Category: Women’s Fashion

Designers have been plundering the back catalogues of fashion for inspiration for some time now, but for Spring/Summer 2009 Balenciaga have come up with quite a nifty idea. Pillaging the treasure trove that is the brand's design history, they have chosen twenty six designs from the house archives to recreate for sale once more as the Balenciaga.Edition collection.

Shown above is the Summer 1952 dress from an Cristobel Balenciaga design. Each piece is being recreated using research into original fabrics, but with the added expertise and finishing of modern construction techniques.

This dress is available now at Browns, with more designs to follow.

Find out more from the Balenciaga website

Taking the ingredients of a vintage dress and mixing them with the decidedly modern can be a minefield, but when the designers pull it off the results can be effortless. This Open Back Bow Dress from Urban Outfitters takes the high glamour of the 1940s and 50s and makes it wearable now.

The basic, figurehugging shape of the dress speaks of retro glamour, with the oversized bow creating a real Hollywood feel. Combined with an open back, and shorter hem, this dress has been given a youthful touch that works well. Keeping the colour palette plain, and the dress made from a sturdy knit, it's shapely and chic without overstating the point.

Available at Urban Outfitters UK, this costs £55.

Find out more from the website

Red shoes may have lost some of the risk taking behaviour they were once associated with, but they still make a real statement. This pair of shined leather peep toes by Fornarina are nothing if not attention grabbing, and for all the right reasons.

With a cutesy, pin up feel about them, they're a refreshingly unique pair. The peep toe heart design, coupled with the sleek curved overlap at the heel give this some vamp attitude. The shade and quality of the leather, too, is just right to avoid tackiness.

They're available online from Oli for £110.

Find out more from the website

Yet another reinvention of the trench coat could easily be something to lament for those of us getting mac fatigue, but yet again Diane von Furstenberg has come up trumps with her eye for style. Not taking the classic too seriously, she's deftly designed a perfect Spring/Summer version with plenty of retro influence.

The shade of yellow is perfectly sixties, with the slightly belled shape of the sleeves combined with the A-line cut rounding off the ode. Smaller details like the trim designs of the pocket flaps and the cuffs give this some perfectly mod inspired lines.

It's available online from Matches Fashion for £462.

Find out more from the website