This is a gorgeous Valentino dress whose twin walked the Fall 2002 runway on the amazing Bridget Hall. It is beautifully made and a wonderful example of Valentino's work for his main line during this time period. It also has the added provenance of having been worn by Actress Katja Herbers to the 2022 Critic's Choice Awards where she was nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her work in the show Evil. The dress is exceptional and you only have to take one look at Katya in the dress to see just how fabulous this is on an actual body

This is an incredible dress. I love its bareness at the top with the full open back and the low front plunge. It is a little sexier then some of his work tends so be but it still manages to feel elegant and refined. It is a dress that really comes alive on the body. It is very light and easy to wear despite its thousands of sequins. It is cut to perfectly fit and skim over the body. It is made from a lightweight bias cut silk net that is covered in thousand of little copper sequins in two sizes. Mixed in with the sequins are tiny little metallic flower shaped sequins in a slightly different copper colour. The bodice is cut into a halter with tiny little straps that curve up and over the shoulders. At the back the straps cross over your bare back which then dips into a low curve across the small of your back. This leaves the back almost completely bare. The front is equally as bare. The halter covers the breasts and then plunges low. There is no seam at the waist  to break the line of the eye. The bias cut of the fabric simply curves it in and creates shape. Under that the skirt flows to the floor and gradually widens out as it nears the hem. It is wider then it feels standing still and I love the way that the skirt cut a little longer at the back to give the feel of a slight train there. The  dress is lined with a nude silk that is set by hand around the bodice and back and then falls to the floor to meet the hem of the outer layer. The combination of the silk net and the fine silk lining keeps the dress wonderfully light. At the hem the solid covering of the sequin changes to this round medallion feeling pattern and there the sequins are set more on their sides at the middle of each medallion and then burst out from there to form the circle that you see. It is a beautiful example of Mr Valentino's work with the added bonus of its recent red carpet provenance. Excellent condition with a minor note below

Fully interlined in a nude silk and closes with a low set hidden zipper at the base of the scoop at the back. Hand finishes throughout. There are some missing sequins near a side seam, some near one medallion at the hem and along the back straps. There is a small part of the hem that is missing its edge. I see a tiny mark in the inner lining and very evidence of lipstick on the inner lining. Please see the photos after the label shot. It was worn on the red carpet exactly as it is so these small flaws obviously have no impact when worn

Bust: each halter is 6" across at its widest point
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 63" from top of shoulder to front hem, 68" to back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3933

Reference Photos/Videos: (1-3) Fall 2002 Valentino Runway. Look 53 worn by Bridget Hall.  /  (4-6) Katja Herbers in Valentino at the Critics Choice Awards, 2022.

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