French fashion designer Philippe Venet, who was Hubert de Givenchy's lifetime partner, launched his couture house in 1962. "Philippe Venet made Parisian couture shine, particularly in the United States, where he remained one of the most appreciated couturiers for a long time,” the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said in a tribute after Venet's death in 2021.

Offered here is the second of two Philippe Venet 1980s two-piece ensembles that we were privileged to acquire recently, both of which are rare vintage treasures, especially for collectors of French couture. This one comprises a top and pleated skirt in purple silk with gold lamè woven throughout in a floral/foliate pattern. The long top has padded shoulders and covers the top of the hips. At the bottom, the sides are extended to form two long, wide sashes that tie on the left hip. The sleeves are lightly gathered at the top and taper to be narrow at the wrists (with zippers). It buttons up the back with five self-covered buttons. The micro-pleated skirt falls in a flared shape and is very full at the bottom. The top is lined in purple silk chiffon, and the skirt is unlined. The gold lamè surface of the fabric is delicate, so should you encounter a loose end of the lamè, just carefully snip it off. The measurements indicate that the ensemble is a modern size 6-8, or Medium.*

Note: We had a hard time getting the gold and purple colors corrected together in Photoshop - fixing one would mess up the other. On our monitor, the best depiction of both colors is in the last photo of the designer label.

TOP MEASUREMENTS
- Shoulder width is 15”
- Chest is 38”
- Waist is 30” but is tighened with the sashes.
- Length is 23” down center back.

SKIRT MEASUREMENTS
- Waist is 28”
- Hips are free.
- Length is 20.5”

CONDITION
Excellent condition with no significant issues. The lamè on the surface of the fabric shows a few "thread pulls” that for the most part just blend in with the pattern.

This item is sold from a vintage boutique in Dallas, TX.