Alexandra: The Coolest Bride on the Earth!

Now, that is a big statement to make but all brides want to make a statement on their wedding day.  Some do it in a puffy meringue, some are sleek and simple like Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, some wear pants like Bianca Jagger and and then there is the one girl who wore 1967 Givenchy haute couture that had previously belonged to Nan Kempner.  Who is this incredible creature who chose not to wear the puffy meringue and went with something "vintage" instead of merely old? Who chose a dress that was as stunning from the front as from the back.  Who wore OMG! Givenchy haute couture from the 1960s??!!   We don't know about you but that definitetely beats Vera Wang any day in our book.  

Alexandra is RARE vintage's first 'La Muse: Women of Incredible Style' that we will be putting on the blog once a month.   We were as excited as she was when she came in and tried on the Givenchy.  I have mentioned before that I am a firm believer that vintage waits for just the right person and we think that Nan Kempner would have been as thrilled as we were to see her dress looking so spectacular, so right, so beautiful, so amazing on Alexandra.  

Congratulations to Alexandra and thank you for sharing your photos with us!!!!

RARE vintage in L'Uomo Vogue

We are far behind with our press and editorial image pages on the RARE vintage website and hopefully will catch up in the next couple of weeks but in the meantime here is a recent editorial image from L'Uomo Vogue with a Balenciaga jacket and Yves Saint Laurent pants from RARE on pianist Yuja Wang.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Is it a superhero?  No, but it may be the return of our favorite super designer, Thierry Mugler. Well, sort of.  Although he recently designed the costumes for Beyoncé's world tour "I Am...", it is Rosemary Rodriquez who has been designing capsule collections of womenswear for the Thierry Mugler label. Last week she showed new and archived pieces in Moscow.  Now, being shoppers extraordinaire at RARE vintage, we are ever hopeful for new pieces brilliantly designed but when it comes to archive pieces, we want the real thing.  We will hunt down the real thing - whether it is Halston, Ossie Clark, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, if it kills us (not really but it can get very dramatic and be quite the epic).

So, from the RARE vintage archive of couture is this black velvet Thierry Mugler Couture dress. It has strong shoulders, a fitted but not tight bodice and a red stripe running down the front of the skirt.  It is cut slightly higher in the front so you can see the red lining the skirt of the dress. It is elegant and sexy - which is such a trademark of Mugler's work.  We could even have seen Miss Fierce, Miss Sasha Fierce, dancing the night away in this!

1980s black velvet and matte silk dress with red detail.  Size 6.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Taylor Swift in RARE vintage at the Justin Timberlake Friends Concert!

I always think that our vintage pieces wait for exactly the right person to come along.  This is the definition of perfectly, absolutely right: Taylor Swift rocked the Justin Timberlake Friends concert in a vintage silver fringed Oleg Cassini dress that she found at RARE vintage!

 

Gucci for the Cold

How to look chic and glamorous and be warm and cozy at the same time?  No, we don't mean that you are getting an invitation to Valentino's house in Gstaad but we can offer you a 1980s Gucci sweater dress with an extravagantly ruffled organza collar (which you could definitely wear to Gstaad!) or you can just wear it with some lace stockings (so glad these are back in style!) and a great pair of over the knee boots (like the insanely glamorous Christian Louboutin over the knee boots with gold buttons that Carine Roitfeld wore during the recent shows)!

 

1980s Gucci sweater dress. Size 6/8.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

How do you solve a problem like Lacroix?

We are reminded a little bit by the How do you solve a problem like Maria song from The Sound of Music when thinking about Christian Lacroix.  Without a doubt, everyone loves the work and vision of Christian Lacroix.  We root for him, we want the very best for him, we want to wear one of his haute couture dresses and we want to become one of the women in his head that he designs for.   

I would probably loose the ability of speech if I had even just the opportunity to see the Alice in Wonderland dress from the December 2003 issue of Vogue that was worn by Natalia Vodianova up close.  I would probably weep from joy if I had the opportunity to touch and wear that breathtaking periwinkle blue frilled lamé ruffled skirt with the perfect blood red bow hand stenciled with trailing ribbons, and the lace top with a painted mink dickey.  The response to seeing the work of Christian Lacroix is not literal but visceral. You don't think, I need that dress for such and such ocassion.  You just know that you desperately want it because it is the most beautiful, the most incredible thing that you have ever seen.  He takes fabric, lace, color, embroidery and transforms it into something magnificent, something unimagined, something that becomes the definition of impossible beauty and joy.  

But the problem with Lacroix, like the problem with Maria, is how do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?  How do you turn the dream of the haute couture into the reality of commercial ready to wear?  

And maybe the answer is, that you don't.  Maybe not every designer is meant for the destiny of handbags and shoes to be sold around the world.  Maybe there should be a salon where private clients go.  Maybe there should be small collections of the perfect cocktail dress, the perfect coat, the perfect evening ensemble sold exclusively in very few stores.  Maybe there should be tights (he always has had the best stockings) that we can all buy, maybe there should be make up (hello!  Lacroix and color!) and why can't there be perfume again?  Maybe in a global economy, intimacy and exclusivity should be celebrated and growth should be measured and complimentary to the brand.

