The Shrimpton Couture Archives

• c.1990 True Haute Couture 
• Under the creative direction of Gerard Pipart
  
• Strapless and dramatic red and black silk dress
• Completely made by hand in the Paris atelier
• The bodice has beautiful inner structure and is fitted to the waist. It is made out of a red silk taffeta with a bit of very fine ribbing through it. The top of the bodice and waist are detailed with a wide black velvet ribbon.
• The skirt is extremely full and there is an extensive built-in partial underskirt that circles around the hips. It acts like a pannier to hold the volume that you see. More could be added there if you wanted that to be even more exaggerated.
• The back of the skirt is cut longer than the front so you get a bit of a trained effect.
• A black expanse of silk sits between the waist and another band of black velvet that circles all the way around the lower skirt. The entire hem is made from the same red silk as the bodice.
• Fully lined in a hand set silk with a hand set back zipper. Boning through the bodice.
• Excellent overall condition. I see that the zipper was let out a bit at some point and there is some grubbiness and tiny breaks along the edge of the hem.

Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 9.5" from top of bodice to waist
Total length: 52" from top of bodice to front hem, 60" to the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

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