This beautiful gown was designed for Ralph Lauren’s Fall 2001 Collection - the House's most luxurious runway line with its sumptuous purple label. On the runway the brand showed a maxi skirt and mini-skirt in the same print which Vogue called lavish in its review. The dress is tailored from a silk-mix velvet printed with paisley in rich hues of chocolate brown, crimson red, steel blue, rose pink and grey. It is cut to a simple slip style that is so of this late ’90s/early ’00s era, with a low back, V-neckline and rolled brown satin straps that cross at the top of the back. Lined throughout with a silky chocolate brown satin, and pulls on over the head so has no fastenings. The dress has a train which adds to the sensuous, free flowing tailoring. The bottom of the skirt has a brown satin finger loop to allow the wearer to lift the gown off the floor.

The dress is in excellent archival condition with no issues of any note. Labelled a size US 4, UK 8 with plenty of give in the hip.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 30 in. (76 cm)

WAIST - 32 in. (81 cm)

HIP - 44 in. (112 cm)

LENGTH FRONT - 59 in. (150 cm)

LENGTH BACK - 80 in. (203 cm)