dress, ss 2000By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Christian Dior grey checked nylon sheath dress ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Spring-Summer 2000 ▪ Stretch nylon/elastane blend with a grey Prince of...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- John Galliano multicoloured viscose knit logo print maxi dress, ss 2002By John GallianoLocated in London, GB▪ John Galliano maxi dress ▪ Sold by One of a Kind ▪ Constructed from a viscose knit with multicoloured Galliano branded artwork ▪ V-neck ▪ Spaghetti straps ▪ Floor-length skirt ▪ S...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Helmut Lang black lace hooded shift dress, ss 1996By Helmut LangLocated in London, GB▪ Helmut Lang black lace hooded shift dress ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Spring-Summer 1996 ▪ V-neck ▪ Knee length ▪ Approx. size Small ▪ Made in Italy All photographs in thi...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Dolce & Gabbana gold lace and python shirt dress, ss 2005By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in London, GB▪ Dolce & Gabbana gold lace and python shirt dress ▪ Python trim ▪ 4 front python flap pockets ▪ Matching python belt ▪ Rolled-up sleeves ▪ Tortoise butt...Category
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Azzedine Alaïa green and black wool jersey wrap dress, fw 1982By Azzedine AlaïaLocated in London, GB▪ Azzedine Alaïa wool jersey wrap dress ▪ Green long-sleeve bodice ▪ Black knee-length wrap skirt ▪ Black patent leather straps with metal buckle ▪ Press studs at the center-back o...Category
1980s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Two-Piece Beaded Gown by Puerto Rican Designer David Fernandez Is the Embodiment of 1970s Glam
On the Met Gala red carpet, this vintage ensemble would bring the heat.
Madonna Wore the Same Plunging Azzedine Alaïa Design on the Cover of ‘Cosmo’ in 1987
The gold silk stunner was part of a knockout collection that changed the trajectory of Alaïa's then-troubled brand.