Vintage Sue Wong Studio S black real silk mini dress with cranes or herons print on skirt sleeveless halter neck maybe 1990s or 00s
 
Gorgeous real 100% silk dress made in USA by Chinese American designer Sue Wong. Unsure of the precise date but I had a Sue Wong short dress with print around 2000 also made USA and the same label. So it could date from late 90s or 00s , though may be later. If you know the date please let me know as if later than 2006 I must delist it. But as I say in good faith most of Sue's dresses more recently are longer and have a different label.
This is a size UK 8 dress , labelled US small. I am a UK size 8. It is very fitted on top and flares out at the skirt. It would also be suitable for a UK size 6. 
 
Anyway it is a gorgeous simple short and elegant little black dress with print of wading birds in flight, though am unsure whether they are cranes, herons, storks or egrets. All are symbols of good fortune longevity etc in Chinese cultures, which Sue Wong has always drawn on for her inspiration. Indeed her main inspiration is 1930s Shanghai, and she has even done dragon print dresses. Though dragon print used to be reserved for the Royal dynasties of China, actress Anna May Wong wore a famous one in 1934 movie "Limehouse Blues" designed by Travis Banton. She is more well known of course for the movie Shanghai Express with Marlene Dietrich 1932 a wonderful vintage fashion movie. So anyway, cranes etc were more likely to appear on Chinese dresses historically in print, than the Imperial associated dragons. Silk itself has recently been backdated to around 7000 years ago in China. Cranes etc have been used in Chinese art since at least 2000 years ago.  
 
Sue Wong was born in China, and her mother bribed border guards to leave the country for Hong Kong when Anna was just 5 years old. A year later they were in Los Angeles, and her business grew from the mid 1980s after spending a decade designing for Arpeja , and in 1976  became head designer of its Young Edwardian line. Since the mid 1980s her labels have grown and included Studio S & Nocturne. Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Vanessa Minnillo, Kelly Osbourne, Tyra Banks are among celebs wearing her dresses.
 
So this is a 'good fortune' dress and surely will be for whoever buys it as it is lovely. And there is nothing like the feel of real silk. Made from moth cocoon thread where the moths are raised on Mulberry trees, it is like wearing nothing. You won't sweat in silk so it is a beautiful fabric for summer holidays, and for day or evening wear. So when you swan in that smart restaurant on holiday, if you have a good figure this is going to make gasps of approval without being OTT. 
 
I chose the song Shonen Knife Gyoza from 1998 as my 'Spirit of the Age and garment' piece though they are from Japan sing about a Chinese traditional food from a thousand years ago also eaten in Japan, and I think this dress is also a 'tasty treat' (btw silk worms are also eaten traditionally in China) and from several thousand years ago!