Vionnet dress

When we found Vionnet it was a total crush. One of those ‘coup de coeur’ that catches you even if since the very beginning you realize it will give you more than one headache. And this has been the story of this gorgeous dress.

This is a wedding nightgown from the very early 20th century, made in wild silk. It has an incredible floral embroidery made by hand that follows the neckline (front and back) and both sleeves. The dress is magnificent… how it drops, how it moves with you when you walk. A total spectacle in itself. It reminds us to those precious haute-couture dresses made by Madeleine Vionnet. A total ode to the feminine figure.

Although it is true that it was created as a nightgown we want to take it to the street and show it in all its glory and splendour. We can imagine it as the protagonist of a great New Year’s Eve party, dancing until dawn.

The dress comes with a delicate matching culotte.

Important: The dress has several wet spots (mainly in the back) and some areas where the wild silk is a bit more worn. This dress is around 100 year old and wild silk is a very delicate fabric. We have not been able to use the same products that we usually use to remove the most rebellious stains. We have preferred to leave it like that, because these little imperfections doesn’t take away any of the beauty of this dress.

Length from top shoulder to bottom hem: 137 cm. Width from side to side at chest level: 40 cm. Best for sizes S and M.

Heigh of model: 162 cm.

CARE

Clean it (preferably by hand) with cold water and an special soap for delicate clothes. Don’t use softener, nor centrifugation, nor a clothes dryer. To dry, better laid down than hanged.

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The garments we offer are all at least 70 or 80 years old, some even more than one hundred. They are all from rural Mallorca, from those dowries which someone first embroidered years ago and were later stored in a trunk and forgotten about.

They are all simple items, hand-made and mainly white. All have tiny details such as embroideries which make them extremely special. You may find two blouses which look similar, but none are exactly the same. Several are embroidered with the initials or first name of the pieces' original owner.

We have searched the island from market to market, home to home, for the most beautiful blouses and gowns you can imagine. We have found old cotton and linen. Durable, fresh and breathable fabrics which are ideal as standard Summer wear.

All the garments you will find here have been completely restored. The process starts at the hands of an expert embroiderer who has carefully mended any imperfections it may have suffered over time. We really want our hemstitches, embossing and loop stitching to look as good as it did on the very first day it was worn.

Next the garments undergo a rigorous cleaning process to remove any hard staining from rust or damp. Please take into account that you may still find a loose thread or some patching or tiny staining that refuses to budge (don't worry we will tell you about it first). We believe that these slight imperfections aren't bad, in fact they are part of the history of the piece.

We assure you that nothing makes your feel as unique as wearing a unique piece of clothing like these ones, being able to imagine who tailored it for its original owner and now for you. Where did she live? What was her story? Or even better, to imagine that maybe it was worn at a particularly important event or time in her life. This, we believe, is quite magical.