This rare ensemble was created for Fall 2000 by French couturier Christian Lacroix. It comprises a button-up jacket and an ankle-length skirt. A dress in the same fabric and with the same detailing walked the runway as look 35/64 for the brand’s Fall 2000 runway show. Both pieces are tailored from a textured silk/wool blend in magenta purple with all-over embroidery of what appears up-close to be erratic, jumping and zig-zagging lines but, from afar, are revealed to be the occasional outline of a rose or leaf.

The jacket is tailored to an elongated silhouette with a button-up front. The shoulders and cuffs are finished with the same fabric and embroidery, this time with a cream background and mottled purple and cream bouclé embroidery. The jacket has a slight nipped-in waist. The fuchsia plastic buttons up the front are adorned with spirals of fuchsia braid. The bottom of the arms are detailed with eccentric embellishments typical of the maverick designer; circles are formed from spirals of braid in neon coral, dusky pink, fuchsia and red, and detailed with rhinestones and cellophane.

The skirt is tailored to a high-waist cut. It has a dramatic A-line silhouette that falls to the floor. Just like the jacket, it is detailed with the clashing cream section and finished with braid spirals and rhinestones. It fastens at the back of the waist with a hidden tonal zip and hook-and-eye clasp. Both the jacket and skirt are lined in a dusky pink viscose with a psychedelic graphic print in sage green. The jacket, and skirt both contain the mustard yellow on black and grey Christian Lacroix Paris label.

The ensemble is in excellent vintage condition with no flaws of any note and looks barely worn. It is labelled a French size 40, UK 12 or US 8 but vintage sizes vary so please check our measurements as the fabric has no stretch.

MEASUREMENTS JACKET

BUST - 38 in. (97 cm)

WAIST - 36 in. (91 cm)

HIP - 40 in. (102 cm)

LENGTH - 25 in. (64 cm)

SHOULDERS - 19 in. (48 cm)

MEASUREMENTS SKIRT

WAIST - 32 in. (81 cm)

HIP - 44 in. (112 cm)

LENGTH - 43.5 in. (111 cm)