One Perfect Dress

Have you ever noticed when you go on a trip and you have thoughtfully planned your packing that at the last moment, right before you close your suitcase, you are suddenly filled with doubt and fear.  Do you really have enough...  What if you desperately need... I once packed so spartanly for a trip to Europe that I actually packed more clothes for my husband then myself.  And everyone knows there is no way a husband needs more clothes then his wife : )  

So there you are with a stuffed suitcase and what happens?  You pretty much wear the same few things the entire trip.  You really just need the right thing.  

This Azzedine Alaia Spring 2015 dress is the just the right thing.  In a shade of electric blue with finely woven sheer lace circles, a longer length that works for flats or for heels and the very amazing black leather belt cinched at the waist with a circular hook.  It really is the perfect dress.  

xo, Juliana

Chanel Gold Chain Gloves

My grandmother had a little drawer in her dressing table neatly filled with gloves.  She actually had drawers filled with gloves, some drawers were filled with all white, some with pastel colors, spring gloves, fall gloves, lace, silk, satin, evening ... and one of my favorite things to do when I was little to get my hands inside those glove drawers, make a big mess and try everything on.  

My daughter also loves gloves and while I do not have a glove drawer but a box filled with gloves, she loves to go in the glove box with her friends, make a big mess and try everything on : )

I buy lots of gloves and the winter coats with the shortened sleeves have been a great opportunity to wear long gloves.  I love to buy gloves for RARE vintage too and sometimes gloves for RARE somehow end up making their way into my closet.  I don't know how it happens : )  Like these grommet gauntlet gloves in a maraschino cherry red by Alaia.  Alas, I was powerless against their amazingness and had to keep them...

I am trying to resist these 1990s Chanel black leather gloves with a gilt chain which are sooo fabulous!  They are one of my favorite style of gloves: fitted to the hand, to the wrist - very sexy - tough and glamorous all at the same time.  They have a tiny, subtle CC stitched on the inside of the palm.  Pretty perfect and hard to resist...  

Purchase the 1990 Chanel gloves with gilt chain from RARE vintage here.

xo, Juliana

Just in at RARE vintage: Azzedine Alaia!

'Shapely' and 'sculpted' are words often attributed to the work of the Tunisian designer, Azzedine Alaia.  Mr. Alaia's every line, every stitch comes from the curve of body, the line of the back, the definition of the waist.  There are no empty seams in his work.  Every line counts.

Just in at RARE vintage is this wonderful denim dress by Azzedine Alaia with detail stitching, defining the body, in a distinct turmeric color.

I love this dress and it is a testament to the craftsmanship of Mr. Alaia that he can take a somewhat stiff material like denim and cut it so precisely that it seems to "flow over a woman's body".

love, kisses and vintage, Juliana

PS Here is a sweet short film on Alaia commissioned by AnOther magazine. Animation by the artist Sarah Beeby. Enjoy!

 

Alaia 1990s denim dress.  Size Medium.  Available for purchase at RARE vintage.
info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273

SEE: ALAIA at the Palais Galliera (and at RARE vintage!)

In a small two room apartment on Rue de Bellechasse, a Tunisian-born man greeted Cécile de Rothschild who  had brought her friend Greta Garbo  and so began the career of Azzedine Alaia.

After a four year renovation the Musée Galliera reopened this past September with an exhibition, simply titled, ALAIA.  The show closes January 26th and, I don't know about you, I can't think of a better excuse for a long weekend in Paris asap!

The show includes the iconic spiral zipper dress which was inspired by a jacket the actress and singer Arletty wore in the film 'Hotel du Nord'.

1981 Alaia 'zipper' dress at the Musée Galliera

And I am happy to add that we have a similar 1981 Alaia zipper dress available for purchase at RARE vintage!  

   

1981 Alaia 'zipper' dress available for purchase at RARE vintage

The zipper spirals from the back shoulder to the front waist.  I love the asymmetric sleeve detail too with a small silver stud.  

At RARE vintage we like to turn your closet into a museum worthy wardrobe!

love, kisses and vintage,  Juliana

The 1990s as seen in The Wolf of Wall Street

There has been a big to do about how Martin Scorcese's Wolf of Wall Street is the first 'period' film of the 1990s.  It does not seem that long ago but when you go back and look at photos from the early 90s, you realize with a bit of a jolt, Damn!  It/We all looked so different. Supermodels with big hair, big thighs*, lots of make up, sheer stockings with close toed shoes, big jewelry, lots of gold.  A whole lot of glamore!

Gianni Versace ad campaign. 1990s.

