👋 A B O U T

A rare Traina-Norell cocktail dress in crisp black silk faille, made in the years when Dior's 1947 "New Look" reshaped women's fashion. After wartime fabric restrictions, the New Look brought back a defined bust, a cinched waist, and a full, generous skirt, and this dress follows that silhouette. A killer sweetheart bodice sits within a wide neckline, framed by sculpted and intricately pleated puff sleeves. A slim self-fabric tie marks the waist, and the skirt is finely pleated into a dropped hip yoke for fullness. The dress closes with a metal zipper at center back, and the bodice is lined in ivory silk. This dress epitomizes New Look era drama and elegance, with an iconic silhouette and construction fit for a museum. In overall excellent condition.

About Traina-Norell: Founded in 1941, Traina-Norell paired manufacturer Anthony Traina with designer Norman Norell, who had spent over a decade at Hattie Carnegie. Norell's clean, impeccably tailored work made him one of the first American designers to be recognized by name, and he won the first Coty American Fashion Critics' Award in 1943. After Traina died in 1960, Norell launched Norman Norell Inc. under his own name. Norell's work is featured in museums around the globe and is sure to increase in value as time goes on. A rare and spectacular piece of American fashion history. 

✂️ M E A S U R E M E N T S

Bust: up to 34" / shoulder to waist: 16"
waist: up to 26"
Hips: up to open 

Total length: 46”

Fits a small 

Label: made by Traina-Norell for I.Magnin, ours is unfortunately missing a label. 

Material: silk faille, metal zipper  
Condition:  very good overall, with minor signs of wear to the interior lining and repairs to the gussets on the underarms using the same fabric to patch. Not noticeable when worn or displayed but worth pointing out. See close up pictures. Freshly cleaned and ready to wear. Priced with flaws in mind. 

All of our pieces are thoroughly inspected and repaired by our in house professional seamstress prior to shipping to ensure your garment is in ready to wear condition upon arrival. We ship our items out on Thursdays. Please allow extra time for wedding dresses and large orders. 

*Please compare measurements to a garment you currently own to ensure proper fit! Please note: most of our pieces are clipped to fit our dress forms (bust: 34" waist: 23")



💖 F O L L O W

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