Whether you gravitate toward backless maxi dresses or silk charmeuse gowns by Alexander McQueen or embellished, ruffled floral-print designs by Chloe or Versace, there is an extraordinary collection of vintage and designer evening dresses and gowns waiting for you on 1stDibs. Today’s designers target an increasingly broad audience with their boundary-crossing work, and their tendency to play off of each other’s ideas means that every walk down the runway is also a walk through an entire history of fashion design and dress craftsmanship.

Works by unconventional British designer John Galliano - featured in houses like Givenchy and Dior - redefined limits that dressmakers faced in terms of material, construction and vision during the late 20th century. 1958 - 1960 Haute Couture Strapless Silk Gown. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent introduced innovative and highly coveted dress designs in the 1960s while at the same time challenging sexist stereotypes about which members of society could wear tuxedos. Below, shop some of the best vintage wedding dresses from Tab Vintage and Moda Operandi’s fashionable curation. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel reimagined traditionally masculine garments for feminine shapes, and her elegant evening dresses and gowns promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by layers of fabric. Forward-thinking designers have responded to this history. In the 16th century, dresses and gowns were so important that England's Queen Elizabeth I defined rules about what dresses women could wear - guidance included long skirts and fitted bodices. Fashion is a powerful means of self-expression, and sophisticated vintage evening dresses and gowns by our favorite couturier play no small role in making us feel wonderful but, perhaps more importantly, making us feel like ourselves.Įvening dresses over time have conveyed specific statements about social class, position and beliefs.

His work in his “New Look” collections in the 40s and 50s paved a path for artistic, sophisticated, and royal fashion for upcoming designers and brands.With entire museum exhibitions dedicated to examining fashion designers and their creations, we’re finally recognizing that costuming is art.

Working with golden and blue glitters, two evening gowns really stood out from his 1949 collection.ĭior’s vision for a flamboyant but feminine future for fashion brought with itself new trends, styles, and techniques which became classics and are still used in modern fashion to this day. He relished in his excess use of fabric to create an even more dramatic and royal effect by using tulle as the main fabric for the skirts to its lightweight properties. When it came to evening gowns in his “New Look” collections, Dior went all out. The ballgown-esque skirts also created the illusion of a smaller waist, which worked well with his plan to accentuate an hourglass silhouette on whoever wore his work. Inspired by the ethereal and feminine style of the 30s, Dior increased the use of the yards and yards of fabric in his work to add more flare and flow in the skirts and dresses. These signature points in his collection showed his yearning to bring back femininity in fashion, which had disappeared momentarily in the 40s.

Flattering, tailored jackets with soft shoulders and in royal and mature shades. Cinched waists flowing into large and dramatic skirts, often pleated. The new collection had its significant features that went on to define the fashion of the 50s later on. After having 60 million Francs invested in his couture house by his friend and owner of a clothing company, Marcel Boussac, Dior went on to be, quite possibly, the biggest influence in post-war fashion that the world had seen. The revolutionary collection’s name came from praise for the modern and chic designs by the former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, Carmel Snow, when she told Christian Dior, “Your dresses have such a new look!” Thus, the world of fashion changed for the better. Released to the public on February 12th of 1947, “New Look” was Christian Dior’s debut collection with the main purpose of reviving French-dominated fashion industry after the World War II and bringing new life to the classy and feminine style of Paris.

Retro runway couture dresses