#6200 $950
Pedro Rodriguez beaded mini dress, c.1960
This exceptional satin dress was designed by the talented Spanish designer Pedro Rodriguez, admired for his beautiful, elaborately beaded eveningwear. Like his friend Cristobal Balenciaga, Rodriguez favored luxurious textiles and sculptural cuts. Rodriguez' designs sometimes turn up in the wardrobes of wealthy Americans who traveled in Spain from 1950 to 1970.
The dress is fashioned from substantial-weight ivory silk satin and is lined with matching silk. The dress closes on the side with a metal zipper. The beading is a work of art! The densely packed clusters of pastel flowers have a delightful three-dimensional quality. The Robert bracelet is for sale in the Jewelry section.
The flowers are rendered in shades of pink, pale blue, yellow, and silver/gray seed beads—see the detail picture below. The abstract floral motif in delicate, feminine hues seductively entwines itself around the wearer's body—subtle, yet alluring!
The label reads "Pedro Rodriguez/Madrid/Barcelona-S. Sebastian."
Rodríguez long life (1895-1990) spanned most of 20th century couture. He opened his first haute couture house in Barcelona in 1917 and retired in 1978 at age 83. Rodriguez started out during the heyday of Doucet and Poiret and was still going strong in the 1970s. As Yogi Berra put it, "You can learn a lot just by sticking around."
The condition is almost excellent. The dress just shows gentle wear.
It measures: 38" bust, 32" waist, 38" hip, and 36 1/2" from the shoulder to the hem.
