I have had a version of this dress in a different print and I love this brighter, bolder jersey version just as much. A similar dress is part of the permanent collection at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and was displayed in the 2013 exhibit "Hippie Chic.  Other versions of the dress also reside in The Met's collection. That one has with a shorter skirt length and different pattern. The cut is otherwise the same.

The Fall/Winter 1971-72 collection took its inspiration from the Medieval time period and many of the pieces in the collection had this influence, including this one. Sant' Angelo was the winner of two Coty Awards and two Council of Fashion Designers of America honors and was known for his innovation and pioneering use of stretch fabrics. Here we have a dress that really showcases his love of color and his mastery of mixing color with print. The fabric he chose for the dress is a very wearable and easy to care for jersey. It has a touch of a stretch to it that makes it very comfortable to wear. His signature piping finishes the neck and the multiple patterns are masterfully layered over each other in tiers through the body and over the waist. The sleeves are amazing and made of two tiers of fabric that sit over each other to mimic the tiers used on the body of the dress. The mix of that clear, true red with that brilliant blue is amazing and even better on person. Sant' Angelo once said, "I am not a fashion designer but an artist who works in fashion engineer of color and form". This dress shows us how true that statement was. Excellent overall condition with a note to review below.

Unlined and closes with a back painted, hand set metal zipper. I see a couple of tiny nicks on the front skirt. They are lost in the pattern and are stable so have been left as found. There is minor fading along the shoulders and on the sleeves and sides.

Sleeves: 21"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD1347

Reference photos:  (1) Museum of Fine Arts Boston  / (2) At Museum of Fine Arts Hippie Chic Exhibit (Photo: Laura McLaws Helms)  /  (3) The Metropolitan Museum.

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