With the tremendous resurgence in popularity of luxury vintage fashions, gorgeous evening gowns and party dresses in luxury fabrics designed by Victor Costa in the 1980s have become popular again.

Victor Costa was born on December 17, 1935 in Houston, Texas. He studied fashion design at the Pratt Institute in New York, the University of Houston, and the École d'Chambre Syndicale de Haute Couture in Paris, France.

Mr. Costa always loved fashion and built his career on interpreting and copying Paris couture designs and clothing worn by Hollywood stars. In addition to working from sketches and photographs, he would often purchase original Paris designer dresses to study the construction and fabric. He designed some of the most beautiful and well constructed evening gowns of the 1980s under his own label for a fraction of the original Paris prices. Fabrics used included fine silks, satins, and brocades. During his heyday, Costa's client list was a "who's who" of society and entertainment stars. His goal was to make all women feel beautiful.

Mr. Costa has had a long and varied career and held many fashion designer positions over his 50 year career. He began his career at Murray Hamberger of New York as a bridal designer from 1959 to 1961 and designed for Pandora from 1962 to 1965. He then worked at Suzy Perette from 1963 to 1973. While at Suzy Perette, he often attended Paris fashion shows to observe and copy their couture designs. In 1973, Mr. Costa founded Victor Costa, Inc. in Dallas, Texas and Victor Costa Bridal in 1989, following up with Victor Costa Boutique in 1992. After internal business problems forced him to close his companies in 1995, he worked as a designer for the A.S. Group from 1995 to 1997, the Nahdree Group from 1998 to 1999 and for Rose Taft Couture in 1999.

He has won numerous design awards including the May Company American Design award, Stix, Baer & Fuller Golden Fashion award, Wild Basin award from the state of Texas, American Printed Fabrics Council Tommy award, Dallas Fashion award, University of Houston distinguished alumni award, Fashion Group of San Antonio, Night of Stars award, and Northwood University's Outstanding Business Leader.

Mr. Costa continues his excellent work to the present time, including designing specialty collections for television shopping venues. Pictured are three evening gowns and a cocktail dress designed under Victor Costa's own label in the 1980s. Also pictured is a recent photograph of the designer himself.

Debra Cantrelle

Deco Modern Vintage