This totally extraordinary dress belongs to my lovely grandmother (paternal): Babi - that's czech for grandma. She said I could try it on when we were visiting.
As you can see she has great taste and style, but also an eye for a bargain! She bought this dress from a thrift store in the U.S. sometime in the 1950's, after she and her parents had fled from their home in Czechoslovakia as refugees in 1948.
She was told that the dress was a Balenciaga (!) that had been donated by someone wealthy. Now, it has no label to prove this but the incredible construction of hand-stitched coils of rolled, matte satin silk are so intricate that it definitely looks couture.
Wearing this dress feels like being zipped into all sorts of coils in history. Imagine the people, parties and places this dress has seen. And I find it amazing to wonder at the original owner, to speculate who that might have been.. Who hand stitched it? Which people did this beautiful garment see and socialise with before it was donated for charity?
This dress is the very essence of why I love vintage. I really love the stories behind each item, knowing that you're almost wearing a character, not just a piece of clothing.
The buckle bracelet is from a vintage market stall and the earrings are clip ons my mum found in a charity shop - they are more like miniature works of art..
Oh, and thank you so much to all the lovely people who commented on my last post. I will try to reply, but haven't found time just yet. I spent a few days in London- seeing the Rankin exhibition, trailing around Selfridges for hours staring at the gorgeous clothes that I can't afford, looking at the V&A fashion graduates' exhibition, Portrait gallery etc. A good few days.
And also huge thanks for the other blog awards I got! Post will be coming soon..
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