My Mother-In-Law, Azzedine Alaia

Yes you read that right Azzedine Alaia is my mother-in-law.  Didn't you know?  He is also your mother-in-law.  And not only your mother-in-law but fashion's mother-in-law too.  Or so says the New York Times.

"Azzedine Alaia did much to shape the look of the 80's but his place in the fashion world was (and still is) that of mother-in-law." The New York Times

Hmm.  Okay.  Well, Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell call Alaia 'Papa' and I know he makes a mean chicken and rice.  He also makes the most perfect clothes and has an enviable collection of vintage couture.  So Mr. Alaia is obviously the ideal mother-in-law.  Now, come to Mamma!

An exhibit, Azzedine Alaia in the 21st Century, will be at the Groninger Museum from December 11th to May 2012 and is a follow up to the 1998 show which was later displayed at the Brant Foundation in New York.

Here at RARE vintage, we are having our own little mini Alaia sale with some classic pieces.  Alaia designs for the ultimate sweater girl.  Alaia does all of his own pattern making and fittings - usually working late into the night. His knits have been made at Silvia Bocchese's factory in Italy for over 30 years.  There is that old expression, if it isn't broken, don't fix it.  And I do not mean that Alaia has stayed the same but that he evolves at his own tempo, his own pace.  Many designers feel the crushing need to reinvent the wheel (I'm on a cliche roll: ) every season.  With Alaia you can build a wardrobe every year and you can mix a 1980s piece with a 2011 piece. 

Let the mixing begin:

A classic black Alaia long sleeved knit dress with a slight flare and brilliant seaming.  Size Medium (will fit a contemporary size 6/8)

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Wear it Now: An Ornate Choker by Chanel Couture

Vogue.com just did an article on the return of the ornate choker.  The writer, Chioma Nnadi, said it all started with the minimalist gilt metal version that Phoebe Philo did for Celine.  The New York based jeweler, Randi Mates of Aesa, said that "wearing a piece that fits closely to the throat, draws up your spine and changes the way you hold yourself.  It's almost regal."

Nnadi suggests wearing an ornate choker over a crisp white button shirt or as the crowning glory of a Grecian column dress."

Circa 1990 Chanel couture necklace only available at RARE vintage NYC.

This spectacular Mughal inspired bib necklace is of course made by the costume jeweler to the couture, Gripoix, for Chanel.  It is from circa 1990, is a runway piece from the couture and is in the most beautiful shades of blue.  Actually the colors remind me of the color of the sea in Sardinia.

As a woman business owner I love that sisters are doing it for themselves!  Gripoix is the story of a family of women who have, for over four generations, been at the helm of the House of Gripoix and of another woman, Coco Chanel.  Gripoix was founded by Augustine Gripoix in the 19th century who began making imitation pearls, pink quartz and rubies for Sarah Bernhardt and Charles Frederick Worth.  Augustine's daughter Suzanne worked with Poiret, Molyneux and Lanvin creating extravagant fakes.  But it was Suzanne Gripoix's relationship with Coco Chanel where the story of Gripoix really begins and continues to the present day.

Chanel had a mischievous streak and by creating jewelry made from faux pearls and poured glass and gilt instead of gold she was subtly mocking the symbols of wealth in the 1920s and 1930s, a string of pearls and a diamond and ruby necklace.  Chanel also piled it on, mixing her real with her faux.  So do as Mademoiselle did and as Vogue.com tells you and RARE vintage recommends: wear an ornate choker.

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New York Has Gone Gaga!

New York has gone gaga for Lady Gaga.  Barneys - okay, let me criticize and compliment here - I really dislike the recently remodeled main floor at Barneys.  It feels cold and anonymous and like you are shopping at an airport duty free.  I miss all of those beautiful antique display cases they had and while I agree a lot needed to change at Barneys I wish they had done a better job on the main floor.  But what I think they did an amazing job with was the collaboration with Lady Gaga for their holiday shop on the 5th floor of the mens store.  The web site is super fun with limited edition products (I bought one of the Gaga stiletto stockings and rock candy necklaces for my daughter) and even if you can not make it into Barneys to visit Gaga's wonderland you can still shop the collection.  25% of the proceeds from Gaga's Workshop go to her Born This Way Foundation.  So shop, be Gaga and do good!  

Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special proves what Elton John said about her last year's Rainforest Benefit: she can do it all: write, sing and play music.  She also produced and directed the Thanksgiving Special. She wore a 1980s Givenchy couture gown from RARE vintage with long gloves and made it her own by wearing it with a Gaga appropriate hat singing "This chick is a tramp".

In the special Lady Gaga wore Valentino Couture while making a turkey.   And did I mention the gorgeous Valentino couture coat was from RARE vintage?!

Photos courtesy of the site for all things Gaga and fashionable, Gaga Fashionland

Please note the Givenchy gown and the Valentino couture coat are no longer available.

And The Chick is a Tramp from the special.  Enjoy!

Happy Gaga Thanksgiving!!

