Curious as to if this is vintage Dior and if so what is pattern?

My mom is needing help with finding out any information on this loungewear she found. The tag says Christian Dior, Neimann Marcus, and appears to be legit, but she cannot find this style of loungewear anywhere. She believes it may be from the 1960's, but she cannot even find the pattern of lace and could use any help you can provide. It is roughly 55" long from top to bottom, and from sleeve to sleeve (outside neckline) is 17", and the cinched in section towards hips region is roughly 23.5"-24". It also has a slit on the side.

She thanks you all in advance for any information about the authenticity, style, or worth of this piece.

 

It's a lace caftan. Late 1960s/early 1970s should be about right. I'll do some research on label for you and see if we can confirm. No reason it wouldn't be legit but Christian Dior Loungewear was a licensed line and wouldn't have any thing to do with the French design house except the name. Probably manufactured by a 7th Avenue company.

Debora

 

Ah, I was wrong. 1980s according to this. If there's a small tag in hem with RN, you'll be able to identify manufacturer but not sure it matters.

https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/neiman-marcus/

Debora

 

Thank you so much, Debora! We checked, and there wasn’t a second tag in the hem.

 

It was probably Carole Hochman who manufactured the caftan. Here's some read-with-a-grain-of-salt copy from the brand's web site.

"During this time, Christian Dior was Carole Hochman Design’s biggest licensee, and the industry standard in luxury lingerie, sold in virtually every major department and specialty store, and found in every elegant woman’s wardrobe across the U.S. Carole traveled several times a year to Paris, mastering the art of flawless construction and experimenting with different textiles and fabrics during her time there."

Debora

 

Mother said one would have worn a sheath or slip dress under it. Unless one was fast,of course !

 

1980s lounge wear. Probably worn over a nightgown. Likely would have been slinky.

Debora

 

You could do the same now, except it would be worn out to dinner instead of for dessert. (or as dessert)

 

Dahling! Candlelight and cocktails on the patio!

 

This looks like some cluny bobbin lace or leavers lace (a machine-made lace) I've seen BUT lace work really confuses me so good luck. Very nice!

 

I agree that it's 1980s ready-to-wear, and has little to do with the Dior design house other than using the name under license. I regularly see Dior lounge wear in my local suburban thrifts, it was sold at "better" department stores and was meant to be used as pretty sleepwear.
I believe it's a type of crochet lace but @Northern Lights Lodge would know best!
Since you ask about authenticity and worth... I see no reason for it not to be authentic, Dior Lounge Wear was widely available at reasonable prices when new and therefore not likely to have been worth the effort of counterfeiting on a large scale. Worth: JMHO, of course, but you may be able to achieve as much as $25-$50 US on a platform such as eBay, if the right buyer happens across your listing.

 

IMO it will do much better than $25-$50. Doesn’t matter that it’s a license and there’s no need to mention that. Between the Dior and Neiman’s tag, caftan/kaftan and lace I’d suggest a higher price if selling with a Best Offer. It’s a terrific piece. I’d wear it in a heartbeat. What’s the fiber?

 

Oh, I strongly disagree re license. The piece had nothing to do with the design house of Dior except for the fact that the manufacturer paid Dior money to use its name. An unsophisticated buyer might be unaware that Dior had been widely licensing since 1949 and that the seller was mis-representing the piece (by omission.)

Debora

 

Respectfully disagree. If Neiman’s didn’t feel the need to disclose, no one else needs to either. Plenty of licenses of that period would tag “so and so for…”. Sorry but to say nothing further is absolutely not misrepresentation. The piece is Christian Dior and Neiman Marcus. Yes, the tag needs to be fully shown which actually clearly discloses the license by being labeled both lounge wear and New York.

I don’t sell on the internet but to infer that anyone who does and doesn’t text disclose a legal license is misrepresenting a piece is absolutely wrong on every level.

 

We'll (respectfully and good-naturedly) disagree then. I only want to add that I don't defer to Neiman Marcus when making ethical decisions.

Debora

 

And you should always do you but there is absolutely no ethical or LEGAL reason to say anything more. YOU are suggesting a moral code that works for you which is fine but that doesn’t mean it has to have any bearing on anyone else. It certainly doesn’t on me and I know I can go to sleep every night without questioning my morality on ANY level. I also have no issue with Neiman’s ethical decisions LOL.

 

If it were black, I’d be all over it. Still would love to know the fiber as I’d dye it if it’s cotton lace. I wear black lace for parties all the time over a black cami and leggings or long slip. I think it’s an amazing piece.

 

Good luck with it. I probably would have made an offer (I love it) but that damage is a deal breaker for me as I’d only want it long and need every bit of the length. I wear tons of caftans and love them.

 

I do think this is an interesting discussion on licenses. I started checking out of my own curiosity and could not find any listing which named a license unless the license was named on the tags e.g. The French Company for Louis Vuitton. Most sellers would have no clue who licensed a product or IF it was licensed. Almost all accessories of all clothing labels are licensed. RTW houses do not make handbags, belts, shoes etc. (Obviously there are exceptions where the companies own their own factories but those are few and far between). All that stuff is licensed and none of it is disclosed by any seller who would have no way of knowing anyway. Items are resold by the label they carry. The entire point of a license is that the product is legally the house that issued the license. In many cases the licensed product is the same quality as the issuing house. In some it isn’t. IMO that’s up to the buyer to discern the quality of what they’re purchasing and people do need to take responsibility for what they buy.

 

Hi all! Late to the party as usual! Sorry! We were on vaca with no cell coverage! Lace IS machine made to resemble "Cluny" bobbin lace.

Cheerio,
Leslie