2016 Julien Macdonald Runway Silver and Gold Paillette Top and Skirt

Julien Macdonald’s Fall 2016 collection marked a return to full-throttle glamour. Staged in a former 19th-century church, the show unfolded like a glittering ritual, with models in slashed, sheer, and intricately beaded gowns that celebrated the body. The presentation arrived amid renewed buzz around Macdonald’s work, fueled in part by Gigi Hadid’s headline-making appearance in one of his barely-there beaded jumpsuits at a Sports Illustrated event. This was the show that revitalised Macdonald’s place at the center of the red-carpet conversation. Halle Bailey wore this ensemble on the cover of Essence magazine in 2019, and it was also worn by Praya Lundberg to the Cannes premiere of Girls of the Sun in 2018.

This glittering two-piece walked the runway as look 45/57. Tailored from a fine mesh in a pale nude hue, both pieces are tailored to a body-con fit. This ensemble is elaborately sequinned all-over with large rectangular paillettes in gold and silver. These form subtle horizontal zig-zags across the cloth, making the pieces appear to shine both colours at once. The paillettes are all individually stitched at each end with a tonal pale thread onto the mesh. The top is tailored to a cropped style with a rounded neckline and boxy armholes. At the back, it fastens with a large exposed gold-tone zip with chunky zip-pull. It is lined with beige silk. The skirt is cut to a pencil silhouette with a wide, high waistband that shapes the waist. Below this, mesh cut-outs give a sensuous skin-flashing look. The skirt has a high slit at the rear, and fastens at the back with a large exposed gold-tone zip with chunky zip-pull. The skirt is unlined.

Both pieces are in very good archival vintage condition and are the actual show pieces from the runway. Our couture trained seamstress has expertly restored this ensemble and she presents beautifully. A few signed of wear are noted; smudges around the inner neckline and small blemishes to a handful of the paillettes such as cracking and bending but these do not detract when worn. There are no composition or size labels so please check the measurements below closely. Our model's sizes are: Bust: 34" (87cm), Waist 24" (61cm), Hips: 34" (86cm), Height: 5' 4" (164cm) and she's a size UK 4-6, US 0-2.

Note on the designer: Julien Macdonald OBE rose to prominence in the late 1990s. After graduating from the Royal College of Art, he was hired by Karl Lagerfeld to work at Chanel, and was later appointed chief designer at Givenchy. In 1997, Macdonald launched his eponymous label and it was here that he cemented his reputation for high-octane, couture-level craftsmanship. He was named “British Fashion Designer of the Year” at the 2001 British Fashion Awards and, in 2006, he was awarded an OBE for services to fashion. Macdonald is known for his meticulous handwork, opulent fabrics, and body-sculpting silhouettes that marry traditional techniques with unabashed sensuality. His designs, often featuring intricate beading, feather work, and lacework, have made him a red carpet favorite and a key figure in modern fashion, celebrated for reviving the spectacle and decadence of haute couture in a contemporary context.

MEASUREMENTS TOP

BUST - 32 in. (81 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

LENGTH - 13 in. (33 cm)

MEASUREMENTS SKIRT

WAIST - 25 in. (64 cm)

HIP - 34 in. (86 cm)

LENGTH - 41 in. (104 cm)