Chanel, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele and RARE vintage

"For personal chic you need to mix your own shit in and make it happen." 

Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele

Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele probably first entered my radar in a 1997 issue of House and Garden (which I am still the proud owner of - oh, how I miss House and Garden under Dominique Browning!).  In her closet there were rows upon rows of Chanel multi colored ballerinas and piles upon piles of Chanel multi colored cashmere sweaters and I was completely gobsmacked by the extravagance and Chanel-ness of it all!

Carlyne does not do minimalist.  More is, simply, more.  Why have less, when you can have more?!  Haven't you heard?  Carlyne style is a salade!  It is a mix of something Chanel, a pair of jeans, something inexpensive, something expensive.  These days it might be a gold Rolex with a pair of Jermey Scott winged high top sneakers and a track suit ( I am really trying to convince my children that those high tops are awesome!)

"She sees fashion as a brilliant kaleidoscope.  Even in the days of minimalism (often boring and pretentious) , she stuck with her style and was influenced by nobody".

Karl Lagerfeld on Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele

Mid-nineties Chanel is so Karl but also so Carlyne... and I am so glad to have an amazing collection of mid-1990s Chanel just in at RARE vintage!

These photos are from a 2009 issue of French Vogue styled by CC de D but many of bits and pieces are vintage Chanel.  As you can see, it's a salade!

Working a Chanel cashmere sweater, iconic leather woven Chanel belt and the discreet charm of a charming little baby Chanel 2.55 bag on big sis Chanel 2.55.  

And Baby Chanel in the house of RARE vintage:

Bronze Baby Chanel 2.55 available for purchase at RARE vintage.  

For more information or to purchase please email info@rarevinatge.com or phone 212.581.7273

Chanel ID bangle and belt in the house of RARE vintage (I LOVE this amazing belt!  So chic!  And so cool!):

                                               Available for purchase at RARE vintage.  

For more information or to purchase please email info@rarevinatge.com or phone 212.581.7273

Available for purchase at RARE vintage.  

For more information or to purchase please email info@rarevinatge.com or phone 212.581.7273

and in the House of RARE vintage, a black and white silk ribbon pin monogrammed with Chanel - perfect with a classic vintage Chanel tweed jacket, a tee... please note this is unused and in its original box.

Available for purchase at RARE vintage.  

For more information or to purchase please email info@rarevinatge.com or phone 212.581.7273

Chanel: The Queen,The Mughal Empress, The Renaissance Princess and The Gypsy

Chanel was a Queen.  A fisherman. A Mughal Empress.  An orphan.  A singer.  A Renaissance Princess.  A Gypsy.  

Coco Chanel stole from the poor to give to the rich: a humble jersey sweater, faux pearls, costume jewels...  

She traveled with a pirate's chest stuffed with a King's ransom in jewels.

But Chanel mixed her Verdura cuffs with costume jewelry and she made costume jewelry chic and desirable.  She made it fabulous to flaunt your fakes.  And she made the fakes very beautiful. 

Chanel costume jewelry is highly collectible and sought after.  And there are even fakes of her costume jewelry.  There is an excessive amount of Chanel gripoix jewelry in the vintage market - much more then could ever have been produced by House of Chanel so it is important to be careful when buying Chanel costume jewelry.  

I was thrilled to find this beautiful, rare and exceptional piece of Chanel haute couture for RARE vintage.  Swirled gilt is filled in with a pale amethyst colored glass.  Very haute hippie by way of the Mughal empire don't you think?

Detail:

Pure Form: Elsa Peretti for Halston. Part Three. 1970s. A Single Owner Collection.

"I think what Halston and Elsa Peretti did was heat up their minimalism with hedonism and sensuality." Harold Koda Curator Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

A scorpion, a bean, an open heart, a rattlesnake, a Mexican horse bit, a tear drop.  

A romantic, rollicking, tempestuous friendship with Halston and when the friendship ended,  Elsa Peretti threw a sable coat Halston had given her dramatically into the fire.

Elegant, rebellious.  

"I remember seeing The Treasures of Tutankhamun at the Metrolopitan Muesum of Art in the late 1970s and I thought of Elsa.  It was visually very different but emotionally the same - very personal, kind of like forever." Hiro

This is part three in a five part series on an exceptional sale of  1970s Halston that we are having on 1st dibs.  The Elsa Peretti for Halston collection.

1977 Elsa Peretti for Halston anchor belt

1974 Elsa Peretti for Halston belt

Elsa Peretti for Halston sterling silver belt.

Elsa Peretti for Halston Bone Cuff

Elsa Peretti for Halston Bottle Pendant

1977 Elsa Peretti for Halston rope belt

All items are available to purchase on our 1st Dibs storefront by clicking here.

Very RARE vintage Christmas Guide #5: Falling In LOVE with YSL

14 days and counting until Christmas.  No need to panic - yet.  RARE vintage has your vintage gifting wrapped and ready to go.  21 days.  21 wonderful gifts...

Have you fallen in love with Yves Saint Laurent yet?  Yes, I know me too.  We love the clothes, we love the jewelry, we love the bags, we love the houses, we love the man.  And Yves Saint Laurent loved us back.  This Christmas share the love.

