View attachment 12384 Hi everyone.. I have acquired the most beautiful gown by Jacques Fath and just wanted to share with you, I don't know very much about it.. but checking your label resource it looks like a 40's dress but maybe someone more knowledgeable could shed some light on it.. anyway love to hear you feedback.. View attachment 12384
Wonderful gown, and very glamourous with the full skirt as you've shown it. The waist looks quite nipped in to me so it could be 1950's. Though it may just be a small size. It's not clipped in the photos correct? You might like to adjust the last photo, as it is not showing full size. Can you see if that ribbon has been added later from the stitching? If you are not sure photos will help. It could be original, but it just stands out a bit to me as being unnecessary on such a clean and simple statement design.
Good point about the ribbon Melanie - it doesn't look right to me, not very straight suggesting it's a later addition. Beautiful gown, I date as very late '40 to early '5os. It's wonderful that you have all the right petticoats too.
The ribbon could look wobbly because the dress form is not as wide across the chest as the person wearing it. Is the ribbon hand-sewn? Are the stitches nice and tidy--almost invisible. If so, ribbon is probably original.
Thank you ladies!.. its actually on route as we speak!! I was just so excited with my find I just wanted to share it!!.. as the boyfriend doesn't appreciate it quite the same!!... as far as I'm aware its not clipped, its a 27 in' waist.. a 36 in' bust... will get close up pics of the ribbon etc and upload when it arrives, out of interest if it was thought to be a later addition.. would you be tempted to remove or leave it well alone??..
That is exquisite. Just from looking at the photo, it appears to be circa 1948, maybe a year or 2 later. I personally would not remove the ribbon until it can be authenticated that it is, or is not, original to the gown. What a fabulous find!
The waist dropped to the top of the hipline to create the princess seaming is a popular feature of the mid 1950s that first appears in the fall of 1953, and the use of tulle and velvet is typically a feature of evening wear from the late 40s/early 50s (after 54 taffeta and organdy are more typical). I wouldnt' be surprised if your dress is fall/winter 1953/54, unless the dropped waistline is a Fath anomaly that predates the fashion, which could happen. I like the ribbon trim on the bodice and suspect its real so don't get too hasty in removing it without first seeing if its sewn properly to the bodice.
It has been 5 years since this have been posted but I feel the necessary to reply so that people who read this post in the future will consider: This Jacques Fath label looks very similar to 1960's men's tie label. It looks like "Cravates" parts was picked out from the back and stained with numbers to disguise the shadow of the letters. I strongly believe that the label is added later.
Good catch! You are absolutely right. As I was rereading the thread (I don't even remember this now) I was thinking it doesn't look like French couture finishing on the inside to me, and the Fath label is odd with the smudge -- why would a label get worn - it's usually in an inconspicuous spot and pristine, even when the dress is falling apart... Also, its sewn in the wrong spot - it looks like it was added at the hem, and it should be be skirt. That label is definitely an addition, and it looks like the tie label.
I don't remember viewing this thread before but I thank you for finding it and bringing it back up for our attention. I can see that the original label surely did appear to be "mucked" about with the sort of Cravat tie label you have shown.
