Vintage Dior Coat

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

Got such great feedback regarding my vintage sweater looking up info on several Dior pieces. I will list separately as stated.

 

[pinky-a-gogo]

I like this coat--i would date it same as the other one...80's possibly early 90s.
But the label with the date, does it say 9-12-85? I can't see it clearly in the photo--if so, I would go with 85.

 

[bycinbyhand]

Looks 1985 to me too.

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

It says 1935 that’s what threw me off on both coats.

 

[pinky-a-gogo]

Dior didn’t start really showing his work until the late 40s....maybe they were writing fast and the 8 became a 3?

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

The sleeves are really short which is also throwing me off. I would think if it were 1980s wouldn’t sleeves be longer and oversized. This coat seems like a 50’s Trapeze coat. The cut is similar to this 1958 Dior with the short sleeves. I belted coat with my own belt but it’s meant to be unbelted

 

[greatglenvintage]

That union label wasn't used until the mid 70s.

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

That union label wasn't used until the mid 70s.

Could it be the sleeves were shortened.

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

The cut of coat is what made me think it was later... thanks for all the info going to try and look up 1970s Dior coats.

 

[Midge]

It does look like the 1974-95 union label. I checked the Saks labels in our label resource, that type of font comes up in labels from the 1960s to the 80s. I don't really see a trapeze shape - it looks like a fairly slim coat to me.

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

You guys are great YES LABEL IS THE SAME AS THE 1970s label

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

Wow I would have never thought this cut was 1970s. Thanks you guys know your stuff

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

What about fabric. Can you guys see from pics. Is it Mohair, alpaca, etc. it’s a hairy kind of fabric

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

It does look like the 1974-95 union label. I checked the Saks labels in our label resource, that type of font comes up in labels from the 1960s to the 80s. I don't really see a trapeze shape - it looks like a fairly slim coat to me.

I have two coats up this one is sort of wider in middle then comes in at hemline. I have it cinched with belt so cut is not really being seen in pic. I have to lay it flat and take pic. The other Dior coat I have up has a Trapeze shape NO BUTTONS

 

[claireshaeffer]

In the 80s Victor Costa made rtw for Dior.

I think the Saks label is problematic. I've never seen a label like that in a rtw garment. This is the kind of label that would be sewn into a custom made garment. Saks wasn't making custom in the 70s or 80s. Could the label have come from another garment? how is it sewn?

If the label came from a 30s garment, the customer might have been socially prominent.

 

[claireshaeffer]

BTW, I've mentioned the Celestron digital microscope before. It's a great tool for looking a labels. These babies cost about $50.

 

[Elizabeth Ramos-Boyce]

No I tried to raise the label to cover holes in lining but then was told I should not move label. So I had to put label back in its original spot. The labels are authentic to coat. I would believe more that it may have been custom made because of the length of sleeves. But both coats were together along with the lime green suit and a metallic blue Dior trench coat. I’m trying to date in order to list. It seems 1970s is the majority. I tried looking up the name in coat which reads Dorothy Bird I think not sure on script of last name. But year is clearly 1935 but they say Dior was not in United States that early on.

 

[Midge]

The house of Dior did not exist before 1947 at all - so 1935 can't refer to Dior or it's a writing error or maybe the writing is washed out...

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

I wonder if the label had a date of '75 and it's been altered slightly to make it look more like a '35. As others have said, it's an impossibility to be '35.

My first thought was late '70s by the colour and shape, so that could tally with a '75 date. Also the Saks label is similar to the '70s-80s one. The Dior labels don't change much through this era so it's hard to know.

You could also investigate when Dior started collaborating with Saks but that might not help if it was long ago.

Another option is to research the woman who ordered it. She's likely to have been living in NY at that time. I can't read her surname but it will be easier for you. Mrs Dorothy Burdo perhaps?

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

As for the Saks label, I am thinking it may be from the custom alterations department at Saks. Dior RTW (as well as earlier couture piece) garments would almost always be altered by the department store which sold them. Since both true couture and RTW required strict fit of each garment, once purchased the garment would be sent to the alterations dept where they employed expert dressmakers, some of whom had French training. That ensured the garment would fit and look as the designer intended. In the early days of Dior and other houses, this was a requirement if the Dept store was to be allowed to sell the label. Not sure if that stopped or when.

Just a thought.