Sandy Powell, the brilliant costume designer of The Wolf of Wall Street and who will surely win an Academy Award for this film, nailed the costumes for the men and women.  Armani big shouldered pin-striped suits, black leather jackets with those big sloping shoulder pads.  And poor Jonah Hill had to suffer  stone washed jeans, pastel colored button down shirts and sweaters tied 90s wasp style over his shoulders.  

Unfortunately, I could not find many photos of Margot Robbie as the wife of Leonardo di Caprio's character Jordan Belfort.  

But she wore an exuberantly beaded Versace from 1991:

and there is no photo that I could find but Robbie walks in on a gay orgy in full swing wearing a head to toe Gianni Versace 1992 bondage ensemble.  You know the collection: straps, golden Medusa.  The total look.  Very fierce.  Over the top.  Perfect for her character.

Something like this:

and then of course, you can not have the 1990s without some body conscious Herve Leger bandage dresses like the one Robbie wore in the film (do you see the gold on her sunglasses - so 90s!  A nice touch):

Looks similar to this one we have at RARE vintage - and Hello!  Herve Leger was made in Paris back in the day:

1990s Herve Leger from RARE vintage

and Alaia too:

and towards the end of the film, she was wearing 1995 Tom Ford for Gucci, a lime silk blouse- no photos here either but it was this one in the runway photo below:

It is a great entertaining film and Margot Robbie, beautiful and stunning, was perfectly cast and wore the 90s wardrobe well - and that Long Island accent! 

*And just so you know, I am not criticizing the 'big thighs' of the 1990s Supermodels - I am only noting the enormous difference in models bodies then versus the extremely thin models now.

love, kisses and vintage,  Juliana

Real Girl, Real Vintage: Giovanna Battaglia in Alaia

Real Girl, Real vintage: the glamorous Giovanna Battaglia at Paris Fashion Week in 1991 leopard Azzedine Alaia:

and back in the day... photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and styled by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele:

and at RARE vintage... SOLD but not forgotten... we are always looking for leopard Alaia!

Your Body is a Wonderland: Azzedine Alaia Fall 2013

Have you seen the Alaia Fall 2013 collection?  It is beautiful - and I absolutely love the new longer length.  I confess, I was getting a little tired of the short flared skirt - but maybe that is just because I don't love the way it looks on me : (

I have always been a fan of a 70s midi length.  It's super sexy, in a less obvious way, and looks great with shoes or boots.  And it's really comfy - you can run, skip, bend down to pick up your bag and you don't have to worry about your knickers showing. 

This dress is cut close to the body through the waist and falls gently away to a fuller skirt.   

Wish we could see the heel on those studded boots but it looks promising.  I am in agreement with Andre Leon Talley and also abhor the "Cult of the Ugly Shoe'.  Alaia has done some outrageously high shoes and boots for the last few years - and that is why whenever I see a vintage pair of Alaia in my size, I snap them up... I have been patiently waiting for Alaia to return to a much more reasonable and better looking heel and this may be the season!

Blood red midi:

Love this one with a bootie:

Waffle weave midi:

This reminds me of vintage Alaia. So chic with the gloves. There are those shoes again... but otherwise totally classic and forever:

Alaia Fall 2013.  All photos from the New York Times

And some exciting news!  One of my favorite curators, Olivier Saillard, will reopen the Musée Galliera - which has been closed for a long renovation - with an Alaia retrospective in September!  

Oooo- oo That Smell! Smells Likes Azzedine Alaia

Azzedine Alaia has just signed a fragrance deal with Beauté Prestige International.

And what will Azzedine smell like?  He loves to cook, he loves women's bodies... how my mind does wander from the kitchen to the bedroom...  calling "Azzedine, Azzedine... un peu de viande de boeuf... Mon amour..."  

hold that thought and stay tuned...

 Dinner chez Alaia, late 1980s.  Photo by Olivier Zahm.

Alaia's dog Dine Dine at Alaia's studio.  Photo Olivier Zahm

Stephanie Seymour and Alaia in 1994.  Photo by Avedon.

Alaia Does Tati

One of my favorite new finds for RARE vintage...

Can any girl or woman resist a small, Tunisian man in Chinese pajamas?  It is impossible. We are helpless when it comes to his charm, his allure, his sexiness.  Especially when that charm, that allure, that sexiness belongs to the great fashion designer Azzedine Alaia.  So when I was shown this circa 1991 red gingham check Alaia dress, I was completely, totally helpless.  Out came my RARE vintage check book and in came this dress.  

In 1991, Alaia was inspired by the "10-for-1 chic" of the Parisian discount store, Tati, and its gingham striped awning.  Here is Kylie Minogue back in the day in Alaia's Tati print bra, gloves and cap:

Detail:

Dress is in a rare size Large.  So often vintage Alaia is Extra Small and it was a nice discovery that this dress designed to showcase the body, is a little more welcoming to someone with a little body to go with the dress.

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