The Shrimpton Couture Archives

• The twin of the dress walked the Cruise 2009 runway for Look 9 and I love that this let you see how fabulous this dress is once it is on the body
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld.
• In the book "Chanel Catwalk" the notes on this collection tell us that this show took place on the boardwalk of the Venice Lido. Many of the pieces were styled with a nod to Marchesa Luisa Casati, an Italian aristocat and patron of the arts who "had a well documented taste for masquerade in eccentricity from wearing live snakes as jewellery to promenading pet cheetahs on leashes dripping with diamonds, and who remains an icon of 1910 and 1920 style." You can really see that 1920s influence in the cut of this gorgeous dress.
• The dress is deeply plunged with a black silk ribbon following the sharply angled plunge at the front. A flat bow keeps the two sides in place and make it safe to wear. More of that same black silk ribbon has been folded into little half bows that act as ruffles to edge the outline of the neck all the way up the front, over the shoulder and then down the back.
• The back is cut in a more squared off plunge and a large muted silver heart with the famous double C logo and little black rhinestones sits above the zipper there.
• The way the ribbons sit on the top of the shoulders and run down the front and back is just phenomenal once it is on. I love that the cut out is so deep at the front but that the front bow holds it in place. It is very sexy in its own way.
• Under that the dress has a very easy-to-wear cut. It skims loosely over the bodice, waist and hips. It starts to narrow a touch from there to the bottom hem to pick up on the shape of the plunge of the front. A slit up the back allows it to be easy to walk in.
• The entire dress is cut on the bias and the silk through the body is a deep blue. It is a absolutely beautiful lightweight silk and is a very high-quality. This lets it skim over the body and hold the intended shape that you see on the runway.
• The dress is unlined and closes with a back hidden set zipper. The band at the back hooks to close and the heart button that sits there is decorative.
• Tagged a modern Chanel 40. The easy and bias cut through the body should allow it to fit a variety of sizes so please go by the measurements below. It will just drape more on a smaller frame.
• Excellent condition

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 57" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Reference Photos/Video: (1-3) Cruise 2009 Chanel, Look 9. Model Kori Richardson.  /  (4-6) Gwyneth Paltrow in Chanel at Cannes Film Festival, 2008.

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