This is part of a collection of Bill Blass pieces from a woman who was a close personal friend of Mr. Blass for many years. Many of these pieces were custom made or customized specifically for her and all of them are in wonderful condition. These are rare and hard to find example of his work from the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Some may be the only version, colour, print or design that was ever made. The family would also like it to be known that their portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to charity.

This gorgeous full length skirt and top set is a wonderful example of the work that Blass was doing in this time period. We were able to date it exactly based on a family photo that my client has. He pulled out the stops for the creation of this set. It is made out of two silks. The first is a crisp right green silk taffeta that he used for the skirt and sash. He then chose a softer textured purple silk for the top. A third colour is brought into the mix with the the tie belt that is a silk finished in periwinkle. The skirt is very full and I have not used any crinolines under the skirt for these shots. The fullness that you see is all done through the way it is cut and the seaming. The choice of the silk taffeta also helps it to hold the shape while still keeping it very light in weight. The skirt has a double silk sash attached around the waist. One part is the same purple as top and the other is a soft and pretty blue. The top is a light silk that has a slight texture running through it. It buttons down the front and the way that the buttons are set gives you just the peek of skin between the buttons. Each sleeve is cut to be very full and have lots of volume. It comes with a matching silk taffeta sash that is in the same green as the skirt and I have used it to create a large bow at the neck. You could style the sash a variety of ways other then this but I liked the balance it created in both he colour and the volume. Having the three separate pieces makes it very versatile because you can wear it all together for the full Blass look, or mix and match with modern pieces from your wardrobe. It is beautifully made and wonderfully extravagant. Excellent condition with a minor note below.

Both pieces are unlined. The skirt closes with a metal and nylon zipper and a flat hook & eye at the waist. The skirt hem is finished with a 3/4" strip of stiffened dressmakers tape to give it some weight and structure. The top buttons to close. The tie around the waist is attached and the tie at the neck is a separate piece. There are some very faint minor marks on both the skirt and the top. Please review the photos after the label shot.

Top
Shoulders: 15"
Sleeves: 29"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 28" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 45" from waist to hem
Matching sash: 84" x 13"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3261

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.