Happy Birthday Dee-AH-nah Vreeland!

Yesterday was the birthday of the great Diana Vreeland.  Diana Vreeland was all about the life less ordinary.  We all could use a little - or a lot - of Diana Vreeland's extraordinary in our own lives So Why Don't You... take a memo from Diana...

To        BARON DE GUNZBERG

          MRS. SIMPSON

Copy to   MRS. SCHIFF

          MRS. MELLEN

          MRS. DI MONTEZEMOLO

          MISS MILINAIRE

          MISS DONOVAN

          MR. DUHE

          MRS. INGERSTOLL

          MISS HARLOW

          MISS MC KENNA

          MISS WINKELHORN

          MISS HAYS

          MISS PHILLIPS

          MRS. BLACKMON

          MISS MIRABELLA

RE: 

I do hope that you willall get cracking and get in divine

things that would make an amusing wardrobe...

Let's remember bright orange satin evening slippers 

that Gres shows with all sorts of contrasting colors.

It is a most chic and exciting touch.  They are just a little

Roger Vivier pumps with a small eveing heel but the color is

suberb with everything.

I am extremely disappointed that no one has taken the slightest interest in freckles on the model...

We wish to use greens that are everything from spring grass to

bright jade - and the nearer the spring grass the smarter

it will be...

I repeat again the importance of knee socks...

Certainly we need belts --very badly--in this effect--to be worn with everything--but I think the galloon, lace, jewels, everything must be beautifully handled--because we are touching on a very luxurious look with lots of splendour...

Don't forget the serpent...

The sticky situation with fringe is, of course, extremely serious.

Let's promote grey.

For everything.

At the present moment how much grey have we got?

I think that we can consider that the gypsy look has now gotten into the bloodstream of most people who are interested in fashion.

We need

embroidery

embroidery

embroidery

This is the year of the ribbon.  

No one ever looked prettier in ribbons than Chanel.

Please don't miss the divine shoes in the de Rosnay pix.

They are just Divine.  I think these are works of art.

All memos quoted from Visinoaire 37 VREELAND MEMOS

Fred and Ginger and Dries

When I was little and watching my Saturday morning routine of old movies, I always loved when a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie came on.  Boy could she dance!  But, of course, I was really more drawn to the gowns.  One of my favorites was the feather dress from  Top Hat.  I am not sure if you have ever worn a feather anything but if you have, you will know that feather pieces tend to 'molt'. You leave a trail of fluttery feathery bits everywhere you go.  

So I can imagine that Fred was none too pleased when Ginger showed up - unexpectedly - in this feather gown which, when they rehearsed the scene, saw feathers fly into his face, against his tuxedo and onto the dance floor.  But Miss Rogers was not to be deterred from wearing the gown and it  became one of their most famous and striking dances.

But there was also one part of me that wanted to be able to bust the moves like Fred Astaire:

So I was super excited that for Fall 2013 Dries Van Noten, one of my favorite designers,  was inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers mixed up together, a little masculine, a little feminine and, of course, a whole lot of feathers...

Images from Style.com and Tumblr

Happy Birthday Mick Jagger!

Mick Jagger is 70 years old today and other then the sensible sneakers he has taken to wearing, he is still rocking out in skinny jeans, glittery jackets and shaggy hair looking every bit the rock star he was 50 years ago.  Cheers!

Kazuko: The Meaning of Beauty

If you are a long time reader of our RARE vintage blog, you will know that in addition to our wonderful collection of Tina Chow jewelry, we have also had really wonderful pieces by the jeweler and artist Kazuko.

I was thrilled to acquire this collection for RARE vintage which I think is particularly outstanding and especially beautiful.   I am very excited to see a ring that the owner of this collector has - alas she is not parting with it : ( but of course I don't blame her : )

What I love about Tina Chow and Kazuko is that their pieces were not only beautiful to look at and to wear but they were meaningful beauty.  They were meant to be talisman to the people who bought them and there is not one person whom I have bought the pieces from or sold them to who has not appreciated this magical quality about them...

Detail...

Kazuko available at RARE vintage

A Story of Loss and Longing: The Halston Caftan

This is a story of loss and longing.  Get the tissue box ready...

Yesterday a very beautiful bride to be came into RARE vintage looking for a wedding dress and asked if we had anything hippie chic.  I got as far as, "well, we have..." when the telephone rang.  

"I have three Zandra Rhodes caftans and I am nearby your store." said the caller.

"Come over as fast as you can!" I said.

