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This is a custom designed burlesque costume consisting of four pieces including a coat, gown, bra and g-string. Created in 1975 by costume designer Bobby Gersten for Tiffany Carter.

The coat is composed of five strips of Fox Fur that spiral to the bottom and finish in a curved fashion. The fox pieces are five inches wide and the fur is in great shape!!!! Strips of prong set Austrian crystal rhinestones are attached at the edges to thick long fox fur pieces. Holding the straps that each row of rhinestones are sewn onto is a heavy ribbon material.

The entire bodice is encrusted with large rhinestones and is lined in back satin. The elbow length sleeves are also encrusted with prong set rhinestones and cuffed in black fox fur. The rhinestones are in great shape, just maybe one or two missing, and the lengths holding them together have been sewn back. Tiffany repaired all the stones for the Exotic World Expo in 2007 before Stephanie Blake performed wearing the costume.

The bottom row between the fur and rounded bottom is lined across the inside and sewn into the coat with a sheer nude fabric so the heels won't catch in the hem. Of course, there are no seams showing with Bobby's couture work.

COAT measurements:

Front length: 55"
Back length: 65"
Sleeve: 17"
Across the back: 15"
Fur pieces are 4-5" wide

The gown is black velvet with rhinestone trim. The under pieces are pearls, rhinestone and crystals hung and strung together by hand, then sewn on the bra and g-string. A latch on one side of the G string needs to be repaired, very simply done. Other than that nothing needs to be fixed. Sadly, the beautiful neckpiece is NOT included, it's long, long gone. To find four pieces of a costume in fantastic condition is very rare.

Bobby Gersten attended the Chouinard Art Institute and earned a degree in Costume design. One of his classmates was Bob Mackie. During the 1960's and early 1970's Bobby owned a design studio in Hollywood, California. He designed gorgeous costumes for Exotic Burlesque striptease dancers who performed at the Body Shop, Pink Pussycat clubs on the Sunset Strip and the Losers Club in Beverly Hills. The dancers toured the globe as Feature Striptease Acts. In the mid 1970's Bobby moved to Boston and he opened a larger studio where he designed fabulously beautiful lace, satin hand beaded, sequined, feathered and rhinestone stage costumes. Bobby Gersten's costumes are very rare. Most of his costumes are in private collections. A few of his costumes have been donated by Legends of Burlesque to the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum.