Mollie Parnis is one of my favorite American designers. She was known for having dressed numerous first ladies and her dresses regularly appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. She started a label with her husband in 1933 called Parnis Livingston Inc. and she quickly became know for her quality, fit and use of very good fabrics. She had a particular talent in dressing woman of every age and designed pieces that suited her older clients in a time when this was not a focus. Her husband died in 1962 forcing the label to shutter but she re-grouped and re-opened three months later under her own Mollie Parnis label.

This dress is lovely and has a classic one shoulder cut. It is made out of a soft fluid velvet in tones of silver, gold and copper. The colours are arranged over the velvet in a bit of an abstract geometric print that is set on an angle to follow the line created by the angle of the single shoulder. In person it has a far more silver feel to it and it is fantastic. The photos are not doing the metallic color full justice at all. The entire dress is suspended by that one single shoulder. It hooks to close into place at the top of the shoulder and then has an attached tie to add extra detail. The other shoulder is left completely bare. The dress is cut on the bias so that it skims over the body without being too tight or fitted and yet it still shows off your curves. The skirt falls to the floor and it is cut supermodel long. At the back there is a long open keyhole that is cut on an angle. This gives you this unexpected flash of skin there when you move. It dips down to an off-set zipper and there is a second attached tie at the top of the zipper to mimic the one at the shoulder. The weight of that tie also serves to give it a touch of shape through the waist. It is simple, chic and sexy but the metallic velvet gives it an amazing impact. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black chiffon to just past the knee and closes with an off-set zipper at the back. The two ties are just tacked into place so could be removed if you wished. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut should allow it to work for a range of sizes.

Bust: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 62" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD3963

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.