Emanuel Ungaro Silk mini dress

Here is the opportunity to own a bona fide numbered haute couture piece from French designer Emanuel Ungaro. It is labeled Emanuel Ungaro Couture Paris and behind the label is the handwritten numbered label: 925-6-85. The interior is just as splendid as the exterior but in a different way. It is fully lined with silk fabric so there are no visible seams. There is internal boning throughout the belly (I count 8 bones) There is a long purple metal side zipper (on the left side) and hook and eyes that run down the neckline diagonally to the left. ‘back so the back and side open fully to get it on (you’ll need someone to hook it up and look up). Photo 9 shows the interior as best it can. There is a small inner belt at the waist. There are great shoulder pads to puff up the shoulders a bit and lingerie straps. Everything is made in the same silk. Everything is nicely sewn by hand. The sleeves are lined with the best silk organza which is good for doubling and not adding weight. With Haute Couture, you will never get a size as it would have been done for the customer’s measurements. The dress measures 35 inches at the bust, 27 inches at the waist and 36 inches at the hips. It is 16 inches wide at the shoulders and 38 inches long from the top of the shoulder, but note that it straddles the neck a bit. Also, the shoulders are supposed to puff up for this 80s solid shoulder look, which may be why the shoulder measurements look big compared to the dress. The dress is in excellent condition except for one thing. As expected, it’s beautifully constructed so the whole thing is built to last a lifetime. And overall, that’s just it. The fabric is strong, the seams are intact. I don’t see any marks. The zipper works well and the hook, eyes and snaps are all firmly in place. This dress would have been worn lightly and tidy. The only problem cannot be seen and it is interesting in a way. This is the second item of clothing I have had with the exact same problem. The other was a Bill Blass from the 1960s. It is the silk organza lining of the sleeves. As mentioned, silk organza as a liner seems like a great way to line something up without weight or bulk. But it is obviously a fabric that does not have longevity especially when it is close to the body. With the best will in the world, your skin is still producing oil. There may be some moisturizer on it, some perfume and if it is an evening gown, it is more than likely that you will (as we are talking about high fashion here) “”shine”” at least a little. . All of these will adversely affect the tissue over time. But it seems that silk organza is more sensitive than most of the others. So he started to tear and fall apart. When I got this dress and turned it completely inside out, I noticed that it had already undergone historic repairs using purple fabric silk to mend the torn areas. It was very well done so probably professionally. But since they were made more tears have appeared (it’s like a crash). I just sewed them up because I didn’t have a suitable floss to use. The liner is now completely intact. But make no mistake, it’s a process that has begun. I would be very surprised if it didn’t get worse. You can’t see this at all and it doesn’t affect portability. If I kept this dress on, I would one day completely remove the liner (when it deteriorates further) and either replace it or leave the sleeves unlined. The lining is there to protect the outer fabric. It would be easy enough to put on the liner (either yourself or by a seamstress) and that shouldn’t be a major fix. It’s ok for now. Like I said the same happened with a Bill Blass dress I have where organza was used to line the bodice (but the sleeves are not lined) so I have the ‘intention to remove it entirely and leave it as is. This dress is haute couture and rare because of it. If not for the sleeve lining, Ungaro Haute Couture would go for at least several hundred pounds and more. I reduced the price to reflect the sleeve lining issue. This is the opportunity to own real haute couture at a reduced price. It is also a wonderful little dress. It has that 80s vibe without being too crazy 80s so it will be very wearable and timeless. I would wear this with platform ankle boots with a chunky heel (70s style) and go.