philip hulitar black taffeta gown

for 18 years, philip hulitar worked as chief designer for bergdorf goodman before launching his own brand in 1949. he converged an old world upbringing and sensibility – his father was a hungarian diplomat and his mother came from italian nobility – with a thoroughly modernized american one. throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, hulitar was designing distinctively tailored cocktail dresses that were worn by the likes of jane fonda and patty duke.

hulitar gained a reputation for his creative use of different materials, complex and elegant textures, and mixing synthetics with traditional fabrics like silk and satin. while he liked to employ a variety of cuts and silhouettes, hulitar was very conscious of how a particular look would fit each person. at his core, "hulitar was about making the feminine form even more beautiful.”

available is a 1950s philip hulitar silk taffeta gown featuring an hourglass bodice with criss cross pleated bust, double spaghetti straps, ruching at the hips, and an elegant back bow that flows into a bubble hem bustle that adds some drama as you walk. the dress is unlined and has a back zip and hook closure. philip hulitar gowns are widely museum-held and will likely gain in value.

in excellent condition, with two tiny patch-backed areas toward the bottom of the dress. *slightly large on model in the bust. no size tag so please check measurements for fit.

bust: 36" 

waist: 25"

hips: 39"

length: 54.5"

*model is around 5'9", 33" 25" 35"