1920's RARE Vera West Fine Lace Peignoir Gown Robe 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*:
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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.
Is this in my size?
Frankly, we don't know. With a 26" waist, you might wear a Target dress size 4, but a designer Valentino dress size 10. The modern "vanity sizing" you see in most stores does not correlate to high end designer sizing, especially when you start to look back in time!
Luckily, if you have a measuring tape, we've made it easy for you to find out in the most precise way possible if you will fit into the garments in our store! Just visit our Measuring & Fit Guide.
Do you offer Layaway?
Yes! We offer a non-refundable layaway program that requires a 20% down payment with the remainder of the balance divided anywhere between 2 and 6 months. Please contact us if you are interested in putting something on layaway.
Do you have a physical shop I can visit?
Yes! In 2017 we opened our appointment-only studio space in Portland, OR. Contact us for information about setting up an appointment.
Join our mailing list for updates on our participation in vintage shows around the country, future pop-up shops, and events in our studio!
I'm getting married, can you help me find a vintage wedding dress and dresses for my entire wedding party?
Yes! We absolutely love weddings! Just tell us what you are dreaming of and we can try to make it become a reality. Take a look at our Wedding Dress collection for some of our available vintage wedding gowns, but if you don't see it there, feel free to contact us with your specific dress vision (we have tons of unlisted inventory -- including wedding dresses!).
We can help everyone from the bride to the mother of the bride look amazing on that special day. We also do wedding styling and try whenever at all possible to use sustainable, ethical decor.
I need a certain color of dress and I think I've found it on your site but the color looks different on the different monitors I've seen it on - is there a way to know exactly what color it is?
We have the full book of Pantone colors, so we can find the exact match on any particular garment. Or, if you can find the Pantone equivalent to the specific color you need, we can help you find a garment in the exact shade.
I am looking for a vintage dress for a black tie event - do you have other dresses in your inventory that are not online that I might be able to see?
We have a huge inventory and can't put it all online at once, so it is always good to email us if you are looking for something special. Please include images from the web of dresses you like, your size, color preferences and the date of the event. We buy estates of clothing regularly so even if we don't have it in our current stock, it might be our next great find!
What's the difference between "good" and "excellent" condition?
See our Condition Notes page.
Why do vintage clothing prices differ so much online?
Shopping online can be very confusing! You need to look at the unique aspects of the piece, the designer, the quality and most importantly, the condition (view our Condition Notes page). Vintage clothing has everything to do with condition and quality.
Most of us who have been doing this for many years, have become more and more discriminate about condition and the pieces we add to our inventory so the prices might seem much higher, but they reflect a more selective collection of finer, rarer, or more collectible garments.
Don't see your question?
Feel free to CONTACT US at any time with specific questions and inquiries.
