1960s Karl Lagerfeld for Chloé Cream and Red Culottes Dress Suit

Whilst the brand makes a current day comeback, grab a piece of rare original 1960s Chloé with this two-piece ensemble, crafted during the decade when Karl Lagerfeld took over from founder, Gaby Aghion. He remained a creative director from 1963 to 1984 and with complete artistic freedom, the runway saw some of the most memorable designs of his career in the early 1980s with his spectacular surrealist embellished finale dresses. He would return as creative director for a second time in 1992 until 1997, passing the baton onto a young Stella McCartney.

The ensemble is Lagerfeld's homage to the space age fashions which prevailed in the mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970s. The ensemble is composed of a mod-style culottes dress and coordinating jacket. Beautifully crafted, the sleeveless dress is made from a thick cream wool with a nipped-in waist and A-line "split skirt" or "divided skirt" that falls to knee length. The waistband is shaped in a basque style at the front. The dress is unlined. The jacket is tailored from the same cream wool and trimmed with vibrant coral-red hued panels around the collar, along the front placket and across the welt pockets at the chest. The large plastic buttons are also in a tonal red hue. The jacket has a coordinating waist belt that plays to the 1960s feel with its oval shaped buckle. Lined in cream satin, it has in-seam pockets at the hips. The original label reads Chloé in black font on off-white satin. No other labels are present in the ensemble and the fabric has no stretch.

Both wool pieces are in superb vintage condition and worthy of museum acquisition; or, one for the serious collector and wearer of important archive fashion. As with most garments of this age, the belt is showing signs of wear to the reverse which is lined in cream leather. There are faint marks to the wool edging on the belt and some separation of the fabric and leather at the very tip - in our opinion these are minor in nature. It can be worn as it is but some levels of preservation on the belt maybe required in the future. We believe this is a good fit for around a size UK 8-10 or US 4-6 and both pieces would work as separates.

MEASUREMENTS DRESS

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 30 in. (76 cm)

HIP - 40 in. (102 cm)

LENGTH - 37 in. (94 cm)

MEASUREMENTS JACKET

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 32 in. (81 cm)

LENGTH - 25.5 in. (65 cm)

SHOULDERS - 17 in. (43 cm)