Help identifying couture dress. No label.

[Sophie T.]

I have this beautiful evening dress that I am certain is couture most likely from the 70's but no label :( (The lady I bought it from oftn removed tags to avoid importation fees.) I thought it might be a Heinz Riva but I am still fairly new to vintage and was wondering if anyone else had a different opinion?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jonathan]

I don't know what would define a Heinz Riva to be able to determine he was the likely designer - I have only handled a few of them and I can't think of anything specific to his style. Chanel and Courreges have very specific styles but someone like Balmain can look like Fath or Dior at times, Mme Gres and Doucet can appear identical, and Balenciaga can look like Givenchy or Venet... so it is tough to attribute a dress without some specific trait.

First check all the findings - zipper, snaps etc. for manufacturing names - that will help narrow down the country of origin. If it has an eclair zipper for example, which is French, then Heinz Riva is out since he worked out of Rome. I can check my Riva to see what zipper brand he used as I'm not sure.

 

[Sophie T.]

Thank you so much for the input. I thought he might have had a certain look in the 70's. I checked the zipper and said chic. And the dress is double zippered, it has one for each layer.

 

[Jonathan]

I just checked my Riva, which is from about 1966 and its RIRI Star, which is a Swiss manufacturer. I don't know of the brand Chic (or is it Clic?) so that doesn't help... I like the sound of double zippers - a sign of quality. Is there any hand whip stitching over the cut selvedges? That's a typical French couture trait.

 

[Sophie T.]

Actually yes it does ...if my understanding of sewing techniques is correct. And no the zipper definitely says chic.