1920's RARE Vera West Fine Lace Peignoir Robe and Gown Teddy Roses
Universal Costume Designer Vera West
This is a VERY rare peignoir designed by Universal costume designer Vera West. If you don't know about Vera West, you might want to do some research - she was quite mysterious and once you start reading about her career and life, you will find her to be an incredibly fascinating individual!
West was the designer of the most famous of Universal's horror films including Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.. You can read my blog post about Vera West to find out more! Her life and death were as mysterious as some of her films! West was very famous for her gorgeous gowns - many times, the female leads of the movies she worked on would be wearing extravagant nightgowns, robes and formal dresses. She designed costumes for almost 400 movies from the late 1920's until her death in 1947. I acquired this 3 piece peignoir from a wonderful woman named Debbie, who is the daughter of the actor Reginald Denny. Mr. Denny had this peignoir made for Debbie's mother during the early part of their marriage. Both Reginald Denny and Debbie's mother, Betsy "Bubbles" Lee, were under contract at Universal, so they knew Mrs. West personally. So when it was time to buy his new wife a one of a kind peignoir, Denny turned to Vera to create something original just for his bride. He could have bought it any time from the late 20's until around 1933. This set includes an all lace teddy, an all lace gown, and a silk chiffon robe with lace trim, silk ribbon, and incredible handmade satin roses.
This set is unfortunately for study or display only as it is very fragile and has tears and weak spots making it unsuitable for wear. I was so thrilled to be fortunate to be able to buy it, as I am very intrigued by Vera West and am especially in awe of her extraordinary lingerie and sleepwear. You can see how the silk ribbon of the gown goes through lace panels similar to belt loops, which is something she did quite often. The fine ivory lace is absolutely some of the most beautiful I've ever seen - exceptional - and I especially love the way the lace on the sleeves drapes. The roses are to die for! This would be perfect to frame or display professionally - a wonderful piece of fashion history.
Helen Chandler in 1931 "Dracula" wearing a Vera West gown
We offer a large selection of designers and manufacturers that span the 20th and early 21st century. Sizing varies greatly, so we have outlined our measuring and size estimating process.
The best way to know if a vintage item will fit you is to take a garment that fits you well, similar to the one you are interested in purchasing, and measure it the way we measure ours.
We lay all garments flat and measure as follows*:
| DRESSES | PANTS | |
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BUST - under arm to under arm across the front and then double that measurement. |
Measure the WAISTBAND, widest part of the HIPS, widest part of the THIGH on one leg and width of the CUFF, then double those measurements |
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WAIST - find the smallest part of the garment if there isn't an obvious seam for the waist and measure across and then double that measurement. |
LENGTH - Measure from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the cuff along the side seam. | |
| HIPS - Find the largest part of the hip area and measure flat, then double that measurement. | RISE - Measure from the crotch to the top of the waistband. | |
| LENGTH - from the nape of the neck or the top of the shoulders, depending on the style of garment. We will measure to the waist when applicable, so that you can determine if it will fit your torso, and then a waist down measurement. | INSEAM - Measure from the crotch to the bottom of the cuff along the inside seam. | |
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SLEEVES - measure from the top of the shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve. When we think that the arm opening is particularly small, we will provide that measurement as well.** |
*Fabrics with stretch will have some give, we will try to mention the range of measurements that will fit comfortably.
**With dolman sleeves, the size is an estimation based on the waist as the body seamlessly joins the sleeve.
Feel free to email us with specific questions about specific measurements that we may not have included that you need to know in order to feel confident about your purchase. If you have a particularly long torso, short legs, long arms, etc.. we can help you determine whether or not a garment will work for your body.
At Modig, we pride ourselves in selling vintage items that are in excellent condition and ready to use. Everything in our inventory has been professionally cleaned and stored in a climate controlled, pest-free environment.
All of our items are pre-owned, and as such we do our best to mention any flaw in detail, including photographs when appropriate. Slight imperfections are part of the history of vintage garments, but it is our goal to make sure that you know exactly what you are getting when you shop with us.
Here is a guide to condition for our site:
MINT - In "as new" condition. May include original tags or may appear unworn.
EXCELLENT - Very minor to no visible flaws found. May have been washed and worn, but was well taken care of and stored properly.
NOTE: Most of our items are included in the above categories unless stated otherwise. We only list items in the categories below if they are extremely rare, unique, or have an important label.
GOOD - Definitely wearable but might have a small hole, a spot we were unable to remove, or a tear that is not in the seam but in an inconspicuous spot. It might just be that the item doesn't appear as "crisp" as it would have been originally but is still a wonderful piece.
FAIR - When we sell garments in this category, it is mainly because they are from an important designer or rare pieces from the late 1800s or early part of the 20th century. They are generally fragile textiles, and are meant to be used for study or display purposes.
We have been selling vintage clothing for over two decades, and have many wonderful customers that have bought with us since the beginning. To build and maintain that kind of trust and relationship, we pride ourselves on cleanliness, proper storage techniques, and sharp eyes for flaws.
SHIPPING
Please note that all orders have a 1-3 business day handling time in addition to the shipping times below. Please contact us before making your purchase if you need an item by a specific date so we can advise you on shipping and expedited handling.
Domestic shipping within the US (2-3 business days) for a flat fee. Domestic US orders over $150 have complementary shipping.
Domestic expedited shipping (1-2 business days) is available at checkout for a flat fee. Please contact us if you need something overnighted.
International Shipping (4-10 business days) for a flat fee based on item weight.
International shipping is complementary with orders over $500.
Expedited Global Express Guaranteed (1-3 business days) is available for a flat fee.
Please be familiar with your own customs policies and charges. The customer is accountable for any additional customs fees, taxes and/or charges. Modig is not responsible for any items damaged or lost by the shipping carrier.
RETURNS + EXCHANGES
We want your shopping experience with Modig to be as easy and hassle-free as possible. As such, we have extended our return policy in order to better address the needs of our customers.
To better guarantee your purchase, we encourage our customers to read all condition statements and review the detailed measurements provided for every item on our site. We also encourage you to ask any questions in advance before purchasing anything from us including sizing information, color clarification, etc.
We can easily accommodate exchanges or returns for store credit.
Returns are accepted if you follow the steps below:
1. We are contacted within 24 hours of receiving the item with written intent to return.
2. Once approved for a return, the item is postmarked for return within 48 hours of the notification.
3. Item is unworn with all tags attached and in the condition it was sent. If tags are removed and/or item has been worn or shows damage of any kind, we retain the right to refuse a refund for the item or deduct the cost of cleaning/mending from the return amount.
4. Buyer is responsible for return shipping charges and will not be reimbursed for the original shipping cost (this includes all custom fees, duties and taxes).
5. Returned item must be shipped with appropriate tracking and insurance. We can provide the return shipping label if requested, and the cost will be deducted from the final return amount.
Return Address:
MODIG
1427 NW Raleigh St.
Portland, OR, 97209
Items NOT eligible for returns:
X Purchases from our Sale section
X Jewelry, handbags, shoes and accessories
X Lingerie and underthings
X Antique garments (1930's or earlier)
X No refunds are given for items damaged or lost by the carrier during shipping. We ship all items insured and the purchaser is to pursue any shipping claims with the carrier.