2014 Julien MacDonald Runway Purple and Silver Sequin and Beaded Dress

Julien Mcdonald’s Fall 2014 collection was inspired by Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims and Chateau de Boursault, home of Madame Clicquot, the woman responsible for the Veuve Clicquot champagne dynasty. “Like Reims turned into Studio 54” Macdonald said of the collection, whilst Vogue wrote that “the models looked like they’d been stitched into gilded second skins”. The fabric was kept sheer, almost invisible, just enough to ensure the silhouette of the exquisite embroidery and beadwork that snaked its way across the models’ flesh like scales of an otherworldly reptile.

This dress is a one-of-a-kind and the showpiece, walking the runway as look 29/32 and ensuring a dramatic, memorable ending to the show. Tailored from a fine mesh in the palest peach hue, it has a column silhouette that falls from a racer-style neckline that hugs the body. Below the hips, the skirt gives way to a slim-cut skirt that pools on the floor around the feet. The elaborate beadwork is cleverly placed across the body; revealing, but only so much. The detail it contains is mesmerising: snakes with studded bodies twist and turn, snarling with shimmering fangs; autumnal leaves in aubergine and violet cascade down the body; silver and grey feather-like forms create modesty where needed. In its sheerest places, the mesh of the skirt is also beaded with rows of glittering silver bugle beads like cobwebs that have caught the morning dew. The dress is unlined. It fastens under the left arm with a hidden tonal grey zip and hook-and-eye clasp.

This dress is in very good archival condition. The beadwork is in great condition, and it has been expertly restored, as needed, by our in-house couture tailor. Please note, around the zip there are some missing beads but due to the heavy nature of the beadwork, this is not immediately apparent when worn and does not detract from the overall effect. There are no composition or size labels so please check the measurements below closely. Our model's sizes are: Bust: 34" (87cm), Waist 24" (61cm), Hips: 34.5" (88cm), 5' 7" (170cm) and she's a size UK 6, US 2.

Note on the designer: Julien Macdonald OBE rose to prominence in the late 1990s. After graduating from the Royal College of Art, he was hired by Karl Lagerfeld to work at Chanel, and was later appointed chief designer at Givenchy. In 1997, Macdonald launched his eponymous label and it was here that he cemented his reputation for high-octane, couture-level craftsmanship. He was named “British Fashion Designer of the Year” at the 2001 British Fashion Awards and, in 2006, he was awarded an OBE for services to fashion. Macdonald is known for his meticulous handwork, opulent fabrics, and body-sculpting silhouettes that marry traditional techniques with unabashed sensuality. His designs, often featuring intricate beading, featherwork, and lacework, have made him a red carpet favorite and a key figure in modern fashion, celebrated for reviving the spectacle and decadence of haute couture in a contemporary context.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 31 in. (79 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 37 in. (94 cm)

LENGTH - 63 in. (160 cm)

LENGTH TRAIN - 74 in. (188 cm)