Today I have something special for you – a silk 1920s evening gown from the House of Chanel. I photographed her today before she goes to her new home – a Sydney based collector who is sure to appreciate it as much as I have.

Tomorrow we’re driving up to Sydney for the vintage fair and book launch, and it seemed the perfect opportunity to deliver her to her new home. I couldn’t possibly entrust such a cargo to Australia Post!

She needs professional restoration and isn’t quite wearable at the moment – although she looks solid, it wouldn’t take long before those white and silver beads started to fall. In fact, as well as packing her well in acid free tissue paper, she comes with a bag of beads that have found their way loose.

As you know, I do lots of repairs and restoration on vintage but despite my strong skills, some pieces need to be entrusted to museum-level restorers or preserved as they are. I will leave that choice up to her new owner.

If you look closely at the hand-beaded skirt, you will see that the rows of beads start as all white on the top level, gradually increasing rows of silver so that the beads are all silver by the bottom. It produces a lovely graduating effect, that shines under the lights. A lady kicking up her heels with a vigorous Charleston would be quite a sight to see! This dress was made for dancing, I’m quite sure.

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