The Feathery Fascinator and Avedon

Taking inspiration from this 1995 photo of Stephanie Seymour by Avedon with our just in at RARE vintage feathery fascinator made in France...

Stephanie Seymour by Avedon

What's new and vintage at RARE vintage...

Beatrice Lissague feathered fascinator with dotted veil available for purchase here

xo, Juliana

Extreme Elegance: Yves Saint Laurent

I always love to find images of pieces I have acquired for RARE vintage from back in their day - years ago when I went to see the Giorgio Armani show at the Guggenheim, I thought the show lacked (and needed) context because it did not show anything around the clothes, the life like it was then, why women wore and desperately wanted those softly deconstructed pant suits...  

So when I find pieces we have, like a yellow silk Loris Azzaro ball gown in a Vogue from 1977 with the model's sleek blonde hair windswept and with glossy lips or a Givenchy haute couture gown in stark black and white from 1968 in Harpers Bazaar, I find it very exciting because it puts back some of the past into the present life of these pieces.

We have two Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche leopard print cossack-style hats at RARE vintage and I knew they were pretty fab but when I saw this image of the great and talented Loulou de la Falaise in le look totale, I did not realize the extreme elegance of it all.  Seriously, wouldn't you love to be that woman in that outfit for one day?  You know something exciting is going to happen!

Loulou de la Falaise in YSL

YSL rive gauche hat as seen on Loulou de la Falaise available for purchase at RARE vintage

love, kisses and vintage YSL on Loulou de la Falaise and at RARE vintage, Juliana

Bitch Stole My Look: Malocolm McLaren and Pharrell

Have you bought Pharrell's new album GIRL?  Literally, every single song is amazing - and how rare is that?  Pharrell is having a much deserved moment: "Blurred Lines" with Robin Thicke and "Get Lucky" with Daft Punk and now his old school/new school album GIRL.  

And The Hat.  

Pharrell in Vivienne Westwood hat

Vivienne Westwood.  Originally worn by Malcolm McLaren in Buffalo Girls in 1982 from the 'Nostalgia of Mud' and 'Buffalo' collection.

"It's a Vivienne Westwood Buffalo hat from when she was with Malcolm McLaren... it's not vintage - I would've been really stylin' if I had the one from the 80s."

Pharrell

if anyone has the original 'Nostalia of Mud' or 'Buffalo' collection hat that they would like to part with, I would love to purchase for our RARE vintage collection!  212-581-7273 or email info@rarevintage.com.

Vivienne Westwood Nostalgia of Mud and Buffalo collection hat on Malcolm McLaren

love, kisses and vintage Westwood, Juliana

PS... Buffalo Gals by Malcom McLaren:

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:  

Halston and Ultrasuede: An American Love Story. Part Four. 1970s. A Single Owner Collection.

Americans have always been known as a pioneering, self sufficient, practical sort of people.  And Roy Halston Frowick born in the American midwest pioneered a new type of wardrobe for the Amercian woman.  One of simplicity and luxuriousness, of practicality and of glamour.  

Halston first became intrigued by the fabric ultrasuede when he saw the Japanese designer Issey Miyake wearing a jacket he had made of it.

"I flipped" Halston told the New York Times in 1973.  "The material was so soft, so luxurious yet so utilitarian."

I had a little debate with myself about including some ultrasuede pieces in this collection because it has long fallen out of favor but for one thing, it is impossible to have a really great collection of Halston without the ultrasuede.   His name is synonymous with the fabric.  It was practically a uniform for so many women in the 1970s.  It was soft, light, machine washable and came in a wide range of colors: turquoise, violet, coral, fawn, deep navy...  

"I remember being in Greece and putting one of the little ultrasuede dresses over my bathing suit and then after a swim going for lunch with it wet.  It dried beautifully and was ready for travel the next day." recalled Jennifer Jones Simon.

Doesn't that sound so chic and glamorous?!  

So when I started revisiting these ultrasuede pieces, I started seeing something else: they look really modern, really fresh right now in this period of increasing minimalism.   How amazing is this photograph of Marisa Berenson in a Halston ultrasuede jacket, an Elsa Peretti belt and the white pants?!    I would love to put the entire outfit on today.

This is one of my favorites:

Don't you think it would look amazing with a pair of suede Dries van Noten boots with a python heel? Or in early spring with a Celine sandal?

We also photographed it looking very Halston:

Worn with one of Halston's delicious cashmere sweaters tied over the shoulders and an ultrasuede hat.

Halston's ultrasuede hat made its debut on the model Karen Bjornson on the cover of Newsweek in 1972.

I was so excited when I was shown the hat in pristine condition!

This is another great and iconic Halston look:

and we recreated this photo with a deep navy ultrasuede shirtdress, a red leather Elsa Peretti belt and tossed a red cashmere sweater over the shoulders:

To see more or to shop our 1970s Halston collection, click here.