Just the thing for post turkey - Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special on ABC and Lady Gaga singing the 'Lady is a tramp' with Tony Bennett in Givenchy couture from RARE vintage!!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

One For You, One For Me

So if you shop at RARE vintage often enough and you get to know me, you know that sometimes, on the not so rare occasion:) some of the things I buy for the store never make it into the store because somehow they end up in my closet.  It can be really weird.  Like the time I found a 1970s YSL silk moon and stars blouse in my closet.  I swear I did not put it there!  But there it was and I said to this YSL blouse, "why my little amour fou, what are you doing here?  You should be at RARE vintage waiting for someone fabulous to buy you and bring you home."  So like the dutiful vintage store owner I brought my little amour fou, the YSL blouse, back to the store and hung it with care and do you know what happened?  I went home and opened my closet to hang up my Alexander McQueen black Victorian jacket and change into a pair of Chinese pajamas but who do I see?  The YSL blouse.  But this is incroyable I say!  "Little amour fou, you should not be here! How can I run a business if all of the beautiful babies I buy for RARE vintage end up in my closet?"  But the little amour fou YSL blouse looked so happy, so comfortable in my closet, I had to say, "ca va.  But just this one blouse.  Just this one time."  

Cut to four years later:  Little amour fou, the YSL blouse, has been joined by countless others little birds who refuse to leave the nest.  What is a vintage mother to do?!

One for you, one for me!  On this happy occasion, a Christian Lacroix for Pucci silk purse with a woven leather and metal mesh handle, an incredible jeweled chain metal tassel, big enough to fit a comfortable assortment of things for the evening, and even with a little silk and leather change purse attached to the interior by a strap, found its way into my closet.  And even while I was looking at it with regret thinking it really should go to the store, it said to me, Madame (you know Italian vintage is very polite) there are two of us: one for you and one for the store.  

So this is the story of how two amazing Christian Lacroix bags from Lacroix's very short tenure at Pucci and thus very rare came to me and to RARE vintage.  

A Cristian Lacroix for the house of Pucci silk purse.  Circa 2003. 

Only available at RARE vintage NYC.

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Santa Baby: RARE vintage's Christmas List 2

One of my style icons is Coco Chanel.  In fact, one of my women in business icons is Coco Chanel.  The woman grew up with spinster aunts, in an orphanage, worked as a seamstress, opened a hat shop and created an empire.  She borrowed money from a lover, repaid the loan and bought herself a Bentley.  She cried when her lover didn't buy her jewels and when he bought her a tiara from Cartier, she cried some more because she thought it was a necklace and did not fit.  Coco mixed her real jewelry with her brilliant costume jewelry and the rest is fashion history!

China Chow in RARE vintage again!

I am sure you remember seeing China Chow on Bravo's Work of Art in a Pierre Cardin couture tunic from RARE vintage.  On episode 6, China wore feathered fabulousness by the Italian designer Stefan Janson (who apprenticed with the master, Yves Saint Laurent by the way).  The caption for the photo on Bravo's site asks, "Is this China's casual look?".  The answer is:  Dar!  Yes!!  This is every RARE vintage girl's casual look!

China Chow on Bravo's Work of Art in a Stefan Janson feathered jacket from RARE vintage

Vintage Trends: Big Bling is The Thing!

The Spring 2012 runways were covered in dangling chandeliers.  Mind you these are not the kind of chandeliers that hang from the ceiling but the ears.  Big shoulder dusting chandeliers.  And not only were ears accessorized with jumbo sized jewels but necks and wrists were also bejeweled with Flintstone sized rocks.

Claude Montana designed the haute couture for the house of Lanvin from 1990 to 1992.  The hat designer, Stephen Jones, said that the passion for Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler in those days was such a frenzy that crazed fashion people wielding knives would actually slash the tents to get in to see the shows.

Here at RARE vintage, although we are mad for fashion, we do not carry knives, clubs or any other assorted criminal paraphernalia.  It is an oasis of calm and vintage couture.  An oasis where that gorgeous bit of arm candy you see is not a mirage but a big, bold and delicate Claude Montana bracelet for the haute couture for Lanvin.  What I really love about this piece are the little flowers scatted amongst the rhinestones and that the bracelet is slightly deconstructed.  We like our lady like jewelry a little less precious, a little more precocious here at Rv.

Just in time for the holidays and only available at RARE vintage New York...

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Bling and Baubles at RARE vintage

Bring on the bling!  Just in time for the holiday party and gift season, we are stocked and ready to bejewel our clients!  Check our RARE vintage blog everyday for pieces from an extraordinary collection or better yet, come into see the collection at RARE vintage on 57th Street.  The early bird catches the best baubles!

Feeling very Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra?  I know.  Me too:)  And this is just the thing:

A very rare 1960s gold woven leather Bottega Veneta snake bracelet.  Beautifully detailed head and tail of the snake in sterling silver with a light golden finish.  Wear it at the wrist or wrapped higher up on the arm. So in other words, arm candy!

1960s Bottega Veneta Gold Leather Snake bracelet.  Only available at RARE vintage.