In love with a red grosgrain Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche belt with a dangling heart charm.  On one side is written "Love" and the other side has Saint Laurent's signature.

For more information or to purchase please call 212.581.7273 or email info@rarevintage.com

Crazy Insane Gorgeousness!

Crazy, insane, gorgeousness is how I would describe this 1987 Chanel haute couture belt.  It is Victoire de Castellane and Karl Lagerfeld at their most playful, indulgent and extravagant.  More was more fabulous in those days of pearls! bows! gold! camellias! leather! and logos!  

Colorful stones and rhinestones are set in gilded metal wrapped in bows and finished off with large imitation pearls.

A similar piece from the same collection can be seen in the book, The Impossible Collection of Fashion, by Valerie Steele.  Published by Assouline.  Which can be all yours if you have a spare $695 (for the book sillies!  Not the belt.  Sorry : )

The Impossible Collection of Fashion.  Available at Assouline

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It's a Cinch

Pin It

It's the little accessory that can make a major impact: the belt.  When I saw the Celine resort show I immediately focused in on the waist defined by the red belt with the dangling chain.

So that got me thinking about all of these great YSL rive gauche belts that we have at RARE vintage.  Here is just a small selection that we have in store.

Sweet hearts:

 A very small selection from our YSL rive gauche collection of belts.
For more information please call 212 581 7273 or email us at info@rarevintage.com
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Chain Reaction

Coco Chanel first designed the double chain belt in 1956 and ever since it has been a Chanel trademark.  Karl added to the iconic chain belt a double string of pearls and a dangling pendant with a tassel of tiny pearls.  A small "fob" hangs from the pearls with the profile of Chanel.   Coco Chanel wore her double chain belts with a pendant featuring a heart or a lion in a fob like fashion in her pocket for good luck.    

1980s Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel gilt chain and pearl belt

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Celine Accessories for Fall and Resort

We have two great accessories from the legendary house of Celine.  Super chic for the Fall is this forest green suede flat Celine bag that can be worn either as a clutch or with its gold chain strap.  Celine golden hardware.  Purple leather interior with one snap closed pocket.

1970s Celine green suede bag.  $495

Imelda Marcos had her shoes, I have my belts.  I love belts and so was very excited to find this nautically inspired belt from Celine.

White leather belt with metal and blue enamel sailing steering wheel.

Celine nautical belt $250

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Che Bella!

I love finding original images of our vintage pieces and it is also a good for the value to know that it was photographed and published.  I just received this image from a client of our dinosaur sized Chanel jeweled belt from Italian Vogue on the beautiful and amazing Linda Evangelista and styled by Carlyne Cerf Dudzeele.  Looks like from the photo if you wear a big belt you carry an even larger bag!  

Oversized jeweled Chanel belt.

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The Classic: A Chanel Gilt Chain and Leather Belt

So I will try again.  As a part of our RARE vintage Chanel triptych here is a wonderful, classic and timeless Chanel belt.

I think the reason why everyone loves Chanel accessories so much is because they can do so many things.  Firstly, anything Chanel makes you feel good.  I remember my first Chanel purchase, an incredibly beautiful voile top in two pieces trimmed in lace with, oh joy!, a little hard CC plaque on the blouse (but very discreet: ivory on ivory).  It was actually something that I had seen in the magazines and desperately wanted and waited and waited for it to go on sale and when it did,  grabbed it.  I was incredibly happy and went home skipping on the air of Chanel clouds!

Now, I know that Karl Lagerfeld thinks that sale merchandise should be in a separate store so that people who buy sale don't have the full Chanel experience and don't mingle with the clients who pay full price.  (This is from a scene in The September Issue) Oh well.  It certainly did not sound very good when he said it and I thought Anna Wintour looked embarrassed but in a way I understand what he is saying.  But then again buying that first piece meant so much to me and part of that was being in the store and walking out with the shiny black and white Chanel shopping bag.

Back to our belt.  What will it do for you?  It will make you feel good, it will go with just about anything, it works in every season.  It has a dangling coin with the profile of Mademoiselle Chanel on it, what more could you want?!  Besides a little more Chanel...

1980s Chanel Belt

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The Taken: A Chanel Belt

Okay, well, this is the belt that I was going to post but since it just sold, I will post another Chanel belt a little later today.  So, here is the one that we had.  We are sorry to see you go!  Enjoy your new home!

Fringe is In!

I have a sneaky suspicion that the flurry of fringe bags we saw on the runway for Spring 2010 was inspired by Kate Moss carrying Genevieve Jones' fringe bag.    

But fringe has been the adornment of choice by haute bohemians since the 1960s.  Yves Saint Laurent explored his luxe hippie side with this early 1970s leather and pony hair fringed belt.

And you know how we are always saying that we buy pieces that are wearable and collectible for RARE vintage? A similar piece was also bought by the great collector of fashion, Nan Kempner, and is now a part of the Costume Institutes collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

 

Early 1970s Yves Saint Laurent fringe belt. 

  Marked a size small. Total Length 73cm or about 29".

 

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