The House of Emanuel Ungaro was founded in 1965 after the designer's brief stint working for both Cristobal Balenciaga and Andre Courreges. Ungaro was known for his lively prints and excellent craftmanship; pieces are beautifully made and were only retailed in the 'creme de la creme' of department stores and boutiques.

This vibrant dress was made in Italy during the late 1980s or early 1990s and was created as part of the brand’s “Parallele” line which was Ungaro's high-end ready-to-wear clothing. It is tailored from a thick crepe wool which is printed with florals in rich tones of russet, teal, aubergine and sage. The dress has a curve-skimming hourglass silhouette and falls to below the knee. It has a raised neckline and long sleeves crafted from a deep purple velvet which is buttery soft. At the back the purple panels at the neck and sleeve give way to a tromp l’oeil jacket. The fabric of the faux-jacket is gathered at the centre bottom of the back where it joins with an elaborate gold clasp with two intricately carved, heart-shaped gold buckles, alongside a small hidden hook-and-eye. The dress is lined in rich purple satin throughout for a comfortable, luxurious wear. It fastens at the back of the neck with three black buttons and fabric loops, and below this the dress is secured with a hidden purple zip.

In excellent vintage condition; we noticed a couple of small spots on the back where the velvet has been impacted - these are not apparent when the dress is worn. There is no composition label and the piece is labelled a size US 8 but please check our below measurements as the fabric has no stretch. We think this would best suit up to a UK 10 or US 6 with a slimmer hip. Our model's sizes are: Bust: 33" (84cm), Waist 26" (66cm), Hips: 34" (86cm), Height 5' 7" (170cm) and she's a size UK 6, US 2.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 30 in. (76 cm)

HIP - 38 in. (97 cm)

LENGTH - 39 in. (99 cm)