Couture made in the 1950s, this truly stunning pale pink gown has retained all of the delicate intricacy of when it was first designed. With elaborate bead work, it is cut to a fitted, body skimming silhouette with spaghetti straps. The dress is constructed from stiff silk and overlaid with chalk pink mesh. The mesh fabric is embroidered all-over with heavy intricate beading; loops of transparent beads hang from sequins the full length of the piece, whilst dark grey beads form glittering shapes along the bust and bottom hem that echo the curves of the tailoring. The gown is boned the whole way around and features an underwired bra and modesty straps inside the bodice for extra support. The bust is also lined with nude mesh. It fastens at the rear with a pink tonal zip and hook-and-eye clasp. The thin straps are adorned with two rows of pearlescent sequins. This dress is fully lined in cream silk. A final stand-out feature is the bubble-gum pink silk-satin sash that adorns the waist, christened by a lovely, typically ‘50s flat bow at the centre of the back.

Extravagant beaded dresses like this are getting rarer with each passing year and the garment is in excellent vintage condition. It has no flaws to the beadwork or cloth - unusual for a piece of this intricacy. Due to its age it has no composition or size label, so please check the measurements below closely. The fabric has no stretch. We estimate a good fit for sizes up to a UK 8-10 or US 4-6.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 34 in. (86 cm)

WAIST - 29 in. (74 cm)

HIP - 37 in. (94 cm)

LENGTH - 44 in. (112 cm)