Been There, Done That

I usually pay little to no attention to the menswear shows but I could not help but be a little shocked by the blatant "inspiration" for the Dsquared2 Spring 2015 collection.

Stephen Sprouse has been there and done that:

Stephen Sprouse 1987 camouflage  

Teri Toye in Stephen Sprouse

Even RARE vintage has been there and done that:

Stephen Sprouse sale from RARE vintage for 1stdibs

Stephen Sprouse dress at RARE vintage

Been there.  Done.  Seriously?  Dsquared Spring 2015:

love, kisses and Dsquared2 needs a new look, Juliana

What the Punk?!

What does one wear to this year's Met gala?  Vintage Gianni Versace seems an obvious choice.  Our uber stylish client, Giovanna Battaglia, rocked a leather Versace couture bondage bra she bought at RARE vintage awhile back and made it look very punk chaos to couture at Cannes:

But I wonder if we are going to see a lot of vintage Versace at the gala?  Hmmm... so do you break open a box of safety pins and DIY a dress like Franco Moschino did back in the 1980s?

But I think we may see a lot of safety pins too... so what to wear?  I was thinking about wearing a Sprouse mini dress a la Debbie Harry from back in the punk days but it was so short but my bottom would be exposed as I was leaning over the bar to get a drink so I had to scratch that idea because this is definitely not the punk look I am going for:

I am feeling inspired by this:

More glam punk rock then Ramones punk rock.  

Either way it won't really be punk - it's more funk the punk.  Funk it up a bit and have fun and please no spitting on the red carpet.

That Was Then ,This is Now #5

That was then: Stephen Sprouse in 1995 on MTV's House of Style

And this is now at RARE vintage:  

Fashion Rocks!

Rock and Roll and Stephen Sprouse and a rock Goddess

All images from The Stephen Sprouse book by Mauricio and Roger Padhilla

The owner of this - also very Debbie Harry - Sprouse black crepe velcro wrap mini dress said that Stephen kept coming up to her all night along and ripping open the velcro!  

Two crepe pieces creating an X shape attached by velcro.  

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"Glamour shooting out of her eyeballs"

You may remember that Cathy Horyn recounting the year 2011 in fashion said, of Giovanna Battaglia in our Stephen Sprouse, "What a dress!  What a woman!  Ms. Battaglia's vintage Sprouse dress seemed a delirious cut-and-paste job; the men's blazer worn over her shoulders and the goddess ponytail were a nice finishing touch from a stylist with glamour shooting out of her eyeballs."

Giovanna Battaglia in Sprouse from RARE vintage on Style.com

Stephen Sprouse's clothes defined cool and they defined cutting edge:

Paul Cavaco: They were exciting clothes.  There was something sexy and dark and dangerous about them.

They were also - which I don't think people are necessarily aware of - beautifully made.  Stephen Sprouse was not just a club kid designer.  

Candy Pratts Price:  Stephen knew the art of draping.  He knew his fabrics.  He loved to design things on the bias and loved double faced fabrics with no seams.  All this takes a trained eye to understand, and he obviously had that talent. 

This 1998 Stephen Sprouse dress

is so reminiscent of Debbie Harry 

Photos from The Sprouse Book by Mauricio and Roger Padilha

Racerback, cut on the bias with fluttering petals appliquéd all over.

Then we have this Sprouse.  It may look like a Mia Farrow circa Rosemary's Baby baby doll - until you hear this:

Velcro!

Circa 1998 Stephen Sprouse black velvet baby doll dress with white satin collar and cuffs attached by velcro.  Let it rip!

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Cathy Horyn Recounts the Year in Fashion and RARE vintage is Number 4!!

Well, actually it is the super lovely Giovanna Battaglia in her Stephen Sprouse gown that she bought at RARE vintage that is number 4 on Cathy Horyn's Year in Fashion list.  Now this even trumps a best dressed list don't you think?!  It is the year in fashion.  The year!!  In fashion!  In other words "a major fashion moment"!!!  Thank you so much to Giovanna Battaglia for rocking that dress, Stephen Sprouse for designing the dress and Cathy Horyn for mentioning the dress!  (I'll take a little credit too for finding the dress : )

Party Like Its 1988: Stephen Sprouse!

Gregg Wolf made this sterling silver cross pendant for Stephen Sprouse in 1987 for the Fall 1988 collection.  This was right before Sprouse had his backer pull out for the Spring 1988 show which would have been an homage to Guns & Roses (which of course, sounds like it would have been an amazing collection!)

