1950s Gigi Young Blue and Black Floral Silk Dress

Designed by GiGi Young, a New York label, in the late 1950s or very early 1960s. GiGi Young's parent company also owned Suzy Perette and were famous for interpreting the cinched waist and full skirt of Dior’s famous “New Look fashions under an American licence. This dress is a great example with dainty short-sleeves and a flared, box-pleated skirt. The fabric is stunning; matte silk printed with abstract, painterly florals in rich blue, indigo and sky blue hues. The top is fitted and has a huge, padded sweeping bertha collar that falls over the shoulders like a wrap-around shawl. At the back, it finishes with two elegant points. The bust is lined with grey-blue acetate or viscose. It fastens at the back of the neck with a hidden zip and hook-and-eye clasp.

This dress is in excellent vintage condition for a dress of over 65 years of age with no issues of any note. It retains the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) label for 1955 to 1963 at the bottom of the zip. The fabric does not have any stretch and was a good fit on our model who is a UK 8-10 or US 4-6 and 5ft 11in (180 cm).

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 50 in. (127 cm)

LENGTH - 41 in. (104 cm)