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Tina Chow in Her Wire Wrapped Earrings

It is incredible for me to look at this photograph of Tina Chow in her own jewelry and realize that I have had nearly every piece in the photograph available for sale at (and only at I might add) RARE vintage.  Well, truth be told, the temple ring has not been for sale at RV - it is comfortably ensconced in bubble wrap in its original parchment box with Tina's glossy inky black signature on the interior in my bedroom.  (How chic is that?!  The signature is not loudly branded on the outside but discreetly and beautifully placed on the interior.  I tried on a great pair of Gucci cruise pants this week but the label!  I felt like I had a billboard for Gucci on my ass and I am sorry but my behind is nobody's billboard.  Thank you very much.)

The earrings that Tina is wearing are very similar to the wrapped rock crystal pair that we just received at RARE vintage.  Beautiful and perfect no?

Santa Baby: RARE vintage's Christmas List

The Boys are back as Girls: Duran Duran

Brilliant!  (And total Girl Crush on the drunken "drummer", Helena Cristensen!)

People Wear my Clothes to Make a Statement: Yohji Yamamoto

Do you remember when Caroline Bessette became Mrs. Kennedy?  Which designer did she choose to wear?  Yohji Yamamoto.  It was an unexpected choice.  It set her apart.  And the clothes looked amazing on her.  

I have always loved Yamamoto and when I went to Tokyo for the first time, a visit to the Yamamoto store was on the top of my list of Things to Do and See.  (And it was magical: jackets with wired peplums that floated around the body.  And black.  Lots of black.  Though I wandered out with sand colors and blues somehow).

This is an incredible Yohji Yamamoto sweater dress from the 1980s.  It is oversized with a hood in the back.  Yohji's clothes always have a street chic vibe and a play on scale and this is a perfect example of Japanese urban chic.

Why don't you wear it with... Christian Louboutin studded slippers

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Weekend Reading 19: Loulou de la Falaise

Loulou de la Falaise's death was announced today by the Pierre Bergé Yves Saint Laurent Fondation.

"My home is like a gypsy as it has a lot of color and generosity.  I want to make people feel happy and surprised but at the same time it has to be beautiful."  Loulou de la Falaise

Loulou de la Falaise's apartment in Paris

In 2007 Falaise created a line of jewelry and objects for the home called 'Loulou de la Falaise Fantasie'.  "Each piece is a fantasy - but things shouldn't be serious, but fun and enhancing," said Falaise.

Loulou de la Falaise, Yves Saint Laurent and Bianca Jagger all looking so happy.

"Anything I've ever had a really good time in, I would never give away."

Loulou de la Falaise modeling for Vogue

"When I shop, I try things on and then look at the label."

Falaise's bangles

'Loulou de la Falaise's preferred beauty tonic comes in a bottle of Scotch.'  From Francesco Scavullo's 1976 book, 'Scavullo on Beauty'.

Loulou de la Falaise in Yves Saint Laurent on her wedding day to Thadée Klossowski in 1977 with her mother, Maxime de la Falaise.  Doesn't the mother of the bride, Maxime, look glamorous in her white dress with gold jewelry, red beads and red nails?!

'As a designer as well as a small business owner, Loulou del la Falaise has finally abandoned the last vestiges of her fabled role as Yves Saint Laurent's muse.  "I'm looking for one myself" she said.  The New York Times

Loulou de la Falaise, our RARE vintage Muse Forever.  Creative and Createur.  

The Girl with Immaculate Style Wears Vintage Romeo Gigli

Camille Bidault Waddington is a girl after my own heart: she started reading Vogue, Marie Claire, 100 Idees and Jardin des Modes when she was just 10 years old.  Though I was looking at Vogue way before I was 10 and I don't think I ever read Jardin des Modes.

She is a stylist, fashion consultant and a photographer.  She has an enviable wardrobe and a very individual sense of style.

CBW in an asymmetric vintage Romeo Gigli top and an Emilio Pucci skirt.  What was that?!  Yes vintage Romeo Gigli.  You see a cool, stylish girl RARE vintage loves!  If you follow our blog, which of course you do:) you know I love Romeo Gigli.  So I was thrilled to purchase a great collection of 1980s Gigli for myself - oh, wait, I forgot, it is not all about me and I must sell at least a few things I buy "for the store" actually at the store.  I have to remind myself of this every day!  So here we go.  Our collection of Romeo Gigli.

The Tops:

So this first top is very interesting because you can wear it like this:

Or, ta-da!  Like this:

Rather genius don't you think.  The sleeve buttons inside the arm hole.

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RARE vintage in Gotham Magazine

Here are a few party pics in Gotham magazine from the opening night of the preview of our vintage Valentino Couture sale and the uber glamorous photographs of Italian film stars from the 1960s by the photographer, John Phillips.  The whole evening was molto chic!

Here I am with the oh so stylish Michelle Harper.  I wore a gold flecked YSL from the 1970s (one of my favorite dresses and I basically wear it constantly) and Michelle is in Valentino red!

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