 

But maybe what there should absolutely not be is badly done ready to wear which lessens the value of the brilliance and the artistry of the couture and then further lessens the value of the whole brand. Maybe less, truly is more, which is a little ironic in the case of Lacroix.

By this time, you can probably tell that while we are enormous admirers of Christian Lacroix's magical haute couture we have not been huge fans of recent Christian Lacroix ready to wear. But the vintage pieces are something altogether different: Mr. Lacroix is there, effort is there, quality is there. 

From an early collection of ready to wear we have a beautiful black silk gazar cocktail dress with a luscious bow in the front.  There is shape and lightness at the same time.  The back of the dress has a panel inspired by the 18th century robe volante that hangs, beginning at the waist, slightly lower then the hem of the dress.  It is Lacroix paired down to extraordinary simplicity but still as lush and as much a part of his dreamlike couture world that there is no disappointment. This is just the kind of piece that we think Lacroix should be doing now as a complement to the more rarified haute couture.

1980s Christian Lacroix silk gazar cocktail dress.  Size 6/8.

The other piece that we think also perfectly exemplifies Lacroix and certainly 1980s Christian Lacroix is this whimsically shaped bag with large gilt charms dangling from the bottom.  You see potential backers, Lacroix can do handbags!  They may not be the blockbuster IT bag that we have thrust at us now in every ad campaign but then again, you never know.  Back to our bag, we love if for a dressy evening out but we also would love it with something more casual - really, how amazing would this look with a cropped pant with a little volume, a plain tee and a leather jacket?!  

1980s Christian Lacroix whimsically shaped bag with charms.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

A shimmering 1960s Malcolm Starr Dress

We were very excited to find this unbelievable 1960s Malcom Starr dress intricately covered with coral, translucent and silver discs and beads.  This dress definitely falls into "they don't make 'em like this anymore" category.  Not only are there fewer people with the knowledge and skills to do this kind of embroidery but the cost of producing such a dress would be prohibitive - especially in this moment where designers are very sensitive to the bottom line. 

But that is exactly what we love about vintage: the quality and its uniqueness.  It is what gets us inspired and excited every time we come across something as special as this.  I immediately start imagining where I might wear it, what I may wear with it... little ballet slippers would be adorable.  Hmm, how about that amazing slightly slouchy open toed sequin Louis Vuitton bootie...  don't worry, I am not keeping it but I can still fantasize about it! 

1960s Sequin and bead embroidered Malcolm Starr mini dress.  Size 4/6. 

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Halston Pure and Simple.

Halston's genius was simplicity and the cut.  He also captured how women wanted to feel and look in the 1970s: glamorous, sexy and comfortable.  Polly Mellon said, that to wear Halston was an experience.   A part of that experience was that Halston used the very best chiffons, silks and four-to-eight-ply cashmere.  A part of it was that although he cut his designs as simply as possible, the designs themselves were very complex and were made to make a woman look her best.  He was also as relentless and dedicated as Cristobal Balenciaga in getting everything right and perfect.

We are very thrilled to offer a classic and iconic Halston crew neck cashmere knit dress. This is a true signature piece by Halston.  The shoulders are narrow and the armholes are high. The dress itself glides cozily over the body.  A timeless piece to be worn and collected (of course!).

1970s Halston crew neck blue cashmere knit dress.  Fits a size 2/4/6.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Unusual 1980s Quilted Leather and Straw Chanel Bag

It can all be very confusing: on the very coldest day of the year, Bergdorf Goodman will inevitably have swimsuits in the window.  On the warmest day of the year, the bulkiest, heaviest looking coat in the world will be in the window.  But we have said it before, fashion waits for no one and here we are with the November fashion issues out and full of Resort.  So in the spirit of resort and in honor of the Caroline Reynolds Millbank's new book Resort Fashion we are happy to be able to offer this unusual 1980s quilted leather and straw bag from Chanel.  It has the wonderful gilt tassled bobble stamped CC and classic leather entwined chain metal strap.  It is also in perfect condition but you already knew that!

Unusual 1980s Chanel quilted leather and straw bag

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Say No to the Big Schlep!

I will be brutally honest here:  I schlep around a lot.  What is inside my 1980s Maxi 2.55 Chanel bag?  Well, chances are if you need something, I most likely have it because my bag is like Snoopy's dog house.   I am not necessarily proud of this but that is the way it is.  The only way I could say no to the big schlep would be to perform a 'gastric bypass' on my purse and then I would be forced not to carry too much.  (Although you may be surprised by just how much you can carry in a small bag with a little strategic planning.  Trust me, I say this from experience!)

So here is to my fantasy life of the idealized bag brought to you by Judith Leiber and RARE vintage: it is just the right size, you can actually see the bottom of your bag and you will not be charged an overweight baggage fee on your purse.

