Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons Burgundy Purple Gold Lace Kimono Sleeve Dress

Lace gets the avant-garde treatment in this pretty spring/summer 2012 Junya Watanabe dress. The traditional fabric, here woven from richly hued burgundy, purple and gold threads into a gorgeous scroll motif, gets trimmed, draped, pintucked, ruffled and sliced at the Japanese designer’s masterful hands for a look that is distinctly his own.

The scoop neck shift is capped by short kimono sleeves that drape beautifully over the arms. The bodice is bisected by a pintuck above the bustline that falls into a sweet ruffle that crisscrosses over the silhouette to end at the knee-length handkerchief hemline. An ornate embroidery finishes the asymmetrical front, while at the back, the shorter skirt is left with a raw edge. Unlined, the look is meant to reveal the layers beneath for a less polished and more personality-filled take on ladylike dressing.

Size estimate: XS/S Measurements

Bust: up to 34 inches

Waist: 26 inches

Hips: up to 36 inches

Length front: 36 inches

Length back: 31 inches

This Junya Watanabe dress from the spring/summer 2012 collection is in excellent condition. It is made from lace woven from burgundy, purple and gold threads. The shift silhouette has a wide scoop neck, short kimono sleeves and a front ruffle that crisscrosses the bodice and falls to the knee-length handkerchief hemline.

The hemline is trimmed at the front with an embroidered leaf motif, while at the back, the shorter skirt is left with a raw edge. An elastic at the rear waistline ensures easy on and off for the pullover style. High-quality vintage pieces like this are yours to live in and love while increasing in value every year. It’s never too soon to start collecting them, as an investment in your wardrobe—and in yourself.