Our client was trying on a flowing lime colored Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche caftan gown when the Zandra Rhodes pieces came in.  And as we all oooed and awed over the pieces, one in particular caught our bride to be eyes and was whisked off the hanger and slipped on and then we all ooed and awed much more and much louder.  Well, it turned out not to be Zandra Rhodes but a 1970s silk hand tie-dyed Halston caftan in the most amazing shades of moss green and pale champagne.  And off it has gone to a wedding in Positano.

I never had a chance to photograph it or have a lingering look which I really like to have before a piece goes off to its new home.  Or consider, do I even want to sell this??  Which is usually question number one at RARE vintage.  Anyone fancy a cry with me?!

The saddest sight in the world... a RARE vintage hanger without a Halston tie-dye caftan...

Belle de Jour: Cate Blanchett in Balenciaga

On Monday night Cate Blanchett  wore a stunningly unusual red carpet dress for the premiere of her new film, Blue Jasmine and I just want to say, you go gurl!  Not only did Cate say "No" to the mermaid dress, she said yes to Balenciaga.

In Alexander Wang for Balenciaga:

The original Cristobal Balenciaga:

and as interpreted by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga:

Everybody Goes Crazy for a Sharp Dressed Man: James Andrew

I was catching up with one of my favorite blogs, Little Augury, this morning when I scrolled down to see her reading list (she has such a wonderful eye, I know whomever she is reading will be interesting too) when I saw the blog, What is James Wearing.  Now, I know, I am a tad late to the James party where the dress code is Gatsby meets Tom Ford but I have to say it is so refreshing to see a really sharp dressed man.  

I am asked all of the time if I carry men's vintage but let's face it, men's clothing is on the not so exciting side: button down shirt, polo shirt, tee shirt, suit, tie...  where are the feathers?  The bows? The ribbons?  But then again if I could get into James' closet...

Click on to What is James Wearing and I think you will be delighted too!

James Andrew in Creed, Gucci, Tom Ford and a Rolex

Photo from What is James Wearing

SEE: La Mécanique des Dessous

I recently acquired a collection of Galanos for RARE vintage from a lovely and interesting woman and amidst the pieces that she had saved were garter stays.  Garter stays have gone the way of gloves and button jars but thanks to a new exhibit at the Musée des Art Décoratifs in Paris, you will have a chance to see what use to lie underneath and more recently began to be underneath no more...

Double pocket panier, 1775-1780

Which would have given shape to this dress:

Robe de court, 1760

and you thought wicker was just for chairs:

Woven rattan bustle, 1880

and would have given shape to a dress like this:

Wedding trousseau ensemble, 1881

From this in 1887:

A strapontin bustle, 1887

to this in 2008:

The bride, Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2008

and in case you suffered from chicken legs:

Calf pads, 1850-1890

and speaking of padding, this is a dress I would LOVE to find for RARE vintage so if anyone out there has one they would like to part with, please phone 212.581.7273 or email info@rarevintage.com!

Commes des Garcons Bump dress Spring/Summer 1997

from this in 1954:

Corselette, 1954

to this in 2007:

Dolce and Gabbana Spring/Summer 2007

The show gives new meaning to just 'picture them in their underwear'!  Hope you can make it to Paris!

La Mécanique des Dessous at the Musé des Arts Decoratifs in Paris until November 24.

Photos from French Vogue

On the Collectibility of Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga

"he was the source of a true renaissance, possibly the greatest talent we have ever had." Olivier Saillard

Let's not be too past tense about Nicolas Ghesquiere - he is still alive after all.  But we can mourn his passing at the house of Balenciaga.  His creativity on the runway may have interfered with the  commercial aspects that the owners of Balenciaga were more focused on.  

In an interview in System magazine, excerpted on the Buisness of Fashion,  Ghesquiere said "The strongest pieces that we made for the catwalk got ignored by the business people.  They forgot that in order to get to that easily sellable biker jacket, it had to go via  a technically mastered piece that had been shown on the catwalk.  I started to become unhappy when I realized that there was no esteem, interest, or recognition for the research I had done; they only cared about what the merchandisable result would look like.  This accelerated desire meant they ignored the fact that all of the pieces that remain the most popular today are from collections we made ten years ago.  They have become classics and will carry on being so."

It seems those comments have gotten Ghesquiere into trouble with the powers that be at his former company and they are suing him.  Where there is fashion, there is drama.  

