• The twin of this dress walked the Spring 1997 Haute Couture collection.
• It was made under the creative direction of Gerard Pipart.
• The Nina Ricci brand was founded in 1932 at 20 Rue de Capucines in Paris. In 1964 Gérard Pipart succeeded Jules-François Crahay, Nina Ricci's former designer assistant, as head of the brand. Pipart, who had previously worked for Balmain, Fath, and Patou, brought a wide range of experience in all aspects of fashion to the brand. 
• Over the following three decades, Pipart's couture vision 'celebrated a flamboyant woman and his ready-to-wear found a loyal following among the most stylish women of the day.' He headed the Couture division until 1998.
• This is an incredible and very beautiful piece of Haute Couture and would have been made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
• The upper portion of the dress is a strapless and structured ivory that is made out of a beautiful silk that has a slight texture.
• At the waist it changes to a black silk to create that gorgeous skirt. The silk there also has a slight texture and enough weight to hold the intended draping but without being heavy.
• Deep silver beads are placed by hand to run up from the waist over the bodice and then more beading runs down from the waist with some parts ending just past the hips. It adds the perfect amount of glitz to the dress.
• The skirt curves outward over the hips and then widens out as it nears the hem. On one side of the skirt an added panel drapes down past the hem and appears to be caught up with the handset bow that sits there. This adds a beautiful little bit of extra movement and curving line to the dress. It is a design detail that is just brilliantly executed.
• It is fully lined in a white silk through the bodice with light boning for support. Through the skirt it is lined in a black silk.  It closes with a side set zipper and has an inner waist stay that hooks to close. I see the very slightest bit of grubbiness around the upper edge of the bodice that is mentioned for accuracy.
• The proper Haute Couture label is present.
• There is no size tag so please go by the measurements below.
• Excellent condition

Bust: to 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 9.25" from the top of the bodice to the waist
Total length: 52.5" from the top of the bodice to the shortest point of the hem, 57" to the longest

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD5532

Reference Photo: Spring 1997 Nina Ricci Haute Couture.

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