1970s Giorgio Sant'Angelo Knit Dress

We're at a loss to understand how a sheer genius of a fashion designer makes that critical death-knell decision to license his name to some cheap, off-shore clothing manufacturer, and what it must feel like (if in fact they are still present enough in mind and body to feel something) to watch everything you've lovingly created make that sad, downward slide to where your clothing ends up on the racks of T.J. Maxx? Is it simply a matter money, or is it something more profound - a loss of faith in oneself?  Joining the ranks of other brilliant designers like Halston and Pierre Cardin, the end of Giorgio di Sant'Angelo's career was about as far from it's beginning that you could conceivably get. And you don't have to be a savant to know the difference between the 'good' Sant'Angelo and the crap. This stunning knit dress has a color blocked bodice in berry red and purple atop a solid black skirt. A knit similar to St. John (for lack of a better example), the bodice and right sleeve are accented with a thin purple stripe in a looser weave - which leaves just a little bit of skin peeking out right across the bust - so Sant'Angelo.  The back has a keyhole opening - a bit more skin - and a sexy little purple fringe graces the sleeve cuff and bicep of the right sleeve - as enticing as a slave cuff on a bare arm. Flat, unstretched measurements:  Bust 35", waist 29", hip 35", shoulder 13", sleeve 23", length 43". Excellent condition. $285