The fashion drama I love at RARE vintage is seeing an actual runway piece by Ghesquiere for Balenciaga.  Now that is some major drama!  The runway pieces were like couture - beautifully and amazingly crafted - technically intricate - and you really do see the research and how Ghesquiere challenged himself to create something that was fashion in its purest form.  I am going to drop the A word here: Art.  Fashion is an art form but instead of hanging it on a wall we hang it on our bodies.

Fashion for collectors.  Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga.  Fall 2007.  I wish everyone could see how crazy beautiful this piece is.  The work is astonishing and it really makes you gasp.  Available now at RARE vintage...

The bright yellow mink is detachable on the collar and the cuffs but I don't know why you would detach it because it is so fabulous with it on.

You can't really tell from the photos but this is a quilted silk appliqué on the back of the jacket:

Don't Break into a Sweat: Lafes Deodarant

Deodarant is a friend of vintage.  Vintage loves and thanks you for wearing a good deodorant that won't leave a nasty ring of perspiration on it, that won't leave a nasty shadow of white or that will not leave a nasty scent all of which will linger and fester in your closet turning your clothing into something less then desirable when it eventually becomes vintage.  

But most deodorants are a potential enemy to your body - they lull you into a false sense of comfort with their abilities to eradicate all signs of sweat and smell - but they do it with an ingredient that is potentially linked to Alzheimers and cancer - aluminum chloride - can anyone say au naturale fast enough?  

I have searched Whole Foods and the pharmacies of France and have never found the right product until now.  I tried crystallized mineral salt, Waleda, Dr Hauschka, tea tree oil... and then one day I bought Lafes at Pharmaca in the Pacific Palisades.  The packaging is not particularly glamorous looking but it would make Julia Roberts back in her under arm hair at the premiere of Notting Hill in 1999 days proud!  No nasties, no smell, no white shadows.  Your vintage and your body will thank you!

Lafes Deodarant available at Pharmaca here

RARE vintage is on Skorpios with Jackie and Lee

Athina Onassis recently sold Skorpios, the island where Jackie Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis - she is known to have only visited the island once for her mother's ten year memorial.  I 'discovered' Skorios years ago in a book and life on Skorios seemed like the epitome of summer style to me.  RARE vintage is on the beach with Jackie Kennedy on Skorpios...

Ron Galella, the original paparazzo, published the book Jacqueline in 1974 and he writes all about  the challenges of photographing one of the most famous and glamorous women in the world.  Jacqueline Kennedy may or may not have liked Ron Galella tracking her every move but some of the most iconic and wonderful photographs of her are by him and I think his photographs have partially made her the style icon that she is today...

I became really obsessed when I read in Galella's book that "at 11AM I saw two sailors appear and they hosed down the patio and everything.  Getting ready for the Queen, I thought."  Now I wish I had two sailors to hose down our patio but alas I do it myself and it has become a morning ritual at our house on Centre Island - there is something very refreshing about it - and I always think of Jackie on Skorpios.  

Galella continues, "And then a woman in a bikini came down to the shore and started doing exercises.  But it wasn't Queen Jackie.  It was the Princess Lee Radziwill.  Lee looked very good doing her yoga. Then Jackie came down wearing pink Levis."

Have you ever even seen pink Levis?!  But don't they sound fab!

Princess Lee Radziwill doing some morning exercises:

Jackie in cropped pink Levis and her ubiquitous head scarf:

I love the simplicity of the picnic table and the rustic furniture:

Ron Galella did not have an easy time photographing Jackie on Skorpios - she was elusive and there was the presence of the Secret Service, Onassis' staff and the Greek police.  Finally he had a sighting.  "And then I saw her!  She was in the water with her bathing cap on and her sunglasses.  I could hear Ari calling to her: "Don't come her-ahh.  The water is duurrrty."

Galella wanted more photos of Jackie and had a hunch that she would be leaving Skorpios and heading to Capri.  "Crossing the bay of Naples I got sight of the Christina headed towards Capri.  That afternoon after they docked I followed Jackie up to the shopping area of Capri.  Jackie went into a jewelry store but I didn't see her buy anything.  Then she bought four pairs of sandals and then some tomato seeds for the garden on Skorpios.  Then I saw her buy some magazines, including a copy of Gente that had a picture of Ari and Maria Callas kissing on the cover.  I think she was annoyed that I took a picture of that."

Sounds like an idyllic summer doesn't it?  Sun, a swim, a little shopping and gossip magazines...

All photos and quoted text from Jacqueline by Ron Galella