Oscar de la Renta vintage black velvet evening gown large shoulder bows

Greetings from Koru Woman (in New Zealand) I would love to have help in tracking down some more info on this gorgeous and elegant black velvet vintage Oscar de la Renta Gown eg.. approx date, and if anyone has any knowledge as to the handwritten signature on the back of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union lable. The main styling feature seems to be the amazing oversized shoulder bows that 'follow' the same deep v neckline on the front. There is a little loop on the shoulder with a pressdud (presumably to hold a strap in place. The Oscar de la Renta lable and other lables are sewn into the waistband. There is sewn in petticoat and a netting in the back section of the dress (presumably to give the back area more shape). The top dress part of the lining is like a soft taffetta, and the lower half is more soft almost gauze like, and then there is the netting. The seams have been cut with zig zag scissors, and the zip that is in it, is a non metal one. In all honesty this looks like a gown that could have been worn in the 1930's although the neckline is quite 'deep possibly for this era.. so I am not sure whether Oscar was drawing on vintage fashion (however even the ruffling looks so óld fashioned' so any help would be desirable.. The ILGWU lable style will obviously give some of you in the know a good idea, although I think these may have been made from 1970s- 90's ?? but something still doesnt look right to me, in the fact it seems older?? so any clues at all, or if further photos or questions please do not hesitate to let me know.. any info at all would be of great help and very much appreciated.. I look forward to hearing back, kindest regards Koru Woman

 

Hi Koru Woman, and welcome to the forums.

Lovely gown - I date to the late '80s, when these styles were in fashion.

I'm not sure what the writing on the label might mean but I suspect it was put there by the owner - the number four label is a size and shows it's a ready to wear garment.

 

Thanks Nicole, thanks for your input. This is a great start to this journey! I'm thinking about the writing and am feeling that it may possibly be the sewers name? I will be most interested to hear of any other thoughts and inputs.. good luck with your book! ps any idea where would be a good place to market such a gown? many thanks from Koru Woman

 

Seamstresses in factories work on a portion of a garment, not the whole, with several seamstresses contributing to each piece, so there is no reason for a commercially manufactured (modern) garment to have the sewer's name. A professional dressmaker will sew the whole garment but she won't need her name as they usually work alone.

One possibility is that it was used in a performance eg, theatre, with the name being the performer's or the character's. Or it could be the owner's name, and she was somewhere that the garment was mixed in with other people's clothes - eg, a boarding school. Sometimes people write their names on things when they lend them to friends or send them to the dry cleaner.

 

Thank you so much for your thoughts, Nicole, they are all certainly valid ones to consider!! It seems you have an absolute wealth of knowledge and I think people with so much knowledge and love of vintage are real treasures! Good luck with all, Koru Woman

 

Another very likely possibily is that a drycleaners wrote the customer's name on the label as a way to keep track. I have seen that quite a bit here in the USA.

 

Hi Hollis, thank you so much for taking some time out in your busy life to send along your thoughts. They are so appreciated! What a lovely site this is. I came across it on the internet and it is so nice to communicate with others such as yourself and Nicole, all of those on board with an obvious passion for the glorious creations from another time. To share knowledge in this way is really lovely.. so once again many thanks and just to have various thoughts and inputs is simply wonderful. It's akin to going on a journey of un ravelling mysteries with others having further Keys Of Knowledge. Wonderful. Have a beautiful day from Koru Woman. Any thoughts where I could market such a lovely garment? as being size 4 !!! I am not going to be able to have the pleasure of wearing this one ha ha!

 

You have a pretty gown, what a nice find!
As for where you could market it, well, eBay is the obvious suggestion. A search of completed sales/auctions on the US site show 80s ready-to-wear de la Renta dresses mostly sell for under $50 US but there is the occasional one that goes for over $100 US. Good luck with it!

 

Many thanks to you, The Vintage Vendeuse for your guidances ~ very much appreciated! good luck with all your finds, too! all the very best wishes and thanks again from Koru Woman in New Zealand... ps I just came across a vintage gorgeous emerald green Solz Squirrel Smoking jacket so will be listing that label soon to see whom can help me identify the age of this beauty.. Classic clothes with classic styling are just SUCH a pleasure... as all those whom share these forums will understand...

 

I had this gown in size 10 years ago, but made the regrettable decision to sell it to a consignment store in Cambridge, MA, USA! I wore it once to a holiday party with a statement necklace of graduated blue emerald-cut stones surrounded by jet beads. I got many compliments that night and was reminiscing when I remembered that I no longer had the dress!

I thought this might have been the same one I had a decade ago, but I looked through my Etsy account and the size difference made it clear it's not the one. I hope you were able to find a good home for this beautiful piece!