Zandra Rhodes Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Zandra Rhodes (born 1940) is a London textile and fashion designer who opened her own shop in 1969. Her flowing printed chiffon and organza are central to 1970s London fashion, and she has kept working since, so later pieces need to be told apart from period ones.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Rhodes studied textile design at the Royal College of Art and Medway College of Art, and opened her own shop in 1969 after London manufacturers found her designs too flamboyant. Her clothes use chiffon, handpainting and organza, with later trademark details such as jewelled safety pins and reversed exposed seams; an Indian influence appears in the late 1990s. She dressed Freddie Mercury and Queen in the 1970s and Diana, Princess of Wales, and was made a CBE in 1997.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Zandra Rhodes | From 1969 | Her own shop and label |
| Jewelled safety pins, reversed exposed seams | Later work | Not her earliest designs |
| Indian-influenced designs | Late 1990s | Modern period |
What it helps date
- Rhodes is listed among key designers in our 1970s hub.
- A modern care label separates later production from 1970s pieces: care labels.
Values
The 1970s hub counts 12 Zandra Rhodes lots at Augusta Auctions from $187 to $937, median $406. Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for zandra rhodes vintage dress on eBay
Sources
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Guides that mention Zandra Rhodes
- 1970s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1970s clothing: hippie, prairie, disco and designer-jeans looks, polyester and Qiana, care labels from 1972, and 2026 price ranges.
Related
- Dating Vintage Clothing by the Care LabelHow US, Canadian and European care labels date a garment: the 1971 FTC rule, the 1983 rewrite, 1997 symbols, and the clues that fool people.
- ACWA Union Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate men's suits, coats and shirts by the ACWA union label: the first label of 1916, the 1949 design with and without the registered mark, and ACTWU.
- Adrian Labels: History and How to Date ThemAdrian Original and Adrian Custom labels explained: Gilbert Adrian's move from MGM costume design to his own Beverly Hills house, and suit values.
- Biba Labels: History and How to Date ThemHow to date Biba clothing: no brand label before 1968, the John McConnell logo, slimmed 1970 lettering, printed gold labels from 1971, and fakes.