Emanuel Ungaro founded his Parisian couture house in 1965 after a brief stint working for both Cristobal Balenciaga and Andre Courreges. He was known for his lively prints and excellent craftmanship and reached the height of his fame in the 1980s. Made in Italy, this documented dress dates back to Fall 1988 and was created as part of the brand’s “Parallele” line which was Ungaro's high-end ready to wear clothing. We've attached an old print of the campaign shot for the collection featuring the dress in different colourways. This also mirrored the runway whereby the puff element of the skirt design and the three colourways were shown as skirt separates paired with black and white checked jackets. The runway video was too poor a copy to add to the listing but you can view on YouTube.

The dress showcases a classic 1980s silhouette in a now very modern and appealing way. Tailored from black silk patterned boldly all-over with painterly gold florals, the cloth is draped flatteringly across the waist. The skirt is cut to a weighty puffball style which dances around the legs as the wearer moves. The sleeves are voluminous at the shoulders and fall to a narrower wrist. There is a scarf at the neck that can be worn in an adaptable manner. It fastens at the back of the neck with a hidden black zip. The dress is fully lined in sheer black crepe.

All Ungaro pieces are beautifully made and only retailed in the 'creme de la creme' of department stores. This highly wearable piece is in excellent vintage condition with no flaws of any note and looks barely worn. It is labelled a US 10, but this is better suited in modern sizing for up to a UK 10-12 with a small waist or US 6. The fabric has no stretch. Our model is a UK 8-10 US 4-6 and 5'9" and this dress fit her well. 

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 38 in. (97 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 50 in. (127 cm)

LENGTH - 39 in. (99 cm)