Marni Limited Edition Ivory Silk Floral Applique Ribbon Trim Dress

There are designers who shape trends, designers who follow them and designers who are simply in a league of their own. Consuelo Castiglioni is in the latter category. The creative director and founder of Marni spent more than two decades making gorgeously unique clothes that played (often all at once) with proportion, color, pattern and texture. When she announced last fall that she would be retiring from the Milanese label, every piece embodying her aesthetic became even more special than it already was. Such is the case with this highly collectible dress.

From the early 2000s, it is a limited-edition piece only made for the Avenue Montaigne boutique in Paris. It is sweet, pretty and ethereal, but not saccharine. The artful construction details ensure that. Comprised of two layers of transparent ivory silk chiffon, the silhouette first showcases an A-line shift. Its hem is finished with a band of brown silk chiffon. Then it is beautifully framed with hand-applied flower buds formed from brown and beige velvet circles and leaves formed from black beading.

The top layer, which is also embellished, drapes over this. At its front, the assymetric hemline is gathered at the center into a stunning ruched arc. It ripples gently and then finishes with a pair of brown and beige silk ribbon streamers. You can tie the outer layer at the back or let it drape. Just in time for spring, this is a perfect garden party dress—or even an out-of-the-ordinary wedding ensemble.

Size estimate: S/M

Measurements:

Bust: 36 inches

Waist: 30 inches

Hips: 39 inches

Dress length: 37 inches

Top layer length (at longest point): 56 inches

This Marni dress from the early 2000s is in excellent condition. It is made of two layers of ivory silk chiffon that are joined by spaghetti straps. The first layer is a knee-length A-line shift dress. Its hem is finished with a band of brown silk chiffon. It is framed by a hand-applied embellishment of flower buds and leaves. The buds are created from brown and beige velvet. The leaves are created from black beading.

The top layer, which is also embellished, drapes over the bottom one. At its front, the asymmetric hemline is gathered at the center. The ruching ripples down into silk ribbon streamers in brown and beige. You can tie the outer layer at the back or let it drape. The dress comes with a matching slip. 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.