The first is a flawlessly crafted Judith Leiber bag from the late 1960s/early 1970s. Smooth calfskin leather with faux gilt straps. Very elegant and lady like.

Our second Judith Leiber is a graphically shaped, flawlessly handcrafted and beaded Judith Leiber bag from the 1980s. Comes with original tiny tassled comb and mirror in protective dust bag.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Say No to the Snuggie!

Sweaters are the workhorse of our wardrobe.  They may come sleeveless or they may be cobweb wisps of yarn but on the whole, we buy them because they keep us warm when it is chilly.  Now, since I am pretty much the impractical sort (the practical shoe in my closet is a slipper) I love a sweater with a sense of whimsy, like the cashmere Chanel sweaters we recently posted or the great 1980s Valentino leopard sweater.   When I saw this 1980s Miss V by Valentino sweater with tulle bow and crystals, I immediately imagined a woman, more of a broad really, wearing it with a wide legged pant.  She has long hair that cascades in waves.  She has a throaty laugh.  She drinks martinis at 21 for lunch.  But she is also feminine and irresistible to men.   

So, say no the Snuggie (face it, you will be totally resistible in one!) and yes to Valentino!

1980s Miss V by Valentino sweater with stiffened tulle bow and crystals.  

Size small.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

And Versace Created Elizabeth Hurley

On a warm summer evening in 1994 Gianni Versace created Elizabeth Hurley.  He did it with a black dress slashed and held together with oversized safety pins.  The whole look was a sort of punk elegance.  Of course, those breasts added to the over all impact of the dress.  But it was really Versace and the dress that started Elizabeth Hurley's career.  

From the same collection we have a Gianni Versace Couture jacket and skirt.  The skirt is a mini, slashed and held together with silver and a gold safety pins.  The jacket is slashed above the bust and held all the way around by alternating silver and gold safety pins.  We really like the two pieces separately (they are sold together).  The skirt would look amazing with black tights and a tiny jacket and the jacket would be incredible with black leather leggings.  So get thee to RARE vintage for some iconic Gianni Versace.   Your source for collectible and wearable vintage!

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Halston 1974

Let us set a mood: Studio 54.  There is a disco ball spinning overhead, the air is smoky. Outside, the doorman, Marc Beneke, is letting in Halston, Pat Cleveland, Brooke Shields, and Bianca Jagger. Diana Vreeland and Truman Capote are already there.  Things are getting a little sweaty and rowdy on the balcony.  Glitter covers the dance floor.  

You are wearing a cashmere jumpsuit from Halston.  Your hair is long, loose and bouncy.  Your lips are glossy.  You could not decide whether to wear the jumpsuit with the Elsa Peretti oversized buckle that Halston showed it with or not.  You decide against the belt.  Just you, your body, the very best cashmere and Halston.

 1974 Halston brown cashmere jumpsuit.  Size 4.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Just what the doctor ordered: Chanel

We are feeling very House of Chanel here at RARE vintage or else we need to rub our eyes because we are not in Kansas anymore Toto and have just landed in Kate Moss's closet.  Kate Moss has over one hundred Chanel bags in her collection and we can totally understand why. 

Just a word of warning: Chanel bags are extremely addictive and should be treated as a narcotic. Consuming more then the prescribed amount, will certainly lead to addiction.  Side effects may include increased irritability due to a lack of vintage Chanel in your closet, an acute attack of Chanelitis which can only be explained and treated by your doctor, Karl Lagerfeld.  Do not take Chanel if you have an aversion to feeling fashionable, stylish, classic or timeless.  If  symptoms persist for more then 30 days, well, hello!  go buy yourself some Chanel at RARE vintage!

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Trivia Question

Trivia question: what do Holly Golightly, Deborah Harry, Dan Ackroyd, Jim Belushi, John F Kennedy, Tom Cruise and Kate Moss have in common? Ray Bans of course! We were very excited to find these Wayfarers from the 1980s.   The sunglasses are sold with their original case on which someone doodled graffiti.  It just adds to the mood of circa 1980s Madonna, Kenny Scharf, and downtown.

Early 1980s Ray Ban Wayfarers sold with original case.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

1980s Krizia Fox Print Sweater Dress

So this is what we think happened one day back in the early 1980s: Mariuccia Mandelli was walking by a construction site in New York when a group of construction workers started whistling and calling out 'hey there foxy lady'. Rather then take offense, Ms Mandelli, thought, hmmm, foxy lady... and thus was born our classic knit sweater dress from Krizia. 

We think this dress would look, well, pretty foxy, with a pair of brown high,tight boots.

John Huston famously said, there are no new stories to be told, it is how you tell them.  This is absolutely true for fashion as well.  Inspiration crosses continents and centuries.   It is always interesting to see a successful reworking of a vintage piece and we think this Stella McCartney sweater dress from Fall 2009 is a perfect example. 

 

Stella McCartney sweater dress Fall 2009 from Netaporter.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273