• The twin of this dress walked runway for the Cruise 2011 Chanel collection for Look 36.
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld
• I have had a version of this dress in the shop that had a more tank bodice to it but this is the first time I have had the actual twin of the runway look and I think I love it even more with its one shoulder silhouette.
• The Chanel Cruise collections have an interesting history. Gabrielle Chanel actually sailed and her love of the sport led to her inception of a 'cruise' collection in the 1920s. She was not the first to come up with this concept but hers were among the first to show a complete collection in a fully fledged show. They eventually fell off in popularity within the brand and it was not until Karl Lagerfeld took over Chanel that the Cruise collections started again.
• This was a very successful collection and was lauded by critics. Vogue said that 'It was like something out of a quintessential Riviera movie.... And like the carefree starlets and jet-setters they were channeling, the models traipsed down the street-cum-runway often barefoot, wearing seventies-ish diaphanous caftans, long crocheted dresses, ruffle-lapelled silk jersey trouser suits, and patchwork denim skirts.' They noted that 'Key, of course, is that lightness of touch, the sense of enjoyment and ease. And with fashion once again experiencing a 1970's revival, the show also ended up feeling—as Lagerfeld's Chanel outings often do—very much of the moment.' And the location choice? Karl said the location was a personal choice "I spent many years of my life here," he said. "I know Saint-Tropez like I know Paris. The collection is very casual, very down-to-earth."
• Of course only Karl and Chanel would think a gold knit ribbon dress is casual, to the rest of us this is an incredibly glamorous dress. 
• The dress is beautiful. For all the talk of the seventies influence on this collection this one definitely has a nod to the twenties, a decade that Karl often touched upon.
• The base of the dress is made out of a knit that combines a natural deep linen silk cord that has a gold metallic thread woven through it. Gold grosgrain ribbon is braided through the knit and then additional strands of ribbon and silk cords are set vertically over the different parts of the dress to create the final effect that you see. 
• The knit that edges the neckline has a chunkier feel to it than the knit that runs through the body. The ribbon on those two parts of the dress is also set into the knit differently.
• For the area around the waist and the seam above the final part of the skirt, Karl treated the knit and ribbon differently again. It is quite interesting to see how he used the change of direction of the knit and different finishes of both the knit and the ribbon to separate and highlight the different parts of the design on the dress.
• Through the body the weave of the knit is all set vertically with gold ribbon braided vertically. Long vertical expanses of ribbon are set over the underlying knit layer along with strands of metallic finished cords that are very fine and delicate. These attached into the seam above and below and because of how they are attached and set they sit off of the dress underneath and create its unusual texture and 3D feel. This is an absolute testament to the genius of Karl and his constant pushing forward of the technical aspect of fabrics.
• At the very bottom portion of the skirt, the final 10" of the ribbon and cord are allowed to fall like a long fringe. When you move these create incredible movement as they swish and swoop around you. You also see your leg through the fringes as you walk. It is incredible.
• Once on the body it simply falls over you and is super easy to wear and just a really interesting and unique dress.
• The gold gives it that added glam factor and you could easily wear this for day with sandals and then go all out for an evening look. It would even make a great bridal piece for the bride not looking for something traditional or as a dress for an event surrounding the ceremony. 
• The dress is fully lined through the middle portion in a stretch lingerie feel silk jersey that makes it very comfortable to wear. The bodice is unlined. It has no closures and slips on to wear. It does have some stretch and I have given the comfortable range of measurements below. It appears to have never been worn very little if at all.
  Tagged a vintage Chanel 38 
• Excellent condition 
  

Bust: 15-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 14-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14" from the top of the shoulder to the bottom of the 2" band at the waist
Total length: 49" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD5275

Reference Photo/Video: Chanel 2011 Chanel Runway Collection, Look 36. Model: Sara Blomqvist.

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