#1767 $850
Galanos sarong-style evening dress, 1970-1980
This casual evening dress has the effortless look of stepping out of the shower and knotting a towel around your bust. Only on close examination do you realize that the shape is meticulously crafted, and the dress is beautifully hand finished. The second picture from the bottom shows how the lines of the plaid form perfect chevrons in back, while the zipper is hand stitched.
The dress is fashioned from bias-cut silk satin charmeuse and is lined with black silk chiffon. The lines of the plaid are sparkling gold. The gold chevrons against a black ground create a look that is classic with a hint of 1920s retro chic in this sexy evening dress. (The chevron is an insignia of rank, and gold is a royal hue.) The wearer is obviously a member of that special cadre of fashion initiates whose smart attire always attracts admiring glances.
Galanos was one of the few couturiers whose name was known to the general public. This allowed him to change his design focus: "I was really interested in making collections for the public, ready-to-wear. But I wanted to do it in the couture method, where you use the finest fabric, the finest workmanship. The clothes are 95% made by hand, and the rest is a little machine sewing. That's my reputation." His self-appraisal is accurate.
When Galanos retired in 1998, he left a void in the world of glamorous evening wear. His clients were a roster of the most glamorous and famous women of the time: Bette Davis, Rosalind Russell, Elizabeth Taylor, and Diana Ross. They loved the signature Galanos combination: sex appeal in an elegant couture package with the highest quality construction and materials.
The condition is excellent.
It measures: 36" bust, 31" waist, 42" hip, and 47" center-front length.
