The Dream We Still Wear: The Story of Gunne Sax and Its Lasting Cult Legacy

From 1970s prairie romance to modern-day obsession, how one San Francisco label still captures hearts and wardrobes worldwide.

If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of vintage fashion on Instagram or Depop, you’ve seen them: those ethereal lace-up bodices, puff sleeves, high collars, and delicate calico prints that look straight out of a fairy tale. That’s Gunne Sax, and half a century after it began, it’s still one of the most collected and romantic fashion labels in history.

From a Small San Francisco Boutique to a Global Aesthetic

Gunne Sax started in San Francisco in 1967, founded by Eleanor Bailey and Carol Miller, who began sewing whimsical, Victorian-inspired dresses out of their small shop on Haight Street.

When a young designer named Jessica McClintock bought the brand in 1969, everything changed. McClintock had a vision, to make femininity accessible, wearable, and just a little bit rebellious. She took those prairie-style pieces, added corset lacing, ribbons, puff sleeves, and lace trims, and created something that felt both nostalgic and new.

By the 1970s, Gunne Sax had become a phenomenon. Their dresses were worn to proms, weddings, concerts, and first loves. They captured the free spirit of the era — romantic, escapist, and quietly radical.

Jessica McClintock: The Woman Behind the Whimsy

Jessica McClintock wasn’t trained in fashion design. She was a schoolteacher who simply understood what women wanted to feel when they dressed up; beautiful, romantic, and empowered by softness.

Her Gunne Sax collections blurred the lines between costume and contemporary clothing. They took inspiration from Edwardian gowns, turn-of-the-century corsetry, and frontier prairie wear, but made them feel modern through lightweight fabrics and accessible price points.

Every dress told a story of young love, independence, and nostalgia for an imagined past. McClintock once said she wanted her designs to make people “dream a little.” And they did.

A Label That Never Really Went Away

While Gunne Sax officially stopped production in the early 2000s, the brand never disappeared. Its cult following only grew stronger.

Collectors scour Etsy, eBay, and vintage fairs for mint-condition Gunne Sax dresses, with certain styles selling for hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars. TikTok creators post try-ons like museum curators. Brides rework original gowns for modern weddings. And younger designers are pulling clear inspiration from that unmistakable Gunne Sax aesthetic.

Think of the cottagecore movement? Gunne Sax walked so it could run. Labels like Doên, Batsheva, LoveShackFancy, and even Rodarte all echo McClintock’s romantic codes;  puff sleeves, ruffles, florals, and femininity with a touch of edge.

Why We Still Love It

Part of Gunne Sax’s lasting power is emotional. The dresses weren’t just clothes — they were stories stitched into lace and ribbon. They made romance wearable and nostalgia feel fresh.

But beyond the sentimentality, they were simply beautifully made. Authentic Gunne Sax pieces are instantly recognisable by their labels, intricate construction, and perfect fusion of innocence and fantasy.

They’re wearable memories of a time when dressing up was an act of expression, not performance.

The Modern Revival

Today, the Gunne Sax effect is everywhere. From indie fashion labels reimagining prairie romance to red-carpet looks inspired by 70s Victoriana, the spirit of the brand continues to shape how designers interpret femininity.

What’s remarkable is that a label born in the counterculture of 1960s San Francisco has become timeless, still speaking to dreamers who love fashion that feels alive with history.

Cool Cat Takeaway:
Gunne Sax wasn’t just a dress brand. It was a mood, a movement, and a memory one that keeps finding new generations to fall in love with lace and ribbon all over again.

Shop our huge range of Gunne Sax here.