Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda 2014: Italian's Do It With Style

Hamish Bowles, a delightful writer, perfectly captured the Limoncello scented atmosphere of Dolce e Gabbana's most recent alta moda show in Capri.  From the small boats bedecked in lemons and sage, to a soundtrack of Pavarotti filling the sea foam frothed air and to the clothes which sounded like a dream of 1950s Italy and the Viscontil film, Il Leopardo... it was more then just La Dolce Vita.  

I had the privilege to view the last Dolce e Gabbana alta moda collection in New York back in May and more then just seeing how truly beautiful the clothing and accessories were, it was discovering that Dolce e Gabbana alta moda is just that: Italian haute couture made by Italian designers and crafted by Italian artisans.  

We hear much about the petites mains who make the French haute couture but little to none about the piccole mani in Italy.  And there was an enormous tradition of fine dress making in Italy.  So it is not just buying something beautiful but supporting a heroic but dying society of people who can make insanely beautiful things with their hands... So buy Italian alta moda and support small businesses!  : )

There is a word, a very old fashioned word, which sometimes now seems as lost as the men and women who knew how to make a jeweled button or a hand painted silk flower: discretion.  Dolce e Gabbana alta moda is about discretion.  It is not borrowed and worn on red carpets.  It is about the clients, the designers and the craftspeople.  

And you won't see it on Style.com either.  Here are a few photos from Hamish Bowles and Instagram...

Dolce & Gabbana alta moda.  Capri.  Photos by Hamish Bowles

and from Instagram:

love and baci, Juliana

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

Summer is... Valentino and Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy has always epitomized summer style to me.   Easy glamour, windswept hair, a head scarf, a flat sandal, a bit of a ruffle and Valentino by her side.

Have you seen the book 'Un Mito nel Mito' (which translates as a myth within a myth)?  It is a small book of photographs by Settimio Garritano of Jackie Kennedy Onassis' holidays in Capri from 1969-1973.

And to me it is the Bible of Summer Style...

Summer is Jackie Kennedy Onassis in a turquoise headscarf and sunglasses:

Summer is Jackie in a ruffled skirt (I love this outfit):

Summer is Jackie in a flat sandal - and better yet, an Agnelli:

Summer is Jackie and Valentino in Capri:

Summer is a turquoise Valentino silk skirt with a bit of a ruffle and a white tulle top trimmed with white beads which give the illusion of coral:

Just add your favorite sandals and a big ol' pair of sunnies and voliá!  Jackie style!

Valentino turquoise silk ruffle skirt, white tulle beaded top.  Size 6.  

Only available at RARE vintage.

Please email info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273 for more information.