Just in: Swans in Schon. A Fine and Exceptional Mila Schon Beaded Ensemble. Part Three.

Swans in Schon.  Part Three.

One of the most iconic images from Truman Capote's famed Black and White Ball is of the fabulous Marella Agnelli wearing a fabulous beaded Mila Schon caftan with her fabulously handsome and elegant husband Gianni Agnelli.  It was all too, too fabulous!

Mrs. Agnelli's Mila Schon caftan is now in the collection of the V & A in London and is included in the exhibition set to open April 5th: The Glamour of Italian Fashion.

1966 Mila Schon.  Collection V & A Museum.  Gift of Madame Agnelli

It is very rare to find these 1960s pieces by Mila Schon but I am thrilled and excited to have found a few!  One of which has similar embroidery to Marella Agnelli's caftan - only ours is a haute bohemian long tunic top with a high slit in the middle and a pair of softly draped harem pants (and the harem pants totally work as a part of this ensemble!)

1960s Mila Schon beaded tunic and pants available for purchase at RARE vintage.
info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273

love, baci and vintage Mila Schon, Juliana

Just in: Swans in Schon. A Fine and Exceptional Mila Schon Beaded Dress. Part Two.

In 1966 Women's Wear Daily voted Lee Radziwill and Marella Agnelli Best Dressed.  It was the year of Truman Capote's famed Black and White Ball and Radziwill and Agnelli, Capote's swans, wore beaded dresses by Mila Schon.

Lee Radziwill wore a black and white undulating stripe beaded gown and Marella Agnelli wore a beaded caftan.  One of the hallmarks of a Mila Schon dress from the 1960s is that she preferred not to line her pieces but to duplicate the exterior on the interior.  Thus this silver metal thread short dress with glass beads and clear bugle beads, the interior is as beautiful as the exterior.  The beading is done in a geometric pattern most likely inspired by the modern art Schon collected.

And it is fabulous!  Very Twiggy and very beautiful!  One of the hallmarks of vintage is when someone comes in to RARE vintage and exclaims, "they don't make 'em like this anymore!" and this is a perfect example with the spectacular silver lame fabric run with metal thread and the glass beading.

Just in!

Late 1960s Mila Schon beaded silver metal thread mini dress.  Available for purchase at RARE vintage.
info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273

and a look back at Lee Radziwill's dress from Truman Capote's black and white ball...

1960s Mila Schon evening dress and coat.  Collection V & A Museum.  Gift of Princess Stanislaus Radziwill. 

love, baci and vintage Schon, Juliana

Swans in Schon: Lee Radziwill and Marella Agnelli

"If they were both in Tiffany's window, Marella would be more expensive."
Truman Capote musing on Babe Paley versus Marella Agnelli

In 1966 Truman Capote threw the party to end all parties: his famed Black and White ball.  

It is often invoked as a source of inspiration for new parties here and there but it can never be repeated because those days of impossibly glamorous people, glamorously dressed are just simply gone.

Who, What, Wear on The Swans at Truman Capote's black and white ball. 1966.

Princess Donna Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto (aka Signora Giovanni Agnelli) in a beaded Mila Schon with her very handsome date, Gianni Agnelli:

Marella Agnelli in Mila Schon

and Princess Lee Radziwill in a beaded Mila Schon:

Lee Radziwill in Mila Schon

and soon to be seen at the V & A museum in the upcoming exhibit, The Glamour of Italian Fashion:

love, kisses and vintage, Juliana

Mila Schon's Swan Song

One of my absolute favorite new finds for RARE vintage is this delightful and whimsical Mila Schon romper.  

When acquiring pieces for the store I am always on the hunt for the unusual  so when I saw this romper that ties with a bow at the shoulders and has flowing scarves and, most amazingly and unexpectedly, is banded at the legs and embroidered with swans, I knew its destiny was to swan into RARE vintage.  

Back:

 Detail:

Mila Schon Swan embroidered romper.  Size 6.  Only available at RARE vintage.  

For more information or to purchase, please email info@rarevintage.com 

or phone 212.581.7273

Skort the Issue

Here is a sculpted skortsuit from the late 1960s by Mila Schon. No, that was not a spelling mistake in the first sentence. The adorable shrunken jacket is paired with a skort. Or you could also call them mini culottes. Either way, it is a great, wearable suit in a wool crepe that could take you from Fall to Spring.

Lee Radziwell was a fan of Mila Schon's neat suits and dresses and RARE vintage is a huge fan of Lee Radziwell style. If you have not seen her book Happy Times we definitely suggest it both for its reminiscences and photos. Much of the period that she writes about is the same era as this suit. So, if you like the idea of hanging out with the Agnellis in Italy, Truman Capote in New York and the Kennedys in Washington a little Mila Schon suit just might help you capture a bit of that feeling.

1960s Mila Schon skortsuit. Size 4.

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

Mila Schon

In 1966, in an antique palazzo on Via Montenapoleone with modern furniture by Joe Colombo and Eero Saarinen, Mila Schon opened her own design house. The connection between vintage and modern is also a very RARE vintage philosophy.

Mila Schon died last week at the age of 91 on the eve of a major retrospective in Milan. She had been called the female Courreges for her precisesly cut angles and nod to futurism. She also believed in simple elegance.

At Truman Capote's famous black-and-white ball in 1966 she dressed Marella Agnelli in an embroidered caftan and Lee Radziwill in a black and white sequin shift - an image which has been widely published.

RARE vintage has an extraordinary strapless silk cocktail dress by Mila Schon. The draped bodice references the 18th century but is minimalist and sculptural in black taffeta. There is a definite return to glamorous black cocktail dresses for the Fall season and this dress with glittering jewelry will be a standout and timeless piece.

Draped silk taffeta Mila Schon cocktail dress. Size 2/4.

Labeled Mila Schon.

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