Royal Blue Bruce Oldfield Couture Dress

A couture contemporary dress from Bruce Oldfield, a celebrated UK designer who is in his fifth decade of exclusive design. He is renowned for his occasion wear and this is a beautiful and understated example in royal blue silk chiffon and silk crepe de chine. The chiffon fabric forms the top layer of the body of the dress. The sleeves, which are bracelet length, remain sheer and they fasten with four fabric covered buttons. The crepe de chine underdress has very elaborate construction with a fully boned and padded bodice section. The artful internal panelling has a full corseted back fastening with hook and eyes to give this dress an incredible shape so that the top layer of chiffon floats over the body. All this shape work is artfully concealed and complimented by the skilful placement of an invisible zip to the centre back of the chiffon top layer. The dress has an elegant cross-over portrait neck and the chiffon falls gracefully from the empire line bust in a bias cut.

Formally owned by a senior figure of the European aristocracy, the dress is in excellent vintage condition. There are some faint signs of wear but nothing that detracts and this garment presents extremely well. This dress will fit up to a UK size 10, US 6. Today, a Bruce Oldfield couture gown of this quality and construction would cost in excess of £6k from his London atelier.

MEASUREMENTS:
BUST - 34 in. (86.4 cm)
WAIST - 30 in. (76.2 cm)
HIP - 34 in. (83.8 cm)
LENGTH - 60 in. (152.4 cm)
SHOULDERS - 17 in. (43.2 cm)

NOTES ON DESIGNER -
Bruce Oldfield is a British fashion designer renowned the world over for his couture occasion-wear. He has dressed innumerable famous women including Princess Diana, Barbara Streisand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rihanna, Anjelica Houston and Queen Rania of Jordan. Bruce's father was Jamaican but was never known to Bruce. He was raised in foster homes and this is where his love for designing and making clothes began as he was cared for at one point by a seamstress. Attending London's St. Martin's School of Art he graduated in 1973 to critical acclaim and held his first one-man show for Henri Bendel. In 1975 his eponymous label, Bruce Oldfield launched with a collection of ready-to-wear pieces for both the European and American markets. He was much sought after for couture clothes and from 1980 Diana, Princess of Wales came to him regularly. He continues to design couture, bridal and custom made pieces from his London atelier at 27 & 34 Beauchamp Place, London SW3.