Gregg Wolf is a jewelry designer and metalsmith in New York.  It is a beautifully crafted large scale cross pendant.  Crosses were an important part of the Stephen Sprouse iconography.  This piece is rebellious and fine at the same time a lot like Stephen himself.

Special thanks to Gregg Wolf for help in identifying the collection and maker of this piece!

Fall 1988 Gregg Wolf for Stephen Sprouse silver plated brass cross.  3 1/4" tall and 3" wide.  

(With the hook it is 4" tall)

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Métiers: Featherwork

Stephen Sprouse worked for Halston in the early 1970s.  In fact, some of Halston's designs were in fact Stephens.  Many people think of Stephen Sprouse as a club kid fashion designer but he was a great fashion designer and artist.  His mini dresses worn by Debbie Harry were very rock and roll and perfect for a night of dancing but they were also beautifully made.  And original.  Stephen had a unique vision.

Here is a beautiful column dress covered in feathers that have been stripped down to the tip.  There is a slight iridescent sheen to the dress because of the feathers and the feathers are tremblant  and move joyfully around the body.  This is a very happy and fun dress.  It is very glamorous as well and as it is Stephen Sprouse, he used an unconventional techno fabric for the dress.   Perfect for having a standout dress at a party!

1990s Stephen Sprouse Feathered Dress.  Size 4/6

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Stickies!

In 1992 Stephen Sprouse returned to fashion with a collection for Bergdorf Goodman.

Now, I am sure you do not have in your closet a divinely elegant yet completely decadent topless dress with stick-on bra pads! How beautiful and sexy is this!  Just make sure the pads are well attached so there won't be any awkward wardrobe malfunctions!

 1992 Stephen Sprouse Collection for Bergdorf Goodman

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Warhol, Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf at RARE vintage!

I have always loved art and have always thought of fashion as an art form.  Sometimes it is art we can wear, sometimes it is an art we can collect and often for our clients it is a bit of both.  Sometimes we don't know whether to wear it or frame it!  Can we wear it and then frame it?!  

So, instead of thinking of myself as a fashion dealer, I think of myself as more of an art dealer.  And, ahem, excuse me, but we have works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf at RARE (24 West 57th Street in The New York Gallery Building- see, all these art connections!) and on 1stdibs this week.  Well, if you are going to be an art dealer you might as well represent the best right?!  Okay, maybe I should just say these are not paintings, not drawings but clothing - I know, you are thinking, this just keeps getting better and better!  

Andy Warhol Camoflage for Stephen Sprouse Sequin Dress 1988

 "Stephen Sprouse is the only fashion designer to have gotten the Warhol Foundations blessing to utilize Warhol's artwork as prints in his collection." The Stephen Sprouse Book

Keith Haring Graffiti Print for Stephen Sprouse Dress 1988

"(Keith) Haring was well known to the uptown crowd, the prints of his work lent an urbane edge rather then an urban one."  The Stephen Sprouse book

 Kenny Scharf for Stephen Sprouse

"His (Stephen Sprouse) paintings went hand in hand with his fashion designs.  Everything was intertwined and he could take it anywhere he wanted to.  It was a totality of vision." - Debbie Harry from The Stephen Sprouse Book 

The Proust Questionaire: Mauricio and Roger Padilha

Your favorite virtue: Our favorite virtue is integrity which Stephen Sprouse had loads of.  He never compromised his integrity, even when that meant doing things that might not have necessarily been good for his career and business.

Your chief characteristic: Mauricio and I are very multi-layered... so I guess our main characteristic is unpredictability.

What you appreciate most in your friends: Loyalty.

Your main fault:  We can be pretty compulsive.  When we want something we never take "NO" for an answer and will go to great lengths to achieve it.  This can get in the way of our personal lives and financial capabilites.

Your favorite occupation: We are lucky enough to be exactly what we always wanted to be.  Self employed in the fashion industry.

Your idea of happiness: Being blinded by flashbulbs.

Your idea of misery: Boredom

Where would you like to live: NYC!

Your heroes in real life: Andy Warhol

Your favorite and food and drink: Vodka and Cigarettes

Your favorite motto: Buckle your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy ride...

RARE vintage's Stephen Sprouse Sale from the Collection of Mauricio and Roger Padhila

RARE vintage is pleased to announce a unique sale of over 40 pieces of Stephen Sprouse from the collection of Mauricio and Roger Padilha, who recently co-authored The Stephen Sprouse Book, on 1stdibs and at the RARE vintage store beginning Wednesday September 8th. Special preview Tuesday September 7th.